In an unknown location and time, within a secret base, Leon stood in a small, damp room of less than fifteen square meters. He wore a thin white gown, leaning against the cold brick wall with his eyes closed. He had no expectations in his heart.
For a month, no one realized that this little boy had changed—his soul no longer belonged to this world. Leon was both unfortunate and lucky. He didn't know why he had suddenly traveled through time in his sleep and taken over the boy's body. Every few days, he endured human experiments that were almost unbearable.
Leon estimated that the boy had died a month ago, unable to withstand the torment, allowing him to take over. Over the past month, Leon came to understand the excruciating pain of these experiments. A mature mind could barely survive, let alone a child.
But he held on to the hope of escape.
He quietly suppressed his expectations, counting the passage of time. Finally, a metallic voice broke the silence:
[Ding!! Would you like to start signing in?]
Leon's breathing quickened. "Sign in," he whispered.
[Ding, sign-in reward: Glint-Glint Fruit(Pika Pika no Mi).]
As the voice faded, a fruit appeared in his hand. Feeling its rough texture, Leon's heart filled with joy. The Glint-Glint Fruit—one of the top Devil Fruits from One Piece.
As a Glint Man, his body could transform into light, moving at the speed of light and using the characteristics of light as a weapon. Though limited by the straight-line propagation of light, with the "Yata Mirror" technique, he could achieve freedom of movement. His only weaknesses were Haki, Seastone weapons, or the Dark-Dark Fruit's abilities.
In this world, without the Seastone factor, even the curse of being unable to swim no longer applied. Leon realized that, here, the Light Human had no limitations.
Suppressing his excitement, Leon glanced at the CCTV in the corner without drawing attention. He shifted slightly, positioning his body to create a blind spot that blocked both the camera and anyone outside the barred door who might look in.
He tilted his body, lowered his head, and raised his arms slightly as he took a bite of the Devil Fruit. The taste was indescribably sour and foul, but he forced himself to eat it all. He couldn't leave any evidence behind.
Afterward, Leon sat up straight and closed his eyes, focusing on the changes in his body. Slowly, a mysterious power began to take hold, and he knew that by the end of the night, he would be transformed.
The next morning, there was a loud bang.
"Hey, kid, your breakfast."
A deep voice came from outside the barred door. Leon, who had been leaning against the wall all night, opened his eyes and looked at the metal dinner plate that had been thrown to the ground. He glanced at the man who was distributing meals to the other test subjects in the nearby cells.
Leon got out of bed, bent down, and picked up the dinner plate. On it was a box of nutrient solution. For the past six months, this tasteless, specially prepared solution was all he had eaten. It was unpleasant, but undeniably nutritious. The experimenters didn't show mercy; they just wanted the test subjects healthy enough to survive the experiments.
He tore open the carton and drank it down. This was his main source of sustenance, gradually strengthening his body. Leon wasn't going to waste it.
After finishing, he placed the empty carton back on the dinner plate and set it on the ground for collection. Then he returned to his bed, closed his eyes, and began planning his next move.
The interval between experiments was five days. Since he had undergone one yesterday, that meant he had five days left, including today. By the sixth day, the changes in his body would become noticeable to the experimenters.
His fate would be even worse if he failed. So, Leon knew he had to make the most of these five days.
His sign-in system, though powerful, was unpredictable. He could sign in every day, but the rewards were often disappointing. Three days ago, he signed in with high hopes and got nothing. Only then did he get lucky enough to receive the Glint-Glint Fruit.
He planned to sign in again on the fifth day. Until then, he needed to train—intensively.
With this in mind, Leon got up and started doing push-ups. When the person collecting dishes came by later, they didn't seem surprised. Leon had been exercising during his free time for the past month. In the confined space, there wasn't much else to do besides exercise and stare into space.
The man left, and Leon continued his push-ups, already noticing changes in his body. Previously, his thirteen-year-old frame was weak, barely able to manage thirty push-ups in a row. Now, he could easily do forty without breaking a sweat. The Glint-Glint Fruit was subtly transforming him.
"Five days left…" Leon thought grimly.
