Autumn Summer was in an excellent mood these days.
Ever since Martial Saint Academy claimed the national freshman championship, she, as a member of the winning team, had gained a slew of benefits.
Of course, what truly brought her joy wasn't the prizes or accolades.
It was the sudden shift in how her family treated her.
Her mother no longer dared to pressure her into blind dates.
Even the old patriarch of the family had personally called her once to commend her performance and offer encouragement.
With that call, Autumn had finally earned a degree of freedom. From now on, no one in the family would dare force her into anything she didn't want.
In other words…
Autumn Summer was, at long last, free at least in a limited sense.
And she knew full well that all of this was thanks to one person: Vincent Fox.
Today was the start of a new course.
The subject? Forbidden Zone #4.
At 9:00 a.m. sharp, every student currently on campus gathered in the classroom.
Their instructor, as always, was Professor Charles Joe.
As the bell rang, Professor Joe strode into the room right on time.
"Before we begin discussing the contents of Forbidden Zone #4, there's an announcement I need to make," Professor Joe said as he stood at the podium. "Starting today, all future entries into the Forbidden Zones will be conducted independently. The school will no longer organize them for you."
"You are no longer freshmen. It's time to start acting independently. From now on, all you need to do is present your student ID, and you can enter any Forbidden Zone on your own. Of course, if you're timid or unsure of yourself, you're free to stay behind. The school won't stop you."
"But don't get any clever ideas. Just because you can choose not to go doesn't mean you can coast your way to graduation. According to the Education Ministry's new policy, if your strength fails to meet the standard by next year, you'll be expelled."
"That rule was put in place specifically to prevent students from leeching off resources without contributing anything."
The classroom fell into silence.
Quite a few students had indeed planned to avoid the Forbidden Zones altogether. After all, if they could quietly stay at school for four years and still graduate even from a third-rate university like Martial Saint Academy they could still find decent jobs afterward.
But now, the Education Ministry had closed off that route.
There was only one student in the room whose eyes sparkled with excitement.
Vincent Fox.
The option to choose when to enter the Zones?
That made things far more convenient for him.
"Let's begin today's lesson."
Professor Joe motioned for class monitor Autumn Summer to hand out the new textbooks.
As soon as the books were in their hands, Vincent immediately opened his and flipped to the first page.
The first thing he saw was a character illustration.
The man depicted was tall and broad, his muscles bulging with power. Though aged, he exuded an overwhelming aura of authority. His features were stern, carved as if from stone. Most notably, a crescent-shaped white mustache curved beneath his nose like a symbol of grandeur.
In his right hand, he held a massive naginata.
At first glance, he looked a bit like the war god Guan Yu from old legends.
The moment Vincent saw the illustration, his heart skipped a beat.
He knew this man all too well.
Edward Newgate.
The one they called "Whitebeard."
From the world of One Piece.
The strongest man in the pirate era.
Vincent quickly flipped to the next page.
There was Admiral Akainu.
And then Admiral Aokiji, Admiral Kizaru, Hero of the Navy Garp, Phoenix Marco…
One page after another, each depicting the elite of the One Piece world.
There was no doubt about it.
Forbidden Zone #4 was the One Piece world.
Professor Joe's voice rang out once more.
"The textbooks in your hands contain detailed profiles of powerful figures within Forbidden Zone #4. If you encounter any of these individuals during your missions, avoid them at all costs."
"As for whether Zone #4 or Zone #5 is more difficult, that's still up for debate. This month, I'll be teaching you the contents of both Zones. You'll be free to choose which one you want to explore first."
"But I must stress, Zone #4 is incredibly special. It's considered one of the most important Forbidden Zones."
"Because within Zone #4, if you complete your mission and receive a high enough evaluation, there is a significant chance you'll be rewarded with something called a 'Devil Fruit.'"
"A Devil Fruit is a rare and mysterious fruit. Consuming one grants you extraordinary abilities, allowing you to leap across the power rankings and transform into a powerhouse overnight."
"That's why many people call Forbidden Zone #4 the 'Land of Fate-Changing Newbies.'"
"And that title is no exaggeration. If you're lucky enough to receive a strong Devil Fruit as a reward, your talent and potential will skyrocket. Afterward, when you enter other Zones, you'll have a much easier time facing the dangers within."
By now, the entire classroom had gone completely silent.
All the students were laser-focused on Professor Joe's words.
None of them were strangers to the concept of Devil Fruits.
There was plenty of information about them online. There were also countless rags-to-riches tales of nobodies who had eaten Devil Fruits and changed their destinies.
Each Devil Fruit could fetch astronomical prices on the black market.
These students were just ordinary people.
Who among them didn't dream of getting their hands on one?
"Now then, let's talk about the contents of Zone #4. Listen carefully."
Professor Joe's voice remained steady as he explained.
"In Forbidden Zone #4, the main event is a war between two massive factions. On one side is the global government's military arm: the Marine Headquarters. On the other is one of the Four Emperors ruling the seas: the Whitebeard Pirates."
"The reason for the war is simple. One of Whitebeard's division commanders was captured by the Marines. They plan to execute him publicly. In response, Whitebeard's crew sails to his rescue, triggering an all-out war between the two sides."
At that moment, Vincent's mind froze for a second.
He instantly knew the exact timeline this Zone was set in.
Marineford.
The Paramount War.
It was widely considered the most spectacular event in the entire One Piece series.
A battle that featured the most powerful characters in the One Piece universe, waged on a scale that shook the world to its core.
And they wanted new students to enter that battlefield?
Wasn't that a little insane?
In that war, it didn't matter which side you faced.
Every single combatant could annihilate cities on their own.
Let alone winning, even surviving that battlefield seemed impossible for freshmen.
Even Vincent wasn't sure he could protect himself in the midst of such destruction.
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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