I floated sat in a chair, with an electronic tablet hovering in front of me, pondering my choices, their consequences, wondering if there was another way.
Or that maybe they were not needed at all and I will wake up soon.
But looking around in this White Void, not seeing my hands, legs, the rest of my body, I always arrived at the final destination of reality.
I was here. I was fully cognizant. I was Awake.
I was just a blob of light. A Soul without a body, because why do the dead need something like that?
Lastly, the Asshole that brought me here already let me play around with what I could in this Void as proof that I was dead. Or maybe to distract me with something else to stave off an existential crisis.
I sighed out a mote of light as I looked down to the floating tablet, trying not to think about my death, or those I left behind.
The things I didn’t couldn’t do because of procrastination or cowardice.
‘Just what was I doing with my life?’
I didn’t take my sight of the tablet, brooding over my build while replying, “I thought Time didn’t flow Here, and it only looked like that to me.”, trying to at least mildly annoy this Bastard.
I grunted in response. In translation, this Almighty being was doing the equivalent of processing a Work Visa, and like all bored bureaucrats, he would rather be doing something else.
I concentrated on the three CYOA that were loaded on the tablet in front of me, wondering if I was grasping for the stars when I couldn’t even climb a hill, “You sure that me using three CYOA won’t be a problem? No clashes of Rules or something like that?”.
I focus on the first one that I was offered, which was completely optional, the Head Start CYOA, “I have been wondering, why all the…Adult…options and stuff like that? I mean, the Head Start CYOA is basically all about fucking better. Hell, the ONE PIECE INTERACTIVE CYOA can cover most of what it does, except for things like the Immortality and Bonding options.”
After all, I wouldn’t have a second CYOA if it wasn’t an option in the Head Start CYOA.
I heard a sigh that echoed and came from all around me. Even this guy and the people he worked with had problems making a horse drink water. I snickered at that. Even if you have all the power of Creation on your hands, ‘Free Will’ will continue to be a thorn in your ass if you didn’t take into account apparently. A Lesson To Take To Heart.
“Ah, the application of ‘Everything is About Sex’.”
Which was obvious, since if you are being thrown into another world, mostly likely wackier and more dangerous at that, you wanted the option that gave you more tools to ensure you survived.
Hell, I would have taken Easy Mode in Head Start, but The Bastard didn’t let me do that. His excuse being that he wouldn’t be able to chain the points together otherwise. Probably part of the Protocols he mentioned before.
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I gave another look at my Build, in the order that I wanted to be implemented.
Head Start CYOA
Overpowered Isekai CYOA
ONE PIECE INTERACTIVE CYOA
Since One Piece was a Shonen, I didn’t shy away from making myself a quite capable puncher. My Appearance, my Race and Physical Prowess mostly came from ONE PIECE INTERACTIVE, with Head Start giving a small pointer, while Overpowered Isekai gave me something close to a Shapeshifting power. But the main focus of my choices were based on ALT POWER and WORLDBREAKER options I had taken, which gave me the foundation of being an excellent Spellblade. Particularly, Mushoku Tensei Mana when properly mastered would let me do anything. Or as close as possible. Combined with Cognitive Systems that would push my body to new extremes, I definitely fell into the Punch Wizard category. So from there, I made my choices to make sure I maximize my spending by buying the Overpowered Isekai to become an unstoppable Spellblade. I also made some choices to further improve my survivability, equipment, and ‘Nakama’.
The other reason why I bought another CYOA was because I had limiters slapped on me regardless of how many CYOA I filled out, because I apparently meant to grow into my Powers. Even my Immortality power was partially locked, which was the main reason why I accepted filling out the Head Start CYOA, though the way to unlock it was hassle free when compared to unlocking requirements.
I just had to find the Island I was buying, which was easy enough. There wasn’t anything that could prevent me from going to the Island, much less finding it.
Fortunately, being slapped with restrictions didn’t prevent me from being able to squeeze out of the Asshole slight modifications on the CYOA options so that they better fit the world, or worked better for me. They weren’t too out there, and rather harmless in of themselves. I also had a valid reason for those changes. Because if I am going to fight the manifestation of Entropy and other similar monsters, I make sure I was efficient and effective as fuck.
Going over my choices one last time, I considered them.
I was annoyed with several things, like that 5 points were taken at my expense when the destination was already decided. The restrictions for my Overpowered Isekai were also more intensive, as well as being forced to take the Rookie Flaw.
Breathing in deeply, and letting go of my melancholy, I focused.
Looking at the tablet, I sunk a lot of points into being an Overpowered Spell Blade. But since there were parameters I needed to fulfill, along with the fact I was going to have to travel from hotspot to hotspot, the other options weren’t suitable. I couldn’t set down my ass and fortify a location, I couldn’t make armies for world domination or even station them in locations, I had to patrol myself and find the hotspots, I couldn’t even indiscriminately kill natives. The last one was vague enough that I was better off with a No Killing Policy.
Thus, I went with being a Spell Blade, capable of Extreme and Long Range Spell Bombardment, and Mid to Close Range Devastation with my Fists. I could even reconfigure my Shape to fit the situation.
I took my eyes off the table and looked to the horizon, “Well, I'm done then. I can’t think of anything else.”
I tried to roll my blob form, “And you would still make me take the Rookie and PAIN TO GAIN drawbacks. Thus, having 20 years of experience, and getting rid of the limiters, is for the best, rather than during the Strawhat journey.”.
“You said that I won’t have Plot Armor, A.k.A Devils’ Luck, when I fight the Entropy beings, so I would rather have 20 years of preparations rather than a month or so.”.
“I want a clean slate. My past life is like a Heart Demon from those Chinese Novels, and erasing those parts of my memory is putting me to rest. All I need from it is my Knowledge. As for canon, I have INTERNET CONNECTION, so I should be able to plug any intel holes with it.”.
“I understand most people wouldn’t do that, but I am Dead, so pinning for something I can’t do is a waste of time. This makes sure I don’t waste time getting there. And you are the one in control of where I land, I asked you to place in Water Seven. Maybe I’ll be able to learn from Tom, even help him build the Sea Train Tracks.”.
I felt a suction on my form. It was a trivial feeling, but it kept getting stronger.
Before I could make sense of what he said, I was falling into the sea with my mind scrambled.
I ended up making a big splash and sank down because I couldn’t concentrate.
I don’t know who I am beside my name being Fenrir D. Ulfr, I am a 5 years old Human/Mink Hybrid. Which was confusing as fuck, because I didn’t know who my parents were.
I quickly centered myself, and swam to the surface with ease, something in my Mind telling me I had the AMPHIBIOUS Perk. Which told me next to nothing about it.
As I broke onto the surface, I could see Massive Trees. They were Gargantuan, and the same feeling told me I had never seen them like that. The closest one had the Number 01 emblazon on it.