Chapter 5+6 - Preview of One Piece: Reincarnated as Rimuru Tempest

Chapter 5: The Storm Fang​​​​​​​, Ranga!

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[Alert! Dimensional Lottery x1 acquired! Use Dimensional Lottery? YES/NO...] YES!

A giant roulette wheel appeared in Rimuru’s mind, divided into three sections: Creatures, Items, and Abilities. At the center was the emblem of the Jura Tempest Federation. The prize, whatever it might be, would originate from his own nation.

The wheel spun, finally landing on Creatures.

[Storm Fang​​​​​​​, Ranga!]

A hexagram shimmered into existence on the deck. As Nami watched in awe, black lightning crackled, and a magnificent wolf with a flowing white mane materialized from thin air.

If not for Rimuru’s protective barrier, the sheer magical energy would have knocked her unconscious.

"My Lord!" Ranga dipped his head respectfully, the potent aura receding. Now, he appeared much like any other large animal, similar to Richie, the lion from the Buggy Pirates.

But Rimuru knew the truth. Even without his full powers, Ranga possessed city-destroying might. In this world, he was practically invincible below the Yonko level, and even capable of challenging the Yonko themselves.

…

Meanwhile, on the main deck, the passengers huddled together, surrounded by a ring of menacing pirates.

The sound of approaching footsteps caught the pirates’ attention. They raised their weapons, wary eyes fixed on the cabin entrance.

Several familiar faces emerged, but their expressions were etched with terror, as if fleeing some unseen horror.

"Get back on the ship! Now!"

"There's a monster! The captain's dead!"

It was the surviving pirates from the earlier encounter.

"What happened? What do you mean, the captain's dead?" A one-eyed pirate stepped forward. Before he could finish his question, a head flew past him.

“Are these the pirates you spoke of, my lord? They seem… underwhelming. Weaker than even low-level monsters.”

“Well, pirates come in all shapes and sizes, Ranga. These are barely stronger than normal humans.”

All eyes turned to the source of the voices. A massive wolf, the size of a small elephant, stood on the upper deck, a blue-haired young man crouched before it. A young woman with orange hair clung to the wolf’s back.

It was Rimuru, Ranga, and Nami.

Having assessed the situation and learned of Rimuru's confrontation with the pirates, Ranga, in the absence of other Tempest monsters, had decided to make himself useful. To his disappointment, the enemies were so weak that he hadn't even needed to use his magic.

“A… a talking wolf!”

“Did… did it just talk?”

“Did he say the captain was dead?”

“We can’t fight that! Run!”

“Back to the ship!”

Panic seized the pirates. They scrambled towards their ship, the image of the giant wolf burned into their minds. Facing a creature like that was suicide, especially after what had happened to Captain Dog-Eye.

As for Rimuru and Nami? They were completely ignored.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out. The lead pirate crumpled to the deck.

“Damn it! It’s just an animal! The captain must have been ambushed! There’s dozens of us! We can take down a wolf and a couple of kids!”

A hulking, one-eyed pirate, wielding a pistol in one hand and a massive axe in the other, stepped forward. It was the Rizaho Pirates' first mate, One-Eyed Gaiton.

“Kill that wolf, and the loot on this ship is ours! Impress Captain Buggy, and you might even get a spot on his crew!”

The Rizaho Pirates were a subsidiary crew of the Buggy Pirates, and Gaiton was not only their first mate but also a full-fledged member of Buggy’s crew. His bounty was two million Berries higher than Dog-Eye’s.

A talking wolf? His captain, Buggy, could split himself into pieces!

“He’s right! It’s just a wolf! There’s over thirty of us!”

“We can shoot it down!”

“Kill the beast and join the Buggy Pirates! Riches and glory await!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Emboldened by Gaiton’s words and the prospect of joining the Buggy Pirates, the pirates opened fire on Rimuru and Ranga.

“Pathetic.”

“You have some nerve to attack my lord! Unforgivable!” Ranga roared.

A wave of black lightning erupted from his body, pulverizing the bullets mid-air. The closest pirates convulsed and dropped dead, foam bubbling from their mouths.

“M-Monster!” Ranga’s roar shattered the remaining pirates’ morale. They ignored Gaiton’s commands and bolted for their ship.

Boom!

Ranga leaped across the gap between the ships, landing squarely in their path. With a single swipe of his paw, he sent several pirates flying into the sea.

“Impossible!” Seeing escape was no longer an option, Gaiton turned his fury on Rimuru.

“You’re dead!” He swung his axe, aiming for Rimuru’s head.

I might not be able to take on that wolf, but I can kill a kid!

The axe struck Rimuru… and shattered.

[Physical Attack Resistance acquired!]

“What…?” Gaiton stared at the broken handle in his hand. The world spun, and then everything went black.

“The Buggy Pirates? Small world…”

“That fragmentation ability is wasted on a clown like him. Though, I suppose I already have Self-Regeneration…" Rimuru mused, a predatory gleam in his golden eyes.

In his final moments, Gaiton saw the blue-haired youth’s lips curl into a chilling smile. He had invoked the name of the fearsome Captain Buggy, but this… thing had reacted as if it were facing a lamb. A dangerous, hungry glint shone in its golden eyes.

If there were gods in this world, this creature must surely be a ravenous Devil.

...

Chapter 6: Three Talents Assembled! The Tedium of Learning

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[One common pirate unit devoured. Magicule value +6!]

“The first mate’s dead!”

“What is that wolf?! Some kind of sea king that evolved to walk on land?”

“Set sail! Get us out of here!”

The pirates remaining on the ship, witnessing the slaughter of their comrades, frantically cut the grappling hooks and steered their ship away from the passenger vessel.

“You cowards! Fire the cannons!”