He had the memories of the boy's past six months and had personally endured the same torture. If it weren't for the sign-in system, he might have met the same fate as the boy. But now, Leon was determined to survive and eventually take revenge on the inhumane people responsible.
With this resolve, he began a rigorous five-day training regimen.
Time passed quickly. Over the five days, Leon trained relentlessly. He kept his workout sessions within normal limits, but shortened the rest periods. Later, under the CCTV's blind spot, he secretly switched to one-finger push-ups.
However, he didn't dare to use the Glint-Glint Fruit directly. He wasn't sure if it would alert the experimenters, and he wasn't willing to take that risk.
The nutrient solution provided rich sustenance, and with the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit, Leon's physical strength grew daily. By age thirteen, his fitness already surpassed that of most adults.
The Devil Fruit's abilities became instinctive the moment he consumed it. Even without consciously using them, he could access some preliminary powers, including elementalization.
The time had come.
On the fifth night, Leon, who appeared to be asleep, suddenly opened his eyes. A faint golden light flashed within them. He sat up slowly, put on his shoes, and calmly walked to the barred gate.
Buzz!
A dazzling golden light radiated from his body as he transformed into a being of light. He moved effortlessly through the iron bars, stepping out of his cell.
As soon as he exited, a loud, urgent siren blared throughout the base. The entire corridor in front of him pulsed with red lights.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The alarm also startled the other children undergoing experiments in nearby rooms. They woke up in a panic, rushing to their iron gates, straining to see what was happening.
What they saw was unbelievable.
The guards in the base reacted quickly. Within seconds, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor. A dozen uniformed men burst through the iron door at the end of the hallway, armed and ready.
They immediately spotted Leon approaching and their expressions darkened.
"Hey kid, who told you to come out?" The leader of the group barked.
As he reached for Leon, the boy suddenly grabbed his wrist. The strong man's face twisted in anger. "You brat, are you looking for a beating?"
He tried to use his strength to overpower Leon, but to his shock, the boy's slender hand held firm, preventing him from moving. This kind of strength was impossible for a child of twelve or thirteen.
The strong man was filled with disbelief. Just as he was about to speak, Leon raised his head slightly, and his youthful voice echoed through the corridor, standing out amidst the blaring sirens.
"It starts with you."
Bang!
Leon's white shoe, glowing with a hint of gold, shot up and slammed into the man's stomach with tremendous force, far beyond what any adult could muster. The impact sent the man flying backward, blood spraying from his mouth, as he crashed into the iron door at the end of the passage, knocking over several others in the process.
The remaining guards, professionally trained, reacted immediately. They drew their guns, ready to respond. But they were no match for Leon, who had already transformed into the Light Human.
In a flash of golden light, Leon moved faster than their eyes could track. Sharp pain shot through their bodies, and before they knew it, their vision went black as they lost consciousness.
With a few swift strikes, all of the dozen men lay dead on the ground, their necks twisted.
Leon, who had just taken the lives of more than a dozen people, felt no remorse—only a sense of relief. But it wasn't enough. The unbearable torture and pain he had endured had filled him with a deep, burning rage.
He glanced at the children watching from behind the iron bars, their expressions now filled with shock and excitement, something different from their previous numbness.
No one spoke, but Leon saw hope in their eyes.
"I will return," he said softly, uttering the words with quiet determination.
With that, he turned and ran down the corridor, leaving the children behind, their eyes filled with expectant hope.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Chaos erupted throughout the base, with roars and screams echoing one after another.
In the main control room above, a man in combat uniform hurried in. The room buzzed with noise and urgency.
"Hurry! The subject has breached the second floor. Team three, provide immediate support! Seal all passages and activate the defense system!"
"The first and second teams have lost contact, and the third team is still fighting!"
"More than half of them are dead or injured, and they're calling for help!"
"What's going on?"
The man, frustrated by the chaos around him, grabbed a man in a white coat who was trying to leave and angrily demanded answers.
"Sir, an experimental subject is escaping the base. Our forces are trying to stop him, but the casualties are heavy," the subordinate replied, visibly shaken and sweating.
"How could this happen?" the man shouted, shoving his subordinate aside as he approached the information desk. He looked up at a large screen made up of thirteen massive LCD monitors, and what he saw shocked him.
