4. System: Those Years When I Was Fleet Admiral!
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In the Marine office.
"Akira, are you telling the truth?"
"The World Government already knows? Are you lying to me?"
Akira had just walked in when Garp, who had been waiting impatiently, rushed forward with an urgent expression.
"Mr. Garp, I know you're in a hurry, but please calm down."
Akira first felt relieved, then closed the door.
After ensuring the conversation wouldn't be overheard, he sat down in a chair, crossed his fingers, rested his chin on them, and spoke slowly:
"First of all, I don't need to lie about something that can be confirmed with a quick trip."
"Secondly, you're aware that the CP agents have terrifying intelligence-gathering skills."
"I know everything, so do you think they wouldn't have a clue?"
"You know, where there's smoke, there's fire."
This statement silenced Garp.
"Finally, whether I'm telling the truth or not, I think you should act quickly."
"Otherwise, Portgas D. Rouge, who's still in Baterilla in the South Blue, and the child she's carrying, may not be safe."
"If the CP agents have already identified the location, even if they can't find the specific target, they might round up all the pregnant women on the island."
Garp clenched his fists when he heard this.
He walked silently to the door and opened it.
As he was about to leave, he remembered something and turned back to look at Akira.
"By the way, what task do you want to give me?"
"This!" Akira pulled out an Eternal Pose and a piece of paper with a phone number from his pocket and tossed them over.
"This is the Eternal Pose to Sleeping Ancient Town. I need you to go there and find a Devil Fruit I'm interested in."
"The phone number belongs to a renowned archaeologist. I need her expertise in deciphering the relic documents in the town."
Garp nodded, pocketed the items, and quickly left.
From beginning to end, he never asked how Akira knew about Roger's widow.
Was it necessary to ask?
No, not at all.
Now that the news was out, digging further was pointless.
Besides, he stood to gain from this situation.
...
Standing by the window overlooking the port, Akira's tense body finally relaxed after confirming that Garp had led his dog-headed warship away.
"Mythical Zoan Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire."
Sitting back in the chair, Akira couldn't help but smile.
Since deciding to eat a Devil Fruit to strengthen himself six years ago, he had been recalling information about various fruits.
Using his knowledge of the original story, he had noted down all the Devil Fruits that were worth the risk and potentially attainable.
He visited the deserted Sixis Island in the East Blue, where Ace would later find the Flame-Flame Fruit.
But unfortunately, after searching for three days and nights, he found nothing.
He also took the risk of landing on Sky Island, intending to obtain the Rumble-Rumble Fruit before Enel could.
But in the vast sky territory, searching for Birka, Enel's hometown, was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Helpless, he had to give up.
After much deliberation and eliminating the Logia types, the only Devil Fruit that stood out in terms of cost-effectiveness was a Zoan.
So, he chose this Devil Fruit.
After becoming a Vice Admiral, he leveraged his rank and berries to finally obtain the Eternal Pose to Sleeping Ancient Town, and at the same time, he reached out to a scholar who could decipher Poneglyphs.
This Devil Fruit was unique—it was well hidden, and to access it, one needed to interpret the relics outside to enter a secret chamber.
Six months ago, he had prepared everything and was about to set sail for the New World on a warship.
But unfortunately...
He was forced to turn back.
To be precise, less than two hours after setting sail, they encountered a vicious and unknown pirate ship and were chased all the way back to the Red Line.
That place was no sanctuary for the weak.
After returning, Akira realized he couldn't do it alone. So, he planned to use the information that "the World Government knows the whereabouts of Rouge and Ace" as leverage to persuade Garp to escort him to Sleeping Ancient Town in the New World.
But now that he had become the acting Fleet Admiral, he couldn't leave as he pleased.
But that didn't matter!
Though Garp often seemed unreliable, that was merely on the surface. Once he got serious, no task was beyond him.
And right now, in these seas, who could stop him at his peak?
The coveted Mythical Zoan fruit was as good as his!
"The issue of strength is settled. Now, I need to figure out how to deal with those who only recognize Sengoku and not me."
Recalling everything that happened in the admiral's office earlier, the smile on Akira's face faded.
Wasn't his current situation similar to that of an ancient emperor being undermined by his own court?
The high-ranking officers and generals were disobedient, and Sengoku, who once commanded their respect, was now his rival. It seemed they hoped he would concede defeat and step aside.
Isolated!
Enemies were everywhere!
"Difficult, very difficult!"
Akira sighed, feeling a severe headache and a sense of helplessness.
In this scenario, even the most brilliant strategies would be of little use.
Fortunately, he wasn't the type to give up easily. If he were, he'd probably already be thinking about how to escape.
At that moment, a voice only he could hear echoed in his mind.
Ding.
Akira rubbed his temples, puzzled.
He opened his eyes, wondering, "Was that just my imagination?"
The next second, he heard:
[Congratulations, Host, you have met the activation conditions. ]
[The system "Those Years I Was Fleet Admiral" has been loaded. ]
Wow.
Akira jumped to his feet in shock.
After six years, the cheat had finally arrived.
After a moment of elation, he regained his composure.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around to disturb him, Akira focused inward and began to study the system carefully.
Two hours later, he fully understood it.
...
System Name: Those Years I Was Fleet Admiral.
Activation Condition: "Possess the title of Fleet Admiral" or "Hold the true power of the Fleet Admiral."
Loading Time: 24 hours.
The function of this system was simple and straightforward.
If one had to describe it, it would be more appropriate to call it a "diary system." It didn't involve any tasks or collection modes.
It simply recorded everything Akira did, said, and accomplished after becoming the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, and rewarded him with "experience points."
