KingVessel: I have too many plot bunnies for my sake.
Chapter 01: The Stranger in Red I: Incarnation & Liberation
I could not help but groan as I brought my head back up. When... had I laid it down? A soft light illuminated the office, giving it a sort of appearance that I couldn't help but think was... ethereal.
Wait, why was I in an office, anyways? Shouldn't I have been back at the uni...
The university...? Yeah, the university. I'd just arrived when...
Urgh, why was it so hard to remember?
"That's because your episodic memories are gently washing away. Considering your death, it does sweep away any unnecessary bouts of panic." The door to the office opened to reveal a woman. A woman who was only humanoid in shape, at least. "I do not blame you for staring. I did try my best to take on a human form with your memories and template as a guide, but it seems that I still fall short."
"...who are you?" I finally questioned after managing to find the words.
"I am known as the King of the West, but your culture knows me as Undine. So feel free to refer to me as such." Undine resembled what could be called a very well-done water sculpture of a woman, possessing a fetching figure with long, water-like hair reaching from her back to her feet. She was also 'dressed' in a one-piece suit with long sleeves that tapered off from the waist and a kind of sombrero on her head, which, however, was apparently just a replica made of water and foam and not a real hat. "As for this world, this is the starting point before I incarnate you into my world with the great powers I shall be granting you."
"Your world?" I repeated, my suspicion quickly rising. "And 'great powers'? Why are you granting me such things? What exactly do you want from me?"
"I am glad that you are quick on the uptake." Undine smiled. "The world I shall incarnate you into is that of low fantasy slowly creeping it's way towards the phantasmal and the eldritch."
I... did not like where that sentence was heading.
"With the powers you shall receive, I would like you kill a certain group. Or at least, assist Gaiseric in their demise ." Undine continued, leaning forward to rest her chin over her crossed fingers. "In exchange for all of this, you have one sole objective that must be accomplished: the death of the Godhand."
I didn't know exactly who this 'Gaiseric' was, but the Godhand? That sparked off something fierce when combined with 'low fantasy slowly creeping it's way towards the phantasmal and the eldritch'. "I refuse! I'm not gonna fight Griffith 'Rape Hawk' Femto! I may probably be dead, but not suicidal!"
"Of course, not. Such an endeavor cannot be accomplished by one who does not value their life." Undine nodded in agreement. "However, Femto's designs cannot be allowed to go unchallenged. I assume that you have adequate knowledge of the world I wish to incarnate you into?"
"I do, which is exactly why I don't want to go there." I protested. "Berserk is that special kind of fantasy world where nobody wants to live in." I raised up a finger to highlight a point. "The magic there is not only immensely difficult, but exclusive to witches, who are racist towards normal humans... except that they are actually justified in doing so thanks to the religion there."
I didn't count the Kushans. I wouldn't even consider the Kushans.
I raised up a second finger. "Speaking of religion, either they're worshiping you guys and getting absolute nil thanks to trying so hard to stamp magic out of existence, or they're somehow worshipping the Godhand, who are the literally the Satan equivalents of that world! And regarding the clergymen themselves, they're very much still in the 'burn and torture the witches' phase!"
And worst of them all was Mozgus, who genuinely believed that every atrocity he committed was for the greater good.
I raised up a third finger. "And if we somehow ignore the magic and societal problems, lets talk about the people. With the wars and the general shit going on around, almost everybody in that world... are either the worst, or likely to suffer. No in-betweens. I have literally never seen genuinely happy and peaceful people in Berserk unless they were living in literal paradises like Elfheim and Falconia."
I sighed heavily, not refusing the cup of water Undine pushed towards me and emptying it immediately. "The point is, if I have to live in such a world, I'm not going to like what I end up as. I'd rather be free in death than live shacked to the chains of what those monsters call 'Fate'."
