The last thing Jake remembered was falling asleep after crying while watching ASL edits on some app, and now he was stranded on a small, godforsaken island with nothing but the clothes on his back. His head throbbed as if hammered, and every muscle in his body felt sore after a whole night of crying. The salty taste of dried tears still lingered at the corners of his lips, adding to the annoyance of this absurd situation. The white sand stretched endlessly around him, and the only sound was the monotonous crashing of waves, exacerbating his sense of isolation.
"Great, is this some kind of prank or a reality show? If it is, it's not funny," he grumbled. "Hey, I want to quit! Is there a producer for this show?" Jake yelled, hoping someone would appear.
["No need to shout, you wretched human."]
A cold and contemptuous feminine voice echoed. Its tone was as icy as the arctic, making Jake's skin crawl despite the scorching day.
"Who's there?" Jake panicked, immediately looking around.
["Heh, as I said, humans are indeed lowly creatures."] The voice sneered again. ["I am the ultimate salvation system!"] The voice sounded slightly proud. Every word that came from the 'system' seemed to carry an unbearable weight of disdain.
"Oh," was the only word Jake could manage. He recalled every exam, every homework assignment, and every bad grade he endured just to get a job in the future, and now this damn system had brought him here so easily. At least, that's what he thought until...
["You have arrived in the world of One Piece. Now you can save characters and receive rewards."] The voice explained (Jake was a little confused if the condescending tone was the default). His eyes widened, his heart racing like crazy. This wasn't just a joke; this was his golden ticket to the adventures he had only ever dreamed of!
"So, you mean I can save characters like Ace and Pedro from death?" Jake was very excited. As a One Piece fan, he greatly loved those anime characters. Seeing Straw Hat crew allies die had been tough for him; if there was a chance like this, he would take it without hesitation. A hopeful grin spread across his face at the possibilities.
["Huh, for a human, your comprehension is decent."] The voice replied. ["Now open your beginner's box so we can continue."]
Jake looked at a small gift icon in the bottom left corner of the system screen and tapped it. A list of rewards appeared before him, shimmering as if made of pure gold, momentarily making him forget all his troubles.
["Congratulations, user, you have received the Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Godzilla!"]
["Congratulations, user, you have received Advanced Kenbunshoku Haki!"]
["Congratulations, user, you have received Intermediate Busoshoku Haki!"]
["Congratulations, user, you have received a small sailboat!"]
["First Quest: The execution of Fire Fist Ace will take place, save him to receive a reward!"]
["Reward: Haoshoku Haki"]
["Punishment: Becoming a worker in a dark corporation with minimum wage and lifelong health problems!"]
["Time Limit: 2 Weeks"]
["Accept/Decline"]
"What the heck is this punishment? That kind of thing never appeared in any novel or fanfic!" Jake grumbled, pressing the accept button. Jake snorted loudly, "A dark corporation? Minimum wage? This is worse than the worst-case scenario I've ever read on fan forums!" He swallowed hard, a sense of dread mixing with his excitement.
["Congratulations to the user, for being the first and only system user in this universe. ROB expects the best from you!"] And after that, silence fell. Jake blinked, trying to process the sudden flood of information and the heavy implications of his new reality.
"Hey, I want to ask, what's the purpose of bringing me here and why?" Jake voiced his concerns, a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach. He needed some answers, even from this condescending voice.
["Nothing special, human. My Master simply felt that the multiverse was too small and needed expansion."] The explanation was brief and straight to the point. ["Now go do your mission before you think about bothering me again."] The system's dismissive tone left Jake feeling insignificant, but the mention of a 'Master' intrigued him slightly.
"Now, where do we start?" Jake said, picking up the devil fruit that tasted like sandpaper. The rough and bitter sensation filled his tongue, as if he were chewing on rotten wood chips, but Jake swallowed it without hesitation. He looked at the small sailboat he now possessed. A determined glint appeared in his eyes despite the awful taste.
"I know, let's go pick up Ace's horned friend!" he grinned at the sky, imagining Kaido's reaction when he found out someone had kidnapped his son. A mischievous and slightly reckless plan was forming in Jake's mind