Three hours earlier...
In a dense forest, four children were running eagerly, searching for animals to hunt. The group consisted of Zerk, Luffy, Ace, and Sabo, each armed with a sturdy pipe in their hands.
Zerk, who had once been a quiet and introverted individual on Earth, had quickly become talkative and formed a close bond with the three boys. Last week, they even shared a cup of sake to solidify their brotherly connection. Zerk assumed the role of the eldest brother, with Sabo and Ace as his younger siblings, while Luffy, the youngest of them all, completed their newfound family. They resembled long-lost brothers who had finally reunited after a considerable time apart.
"Brother Zerk! What are we hunting today? I want to catch fish, is that alright?" Luffy eagerly inquired, addressing his brother.
"I'm not sure, Luffy. What do you guys think? Should we go fishing as Luffy suggested?" Zerk turned his attention to his other two younger siblings.
GROOARRRRR!
Just as Sabo and Ace were about to express their opinions, their voices were drowned out by the thunderous roar of a massive tiger. The beast, with black fur adorned by orange patterns, stood an imposing five meters tall and boasted a tail length of approximately fifteen meters.
"AHH! How about that one? This tiger monster looks delicious and will provide us with an abundance of meat! We'll be satisfied in no time!" Sabo and Ace exclaimed simultaneously, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Absolutely!" Luffy cheerfully chimed in, his anticipation for the meal growing by the second. The hunger gnawed at his stomach, and the thought of devouring such a sizable portion of meat intensified his craving.
"Shishishishi... I can't wait! Grilled tiger will surely be delicious!" Zerk couldn't contain his excitement, picturing the mouthwatering flavors that awaited them.
However, Zerk was taken aback by the sheer enormity of the tiger. It was unlike anything he had ever encountered in his previous world. The creature stood as tall as a building, its massive size dominating the landscape.
"Watch out!!" Ace's voice filled with a trace of anxiety, warned the others.
The tiger pounced, its target being Zerk and his three younger siblings. Yet, with nimble agility, the four boys managed to dodge the ferocious attack. Luffy, determined to strike first, stretched his rubbery arm and unleashed his signature move, "Gomu Gomu no Pistol!"
His rubber arm shot forward with lightning speed. However, instead of hitting the tiger, Luffy's hand struck the rocky ground, rebounding forcefully and smacking him squarely in the face. "UAGHH!" Luffy recoiled in pain, his head now sporting a swollen lump, resembling the aftermath of a brawl over stolen meat.
"LUFFYY! WATCH OUT!" Sabo and Ace cried out in panic, fearing for Luffy's safety as he landed right in front of the menacing feline.
Luffy turned his head to the side, his eyes widening in surprise as he came face to face with a salivating tiger, poised to devour his small body.
"GROOOARRR!"
"GKYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Luffy screamed frantically, startled by the sudden appearance of a creepy face in close proximity, accompanied by a loud noise and an overwhelming stench of bad breath.
DRUAKKKGGGHHHHH!
Just as the tiger was about to devour Luffy, a powerful blow landed on its head, causing the unfortunate beast to collapse on the ground, with spiraling eyes and comical stars floating above its head.
"Luffy... I've been telling you, your gun technique is far from perfect! Don't use it until you've mastered it," Sabo admonished, revealing himself as the one who had struck the tiger's head with his paralon pipe.
"It's not imperfect, it's just useless! HAHAHA," Ace chuckled, joining in on the laughter. The three of them shared a moment of amusement, except for Luffy, who was still fuming and preparing to retaliate against Ace.
DUAKGHH! DUGGHH!
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Both Ace and Luffy rubbed the bumps on their heads, the remnants of Sabo's impactful pipe strike.
Zerk approached his three younger siblings and suggested, "Let's go and eat!" Sabo and Luffy responded with enthusiastic grins.
"Not yet!" Ace interrupted, stopping Luffy, who was about to leap towards the unconscious tiger. "Let's first gather more game, and then we can have an instant feast." Ace offered his advice to all the children.
"But I want it now!" Luffy insisted, his stomach growling loudly as if he hadn't eaten for a year.
As usual, a comical quarrel ensued between Ace and Luffy, with continuous bickering until either one or both of them grew tired or someone intervened.
Zerk was left speechless, unable to comprehend how these kids managed to survive in such a dangerous world. Their tendency to engage in continuous fights without paying attention to their surroundings concerned him. What if a larger and stronger monster ambushed them when they were unprepared? It could be perilous.
Shaking his head at the comical antics of the three kids before him, Zerk couldn't help but feel a sense of happiness. This was a situation he had never experienced in his previous life on Earth, where he had no siblings or close friends. He cherished these moments dearly, but he couldn't help but miss Old Man Dun, who had been his only dear companion.
"I hope he's doing alright without me. If I could, I would find a way to go back to Earth someday and bring Old Man Dun here, or at least assure him that I'm alright," Zerk resolved within himself, contemplating a future reunion. He then decided to relieve himself in the nearby bushes by the cherry tree.
As Zerk relieved himself, a hologram suddenly popped up in front of his face, catching him off guard.
DING!
Mission System
Gain the trust of the inhabitants of this world. Completed.
Reward: 50 point system
DING!
Trigger bonus rewards!
Because the host has formed a friendship with the original protagonist of this world, the host receives special box rewards!
"Do you want to proceed in opening the box?" the hologram panel asked.