The system Akira found himself interacting with resembled a diary that diligent people often keep. The first page displayed a basic status report:
---
Host: Akira
Age: 29
Physique: Normal (0/100)
Abilities: Gun Master, Rokushiki - Iron Body
Experience Points: 1700
---
As Akira stared at the crude interface, he couldn't help but feel his cheeks flush with embarrassment.
The struggles of a true traveler.
The physique stat didn't need much explanation. Not taking any enhancement drugs, being a non-native of this world, and lacking a rigorous exercise regimen since childhood had severely limited his growth potential.
His Gun Mastery was the result of firing countless bullets over the past six years after becoming a Vice Admiral. Then there was Iron Body—a technique that, while strong, left him immobilized after use, and in one unfortunate incident, he had been knocked out while using it, with Garp's "help." The aftermath? Three full months in the hospital.
Why!
Akira quickly flipped to the second page, eager to move on:
---
The Diary of "Akira"
The task is risky, so be careful when completing it.
I, Akira! Came to this world to do three things:
1.Make Im kneel and sing "Conquer!" (Rewards upon completion)
2. Rebuke the Five Elders face-to-face: "What do you mean, 'face'? Stop spouting nonsense, you five old fools!" and make them so enraged that they dare not attack in person. (Rewards upon completion)
3. Lead all Marines to completely end the Great Pirate Era. (Rewards upon completion)
---
Good! Energetic!
The goals were clear and unmistakable—these three were obviously the ultimate missions. Once completed, he would likely be invincible.
From a logical perspective, the third mission seemed the most achievable first. But since he was only the "acting Fleet Admiral," with his position still precarious, aiming too high could be unwise.
Continuing, Akira turned to the third page:
---
Sea Circle Calendar, 1500
Roger's body had been cold for just a month.
Kong, the Fleet Admiral at the time, was overwhelmed by Patrick Redfield and was ready to step down.
The Host was ordered to take over this chaotic era alone.
The system was successfully activated and began recording…
1. Admiral Sengoku, who had been preparing for the position of Fleet Admiral for years, strongly opposed it. The Host successfully reached an "unspeakable" agreement with him, temporarily securing the position of Fleet Admiral for 2 months—this action helped with mission 3, earning 100 experience points.
2. The Host stayed up all night making a series of plans, but they were all useless—no rewards!
3. After becoming Fleet Admiral, the first order the Host gave was to ask the "Marine Hero" Garp to find a powerful Devil Fruit for himself—power is essential no matter the time or place. This action helped with missions 1, 2, and 3, rewarding 1600 experience points.
---
"The individual rewards for Missions 1 and 2 seem to be much higher than for Mission 3."
"Also, the conditions for earning rewards are all initiated by me."
"In other words, as long as everything I do and every decision I make contributes to the 'ultimate three missions,' I'll earn experience points."
Akira's eyes flickered slightly as he absorbed the information on the last page.
His mind was quick to grasp the nuances. Although only four pieces of information appeared on the third page, there were many implications. However, not every decision would yield a reward—only those that mattered. For example, the plan he devised last night, which ended up being unusable, didn't grant any points.
"Experience points are used to enhance my strength, making it easier to accomplish the ultimate three missions."
"Good system, let's give it a try."
Akira returned to the status page and clicked on the physique stat.
---
Ding! Do you want to spend 100 experience points to upgrade to elite level?
---
"Yes!"
As soon as he confirmed, a cool, refreshing sensation coursed through his body. The clear stream started from his heart and spread to his limbs, like a gentle river flowing through him.
Akira suddenly felt revitalized, as if he had boundless strength. Even his nearsightedness, caused by years of pouring over books, was miraculously cured.
And perhaps it was just an illusion, but after that cool flow warmed his entire body, Akira felt as if something inside him had broken free, and his mind became crystal clear.
If he had to describe it, it felt like…
A bird that had been trapped in a cage for six years suddenly realized that the cage was gone, and it could now soar freely through the entire forest.
This sensation was intoxicating, something Akira found himself lost in.
Half an hour later...
---
Ding, your physique has been upgraded to elite level.
---
"Huh? Is that it?"
Akira snapped back to reality, raising his palm to examine it closely.
But his slender fingers looked the same as before, without any noticeable change.
He pondered for a moment, then clenched his fist and aimed it at the desk in front of him, delivering a powerful punch.
This was no ordinary desk—it was the Fleet Admiral's desk, crafted from the most famous and precious wood in the sea, known for its incredible hardness.
Akira had tested it before, and when he punched it back then, it felt like hitting solid rock; his fist had almost broken from the impact.
But this time, it was different.
With a loud bang, Akira's fist went straight through the desk.
He didn't even feel any pain in his fist.
Staring at the scene before him, Akira was momentarily breathless.
Completely on instinct, he returned to the system and tapped on the "Physique" stat again.
---
Ding, do you want to spend 1000 experience points to upgrade to monster level?
---
Akira swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he answered:
"Yes!"
The experience points in his system rapidly dwindled.
His heartbeat suddenly paused, and Akira's pupils dilated as a large amount of steam erupted from his body.
"Hiss... Oh, oh... Ah~~~ This is amazing!"
"Y-yaba, o-one more... Ahhh~~~"
In the hallway outside.
A tall, striking woman in a pink dress slowly approached the door.
Just as she was about to raise her hand to knock and report in, she heard something from inside the Fleet Admiral's office—noises that would make anyone blush.
The extremely beautiful woman froze in place, stunned.
But then, as she regained her senses, she quickly realized what she might have imagined, and her delicate face turned as red as the sunset. Without a word, she quickly used Soru to disappear from the spot, embarrassed and flustered.