When Oliver returned to the orphanage, the caretaker looked at him sternly and said, "Follow me to my office, Oliver."
All the orphans who witnessed this either laughed joyfully or cast disdainful glances at Oliver.
Oliver paid no attention to their reactions and simply followed the caretaker to her office.
____
Inside the caretaker office
The caretaker fixed Oliver with a stern gaze. "I heard you beat up Paulo, Beck, and Mike. You owe me an explanation, Oliver. Why did you do it?"
Oliver shrugged. "They keep bothering me and trying to bully me," he told the caretaker. "If I don't stand up for myself, they'll just keep at it."
With a weary sigh, the caretaker told Oliver, "You're going to apologize to them."
Upon hearing the caretaker, Oliver refused without hesitation. "No way," he declared. "I will not apologize to them."
The caretaker's eyes narrowed as she glared at Oliver. "If you refuse to apologize, I'll have no choice but to kick you out of the orphanage. I don't want to keep dealing with you and those three kids all the time."
Oliver's eyes narrowed, irritation flaring within him—until the cold, mechanical voice of the system suddenly rang in his head.
DING.
The system detected that the host needs to make a choice.
1. The host apologizes to Beck, Paolo, and Mike. Reward: Gain the 'Humble Heart' trait (you will be humble by nature, thanks to the effect of the Humble Heart trait).
2. Refuse to apologize to Beck, Paolo, and Mike. Reward: Warrior Heart trait (Your courage will be unshakeable, and you will face all future dangers with the resolve of a true warrior.)
"These rewards are very interesting, but even without them, I would still refuse to apologize to those three fools—my pride simply won't allow it."
After making up his mind, Oliver met the caretaker's gaze and said, "I'm sorry, Mother, but I can't apologize to them. My pride won't allow it.'"
The caretaker was stunned for a moment, then sighed. "This is your choice, Oliver. After lunch, you'll have to leave.'"
Oliver nodded and then walked out of the caretaker's office.
At that moment, Oliver heard the system's notification echo in his mind.
DING
Congratulations, host, you choose not to apologize to Beck, Paolo, and Mike. You are going to be rewarded with the warrior heart. Would you like to claim your reward now?
Oliver nodded and said to the system, "Yes, I would like to claim my reward now, System."
As you wish host.
Suddenly, a warm sensation spread through Oliver's heart and then rose to his mind. A few seconds later, the warmth faded, and the system's mechanical voice echoed in his head once more.
DING.
Congratulation, Host! You have gained the warrior heart trait!
Oliver smiled and headed back to his room to gather his belongings, preparing to leave the orphanage.
______
Three weeks later
Oliver had left the orphanage three weeks ago.
He rummaged through the restaurant's garbage, his stomach gnawing with hunger. Every discarded scrap seemed like a feast to him.
A man in his late thirties wandered aimlessly through the village. His long, dark red hair, spiky and wild, fell to his shoulders, catching the light with every step.
With fair skin, striking onyx eyes, and average stature, he blends in easily.with the other villagers.
"The man, had a lean, muscular physique, was dressed in blue baggy pants, black boots, and a black shirt."
He carried a katana at his side. Its blade lacked a guard, and the sheath was a pale green. The handle was wrapped in black cloth over a deep blue core.
Seeing Oliver rummaging through the garbage for food, the man's eyes softened, and he stepped forward toward him.
"Hey, kid, are you hungry?" the man asked, his voice gentle as he looked at Oliver.
Oliver glanced at the man and nodded in response.
"Follow me. We'll go to the restaurant, and I'll treat you to a proper meal."
Oliver's eyes widened in surprise. "I am a stranger to you, and you owe me nothing. Why are you being kind to me?"
The man chuckled softly. "Hehe, you're an interesting kid." He paused, then added, "My reason is simple: you're hungry, and I don't like seeing others go hungry."
Oliver was stunned by the man's reasoning; no one had ever shown him such kindness before, not even in his previous life.
All at once, the system's cold, mechanical voice resonated in Oliver's mind.
DING.
The system detects that the host needs to make a choice.
1. Accept the man Invitation reward: high observation and analytical talent
2. Refuse the man invitation reward ordinary sword.
Oliver was surprised to hear this. He wasn't thinking about rewards—right now, he was starving. The man was the first ever person to show him any kindness, and Oliver wanted to get to know him.
