章節 18: System-System no Mi

( Vanze POV )

I rubbed my eyes, desperately trying to fight off the drowsiness that clung to me like a second skin. The Calm Belt was a sea of stillness around us, its waters eerily flat and reflecting the warm, fading colors of the evening sky. A thin mist hovered just above the surface, making it feel as though we were gliding through a dream—a dream I was struggling not to sink into.

The silence was suffocating, the kind that wraps around your senses, making every small sound echo louder in your mind. It was unnatural, but after countless trips through these waters, I'd learned to accept it. Even so, I couldn't afford to relax. Not here.

'Urgh... I really just wanted to sleep.'

The thought dragged itself through my mind for what felt like the hundredth time, but I forced my eyes open, locking my gaze onto the endless horizon ahead. The Calm Belt was unpredictable, and no matter how much my body begged for rest, I had to stay sharp. Sleep could wait until we were safely out of these waters.

Next to me, Yamato sat in the speedboat, her usual energy uncontainable. Before I could even take a breath, she started firing questions at me, her eyes sparkling with the thrill of it all.

"Woah! This is amazing, Vanze! We're going so fast through the Calm Belt! I thought this place was supposed to be dangerous. Isn't this where all those giant Sea Kings live?" She leaned over the edge of the boat, her wild mane of hair catching the faint breeze. She was practically vibrating with excitement, like a child seeing the world for the first time. Her enthusiasm was infectious, though it wasn't the time to get swept up in it.

I sighed, keeping my hands steady on the controls. The hum of the engine was the only real noise cutting through the eerie silence, its soft purr a strange comfort in this vast, motionless sea.

"We won't see any Sea Kings around here, not anymore," I said, my voice calm despite the fatigue weighing me down. "This boat's too fast for them to catch. Plus, I've been exposing this area to my Haoshoku Haki for years. They know to stay away by now." I glanced at her, my eyes half-lidded from exhaustion but focused enough. "Even if one were to show up, I could knock it out before it got too close."

Yamato blinked, her excitement fading into something resembling awe. Her gaze flicked from the sea back to me, her lips parting slightly as she processed what I'd said.

"You have Haoshoku Haki too?" Yamato's voice cut through my thoughts. "As expected from my partner! Hahaha, that idiot father of mine used to tell me that people with Haoshoku Haki can do unimaginable things in their lives. That's why he kept beating me, trying to force me to get stronger… Damn him."

Her laugh was bitter, and I could see the flicker of pain behind her smile. Despite her goofy and easy-going nature, she is just a kid after all.

Kaido… That bastard. He's been brutalizing her in the name of 'training' since she was a kid. No wonder she's so powerful now, controlling her Zoan form like it's second nature. Even though she hasn't reached her hybrid form yet, she's already leagues beyond what anyone would expect.

"Yamato…" I started, but the words caught in my throat. What could I even say?

"Wait… You've been scaring off Sea Kings with your Haki? All this time?" She leaned closer, her voice hushed, as if the sea itself would hear us. "How do you even do that?" She immediately shifted the topic.

I couldn't help but chuckle, a soft sound that made the corners of my lips twitch into a tired smile. Even in the most serious situations, Yamato had a way of lightening the mood. "It wasn't easy at first. The Sea Kings are sensitive to presence, and my Haki barely registered to them when I started. But after three years of pushing my will into these waters, they've learned to avoid the area. It's just a matter of maintaining control."

As I spoke, I cast my gaze around, scanning the still waters for any sign of movement. Despite my confidence in my abilities, the Calm Belt had its ways of catching you off guard. It was like a living thing, waiting for the right moment to remind you just how small you really were out here. Yamato was quiet now, her earlier excitement tempered by a newfound respect for the power that lurked beneath the surface.

"I've heard so many stories about this place," she muttered after a moment, her eyes distant as she stared out over the still water. "Sea Kings as big as islands… monsters that could swallow a ship whole."

"They exist," I confirmed, nodding slowly. "But just like what I said, we won't see them in this route"

"We're almost home," I muttered, more to myself than to Yamato. "Just a little longer."

