บท 220: Chapter [220]

Riser focused for a moment and mentally called out to Merlin.

"Merlin, come to my office."

FWOOOSH!

A magical circle glowed, and Merlin appeared in the office, her robes gently fluttering as she materialized before Riser.

"What do you require, Riser-sama?" Merlin asked, giving a slight bow.

Riser gestured for Merlin to come closer. "I want to have a serious conversation, and we need to ensure that no one else hears us. Cast a spell to prevent any leakage of this conversation."

Merlin nodded, extending her hands and murmuring words in an ancient language. A soft glow began to envelop the room, creating an invisible barrier that isolated the space from any kind of eavesdropping.

"Done, Riser-sama. Now we're secure to talk," said Merlin, her voice calm and controlled.

Riser gave a slight smile of approval.

"Good. We have much to discuss. I've decided it's time to depart for another world. And you, Merlin, will be the only one I'm taking with me."

Merlin looked visibly excited by the news. She knew that of all his summons, she had been the most useful to Riser, and this choice was proof of it.

"Thank you, Riser-sama, for the opportunity," Merlin said, her face reflecting both surprise and gratitude.

Riser opened the system, and a magical interface appeared before him, floating in the air. The soft glow of the interface illuminated the room as he navigated through the available options.

[Hello, host. What would you like to do?]

"I want to use my dimensional travel."

[Which world do you want to go to, host?]

Riser pondered which world to choose. He didn't want to pick movies or series, only anime.

One Piece was the first option that came to Riser's mind.

"One Piece."

[Which of the countless versions do you wish for?]

Riser could choose the canon version he already knew, but with the strength he had along with the system, he knew he could dominate the One Piece universe on the first day. He wanted something different, something that would challenge and entertain him at the same time.

"Surprise me," Riser thought to the system.

[Order accepted.]

[Alternate universe of One Piece number 33678 chosen.]

[Travel now?]

[Yes] or [No]

Riser extended his hand to Merlin, who held it with a slight smile of confidence.

Riser then confirmed his decision.

"Yes," he said to the system.

The system began a countdown from five to one. Riser and Merlin exchanged glances, both with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. Riser had a slight smile on his lips, while Merlin seemed more focused, anticipating the unknown.

[Five… Four… Three… Two… One…]

A blue light began to envelop Riser and Merlin, surrounding them in an intense glow. The environment around them seemed to distort, and everything became a blur as the light grew in intensity. It was as if time and space ceased to exist—a strange sensation that seemed to last an eternity and, at the same time, just a blink of an eye.

....

Riser and Merlin appeared on an abandoned island. The island was desolate, covered with low vegetation and a few dead trees. The wind blew strongly, carrying the salty smell of the ocean that spread across the environment. The sound of waves crashing against the rocks echoed in the distance.

SWOOSH!

The sea roared fiercely, and the sky was partially cloudy, giving the island an air of mystery and danger. Merlin observed the surroundings with curiosity, while Riser looked around, analyzing the place where they had just arrived.

Riser tried to sense his powers and realized he was weaker than usual. He felt that something was wrong, and his connection to his magic seemed unstable.

Merlin watched Riser closely, trying to understand what was happening. She frowned, clearly concerned.

"What's happening, Riser-sama?" asked Merlin, her voice calm but loaded with curiosity and concern.

In response, Riser decided to consult the system.

"System, give me an update on my abilities," he ordered mentally.

An invisible screen materialized before him, displaying the system's information.

[Villain System 2.0]

• Name: Riser Phenex

• Strength: 35

• Speed: 30

• Magic: 60

• Luck Points: 77,000

• Supreme Villain Halo: ♾️

• Dimensional Travel: 0

Available Skills

• Haoshoku Haki (Conqueror's Haki)

• Rokushiki

Store

• Copper: 100 to 1,000 luck points

• Silver: 1,001 to 2,000 luck points

• Gold: 2,001 to 10,000 luck points

Items Acquired:

50 vials of vampire blood of the Phoenix lineage

Riser looked at the screen for a moment, his eyes narrowing. The abilities he used to have were no longer available. Only the skills native to the world of One Piece remained.

"My abilities have disappeared…" Riser murmured, feeling the frustration growing within him. The Mera Mera no Mi and Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix fruits, which had once been part of his power, had also disappeared.

"System, why did my powers vanish?"

[You wanted a challenge, so I set the world to be challenging. Your previous powers have been temporarily blocked. When you return to DXD, they will return.]

Riser listened to the system's words and understood the situation. Although it was unexpected, he accepted the challenge. After all, it was exactly what he wanted—a worthy challenge.

He took a deep breath and decided to move forward.

"At least tell me which part of the storyline we're in," demanded Riser, clearly annoyed.

[I don't have precise information on this alternate version, but I can confirm with certainty that Luffy is already at sea, on his journey.]

The answer didn't please Riser. He narrowed his eyes, feeling a slight irritation at the lack of detail provided. But he knew it was pointless to complain. He would have to figure things out the old-fashioned way.

Riser turned his attention to Merlin, who was watching him attentively.

"Merlin, how's your magic?" asked Riser, clearly concerned.

Merlin smiled slightly, maintaining her confident posture. "I am at full capacity, Riser-sama. All of my powers remain intact."

Riser nodded, feeling relieved. At least Merlin was in a condition to help, which made the situation a bit less complicated.

"Very well, Merlin. I want you to remain invisible while I explore this world. It could be dangerous, and I prefer to keep an ace up my sleeve," ordered Riser.

Merlin gave a slight bow and, with a subtle glow, vanished from sight, becoming invisible. Now, Riser could move forward with more confidence.

Riser opened his fire wings, which shone brightly against the gray sky of the deserted island. With a strong flap of his wings, he took off.

FWOOOSH

The flames emanating from his wings illuminated the air around him, leaving a trail of heat and light as Riser cut through the wind, determined to discover what this world had in store for him.

The ocean stretched as far as his eyes could see, the waves crashing furiously against the rocks of the coast. Riser flew high, watching the blue expanse below unfold, his eyes sharp for any sign of a ship or inhabited land.

After hours of flying, Riser spotted an island.

16th Marine Branch

Riser saw a rat-shaped structure atop the marine base, which was enough to gather some information. He understood that he was in East Blue, but still needed more details.

Riser landed smoothly on the island, his fire wings retracting as his feet touched the ground. The surroundings were bustling, with marines patrolling the area and civilians passing through the streets. He blended into the crowd, carefully observing everything around him.

"Let's see what this place has to offer," Riser murmured to himself as he walked toward the marine base, determined to gather more information about this new world and understand how he could explore its opportunities.

Riser landed on the island.

The island wasn't very large. The buildings were simple and appeared poorly maintained. The streets were empty, with no sign of movement, and the silence gave an uncomfortable air to the environment. Merlin, still invisible, walked beside Riser, analyzing the situation.

"Riser-sama, I sense several human presences inside the base," Merlin informed.

It was strange for a Marine base to have no visible soldiers, especially without guards at the entrance. Everything seemed out of place.

"Let's go to the base; I want to probe the minds of these humans," Riser said, his voice firm.

Riser stopped in front of the marine base entrance. He closed his eyes for a moment and used his Haoshoku Haki.

Riser opened the base door, which creaked as it moved. The interior was dark and silent, illuminated only by the few lamps that still worked. The main hallway was empty, with some open doors and papers scattered on the floor.

Riser walked through the corridors, determined to find who was in command of the base. "Let's see what we can find out about this place," he murmured to himself as he moved forward, with Merlin invisible at his side.

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