Capítulo 17: Payback time and Hydra.
As the magic circle reappeared, illuminating the entrance once again, Hajime Arata emerged, but this time there was no grand display of emotion—no scream of frustration, no roar of determination. Instead, he walked out calmly, seating himself on the glassy floor in silent contemplation. His eyes, sharp with newfound clarity, scanned the area before locking onto the old witch, who wore a knowing smirk on her wrinkled face.
"What...was...that?" Arata finally broke the silence, his voice steady but tense.
"The Domain Expansion, you mean?" The witch replied casually, her smirk widening. "Didn't you read the boss's status? It clearly mentioned the Mark of the Sin of Gluttony."
"I did. But how in the hell does a D-rank boss possess something as overpowered as a Domain Expansion?!" Arata's disbelief was evident in his tone.
The witch paused, folding her arms as if considering how best to answer. "Tell me, how strong do you think a D-rank boss should be? What you're fighting is a D-rank boss, sure. But a boss that could decimate an army of 70 soldiers alone. It can wipe out entire towns... yet still, a single powerful strike could end it."
She let her words sink in before continuing, her voice more pointed now. "But here's the real issue: you've been granted an immensely powerful character template—one that could easily handle hundreds of bosses like him. But instead of using that power, you've been relying on those flashy fruit abilities. Your system is about mastering your templates. Item draws are secondary, bonuses to help you, but not the focus."
Arata listened quietly, her words starting to pierce through his thoughts. He realized how much he had leaned on the Light-Light Fruit's abilities, neglecting the real power he had from his template.
"The purpose of your system is to complete your templates and become stronger. But if you keep using external powers like the Light-Light Fruit, you'll stagnate. You won't grow," the witch finished, her voice now firm.
Arata nodded slowly. "You're right... I lost sight of that. I was caught up in using that power instead of focusing on my true strength."
The witch smiled approvingly. "Good. Now that you see it, I'll help you." She raised her hand, and a brilliant white light enveloped it, slowly dimming to reveal a yellow, spiked fruit.
Arata's eyes widened in shock. "That's...!"
"The Light-Light Fruit," she confirmed, her voice gentle but resolute. "I've removed it from your body. You can no longer use its power. But I'll leave it with you." She tossed the fruit toward him, and he caught it reflexively, staring down at it in his hands. "Keep it. Use it once you've completed at least two templates... or give it to someone else, if you choose."
With a nod of understanding, Arata placed the fruit in his inventory. A sigh escaped his lips, though not one of frustration—this was a breath of clarity, of purpose.
He stood and turned toward the gate leading back to the boss room. As he reached it, the witch's voice halted him once more. "Before you go, there's something you should know. I was meant to tell you this after the fight... but I think you need to hear it now."
He looked back, confused but intrigued. "What secret could she possibly need to tell me now?" he thought.
...
Walking through the dark tunnel, Arata's face was set in stone, determination emanating from his every step. His mind now fully focused, there was no hesitation as he neared the exit. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with the faintest spark from his fingertips. The faint glow illuminated his features in the dim tunnel. He took a deep drag, exhaling a plume of smoke before muttering under his breath, "It's showtime."
Emerging from the tunnel, the sight before him hadn't changed—the boss stood there, just as before. But this time, things would be different.
The second Arata set foot into the room, his Kenbunshoku Haki flared. Danger. He moved instinctively, sidestepping as a massive adamantium sword cleaved through the air, narrowly missing him. Without wasting a moment, Arata engaged, using Soru to instantly appear before the orc lord, his leg pulled back and coated in Armament Haki.
Boom!
The kick connected with the boss's head, sending him crashing backward. Arata's attacks came relentlessly—one kick to the head, followed by a spinning kick to the ribs, which dented the orc's thick armor. He backflipped away, just as the boss regained his footing, clutching his sword once again.
