Kaito never expected his life to change in the blink of an eye.
One moment, he was sprawled across his gaming chair, eyes glued to the flashing screen, fingers moving instinctively over the keyboard as he grinded through his latest obsession—a multiversal RPG where the protagonist could summon heroes from across dimensions. He had spent countless hours strategizing, carefully selecting characters to form the perfect party, immersing himself so deeply in the game's lore that reality itself seemed to blur.
The next moment—he was falling.
The sensation was immediate and terrifying. The pull of gravity, the rushing wind, the sheer helplessness of plummeting into the unknown. Kaito screamed, his arms flailing, his mind struggling to grasp what was happening. The sky above him was a swirl of endless blue, and below—water. A vast, boundless ocean.
No, no, no—!
His body hit the surface like a cannonball. The impact was brutal, knocking the air from his lungs as he sank into the abyss. Darkness pressed in around him, and for a split second, panic consumed him. Was this how it ended? Was this some cruel, twisted dream?
But then—instinct took over. Kaito kicked upward, lungs burning, arms reaching desperately toward the light. When he finally broke the surface, he gasped for air, spluttering and coughing as salty water filled his mouth. He blinked rapidly, clearing his vision, and—
The Going Merry.
His heart nearly stopped.
A ship, small but sturdy, rocked gently on the waves before him. The iconic jolly roger fluttered against the wind—a straw hat-wearing skull staring right into his soul. It was impossible. Unbelievable. This wasn't just any ship. It was Luffy's first pirate vessel.
Kaito's mind raced. The blue sky, the endless ocean, the scent of adventure in the air… This was One Piece.
"No way," he whispered, his voice shaking. "This can't be real…"
But before his thoughts could spiral further, something even more impossible happened.
A shimmering glow appeared before him—faint at first, like fireflies dancing on the wind. Then, the golden light expanded, forming a translucent screen that hovered inches from his face. His breath caught as words materialized in bold, glowing letters:
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
Welcome, Summoner.
Your journey begins now.
Kaito stared.
His heart thundered in his chest. His hands trembled as he reached toward the screen. The letters pulsed like a heartbeat—like a promise—before shifting to reveal a list of available summons.
Name: ???
Class: ???
Rank: ???
It was blank. Empty. Waiting.
A rush of excitement and fear flooded through him. This was no ordinary fantasy. This was no mere dream. He had been thrown into the world of pirates and chaos, gifted with the power to summon beings from across the multiverse.
And the biggest question now was:
Who would he summon first?