Eric walked into a deserted alleyway, ready to finally examine the system that had arrived 12 years late.
[Congratulations! Player has survived 12 years in the world of One Piece and reached adulthood. System activation complete.]
[2D Companion System: Want to bring your favorite waifu home? Want to team up with the strongest character of your dreams? Then this is the game for you!]
[Resist harmful games. Reject piracy. Protect yourself. Avoid being deceived. Moderate gaming is good for the brain. Addiction harms the body. Manage your time wisely and enjoy a healthy life.]
"..."
Seeing the exact same anti-addiction message as in his previous life's games, Eric almost thought he was back on his PC.
[Character Panel: Activated]
[Shop: Activated]
[Inventory: Activated]
[System fully loaded. Wish you a good li—(blacked out)—wish you a pleasant game experience.]
"Open character panel," Eric muttered quietly.
[...]
The complete silence was almost more insulting than a sarcastic voice.
"Damn you!" he cursed, then mentally clicked on the panel. A translucent interface appeared smoothly.
[Name: Eric]
[Age: 17]
[Physique: ★★☆☆☆ (2 stars)
[Hand-to-hand Combat: ★★½☆☆ (1.5 stars)
[Swordsmanship: ★☆☆☆☆ (1 star)
[Firearms: ★☆☆☆☆ (1 star)
[Armament Haki: 0]
[Observation Haki: 0]
[Conqueror's Haki: Unawakened]
[Devil Fruit: None]
[Skills: Marine Six Styles – Soru]
[Overall Combat Power: ★★½☆☆ (1.5 stars)
[Achievement Points: 0]
[Money: 235,000 Berries]
[Evaluation: What have you even been doing for the past 12 years?]
"..." Eric ignored that last line completely.
He opened the Shop interface with a thought.
[All your favorite 2D items are right here—come and buy!]
At the top of the shop list was a tempting item:
[Item: Surprise Loot Box (Might contain rare treasures… or worthless junk)]
"As someone who always draws the fifth-place prize and can't pull the right SSR from the featured banner, this is clearly a scam," Eric muttered. "Typical Lancer luck…"
To the left, several categorized tabs appeared:
[Weapons][Summoning Media][Devil Fruits]
"Holy crap, you can really buy Devil Fruits?! That's totally broken!"
Then he saw the price and went instantly numb.
Even a common Zoan-type fruit cost 150 million Berries, and the Rumble-Rumble Fruit (Goro Goro no Mi) was priced at 3 billion Berries.
"What about the Darkness Fruit? If I buy it, can I steal Blackbeard's fate?"
[System Denied: The Darkness Fruit is a key trigger of the Paramount War and cannot be purchased or obtained by any means. If someone like Enel eats the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, it will be removed from the shop. Note: If a Devil Fruit user is killed, the fruit will respawn and return to the shop. If the player buys a Devil Fruit, the corresponding fruit in the world will disappear.]
"Makes sense. Only one user per fruit, after all."
Still, even knowing this, Eric could barely afford a loot box. Just like when he browsed online shopping apps before bed in his past life, he closed the store in resignation.
He then found a small [Terms & Conditions] button at the bottom right of the main interface—a classic sign of hidden traps.
[Tsk.]
He could swear someone had just clicked their tongue.
Opening the Terms menu:
The system is not responsible for any injuries or deaths. No resurrection service is provided.Summoning 2D characters requires a summoning medium. The higher the quality, the better the companion.To summon a new companion, the bond level with the previous one must reach Level 3 (Trusted Friend).Monthly missions will be issued. Rewards are generous, and there is no penalty for failure. (Highly recommended!)
"…Wait, where's rule 4?!" Eric exclaimed.
[Tsk.]
That tongue-click again.
Each summoned character will be implanted with basic knowledge of the One Piece world. This may cause some mental confusion. Their default relationship is Friendly Stranger. Do not take advantage of them or decrease their favorability—doing so may lead to hostility. Once bond level reaches 3, the summoned companion will never betray the player.
"This system is terrifying… Why hide such important information? I nearly got screwed!"
Page 2 of Terms
Player stats can be increased through training or achievement points.Summoned companions can grow through their own training or by increasing bond points.Defeated bounty targets can be redeemed for cash directly through the shop, even if you become a pirate.Achievement points are earned by completing missions, hidden achievements, monthly and temporary tasks.
[Ding! You have 5 new messages.]
Achievement Unlocked: Witness the Dawn of the Great Pirate Era → +3 pointsAchievement Unlocked: First Hunt → +1 pointAchievement Unlocked: First Kill of a Million-Berry Bounty → +1 pointAchievement Unlocked: Defeated 10 Wanted Criminals → +1 pointAchievement Unlocked: Main Character Reached Adulthood → +1 point—Players have the right to choose whether to accept quests or not.All consequences resulting from your actions are your responsibility.Final interpretation rights belong solely to the system.
It took Eric nearly an hour to read through the rules, but he finally understood the system: summon 2D characters as companions, grow your team, increase your power, and become the new ruler of the world!
[Ding! You have a new message.]
Monthly Mission #1: Summon a Companion
Details: From Sea Calendar 1510, September 3, you have 30 days to summon your first companion.
Rewards: 1,000,000 Berries, 5 Bond Points, 1 Single-Mast Sailboat
"If I finish the summon, I won't even need to buy a boat."
In Loguetown, even a small sailboat would cost millions of Berries.
Looking around the empty alley and seeing no one nearby, Eric declared:
"Let's summon my first companion right here!"
He bit his finger and used the blood to draw a summoning circle.
The wound was small, so he had to bite it multiple times.
He placed his newly bought knife in the center and stretched out his hand.
"I summon you—my companion!"
A faint flash of light appeared… then disappeared. A breeze blew through the alley, parting his hair slightly. Weeds swayed in the cracks of the pavement.
Only awkward silence remained.
[Summon Failed. Medium Quality Too Low.]
Covering his face in embarrassment, Eric silently picked up the knife.
He swapped it for the more expensive flintlock pistol and tried again:
"I summon you—my partner!"
[Summon Failed. Medium Quality Too Low.]
"Ughhh, what a ripoff of a summoning system!"
(End of Chapter)