On the screen, a small boy in a white gown was fighting dozens of soldiers in the base's corridor. The scene was almost a one-sided massacre. The heavily armed soldiers fired their weapons, but none of the bullets could hit the boy. He seemed to possess a superpower, transforming into golden light and moving effortlessly through the chaos. Every punch and kick he delivered was devastating.
In less than half a minute, the soldiers were nearly wiped out. Blood and corpses littered the corridor, leaving only the boy standing among the carnage. As if sensing that he was being watched, the boy turned his back to the camera and looked up at the monitor. His cold, ruthless eyes filled the screen.
The previously chaotic room fell silent as everyone stared at those eyes, their hearts pounding. One message was clear in his gaze: I will kill you all!
The intensity of the boy's murderous intent was palpable, piercing through the screen. It was unbelievable that such overwhelming power and hatred could come from a child not even thirteen years old. He was almost indistinguishable from a monster.
Buzz!
The boy turned into golden light again and vanished from the screen. The man reacted with frustration, shouting, "Damn it!"
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Mobilize all available forces to capture that kid immediately," he ordered, his face showing a mix of anger and excitement. Despite the crisis, he saw it as an opportunity. The boy's newfound power meant their experiment had succeeded, and they had to capture him. This could lead to creating a super-powered army in the future.
"Yes, sir," one of the men replied, though his voice faltered as he added, "Sir, most of our soldiers are already dead."
"What? They're all dead?" The man, shocked, stared at his subordinate in disbelief.
"Yes, sir. The boy was too fast and acted like a perfect killing machine. Our people were killed almost instantly."
"How many armed forces do we have left?"
"Only one combat team. We don't have many forces here at the test base."
The man's expression darkened as he realized the full extent of the situation. "What about our equipment?"
"All destroyed. The boy's laser beam took out our defenses."
"Are we saying our base has fallen to a boy under thirteen years old?"
"Unfortunately, yes, sir."
"Damn it!" The man swore and then gave his orders: "Upload all the data on the boy immediately, destroy all other data and information in the base, and evacuate at once."
He was asked if the automatic explosive devices had been activated to destroy all experimental subjects. The man snapped back, "Idiot, if we blow up the boy, our efforts will be wasted. I'll report this to the Baron and ensure the boy is captured."
After cursing, he turned and left.
Following the man's orders, the remaining staff quickly evacuated the base after uploading the data, taking less than five minutes to do so.
Five minutes later, Leon walked into the information center. He was visibly exhausted, having used more than half of his physical strength. If he hadn't remembered from his past experiences that there were few guards, he might have chosen to escape rather than fight his way through.
Using his elementalization ability was powerful but drained his energy quickly.
The room was empty, and the surveillance cameras were dark. Leon approached the information desk, but he couldn't make sense of it. He knew the base was deserted and that everyone had fled.
After a moment of thought, he turned and headed towards the lower levels of the base to help the children.
It was midnight, and the children, startled by the chaos, had fallen asleep. They were clinging to the iron railings and listening to the noises around them.
***
The children's hearts were filled with hope and anticipation, though they had no one to talk to. They had heard the sounds of gunfire, screams, and explosions fade away. Each child's heart raced with worry. Then, they heard footsteps approaching and held their breath.
When Leon finally appeared through the iron gate, their anxious expressions turned to excitement.
"You did it," one of the children whispered.
Seeing their hopeful faces, Leon's usual coldness softened into a gentle smile. He held the key to the door and unlocked the iron gates of their room one by one.
There were about a dozen children, the oldest around fourteen and the youngest only eight. Leon remembered that there should have been more than thirty.
The children followed Leon cautiously, their eyes wide with trust and hope. They clearly saw him as their protector.
"We need to get out of here," Leon said. Though he had the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit, he knew that if he fought his way through the base and revealed his abilities, he would become a target. Support would arrive soon, and this was no place to stay.
Most of the children were orphans or had been sold. They were quickly convinced of Leon's leadership due to his maturity and strength, and they followed his orders without question.
