East Blue.
Foosha Village.
The lively atmosphere of Makino's bar was a familiar comfort to the villagers. Recently, however, a peculiar new stall had appeared just outside its doors, looking rather out of place amidst the cheerful surroundings. It was a simple wooden stand, with a single, solitary wooden board resting upon it. Scrawled across the board in a bold, inky script were two words: Dungeon Shop.
"Hahahaha! Brats! Still think you can run from me!"
A powerful laugh, full of boisterous energy, echoed from the village entrance.
Marine Vice-Admiral Garp had returned.
He strode into the village with a struggling boy tucked under each of his powerful arms.
"Unhand me! You horrible old man!" Ace, held on the left, yelled in fury, his small arms and legs flailing with all his might.
"Waaah! I'm going to be the Pirate King! I refuse to become a Marine!" Luffy, on the right, wailed, tears and snot streaming down his face as his legs kicked frantically in the air.
The broad smile on Garp's face evaporated in an instant. A prominent vein began to pulse on his forehead.
"You're both very loud!" he bellowed. "Quiet down for me!"
His two free hands balled into mighty fists.
*Thwack!*
*Thwack!*
Two unforgiving "Fists of Love" landed squarely on the heads of the two youngsters. Large, cartoonish bumps immediately swelled up on Ace and Luffy's heads. Their eyes spun with stars, and the commotion ceased instantly.
Garp nodded, a flicker of satisfaction on his face. He was just about to drag his two hyperactive grandsons away when a strange stall in his peripheral vision caught his attention. He paused his stride.
"Dungeon Shop?"
Garp's eyes narrowed with curiosity, and he walked over to investigate, the two subdued boys still in his grip. Behind the stall, a youth with striking white hair was reclining on a rocking chair. The young man wore a simple white short-sleeved shirt and beach shorts, with a pair of sunglasses perched on his nose. He swayed gently with the motion of the chair, exuding an aura of such profound laziness it seemed he might drift apart at any moment.
Garp's immense figure cast a long shadow, completely blanketing the youth. The gentle rhythm of the rocking chair came to a halt. The youth reached up a finger, slowly sliding his sunglasses down his nose to reveal a pair of deep, dark eyes.
"Welcome," he said, his voice relaxed and carrying the slight hoarseness of someone who had just awakened.
Garp's expression immediately soured. What kind of attitude was this? He was the renowned Marine Hero, Garp! How could this young man dare to address him with such a casual, almost dismissive demeanor?
Two sharp puffs of air snorted from Garp's nostrils. He leaned forward, his sheer presence creating an immense wave of pressure that surged toward the youth.
"Young man," Garp began, his tone aggressive and laced with a hint of challenge. "Is this place of yours?"
His finger tapped heavily on the wooden sign. "But I don't see a single item for sale."
The youth simply pushed his sunglasses back into place, a playful smirk touching the corner of his mouth.
"You can't say that, valued guest," he responded. "What I offer isn't something that can be laid out on shelves for customers to browse like produce."
His voice remained languid, yet it was underscored by an undeniable and intriguing certainty.
"It's an experience," he continued. "An… experience that will remain with you for a lifetime."
Garp's brow furrowed even more deeply, and two more jets of white air puffed from his nostrils.
"An experience?"
He grinned, revealing a full set of bright white teeth, his smile radiating a dangerous aura.
"Alright, then! I'd like to see what kind of game you're playing, boy!" Garp's voice boomed. "Tell me! How does one have this experience!"
The youth gave a lazy yawn and held up three fingers.
"It is quite simple," he explained. "You just need to select the Dungeon package you desire."
"Beginner Dungeon. The price for this experience is one million Berries."
"Intermediate Dungeon. The advanced price for this is ten million Berries."
"As for the highest-tier Advanced Dungeon…"
He paused, his dark eyes seeming to pierce through his sunglasses as he looked at Garp, and he slowly uttered a final figure.
"One hundred million."
The air in front of the bar seemed to crystallize. Ace and Luffy both forgot their struggles, their eyes wide with disbelief as they stared at the audacious white-haired youth.
Garp's menacing smile froze on his face.
In the next second, his entire face became a mask of thunderous fury, the veins on his forehead throbbing like agitated serpents.
"Brat! Has the pursuit of money driven you mad? Who would even buy it!" Garp's roar was so powerful it felt like it might just rip the roofs off the houses in Foosha Village.
"One million?! One hundred million?!" he bellowed. "Why don't you just became a pirate? It would be more straightforward and then i can beat some sense into you!"
"Please, be calm," the youth said, waving a hand placatingly as if to calm a stormy sea. "Mr. Garp, my prices are clearly stated. It is a fair and honest business."
"Once you witness the wonder of the Dungeon for yourself, you will naturally understand that the price is more than justified."
His tone was so nonchalant, as if he were merely discussing the day's weather, but the unwavering confidence behind his words made Garp's rage catch in his throat. This young man was either completely delusional or he truly possessed some extraordinary ability.
Garp stared him down for a full ten seconds.
He then let out a sudden snort, and his clenched, world-shaking fist relaxed. He casually brought his pinky finger to his nose and began to pick it, completely ignoring the onlookers.
