Chapter 2

"Look at these pathetic fools cowering like scared rabbits," sneered a burly pirate , his voice dripping with contempt as he surveyed the trembling passengers and crew.

"Seems like we've stumbled upon a bunch of spineless landlubbers," chimed in one of his crewmates, a sinister grin etched across his face.

The pirates, emboldened by their superiority, continued to taunt and jeer at their captive audience, reveling in the fear that permeated the air.

Their mockery was abruptly interrupted as they reached the heart of the warehouse. Inside the dimly lit ship warehouse, the air was thick with tension as the pirates prowled through the shadows, their laughter echoing off the wooden crates and barrels where rows upon rows of barrels lay in wait, their contents obscured by the darkness.

"Ah, now here's something worth our while," exclaimed a pirate , his eyes gleaming with greed as he approached the nearest barrel.

With practiced ease, the pirates pried open one of the lids.

An array of barrels large and small, each brimming with precious wine.

"Well, well, looks like we've struck gold after all," chuckled one of then pirates, his voice filled with triumph as he surveyed the bounty before him.

As pirates of the high seas, their raids were driven by a lust for riches, treasures, and essential supplies such as food and wine. And in this warehouse, they had stumbled upon a treasure trove that promised to quench their thirst for plunder.

"Quickly now, get a move on! If Alvida-sama catches wind of this delay, we'll be lucky to see another sunrise," urged one of the pirates, his voice trembling with fear at the mere thought of their ruthless female captain.

His words sent a shiver down the spines of the group, their bravado evaporating in the face of impending danger. Swallowing hard, they cast aside their pride and arrogance, each one silently acknowledging the severity of the situation as they hastily began ferrying the barrels towards their awaiting ships.

"Heavy... what in the world is packed into these barrels?!" one pirate exclaimed, his voice strained with the effort of lifting the weighty container.

"I can barely budge this one myself," grumbled another, frustration evident in his tone.

"Pfft... you lot are useless! Can't even handle barrels of wine," scoffed a third pirate, his derision cutting through the air like a blade.

The pirates who had been the target of the mockery felt their cheeks burn with shame, but they dared not speak out against the taunts. They knew all too well their place among the crew, the weakest links in the chain. With forced laughter, they joined in with the others, masking their inner turmoil with sheepish grins while silently cursing their own inadequacy.

Amidst the chaos of the bustling warehouse, Seph found himself uncomfortably stuffed inside one of the barrels. Despite the discomfort, a sense of relief washed over his face as he realized he had managed to successfully sneak onto the pirates—a testament to his luck and quick thinking.

Lacking in physical prowess and experience, Seph relied on his cunning intellect to navigate the treacherous waters of pirate-infested seas. Little did he anticipate that his plan would come to fruition so seamlessly.

As he peered into the empty space before him, a notification from the Sign-in system materialized.

[A significant person is found... Monkey D. Luffy 'World Protagonist'. Would you like to Sign in? or choose Accumulation mode?]

"Luffy is here?" Seph muttered, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected encounter. Recalling the plot details, he realized that it was not the pirates who initially rescued Luffy, but rather the ship's staff. His face lit up with joy at the prospect.

However, his curiosity piqued by the mention of Accumulation mode, Seph decided to inquire further about its significance from the system.

To his surprise and delight, the system revealed that Accumulation mode was a rare option, typically enabled during pivotal plot scenes involving multiple important characters—such as the current scenario with Luffy, Coby, Alvida, marking the beginning of a significant plot arc.

With resolve, Seph opted for Accumulation mode, suppressing his excitement and steadying his rapid breathing in anticipation.

Moments later, another prompt appeared before Seph, igniting a spark of excitement within him.

[A significant person is found... Coby 'Future Hero'. Would you like to Sign in? or choose Accumulation mode?]

[Upcoming Initial Plot scene... Would you like to Sign in? or choose Accumulation mode?]

Seph's face lit up with delight.

'Finally... I did it!'

Before long, amidst the echoing conversations and muffled sounds of commotion, a dialogue unfolded between a frightened Coby and the boisterous pirates, their words barely audible to Seph's ears.

"O'y Coward! Are you cowering in fear again?" taunted one of the pirates, his voice dripping with mockery.

"N-no, I just thought I would..." stammered Coby, his response barely audible amidst the chaos.

"Hahahahaha! I'll..." the pirate's sentence trailed off as an explosion rocked the air, punctuated by Luffy's infectious laughter.

"Wohohahahaha!!!!" Luffy's voice rang out, filled with boundless energy and enthusiasm.

