Chapter 28: The Beginning Of Mystery

"Huff, huff, huff…" Alvis lay on the ground, utterly exhausted, gazing at the distant moon that seemed beyond his grasp. Memories of the past month flooded his mind, each moment etched vividly in his memory. He struggled to find words to describe the whirlwind of experiences he had undergone since arriving in this world.

"Uncle Brogy, why should I train like this?" Alvis had questioned during his early days, sweat dripping from his brow as he struggled through push-ups beneath the weight of huge stones. Somehow, after a particularly hearty meal the previous day—where he had eaten more than Brogy and Dorry combined—he had felt a surge of strength. Their stunned expressions had betrayed their disbelief, as if they had beheld a monster in their midst. And so, the next day, they had begun his rigorous training regimen: thousands of push-ups, followed by thousands of sit-ups.

As Alvis persisted, still able to speak after enduring these grueling sessions, Dorry cast a speechless glance at Brogy. Yet, his eyes conveyed a silent acknowledgment: "What a monster." Brogy, sensing his friend's unspoken thoughts, remained silent. When Alvis had consumed more food than both of them, they had initially dismissed it as a curiosity. But now, it seemed their intuition had been correct all along.

"Alvis, you may not be able to see it, but we who use Haki can feel it—your own body is producing Haki! This is impossible; it's something usually only seen when a child is born. And now it appears as if your body is adapting…" Brogy's words rang true to Alvis, not because he could feel it, but because he could see it for himself.

{Status}

Name: Alvis Bright

Rank: Mortal - Adapting

Level: Tier 10 Human - Adapting -> Tier 9: Superhuman

Power: Save & Load {Omni}, Status {Oneself}, Supernatural Body {Evolving} ,Haki {Evolving}

Skills: Haki { Unawakened }

"Interesting… Supernatural body," Alvis mused to himself as he rose to his feet, tossing the rock behind him. After a brief session of training with the rock, he began to feel its limitations. Using his own body weight and the heavy stone had become effortless after only two sets of thousands of repetitions.

"Sigh… Young Alvis, don't tell me that the training has become easy again. This is the third time today. Dorry, go bring some food for him. I'm starting to worry about those people on the sea," Brogy remarked, observing Alvis with concern. Despite his profuse sweating, Alvis continued his gymnastic exercises with determination, his commitment to training unwavering.

Soon, Dorry returned with an exotic elephant, its majestic form towering over Alvis. As Dorry beheld the creature, he thought to himself, "Hope this will be enough," casting a glance at Alvis, who was practically drooling at the sight of the exotic feast before him.

Sitting in a circle around the crackling bonfire, Alvis found himself positioned in the center, with Brogy to his right and Dorry to his left. As he took a bite of the unseasoned meat, Alvis couldn't help but notice its peculiar taste. The flavor of the exotic animal was unlike anything he had ever experienced before—truly out of this world. Despite feeling full, Alvis sensed his body still craving more energy. Conflicted, he wasn't sure how to feel. Should he be happy because he was evolving and gaining supernatural powers, or should he be scared of the changes occurring within him?

'As far as I know, Haki itself doesn't have an established limit. It's a power derived from willpower and emotions. Its limits should only be reached when a person is dead, right? No, even in death, one can use Haki,' Alvis pondered, recalling Brook's observation Haki and the fact that even giants could wield Haki. His thoughts swirling with questions about Haki and its limitations, Alvis glanced up at Brogy and Dorry.

Meanwhile, Brogy and Dorry exchanged puzzled looks, unsure of how to proceed. They were both at a loss; any training they attempted to give Alvis seemed to be completed effortlessly. This was no longer just a monster—they were dealing with an evildoer, a demon in human form.

"Who said humans couldn't compete with giants? Bring it on. I'll let him taste my knuckles," both Brogy and Dorry thought to themselves, their determination rising to meet the challenge that Alvis presented.

Dorry observed Brogy's expression, sensing that his friend had something to say. Brogy, puzzled by Dorry's demeanor, inquired, "What is it, Dorry?"

"Do you remember that treasure—the one we found on the deserted island?" Dorry asked, his voice tinged with urgency. Brogy's expression darkened with anger as he responded, "YOU WANT TO GIVE HIM AN UNKNOWN DEVIL FRUIT, DORRY? DO YOU WANT TO DESTROY HIS FUTURE BEFORE IT EVEN STARTS?" His voice boomed so loudly that it shattered Alvis's train of thought, drawing his attention.