"That is fine. As long as you fulfill my request, you may do as you will." Undine stated. "With the demise of the Godhand, the Idea of Evil will no longer have any underlings to interfere with the World, allowing my comrades and I to finish it off."
"...I don't like you sound like I'm agreeing." I complained.
"You have yet to even get off your seat." Undine clarified with a knowing smile. "You are naturally wary, but also very curious."
...damn it, she got me! I really had considered getting up and immediately leaving the office, but curiously, I wasn't afraid. It was a strange feeling, like a leash being pulled and preventing my fear from going too far. Even now, I found myself less worried about the fact that I still couldn't remember who I was, being more indifferent about it. "What happens if I refuse regardless?"
"Then I shall release you and search for the next soul with the most chances of fulfilling my request."
I crossed my arms as I pondered Undine's words before slumping after realizing that I had all but convinced myself to stay. "The powers better be worth it."
"They are." Undine leaned forward to press a finger against his forehead. "For starters, you can have this. As a base, I shall offer you the capabilities to attain physical might without limit."
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System Checks complete.
Errors detected.
Errors ignored.
Proof of Existence Established.
Installing 'The Gamer' Patch Version 7.1
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A bright blue rectangle. It was highly stylized in a strange three-dimensional way, having strange lines of ones and zeroes flowing behind it in spite of the fact the rectangle itself was completely flat.
Ah, a Gamer ability. Well, I suppose that was somewhat reassuring. There'd be no shortage of walking EXP bags around at my destination.
"Along with that, I shall also be adjusting your existence to be that of..." Undine hummed as she seemed to think it over. "A One Piece character."
...what. Why One Piece specifically?
"After doing so, I shall be able to grant you three Devil Fruits." Undine continued. "No matter who, a person may only be able to retain three Devil Fruits within their body regardless of how much of a mutant they are, and even then must be of separate types. I shall grant you the opportunity to choose them yourself as well as remove their debilitating weakness to the seas."
Could she do that? Well, she was basically the reification of the sea itself within Berserk...
"...I see. So basically, I cant just choose the best of a particular type, huh." I muttered after wrapping my head around the idea. Thinking on it, Blackbeard had done the same, regarding the Tremor-Tremor Fruit(paramecia) and the Dark-Dark Fruit(logia). "I've got a few questions, though."
"Go ahead."
"From the manga, I always thought that for a group that's probably equal to the Godhand in terms of power, you guys barely interfered with them." I pointed out, remembering how their sole appearances were them having to be invoked into helping. "Are you allowed to be meddle so blatantly?"
"This is a loophole. As the Idea of Evil interferes with the wheels of fate, it wouldn't be wrong to utilize an individual mostly immune to their workings." Undine shrugged, which sent a small ripple across her watery body. "And if I am granting you immense powers for the sake of you completing a task for me, it is merely a contract between human and spirit as the witches do often."
"Oh?" I couldn't resist the smile that crossed my lips at that. "So we're fighting the ultimate cheaters with ultimate cheats of our own. Nice."
"Thank you." Undine bowed her head a little. "Now choose your Fruits."
The interface before me suddenly changed into three separate screens, each detailing all of the known Devil Fruits while helpfully tagging names upon them all. Still, to think that there were actually 12, 851 Devil Fruits in existence was crazy.
Well, first off. "My choice for Zoan is the Gum-Gum Fruit. Or more accurately, the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika."
Luffy's Fruit was easily the most familiar of all Fruits and on top of rendering me immune to most blunt forces, would grant me complete Freedom after achieving Awakening. Regardless of how difficult it would be, I knew that Awakening myself as Nika was a priority before facing a Godhand.
"Now for Paramecia... I'll take the Soul-Soul Fruit." Because I would never forget the fact that Griffith was capable of manipulating souls as he pleased. This Devil Fruit would remove the worry of him doing such a thing my own soul, let alone the souls of my probable allies. Plus, the Soul-Soul Fruit gave the user a strong boost to their own soul, which probably boosted their haki immensely. Every little boon counted.
