Katie was unaware that her forehead was already covered in fine beads of sweat—it was only natural to feel nervous at a time like this.
Her eyes were fixed tightly on Hook's back, ready at any moment to draw Pukong.
"Damn it, where the hell is that bastard Buggy? Hurry up and get me out of here!"
Hook's voice grew increasingly furious. From the moment Buggy had broken out of prison until now, not once had Buggy appeared in his line of sight, and this infuriated him.
Katie, however, wasn't the least bit anxious. In fact, this situation had created the perfect opportunity for her. The angrier Hook became, the higher her chances of killing him with a single strike.
"Useless! Worthless!"
When Hook once again vented his rage against the prison bars, Katie made her move.
The power she had been gathering erupted in an instant, and a gleaming silver katana suddenly materialized in her hand.
To the others, it was as if a faint flash of light had flickered before their eyes—some didn't even notice Katie's movement at all.
"Ah—!"
A bloodcurdling scream shattered the tense silence. The prisoners watched in shock as Hook was impaled through the chest from behind. The attacker was none other than that newcomer, the kid who had only just arrived. No one knew where the sword in Katie's hand had come from, though right now, no one had the mind to dwell on that.
This sudden turn of events left them all stunned. Who could have guessed that the meek and submissive Katie would suddenly turn into a killer? And now, with a blade in hand, she posed an absolute, lethal threat to every single one of them.
Gurgling, blood poured from Hook's mouth. The searing pain in his chest and his blurring vision made it clear—he wasn't going to make it.
Hook refused to accept this outcome. His hands clawed desperately at the air, his eyes pleading, begging for someone—anyone—to save him.
But the cold, indifferent stares of those around him only drove him deeper into despair.
"P-Please… spare me… let me go…"
In the end, he even began begging Katie.
But there was no way Katie would let him live. For one, the system's mission required her to kill Hook. But even if that weren't the case, she wouldn't have spared him. She understood the principle of cutting weeds and digging up roots—leaving no chance for revenge.
After a few more weak struggles, Hook fell completely silent.
"Mission complete. Successfully eliminated Hook. Rewards have been issued—please check."
Yet Katie's expression remained tense. The gazes of those around her were filled with hostility. She knew they were afraid of the sword in her hand—to unarmed prisoners like them, that blade was far too dangerous.
"I only came for Hook."
Her icy voice echoed through the cramped cell. Combined with the splatters of red on her clothes, every single person in that cell now regarded her with fear and respect. No one dared to underestimate this young woman anymore—she might be young, but she was undeniably ruthless.
With that, she sheathed her sword and retreated to her original spot, calmly waiting for either Luffy and Buggy's arrival… or the guards'. Everything that had happened here had already been transmitted via the Den Den Mushi surveillance system. As for who would arrive first—well, that wasn't something Katie could control.
The moment the fight ended, Katie's consciousness dived into the system's shop interface. Her eyes skimmed over one powerful skill after another. The ones at the top of the list made her linger—Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence, the Flying Thunder God Technique, even the Goro Goro no Mi, hailed as the strongest Logia-type Devil Fruit, and Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi.
However, she noticed something odd. In the system shop, Ace's Mera Mera no Mi was priced even higher than the Gura Gura no Mi and the Goro Goro no Mi. Katie had a theory as to why, but whether it was correct or not, she couldn't be sure right now.
After browsing for a while, she finally found the skill she wanted—Rokushiki: Geppo (Moon Walk), Beginner Level LV1. Seeing that it only cost 700 exchange points, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. She only had 1,000 points right now, so she was glad Geppo didn't exceed that. As for the skill level, she wasn't going to be picky.
"System, exchange for the skill Geppo."
"Exchange successful. 700 points deducted. Host's remaining balance: 300 points."
"Additionally, it has been detected that the current mission is complete. Would you like to activate a new mission now?"
"Activate."
The quick arrival of a new mission took Katie by surprise, but she didn't hesitate. The rewards from completing missions were too enticing to pass up.
Even without testing it, the moment she successfully exchanged for Geppo, a flood of information about the technique poured into her mind. She was certain—she had fully mastered Moon Walk.
"Detected that the host's current timeline is the prelude to the Summit War. Two main missions have been prepared specifically for the host."
"First: Assist Whitebeard in turning the tide of battle and securing victory in the Summit War. Specific rewards will be determined by the host's final contribution."
"Second: Since the outcome is already known, why force it? The host is tasked with aiding the Marines in capturing Impel Down's escapees, thwarting Luffy's rescue attempt, and ensuring the Marines achieve an even greater victory in the Summit War. Specific rewards will likewise depend on the host's performance."
Faced with these two missions, Katie fell silent.
Objectively speaking, the second mission was much easier. After all, the Summit War's victory originally belonged to the Marines. All she had to do was take minor actions to widen their margin of victory, effortlessly completing the mission and reaping the rewards.
But if she really did that… Ace and Whitebeard would be doomed to die.
She had no personal ties to them, but the thought of actively ensuring their deaths didn't sit right with her. Back when she had watched this arc in the anime, she had cried for them. She had even fantasized—if only there was a way to save Ace…
CLANG!
The cell door suddenly swung open.
Yet no one moved to escape—because dozens of guards stood outside, guns trained on them.
"Prisoner E-50301! Drop your weapon and kneel with your hands behind your head!"
Over a dozen rifles were now aimed at Katie. The tension was so thick that even the bystanders felt their stomachs tighten.
But what baffled everyone was that even now, with so many guns pointed at her, Katie showed not a trace of fear or panic. Instead, a faint, almost mocking smile tugged at her lips—as if those weapons weren't even a threat to her.
"Move it! I don't have time for this!"
"Gomu Gomu no… Pistol!"
Just as the situation reached its peak, a third party suddenly intervened.
An impossibly long arm stretched into view, smashing into the guards and sending them all flying.
Watching this unfold, Katie finally made her decision.
"System… I choose Mission One."