John couldn't help but feel impressed with his players. The creativity they displayed in expanding the game's potential was remarkable! As he scrolled through various gameplay threads on the forums, a look of amazement mixed with deep thought spread across his face.
People from any world, real or virtual, should never be underestimated—and neither should the world of "One Piece."
When John first designed the game, he had a hard time pinning down its genre, but he eventually leaned towards tagging it as an adventure and treasure-hunting experience. After all, that was the essence of "One Piece." However, he realized now that it was the casual gameplay aspects—the fishing, exploration, and socializing—that attracted a whole other audience. And those players were finding endless ways to enjoy it.
For example, there was a player with vast resources who didn't chase after wealth or power, nor did he pursue battle or influence. His favorite pastime? Fishing. And he wasn't alone. Many players seemed more interested in making money by marrying rich characters, becoming traveling chefs, or even earning a living as in-game novelists. Every walk of life seemed represented—there was even a growing subset of players treating it as an immersive life simulation.
John realized this was an opportunity to enhance "One Piece." Players weren't only here for combat or adventure; they wanted to live out virtual lives. Beneath the adrenaline-filled battles, there was a whole realm of potential waiting to be developed.
With this in mind, John entered the virtual workspace to make some adjustments to the game.
First, he focused on the romantic elements that had become so popular. "Alright," he thought, "if players are this invested, let's add even more appealing characters." In this virtual era, characters weren't just flat images—people wanted to interact with attractive, realistic NPCs. Who could resist?
With a smirk, he imagined his players reluctant to abandon their in-game partners. So he set to work creating new characters, paying close attention to every detail. This time, he wanted them to look distinct and appealing.
He paused as a bold idea crossed his mind. "System, can we increase the realness of the simulation?"
The system responded, "Modification possible."
Perfect.
"Then let's push the realism up to 100% for certain interactions. Just in the right ways, of course." A chuckle escaped him. "Let's see who can resist the appeal now."
Realistic simulation games had been around for some time, but most lacked quality, leaving players feeling like they were interacting with lifeless robots. But John's game was different; he could fine-tune the realism so that players wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the game and reality.
"Alright, let's give them a little treat," he mused. "And this can double as motivation to keep players active—let's make them work up a bit of a sweat!"
In this virtual era, people rarely went outside, and even though everyone had exercise equipment, few used it regularly. Coughing, he convinced himself this was for their own good. His "patch" was done swiftly, since it wasn't a large update, and he was already plotting more ways to enhance the players' experiences.
Fishing? Let's add in some Sea Kings to make things interesting. After all, who doesn't love a thrilling surprise?
He continued improving other aspects: travel for the explorers, culinary challenges for aspiring chefs, and even new encounters for adventurers. Not long after, John finished the preliminary updates. These additions covered the immediate ideas he had, but he knew he could add more as they came to him. With the system's capabilities, he could make changes directly in the virtual world, sidestepping the Dragon Kingdom game platform entirely.
The virtual world he created functioned like an extended clone of the main game, allowing him to control the outside instance seamlessly.
There was no update announcement—players simply discovered these tweaks on their own. And it didn't take long for a few active ones to notice.
"Ouch! What the—?!"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing! Let's keep going!" one player said, slightly out of breath, his cheeks flushed as he ran beside his virtual partner.
"I'm going to sprint!"
"Wait for me! You're too fast!"
Fifty meters from the finish line, they both gave it their all, competing playfully, until finally the guy crossed first.
"Hah… what the…!" He paused, surprised and a bit flustered.
His partner looked at him, concerned. "What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no, nothing! Let's just run back!"
"Alright~"
Within a day, the changes spread across the forums.
"I went running with my wife in the game yesterday, and… let's just say I felt something different."
"What's so unusual about that?" someone replied.
"Are you clueless? This wasn't just normal—it was… a bit more intense."
"???"
"Oh my gosh! John adjusted the game's realism level for certain activities, and it's amazing!"
"Heh, I didn't just love it—I think I might need to up my health insurance!"
"I'm feeling the same. I need to start exercising for real or I won't keep up in-game!"
"Let's hit the gym, everyone! After last night's session, my back is killing me."
And just like that, John's latest update was a hit.
A/N: Looks like the author decided to cook something worthy of being called chapter 69.
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 ✌️.
"Hey, make sure you're eating well to keep up your strength!"
"Duh, I'm practically shivering over here," one player joked.
"Wait, what on earth are you guys talking about? Somebody clue me in!"
