The End and The Beginning

Carl Queen was an ordinary boy, if you could call anyone ordinary in this chaotic world. He was an average high school student, living in the suburbs with his loving parents, attending classes, and hanging out with his friends. There was nothing exceptional about Carl—at least, that's what he believed. But life, as it often does, had other plans.

Carl had always been a fan of comic books and anime. He would spend countless hours reading about superheroes, pirates, ninjas, and the like. Among all, his two favorite worlds were the Marvel Universe and the world of One Piece. The idea of wielding immense power, facing challenges, and living adventures excited him to no end. But he never imagined that one day, he'd be more than just a spectator of these stories.

One fateful evening, Carl was on his way home from a local comic book shop. He had just purchased the latest issue of Avengers and a special edition volume of One Piece. As he crossed the street, lost in thoughts of his favorite characters, he didn't notice the speeding truck hurtling towards him. The impact was swift, and everything went black.

Carl slowly regained consciousness, but something felt... off. He wasn't lying on the cold asphalt as he expected. Instead, he felt a strange warmth and heard the sound of distant chatter. As he opened his eyes, he found himself in a place that was eerily familiar yet completely foreign—a bustling city with towering skyscrapers and a mixture of people walking around, some of them dressed in what appeared to be superhero costumes.

"Where am I?" Carl muttered to himself, trying to shake off the dizziness.

Suddenly, a holographic screen appeared before him, with text written in a font he recognized from countless hours of watching One Piece. The screen read:

[Welcome to the Marvel Universe, Carl Queen. You have been granted the One Piece System. Your adventure begins now.]

Carl blinked several times, sure he was still unconscious and dreaming. But the screen remained, as real as the ground beneath his feet.

"One Piece System? What the heck is that supposed to mean?" he whispered, unsure whether to be excited or terrified.

Before he could process this, another screen popped up:

[System Initialization Complete. You are currently in New York City, Earth-199999. Beginner's Guide Activated.]

Earth-199999? That was the designation for the Marvel Cinematic Universe! Carl's mind raced. This couldn't be real. But the ground, the air, everything felt too tangible to be a dream.

"Alright, alright, think Carl. You're in the MCU. What do you do next?" he thought out loud, trying to steady his nerves.

As if responding to his thoughts, the system chimed in:

[First Mission: Survive Your First Encounter.]

Carl barely had time to read the message before he heard a loud crash behind him. He turned to see a massive figure smashing through a building, sending debris flying everywhere. It was none other than the Hulk, enraged and out of control. And heading right in his direction.

"Oh, come on!" Carl exclaimed, his heart pounding. "This is my first encounter?"

Before he could even think of running, the system activated once more:

[System Analysis: Hulk. Class: S. Recommend Evade.]

"Evade? How am I supposed to—"

Before he could finish, Carl felt a sudden surge of energy within him. His body moved on its own, faster than he had ever moved before. He leaped out of the way just as the Hulk slammed down where he had been standing moments before. Carl landed several feet away, unharmed but shaken.

"That was... close," Carl panted, his heart racing. But there was no time to rest. The Hulk was still on a rampage, and the people around him were in danger. Despite the fear gnawing at him, Carl knew he had to do something.

"Alright, system, what can I do?" Carl asked, hoping for some guidance.

[System Options Unlocked: Devil Fruit Selection. Choose one of the following: Gomu Gomu no Mi, Mera Mera no Mi, Hie Hie no Mi.]

Carl's eyes widened. "Devil Fruits? I can choose one of these?"

He barely hesitated. The Gomu Gomu no Mi was iconic, but he needed something with more firepower. The Mera Mera no Mi, the flame-flame fruit, was the obvious choice for a situation like this.

"I choose the Mera Mera no Mi!" Carl shouted.

As soon as he made the choice, he felt a burning sensation in his chest. His body began to heat up, but it wasn't painful—it was empowering. Flames started to dance around his fingertips, and a new screen popped up:

[Mera Mera no Mi Activated. Control Level: 10%. Use with Caution.]

Carl clenched his fists, feeling the raw power coursing through him. "Okay, Hulk, let's see if this can at least slow you down."

He thrust his hands forward, sending a stream of fire toward the rampaging green giant. The flames engulfed the Hulk, making him roar in anger rather than pain, but it did force him to stop his advance.

Carl's heart pounded as he realized just how dangerous this was. But there was no turning back now. He had to fight, to survive, and to protect those around him.

"Come on, Carl," he muttered to himself. "You've read about this, you've imagined it a million times. Now it's real. Time to be the hero."

As the Hulk turned his fiery gaze on Carl, the boy braced himself for the fight of his life. He was no longer just Carl Queen, the ordinary high school student. He was Carl Queen, wielder of the Mera Mera no Mi, and his adventure in the Marvel Universe had just begun.