The atmosphere in the room was tense, a heavy silence hanging between the five powerful figures. The quiet tension was broken by a low, thoughtful voice.
"Let's set this aside for now," the bald man with a serious demeanor spoke, his voice deep and commanding. "Have any of you made any progress on the technical front?"
The four other executives exchanged frustrated glances before shaking their heads.
"It's proving extremely difficult," replied the man known as Square Face, his real name being Matthew Hudson, a major shareholder of Apex Games, a company infamous for its copycat strategies. "Our team at Apex has called in a massive number of core programmers to analyze the source code of One Piece, but so far, we've had no breakthroughs."
Another man, a former executive named Luke Dillon, whose company Dillon Entertainment was similarly trying to crack the code, chimed in with rising frustration. "Our company has invested enormous resources. We even managed to acquire the source code for Pokémon at a hefty cost, but it's still useless. We've made no headway."
The frustration was palpable, and Luke looked like he wanted to slam the table in anger but restrained himself. The encryption on Pokémon's source code, put in place by the Dragon Kingdom's virtual security division, was nearly impenetrable. On the other hand, the source code of One Piece was oddly unprotected, available for anyone to take a look at. Yet, even with that, they were getting nowhere.
"If even Apex can't figure it out, how do you expect us to?" another executive replied with thinly veiled sarcasm, his tone dripping with derision. He and another shareholder had their own grievances with Apex, as Apex had aggressively cloned their game ideas in the past.
The gathering wasn't one of comrades but rather a temporary alliance of competing companies united only by a shared enemy: John. They were opportunistic predators, waiting to turn on each other the moment their collective threat was eliminated.
Apex Games, under Matthew Hudson's strategic direction, had built its empire on plagiarism. They dissected the source code of successful games, made superficial alterations, and then released their own versions. Copyright laws in this world were rigorous, punishing even the most minor acts of intellectual theft, but Apex's cunning methods had helped it become one of the five major players in the industry.
Matthew Hudson was a visionary, albeit a morally ambiguous one. A skilled virtual game designer, he wasn't just a businessman playing with investments; he had an instinct for identifying talent and potential in games. Yet even he had to admit, begrudgingly, that John was an enigma.
The tension in the room was escalating, and another executive—a bald man named Richard Burns—sighed and tried to mediate. "Okay, enough. We're getting nowhere by arguing." He rubbed his temples in distress, clearly burdened by the crisis they faced.
Their meeting this time was far more somber compared to their previous one. They'd initially underestimated John, viewing him as a reckless upstart they could squash, and they had been focused on dividing the spoils of his defeat. But now they realized they were up against someone with immense strategic prowess, someone capable of defending his empire with surgical precision.
Richard's voice turned grave. "If the Dragon Kingdom successfully implements game currency exchange between One Piece and the real world, we're in serious trouble. Players will have a new source of income and won't need to spend money on our games. We need information, and we need it fast. Stop guarding your own secrets and start sharing them."
Through their connections, they had learned that One Piece was the testing ground for the Dragon Kingdom's currency exchange model. Their mission was clear: ruin One Piece before this economic model could be proven successful, causing enough chaos to demonstrate the risks associated with it. If they could prove it would destabilize the virtual economy, they could save their own skins.
Matthew Hudson, always a provocateur, smirked at his rivals. "The weak can only bark," he mocked, his eyes gleaming with scorn. The other two executives bristled at his words, ready to lash out, but Richard silenced them with a stern look.
Matthew continued, undeterred by their glares. "If you can't even analyze One Piece's simple mechanics, what makes you think you can handle anything more complex?" His contemptuous gaze swept the room, but then he shifted his tone and became more serious. "Here's the thing. One Piece and Pokémon are more advanced than any of us could have anticipated."
The executives leaned in as he made a gesture, summoning a holographic projection onto the table. "John's first major hit was Pokémon, followed by Happy Farm, then Minecraft, and finally One Piece. Notice anything?"
Richard frowned. "Just tell us already. Enough of your games."
Matthew's lips curled. "Look at the credits for Pokémon and One Piece. John is listed as the sole owner of all the copyrights. Yet, for Minecraft, there's a detailed breakdown of who did what, with every member of the Edge Horizon team credited. John is only mentioned as the visionary, overseeing the project."
Realization dawned on Richard's face. Matthew pressed on. "The code that we're struggling with—the systems that make these characters feel so lifelike—are found in Pokémon and One Piece. This suggests that there's a hidden, highly skilled team working with John. They've mastered a unique programming method."
"A single person couldn't have built One Piece on their own," Matthew concluded. "It's impossible. There has to be a secret team behind John. If we find them, we find the source of his power."
Matthew's words sent a chill through the room. The idea of a hidden mastermind team was both terrifying and plausible.
"If we can track down that team," Richard said thoughtfully, "then John won't be invincible anymore."
The five executives sat in a tense silence, contemplating their next moves. They had underestimated John, and now they were scrambling for a way to turn the tide. But one thing was clear: their enemy was far more formidable than they had ever imagined.
A/N: Thanks for reading, donate some power stones for extra chapters.
Also check out my Patreon if you want extra chapters up to chapter 91: Patreon.com/AncestorX
Enjoy ✌️.
