One Piece: Character System

"Hahaha, what a waste."

"Don't mind him, he's just doing that for attention."

"Jump already!"

"Don't make us wait for so long!"

Hearing the ridicule of the people behind me, I felt great humiliation as I looked down below me.

I was currently standing above a 50-foot bridge rail as I was attempting suicide.

This was my 4th time attempting suicide.

"This time, I'll succeed" I mumbled under my breath while staring at the water 50 feet below me.

No....no! I don't want to do this!

Fear circulated throughout my body as I got cold feet.

My life flashed back in my mind as I couldn't help but cry reminiscing about my family.

Just when I was about to get off the rail and no longer wanted to continue suicide, a hand suddenly pushed me off the bridge and I fell to my death.

A bittersweet tide of memories washed over me, my heart aching with longing for the love I always yearn for.

All I heard was the shout of the person who pushed me as she said:

"I'm tired of your drama!"

Tears escape from my eyes as I recognize who that voice belongs.

It was from my stepmom.....

I couldn't believe she would push me to my death since we were always on good terms.

Betrayed, that's what I'm currently feeling but that didn't last long as I felt my body splashes into the water.

Down, down, down I go, pulled by an unseen hand, the surface a distant memory as my world shrinks to the cold embrace of the depths.

A shiver danced across my skin, strangely comforting against the encroaching numbness.

This couldn't be...not yet!

This wasn't my time!

With a desperate surge, I clawed at the fading edges of consciousness, willing myself to fight, to breathe, to live.

But the struggle was futile, a dance with an unseen predator.

This is it for me.....

********

Warm,

Were my thoughts as I felt the wind hitting my face.

I slowly opened my eyes, blinded by the light that caressed my skin, I saw a vibrant tapestry of leaves dancing in the breeze, their emerald whispers filling the air.

Where am I?

I pinched myself as my left thigh stung, a fiery reminder that this wasn't all a dream.

A million questions are swirling through my mind, but the last thing I can recall from that night just sucks the air out of everything.

My eyes overflowed, and I couldn't hold back the tears. They just flowed, soaking my cheeks.

Who knew that I wouldn't die through suicide but by murder by my stepmom?

Reminiscing the happy time we spent together, she had been a second mother figure to me but who knew...

"sob....sob..."

I surrendered to the waves of tears, letting them wash away my questions, my worries, everything but the raw ache in my heart. Crying became all that mattered, a desperate attempt to purge the pain.

I cried until my tears ran dry.

The knot in my chest loosened, unwinding the tangled threads of my anxieties. My mind, once a cluttered attic, was swept clean, leaving space for a breath of fresh air.

I inhaled deeply, a cool wave of air washing over me. The fog in my mind cleared, and the tears that stained my cheeks had dried, leaving behind only the faintest traces of their salty kiss.

[Ding! The Character System is activating!]

An unseen entity spoke, a cold, emotionless voice suddenly cut through the air, startling the heck out of me.

A translucent screen, like a shimmering sheet of ice, hovered before me. I squinted, cautiously reading the words trapped within its cool depths. (Imagine a holographic screen floating in mid-air, with lines of text glowing faintly within its blue expanse.)

*****

[Character System]

[Status] [Subordinate🔒] [Inventory] [Dismantle]

*****

This...

"Could this be it? The mythical cheat, the one they call System?" A shocked whisper escapes my mouth in awe.

I click the [Status] button without much thought as the content inside the screen changes.

*****

[Status]

Name: Kyle Viktor

Age: 18

Height: 5'7

Abilities: None

Character Points: 0/500

*****

The status was pretty straightforward, so I felt a pull to keep unraveling the mystery of this 'system.' I found myself settling down beneath a towering tree, its sturdy trunk a welcome support as I leaned in to delve further.

Years of reading manga and web novels had sharpened my imagination, giving me a leg up in understanding this system's potential.

The first thing that caught my attention was the system's name which was Character System.

According to my knowledge, the system's name promptly indicates its function such as sign-in system, etc.

I haven't read any about the Character System so I can only depend on myself to explore it.

Fortunately, the system was quite considerate as he patiently and clearly explained to me its function.

"Ten minutes of explanation usually puts me to sleep, but this? Pure adrenaline. This system's got my imagination on overdrive!"

The Character System lived up to its name. It wasn't magic wands and spells, but something far more intriguing: the ability to breathe life into materials, forging them into fantastic creatures.

(A/N: to understand more clearly, let's say MC killed a spider, he will now have a chance to dismantle the spider's corpse and has a chance to obtain the special characteristics the spider has: the capacity to produce webs.)

Crafting a "Character" wasn't just about fusing materials, I first needed to find the perfect vessel, a living canvas to hold the essence of the being I imagined. But like a sculptor with limited clay, each vessel had a limit on how much material I could put into it, be it the power of a bison or the spider's silk.

After the system was done explaining, I moved straight to the inventory as the subordinate was still locked.

A certain thing quickly caught my attention as soon as I opened the inventory.

Right at the top of the inventory, a single box stood out like a beacon. "Newbie Gift Pack, "That unassuming box, perched atop the list, held the promise of an epic loot.

But I forcefully calmed myself down not disappoint myself.

I knew that even though some instantly got OP rewards at the start, some got nothing useful on their starter pack so I can't be happy yet.

If the author was a psycho who likes to make people suffer, it's my loss.

So take a few deep breaths, I slowly calm down as I look straight at the newbie pack in my inventory with a serious face as I carefully click the [open] button.

"Starter pack opening...."

*****

Congratulations to the host for getting:

1 Random Talent

1 Random Vessel 

5 Random Normal Materials 

*****