"BROGY, IT'S NOT UNKNOWN! REMEMBER WHAT WAS WRITTEN ON THE BOOKLET: 'THOSE WHO FIND THE ONE WHO DESCEND UNAWARE OF ITS POWERS SHALL BE THE ONE WHO POSSESSES IT. IT'S DESTINED FOR THE ONE WHO CRAVES MYSTERY AND ADVENTURE.' WHO ELSE HAVE WE FOUND? WE'VE BEEN STRANDED ON THIS ISLAND FOR MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS, AND YET YOU'RE HOLDING IT BACK. WHEN WILL SOMEONE GET IT? I WON'T EAT IT, AND YOU WON'T EAT IT. LET ALVIS HAVE IT. HE FITS ALL THE MARKS," Dorry argued vehemently, his words laced with determination.

Hearing Dorry's impassioned words, Brogy fell silent, his gaze shifting down to Alvis. He noticed a glimmer of curiosity and puzzlement in Alvis's eyes. Clearing his throat, Brogy addressed him, "Young Alvis, both Dorry and I possess a treasure of the sea: a Devil Fruit. It's a fruit that grants you extraordinary powers, but in return, you'll be cursed and unable to swim or touch seawater for the rest of your life."

Brogy paused, feeling the weight of his next words. "To be honest, Alvis, we found it on an old island alongside a peculiar booklet. The booklet contained a fragmented story from the past, with only a few readable sections. But the words you spoke when you first met me… they were exactly the words written in that booklet."

Alvis couldn't shake the feeling of unease as he listened to Brogy's revelation. Was it fate at play, or perhaps some strange trick he had unwittingly orchestrated in the future? His mind raced with questions, but he couldn't deny the strange coincidence.

"Uncle Brogy, can you let me see the booklet and the fruit? I think I may know something," Alvis requested tentatively. Dorry, bursting with excitement, leaped up and ran off, his laughter echoing across the island. Brogy, however, wore a perplexed expression as he regarded Alvis with deep puzzlement and a hint of curiosity. Meanwhile, Alvis's own expression betrayed his confusion.

Amidst the strange silence that settled between them, Brogy sighed heavily. "Maybe it's really fate…" he muttered, his expression finally softening. But before they could dwell further on the matter, their attention was drawn to Dorry's frantic return.

Alvis's confusion deepened as he watched Dorry approach, carrying not a booklet or a fruit, but a spaceship—a damn spaceship. Alvis was certain he had seen this ship before; it was the same one he had encountered in his previous life, unmistakably resembling Iron Man's iconic vessel from Marvel. "Yes, it's a freaking spaceship," Alvis muttered incredulously, realizing he was the one who had left it behind.

"But how..." Alvis muttered, his face a portrait of deep puzzlement as he gazed at the spaceship before him. His confusion only deepened when Dorry set down a small iron suitcase, a chest, and a booklet.

Alvis tore his gaze away from the broken spaceship, turning his attention to the suitcase emblazoned with the iconic Iron Man symbol. He cursed his future self countless times under his breath before shifting his focus to the wooden chest. At least it looked old and somewhat promising. Finally, he laid eyes on the booklet, and any semblance of composure he had vanished.

The language inscribed on the booklet was unmistakably English—pure English, not the Japanese-English hybrid common in the world of One Piece. Alvis was left utterly speechless, his mind reeling with the implications of this unexpected discovery.

Holding the booklet in his hands, Alvis began to flip through its pages, each filled with complex mathematical equations. He sifted through them one by one until he stumbled upon the message that Brogy and Dorry had mentioned.

"Oh, hello there, Plane Walker. If you find this book by fate, then the calculations were right. If you find it yourself, then an unexpected probability appeared. Yet, here's a gift from me. You know who I am, right? Maybe, who knows. So, short story: yes, this is from Marvel. The suitcase is a miniature reactor made with the heart of a dead universe. For the ship, second, the ship is indestructible and has the properties of both virtual and real. This should help you in the end. And third, this Devil Fruit is the Yume Yume no Mi, or Dream Dream Fruit. It's a special Paramecia. I found it on a different planet. Yeah, Devil Fruits exist on different planets too. I hope you find the mystery behind it. Hehehehe."

