One Piece: Livestream

It was still early when Ren got up and finished washing. His seven roommates were already lined up, standing respectfully on both sides of the dormitory. Word had spread quickly that Ren had been promoted to a naval recruit after single-handedly defeating two thousand soldiers. Even the most insignificant handymen in the base had heard the news.

"Brother Ren, what are your plans for today?" The head handyman stepped forward politely, handing him a cigarette. This was the same man Ren had knocked out with a punch yesterday; after waking up, he heard that Ren had become a navy officer. Too afraid to oppose Ren and with no other options, he decided to serve him diligently from now on.

Ren glanced briefly at him before walking out of the room without saying a word. He had no desire to engage with these roommates who bullied the weak and feared the strong. If he hadn’t been worried about running into Ririka last night, he wouldn’t have returned here at all. Thinking of last night, a shiver ran down his spine. Dealing with women, especially two women—one older and one younger—was far more exhausting than fighting Sea Kings or Fishmen. Ririka, after getting drunk, had really seemed like she wanted to devour him whole, and the thought alone was enough to make him uneasy.

After leaving his quarters, Ren found the Captain and handed over 100,000 Berries as the tribute he was supposed to collect the day before. He then requested an assignment to the base prison. The Captain stared at him in silence for a long time, eventually nodding in agreement. This base was already rotten to its core; he wasn't too concerned about Ren stirring up any additional trouble.

But why go to prison?

The system's ultimate task was clear: "Become the supreme authority of the world government." To achieve this, immense power was a fundamental requirement. Reflecting on Task 3's outcome and considering his unique ability to "control the inanimate elements of heaven and earth," Ren sensed that this world would be far more complex than the comics had depicted. The one-hundred-year void in the world's history might even resurface. In such a world, Ren's best chance to succeed lay in rapidly improving his strength. Though the prison of this Navy branch held no renowned fighters, he hoped there would still be individuals strong enough to push his limits and enhance his abilities.

Meanwhile, while Ren was making his way to the prison, his own world was in chaos over his parting words: "Everyone, help spread the word." The comments triggered a wildfire across forums and live-streaming platforms, with people either fervently supporting or mocking the supposed "real-time travel broadcast."

Supporters of Ren’s adventure argued fiercely with skeptics. Some rival streamers, envious and suspicious of Ren’s popularity, accused those who shared the broadcast as engaging in "fake hype." Unwilling to let these accusations slide, the promoters countered that their claims were genuine, only intensifying the arguments.

The debates raged online. Despite the availability of video proof and screenshots, most were skeptical, refusing to believe that "real-time travel" could be anything but fiction. With fewer than tens of thousands of actual viewers witnessing Ren's live travel, his advocates found themselves outnumbered by an army of doubters. Aggrieved but determined, they stood their ground, confident that Ren’s next stream would validate their claims and make all doubters eat their words.

Some even made wild bets—eating unpleasant things, streaking, and money wagers—sure that they'd eventually see Ren vindicated.

——

"Thank you, Uncle Sam," Ingrid said, ending a phone call. She furrowed her brows, still skeptical about the message she'd received. It was clear that Ren, the time-traveling streamer, had somehow journeyed to another time or world. Yet, there was no record of him in her world, as if he had been completely erased. The man she’d seen on her screen, who seemed to have once existed here, left no trace, as if his entire presence had been wiped away.

"No one named Ren is missing. There's no record of anyone named Ren going mad, vanishing, or dying," she pondered aloud. "Could he have traveled after death, taking on a random name?"

"Ingrid, hurry over here! There are people calling the streamer a fake, and we need to defend him!" Hannah, wearing casual shorts and a loose shirt, was already firing back at trolls online. She sat at her computer, vigorously typing insults and rebuttals in the chat of a popular streamer's room.

Ingrid took a quick glance at the screen, chuckled, and moved to the balcony. "You handle it. I need to catch up on yesterday’s events and be ready when the streamer goes live again."

The balcony view was breathtaking, with the sea stretching into the horizon. Ingrid turned her back to the scenery, booted up her laptop, and entered her live-streaming room. Her popularity showed instantly, with viewers flooding in, the count surpassing 200,000 in moments. Messages filled the screen; her audience had been eagerly waiting.

"I've missed you so much, Goddess!"

"There are 30 million streamers, but I only follow you!"

"Goddess, what happened yesterday? You didn’t stream all day. I waited for so long!"

"Goddess, I heard about a One Piece stream being advertised all over. Is there another newcomer?"

… 

Ingrid smiled as she read the messages and started her stream.

——

In the dim corridors of the base prison, Ren walked alongside two soldiers. His remarkable performance the previous day had left the soldiers particularly respectful.

"Brother Ren, why are you here in this dark prison? You should be up there, enjoying the sea breeze and the sunshine."

"As a former handyman, I’ve rarely seen the world. Now that I have the chance, I thought I'd check out these pirates that everyone fears so much," Ren replied casually, glancing at the cells on either side. "So, tell me, what’s the highest bounty here?"

"Five million Berries for the captain of a pirate group," one soldier replied.

"The Captain spent a lot of effort capturing that one," the other added, a hint of respect mixed with apprehension in his voice.

"Five million Berries? A bit on the low side." Ren mused, recalling that even Buggy's bounty was around 15 million Berries. "Show me."

"Of course, Brother Ren," one soldier said, gesturing for Ren to follow. "But be careful. The pirate captain may be contained, but her strength is something else. We’re not exactly afraid of her, but it’s still wise to keep a safe distance."

As Ren continued deeper into the prison, the sound of clinking chains and distant murmurs grew louder, heightening his anticipation.