"Eh?" Zerk was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the hologram panel in front of his face. He glanced at the three boys who were engrossed in their playful scuffle. "They don't seem to be able to see this panel, I guess," he mused. Considering how loud the prompt sound was, it would have surely startled them. It seemed that only he could see and hear the prompt from the system.
Thrilled by the prospect of the special box reward, Zerk responded without much thought, "Yes!"
DING!
Congratulations!
You have received a special Devil Fruit!
In an instant, a peculiar fruit materialized before Zerk, suspended in mid-air for a fleeting moment before gently descending into his outstretched hands. The fruit's physical form was a sight to behold. It took the shape of a golden pocket watch, compact and radiant. Its surface shimmered with a captivating luster, reflecting the ambient light with a mesmerizing glow. Delicate engravings adorned the watch's casing, showcasing intricate patterns of gears, clockwork mechanisms, and elegant symbols.
The craftsmanship of the fruit was extraordinary, as if it were a masterpiece of creation itself. Every detail was meticulously etched into the golden surface, exuding an air of mystique and hinting at its profound origins. The watch's hands moved with grace, gliding across the face in perfect synchronization, as if capturing the very essence of time.
Zerk's eyes blinked rapidly as he gazed upon the fruit in awe. In that moment, he felt an inexplicable energy surging through his veins, intertwining with his very being. It was as if the essence of time had become entwined with his existence. The weight of the fruit in his hands held both tangible and symbolic significance—a responsibility and a gift that would shape his destiny in this vast and treacherous world.
With the golden pocket watch firmly grasped in his palm, Zerk marveled at the intricate engravings and felt a surge of anticipation. Little did he know that his encounter with the Time Time Fruit would unlock a realm of temporal manipulation and grant him extraordinary abilities to shape and alter the flow of time itself.
...
"Luffy, Ace, Sabo!"
The two boys who had been engaged in their playful scuffle turned their attention back to Zerk as he ran towards them. "What's wrong, brother?" Ace inquired.
"Hehehe... Look at what I found!" Zerk exclaimed cheerfully, revealing the object in his hand.
To their surprise, the object resembled a peculiar fruit. It had an apple-like shape, adorned with a golden-brown hue and rough lines covering its skin.
"What a strange fruit," Sabo remarked, perplexed by its appearance.
"I'm not sure. I found it not far from where you discovered me a few days ago!" Zerk replied, wearing a mysterious smile. He decided against divulging further details about where he obtained the fruit, as explaining the system and its intricacies would be a convoluted task. Moreover, if the existence of the system were to be revealed, it could potentially expose him to the risk of being hunted down by the entire world. He had to exercise caution and keep it a secret.
"It's like an Akuma no Mi," Luffy murmured, having arrived from a nearby tree.
"An Akuma no Mi?" the three brothers echoed in astonishment.
"Well, it's said that these fruits can grant strange and unique powers. Even my Gomu-Gomu ability stems from consuming this type of fruit," Luffy explained.
"How did you come to know about it?" Ace inquired.
Luffy was about to respond when Zerk interrupted with a shout of excitement, "Cool! What power will I gain, huh!?" With that, Zerk swallowed the fruit in one gulp.
"HUEKKKK! IT TASTES TERRIBLE!" he exclaimed.
"WHAAAAT!? YOU ATE IT!?" Luffy, Ace, and Sabo shouted in unison.
"Hehehehe... Well, Luffy mentioned it would grant superpowers, so I couldn't resist. But it seems nothing has changed," Zerk replied. He had already anticipated that the power he would gain might not manifest immediately. He wasn't surprised by the lack of visible changes or newfound abilities after consuming the fruit.
And considering its shape, it wouldn't be hard to guess what power it granted. The golden pocket watch, intricately engraved and reflecting the essence of time, hinted at the ability to manipulate time itself.
Zerk couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement and curiosity about the untapped potential that lay within the Jikan Jikan no Mi.
"Shanks mentioned that those who consume the fruit will lose the ability to swim. And if you're unlucky, the fruit may bestow strange and peculiar powers upon you."
"EHHHHH!"
"By the way, how does it feel, brother?" Ace asked, his curiosity piqued.
"I'm not entirely sure! It's hard to explain. All I can say is that it tasted bitter, with a hint of sourness mixed in," Zerk explained.
"Eh!? What's that smell?" Sabo interjected, diverting the conversation as a new aroma wafted into his nostrils.
"EHHHHHHHH! The tiger is burnt!" Luffy, who had forgotten about the tiger he had hunted, exclaimed hysterically.
Luffy, suddenly grinned mischievously. "Hehe, sorry guys! I couldn't resist the temptation. I went ahead and burned the tiger meat for myself!"
"EHHHH! You did that!?" Ace exclaimed, shocked by Luffy's impulsive act.
Luffy nodded cheerfully, oblivious to the consequences of his actions. "Well, it smelled too good to resist! Don't worry, I'll save some for you guys!"
The three brothers stared at Luffy in a mix of disbelief and amusement.
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Devil Fruit: Jikan Jikan no Mi (Time Time Fruit)
Description: The Jikan Jikan no Mi grants the user the ability to manipulate time, making it a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit. The physical form of the fruit is a golden pocket watch with intricate engravings. When activated, the user's body transforms into a living embodiment of time, shimmering with a golden aura.