[Player condition met.]
[Love Cell Cultivation System activated.]
[Loading character status panel...]
[Loading item shop...]
[Load complete].
Before you begin the game, please remember:
[A person who can love others selflessly will never be unbalanced in mind. Such a person is happy and complete.]
[Enjoy your game.]
…
As his afternoon sword training came to an end, Nao Natsuya clearly heard a voice echoing in his mind.
He frowned, ignored it, and grabbed his white jacket from a nearby hook, slinging it casually over his shoulder as he stepped out of the elite recruits' training grounds at Marine Headquarters.
The sun was already dipping into the horizon.
Along the tree-lined path leading to the mess hall, many other recruits like him were chatting and laughing in small groups, fresh from the day's training, their faces youthful and full of energy.
Nao walked alone beneath the trees, trying to stay low-key, yet his presence was impossible to ignore—like a firefly glowing in the night.
Standing 195 centimeters tall, his lean, well-toned body was both striking and graceful. His slightly long black hair framed a face that was sharp yet boyish, and his sun-kissed, scarred chest gleamed with sweat and exuded a rugged charm, like warm sunlight cutting through the chill of winter.
Female Marines weren't numerous at Headquarters, but there were enough.
Many of the young women couldn't help stealing glances his way, entranced by his profile under the dappled light. When their eyes met his for even a second, they would blush and quickly look away, flustered.
Same old routine…
Nao was used to the hidden looks of admiration. He maintained a cool, indifferent facade, though inside, his mind lingered on the voice from earlier.
A system awakening only now? Isn't this a bit much?
Nao had transmigrated into this world for nineteen years. Born in East Blue's Branch 16 in the year 1482 of the Sea Circle Calendar, he'd grown up in a simple family.
His father, a Branch Captain, was a stern and demanding man who trained him harshly from a young age, hoping he would one day reach Marine Headquarters and become a hero like Garp. His mother tended to an orange grove, working hard every day.
Back then, as a breathless boy enduring brutal drills, Nao had often fantasized about some miraculous "Ultimate Marine System" or "Sword Saint Legacy System" descending from the heavens to help him survive the grind.
But that was just a childish dream.
Even after being personally chosen by Garp a year ago and brought to Marineford to join the elite training program, no such system appeared—until now.
And what a system it was. "Love Cell Cultivation System"?
Seriously—who are you kidding?
I, Nao Natsuya, am no love fool!
Sure, he hadn't been in a serious relationship yet, but with his looks and strength, it was only a matter of time. Back home, he had a beautiful childhood friend, and their bond ran deep.
Did someone like him really need this sort of thing?
Before he knew it, Nao had reached the mess hall.
Inside, the delicious aroma of food filled the air, momentarily clearing his thoughts. He grabbed a tray and joined the long line.
The elite training was no joke, and he was already starving.
After a few minutes, Nao filled his tray and found a quiet corner table to sit. He had barely taken a few bites when two familiar figures, each carrying a tray, sat across from him as if by habit.
On the left was a burly youth with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, his half-lidded eyes sharp and menacing.
On the right was a tall, lanky blond boy with delicate features and a perpetually troubled expression. He sighed heavily several times as he sat down.
"Hey, this is the mess hall, Shiryu! How many times do I have to tell you—put out that cigarette when we're eating!"
Nao shot a glare at the bigger man, then turned to the blond with a teasing smile. "What's wrong, little Rosinante? Why the long face the moment you sit down?"
Shiryu and Rosinante—both his comrades in the elite camp, recruited around the same time. Shiryu was four years older, Rosinante a year younger. After a year of training side by side, their bond was deep.
"It's the upcoming evaluation," Shiryu said, stubbing out his cigarette and curling his lip. "This guy ranked fifteenth last month because his Rokushiki was weak. He bawled like a baby in front of Zephyr-sensei, swearing he'd break into the top ten this month."
"But his Six Powers training has been going nowhere, and with the test coming up in two days, he's lost all confidence."
"I-I didn't cry!" Rosinante's face turned red. "And you, Shiryu! Weren't you the one complaining the other day about Zephyr-sensei's pace being too fast for you to keep up? Are you really that confident now?"
