Erik and Alfred explored the hideout, from the surface-level ruins to the floating fortress above—Castle of Dark Illusions. Amid the chaos of the recent battle, Erik hadn't had the chance to examine the castle's full condition until now.
Erik stepped through the grand archway, the heavy doors closing behind him with a low, echoing thud. Torch sconces along the walls flared to life at his approach, casting dancing shadows across polished stone floors. The air inside the castle was cool and carried a faint hum of arcane energy.
He advanced down a wide corridor whose vaulted ceiling soared into darkness. Along its length, massive tapestries depicted epic battles—knights astride dragons, sorcerers commanding storms, and floating fortresses not unlike his own. Erik ran a fingertip over one tapestry's embroidered clouds, marveling at the craftsmanship.
This place… it's alive with magic.
After touring the floating structure, Erik muttered to himself, Damn, this place is huge. Castle of Dark Illusions might look ominous, but it solved one of his biggest problems—housing.
Compared to the makeshift storage shack he had stayed in before, this was a palace. The rooms were vast, the halls grand. Erik could finally sleep like a king.
I'll ask Alfred to buy some supplies to modernize this place.
He let Alfred pick a room for himself and rest. The monsters roamed the halls freely, finally having a home that could accommodate their presence.
Once they parted, Erik stepped into a spacious chamber—a room lined with bookshelves, a massive oak desk, and a high-backed chair facing a large window. Dust-free shelves suggested the castle maintained itself through magic. This was perfect for planning future moves.
Now, at last, Erik had time to access the system.
"System, open notifications."
DING!
Mission Complete!
You escaped from a group of slave hunters. Unbeknownst to you, they were part of The Hound Pets. That group has now been eliminated.
Objective: Eliminate all members of The Hound Pets
Reward:
Daily Token +3
Pharaoh's Servant Pack
Labyrinth of Nightmare Pack
Legacy of Darkness Pack
Claim reward? Y/N
"Accept reward."
DING!
Name: Erik
Level: Civilian
Talent: Pack Opener
Available Packs:
The Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon
Metal Riders
Magic Ruler
Pharaoh's Servant
Labyrinth of Nightmare
Legacy of Darkness
Daily Pack Tokens: 6
Available Tokens: 3
New packs meant new cards, and new cards meant new strategies. Erik opened the list of cards from the Pharaoh's Servant pack.
"These… these are exactly what I need. If you're living in the One Piece world, you have to sail the sea!"
He scrolled through the list, his eyes lighting up at what he saw. While the cards weren't particularly powerful in combat, their utility in this world was something else entirely.
Gradius — a high-speed jet fighter armed with futuristic weaponry. Perfect for aerial travel.
Oni Tank T-34 and Overdrive — armored vehicles built for land traversal. Ground mobility? Handled.
Skull Mariner — a ghostly pirate ship emerging from mist to strike from the shadows. "This ghostly vessel… could it be my flagship? My gateway to the Sea?".
Other utility cards caught his attention too:
Gravity Bind and Earthshaker — abilities mimicking the powers of Admiral Fujitora's gravity fruit and Whitebeard's quake fruit.
DNA Surgery — could this card allow him to alter biology? Maybe even grant the physical traits of a giant?
And among the monsters: Buster Blader, The Legendary Fisherman, and Sword Hunter—all powerful and versatile in different ways.
He moved on.
"Show me the card list for Labyrinth of Nightmare."
Not many stood out, though The Masked Beast intrigued him. It was a ritual monster, and the Spirit Message – DEATH cards gave him pause. What would happen if I summoned that in this world?
Next:
"Show me the card list for Legacy of Darkness."
He skimmed it quickly. Dark Ruler Ha Des and Tyrant Dragon were strong, but the concept of Spirit Monsters returning to the hand after a turn didn't translate well to the real world. Erik was skeptical.
"I'll use the three new tokens I earned tonight."
"System, open three Pharaoh's Servant packs."
A wide selection of monsters and spell cards spilled onto the virtual table.
Mr. Volcano—stronger than Fireyarou. Erik smirked. "Looks like I've found my new fire magic mentor."
Other highlights:
Sky Scout with its unmatched aerial speed
Spikebot, a power-packed combat robot
Invitation to a Dark Sleep, which could instantly render an enemy unconscious
Bombardment Beetle, capable of carrying explosives
And a curious spell: World Suppression. Erik made a mental note to test it.
Finally, on the third pack—Gradius.
"I got it! I'll take it for a spin later."
The full list of acquired cards was as follow,
Acquired Cards: Invitation to a Dark Sleep x1, Bite Shoes x2, 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom x1, Bombardment Beetle x2, Dark Bat x1, Souls of the Forgotten x1, Mr. Volcano x1, Darkfire Soldier #2 x1, Sky Scout x1, Girochin Kuwagata x1, Spikebot x1, Gradius x1, Insect Imitation x1, Driving Snow x2, World Suppression x2, Major Riot x1, Mystic Probe x1, Solomon's Lawbook x1, Enchanted Javelin x1, Prohibition (Rare) x1, Morphing Jar #2 (Rare) x1, Monster Recovery (Rare) x1, Graverobber (Super Rare) x1.
The pack opening was a success. With new monsters and vehicles added to his arsenal, Erik's forces grew stronger—and now, he had real mobility.
