C20 Redeyed Rodney

Clique possessed immense strength, making him a formidable figure among the common folk of the East Sea. He could swing a ton-heavy war spear without showing any signs of fatigue, as if it were nothing.

His blows were forceful and weighty, each collision accompanied by an explosion, the mechanics of which were a mystery.

Rodney, with his high attack power but low health, couldn't afford a direct confrontation. He was forced to fight while retreating, and the expendable fighters didn't dare to engage in the battle either.

They had witnessed Clique's ruthlessness firsthand and knew better than to throw their lives away. If Clique took them out with a casual blow, they would have no place to mourn their fate. Survival was paramount.

"Damn it! Stop running if you're so tough!"

Clique was exasperated, unable to catch Rodney, who moved with the agility of a monkey, constantly eluding capture. Not only had Rodney avoided him, but the pirate ship's deck was also riddled with holes, threatening to ruin it completely.

"Take this!" Rodney exclaimed as he hurled a kunai, still equipped with an Explosive Talisman.

Clique, having learned from previous encounters, swung his war spear to intercept the kunai. Unfortunately, a shuriken beat it to the punch, striking the kunai and altering its trajectory, ensuring it still landed precisely at Clique's feet.

Boom!

Once more, Clique was sent flying, his war spear slipping from his grasp and soaring off the pirate ship into the sea, causing a splash before sinking without a trace.

"Clique, this is the end!"

Rodney quickly decapitated Clique, leaving a headless body behind. He stowed the severed head in his waist pouch, glanced at the surrounding pirates, and, after a moment's consideration, affixed an Explosive Talisman to the ship's mast.

With a wave and a smile to the pirates, he said, "Goodbye! Your survival now depends on your own luck." With a backward flip, he leaped from the deck, landing on the sea's surface and casually walking away atop the waves.

"Quick, quick, quick! The plague-bringer is gone. Get up there!"

"Hurry up and climb aboard! Those above, throw down the rope!" This was the last ship, the sole hope for over a thousand people. If disaster struck this vessel, they would have no chance of survival.

But Rodney was decisive in his actions...

Boom!

An explosion shattered the mast that once stood tall. This blast set off a chain reaction, with continuous explosions ripping through the ship. The Delido Sago was obliterated by the Stacking Explosive Talisman.

Rodney had extinguished all hope for the pirates.

The old adage held true: pirates should be prepared to meet their end at sea. It was nearly impossible for him to spare them; evil deeds demanded a steep price.

At sea, human life was the cheapest commodity, yet also the most precious – but only for the lives of exceptional pirates. The rest were mere expendables.

Ignoring the cries of despair, Rodney had completed his mission, and his reward was promptly issued.

"Mission: Eliminate Clique

Mission Level: C

Status: Completed

Reward: 500 Mission Points, one Permanent Chakra Fruit, Shadow Clone Technique, Body Technique: Konoha Dragon God."

Consuming the Permanent Chakra Fruit, Rodney's depleted chakra was instantly restored and even increased.

Next, he brought his index and middle fingers together, crossed his hands to form a cross, and whispered, "Shadow Clone Technique!"

Boom!

An exact duplicate of himself appeared beside him. He sent the clone off in another direction while he ran the opposite way. Shortly after, the Shadow Clone vanished, and its memories flooded back to him.

It was an odd sensation, but undoubtedly an exploitative way to accrue experience.

Truly worthy of a technique developed by the Second Generation Naruto, it proved to be incredibly useful.

"Konoha Dragon God!"

Rodney's body spun rapidly, gathering a massive dragon-shaped whirlwind that swept up vast amounts of seawater, creating a water spout that materialized from thin air.

When the water spout faded, Rodney emerged. It was no surprise that a ninja once hailed as "Konoha's Strongest Body Technique Ninja" could invent such a Body Technique.

This Ninjutsu, though originally from a TV series, had been incorporated into the system. There were many more unseen ninja techniques waiting for Rodney to unlock and utilize.

Back on the merchant ship, the vessel continued its voyage across the ocean. Once in his room, Rodney activated his system.

