One Piece: Livestream

“Damn, when it comes to showing off, I’ve got to give the anchor credit.”

"The anchor deserves full marks for his pretense. I’d feel sorry for giving him anything less."

"Host, are you sure you can handle this? You’re fine getting shot or stabbed, but this little girl can’t do that. She might not survive!"

"Anchor, if the little girl gets hurt, I’ll never forgive you."

"Host, how much do you like little girls? You can’t bear to let her go, even during a fight?"

"Ladies, did you see that? This is the type of shady uncle you should avoid. Once you fall into his hands, don’t expect to escape!"

"I actually like this kind of shady uncle!"

"I want an uncle like this, too!"

…

Ren scanned the comments on the live broadcast screen, and a bead of sweat appeared on his forehead. If he wanted to complete Task Three, he’d inevitably be branded a lolicon.

Not wanting to talk, he noticed Rika had her eyes closed. Ren clenched his fist, took a step forward, and punched straight at Squidward's chest.

"My name is not 'Octopus Brother!'" Squidward, who had been silent until then, roared as Ren moved toward him. Without slowing down, Squidward defended his chest with six swords against Ren's swift punch.

Seeing Ren holding Rika and charging at the merman, most of the navy soldiers were stunned. They wanted to cheer for the merman but couldn't find the words.

"Impossible. He has no idea how terrifying mermen are. He’s definitely asking for death. He’ll be sliced to pieces," one navy soldier muttered in disbelief, his face twisted.

"Yes, yes, he and that little girl will definitely be sliced up."

…

"Rika!" Ririka’s heart leaped into her throat. She shouted, rushing forward.

"Ririka…" An older woman beside her pulled her back. "Ririka, it’s okay. Since that gentleman subdued so many navy soldiers, he can surely handle that merman."

"But..." No matter how much I believe in him, Rika is my only beloved one. How can she be safe? Tears streamed down Ririka’s face.

…

Bang!

Ren’s punch clashed against Squidward's sword and shield, producing a loud bang as sparks flew.

Squidward blocked Ren’s punch, retreated slightly, then began a furious, spinning slash with his six swords at a speed that dazzled everyone.

The lieutenant standing beside Squidward, understanding his strength, was struck with terror.

The merman is so strong!

"So, your name is 'Little Squid?'" Ren dodged the continuous sword slashes, reappearing in front of the lieutenant. With a quick flip, Ren continued evading and landed a powerful kick to the lieutenant’s neck.

Bang!

With a loud crash, the lieutenant’s body smashed through the wooden wall, flying out.

---

"That's awesome, host! You're taking on the boss solo and beating up the small fry, too. You’ll completely defeat Squidward!"

"The host’s kick was so cool—it deserves a reward."

"Did the anchor learn that kick from Sanji?"

"I AM GOKU gifts a reward of 5,000 Berries."

"Follow and enjoy!"

"Sanji Sanji gifts a reward of 1,000 Berries."

"Five hundred Berries from Takoyaki Shop No. 8."

…

"Little Myna is my boss, my name is Thirty-Eight!" Squidward roared, ignoring the lieutenant who had been kicked away. His six tentacles gripped the long swords, slashing at Ren even faster.

"Thirty-Eight?" As expected, this was a character that didn’t appear in the comics. Ren felt slightly disappointed. He stepped back to avoid the attack and then flashed, jumping out of the broken door.

A fight’s a fight, but let’s not destroy the tavern—it might lower the little girl’s favorability!

"Don’t run away." As Ren exited the tavern, Squidward roared and charged after him, waving his swords.

"Move, move, move! Hurry!" As soon as Ren and Squidward left, the navy soldiers pushed past each other to rush outside and see the battle’s end. Although Ren’s speed amazed them, they doubted his strength. He had already been shot twice in the previous fight, and now he was brazenly fighting with a child in his arms. They didn’t believe Ren could defeat the merman, who was practically invincible to them.

As the navy moved out, Ririka quickly followed, unable to bear Rika being out of her sight for even a second.

Seeing no one paying attention to them anymore, the townsfolk quietly slipped out through the back door. Regardless of who won, they wanted no part in this terrifying conflict.

---

"Why is the anchor running? Can’t he just blow the merman’s head off like he did with the Sea King?"

"That’s stupid. How can a Sea King compare to this merman? The Sea King was huge, so if he dodged, he could attack anywhere. This merman has six swords, and getting close to him is dangerous—especially with the anchor trying to look cool while carrying a little girl."

"If the anchor wins while holding the girl, I’ll definitely reward him with 20,000 Berries."

"I’m not as rich as the person above, so I’ll give two thousand."

"I’ll give a thousand."

…

Ren quickly retreated from the tavern. After distancing himself from Squidward, he gently stroked Rika’s back, drenched in cold sweat, and chuckled. "Little Rika, there’s a skill called Six Styles. The Six Styles include Finger Gun, Iron Block, Shaving, Moon Step, Storm Kick, and Paper Drawing. I’ll show you the Finger Gun. If you’re not afraid, open your eyes and watch me knock Squidward away."

Rika, who had been trembling, steadied herself after hearing Ren’s words. She bit her lip, opened her eyes wide, and nodded.

"Haha, good!" Ren laughed. "Little Rika, watch closely. It can use fists or feet like a gun."

Ren accelerated, closing in on Squidward almost instantly. Before Squidward could react, Ren struck his chest with a powerful punch—

Bang!

With a loud impact, Squidward's chest caved in, his sternum shattered. Ren didn’t pause; he jumped up and delivered a Finger Gun-style kick to Squidward's abdomen.

Bang!

Squidward flew through the air.

"……" A group of navy men crowded around the broken gate. They had just come out when they saw Ren send the merman, whom they’d thought invincible, flying with a punch and a kick. The loud, bustling chatter suddenly ceased as their faces turned pale, all courage draining away in that instant, leaving them trembling.

Not daring to believe it was real, everyone began to worry about the consequences of their earlier resistance.

Inside the tavern, everything lay shattered. They couldn’t imagine how their lives might change next.

"Rika!" Ririka, arriving later, missed seeing Squidward get kicked away. Instead, she saw Ren holding Rika, no longer fighting. Without a second thought, she shouted and ran toward him.

The lieutenant, lying on the ground in the distance, raised his head weakly and looked skyward with a dazed expression.