Under Leon's guidance, they explored the base. It was well-equipped, with plenty of food and vehicles. They even found a desk safe containing gold bars, cash, and coins. The haul included twenty-three gold bars, $300,000 in U.S. dollars, and some rubles. These were clearly the base leader's possessions, left behind in the rush.
They also gathered food—bread, vegetables, frozen meat, and a box of nutrient solution. They loaded everything into a large truck and set off with the children, speeding down the road.
It was almost early morning. Outside the base, it was pitch black with heavy snowfall and a mountain range in the distance. Leon, who had learned to drive in his previous life, quickly adapted to driving the large truck, despite the differences in visibility and handling compared to smaller vehicles.
Fortunately, Leon had found a map in the base office. Although it was in Russian, the children knew the language and translated it for him. They discovered that they were in the eastern part of the Ural Mountains, a remote area of Siberia, near the European part of Russia. Yekaterinburg, a city about 700 kilometers away, was their destination.
Leon decided to take the children to Yekaterinburg. The heavy snow would soon cover their tire tracks, making it hard for anyone to follow them. However, the large truck would be too noticeable, so Leon planned to destroy it outside the city and then enter Yekaterinburg on foot.
As he drove, two little Russian girls in the other seat were already asleep. After about four or five hours on the road, Leon spotted what looked like an abandoned house about 300 meters off the road. He steered the truck off the road and stopped in front of the uninhabited house, which was surrounded by sparse trees and vegetation, providing some natural cover.
After waking up the two little girls, Leon got out of the truck and opened the back compartment.
The other children, who had been abruptly awakened, saw it was Leon holding a flashlight and felt a sense of relief. They followed him out of the truck and towards the abandoned house. The house was a standard wooden structure, dirty and dusty, but it provided some shelter. It was about 120 to 130 square meters in size—neither too large nor too small.
Leon and the children quickly cleaned the inside of the house using the flashlight for illumination. They then took bedding from the truck and spread it on the floor. The weather was very cold, so Leon had gathered warm fur coats and fleece from the truck. Though the coats looked a bit funny on the children, they didn't mind.
Next, Leon collected some branches from outside and placed them in the fireplace. He used his Glint-Glint Fruit ability to start a fire. The warm flames brightened the house and chased away the darkness, helping to ease the children's fear and confusion.
Once everything was settled, Leon drove the truck to a nearby frozen lake. After breaking the ice with a laser, he drove the truck into the lake and blew it up with another laser. The cover of the lake, combined with the wind and snow, ensured that no traces of their escape were left.
When Leon returned to the wooden house, he saw that the children had been very organized. They had already sorted the supplies and prepared bedding for him.
Leon smiled at the eager children and said, "Don't worry, we won't be discovered right away. Go to sleep now, and we'll talk in the morning."
The children looked at each other, then at Leon. They saw him lying on a quilt at the edge of the room in a fur coat. Feeling reassured, they settled down and quickly fell asleep. The room soon filled with the gentle sound of their breathing.
Although Leon closed his eyes, he did not sleep. He was focused on planning the next steps. Escaping the experimentation base was just the beginning. He knew he would be hunted both overtly and covertly by those who ran the base.
Currently, Leon had very little information and wasn't sure about the timeline in this world. The child he inhabited had been a street kid from a poor country in Eastern Europe. He was a mixed-race boy named Leon who had been captured while begging and taken to the experimental base.
With this limited information and a mysterious organization chasing him, Leon decided the best course of action was to keep moving and stay hidden.
Although these children were a burden and a weakness, Leon felt a strong sense of responsibility towards them. He knew that if he left them behind, they would likely perish in the harsh environment or be captured and subjected to further experiments.
After much thought, fatigue overcame him, and he fell into a deep sleep.
When Leon finally woke up, he noticed the howling wind and snow outside. He sat up and saw that the children had been awake for some time. They were curled up in bed, watching him quietly.
The fire in the fireplace had burned out, and the room was cold.
"Are you hungry?" Leon asked.
The children nodded.
"Why haven't you eaten?" he asked.
"We were waiting for you," they replied.
Leon was touched by their thoughtfulness. He stretched, got out of bed, and put on the large fur coat and hat. He walked to the fireplace, added the branches he had collected the day before, and used his powers to start a fire.