But even as I said it, the weight of everything pressed down on me. Not the Sea Kings, not the Calm Belt, but the inevitable conversation waiting for me once we got back. How was I supposed to explain this to the others?

[ You don't need to be anxious, Vanze. Just say it's your Devil Fruit power. This world is full of wonders and absurdity after all. They won't know the truth it if you don't let them. ]

'Really? Sigh… It's getting complicated.' I exhaled heavily, running a hand through my hair. I bet Robin's already piecing it all together. My ability to store and materialize things, the way I brought Yamato back out of nowhere… Devil Fruit or not, people were bound to be suspicious eventually. And Robin? She was smart. Too smart.

'Well, you know what? Fuck it.' Just like Seele said, Devil fruit is always the answer.

'Let's just go with the flow.' Overthinking this mess wasn't going to help. If anything, it was just making my head hurt. Even with all my adaptability, when it came to the people I cared about, things were never as simple as I wanted them to be. Feelings… they always made everything more complicated.

We continued cruising toward the distant island where the others were waiting, the sun dipping lower on the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant hues of orange and red. The sight would've been beautiful if I wasn't so mentally drained. My shoulder throbbed slightly, but the bleeding had finally stopped. The familiar warmth of minor regeneration was already working its way through my wounds, and for the first time in hours, I let myself relax just a little.

.....

(3rd POV)

On the shore of a remote island deep within the Calm Belt, three figures stood silhouetted against the fading light of the setting sun. The stillness of the Calm Belt was unnerving, the water an unbroken mirror that reflected the orange and pink hues of the sky. A gentle breeze stirred the air, but it wasn't enough to break the tension hanging over the trio.

A striking girl with long black hair, crossed her arms, her foot tapping impatiently against the sand. Concern edged her voice as she spoke, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of movement. "Where is he? He should've been back by now. Vuldia Island isn't far from here, you said... Did something happen? Did the Sea Kings cause trouble, making him late?"

A second woman, Robin, stood calmly beside her, her demeanor more is composed compared to the other impatient girl. "Impossible," she said, her voice steady and reassuring. "He scared off the Sea Kings along our route with his Haoshoku Haki. Besides, Vuldia Island is secluded, far from any mafia or the Chinjaou Hippo Navy. Vanze wouldn't run into trouble there."

The first girl called Hancock frowned, her worry not entirely eased. "Then why is he late? The sun's almost set, and traveling through the Calm Belt at night is dangerous."

"Vanze-san will be fine," a tall man behind them said, his massive black wings shifting slightly as he spoke. Fire danced faintly along his back, casting a flickering glow in the dimming light. His confidence in their leader was unshakable.

Robin smiled slightly. "Well, like Azel said, I'm sure he's fine. Though, I wonder what kind of trouble he's gotten himself into to be this late."

Hancock huffed, tossing her hair back with a dramatic flair. "Maybe he's out picking up some girl. If he is, we'll need to teach him a lesson when he gets back," she said, her voice sharp with irritation.

Robin's amused glance slid toward her. "Why get upset, Hancock? Wouldn't it be more lively with a new member?"

"He already has us," Hancock argued, "he should focus on training with us." But there was a flicker of something else in her tone—something that sounded SUS.

Robin's smile widened knowingly after seeing her friend expression. "Ara~ Is our Amazon Lily beauty getting jealous? You only met Vanze yesterday, fufufu." Robin teased, glancing at Hancock with an amused smile.

"What? No!" Hancock turned away quickly, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I'm just worried about him."

While the two women bickered, Azel kept his sharp gaze fixed on the sea. As the sky grew darker, a shadow finally appeared on the horizon, a small boat slicing through the still waters.

"He's back," Azel announced, his deep voice cutting through the quiet.

The two women immediately stopped their argument, their eyes following Azel's gaze to where a speedboat was rapidly approaching the shore.

.....