“Don’t leave us! Help!” The stranded pirates on the passenger ship screamed in desperation.

Their pleas were met with silence. The fleeing pirates weren't about to risk their lives for a lost cause. They had seen their captain and first mate, along with most of their fighting force, cut down in seconds. 

The remaining crew were cooks, deckhands, and other non-combatants. Why attract the attention of that monstrous wolf?

Besides, they barely got a share of the loot anyway. A few hundred Berries a month wasn’t worth dying for.

But Rimuru wasn’t about to let them escape. He leaped across the widening gap, landing on the pirate ship’s deck. With casual flicks of his wrist, he sent two resisting pirate officers flying into the sea.

Thousands of replicated bullets materialized, forming a swirling vortex around the deck. Rimuru’s voice, cold and emotionless, echoed across the ship.

“Three seconds to choose. Surrender, or die.”

Make no mistake, Rimuru had no intention of showing mercy. He needed the ship and its crew to sail it. This mid-sized brigantine was in excellent condition; it would be a waste to destroy it. 

Besides, his mission objective was the pirates on the passenger ship. The pirates on this ship were a separate matter. Their interests didn’t conflict.

If they proved useless, they were just walking Magicule dispensers.

Staring at the menacing swarm of bullets, the pirates dropped their weapons.

“I surrender!”

“Don’t kill me! I surrender!”

“You’re our new captain!”

One surrender led to another. These pirates were not fighters. Survival was their priority.

[Congratulations! John Doe​​​​​​​ has joined the Devouring Empire!] 

[Congratulations! Jane Doe​​​​​​​ has joined the Devouring Empire!] …

A stream of notifications flooded Rimuru’s mind. Joining the empire meant placing their lives entirely in his hands. He had no concerns about rebellion. 

These pirates possessed no special skills. The Great Sage hadn’t even bothered assigning them positions, leaving that task to Rimuru.

He designated them all as sailors and activated the “Do Not Disturb” function for empire notifications, allowing only critical alerts.

Meanwhile, Ranga had finished mopping up the remaining pirates on the passenger ship. The entire battle, from start to finish, had lasted less than ten seconds. The stunned passengers were still trying to process what had happened.

[Congratulations! Mission ‘First Battle’ complete! Rewards: Three-Advanced Haki Training Manual (Complete Edition) x1, Six Powers Training Manual (Basic Edition) x1. Stored in Stomach.] [Congratulations! Unique Talent acquired: Shapeshifter!]

Shapeshifter!

• Fusion: Combine existing skills to create new ones.

• Separation: Extract and isolate specific attributes from a target to create new substances or abilities.

With this, Rimuru possessed all three of his unique talents.

[Announcement! Predator's Mimicry and Shapeshifter's Fusion and Separation abilities have combined to create the new skill: Universal Transformation!] [Announcement! Dissolve, Absorb, and Self-Regeneration have fused via Shapeshifter to create the new skill: Ultraspeed Regeneration!]

With Ultraspeed Regeneration and his various resistances, Rimuru was now virtually indestructible by conventional means in this world.

Advanced Haki? Rokushiki? These manuals were for his subordinates. The World Government’s eight centuries of power couldn’t be overthrown by individual strength alone. If war with the Celestial Dragons became inevitable, Haki and the Rokushiki would give his forces a fighting chance.

He’d make these techniques available to everyone. As for their progress… that was up to them.

As for learning them himself?

‘Great Sage, Analyze the Haki and Rokushiki manuals, please.’

[Analyzing… Analysis complete!] 

Congratulations! Advanced Observation Haki acquired!

Congratulations! Advanced Busoshoku Haki acquired!

Congratulations! Advanced Conqueror’s Haki acquired!

Congratulations! Rokushiki acquired: Shave, Iron Body, Paper Arts, Moonwalk, Tempest Kick, Finger Pistol!

Sensing the influx of new skills, Rimuru sighed internally. Learning was so tedious.

“Rimuru-sama, you’re so powerful!” Nami stared at the cowering pirates, then looked at Rimuru with unconcealed admiration.

“No need for formalities. Call me Rimuru.” He turned his attention to the pirates. “You lot must have some treasure stashed away, right?”

Nami's eyes lit up. “Treasure!” She glanced at Rimuru expectantly.

One of the pirates, eager to please, piped up, “Cap, the treasure is usually kept in Captain Dog-Eye’s cabin, and there’s more in the storeroom! Shall I take you to count it?”

Rimuru, having noticed Nami’s reaction, grinned. “This is your captain’s wife. She’ll be in charge of finances from now on. Anyone who disagrees can take a swim with the fishes.”

The pirates nodded their agreement. They hadn't seen a share of the loot under Dog-Eye anyway.

Nami, however, flushed crimson. “I agreed to join you, not marry you! We’ve only known each other for a few hours!”

Rimuru chuckled. “Don’t worry. We have plenty of time.”

Nami was speechless. He looked like an angel but had the deviousness of a devil. Yet, his words, though teasing, didn’t feel offensive. A strange warmth spread through her chest.

“I-I’ll go count the treasure!” Flustered, she fled into the cabin.

“Rimuru-sama…” Ranga, now back to his normal size, padded over to Rimuru’s side.

Stroking Ranga’s fur, Rimuru surveyed the kneeling pirates, a sense of satisfaction washing over him.

“Get up. We have work to do. Set a course for Cocoyasi Village!”

“Aye, Captain!” Relieved to have survived, the pirates scrambled to their tasks, eager to prove their worth to their new, terrifyingly powerful captain.

As the crew bustled about, Rimuru turned to Ranga. He needed to test his newfound skills. “Ranga, spar with me.”

“As you wish, my lord.” Ranga nodded, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.