"Host: Joestar J. Rodney

Race: Human

Level: Lower Ninja

Attributes: Wind, Fire, Water, Lightning, Earth, Yin, Yang

Ninjutsu Techniques: Gougakyu, Phoenix Immortal Fire, Water Clone...

Body Techniques: Uchiha Shuriken Technique, Shadow Dance Leaf, Konoha Whirlwind...

Kekkei Genkai: None

Mission Points: 760."

After days of completing missions and racking up a high number of Mission Points, it was time to redeem some new Ninjutsu.

Hehe, his power was about to grow again!

"Thunder Escape - Gratitude Wave: 250, Fire Escape - Dragon Fire Arts: 200, Water Escape - Wave Riding Strike: 300."

All his hard work had paid off, and he was ready to spend it all.

Thunder Escape - Gratitude Wave could be combined with Water Escape to inflict double damage, provided he remembered to do so...

Fire Escape - Dragon Fire Arts offered a linear attack, but its speed and power were unmatched.

As for Water Escape - Wave Riding Strike, a technique invented by the Second Generation, also known as "Instant Water" or "Water Clear Wave," it created a watery environment to swiftly glide over surfaces, allowing for high-speed movement in water.

All of these were practical Ninjutsu Techniques.

Following the downfall of the Clique Pirate Group, the most populous pirate group in the East Sea, Rodney's reputation skyrocketed. He single-handedly toppled a fleet of over a thousand, with the three strongest members of the Clique Pirate Group falling at his hands. His formidable combat prowess was attributed to an unknown Devil Fruit Ability.

A pair of eerie red eyes became a demonic symbol among the pirates who lived to tell the tale.

Thus, the legend of Red-Eyed Rodney spread throughout the East Sea.

Rodney: "..."

Staring at the newspaper filled with reports about himself, Rodney promptly ripped it to shreds.

Red-Eyed Rodney? What kind of moniker was that?

Why couldn't the East Sea's news outlets adopt the World Economic Report's style of journalism?

Couldn't they put a positive spin on things? At the very least, I'm a hero, aren't I?

What on earth is "red-eyed" supposed to mean?

It's not every day that one finds a perfect spot for a vacation, only for a newspaper to sour the mood. The article had completely missed the mark, showing no concern for his reputation and instead focusing on the ridiculous nicknames others had coined for him.

He had to admit, if he didn't address this issue, the nickname would haunt him for life. He couldn't let these people tarnish his image.

He needed a strategy to reclaim his name. What to write, though?

Maybe... a fifty-fifty split?

No, that wouldn't do. He wasn't Konoha's top technician, so how could he claim such a title?

"Master of Fate Rodney, that's it. The name has a certain gravitas to it. Yes, let's get to work."

With pen and paper in hand, he crafted a compelling article and promptly submitted it to the East Sea News, slipping a few high-denomination Belles into the envelope for good measure. It was a trivial gesture, really.

By the third day, his article was featured prominently in the East Sea newspaper.

"...Blooming amidst carnage, akin to a dawn's blossom, Joestar J Rodney, a man who toys with destiny..." Spanning several thousand words, the article delved into the backstory of his nickname and offered a candid... ahem, portrayal of himself.

The title "Master of Fate" caught on quickly, far surpassing the moniker "Red-eyed."

Rodney had effortlessly averted a crisis with his nickname.

All it cost him was a few bills...

But money was no object to him.

Later, when he went to collect the bounty on Clique, he found that the scoundrel's value hadn't quite reached the multi-million mark. Despite commanding a fleet in the East Sea, his worth hadn't soared that high. Perhaps Smoker and the others realized Clique was nothing more than a leader of a ragtag bunch?

Clique's cunning nature meant he hadn't been apprehended in time.

But Rodney had swiftly dealt with him, and the fate of the surviving rabble was no longer his concern.

He carried on with his routine of completing missions, and that day, he arrived at a seafront eatery aboard a merchant ship.

The Bharathi Ocean Restaurant!