"I slept great!!!" Luffy's proclamation was met with a chorus of disgruntled curses from the surrounding pirates.

"Huh, that guy is gonna catch cold if he sleeps here, you know?!"

"It was all your fault, damn it!!"

Blame was swiftly cast, leading to the sounds of scuffling and fighting. Although Seph struggled to discern the details, the unmistakable sounds of Luffy pummeling the pirates echoed through the air.

"I'm Monkey.D.Luffy! Nice to meet cha!" Luffy's introduction cut through the din, his voice brimming with warmth and camaraderie.

...

Inside the cramped confines of the barrel, Seph trembled with excitement as he listened to the familiar voices. The thrill of hearing Luffy's voice live filled him with anticipation and joy.

As the sounds of footsteps faded into the distance along with Luffy's cries of hunger, Seph finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The desire to meet Luffy was undeniable, but the prospect of revealing his current appearance filled him with shame, even with his newfound charm abilities. Such a dark chapter in his past was simply unbearable to confront.

Emerging from the barrel with difficulty, Seph brushed the dust off his expensive tuxedo, only to be startled by a thunderous voice piercing the air.

"You runt!!!"

"Wohahahaha..."

Explosions echoed in the distance, accompanied by Luffy's infectious laughter. Seph watched in awe as pieces of crushed wood scattered around him, a testament to the incredible power wielded by the denizens of this world.

[A significant person is found... Alvida 'East Blue Number 1 Beauty'. Would you like to Sign in? Accumulation mode is full.]

"It's Alvida!!! Finally, the accumulation is full. I can finally sign-in for a reward!!" Seph exclaimed, his face alive with excitement. After days of uncertainty, his life now brimmed with possibilities. Though his charm provided some security, substantial power was essential in this perilous world.

"Sign in... sign in..."

[Sign in successful.]

[Congratulations for the host getting Doomsday Gene.]

Seph's jaw dropped in shock at the unexpected reward.

"Doomsday gene?"

In disbelief, he clicked for further details.

[Doomsday Gene.

Energy Absorption.

Adaptive Evolution.

Immortality/Immune to Death.

Ability/Skills Creation. (Energy needed.)

Infinite Potential.]

Seph was silent for a moment, processing the magnitude of his newfound power.

"Sun god, Hero, Ugly... As expected... Sign-in is related to the characters... Still, this Doomsday gene surpasses all expectations."

"Fuse!!"

A scalding heat enveloped Seph's body as his genes underwent transformation and refinement.

Though his appearance remained unchanged, he felt his senses sharpen, his physical prowess enhanced, and his mind sharpen and cleared.

All-around Tenfold increase in all aspects.

"That's it?"

While he had become ten times stronger than before, the rate of growth slowed. Disappointed by the gradual progress, Seph sought clarification from the system.

[Host, the sudden increase was a bonus from the system. The Doomsday gene is passive. You must develop it yourself.]

Though disappointed by the absence of immediate omnipotence, Seph remained undeterred.

"My current power surpasses the masters of the East Blue, right?"

Having traversed time and inherited a body sculpted by his charm ability, Seph realized the biological differences between the inhabitants of this world and Earthlings.

Despite their extraordinary resilience, fast metabolism and strength, their other attributes remained average. The Doomsday gene, with its all-around enhancement, exceeded the limits of this world's understanding, enabling Seph to surpass mortal bounds and unleash his true potential.

"Yet, this means that Haki is a force solely reliant on Will. No wonder Luffy and Zoro could grow so fast. Even Mihawk was impressed by Zoro's invincible belief. In the anime, it may seem like plot armor, but the truth is that Will, belief, and dreams—such illusory things—are the most crucial aspects of this world."

"Fortunately, the Charm ability endowed me with a steel will, which means that my Haki and future growth will only accelerate."

Initially hesitant about joining the Straw Hats, Seph had reservations about their leisurely lifestyle and apparent lack of crisis sense. However, now that he possessed the Doomsday gene, he found their environment rather appealing.

Basking in the sun to grow stronger, signing in at all plot scenes for more rewards... The possibilities seemed endless.

He had finally decided on his future direction.

Joining Luffy. As for Luffy not accepting him? Ridiculous... As a child of the world, he possessed the ability to discern the most exceptional and intriguing talents, and Seph was confident he fit the criteria Luffy sought.

With leisurely and confident steps, Seph made his way towards the scene of the fight. He was no longer the cowardly guy who could only hide in barrels.