Why does the same Pokémon react differently depending on who their trainer is? How do emotions influence a Pokémon's combat abilities, and do these effects vary between trainers? This level of detail makes it difficult to distinguish between players and NPCs in "One Piece," adding a realistic depth to the game that captivates many. In other games, where characters follow rigid instructions, players often lose interest quickly. But here, things feel alive.
"Yes! There must be a super-skilled development team behind this game!" someone exclaimed.
"I thought so! How could John, a recent college graduate, make such a complex game all on his own?!"
As Matthew Hudson finished speaking, the tables in the room shook from excited reactions. Richard Burns, a bald, seasoned executive, had been feeling something was off about the game for a while, though he hadn't quite put his finger on it.
That's it!
How could John, a young, recently graduated developer, create something so elaborate? Programming a game of this scale is a colossal project, not to mention all the unique materials and innovative settings. Could he have done it solo?
Seeing the amazement on the others' faces, Matthew felt a surge of satisfaction. As one of the five major players in this game's ecosystem, he had forced his way into the group through his formidable strategy skills. Naturally, this left him on tense terms with the others, who often sought to undermine him.
"Everyone, don't get too excited. This game's development team is well-hidden."
"As far as I know, John rarely leaves his home," he continued. "Do any of you even know how to find them? Would you dare take on his family?"
Seeing their enthusiasm, Matthew poured cold water on their plans. John was, after all, the son of Michael, the influential leader of Seaside City, and the likely future governor of Eastflower Province.
Who would dare make a move?
"Before we go further, let's pool our information," Matthew suggested.
"Agreed," Richard said. "Since John hasn't revealed the development team, finding them will take time. Let's share what we know and discuss things slowly. I'll start."
With a wave of his arm, Richard changed the display in the room, showing a new scene.
"This is what our team has discovered so far. We've embedded players across various factions in the "One Piece" world and found something intriguing. Mochizuki Group, a major conglomerate, has deep roots in many industries, especially gaming. Even though Mochizuki Games took a hit when virtual games became popular, they managed to stay at the top."
Richard Burns, the largest shareholder of Mochizuki Group, had initially been the third-largest. But by capitalizing on the rise of virtual gaming, he had gained control of the entire company. Now, their main focus was on gaming.
Richard habitually touched his forehead and continued, gesturing to a document he projected onto the screen. It was a book filled with all the information they'd gathered about the "One Piece" world. He paused on a specific page, where it read:
"There are three ancient weapons hidden in the world of pirates!"
"Three ancient weapons?!"
The others were stunned. These ancient weapons were a well-kept secret in the pirate world. Both the Navy and the World Government were aware of their existence, but few dared to mention them openly.
"What exactly are these ancient weapons?"
"No clue," Richard replied with a shrug.
Then why mention it?
The others stifled their irritation but maintained neutral expressions.
"All I know," Richard continued, "is that these weapons have been around since ancient times. They hold the power to destroy entire worlds. People here are extremely cautious about these weapons, and we lost a lot of players just to get this information."
"World-ending power?!"
Everyone's eyes lit up. This was exactly what they had been hoping for.
Richard went on with a confident smile, "If we can get our hands on even one of these weapons, we'll have a solid foundation in the world of 'One Piece.'"
Matthew Hudson frowned, though not out of jealousy. Something about the ancient weapons sounded unreliable.
A solid foundation?
He recalled a glitchy video presentation that had gone viral, shocking viewers everywhere. The "One Piece" world didn't seem simple at all.
Even if they found an ancient weapon, would it really be that easy to control?
But as he looked around at the others' excited faces, he knew no one would listen to his doubts. So, he stayed quiet and played along with a smirk.
"Alright, I'll go next," he said, keeping up the momentum.
Richard's revelation had everyone buzzing, and next, Luke Dillon stepped forward.
This time, the scene didn't change.
Clearing his throat, Luke began, "The information we collected from Dillon Entertainment isn't as groundbreaking, mainly news about Devil Fruit auctions. I'll send a copy to everyone directly."
No one reacted much. Not every report had to be sensational.
The last two updates were similarly mild, without much impact.
A few days after John posted his update on WebNet, his supporters rallied on the forums, quickly shifting the momentum back in his favor.
"If you don't want to pay for extra features or deal with challenges, then why are you even playing the game?"
"Right?! These players are top-notch!"
As usual, John toured the world of "One Piece" to check on plot progress, then browsed the forums to see player reactions. But the tone there had taken an odd shift.
"Picture posted~ [Image.jpg]. Found my soulmate in the game! How about you?"
"Heh, who hasn't? Look at this! [Image.jpg]. I'll be living my best life in a few more weeks!"
"Haha, I'm holding hands with a handsome swordsman!"
John was dumbfounded.
What?! This is how they're playing the game?
I didn't even know my own game could be played like this!
What happened to the thrilling pirate adventure I designed? How did it turn into a dating sim?
When this thread migrated from WebNet to the game forums, players' imaginations exploded.
What? You can find wealthy partners in-game? Then why can't I earn money with physical labor here too?
It's all within the game world, right… so why not?
A/N: Thanks for reading, donate some power stones for extra chapters.
Also check out my Patreon if you want extra chapters up to chapter 95: Patreon.com/AncestorX
Enjoy ✌️.
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