A small, heartfelt smile spread across Oliver's face. "Thank you, sir," he said softly.
The man waved his hand dismissively. "No worries, kid. Just follow me."
Oliver nodded, and together they stepped into the restaurant.
Once more Oliver heard the system notification in his head.
DING.
Host had made his choice. would the host like to claim the reward now?
Oliver nodded. "Yes, system… I want to claim my reward now."
As you wish, host.
All of a sudden, a warm sensation spread through Oliver's brain for a few seconds before fading away. Moments later, the system's mechanical voice echoed in his head once again.
DING.
Congratulations, host! You gained high observation and analytical talent.
______
Inside the restaurant
The man and Oliver entered the restaurant and were seated by the window.
The waitress walked to their table and smiled at the man. "Welcome, sir. What would you like to order today?"
The man gave the waitress a charming smile, making her blush. He then said, "My little friend and I would like to order some grilled meat and vegetables, a few salads, and two bowls of rice."
The waitress nodded and jotted down the order. The man added, "For my drink, bring your strongest rum. And an orange juice for the kid."
The waitress smiled and nodded. "Of course, sir. Your orders will be ready shortly."
The man nodded in satisfaction as the waitress went to relay his orders to the chef.
The man looked at Oliver and smiled warmly. "Alright, kid," he said, "let me introduce myself. My name is Ray Caremello. And you—what's your name?"
Ding system detected that the host needed to make a choice.
1. Introduce yourself to the Ray Reward copycat talent. { Copycat talent enables the user to break down, analyze, and execute the skills they observe, provided their physical capabilities permit it}.
2. Refuse to introduce yourself to Ray reward gain ruthless personality.
By this time, the waitress had brought the orange juice and the rum to Oliver and Ray.
Oliver shrugged and replied, "My name is Van Noor D. Oliver, Mr. Ray."
Ray's eyes widened for a fleeting second at the sound of the initial "D," though Oliver didn't notice.
A warm sensation flickered through Oliver's brain for a few seconds, and then a system notification sounded in his mind.
DING.
Congratulations, host; you gained the copycat talent.
Oliver grinned thoughtfully. "Interesting… I wonder just how useful this talent will be."
On the other hand, Ray was lost in thought. 'Is it fate that brought Oliver and me together? No… I don't believe in fate.'
Ray then asked Oliver, "So, kid, why were you looking for food earlier? Where are your parents?"
Oliver contemplated whether to respond to Ray, but then the voice of the system echoed in his mind once more.
DING.
Host the system detected that you need to make a choice.
1. Tell Ray how the caretaker kicked out the orphanage. Reward prideful heart {you will value your pride highly than your own life}.
2. Ignore Ray's question and refuse to answer him. The reward is shameless personality {you will be shameless by nature}.
When Oliver heard this, his eyebrows twitched in irritation. 'Me becoming shameless? Give me a break. I have my own pride—I'll never be that kind of person.'
Ray noticed Oliver's eyebrows twitch—a clear sign of irritation. He quickly added, "Kid, if you'd rather not say, that's fine."
Oliver looked at Ray and, in response to his question, said, "My mother abandoned me when I was born, and I was sent to an orphanage."
Ray narrowed his eyes in anger at Oliver's words. Oliver went on, "Three weeks ago, I was kicked out of the orphanage because I refused to apologize to the kids I beat up."
Ray grinned at Oliver. "Then why not apologize? You wouldn't have to dig through the garbage for food."
Oliver narrowed his eyes at Ray. The air around him seemed to shift, and Ray was startled by the sudden change. Then, when Oliver spoke, his words hit Ray like a bolt of lightning.
"I have my own pride, old man. There's no way I'm apologizing to some bullies—I didn't do anything wrong," Oliver said to Ray, his voice serious.
Suddenly Ray remembered his last conversation with his old friend.
Flashback
A man, older than Ray, stood before him. Red tattoos streaked the right side of his face, and his spiky black hair cascaded down his back. He wore a green hooded coat that added to his imposing presence.
Disappointment washed over the man's face as he looked at Ray. "Ray, when did you forsake your pride and justice? I never expected this from you."
Ray's fury flared at the man's words. He unsheathed his katana, ready to strike, but the man calmly said, "I will wait until you reclaim your pride and justice. When you do, let me know."
"WHOOOSH."
