One Pice: A Game Blue System.

When I reached Lv.18 I finally allocated enough points into STR to raise it to 100 and was immediately granted my choice of two passive abilities.

1. Adrenalin Rush In moments of critical need or dire consequence your STR is temporarily boosted by an incredible 70%! This bonus never lasts longer than a few seconds and dissipates instantly once the immediate danger has passed. This ability is limited to three times a day.

2. Stunning Blows

Your attacks have a little extra oomph put into them that others lack. Punches, kicks and jabs now have a 25% chance to briefly stun an enemy leaving them wide open for additional attacks. This ability only triggers on direct hits and does not affect enemies who are higher than [Your Current Level + 30%]. This stun cannot be reapplied until the initial stun has expired.

It actually took me the better part of a whole afternoon to decide. I mean think about it. This was a passive ability I was going to have for literally the rest of my life. Initially I wanted to just snatch up the second choice and be done with it. Can you imagine it? All the chains, combos, and beatdowns I could unleash with an ability like that? Even without the stun being stackable that's a pretty serious late game effect.

But then the doubt crept into my mind.

What if -before we even get that far- I end up on the bad side of someone I really should have left alone? There are some seriously big fish wandering this ocean and I'm not strictly talking about just sea life. If I ever came face to face with such a person then the first ability would undoubtedly be the better one to have. It could literally make the difference between life and death. Once that thought had truly taken root in my brain it was no contest. I selected [Adrenalin Rush] and have been happier for it.

"Hellooooo. Petty Officer Abrellaaaa." I shouted playfully, dragging my capture through the main hub of the Marine station. "I've got another one for youuuuu." "You're joking!" came the laughing response from down the hall. "Jack you were just in here yesterday!"

"I know! Would you believe that this one actually came to me?" I replied lightheartedly as the familiar 'BOUNTY' sign came into view. "Honest! He walked up to me, asked 'Hey, you Jack Parker?' to which I naturally replied 'Not right now, I'm having lunch.' and then he mentioned some nonsense about teaching me a lesson and then smashed my table! Can you believe that? It was so rude!"

"Geez." Abrella sighed dramatically. "Who is it this time?"

I dropped the man's ankle and pulled a stack of wanted posters from the inside of my coat. "Uh…let's see here..." I whisper, ruffling through the sheets. "Ah. Here he is. Makken 'double-down' Hayward. Bounty: 260,000 Beri. Has known connections to the same mafia group that employed the guy I turned in about two weeks ago. I'm guessing their organization didn't appreciate me capturing their associate. Though why they sent someone worth even less than the first guy is beyond me."

Abrella offered a small smile as she began constructing a small stack of money on the counter. "You sure you're gonna be okay Jack? The people these men worked for aren't those you should easily cross. They may have figured your first capture was a fluke. They'll send someone much more capable next time."

"Bah. I'll be okay." I dismissed with a wave of my hand and then scooped up the cash. "I've told you. I'm stronger than I look."

Abrella giggled lightly. "So you've said. Well good luck then Jack! And have a great day."

"Same to you. I'll see you around Petty Officer."

I exited the Marine base and stepped into a nearby alleyway before safely dumping the cash into my [Inventory] and bringing my total amount to just shy of a million.

Holy shit. It just hit me. One Million. I'm about to become a millionaire after just one month of work. Granted a Beri has way waaaay less buying power than the dollar did but this is still a big moment for me.

And it's not the only prize sitting just around the corner.

Quest: Collect 10 bounties. Progress (9/10) Reward: +3 in every stat but LUK and 1,800 Exp.

Oooo I am close. So close I can practically taste it. All I need is one more payday and I can knock out this quest and have enough cash to just straight up buy a small house. Why would I buy a house? I don't know! The point is that I could! Actually, if this next hunt is going to be a big one then let's go BIG! Three birds with one stone!

Quest: Collect a bounty of at least 500,000. Reward: +3 STR, +3 VIT or DEX and 3,000 Exp.

The Exp alone is tempting. I'm currently sitting at (1550/1900) and each level up has consistently only cost 100 more than the previous one. If I manage to complete both quests at the same time it'll be enough to catapult me straight through levels 20 and 21 and get all the way to 22! If I manage to pickup enough Exp while hunting the bounty itself I may even reach 23 by the end of it!

I sifted through my stack of bounty posters like a kid in a toy store. Searching for that perfect someone. Maybe this time it'll even be someone who could put up a little bit of a fight! As much as the logical half of my brain enjoys the idea of playing it safe and continuing to steamroll over low-level criminals, it's already starting to get stale.

'Ooooo. This one might work.' I thought with some excitement.

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE WULFRIC L. BUCHANAN B: 740,000 I skimmed over the small barely discernible print written below the bounty number. It seems Wulfric here has been a very naughty boy. He's wanted for extortion, arson, connections to organized crime and he's suspected of several murders to boot. 'I can certainly see how this guy's earned his DEAD OR ALIVE designation'.