As the flames roared to life, they warmed the room and brought a sense of comfort. The fire's glow illuminated Leon's face, providing much-needed warmth and light.
Leon turned his head and saw the children getting out of bed, watching him with admiration and excitement. They were clearly impressed by his ability to use the golden laser.
He smiled and said, "Come on, let's get ready for breakfast."
The children obediently followed him to the corner of the wooden house where the supplies were stored. They opened a metal box and started taking out the food.
Leon decided not to use the nutrient solution at the moment. Although it was richer in nutrients, he preferred to save it for his future needs. Instead, he took out a few iron pots from the base kitchen and asked the children to bring pork, beef, vegetables, and seasonings to the kitchen area of the wooden house.
The kitchen had a stove, which Leon lit using the firewood. He first boiled a pot of water because the water from the plastic bucket he brought had frozen, and they needed drinking water.
While the water was boiling, Leon and the children began to talk. It turned out that, like objects, they had been numb to life and had no hope. They hadn't thought much about communication before.
After some introductions, Leon learned that most of the children were from Eastern European countries. There were fifteen children in total: ten boys and five girls. The youngest ones were just eight years old—a boy and a girl.
"My name is Gennady."
"My name is Sumarokov."
"My name is Lomon Losov."
"My name is Sergey."
Despite their nervousness, the children introduced themselves one by one. Leon listened patiently and took note of their names. Then, a boy with short black hair and a girl with black hair next to him said, "My name is Pietro Maximoff."
"My name is Wanda Maximoff."
'Huh?'
Leon's attention was immediately drawn to the names Pietro and Wanda Maximoff. He looked at the two children closely, trying to suppress his shock. Could it be?
He asked, "Are you twins?"
"Yes, he's my brother," Wanda said timidly. She seemed older for her age, which is common with early maturity.
"How were you captured?"
"We volunteered to participate in the experiment," Wanda replied, her face twisted with deep hatred.
"Why did you volunteer?"
"Because we want revenge," Wanda said, her voice filled with pain. "We come from Sokovia. Our family was destroyed in a war."
Though she didn't say more, Leon had pieced it together. He realized that he had stumbled into the Marvel Universe. These twins were the future Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.
The person the twins hate must be Iron Man, Tony Stark.
'Fucking hell!'
Leon, who knows the Marvel Universe well, understands how complex and vast this world is. The presence of god-like beings and cosmic entities means that his earlier belief of being unique is now completely shattered. Compared to these powerful beings, even someone like Kizaru seems insignificant.
Reflecting on it, Leon realized that the people at the base were likely affiliated with Baron Strucker, one of the leaders of Hydra.
***
Leon realized that his follow-up plan needed to change.
Gululu~~
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of boiling water in the iron pot. Leon snapped back to reality, deciding to set aside his planning for now and focus on finishing the meal. After all, it had been half a year since he last tasted meat, and he couldn't help but feel a bit greedy.
He carefully poured half of the boiling water into another pot to cool, then turned his attention to cooking. Without any oil available, he decided to fry the pork first to extract some lard. Using a few daggers he had found, Leon cut the meat into smaller pieces and instructed the other children to soak and wash the vegetables and meat separately.
Given the limited resources, he knew he couldn't prepare anything elaborate. So, he decided to keep it simple, combining the ingredients they had into a hearty stew. He tossed in eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, green peppers, corn, and a few basic seasonings, along with the pork. After letting it simmer for half an hour, he had a pot of comforting Northeastern stew ready to serve.
Using the remaining lard, Leon fried up a few large beef and mutton chops. He also warmed some bread to serve as the main course. The aroma quickly filled the air, making the hungry children, who had never tasted meat before, drool in anticipation.
Realizing they lacked enough bowls and spoons, Leon stepped outside and used his strength to break a moderately thick tree. He then spent some time carving out fifteen bowls, and large spoons with a dagger. Though his craftsmanship was rough and the shapes a bit abstract, they were functional.
Leon directed the children to move the clean wooden table from the house into the room, and together they brought the iron pot of stew, along with the beef and mutton chops, to the table. As they served the stew, he said, "Kids, enjoy today's 'breakfast' with some bread."