Before Ray could strike, the man shrouded himself in a swirling gust of wind. The force of it threw Ray off balance, and in the next instant, the man vanished without a trace.
Ray noticed a blank piece of paper on the ground. He picked it up, examined it briefly, and then slipped it into his pocket.
End of Flashback
After recalling his last encounter with his old friend, he looked at Oliver and smiled."Well said, boy. Never abandon your pride. It is a man's most valuable treasure."
Oliver felt a flicker of surprise. After considering Ray's words, he nodded thoughtfully, showing he understood.
Suddenly, a warm sensation spread through his body, lingering only for a few seconds before fading away.
Oliver then heard the system notification in his head.
Congratulations! Host, you gained a prideful heart.
Oliver ignored the system notification, focusing instead on the food the waitress had brought, and they began eating.
Ray noticed Oliver devouring his food as if there were no tomorrow and couldn't help but smile.
As Ray ate, lost in thought, he finally made up his mind and said to Oliver, "Kid, how about we make a deal?"
Oliver blinked, clearly puzzled. "A deal?" he repeated, unsure he'd heard correctly.
Ray nodded with a smile. "I'm planning to open a restaurant in Greenery Town, on the Four Mountains Range Island. I want you to help me run it. In return, you won't have to worry about food or a place to sleep. I'll even teach you how to cook—I was a talented chef before I joined the Navy. And if you want, I can teach you swordsmanship too. I was considered one of the best swordsmen in the Navy."
Oliver was surprised by Ray's words, and a moment later, the mechanical voice of the system echoed in his mind.
DING.
The system detects that the host will need to make a choice.
1. Accept Ray's deal. Rewards Akira Hayama's keen sense of smell and heaven rank talent in swordsmanship.
2. Host Refuses; Reward Lone Wolf Personality
Oliver frowned in confusion. "System, explain the rewards to me—I don't get them."
The Lone Wolf personality reward will transform you. You will rely solely on yourself, becoming truly independent.
Heaven Swordsmanship Rank is a talent rank within the Swordsmanship Talent hierarchy. The Swordsmanship Talent itself is divided into five distinct ranks.
Human Rank Talent, Earth Rank Talent, Heaven Rank Talent, Saint Rank Talent, and God Rank Talent.
Lastly, Akira Hayama keen sense of smell. Akira Hayama is a very talented chef in another universe. He has a very good sense of smell. He can identify the spices by smelling them. He can also rely on his keen sense of smell to cook his dishes "blindly," as he can detect any minute changes in his dish just by the changing aroma coming from the pot, allowing him to cook without having to look into his pot.
When Oliver heard this, his eyes widened in surprise. 'There's no way I'm choosing the second option,' he thought. 'If I take it and gain the lone wolf personality, I'll change completely. I'll become a different person. I have my pride—this would be too much shame to bear.'
'If I go with Ray, I won't have to worry about food or a place to sleep. Considering that, my best choice now is to accept his deal.'
After making up his mind, Oliver looked at Ray and said, "I accept your deal, sir."
Suddenly, Oliver felt the warm sensation spread across his body once again for a few seconds, and then he heard the system notification.
DING.
Congratulation, host! You gained Akira Hayama's keen sense of smell and heaven rank talent in swordsmanship.
Oliver smiled when he heard the system notification and continued eating. Ray smiled at Oliver's decision and said, "Good choice, boy. Now eat up. Once we finish our meal, we'll depart for the Four Mountains Range Island."
Oliver nodded, and both he and Ray continued eating their meal.
After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant.
Ray and Oliver walked to the island's shore, boarded a small boat, and set sail, leaving the island behind.
_______
Aright guys I hope you enjoyed this Chapter
I got new ideas I would like to restart the voting again
Please Vote:
1. Oliver, same generation of Shanks and Hawkeye he create his own crew.
2. Oliver joins revolutionary army
3. Oliver, part of worst generation, create his own crew
4. Oliver joins STH
5. Oliver, first mate of Law
6. Oliver, first mate of Hawkeye
_______
For the next update
I also decided to do few things for all my stories because it take a lot of work and planning to write new chapters.
10 power stones, [ a new chapter will be uploaded in 24 hours.]
20 power stones [ 2 new chapters will be uploaded in 48 hours ]
40 power stones [ 3 new chapters will be uploaded in 48 hours]
1 review [1 new chapter will be uploaded in 24 hours]
thanks for reading guys take care