The boss charged at Arata, but his movements felt sluggish now. Arata leapt high into the air, spinning mid-flight and bringing his leg down in a crushing kick. The orc collapsed under the weight of the blow, dust and debris flying everywhere as he hit the ground. Arata landed beside him, looking down in disdain.
"Is that all you've got... pig?"
The insult seemed to fuel the boss's rage. He roared, the force of it nearly deafening Arata as the boss lunged once more. But Arata was ready, this time meeting the charge head-on. He struck at the orc's sword arm, knocking the weapon from his hand, then followed up with a barrage of kicks, each enhanced with Armament Haki, forcing the orc back. Armor shattered, and blood sprayed with every strike.
Suddenly, the orc's body began to glow, the gem on its forehead pulsating with energy. Arata's senses screamed in warning—danger. He leapt to the side just as a beam of pure energy shot from the gem, vaporizing everything in its path. The orc lord was no longer playing.
Arata ducked and dodged, narrowly avoiding the deadly beam that followed his every movement. The heat was unbearable, the beam cutting through the air with terrifying precision. "I need to end this now," Arata thought as he formulated a plan.
Sliding under the boss and coming up behind him, Arata delivered a crushing kick to the orc's exposed back, sending him hurtling into a line of trees. Before the boss could recover, Arata's legs ignited in brilliant blue flames.
"Ifrit Jambe," he muttered, his strongest form activating.
The orc boss, bloodied and enraged, summoned his last, desperate move. The ground darkened as the familiar black mist spread around them once again. "Domain Expansion: Void Pit of Gluttony!"
But this time, Arata was ready. He shot into the sky, avoiding the expanding void entirely. As he ascended, his body spun, the flames surrounding him taking the shape of a blue dragon.
"Dragon Descent!" he roared as he fell, the blue dragon diving straight toward the boss.
The orc lord, for the first time, didn't scream in rage. Instead, a genuine smile crossed his bloodied face as he accepted his fate.
Boom!
A flash of blue light engulfed the area as the dragon collided with the orc, erasing him from existence. The roar of the dragon echoed through the dungeon, and then, silence.
...
As the flames died down, a notification appeared before Arata.
<Congratulations on Defeating the Boss and Clearing the Dungeon! Your Rewards: Gem of Chaos ×1, Adamantium Great Sword ×1, Item Draw ×30, Memory Fragment ×1.>
"Memory fragment? What's that?" Arata mused, staring at the notification in confusion.
Before he could contemplate further, another message appeared.
<Congratulations on Completing Your First Template! Reward: Character Template Draw ×1, New Character Slot, Sanji's Wano Version Clothes.>
A grin spread across Arata's face. "Sweet! New character! Let's go!" Before he could celebrate further, the system teleported him out of the dungeon instantly.
...
Canada, Quebec, Hydra Base
In the cold, shadowy depths of a secret Hydra base, two scientists stood before a man in a green Hydra uniform.
"How is the testing going?" the man asked, his voice stern and commanding.
"Sir, the tests have gone as expected. Ten out of one hundred subjects survived and gained superpowers," one of the scientists replied nervously.
"The losses are still too great," the man growled. "I need an army, not a handful of survivors. Fix this or suffer the consequences."
The scientists exchanged fearful glances. "Sir, the serum is still in its early stages. It could take another three years to perfect. Much of the original data was lost two years ago, so we're working with what we have."
The man was silent for a moment before nodding. "Three years, then. Don't fail me."
Relief washed over the scientists, but the man wasn't done. "What about the other project?"
One of the scientists handed him a file. "Project Brainiac is progressing well. Subject B, a child born with the serum in his veins, has demonstrated remarkable potential. A natural-born genius, with powers of technopathy, telepathy, telekinesis, super-intelligence, and regeneration."
The man opened the file, revealing the subject's name: Edward Stark. Powers: Technopathy, Telepathy, Telekinesis, Super Intelligence, Regeneration. Family: Tony Stark and Emma Jones.
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