Kai's breath was ragged and heavy. Every step felt like needles stabbing into his legs. The price of the trade was real—40 years of his life had vanished in an instant. His body was young on the outside, but his heart and joints felt the weight of an old man.
"Catch him! Don't let that boy get away!" the Marine captain shouted, waving his sword toward Kai.
The Marines were closing in. Kai could hear the heavy boots of the soldiers hitting the stone pavement. He had no weapon and no strength to fight them, but he had something better. He remembered his new skill: [Intimidation of the Void].
As three soldiers blocked his path, Kai looked them dead in the eyes. He didn't scream; he simply released the cold, dark energy hidden in his soul.
A wave of pure terror washed over the Marines. One soldier dropped his musket, his knees shaking uncontrollably. Another turned pale and fell backward, gasping for air as if the oxygen had been sucked out of the alley.
[System Note: 'Intimidation of the Void' activated. Soul Power consumed: 2 points.]
Kai didn't waste a second. He pushed past the frozen soldiers and dove into the panicked crowd. Loguetown was in total chaos. People were running everywhere, terrified by the execution of the Pirate King.
As he ran, Kai caught his reflection in a window. His hair was still dark, but his skin looked sickly pale, and thin lines had appeared around his eyes. He was aging from the inside out.
"I have to reach the docks..." Kai whispered, his voice sounding raspier than before. "The reward... the Soul Recovery Potion... it's the only way to survive."
Suddenly, a massive pirate stepped out from a side street, blocking his way. The pirate laughed, holding a heavy axe. "You look like an easy target, kid. Hand over whatever you're hiding in your cloak!"
Kai had no strength left to run. He looked at his palm, where the golden glow of Roger's soul fragment still simmered.
[System Query: Do you wish to temporarily fuse with the 'Fragment of the King's Will' to boost physical stats?]
"Yes! Do it now!" Kai internally roared.
A sudden surge of heat exploded in his veins. The pain in his joints vanished for a few seconds. For a brief moment, the legendary power of Gol D. Roger flowed through him. Kai took a step forward, his blue eyes flashing gold.
"MOVE!" Kai commanded.
The sound of his voice was like a thunderclap. The pirate's eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious from the sheer pressure of Kai's will.
Kai didn't look back. He sprinted toward the harbor, the salty smell of the sea getting closer. He knew the world was changing today, and he was no longer just a spectator. He was the Soul Trader.
[Mission: Escape Loguetown — Progress: 80%]
[Status: Critical — Soul Recovery Potion required immediately!]