On the boat, Vanze exhaled, the tension in his shoulders finally easing as the familiar island came into view. "We're finally back. Let's go meet the others," he said, glancing at the energetic girl beside him.

"Un! I can't wait to meet my new friends!" Yamato, the vibrant oni girl with long white hair and a red horn, leaped from the boat the moment it hit the sand, her excitement palpable as she sprinted toward the waiting group.

Vanze chuckled to himself, shaking his head. Yamato's boundless energy never failed to amaze him. Whether it was the power of her Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit or her true personality, now free from her father's oppressive influence, he couldn't tell. Either way, seeing her run ahead with such joy made everything he'd been through today worth it. With a tired sigh, he stored the speedboat back in his inventory, but before he could relax, he heard a familiar voice call out.

"Vanze! You're finally back!" Hancock ran toward him, her expression a mixture of relief and irritation, with Robin and Azel trailing behind her.

"Welcome back, Vanze," Robin said, her usual serene smile in place. Azel gave him a nod of acknowledgment,

Vanze raised a hand in greeting. "Hahaha, I'm back, everyone." But before he could say more, all three of them had their eyes fixed on the figure walking toward them—Yamato.

"Wow, there are two beautiful sisters here! And a big guy with black wings and fire on his back!" Yamato exclaimed, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Brother wings, are you from the same race as King? You two look similar, except King's taller, I think."

Azel blinked in surprise at the mention of someone from his race, while Robin and Hancock stared at Yamato, speechless. Vanze rubbed the back of his neck, already anticipating the questions that were sure to follow.

"See, Robin? He was out picking up another girl," Hancock said, crossing her arms with a huff.

Robin chuckled. "Ara~ What a cute girl. Care to explain, Vanze?"

Vanze opened his mouth, but before he could respond, Yamato jumped in eagerly. "Hello! My name's Yamato, and I'm nine years old! I ate the Mythical Zoan Inu Inu no Mi, model: Okuchi no Makami. My favorite weapon is my kanabo, and I used it to beat up my bastard father because he always hit me with his own kanabo. Vanze saved me, and we set off fireworks in Onigashima! Nice to meet you all!"

Vanze facepalmed. He had planned to explain everything slowly, but Yamato's enthusiastic introduction left the entire group staring at him in utter confusion.

"Onigashima?" Hancock repeated, her brow raised.

"Why do you look so beat up? And what happened to your shoulder?" Robin added, her eyes narrowing.

"Who is King?" Azel asked, still focused on the name Yamato had dropped earlier.

Vanze let out a long, exasperated sigh. "You know what? Let's get back to the house first. It's a long story."

The group exchanged glances but followed him without further protest. Yamato, oblivious to the awkward tension she had caused, bounced along beside him, her enthusiasm as contagious as ever.

.....

( Vanze POV )

After what felt like an eternity of explaining how I met Yamato and the barebones mechanics of my so-called "Devil Fruit," we all found ourselves back in the living room. The atmosphere had shifted, heavy with an awkward silence. Even Yamato, who was normally a bundle of boundless energy, seemed uncharacteristically quiet. Maybe I'd gone a bit too far with that whole System-System no Mi explanation. Honestly, if someone had told me the same thing, I'd probably doubt whether such a fruit could even exist.

Of course, I left out the whole reincarnation bit and Seele's presence. They didn't need to know everything.

Robin, ever the analyst, was the first to break the silence. She tilted her head, her calculating gaze locking onto mine. "So... let me get this straight. You got teleported because of a mission from your so-called System-System no Mi, then met Yamato, raided the Beast Pirates' headquarters, plundered their treasure, and blew up Kaido's palace?" She raised an eyebrow. "I must say, Vanze, you've truly outdone yourself this time."

I shrugged, trying to keep my tone light despite the absurdity of it all. "More or less, yeah. My Devil Fruit doesn't give me any direct combat abilities, but it offers me random quests with rewards. I can choose whether to accept them or not. This time, I took on a mission that led me to Onigashima. Rescuing Yamato was a personal decision. I couldn't just leave her behind to suffer under her father's madness. I'm not a heartless bastard" Well, Yamato is also cute at this age. That's a plus.