And finally, for the third choice... Hmm...
"For Logia... I guess I'm going with the Gas-Gas Fruit." For all of Caesar's faults, he had managed to nearly kill post-timeskip Luffy with that Fruit while being a noncombatant. Plus, gas had zero natural counters beyond 'don't breathe it in' or 'get the fuck away from it'.
"You seem to have reached a satisfactory combination." Undine noted as the three screens blinked out after my choices, shrinking into orbs of light that sunk into my body.
"Yeah." I answered. "Would it be too much to hope that you could Awaken them for me?"
"Sorry, but no. Awakening is entirely on you." Undine shook her head. "Additionally, the same goes for Haki."
My teeth clicked as my mouth closed before I could even ask about Haki. At least, she implied that I'd be getting it regardless.
"Really, your choices surprise me." Undine snapped her fingers, water leaving her form to whirl around my feet. "Then again, they are well thought out."
"Is that sarcasm?"
"It is a compliment." Undine shook her head, the water beneath my feet beginning to glow. "Rather than immediately choosing the strongest ones available, you instead prioritized covering your weaknesses against the Godhand. I wish you fortune with your incarnation."
"Thanks, I guess." The glowing water began to hum loudly as the water surged upwards. "So what's my timetable? Should I aim to kill Femto as soon as I can? Or hinder his own incarnation?"
"Oh, you should not." Undine immediately asserted. "Many lives will be lost, but Femto's incarnation must not be tampered with. Along with the severe risk to your own existence, Femto is needed to bring about the World Shift, which in turn will grant all of the Godhand physical bodies. Physical bodies that can be killed. Please wait until afterwards to kill them."
"Ah, I guess that makes some sense." The Godhand were basically untouchable as long as their true forms resided in the Astral World. When the Mortal World and the Astral World merge, they would be fully manifested. "I'll have to wait, then."
"I'm counting on you... Ah, wait. What name will you go by in your new life?"
Ah, good point. I thought it through for a bit before grinning in spite of myself. "Joyboy."
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Customization Complete!
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STATUS
Name: Joyboy
Level: 6
EXP: 0/699
HP: 6,000/6,000
AP: 60/600
STR: 50(E)
VIT: 100(D)
AGI: 45(E)
INT: 74(E)
WIS: 77(E)
CHA: 37(E)
LUK: 201(B)
SP: 0
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"Well, then. Until our next encounter, Joyboy."
And then, I was promptly blinded and drowned.
"Get up, all of you!"
I flinched awake from the grating voice and the ringing of metal against cell bars. To think it'd been two years since that day...
Getting up and waiting for the guard to open my cell door, I walked out and joined the mesh of fellow slaves heading towards the hall for breakfast. Now that I thought about it, I wonder if it was time to finally leave.
A week after my incarnation, I'd gotten unfortunate enough to be captured as a slave and pushed forward for gladiator matches. Then after miraculously winning my first match, I'd come to a realization.
My Gamer ability never granted me quests, but would only show prompts that popped up whenever I did something worthwhile. This meant that not only would I not get quests that could potentially warn me of threats or alert me of any passing event I should be wary off, but also implied that I'd have to be actively farming for EXP myself.
Which lead to me deciding to stay as a gladiator. The more fights I won, the more assured I was to a steady supply of food and a place of rest, no matter how subpar. The more fights I won, the more fights they brought my way. The more fights I won, the more EXP I attained.
And so, it continued for two years. Which was kind of fitting, considering that Guts's offscreen rampage and the Straw Hats' training montage had also been as long.
And it really showed.
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STATUS
Name: Joyboy
Level: 24
EXP: 0/2,499
HP: 24,000/24,000
AP: 2,400/2,400
STR: 250(C)
VIT: 300(B)
AGI: 245(C)
INT: 150(D)
WIS: 270(C)
CHA: 137(D)
LUK: 208(B)
SP: 80
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From what I could ascertain, the leveling requirements of this world were immensely steep and frustrating, especially as I was the only one with a level to place myself at while others didn't.
