One Piece: Rise of the harem king

The following day, Xander felt a strange tension in the air. Since the kiss, things between him and Mari had become… uncomfortable. They worked side by side in silence, stealing glances at each other every now and then.

Whenever their eyes met, Mari would quickly look away, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. Xander, for his part, tried to act as if nothing had happened, but the unease in the air was palpable. He refused to blush, but his thoughts kept drifting back to that moment—the way her lips had felt against his.

As the day wore on, Xander did his best to ignore the awkwardness, but it was clear Mari wasn't as successful. She avoided looking directly at him, speaking only when necessary, and focusing intently on her tasks.

Xander sighed inwardly. This isn't how I imagined it going…

By nightfall, the tavern had emptied, and Mari was cleaning the counter again, her movements mechanical. The tension was still there, like an invisible wall between them. Xander couldn't take it anymore.

"Mari," he said, his voice breaking the silence.

Mari froze, her eyes wide as she looked up at him. "Yes?"

"I…" Xander hesitated. "I just wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday."

Mari's face flushed even more. "There's no need to apologize," she muttered. "It was... unexpected, but it's fine."

Xander scratched the back of his neck, unsure of how to approach the situation. "I didn't mean to make things awkward. It's just... I like you, Mari. And that's why I kissed you."

Mari blinked in surprise, her blush deepening. "You… like me?" she asked quietly.

Xander nodded, his gaze unwavering. "Yeah. I've always liked you—since the moment we met. I thought I'd just be upfront about it."

Mari bit her lip, clearly unsure how to respond. "Well... I didn't mind the kiss, but don't do it again, okay?"

Xander smiled softly. "I won't. I promise."

With that, the tension seemed to lift, but a new, more subtle awkwardness remained. As they finished tidying up for the night, they barely spoke, yet there was a sense of mutual understanding between them now.

When Xander finally retired to his room, he lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. I'm making progress... but it's slow.

He reached for the system interface in his mind, wanting to check on his progress. His eyes widened when the system's main menu appeared before him.

[System Overview]

Harem Points: 10

Strength: 16

Agility: 15

Charm: 15

As Xander scrolled down, he was pleased to see the two new powers he had gained.

[Haki]

Basic Observation Haki: Awakened

Basic Armament Haki: Awakened

He could already feel the subtle power of both haki abilities coursing through him. The possibilities were exciting.

Then, he accessed the Shop function and saw a wide variety of options. His eyes scanned over the categories: Items, Devil Fruits, Skills, and more. The thought of purchasing something useful for himself—or his future crew—made him feel a sense of optimism.

But his enthusiasm quickly deflated when he checked his Harem Points.

[Shop]

Items

Wooden Sword – 5 HP

Bread – 1 HP

Water – 1 HP

Basic Healing Salve – 10 HP

Devil Fruits

None available

Skills

None available

Xander's eyes flicked to his current HP: 10. I can't even afford a decent weapon yet.

The Wooden Sword seemed like a good option, but there were other things he could buy first—like food. He quickly realized that he would need to save his points if he wanted anything useful, especially if he planned to recruit more crew members in the future.

Sighing, Xander closed the menu and lay back on the bed, feeling the weight of his situation. I can't afford anything right now, but that'll change.

His thoughts wandered back to Mari. I need to keep working hard, not just for me, but for the people I'll meet along the way. I'll build my crew and become stronger.

With a new resolve in his heart, Xander closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, determined to face the challenges ahead—both the ones with Mari and the many more that awaited him in the vast world of One Piece.

Status:]

Name: Xander

Age: 18

Strength: 16

Agility: 15

Charm: 15

Haki: Basic Armament Haki lvl:1 Basic Observation Haki lvl:1

Devil Fruit: None