It is nighttime. I am currently staying at a small hotel. The atmosphere is cold—the kind that seeps into your bones.
A faint draft slips through the cracks of the old window, making the thin curtains flutter gently. The scent of aged wood and faint mildew lingers in the air, typical of a place that's seen better days.
I'm looking through the window, staring at the stars. The glass feels cool under my fingertips as I lean closer. Outside, the sky is a dark canvas, dotted with tiny flickers of light. The stars shimmer, some pulsing faintly as if breathing with the night. My breath fogs the glass slightly.
When I was a kid, I always liked staring at the stars—they looked mystical. I remember lying on the dewy grass in the backyard, the scent of soil and fresh night air all around me. Crickets chirped in the distance, and the world felt quiet, safe.
All my worries would go away. In all that darkness, only the stars shone in the sky—tiny lights that made the vastness less lonely.
When I come to the city. I wasn't able to feel that magic anymore. The stars got dimmer, or maybe I just stopped looking.
But right now, I'm enjoying the scene again. I lift my hand and imagine catching a star. My fingers tremble slightly from the cold, but I smile anyway.
Suddenly, something magical happens—a dark void opens before me. It's surrounded by a glow like starlight, flickering at the edges like tiny galaxies swirling in motion. A low hum vibrates in the air, like a deep, distant echo in a cave.
"What..."
I panic a little and fall off the bed. My back hits the hard wooden floor with a thud, and the jolt shoots up my spine. The floor is dusty and cold against my skin.
I quickly scramble up, heart pounding, and walk closer to the void. Despite everything, I'm not afraid. There's something… familiar about it. Comforting, even.
Is this... my Devil Fruit power?
That's the only logical explanation.
I observe it for a few minutes, trying to figure out what kind of power I have.
The swirling edges of the void cast faint shadows on the walls. The hum rises and falls like it's breathing. It looks like a teleportation ability.
If I go through the void, I might be able to transport to another place.
But how should I test it? If I go through, I'd be taking a risk. I walk to the window, grab the cold metal curtain rod, and yank down the window cover.
The fabric rustles, and the metal rod vibrates in my grip. I approach the void and slowly extend the rod into it.
There's a momentary flicker at the edges as it passes through. After a minute, I pull it out.
"Well, the rod wasn't destroyed. Looks safe," I say aloud, my voice barely audible over the soft hum.
But that's a non-living object. What would happen to a living thing? I glance around the room, wondering if there's anything that might help me.
I spot some fruits in the basket I bought earlier. A faint citrusy smell lingers from the banana. I pick up a banana, slightly warm and soft to the touch, and tie it securely to the end of the rod. I gently push it into the void. Time passes slowly.
After a few minutes, I pull it back out. The banana looks exactly the same—no burns, no changes, no rot.
"What should I do?" I wonder aloud.
I don't want to wait anymore to look for any living being now.
I want to try it now. I have a strong feeling it's safe.
There's a strange energy pulsing from the void—it feels like it's calling me, like an echo from my soul.
"Here goes nothing." Alex Said
First, I put both hands into the void. The sensation I am feeling is nothing.
Then my right foot. All of a sudden, I see a very familiar place.
"It's my home," I whisper, shocked by what I'm witnessing.
It feels like I just woke up from a long dream. I'm in my living room.
The air smells like old laundry and faint perfume. There's a half-eaten packet of chips on the table, clothes strewn across the sofa, and the familiar hum of the refrigerator in the background. The TV is mounted on the right wall, silent but glowing faintly with standby light.
In front of me is a glass sliding door through which I can see stars shining. The moonlight streams in, casting silver light across the floor.
The most attractive part of the clear sky is the full moon—it looks absolutely stunning—large, bright, and serene. The chill in the air is softer than the hotel's—it feels like home.
"So my power is teleportation," Alex said.
But it's not just regular teleportation. I can travel to different world.
But why did the teleportation portal open in the first place?
Probably because I was thinking about home, the place where I could see fewer stars.
"This is interesting," I mumble.
Let's test this power again. I pass through the void and return to the hotel in the One Piece world. The void is still open, its glow casting dancing shadows on the wall. I try to imagine it disappearing.
And it's gone—just like that. The hum fades, and the room is silent again.
"I don't think I could get any power more useful than this," I say, excitement growing in my chest.
But what's the limit? I try opening a void to Skypiea. Nothing happens. The air remains still.
Then I think about the island shore where my boat is docked.
The portal opens. The air ripples like water disturbed by a pebble. I pass through it.
Now I'm there. The familiar sound of waves fills my ears. That means I can only go to places I've physically been before.
But what about places this body has been before and remembers?
I try imagining Water 7, a place the original owner of this body visited.
Nothing happens.
Maybe the memory alone isn't enough—I need to know the place, not just have the memory. So I try imagining my home again.
I pass through the void, and I'm back home.
The warmth of the sofa greets me as I cancel my power and sit down and sink into its cushions.
"Now what should I do?" I say happily.
Let's plan this out little by little. I do want to live in the One Piece world, but I don't want to sacrifice the comfort of living in the modern era.
I can just travel back and forth.
And I can bring any things from one world to the other.
But I don't want to stay home all day either. Maybe I should go on an adventure. This is my new life. I should live it differently and enjoy every aspect of life.
I need a ship to travel. But I don't want a One Piece-style ship—I want a ship from Earth with all modern facilities.
A hot shower, a working kitchen, an entertainment system. And of course, firepower.
That would make traveling so much easier.
But I don't want the ship to look modern. That would attract too much attention. I want a ship that looks ordinary—but is completely modern on the inside.
But where can I get such a ship? The government won't hand me a high-powered warship. I need to go to a country with fewer restrictions.
Where do I even begin to find something like that?
Then it hit him.
Wait… back when I went to Russia for that client meeting, I ended up near the docks. That shady area… it had dealers, black market talk, even a rumor about someone selling ex-military gear. If I'm going to find something off-the-record, it's going to be there.
The only place that right now comes to mind—a country that could actually build my dream ship—is Russia.
Mainly because it's not democratic and has the capability to create something like this.
But first, I need money.
That won't be a big problem. I can steal easily with my power.
And of course, I'll only steal from bad guys.