Interestingly, despite their hunger, the children didn't rush to eat. Instead, they looked at Leon eagerly, waiting. Understanding their silent request, Leon smiled gently and said, "Go ahead and eat, you must be starving." He then took the first bite with his spoon, prompting the children to smile and finally dig into their meal.
The children smiled and began to devour the food with ease. The hearty stew, fried beef and mutton chops, bread, and broth were a feast for their taste buds. After arriving at the base, many of them had only been given nutrient solutions—rich in nutrients but extremely bland. The delicious meat and bread were a welcome change, awakening their appetites.
Even Leon couldn't help but savor the meal. Like autumn winds sweeping away fallen leaves, the food on the table, the stew in the pot, and the soup were all quickly eaten, leaving nothing behind. Leon didn't even need to clean the dishes.
After eating, the children seemed content and let out satisfied burps. It was clear that today was likely the warmest, most comforting moment they had experienced in years. Amid the snow and wind outside, they were cozy by the fireplace, enjoying a delicious meal, a simple pleasure that filled them with satisfaction.
After eating, the children were well-behaved and began to put away the dishes without Leon's prompting. Some of the stronger ones even volunteered to brave the wind and snow to fetch water from a nearby lake, determined not to waste precious drinking water. But Leon was concerned—the lakeside ice was frozen, and without his help, they wouldn't be able to break through. So, he went himself.
When he returned, the children slightly heated the ice water and washed the dishes. Leon, however, was not as nurturing as a caretaker. He understood that these children were insecure and deeply confused during this period. They instinctively tried to prove their worth, fearing abandonment.
During this time, Leon's thoughts became clearer. If he had any doubts about taking care of these children before, his resolve was now solidified, especially because of the Wanda twins.
In this chaotic world, Leon knew he needed strength. Being a transmigrator made him feel insecure; he required immense power to not only protect himself but perhaps even ascend to godhood. Although that goal seemed distant, his Golden Finger gave him the confidence to pursue it.
But before setting out, he considered training some allies. The twins were a prime example. One possessed powerful chaos magic, while the other had incredible speed. With proper cultivation, their future potential could be limitless.
The twins and the others had endured endless darkness, pain, and torture together. Leon had emerged from nowhere, displaying unparalleled power to save them all.
This group of children, who had lost everything, instinctively began to rely on him. Over time, this dependence would naturally evolve into loyalty. These children were becoming a valuable asset, but before he could truly make use of them, Leon knew he needed a stable place to house them.
Woosh!
Suddenly, a simple and crude virtual template appeared before him. The accumulated time behind the sign-in button showed six days.
[Signing in!]
"Start signing in."
[Ding! Get the sign-in reward: Sun Breathing Technique.]
As the vast memory was instilled in him, Leon's eyes flashed with joy. He hadn't expected that after six days of signing in, he would actually obtain the Sun Breathing Technique.
The Breathing Technique is the legacy of a man who reached the pinnacle of human combat power. It's a general term for techniques developed by humans to fight demons. The primary function of this technique is to strengthen the heart and lung capacity, allowing the blood to absorb a large amount of oxygen in a short time. This significantly boosts the body's abilities, granting temporary physical strength comparable to that of a demon.
Once developed to the state of 'Total Concentration'—this breathing method can push physical fitness beyond the normal human limits. Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a master of this technique, was so powerful that he could deliver 1,500 slashes in mere moments. The speed and force of such a sword swing were truly terrifying.
What Leon values most about the Breathing Technique is its ability to rapidly enhance physical fitness and cardiopulmonary function. When combined with his Glint-Glint Fruit, it can accelerate the growth of his abilities and physical strength in a short period.
Additionally, the Sun Breathing Technique can be adapted into various branches, allowing him to train the other children effectively. With this technique, many challenges ahead will become much simpler. However, the downside is that it requires significant resources, including nutrient solutions. The rich nutrition in these solutions is essential for the children's growth, but one box won't last long.
It was clear—he still needed to deal with Hydra later.
A slight smile curled at the corner of Leon's mouth.