As I spoke, I could feel my own doubts creeping in. 'Seele... you think they'll actually buy this bullshit?'

[ You're overthinking it, Vanze. You told them the truth—or at least a version of it. But what truly matters is you are being honest with them now; honesty in this world is almost extinct, and telling them the truth about your abilities, will definitely touch their hearts. They could feel trusted by you. These people here are acknowledged by the management system, meaning their trust in you is unquestionable as long as you don't betray them, after all you literally saved their lives by interfering with their original fate. ]

'Huft... maybe you're right. But still, this feels more nerve-wracking than those stupid gacha pulls.'

Hancock, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up, her voice edged with concern. "Okay, I get the gist of it. But why risk so much for such a dangerous quest? You're fortunate that Kaido and his crew weren't there," Hancock queried, with Azel and Yamato even nodding when hearing her words.

'Yamato, why are you on their side?' I muttered in my mind, feeling dumbfounded by the little oni expression.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Because the reward was worth it. By completing the mission, I unlocked the system's store. I think maybe in this store, there is something that could help us, especially something that could eliminate the devil fruit curse. So, you guys won't need to fear the sea or sea stone again, and it might even enhance devil fruit capabilities," I revealed, emphasizing the importance of the system store for our development.

Yamato frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. "But... can a Devil Fruit really undo another Devil Fruit? That doesn't make sense, and it sound weird. And your powers don't even seem that strong, Vanze."

I laughed softly at her bluntness. "Devil Fruits are strange to begin with. In my opinion, it's a thing born from imagination and the longing of the people. So, who knows if it will really work." I replied to her while shrugging my shoulder to look more relax despite I'm trying so hard not to be so tense about all of this bullshit.

Robin smiled softly, her eyes gentle. "Vanze... you've always been thoughtful. Thank you for thinking of us. But please, be more careful next time." Robin said. Damn, that smile. As expected from my waifus.

Azel, the ever-silence winged guy, chimed in next. "Vanze-san, you also should consider asking us for our help if you want. We will definitely become stronger so that you could rely on us more,"

Hancock crossed her arms, her eyes flashing with pride. "Azel's right. We're your crew. You don't have to bear everything by yourself."

I couldn't help but smile. Even Yamato was nodding along enthusiastically, looking like an overexcited kid.

'Yamato, could you please stop nodding your head like a chicken.'

"Alright, alright," I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. "I promise I'll ask for help next time if things get out of hand."

Robin's teasing smile returned as she spoke. "Fufufu, good. I just hope whatever you gain from that store is worth the danger. And next time, let's discuss these missions before you teleport off to some enemy stronghold, hmm?"

"Agreed," Hancock added, her voice firm. "No matter how tempting the rewards might be, your safety comes first."

I chuckled, feeling genuinely touched by their concern. "You guys are right. I'll talk to you all before rushing into anything next time. I'm sorry for making you worry."

The atmosphere lightened as we shifted away from the heavy topic of my Devil Fruit and missions. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since the fight with Sasaki. "How about we grab some dinner? I'm starving after all this drama."

Yamato's eyes lit up immediately, and she practically jumped off the couch. "Yes! Let's eat! I'm starving too!"

Her boundless energy brought a smile to my face. Never change, Yamato.

Robin laughed softly, already heading toward the dining table. "Fufufu, lucky for you, I cooked dinner before you got back."

As we all made our way to the table, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Despite the chaos of the day, despite the endless complications of my Devil Fruit and the dangerous missions, this right here—these moments with my crew—made everything worthwhile.

I glanced at Robin, Hancock, Azel, and Yamato, feeling a swell of bond for each of them. They trusted me. They had my back, no matter how ridiculous my bullshit story sounded. And that was enough for now.

Still, I made a mental note to check my stats later, especially after that fight with Sasaki. Something about my strength felt... different. Stronger, maybe. But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside.

Time for a banquet!

.....

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