One Pice: A Game Blue System.

"Oi! Jack!" a voice called out, breaking me from my self-reflection.

I stopped in the street and swiveled my neck around to the sight of a middle-aged man in a stained white coat running towards me with arms waving about dramatically.

Dan, Merchant Ship Captain, Lv.6 "Jack! I'm so glad I found you. I need a favor!" The man breathed out as he finally caught up, his voice somewhat desperate and panicked. "Olly busted his leg real bad and I was already shorthanded before that. I could really use an extra pair of hands on the ship. Just for this big trip to Caeba Kingdom I swear! I'll pay you fair and we can be back home in three weeks time. Please!" Dan pleaded as he clapped his hands together and bowed.

Ding!

New Quest Alert!

Quest: Take Dan up on his offer and leave the safety of Kivuruk Isle for the small Kingdom of Caeba. Is this the start of a brand new adventure or really just a simple mercantile trip? The only way to find out is to say yes.

Reward: +1 to every stat but LUK, 440 Exp, and 15,000 Beri. [ACCEPT/DECLINE]

With a small mental command I select [ACCEPT] and the blue screen vanishes. "No problem captain. When do we set sail?"

"You'll do it?" Dan's jaw gapes in clear surprise. "Yes! Yes! You're a lifesaver Jack! We're leaving in just under four hours. If you need anything from your place I'd run home and get it now!"

Without another word Dan turned on his heel and sprinted in the other direction, presumably to take care of some other important task that needed doing. Meanwhile, I ran through a mental checklist to see if there really was anything worth grabbing at home. My small cottage for one was admittedly pretty barren. A chair, a table, a bed to sleep in. Not really much of note. When you could store pretty much everything you own in an [Inventory] there really wasn't much reason not to just keep everything on your person at all times. Food? Check. Clothes? Check. Wallet? Check. Toothbrush? Che- oh wait... Not Check.

'I guess I do need to run by the house.'

Four Hours Later

I watched Kivuruk Isle start to seemingly shrink in the distance as the ship pulled further and further out to sea. The humanoid forms of well-wishers standing on the beach seeing us off were barely discernible now.

I have to admit to feeling a little spot of apprehension now at accepting the [Quest] so quickly. In the moment it had just seemed so harmless. And logically I knew that I could just do this one thing, this one little side-quest, and then sail right back home to Kivuruk.

Just continue on this lazy simple life on the tiny island where no real troubles were ever found. Maybe I could even settle down with a nice girl. The bakers daughter was pretty cute and Rika had often implied that she was interested in more than just the little bouts of teasing we hit each other with every week.

Yet somewhere in my mind I had already accepted that this trip wouldn't be that simple. Nothing ever is in the world of One Piece.

That's okay.

I'm overdue for a bit of adventure anyway.

With one last look a part of me bid farewell to my adopted home of the past year. Hopeful that I'd find the time to come back and visit...someday.

'Look out World. My name's Jack Parker. And I am [The Gamer].'

Yeutton Port, Caeba Kingdom, South Blue I hopped off Dan's boat and smiled at the clap of my shoes hitting the wooden dock. Eight days at sea wasn't terribly long but I was well ready for it to be over. My eyes swept idly across the mercantile harbor and an impressed whistle managed to escape me. It was like a living organism. Sailors of every stripe hurried to and fro as they hauled heavy sacks over their shoulders from place to place. Massive wooden cranes ferried supplies overhead and street side vendors were running about, touting over their wares and the reasons why one should buy them. 'Wow..been a while since I've seen this many people.'

Ding!

Quest Complete!

Quest: Take Dan up on his offer and leave the safety of Kivuruk Isle for the small Kingdom of Caeba. Is this the start of a brand new adventure or really just a simple mercantile trip? The only way to find out is to say yes.

Reward: +1 to every stat but LUK, 440 Exp, and 15,000 Beri.

Ding!

You have reached Lv. 16!

You have 5 points to spend.

A quick murmur of [Status] later and I distributed 3 points to STR and 2 into VIT. Until I see a reason to change my mind those two are going to be my main focus. Plus, I've started to get really curious to see if anything happens when one of them finally reaches 100.

STR (87) → (90) VIT (59) → (61) Max Health (590) → (610) "Hey Jack!" Dan calls from the bow of his ship. "You gonna stand around gawking or are you going to help us start unloading?"

"Be there in a second captain!" I shout back. "Just taking it all in."

A few hours later night has begun to settle in and I find himself standing alongside some sweaty and completely knackered shipmates. Many of whom are laying on the deck taking huge gulping breaths from moving heavy crates all day.

"I just..don't get..you Jack." one man said inbetween breaths. "How can you..not even..be sweating?"

'90 points in strength' I answer internally with a not insignificant amount of personal satisfaction. Though on the outside my only response is nothing but a casual shrug. "It was just carrying some boxes. No big deal." "Each of those crates was over 250 lbs!" Another man, this one named Tom, sputtered out somewhat indignantly. "It took several of us just to move one!"