4.The Pain and The GAIN
Aaron chuckled, the bitter taste of his life not even close to dampening his amusement.
"Alright, alright, let's see what kind of luck I'm gonna get here... My first pull, huh?" His voice echoed in the void of his mind, more casual than ever, like he was choosing a snack. "Please, I could use something big... Something legendary. Hell, transcendental would be nice. Who's got time for regular stuff?"
The system responded in its robotic, emotionless tone, but there was something almost playful in the way it replied.
> "Gacha Protocol Initialized. Performing first pull…"
Aaron leaned back, eyes closed, pretending to be the very picture of chill, despite the blood pooling around him. "Fingers crossed, but no pressure, system. First pull's a big one, I know it."
> "Pulling... Transcendental-tier confirmed."
A glowing golden light flared in his mind's eye, and a voice echoed through the chaos of his thoughts.
> "Congratulations! You've received a transcendental pull."
Aaron blinked. His brows shot up, and he stared at the words floating in his mind.
"Wait. Transcendental? Is that like—super mega legendary or something?"
The system didn't exactly answer, but the information flooded in, and as the template unraveled in front of him, Aaron's smirk grew wider. What he saw was ridiculous.
[Peak Garp Template Acquired]
Skill: Monstrous Strength
The raw, unrelenting power of the Fist of the Sea flows through your veins, granting you the ability to overpower nearly any opponent with ease.
Effect: You gain immense physical strength, allowing you to lift, crush, and shatter objects and enemies with ease. Your punches can break through the toughest of defenses, and your physical might is unmatched.
Additional Benefit: You can carry heavy objects effortlessly, and your strength allows you to perform feats of power that others can only dream of.
---
Skill: Invincible Body
Your body has been forged through the harshest training, making you incredibly resilient. The brutal training that made Garp a legend has been passed down to you.
Effect: Your body is near invulnerable, able to endure and recover from injuries that would cripple ordinary beings. You heal rapidly and are resistant to both physical and magical attacks.
Additional Benefit: You can resist fatigue and stress far beyond normal human limits, allowing you to keep fighting even when others would collapse from exhaustion.
---
Skill: Observation Haki
Through years of battle experience, you have unlocked the ability to sense the intentions, emotions, and actions of others, giving you the upper hand in combat.
Effect: Your awareness is heightened to superhuman levels. You can predict and anticipate an opponent's movements before they make them, making it easier to dodge or counter their attacks.
Additional Benefit: You can sense the emotional states of others, allowing you to gauge their motivations and weaknesses in both battle and conversation.
---
Skill: Armament Haki
Your willpower manifests as an invisible armor that makes your body and attacks nearly indestructible, empowering you to fight on equal footing with the strongest opponents.
Effect: Coat yourself in a powerful, invisible armor that can harden your skin and attacks. Your strikes are enhanced, able to break through even the toughest defenses.
Additional Benefit: You can reinforce objects you hold with this haki, turning them into weapons of destruction, and even use it to block attacks that would otherwise pierce your body.
---
Skill: Conqueror's Haki
The ultimate manifestation of willpower. Your presence alone can overwhelm weaker minds, forcing them to submit or even faint from the sheer pressure of your spirit.
Effect: Your mere presence causes a ripple in the surroundings, putting immense pressure on enemies. Those with weaker wills will be incapacitated or forced to bend to your will.
Additional Benefit: As your resolve strengthens, you can wield this haki with greater precision, turning it into an even more potent weapon against large groups or powerful opponents.
---
Skill: Endurance Beyond Limits
Your body is a temple of endurance, honed by years of harsh training. Fatigue, pain, and exhaustion are nothing to you.
Effect: Your stamina is nearly endless, allowing you to fight continuously without tiring. You can push through physical and mental fatigue at an unparalleled rate.
Additional Benefit: You are immune to stamina-draining effects and can keep moving while others fall behind.
---
Skill: Unshakable Spirit
Your will is as strong as steel, impervious to fear, doubt, and despair. You push through adversity with ease, your determination unwavering.
Effect: You gain immunity to fear, confusion, and other mental effects that would otherwise hinder you. No amount of pressure or despair can shake your resolve.
Additional Benefit: Your unyielding spirit enhances the morale of your allies, making them fight harder and longer in the face of danger.
---
Skill: Brawler's Instinct
Years of unrefined, brutal combat have honed your instincts to a razor-sharp edge. You fight unpredictably, relying on raw power and clever tactics to overpower your opponents.
Effect: You can adapt your fighting style to any situation. Whether in close quarters or against multiple opponents, your reflexes and unpredictable movements allow you to stay one step ahead.
Additional Benefit: Your unorthodox fighting style makes it harder for enemies to predict your next move, allowing you to catch them off guard and land decisive blows.
---
Skill: Garp's Fist
A legendary technique passed down through the ages, Garp's Fist channels all your strength into a single, devastating punch that can level cities and break mountains.
Effect: Unleash a massive punch that creates shockwaves capable of destroying anything in its path. The force of your punch can break through nearly any defense, and the impact creates a shockwave that decimates enemies around you.
Additional Benefit: The punch can be charged for added damage, and enemies within a certain radius will feel the aftershock of the attack.
---
Skill: Hero's Resolve
Your battle spirit is awakened when the odds are stacked against you. The greater the challenge, the stronger you become, turning the tide of battle in your favor.
Effect: When facing overwhelming odds, your power and speed are enhanced significantly, and you become harder to defeat. The stronger the enemy, the more formidable you become.