"Such bold claims," he grumbled. "Since you are so confident, I will grant you the honor of my attention today and see what this is all about!"
He flicked his finger with a theatrical air of nonchalance.
"I will take the cheapest option!"
Garp shot the youth a look that clearly communicated, "You better be ready for the first of love if you ty to scam me."
"One million Berries, correct? Put it on my tab for now!"
He grinned again, his stark white teeth shining with a cold light. "If I don't believe the experience is worth the cost… I won't be paying, you understand."
"As you wish," the smile on the youth's face grew wider, turning into a broad grin. "The Beginner Dungeon is now opening for you."
As soon as the words left his lips, he raised his right hand and tapped his index finger lightly in the empty air before him.
*Buzz.*
A ripple, visible to the naked eye, spread out through the space in front of his fingertip. The next moment, a blinding white light erupted without any warning, instantly swallowing Garp's entire form.
The intense light vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
In front of the bar, all that remained was the simple stall, the leisurely youth in his rocking chair, and two completely bewildered little boys.
The world fell silent.
The youth leaned back into his rocking chair, feeling quite comfortable as he gazed at a translucent panel that only he could see, and began to contemplate.
"A Beginner Dungeon… now where would be the most entertaining place to send this big oaf?"
One thing to note is that this young man was not of this world. His name was Jack, a soul who had been unexpectedly transported to this world a week prior. Fortunately, he had been blessed with a unique power: the "Multiverse Dungeon System." As long as people entered and cleared the Dungeons he created, he would receive substantial rewards.
Why Risk his own life in battles and conflicts? What a ridiculous idea. Finding the formidable individuals of this world to act as his champions, making them work on his behalf while he collected a modest "entry fee" from them—wasn't that a far superior arrangement? Hitting two targets with a single shot. Utterly delightful.
Jack stroked his chin, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
"Hehehe."
He comfortably crossed his legs, his attention fixed on the virtual panel that was invisible to all but him. On the panel, several lines of glowing blue text were clearly displayed.
"Available Dungeon Pool"
"Beginner Dungeon: Desert King"
"Synopsis: In an endless ocean of sand, challenge the Warlord of the Sea who commands the very sands in his attempt to usurp a kingdom."
"Beginner Dungeon: The Strongest Spear"
"Synopsis: On a battlefield of clouds and lightning, directly confront the Third Raikage, a man who withstood a Tailed Beast Bomb with his physical body alone."
"Beginner Dungeon: Extraterrestrial Visitor"
"Synopsis: High above a jungle of steel, stand alone to annihilate a colossal Leviathan beast from the dark depths of outer space."
"Intermediate Dungeon: Eye of the Moon"
"Synopsis: Confront the power of a deity. Challenge Six Paths Uchiha Madara, who has absorbed the God Tree and activated the Eye of the Moon Plan."
Jack's gaze swept across the panel, his fingers tapping a rhythmic beat on the armrest of his chair.
"Desert King… Crocodile?"
He pouted.
"A Logia-type user. That's an overwhelming advantage against anyone who can't use Haki, but for an old veteran like Garp…"
"His Armament Haki must be so ingrained it's practically part of his muscles by now."
"One punch, and all that sand will be compressed back into minerals."
"Dull. Next."
His gaze then landed on "Extraterrestrial Visitor."
"Fight a giant metal serpent?"
A flicker of disdain crossed Jack's face.
"The old marine uses warships as punching bags for training; a creature of this level would likely be dealt with in a single punch."
"No, absolutely not. That lacks spectacle. There's no dramatic tension at all."
What he craved was entertainment. The kind of raw, flesh-on-flesh, spark-flying, adrenaline-pumping spectacle that would captivate any audience!
Finally, his gaze came to rest on the second Beginner Dungeon.
"The Strongest Spear."
Jack's eyes lit up. The curve of his mouth widened, revealing a smile that could only be described as wicked.
"Oh-ho?"
"Now *this* is interesting."
"The Third Raikage, a monstrous individual who developed his pure physical prowess and Lightning Release Chakra to their absolute zenith."
"The Hell Stab: One-Finger Nukite, renowned as the strongest spear."
"His Lightning Release Chakra Mode, renowned as the strongest shield."
"To protect his comrades, he single-handedly fought against an army of ten thousand ninja for three days and three nights until he finally succumbed to exhaustion."
"A true man. A hard-boiled, iron-willed hero!"
Jack stroked his chin, a world-shaking confrontation already vividly playing out in his mind.
The Marine Hero, Iron Fist Garp. His fists were instruments of justice that had shattered countless legendary figures.
The tough warrior of Kumogakure, the Third Raikage. His finger was the ultimate spear, capable of piercing any and all defenses.
When Garp's Iron Fist collides with the Raikage's Hell Stab… just imagining that scene.
*Tsk tsk.*
"The ultimate showdown of spear versus shield, the peak collision of hand-to-hand combat styles!"
Jack excitedly slapped his thigh.
"This is the one!"
"Let's see how this champion of justice, who is always talking about his principles, fares against the 'loving embrace' of a top-tier powerhouse from another realm!"
"Hehehe, I certainly hope his old bones… are still sturdy enough for what's to come."