No convenient [Observe] Skill for this Gamer, either...
"Joyboy, is this seat vacant?" Without even waiting for my reply, Luca took her seat opposite me. In her defense, this was an open table and she was the only one brave enough to sit so close to me. "I managed to see your fight yesterday. You were pretty amazing."
The fight she was talking about ended in a single strike from me. Then again, I had been cheating a lot since my arrival here. "...hey, Luca, where would you go?"
"Don't make me dream like that." Luca huffed with a pout, giving a sad glare to the manacles on both of their wrists. "People like us don't get to think like that."
"Just so you know, I have never planned on spending my whole life chained to this place." I replied after finishing up. "It's about time. Either you're unlucky enough to die or lucky enough to survive, I'll ensure that this week doesn't pass with you still being here."
Most people would have taken that the wrong way, but as a fellow slave... Luca just smirked. "Good luck with that."
"Finish your food immediately! The guests are already waiting upstairs!" A guard shouted soon after before heading towards us. "Joyboy, there's a match for you! Get prepared at once!"
I nodded before getting up, Luca trailing after me as we headed out.
"Hey, Joyboy...?" Luca fretted. "Don't die, okay?"
"I won't." I smiled back in eager bloodlust, which probably unnerved her as usual. Continuing upwards, the roar of the crowd soon reached my ears.
What kind of location 'this place' could easily be explained. This area was made specifically for the gathering of young men and women for entertainment, them being sexually ravaged or brutally murdered by others.
I in particular was slated for the second category as a 'gladiator'. But as I kept winning(with healthy amounts of cheating), I soon rose up in both Levels and popularity. Getting my manacles unlocked and grabbing a heavy metal staff as my usual weapon, I stepped out into the ring to face the challenger of the day.
"Now with an undefeated record of over 100 matches, please welcome the Jubilant Joyboy! With his opponent being the stalwart Archad!" The ringleader declared from his seat, two naked women flanking him with blank expressions. "Will Archad usurp Joyboy from his throne?! Or shall Joyboy merely add another notch to his long line of challengers?! Let's find out!"
Before me was a boy slightly younger than me, clearly nervous as he held up his sword and shield.
"Start!"
"OOOOOOOUUH!" Archad immediately charged forward, his movements easily telegraphed. It was almost pitiful.
Almost.
Sidestepping at just the right moment, I held out my staff for him to trip on and immediately brought it down on his neck the moment he fell.
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+960EXP!
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"That was so quick!"
"I never knew that weapons like that could be used so... cleanly."
I agreed with that last comment from the audience. Metal staffs were normally difficult to wield, considering their significant weight and length. But that was what made it perfect for me. A metal staff never needed to be maintained, could not be parried in a way that would disarm me and was unable to easily blocked.
I hit something or someone with the metal staff, and they unfailingly break 90% of the time.
Turning around to leave, I found myself stopped the two of the guards blocking my way with their spears. "Its not over yet."
Turning back, I stared as another man entered the ring, much older and clearly grieving. "I shall clear your dishonor with retaliation against against my enemy!"
...huh?
"Prepare for your death, you brute!" The man roared as he unsheathed his sword, his tears dripping into his gnashing teeth.
I cast a glance back at the dead boy before looking back at who was clearly his father or at least a family member. "Urgh, those bastards find this entertaining?"
Still, he was holding himself with far more composure than what I would've expected from a grieving father... which meant that this guy was probably a very experienced fighter.
"Former Knight Archibald has come! Burning with hatred, is there anyone who dares bet on his victory?!"
Knight, huh? I should've guessed so from his helmet. Raising up my staff, I slowly twirled it as we circled each other. If I could manage to strike him-
"START!"
I dodged back just in time from the thrust that would struck my chest, then another that went for my neck.
