Chapter 4- Journey! Begin! To the Grand Line!

<Please leave a review 🥺💘>

<5 years later>

BANG!

"Itoryu Setting Sun!" 

"Gommu Gommu no, jet pistol!" 

I watched as Luffy's stray punch went off target and cascaded into a tree, I lashed out with my blade and he joined a pile of bodies that Ace and Sabo lay in. Sabo was found in the gray terminal, he was smart and not much of a fuss, so Dadan didn't complain, Garp was just happy to have another grandson!

I am now eighteen years of age, I should have started my journey last year but Garp intercepted me as I was about to leave, I was given his fists of love, but they didn't hurt that much anymore. The only eventful things during the last five years were my rapid growth and my detection of a new tool that was the reason behind my father's success and strength. It seems to be a sort of hereditary system!

I unlocked it around two years ago and ever since there has been a weird icon in the top corner of my vision, when I think of opening it or pressing it, a translucent screen appears in front of me, and only I can see it. It was some sort of system, it called itself the template maker. The first question this system thing asked me was, "Are you ready to access a template?"

I rejected it instantly not knowing it was safe but last year I couldn't help my curiosity and I went for it, the system gave me many options to choose from, but the templates didn't mean I got that certain person's devil fruit abilities, or features, but I will receive their practical skills, combat, swordsmanship, haki and more. 

The options were: 

1) Dracule Mihawk

2) Akagami no Shanks

3) Bartholomew Kuma

4) Dragon

I knew everyone on the list except for the person called Dragon, I was tempted to pick Mihawk due to his prowess with the sword, and Kuma for his physical strength, but Shanks was the one that I admired, ever since he visited us in the village his image, manner and strength reign supreme in my mind. 

The only problem was, should I have gone with Dragon for curiosity's sake?

Or should I go with a safe all-rounder like Shanks?

I picked Shanks for his incredible prowess with the sword, his strength, and most importantly, his monstrous Haki, if I were to hazard a guess, Shanks is the strongest person on the seas, even if Whitebeard is still alive. 

Anyway, it's been a year since I picked the Shanks template, I haven't progressed much, I already have very high and potent Haki, enough to even deal with pirates from the grand line, but the fact that I still had so much to grow before reaching Shanks's level shows how impossibly strong he is.

"Open System," I thought in my head...

Options- 1) Template View 2) Shop 3) Devil F view 4) DF slot increase: B500,000,000

"Open Template View"

Template: Akagami no Shanks

Stat Comparison

Strength: User=A Shanks=SSS

Speed: User=A Shanks=SSS

Smarts: User=S Shanks=SS

Stealth: User=C Shanks=S

Stamina: User=A Shanks=SSS

Health: User=S Shanks=SSS

Haki: User: A Shanks=SSS

Overall: User=AA Shanks=SSS

Rank System: D, C, B, BB, BBB, A, AA, AAA, S, SS, SSS, O, OP, I

Honestly, this wasn't too bad for my plans, the system even made daily exercises for the morning, afternoon, and evening, pre-meal to accelerate growth. 

"Open Shop"

5 items available currently, journeys beginning discount, 50% User Bank Balance: B500,000,000 (acquired from blacksmith roles and killing evil pirates in gray terminal)

1) 2X benefits from training/one year - Discounted price: B100,000,000

2) Rabdom Cursed Sword (subject to your haki, no refunds) - Discounted price: B250,000,000

3) Token of mind control - Discounted price: B100,000,000

4) Ship Random Spin (general ship types)(Customisation available)- Disc Price: B200,000,000

5) Random Free Summon (Recipient will be under the user's control)- Disc Price: B50,000,000

I am sailing out tomorrow so I decided to finally splash the cash, I bought a random ship spin, sword spin and a random summon, and I can't wait for tomorrow.

"Open devil fruit stats"

Fruit: Akuma Akuma no mi- Model Hellfire devil

Class: Mythical Zoan or Special Logia

Mastery: 100/1000

Approx Years till Awaken: 10 (Can change varying with training)

Moves: B

Transformation: B

Speed w/ fruit: A

Defense: C

Overall: B

It was kind of disappointing but looking at that 1000 bar, I knew that I had a long way to go and this was just the beginning! 