"Heh… you'll get it once you've entered the adult world, kid…"
The comments quickly filled with knowing laughter and cryptic responses, leaving one young player feeling bewildered and a bit frustrated. What on earth were they all talking about?
It wasn't until he got deeper into the game and found himself a virtual spouse that he finally understood the importance of staying fit. Soon, the once "innocent" player realized he was no longer so innocent.
Over the next few days, John watched as the number of players in One Piece spiked dramatically. He could tell that the 100% realism patch had definitely had an impact. While the game's currency exchange system had already been a hit, this new enhancement was groundbreaking—a bold experiment that other companies had tried and failed miserably with in the past.
But judging by the players' ecstatic reactions, John's approach was a success. His competitors were furious, frustrated that they couldn't replicate this achievement, unless, of course, they could make their in-game characters as lifelike and engaging.
Each of the "Big Five" gaming giants burned with jealousy as they watched One Piece soar in popularity, yet none of them dared admit to feeling left behind. If they complained publicly, they would only be outing themselves. So, they kept quiet, pretending they hadn't noticed, while internally fuming.
Meanwhile, the floundering "One Piece World" from the Dragon Kingdom game platform was under heavy criticism. The platform itself redirected players' frustrations onto One Piece World in a move that only heightened John's game's popularity.
A/N: They are talking about that pirated version of the one piece that came out before.
Returning to his behind-the-scenes work, John quietly observed the reactions of his players. He secretly set up unique "accidents" for those who caught his eye and occasionally adjusted the game to reward loyal players. These small, interactive moments left him contemplating his own life.
Maybe he should start thinking about finding a real-life girlfriend? After all, he couldn't just live through his game characters forever, could he?
He mulled it over for a while but pushed the thought aside. There was still plenty to accomplish. Besides, One Piece's popularity was soaring, and Identity V, being developed by the Edge Horizon Team, was coming along well. John was content with only providing guidance and some core gameplay concepts. His team's creativity shone, and stepping in now might just disrupt their flow.
By fostering their imagination, John could eventually delegate even bigger projects to them. No need to rush things; the next big game could wait until One Piece had fully cemented its player base. Just like Minecraft and Happy Farm, which had established loyal communities, One Piece wasn't quite there yet—but it was getting close.
In the Virtual Realm
In Second World, the usual gathering of five top figures took place around a familiar table.
Bam!
A hand slammed down, reverberating through the room as Richard announced, "We finally have news on the ancient weapons!"
"Are you sure?" Matthew Hudson asked, his expression cautious as he looked at Richard Burns.
Richard, ever-confident, smirked and nodded. "I heard it straight from a contact within the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"Which one?" Matthew asked, eyebrows raised.
Through months of exploration, players had begun mapping the major forces within the One Piece world, though only with limited details. The deeper mysteries remained out of reach.
"Crocodile," Richard replied, his smirk widening.
"Wait, Crocodile? If I remember right, he's a Logia-type Devil Fruit user and hardly the trusting type. Are we sure we can partner with someone like him?"
"That's true," another member agreed. "Without Haki, we have no way to counter his powers. If he tries to double-cross us, we're defenseless."
Richard waved his hand dismissively. "Yes, he's strong, but his sand powers have a critical weakness—water."
The others exchanged uncertain glances.
"We've analyzed John's Devil Fruit abilities closely," Richard explained, "and noticed a recurring pattern: nearly every power has a natural counter. For instance, in Louge Town, Smokers' abilities falter in heavy rain, and the same goes for Crocodile. His Sand-Sand Fruit is even more susceptible to water."
"He'd cheat us? Let him try," he scoffed, a spark of arrogance in his eyes.
"Do you really think it's that simple?" Matthew asked, his voice wavering. Despite his excitement, a nagging worry gnawed at him. He recalled a now-infamous video of players encountering a thunderstorm in Louge Town, complete with flashing lightning. Could a Devil Fruit user truly be so easy to defeat?
The others, too, began to feel a sliver of doubt.
"Hmph! It's just a game!" Richard cut in sharply. "So what if we fail? If any of you don't have the guts to risk it, don't expect to benefit if we succeed."
His words brought the room to a standstill. The remaining four stared at each other before nodding in agreement.
Richard resumed with a grin. "Now that we're on the same page, let's get down to it. From what we've pieced together, there are three legendary weapons in this world: the Uranus, Poseidon, and Pluton."
"And this time… we're going after Pluton."
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 98: Patreon.com/AncestorX
Enjoy ✌️.
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