The exhaustion finally caught up to him. The tension from battle lifted, and Erik felt it in every bone. He made his way to the master bedroom, a chamber the monsters had prepared in advance. Fit for royalty.
He fell into the plush mattress, the softness wrapping around him like a warm embrace.
Sleep took him quickly.
DING!
Name: Erik
Level: Athlete
Talent: Pack Opener
Available Packs:
The Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon
Metal Riders
Magic Ruler
Pharaoh's Servant
Labyrinth of Nightmare
Legacy of Darkness
Daily Pack Tokens: 6
Available Tokens: 6
"Open three packs of The Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon."
Opening...
Vile Germs x1, Laser Cannon Armor x1, Yami x1, Masaki the Legendary Swordsman x2, Green Phantom King x1, Sand Stone x1, Nemuriko x1, One-Eyed Shield Dragon x1, Silver Fang x1, Hard Armor x1, Kagemusha of the Blue Flame x1, Tripwire Beast x1, Petit Angel x1, Terra the Terrible x2, Ray & Temperature x1, Meda Bat x1, Armaill x1, Dark King of the Abyss x1, Beaver Warrior x1, Flame Manipulator x1, Firegrass x1, Dragon Capture Jar (Rare) x1, Giant Soldier of Stone (Rare) x1, Aqua Madoor (Rare) x1, Left Arm of the Forbidden One (Ultra Rare) x1.
"Wait… am I seeing this right?"
One of the five pieces of Exodia. The Left Arm. Useless alone… but if all five were summoned...
Could this world even handle that kind of power?
"I only need four more."
The rest of the cards had their uses—Giant Soldier of Stone and Aqua Madoor for their defensive might.
"System, open three more Pharaoh's Servant packs."
Opening...
Burning Land x1, Minor Goblin Official x1, Type Zero Magic Crusher x1, The Regulation of Tribe x1, DNA Surgery x1, Kiseitai x1, Bubonic Vermin x1, Bite Shoes x1, Bombardment Beetle x1, Science Soldier x1, Steel Ogre Grotto #2 x1, Dokuroyaiba x1, Oni Tank T-34 x1, Flying Kamakiri #2 x1, Overdrive x1, Rain of Mercy x1, Driving Snow x2, World Suppression x2, Numinous Healer x1, Solomon's Lawbook x1, Mystic Probe x1, Gravity Bind (Rare) x1, Hayabusa Knight (Rare) x1, Mad Sword Beast (Rare) x1, Graverobber (Super Rare) x1.
Erik grinned. His luck held.
"Two ground transports— Overdrive and Oni Tank T-34 perfect. I just need Skull Mariner, and I'll have land, sea, and air covered."
Erik paused. He blinked and leaned closer to the floating holo–menu. "DNA Surgery?" he murmured. A spell that can rewrite the very blueprint of life…
"It literally alters an organism's DNA—granting it new type." He tapped his temple thoughtfully. "Imagine if I used this on a human… or a fish-man… or even on myself."
A thrill of possibility surged through him. With this, I could give someone the strength of a giant… or the speed of a cheetah… or the resilience of a turtle. He pictured towering giants striding across Sabaody, or a single man bearing the strength of ten.
"I need to find all the races in this world" the temptation of having the strength of giant sure is unavoidable.
Erik pocketed the card, still weighing its possibilities—but for now, he had a more pressing dream to realize.
Erik stepped into the open clearing before the castle, the heavy mist of Castle of Dark Illusions swirling at his feet. His fingers trembled slightly as he held the Gradius card against the morning sun.
All my life, I wanted this—a chance to pilot a jet. And here I am, in One Piece, about to make it real.
He took a steadying breath, heart hammering in his chest. "System… Activate Gradius."
A shaft of brilliant white light stabbed upward, momentarily blinding him. When his vision cleared, a sleek, silver jet hovered where he'd been standing. Its wings extended with a soft click, panel lines glowing faintly with magical energy. The ground trembled under its weight.
Erik's breath caught. Every childhood fantasy—the roar of engines, the freedom of the skies—surged through him in a single electrifying moment.
Climbing up the jet's retractable ladder, he felt the metal's warmth against his boots. The cockpit canopy hissed open, revealing a dashboard of glowing runes and futuristic gauges. He slid into the pilot's seat, the molded controls settling instinctively beneath his hands.
This is unreal… He pressed a finger to the throttle. "Let's see how you handle, Gradius."
With a soft whine, the engines awakened. A low hum rippled through the air, growing into a steady roar that set his blood alight. The castle walls shuddered as the jet's aura pulsed.
Erik grinned, adrenaline flooding every nerve. I'm flying.
He guided the stick forward. The jet surged, skimming just above the ground before lifting into the night sky. The world below—a tapestry of flickering torches and churning sea—opened up in a breathtaking panorama.
"Woohoo!" he shouted, laughter carried away by the wind. "I'm really flying!"
As Gradius climbed higher, Erik felt a mix of triumph and awe. He had weapons, vehicles, and now the very skies at his command. Yet beneath that exhilaration lay a quiet determination: to use this power with purpose, not recklessness.
Tomorrow we sail the seas. But tonight… tonight I fly.
The jet banked gently, its silver form cutting through the mist, a new chapter of Erik's journey taking wing under the moonlit sky.