Retaliating with a deadly swipe, I managed to get Archibald to back off. But that still wasn't enough.
Looks like I needed to cheat again. Well, it's not like I was doing anything prideful in here anyways.
"Breathless." Muttering that command quietly, I charged forward and swung down upon Archibald, nearly forcing the man down to a knee. Undeterred, I spun about to let my staff strike him from the side, which the knight quickly dodged back from.
Not letting up as I could see him begin to pant, a third strike managed to send his shield flying away.
"You really are something. To be able to wield such a heavy weapon with such nimble movements..." Archibald gulped as his fingers shook, beginning to rasp for oxygen that I had been slowly stealing from him.
Leaping forward, I raised up my metal staff high and brought it down sharply on his shoulder, the wet crunch loudly echoing through the area as Archibald was unable to dodge quickly enough.
"AAAAARGH!" Archibald fell to his knees while clutching his broken side. If he'd been just a bit slower, I could've struck his head and lessened the pain immensely. Now he was unable to stop me when I picked up his dropped sword and swiftly decapitated him with it.
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+990EXP!
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"Once again, Joyboy is victorious!"
The gasps and cheers from the stands were feverish as I flung the sword aside and began walking away, this time unhindered by the guards. Walking deeper inside, I found myself halted by another guard calling for me.
"Oi, Joyboy! The master is calling for you! Come with me!"
Following after him, I soon found myself in the ringleader's office with a noblewoman there.
"This lady here is Baroness Amelia. Introduce yourself." The ringleader ordered.
"...I'm Joyboy." I stated bluntly.
"I saw your match a while ago." Amelia chuckled. "You're quite strong, but I wonder just how many you've fooled by pretending."
"Pretending?" I questioned. Did she notice the effects of my Gas-Gas powers?
"No matter. I can clarify it myself tonight." Amelia approached me and ran her fingers all over my muscles, unbothered by the grime and sweat. "What impressive muscles you have..."
"Thanks, I guess..." Urgh, after all of my efforts to keep my CHA as low as possible, this had finally happened. At least it was an ugly old man.
"Excuse me, Madam Amelia, but before you play with this guy, can we discuss his price, first?" The ringleader spoke up, smirking with blatant greed.
Yeah... no. Reaching forward to grab Amelia's face and block her from breathing, I made my move. "K.O.."
The required gas immediately burst out from my body and quickly filled the room, the guards barely having time to shout before they immediately collapsed.
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+900EXP!
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You have Leveled Up!
Level Up: 24 → 25
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+900EXP!
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+600EXP!
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"Now, then..." Turning my gaze back towards Amelia, she made a lovely shriek as I ripped up the upper half of her dress.
"Wh-What do you think you're doing?!" Amelia struggled in my grasp, futilely kicking against me. "Do you think a mere slave like yourself can get away with this?!"
"Pretty much." I enjoyed how her full breasts heaved under my gaze, the woman struck still in terrified lust as I ripped off the sole garment on me to expose my throbbing cock. Turning her about and against a table, Amelia gasped as her cheek smooshed onto the flat surface while I kicked her legs apart.
"N-No! Get off me!"
Sucking on my fingers to wet them, I shoved them into her pussy with no warning while allowing aphrodisiac gas to fill the room as Amelia cried and twisted from the intrusion. Soon enough, she was wet enough that my pumping fingers was soon causing her to release desperate moans from my actions.
Without further ado, I quickly removed my fingers and replaced them with my cock, delivering a hard thrust that penetrated deeply. Grunting as the wet tightness as Amelia moaned beneath me, my hands gripped her hips before pulling back and plunging back into her. Her gyrations picked up pace with each stroke until I was slamming into her ravenously and at full speed.
"Pull it out~! Pull it out at once~!" Gripping the table for dear life, Amelia moaned and whimpered incessantly from pain or pleasure. At this point, I had no care to tell the difference. As attractive as she was, she'd come here to buy me. And there was no such thing as a happy slave, not this world. "I will never forgive you for this humiliation~!"