Additional Benefit: The Hero's Resolve grants you the ability to inspire allies, granting them a temporary boost in power and morale when they are in dire straits.
-----
Aaron:
"…I can punch people into the afterlife now… LITERALLY?"
He spins around in the void, arms wide like he's just been reborn into a dream.
Aaron:
"Wait, wait. Hold up. You're telling me I, a humble former assassin—deadliest in the world, mind you—am now a goddamn one-man apocalypse? And I haven't even started squatting buildings for warm-ups yet?!"
He clenches his fist, and a ripple of haki surges out, cracking the ground in his mindscape.
Aaron (grinning like a madman):
"This… This is beyond broken. Garp trained by throwing cannonballs like dodgeballs, and now I can casually recreate continental drift with my fists!"
He pauses, looks down at himself.
Aaron:
"And look at me! I feel like if a train hit me, the train would need therapy."
He stretches, lets out a satisfied sigh, then—
Aaron (mock serious):
"I used to kill with precision, from the shadows, a ghost in the night. But now?"
He smirks, punching into his palm with a loud BOOM.
Aaron:
"Now I kill with loud-ass declarations, craters, and emotional damage."
He turns to the System, eyes gleaming.
Aaron:
"Oi, Gacha Goblin—this the kind of luck I get for dying spectacularly? 'Cause if so, kill me again, I'm ready for Round 2!"
System:
"…Processing request: 'Kill me again.' Error. Fatality quota already met."
Aaron:
"Tch, figures. Anyway___!
But there was no time to waste. The sword that had been hovering above him, just moments from descending, was now suspended in the air, as if time had bent to his will. Aaron's new senses scanned the room, calculating the trajectory of the blade and the fate of the statues surrounding him. He already knew how this was going to play out.
His eyes gleamed with the fierce determination that had once defined him in his previous life. This was his world now. And as the first act of his new story unfolded, Aaron had no intention of letting it be anything less than legendary.
With a deep breath, Aaron raised his hand and focused all the will he had, tapping into the full scope of his newly acquired Conqueror's Haki. His surroundings pulsed as if responding to his intent.
The air itself seemed to vibrate with his pressure, crackling and trembling. Then, with a roar that shook the dungeon's foundations, the power of Armament Haki burst from his body, coating his entire frame in dark, hardened armor.
With a single motion, Aaron deflected the sword aimed at him, sending the statue's blade flying into the walls with ease. He grinned like a predator scenting its prey.
Before anything,Aaron's body throbbed with agony.
His left arm hung limp by his side, shattered just below the elbow. His right leg was barely holding together, twisted at an unnatural angle. The pain was overwhelming, yet Aaron's smile didn't waver.
"Well, this is inconvenient," he muttered, his voice rough as he fought to steady his breath.
His body ached, bones grinding against each other with every movement. But his mind? It was clear, focused. He had survived much worse. This was just another test. He could feel the strength pulsing within him, even if his body wasn't fully up to the task.
> "System, get me a damn heal or something," Aaron muttered through gritted teeth.
The system's voice was eerily calm, almost amused.
> "Warning: Vital signs critical. Healing unavailable. Requesting immediate action."
Aaron rolled his neck, wincing, and gave a low chuckle. "Heh, not even a healing potion, huh? Fine. I'll have to improvise."
The statues closed in.
A massive gauntlet statue advanced first, raising its fist as if to finish the job. Aaron's legs wobbled beneath him, but his mind was sharp. He saw the movement, the weight of the strike, and he could almost hear the sound of bone snapping before it happened.
He couldn't dodge.
Instead, he did the only thing he could—he threw his weight forward, staggering toward the gauntlet. With his right arm, he reached out—an effort that felt like trying to lift an entire building with a broken back. But his Haki flared again—desperately, fiercely.
The gauntlet slammed into his ribs.
Pain. A horrible, grinding pain. His body was driven into the stone floor, creating a crater beneath him. Blood spat from his mouth, splattering the ground.
"Good hit," Aaron coughed, forcing himself up, despite everything screaming inside his head. "But you forgot one thing."
The statue's chest was wide open, its center a vulnerable target.
With what little strength he had, Aaron grinned. He was too far gone to care about his own suffering. This fight? It was his. And he was the storm.
He pushed his broken arm forward, haki coating his hand, and punched.
The ground cracked beneath him, the force of the blow causing an audible crack as the statue's chest exploded into fragments. It staggered back, a massive hole carved through it, as the limbs began to buckle.
One down.
Aaron panted, his head spinning from the pain, but he felt the familiar pulse of power running through his veins. His limbs may be shattered, but he was still Aaron—the Devil, who bent fate with a smirk.
Another statue raised its sword, and Aaron barely had time to react. His right leg gave out beneath him, and he dropped to one knee. But he wasn't done.
In that instant, as the sword came down to strike, Aaron's combat instincts flared. The system pushed him. His arm shot out, catching the sword mid-strike with his broken limb. The pain was unbearable, but the strength of his haki blocked most of the strike.
"You know," Aaron growled, "I'd say you're just all talk, but… you're not half bad."
With his other arm, he drove his fist into the sword-wielding statue's abdomen. It crumbled under the force of his haki-enhanced blow. But Aaron's leg gave way again. He was fighting on borrowed time now.
The remaining statues circled him, sensing his weakness.
"Guess it's time for round two," Aaron muttered, struggling to keep his feet. His broken limbs shook, and his strength was running low. But he wasn't finished.