Ordinary draws rarely yielded any extraordinary items. This time's haul had only been so bountiful thanks to the Lucky Lighter.
Even so, getting something as useful as the Desire Compass from a low-tier jackpot was already remarkable.
It seemed that real combat power upgrades would depend on hitting one of the grand prizes.
Still, Ren was content with what he had—spending a million Beli to obtain urgently needed supplies was more than worthwhile.
At that moment, the Dimensional Roulette projected a light screen:
{Chip Balance: 1,000,000}
Ren began packing every useful thing he owned into a new, oversized backpack—another item he had drawn earlier. Its capacity far exceeded the one he'd carried from town.
He stowed away the first-aid kit, food, and other daily necessities. Items he needed quick access to—like a straight sword, a silver Desert Eagle, and a gilded pocket watch—he chose to keep on his person.
After organizing everything, Ren settled in for a peaceful night's sleep.
There was no need to stand watch. The island was tiny, devoid of wild beasts, with only lonely coconut trees for company.
In the following days, Ren sought out Zoro for some basic sword-training advice while also experimenting with the Goddess of Luck's Blessing to draw compatible ammunition magazines.
He tried both the intermediate and advanced roulettes.
Luck smiled upon him again—after gritting his teeth and spending 100,000 chips, he successfully obtained two matching magazines.
Now his chip balance read:
{Chip Balance: 900,000}(The author isn't great at math, so he just rounds to whole numbers.)
Feeling more confident, Ren began learning how to handle the pistol. He vaguely remembered the process and pieced it together through trial and error.
After familiarizing himself with the gun's mechanisms—and wasting an entire magazine in practice—he finally got the hang of firing.
Accuracy, however, was another matter entirely.
He aimed at a bottle thirty meters away, yet the bullet veered off and struck a coconut tree barely ten meters distant.
The tree shook, and a ripe coconut promptly dropped—right onto Zoro's head as he napped beneath it.
"Damn it! Don't disturb people for no reason!"
Rubbing the lump on his head, Zoro glared blackly and grabbed Ren by the collar. Ren turned his head aside with an embarrassed laugh and muttered a string of apologies.
Just then, the cry of seagulls echoed overhead.
A flock circled above the beach, drawing both men's attention.
At the far edge of the blue horizon, a massive shadow loomed over the sea—
—a merchant ship!
Two days after landing on the island, a large trading vessel appeared nearby.
It was a five-decked ship with three sails billowing proudly in the wind, its shadow covering nearly half the isle.
Figures bustled across the deck, and sailors rowed ashore in small boats—heading straight for the coconut grove, seemingly to pick fruit.
That was when they encountered Zoro and Ren.
"Your distinguished guests want fresh coconuts? Sure—just give us passage aboard your ship."
Without hesitation, Ren offered the coconuts and what remained of his Beli from the basement stash to negotiate for a ride.
Countless people perished at sea; no one ever knew when it might be their turn.
Thus, so long as one wasn't a bloodthirsty criminal, most sailors would lend a helping hand.
After paying 200,000 Beli per person for tickets,
the two successfully boarded the merchant ship.
Technically, that was a steep markup over standard fares—but both Ren and Zoro saw themselves as paying passengers.
Once aboard, they headed straight to the dining hall, paid for a hearty meal, slept it off, and repeated the cycle.
Zoro's appetite left the chefs dumbfounded—he consumed nearly his own body weight in food.
His uninhibited behavior drew the attention of several passengers, including a finely dressed young woman who asked Ren to arrange a meeting with Zoro.
But since the swordsman had no interest in women—and Ren wasn't exactly a helpful middleman—the matter fizzled out.
Where there was good attention, bad attention followed. Such uninhibited conduct also irritated some of the self-styled nobles aboard.
In the world of One Piece, most nobles truly didn't regard those beneath their rank as human.
The vast gulf in privilege had long convinced them they were a superior species.
The next day came quickly.
"Luck's on our side, Zoro," Ren said, leaning against the railing with eyes half-closed, enjoying the sea breeze.
If this were his previous life, a few pictures of this scene on social media would have earned him waves of envy and admiration.
Everyone else would be stuck grinding away at work while scrolling through such posts for relief—only to encounter a show-off flaunting his good fortune.
But that was his old world.
"Yeah, guess we are lucky," Zoro murmured, not turning his head. His gaze remained fixed on the deck plaza.
A crowd of elegantly dressed men and women were dancing on the mid-deck—spoiled heirs clearly treating this voyage as recreation.
Which, in truth, it was. Most passengers aboard seemed to be wealthy or noble.
"Jealous of them?" Ren asked, noticing the high caliber of both the men and women.
"Bodyguards don't get to indulge," Zoro replied flatly, shaking his head.
He didn't mention that he'd sensed a hostile gaze among the dancers—a feeling of contempt and rejection that prickled against his back.
"Oh? I thought you'd noticed something," Ren said casually, shifting his eyes toward the edge of the crowd.
There stood a man in a suit, sipping coconut juice. One of his attendants whispered something, and the man's expression darkened as his gaze turned toward Ren and Zoro.
It was the same look one might give a cockroach found in the kitchen.
Truly fitting for a noble of this world.
"Let's just keep things steady until we reach the next island," Ren said, closing his eyes again. "After all, we're on their turf."
"I won't let anything happen to you."
Zoro calmly drew his three swords, wiping each blade with the silk cloth Ren had given him.
It was a rare moment of peace—but it didn't last.
A middle-aged man with a captain's hat and a thick beard soon approached them.
He introduced himself as Captain Saren of the Gus Merchant Ship.
Then, without pretense, he made a request:
"Gentlemen, I'm sorry, but could you please return to your quarters? Some distinguished guests have expressed displeasure at your presence on deck."
"That man in the suit?" Ren asked.
"No comment," Captain Saren replied curtly. "I only ask that you show consideration for the fact we rescued you, and remain quietly in your cabin until the next island."
"I recall we paid for our tickets—premium ones at that," Zoro said, his wiping motion slowing as his cold eyes lifted toward the captain.
He'd traveled enough around the East Blue to know that the Gus charged exorbitant fares.
(End of Chapter)