"Do I seem like someone who cares about your opinion?" I grabbed her throat with one hand and groped one of her swaying breasts with another, squeezing with both hands as I pulled her body up against my chest.
Amelia's breathing was strained now, but I ignored it to keep thrusting into her. Soon enough, I managed to finally reach my peak, filling her depths with hot fluid. My thrusting slowed to a lull as I sought to squeeze out every drop of cum into her, letting her fall forward once I was satisfied.
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+600EXP!
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+6,000EXP!
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You have Leveled Up!
Level Up: 25 → 28
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I stared at that last one in shock. What had I done to gain such an insane EXP boost?! Was it the sex? Sure, she was my first ever lay in this world, but there was probably something else to it.
Turning about from the shuddering woman as my seed leaked out of her, I turned around to regard the room and noted all the useful stuff around. After undressing a guard to take their clothes, I robbed the place blind of every coin I could find before finally leaving the room.
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+900 Gold, 200 Silver, 86 Copper
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"Let's see, which way's the exit?" My pace slowed as a series of grunts reached my ears. Coming up towards the halls, everyone seemed to be in the midst of sexual debauchery. "Ah, I forgot to turn down the aphrodisiac gas."
And it showed. There were only seven of them in immediate sight, but all of them were deep into sexual activity. Two of the guards had a prostitute between them, thrusting wildly into her while she moaned in their arms. Sitting atop the table was another guard with his partner raising and lowering herself on his cock while he fondled her breasts. Finally, a man had a woman directly on the floor, his hips feverishly moving against her spread thighs.
Would they even notice me just walking past them? Doing just that proved that they didn't. Walking deeper into the cells, I wasn't that surprised to see that some of the gladiators had begun to fuck each other despite homosexuality being only 'permitted' for exceptionally handsome men.
(The sole reason why, as a man with apparently rare red hair, had utterly refused to manually add even a single point into my CHA.)
Using my strength to crush and rip apart the padlocks in my grips, it wasn't long before the area was full of slave men rushing ahead of me, their desire for potential freedom actually dowsing their sexual desire and suspicion of what my appearance in guard apparel implied.
Striding at my own pace, I headed towards where I suspected the carriages where. The further I went, the more the chaos seemed to be spreading across the city. I guess that this place had always been a powder keg waiting to blow, with my earlier actions being the spark that set it ablaze.
A woman suddenly fell out a high window, nearly smashing her head into the ground if not for me catching her. Then I realized I knew her. "Hey, Luca."
"Joyboy..." Luca murmured as I helped her stand upright, the flush on her cheeks and the smell of her breath clueing me on what she'd been doing prior. "What happened to the city?"
"Well, I killed our slavemaster and incited a riot." Slapping a pouch of gold into her hands, I relished how stunned she was at the surprising weight. Then the astonishment only grew further when I carefully ripped apart the manacles on her wrists with haki, having already gotten rid of mine a long while ago thanks to lots of hidden practice. "You're now free just like every other slave back there. Take this gold and leave the city while you can."
"Wh-What about you?" Luca stammered.
"I'll be fine, just like you'll be." Waving her off, I snagged onto a passing horse that was wildly charging without a rider, finding myself laughing at her dropped jaw. "Try to be a little more positive, okay?! There's too much negativity in the world already!"
Luca kept up her surprised expression, but at least she waved back to me as we slowly vanished from each other's sight.
STATUS
Name: Joyboy
Level: 28
EXP: 354/2,899
HP: 24,000/24,000
AP: 2,400/2,400
STR: 250(C)
VIT: 300(B)
AGI: 245(C)
INT: 150(D)
WIS: 270(C)
CHA: 137(D)
LUK: 208(B)
SP: 80
KingVessel: Well, lets see how this gets taken.