"Guess you'll be disappointed," Shiryu said lazily, shoving a rice ball into his mouth. "I figured out both Geppo and Soru on my own the other day. I'll probably take first or second place."
"What?!" Rosinante froze. "You already mastered both? I'm still struggling with Kami-e…"
Nao quietly ate his meal, sighing inwardly.
These two… they were great friends, but their casual way of dropping bombshells always made him envious.
What was his rank last month again?
Fifty-sixth? Or fifty-seventh?
He couldn't quite remember. Out of over two hundred recruits, he'd consistently hovered in the middle, around fifty to sixty.
While that was technically above average, it was nothing compared to these two—especially Shiryu, who was always near the top.
Nao knew his physical strength far exceeded that of normal recruits. Back in East Blue, no one his age could match him. But here, at Headquarters, surrounded by geniuses, it was a different story.
The world was never fair. This ocean even less so. People like Big Mom, whose childhood strength was already unreachable for most, were living proof.
His parents were ordinary, and his achievements were the result of sheer, almost terrifying self-discipline. To reach his current level was no small feat.
But to catch up with the innate geniuses around him? Unless he found a powerful Devil Fruit or something like this system, the gap would only widen.
Yet, what he got was this absurd "Love Cell Cultivation System"…
During the meal, Nao tested opening the system panel with his mind. A semi-transparent, faintly glowing blue panel appeared in front of him.
[Name: Nao Natsuya (直 夏也)]
[Age: 19]
[Strength: 7]
[Agility: 6]
[Stamina: 9]
[Intellect: 8]
[Charm: 10]
[Current Points: 1501 (Welcome Bonus)]
[Skills: Dual Blade Swordsmanship (Basic), Rokushiki (Novice), Firearms Proficiency (Basic), Hand-to-Hand Combat (Novice), Self-Discipline (Master Level)]
A note at the bottom indicated that the average stat for elite Marines was around 5.
Except for his unsurprisingly high Charm, the rest of his stats were unremarkable—especially Agility, barely above average.
As an elite recruit, though, he was far stronger than regular soldiers. In pure hand-to-hand combat, he figured he could take on a dozen opponents without much trouble.
Clearly, the system's stat scaling wasn't linear. Each extra point probably represented an exponential increase in power.
As for his skills…
Nao glanced at his meager list of abilities and sighed. He hadn't expected the system to be this strict.
His marksmanship, which he thought was decent, was only rated Basic. His Rokushiki and hand-to-hand combat were stuck at Novice.
The only impressive rating was "Self-Discipline"—though could that even count as a skill?
With a silent sigh, he picked up his soup bowl and downed the hot borscht in one gulp.
So far, the system seemed fairly normal. But he couldn't ignore that absurd name.
He cautiously navigated to the system's rules section.
[Love Cell Cultivation System Rules]
This system is designed to help players who have transmigrated for over eighteen years without experiencing love to rediscover its warmth and avoid descending into darkness.
The system's intelligence is limited; all information is displayed in text form. Explore more functions on your own.
Establishing a romantic connection counts as initial capture and grants first-tier point rewards. Forming an official relationship grants second-tier point rewards. Maintaining the relationship for a set time grants third-tier sign-in rewards.
The difficulty level of each target affects the points awarded proportionally.
Aside from fixed exchanges, the shop refreshes weekly with items purchasable with points.
Points can be used to exchange for basic attribute points, with costs varying depending on the attribute and stage.
Targets include all living beings, not limited to humans.
The system may issue optional side quests periodically with no penalties for refusal.
During the one-year novice period, the system offers a free daily scan. Afterward, scans must be purchased with points.
There were more details, but those were the main points. Nao quickly read through them.
Ignoring the absurd first rule, he thought over the mechanics, then opened the shop screen.
The layout was simple, displaying only six items:
[Martial Arts Training Booster Card (7 Days): 200 points]
[Phantom Step Skill Scroll (Requires Intellect 11): 200,000 points]
[Barrier of Wind Skill Scroll (Requires Advanced Swordsmanship): 300,000 points]
[Rokushiki Kami-e Skill Scroll (Intermediate): 1,000 points]
[Devil Fruit Identifier (Permanent): 80,000 points]
[X-Ray Binoculars (Consumable): 6,000 points]