Alvis's eyes widened as he absorbed the message, his mind racing with possibilities.

"So, young Alvis, it seems you can read what's written," Dorry exclaimed triumphantly, his laughter echoing through the air. He turned to Brogy with a triumphant grin, confident in his assessment. "Told you, Brogy, he's the destined one."

Brogy's expression remained dark, but he couldn't help but crack a smile at Dorry's antics. However, their amusement was short-lived as something unexpected occurred—the booklet in Alvis's hand began to spontaneously combust, emitting flames that licked at its pages.

Alvis reacted swiftly, flinging the burning booklet far away as it continued to smolder. As the flames consumed the pages, a peculiar sensation washed over him. A mathematical equation materialized in his mind, revealing that this book was more than just a message—it was a beacon, signaling to someone from beyond their universe, from a realm of variables beyond comprehension.

Gazing at the chest containing the fruit, then to the iron suit, and finally to the spaceship, Alvis felt a wave of speechlessness wash over him. How powerful must this being be to orchestrate such a complex plan, to anticipate the arrival of someone from another world with such precision? It dawned on him that the being behind all this likely didn't know him personally. After all, Alvis was an incalculable, paradoxical existence, existing only within the spectrum of the present, devoid of a past or future.

With a mischievous smile, Alvis unlocked the chest and retrieved the fruit. Glancing at the fruit, it resembled an apple but with cloudy shapes, its color a mix of pink and purple with white spots.

"It doesn't look edible at all," Alvis remarked before boldly taking a bite. The taste was unlike anything he had ever experienced—disgusting and unsettling, sending chills down his spine.

"Auggh!" Alvis exclaimed, immediately regretting his decision as he vomited up the fruit he had just eaten. Strangely, the piece he had bitten off seemed to vanish as he continued to cough and sputter. Alvis's body underwent a startling transformation, flickering between reality and virtuality, resembling a dreamy, smoky purplish-pink cloud. His hair shifted from black to purplish-black and back again in a matter of minutes.

Brogy and Dorry watched in awe, their eyes sparkling with wonder. While they had witnessed countless individuals consume Devil Fruits and undergo various bizarre transformations, Alvis's experience was by far the most peculiar and astonishing they had ever seen.

As the trail of memories faded, Alvis sat in bewilderment. Over the course of the past month, he had undergone a profound transformation. From starting with ten push-ups to mastering hundreds, then thousands, his training regimen had intensified. With each passing day, it seemed as though he was transcending the limitations of mortal humanity.

His strength had surged to extraordinary levels, capable of pulverizing a five-meter crater with a single punch. His defenses were impregnable, able to withstand a Haki-infused blow from Brogy without even bleeding. He had surpassed even the formidable giants, Brogy and Dorry, holding his own against them for a full ten minutes without faltering.

In the wake of these remarkable developments, Alvis couldn't help but question his own humanity.

{Status}

Name: Alvis Bright

Rank: Superhuman

Level: 9-A: Small Building level -> Evolving

Power: Save & Load {Omni}, Status {Oneself}, Supernatural Body {One Piece}, Haki {Unawakened}, Dream Concept {Basic Level}

Skills: Hand Combat {Basic Level}, Dream Body {Basic}, Virtual Jump {Basic}, Dream-Walker {Basic}

"What an interesting fruit," remarked Alvis, his eyes sparkling with newfound understanding. "So, the theories from before were right. Paramecia fruits hold physical and abstract concepts, Logia fruits wield nature powers or concepts, and Zoan fruits possess physiological or biological abilities. What an intriguing universe."

Unbeknownst to Alvis, far away from the One Piece universe, a being observed with fascination.

"Ho ho ho, what an intriguing variable," chuckled the being, though its laughter seemed tinged with confusion. "I can't see it, I can't locate it, I can't even sense it. It's as if our connection is nonexistence itself. Why am I laughing? How peculiar."

Shaking off its momentary confusion, the being shifted its gaze to the vast expanse of the omniverse. It wasn't alone in its observation; multiple entities also turned their attention to the a particular Universe .

"Weird," echoed a voice through the void, encapsulating the inexplicable nature of their shared curiosity.