Renzo: The 36-World Traveler

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Half a day later…

At one of Loguetown's ports, the ship that once belonged to the Blood-Hand Pirates was now docked.

"Big bro, big sis! Uncles, aunties! Goodbye!"

Standing at the bow of the ship, Renzo waved enthusiastically, bidding farewell to the people he had rescued.

"You too, Renzo! Take care!"

"Thank you, Renzo! If you ever get the chance, come visit us on Sibru Island! I promise to treat you well!"

"Yeah! And don't forget Naxi Island! We've got the best roast lamb you'll ever taste!"

"I…"

One by one, the rescued civilians waved reluctantly, extending heartfelt invitations to Renzo.

Of course, those ungrateful scumbags—who had been captives just like the others but showed no gratitude—had already run off the moment they reached shore.

They wouldn't dare stick around, let alone try to cause trouble for Renzo.

After all, they had seen firsthand that he was no saint.

Especially when they were forced to carry the corpses of the pirates, the sheer brutality of the scene left an unforgettable impression on them.

"We actually dared to threaten a demon like him… Our courage is something to be admired!"

"Even we have to respect our own suicidal tendencies!"

That was the shared thought in their minds at the time.

— — —

Meanwhile, the commotion at the port had drawn quite a bit of attention, including that of the local Marines.

"What's going on over there? Why's it so lively?"

"Wait… What? The infamous Blood-Hand Pirates were wiped out by a single kid?!"

"No way! You're joking, right?"

It didn't take long for the Marines to get a grasp of the situation. When they learned that a lone teenager had taken down the Blood-Hand Pirates and saved an entire ship full of kidnapped civilians, Loguetown's commanding officer, Captain Grace, personally came to meet Renzo.

He even invited Renzo to join the Marines.

"I appreciate the offer, Captain, but I'm still young. I plan to return to my teacher and continue my training for now."

Renzo politely declined before adding, "Oh, by the way, I kept Blood-Hand Orik's head. I should be able to claim his bounty, right? Also, I have no use for this pirate ship. Would you be able to help me get rid of it?"

He knew he'd be staying in the East Blue for quite some time, and he'd need a lot of money. Might as well get as much as he could.

"I see… That's unfortunate, but I won't press the issue."

Captain Grace was a little disappointed at Renzo's refusal, but since the young man said he was returning to his teacher for training, there was no reason to stop him.

"Listen, kid, my invitation stands. When you finish your training, if you're ever interested in joining the Marines, I'd be happy to recommend you to the elite training camp at Marine Headquarters!"

"As for Orik's bounty…"

He turned to his adjutant and ordered, "Verify the bounty and make sure Renzo receives the reward. Also, see to it that the pirate ship is dealt with. Someone will want to buy it."

"Yes, sir!"

In the end, Renzo received a bounty payout of 6.6 million Berries. The pirate ship sold for another 2 million, and with the 8 million Berries he had looted from the ship—plus the gold, silver, and jewels he exchanged for cash—he now had over 20 million Berries in total.

"Hunting pirates and becoming a bounty hunter… Not a bad gig, huh?"

Leaving the exchange office with a cash-filled suitcase, Renzo couldn't help but consider the idea seriously.

For a moment, he was tempted to set sail as a full-time pirate hunter.

"Nah, forget it. No need to go looking for trouble."

"Besides, this was a special case. These guys weren't just any pirates—they were working under a slave-trading organization. That's why they had so much wealth. Ordinary pirate crews wouldn't be nearly as rich."

"Not to mention, I overheard them talking about working for the Donquixote Family… Which means they were an extremely low-level extension of Doflamingo's organization."

"Even though the connection is weak, getting on their radar wouldn't be good."

At this point, Renzo knew he wasn't strong enough to go up against Doflamingo and his forces.

But once he became powerful enough, maybe he'd go looking for trouble himself.

Not wanting to linger in Loguetown, Renzo quickly exchanged his money, tried but failed to find a certain weapons shop, then bought a ticket for a passing cruise ship and left.

To be extra cautious, he even took a roundabout route, changing ships multiple times between cruises and merchant vessels.

After more than ten days, he finally reached his destination—Shimotsuki Village.

Inside the guest hall of the Isshin Dojo in Shimotsuki Village…

"You wish to become my disciple?"

Koshiro looked at the young man sitting across from him, his face calm yet curious.

He could tell that Renzo wasn't an ordinary youth.

At least, not compared to others his age.

"Yes, Master Koshiro!"

Renzo nodded solemnly. "I came here specifically to seek you out. I wish to learn the way of the sword and improve my physical combat skills. Please accept me as your student!"

"Very well!"

Koshiro studied Renzo's eyes and saw nothing but clarity and determination. Without hesitation, he agreed.

"Huh?"

Renzo was caught off guard. That was… too easy. He had prepared all sorts of arguments to convince him, but none were needed.

"You seem surprised that I agreed so easily."

Koshiro chuckled, easily seeing through Renzo's thoughts.

"Uh… Yeah, a little. I thought becoming a disciple was a serious matter that required passing multiple tests."

Renzo scratched his head awkwardly.

Wasn't that how it always worked in novels?

Didn't Koshiro only accept students he knew well, or chosen ones like Zoro?

Had he overthought things?

"Hahaha!"

Koshiro laughed heartily. "You're not wrong! Learning secret techniques is indeed a serious matter, and I do require students to undergo rigorous testing before I teach them those."

"Wait… So I'm not an official disciple yet?"

"Of course not!"

Koshiro nodded matter-of-factly. "This isn't about you personally—it's the same for all students at the dojo."

"Everyone starts as a regular student. Only after earning my recognition can they advance to higher levels—senior students, official disciples, elite trainees, and finally, those who learn the true secrets of our style."

"That said, those are the old rules. Nowadays, I've simplified things. If you meet my standards, I'll teach you whatever sword techniques you wish to learn."

His family had long since left Wano, and many traditions had faded. Sticking to outdated rules would only make it harder to find students.

"I see! That makes sense! I'll take any tests whenever you see fit!"

Renzo understood and gave his earnest commitment.

"Good! From today onward, you're a member of Isshin Dojo!"

After that, Renzo paid a full year's tuition.

Rather than buying a house in the village, he chose to live at the dojo, even paying extra for room and board.

Koshiro accepted everything with a smile.

He could tell Renzo was wealthy and not ordinary.

But he'd wait and observe before making any judgments.

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