I finished seemingly "meditating" and picked up the unconscious Ace and Luffy, throwing them over my shoulder and walking forward back to Dadan's house, dumping them onto their beds, and walking back out to hunt. 

The island was free food, I put steak out, and whatever dared to be dumb enough to come for it got blasted with conquerors, I caught a giant chicken that day, it was the same height as me. 

<Next Morning> 

I picked my things in a duffel bag, strapped my katana and knife to my belt, and ruffled Luffy's and Sabo's hair, I crept to Ace's bed touched his face, and whispered, "Be the best, come and find me!" 

I ran out and found myself standing at the shore, I was looking far out into the ocean and at the endless possibilities, the Nakama I would meet, the people I would get the chance to test my strengths against! I was reminiscing about my life when I heard a familiar feminine voice behind me, "Euce! Aren't you leaving!"

"Yes Makino, see you when I get back, If I get back." 

"Yeah Euce, see ya," she trudged toward her bar and began opening it up. 

I went into the system and selected the free ship spin and I watched as a wheel got spun and the needle landed on a sleek-looking, modern, white boat with a steering wheel like a car, levers, and housed four people. The contraption looked smart and fast, moreover, it had an engine. Faster journeys are guaranteed, it's smaller and sleeker, the only problem is a lack of weapons.

I spun the cursed blade wheel too and I watched once more as the thin needle spun again and again, the morning sun reflecting off it. Eventually, it landed on a blade I had studied from a book that Garp had given me, if I was right it was a blade, Supreme Grade, the blade of the infamous Drakon D Alex (OC) who was once on Roger's crew, my father's nakama, how sentimental. 

I unsheathed the blade and I fell to the ground with it, it was testing my will, I poured every ounce of Haki into the blade, a burst of conquerors, crimson light everywhere, the clouds dark and a torrent of piercing raindrops falling from the sky, "You are mine, Soul Reaper! YIELD!" 

There was a huge slashing sound and I watched as the blade moved by itself in my hand parting the sea for an entire mile, eventually the atmosphere returned to normal and the sword was mine, I had plans for this sword alongside the sword I made myself, I had to see a more experienced blacksmith but if I could somehow merge them into one, alongside a devil fruit that I might find on my journey then... Who knows?

There was only one affair left to settle before I set sail or more like started the engine! 

I went into the system and equipped a medallion that allows me to summon a single person, it is random and I don't know who it will be but let's see...

I threw the medallion in the air and watched as a white light blinded me. 

<Somewhere In the world> 

"Hey, Puzzle, you are so ru-" 

A blinding and flashing white light and Vigaro is missing the blue-haired man is nowhere to be seen. 

<Back To Euce!> 

"Ahh, where the hell am I, who are you!" The blue-haired man was funny to me as he flapped around like a chicken, but he was to be taken seriously, I couldn't see Haki, but I could sense a will to be the strongest, I needed him to be my first mate!

"I am Bastar D. Euce, and you will be my first mate, what is your name?" 

"Vigaro, also I have my nakama, I need to get back." 

"Okay let's make a deal, if you can beat me, I'll send you back!" Of course, I couldn't send him back, I can't but of course, Vigaro did not currently possess enough strength to beat me. 

The tall blue-haired man charged me, I waited and sidestepped at the last second using observation to dodge, leaving Vigaro quite confused, I coated my arm in haki and waited again for Vigaro to strike, this time, we clashed fists and I heard the crack as Vigaro's nones cracked under my pressure. I sweeped him off the floor and put Soul Reaper to his throat, winning the fight. 

"Vigaro! How old are you?!"

"19, Captain!" he said reluctantly at first but we soon got acquainted and got in the ship. 

"Vigaro, if you ever want to leave, I won't stop you, you can leave, if you beat me!" 

"Captain, you're going down some day, until then my loyalty to you will be unmatched." 

We set off into the sun, eager to begin an adventure, and I was trying not to show my ecstasy at getting my first nakama!

"Goodbye Ace! Sabo! Luffy! I look forward to beating your asses!" 

Vigaro looked at me strangely but didn't complain, there seemed to be a smile on his face too, a new prospect, a new challenge!

Journey! Begin!