One Piece: Chopping Ace Back to Foosha Village at the Start

Dock One, Water 7

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Wayne stood back and admired his handiwork.

The once-mighty Ark Maxim had now been completely melted down by his lightning abilities. In its place were neatly arranged blocks of refined, soft gold easier to work with and process. This was the fruit of two full days of intense labor.

To be fair, as Iceburg had pointed out earlier, they could have handled the melting process using traditional methods but it would've taken much longer. Rather than wait, Wayne had decided to do it himself.

Fortunately, the two days spent working weren't just about melting the Ark. Wayne had made considerable progress with his Devil Fruit powers as well.

Character Sheet: Duraki D. Wayne

Titles: Scholar, Culinary Doctor, Superstar

Devil Fruit: Goro Goro no Mi (Lightning Fruit) – Development Level: Beginner (4333/10000)

Haki:

Advanced Armament Haki (1233/5000)

Advanced Observation Haki (3800/5000)

Basic Conqueror's Haki (19/10000)

Swordsmanship: High-Level Greatsword Master (300/50000)

Physical Strength: Tier Seven (4800/10000)

Note: Tier Nine corresponds to monsters like Garp. Tier Seven is equivalent to Aokiji or Akainu.

Combat Techniques:

Navy Six Styles: Moonwalk, Iron Body, Finger Pistol, Shave

Life Return

Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū (Flying Heaven Honorable Sword Style)

Occupations:

Chef (Master Level)

Novelist (Master Level)

Singer (Grandmaster Level)

Doctor (Advanced Level)

Swordsmith (Advanced Level)

Weapon: Meitō (Famed Blade) – Yubashiri (One of the Fifty Skillful Grade Swords)

Life Points: 2077

This was Wayne's current power level a massive leap from just a few months ago. His swordsmanship had reached elite levels. His physical strength and Haki had both improved. He had mastered a rare and powerful sword style and, most importantly, obtained the Logia-type Lightning Fruit.

"Still a long road ahead..."

Wayne sighed quietly. His current strength was enough for self-preservation on the Grand Line but not enough to accomplish his ultimate goal.

Gurgle, gurgle—

His transponder snail buzzed in his pocket.

"Moshi moshi, this is Wayne. What's up?"

"Boss, it's Daniel. I've gathered the latest intel you asked for on that guy Slayve, the so-called King of Slavery. Want me to send it over?"

"No need. Where are you? I'll come get it."

In the blink of an eye, Wayne's body turned into lightning and vanished.

After absorbing the intelligence report, Wayne now held a permanent Log Pose pointing directly to Slayve's island. In a flash, he was gone again his body tearing across the sky like a bolt of pure electricity.

Technically speaking, lightning travels at the speed of light. While Wayne couldn't quite match Kizaru's pace, he was still arguably the second-fastest man alive on the seas.

Slayve, the so-called King of Slavery, ruled from an island near Sabaody. His gang boasted roughly 3000 members. The number of elite fighters remained unclear.

Slayve himself was reportedly skilled in Observation Haki. There were no confirmed sightings of Armament Haki. He was suspected of being a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user possibly wielding the Slavery Fruit. His meteoric rise to power was suspiciously sudden, and Wayne had every reason to believe it was tied to that fruit.

According to the latest intel, Slayve was currently on the island, presiding over a slave auction.

Wayne clenched his jaw and increased his speed. He had to get there before the auction ended.

. . .

"Boss, one more bowl!"

Inside a modest ramen shop, Wayne was inhaling noodles like a man starved. Before him sat two towering stacks of empty bowls.

The noodles were springy and firm, the pork slices thick and generous. Even by Wayne's gourmet standards, this place was delicious.

He had arrived on Slayve's island earlier that day. After flying for nearly twenty-four hours straight, hunger got the better of him. Luckily, he stumbled upon this ramen spot which turned out to be an unexpected treasure.

"Coming right up, dear guest!"

The waitress, a young woman in her late teens, watched Wayne eat with sparkling eyes. Another soul lost to Wayne's unfairly handsome face.

"Alright... that's enough. Time to get to work."

"Boss, the check please!"

An elderly man with a kindly face came over with a slight bow and a smile. His skin was weathered, his back slightly hunched.

"Hope you enjoyed the food, young man. That'll be 280,000 Berries."

Wayne's expression stiffened.

The ramen was good... but that price?

Even for someone who didn't usually mind money, that felt absurd.

He had eaten twenty-eight bowls. That meant each bowl cost ten thousand Berries. Was he being scammed?

Still, Wayne didn't let his irritation show. He kept his tone calm.

"Excuse me, sir. Why is your ramen so expensive?"

The old man opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He glanced cautiously around the room before leaning in and whispering.

"You must be a traveler. Not from around here, are you?"

Wayne nodded inwardly.

So, they were fleecing outsiders.

But then the old man continued.

"The prices here aren't up to us. We couldn't survive otherwise."

"The thing is... our king, Slayve, set the tax rate at ninety percent. Ninety! So out of that 280,000 Berries, we only keep 28,000. The rest goes straight into his coffers."

"And that's not all... there's also something called the 'Pardon Tax.' If we can't pay it in time... we get demoted to slaves."

Wayne fell silent.

None of this had been in the report.

He'd assumed Slayve's atrocities were limited to international trafficking but to treat his own citizens this way?

"Slayve really is a monster..."

Wayne's voice was low and grim.

The girl from earlier paled.

"Please, sir keep your voice down! Saying things like that will get you turned into a slave!"

Wayne didn't reply. But his eyes darkened further.

He reached into his coat and pulled out 300,000 Berries, handing them to the old man.

"Keep the change."

The man's eyes brimmed with gratitude, though his voice remained cautious.

"Stranger... if you have no pressing business here, I advise you to leave. Patrol squads roam the streets. If they find you... you won't be able to get away."

Wayne nodded silently.

Of course he wasn't leaving. But it was time to move on from the ramen shop.

Just then, the front door burst open with a loud bang.

Several thuggish men in patrol uniforms stormed inside, their faces smug and hostile. One of them pointed at the old man and shouted.

"Hey, geezer! It's tax day. You got the money ready or what?"

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