"It's been a month since I arrived in this world."
The morning sun rose lazily over the endless ocean, its glow spilling across the horizon. Lucien lay back on a lounge chair on his balcony, eyes fixed on the distant line where the sea met the sky. He let out a slow breath. A full month had passed since he'd found himself here—since he'd crossed into this world.
And that meant one thing.
He could roll the Dice again. Once every natural month, the system allowed him a single roll.
[ System Interface Activated ]
A light screen appeared before him, its design still primitive—plain text and dull visuals. It wasn't sleek or impressive. Just functional.
Lucien sighed. "You'd think a system could at least have some style."
The Dice began to spin, the virtual cube bouncing and tumbling before landing with a sharp click on six.
A small model airplane appeared on the screen, moving six squares forward with a faint rumbling sound before stopping.
The light flashed once, and two items materialized before him.
[ You obtained: One Bottle of Perverted Spicy Laxative, One Bottle of Antidote. ]
Lucien blinked. "…What?"
He tapped the screen to open the description.
[ Description: A medicine that increases intestinal water and promotes peristalsis, useful for relieving constipation. Divided into volumetric, stimulant, lubricating, osmotic, and expansive categories. Warning: This laxative is colorless and odorless. One drop will induce extreme burning pain and full evacuation, leaving the user completely drained of strength. Use with caution. ]
Lucien's expression darkened. He wasn't angry. He was furious.
"Seriously? A laxative?!"
He clenched his jaw. "A month of waiting, and this is what I get? Not a weapon, not a Devil Fruit, not even a stat boost—just a bottle of butt fire?!"
He scrolled again, re-reading the line about "perverted spicy."
"So… the 'spicy' part targets the chrysanthemum?" His brow twitched. "Perfect. Just what every pirate dreams of."
He groaned, rubbing his temples. "Damn it."
Still fuming, Lucien shut the interface and stood up. No point dwelling on it. He had better things to do—like training.
---
Lucien trained daily, pushing his limits with unrelenting intensity. His Soru technique had reached the point where he could perform eight steps within 0.36 seconds. A huge leap from his first clumsy attempts.
It might have been due to his strict training routine—push-ups, sit-ups, endurance drills—that strengthened his body far beyond the average man.
But he could already feel the barrier ahead. The jump from eight to nine steps wasn't just hard—it felt like crossing a wall made of iron. Still, he didn't plan to stop.
Just as he was about to head outside, his body stiffened. Pain exploded through him like a lightning strike. His muscles locked. His knees buckled. He fell hard to the floor.
It felt as if his intestines were being twisted, shredded, and burned from the inside out. His vision blurred, and blood vessels crawled across his eyes like spiderwebs. Sweat poured off him in waves, pooling beneath his trembling body.
[ System Alert ]
The light screen reappeared—but this time, it was red. Blood-red. And across its center, a countdown flickered:
[ 3 Months, 7 Days Remaining ]
Lucien's breathing turned ragged. He gritted his teeth, muscles convulsing as the agony clawed through him. Ten minutes. Ten endless minutes passed before the pain finally began to fade.
He lay there, drenched in sweat, staring up at the ceiling. His hands were bleeding where his fingernails had dug into his palms. Three months and seven days. He didn't need the system to explain it. That was his time limit.
His heart pounded in his chest. The countdown had completely derailed his plans. He couldn't afford to waste a single day anymore. He had to hunt targets. Earn rewards. Find a way to reach the New World—and locate a healing fruit before his time ran out.
With a deep breath, he dismissed the screen.
[ System Interface Closed ]
Lucien glanced at the bottle of "Perverted Spicy Laxative" still sitting on his table. His expression hardened.
"Useless junk."
He showered, changed clothes, and began his morning run around Baratie.
---
"Good morning, Mr. Graves!"
"Morning!" Lucien greeted the kitchen staff with his usual calm smile.
"Good morning, Lucien!"
"Sanji, you're up early today."
The blond boy, dressed neatly in his tiny chef's outfit, smiled brightly. "I came up with a new dish, Lucien! I'll make it for you at noon!"
Lucien chuckled softly. "Then I'll look forward to it."
He continued his jog, circling the restaurant's deck as the sun climbed higher in the sky.
---
By midday, Lucien was seated by the window as usual. Right on time, Sanji appeared with a tray—eyes gleaming, chest puffed with pride.
"Dessert?" Lucien asked, raising an eyebrow at the elegant plates before him.
"Yes! As a chef, I need to understand how different ingredients blend. These are my new dessert creations!" Sanji said seriously, his expression that of a perfectionist artisan.
"Then let's see what you've got."
Under the boy's eager gaze, Lucien took a bite. The flavor burst across his tongue—light, balanced, and unexpectedly refined.
"How is it?" Sanji asked, holding his breath.
Lucien nodded slowly. "Delicious. Honestly, this is the best dessert I've ever had. Sanji, you're a genius. One day, you'll be the world's greatest chef."
(Guess we won't get to see that...lol)
Sanji's grin could've lit up the room. "See?! I knew it! That old man Zeff just doesn't understand my brilliance!"
Lucien chuckled quietly. "He's just being tough on you. That's how he teaches."
"Oh, right," Lucien added casually, "today happens to be my birthday."
Sanji blinked in surprise. "Your birthday?"
Lucien smiled faintly. "Yeah. And your dessert—it's the best gift I could've asked for. I'd like to bake a cake today, to thank everyone for their kindness."
Sanji's expression softened, then firmed with determination. "Leave it to me, Lucien! We'll make the best cake they've ever seen!"
"Good," Lucien said, smiling. "Let's make a ten-layer one. But don't tell Zeff or the others—we'll surprise them tonight."
"Got it!" Sanji whispered, nodding rapidly.
The two slipped away to Sanji's small private kitchen—a place filled with the scent of sugar and creativity.
---
"Where's that brat Sanji?" Zeff grumbled, glancing around the bustling kitchen.
"I saw him with Lucien in the small kitchen earlier," Patty said, still stirring a pan one-handed while digging his nose with the other.
Zeff frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "That man's been around for over twenty days now… suspicious."
His instincts as a veteran pirate never dulled. Even now, he kept a watchful eye.
---
As evening fell, the golden sunset painted the sea crimson.
Lucien and Sanji emerged from the kitchen, pushing a cart draped in cloth. When they stopped in the hall, they pulled the cover away.
Gasps and cheers filled the air.
A towering ten-layer cake stood in the center, decorated beautifully with whipped cream and fruits.
"Mr. Lucien, Sanji, what's this?"
"Is it someone's birthday?"
Zeff stepped out, raising an eyebrow.
Lucien smiled. "It's mine. I wanted to thank everyone for their kindness during this past month. Sanji helped me make this cake."
The staff's expressions softened instantly.
"So it's your birthday, huh? You should've told us sooner!"
"No wonder you two were holed up all afternoon!"
"Happy birthday!"
Sanji grinned proudly. "Everyone, this is my newest dessert masterpiece! The decoration was Lucien's idea!"
Laughter and music filled the air as they sang Happy Birthday.
Lucien closed his eyes for a moment, silently making a wish before cutting the first slice.
As everyone enjoyed the cake, smiles filled the room. Even Zeff, though pretending to scowl, couldn't hide his satisfaction.
Lucien looked around at the cheerful faces. A faint smirk appeared on his face.
_____
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