``And here we are, yuba. Though it looks a bit deserted, with not many people around, it's supposed to be a trade hub for Alabasta. Guess the sandstorms did have significant damage to its economy and appeal.´´ Lucius said, while looking around, seeing only a few people in the streets and lots of dunes surrounding the buildings.
``So what's the plan? You said you'd tell me once we reached the city´´ said Hayato, looking as skeptical as ever to whatever Lucius said.
``We go and rent a room in an inn or something because it's really late, we need to see if there is even one with open rooms, but im sure that with one year of constant sand storms, there should be some´´ lucius remembered that in the anime Mr. Toto mentioned to the Strawhats that the storms started 3 years before they came there meaning that atleast one year of sand storms have already passed. But with the sun already setting on the horizon, it wasn't time to contemplate everything.
``Do you know where the inns are?.´´
``No, I do not know. I only saw this city all wrecked down in the anime´´ said Lucius while looking smug at Hayate.
``So we're going to have to search through the entire city to find an inn?´´ said Hayate, looking annoyed at having to walk a lot more.
``Yes, anyway, we have very little daylight, and I wanna sleep´´ lucius said while reading any sign in sight, trying to find any inn.
After a while of looking around and asking for directions, they finally reached an inn. It was fine-ish, it wasn't as bad as other buildings, but it still showed the decay brought by the year of drought and loss of profit.
``Hayate, go and get us a room, it can be 2 separate rooms or just one with 2 beds. But we need to talk inside after.´´
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Hayate Takeda
Hayate didn't know what Lucius could want to talk about. But for now, he needs to get a place to sleep and try and find what that nagging feeling in the back of his mind is.
``Hello, ma'am. Are there any rooms available?´´ said Hayate to the woman behind the counter.
``Hello, you aren't from here, are you?. We have various rooms available. I assume you need 2 rooms, one for your parents and one for you and your sister.´´
``No ma'am, we are travelers and no parents, just us two, and he's not my sibling, just a friend. We need a room with 2 beds.´´ Hayate could already hear the smirk on Lucius' face, and glancing back at him confirmed that said thing.
``Oh.. that's a guy? What happened to your parents, young man?. It would be 18,900 berries a night, do you want it?´´ Hayate almost winced at the price, but glancing back at Lucius and seeing him nod made him understand what he had said before.
``Yes, that's a guy, and-´´ before Hayate could say anything, Lucius cut in.
``We are survivors of a merchant ship that got attacked by pirates near Drum Island. We took a rowboat and got here´´ said Lucius while hiding his face behind his Shihakushō and fake sobbing. Hayate learned something new in that moment: never trust Lucius's show of emotion, he can fake it very convincingly.
´´As you can see, ma'am, my friend lost some important people in the attack, so if you would just tell us where the room is and we'll pay in the morning´´ said Hayate after seeing Lucius' little act.
``Room 23 down to the right.´´ said the woman behind the counter, handing Hayate the room key.
A few moments later in the room hayate looked at lucius sitting on the bed looking smug like he didnt fake sob a few moments later.
``So, any questions before I just decide to sleep?´´ said Lucius, looking at Hayate.
``Where are we?.´´ said Hayate. He needs information about the world, about everything that could happen.
``We are in the world of One Piece, an anime, it's mostly water with a few islands. As you already know, we are in Yuba, a city of Alabasta. We are in the grand line that is divided into paradise and new world, and we are mid-plot of a devil fruit user to build a utopia after destroying this kingdom.´´ said Lucius, looking at the baffled Hayate. He really wasn't expecting that. But Lucius continued.
``a devil fruit is a special fruit that can give powers to those who consume them, there are 3 types paramecias that give superpowers, zoan that let the users become animals, yes this does include mythical one's and lastly and more rare the logias, logias let the user become and manipulate a certain element.´´ that explanation gave hayate various ideas and it showed in his face. But Lucius rapidly shot his hopes of invincibility down.
``Before you even eat one, you lose the privilege to swim if you eat one, and there is a metal that can nullify Devil Fruit powers. Anyhow, the story of the anime follows a ragtag group of pirates from the East Blue in their adventure for the One Piece, a treasure of the Pirate King. Does that answer your questions?´´ Hayate's questions have been cleared, at least the ones related to this world. There still are the system-related ones, and maybe Lucius knew why he felt like something was wrong.
``Why do I feel like something is wrong?´´ Hayate needed to know because the feeling was becoming annoying.
``You're going to have your panic attack, grief, and everything that was muted by the system will hit you all at once when you try to sleep. The system knows that it's not healthy to repress those feelings, so it only mutes them until you have a safe place to unwind. Have fun sleeping´´ said Lucius before falling asleep on his bed. Well, wasn't that nice? he just went to sleep after telling him he's going to get a panic attack in a while, and how did he fall asleep so fast?.
After pokin lucius a few times to make sure is really asleep, hayato sighed while looking outside the window the sun was long gone of the sky and with the moon already rising he decided that it was time to get done with it after all the faster he got it out of his system the faster he could go to sleep. he layed down on bed looking at the ceiling and it slowly came to him, his heartbeat going faster, the realization that he would never see his friends again, that he left his mother alone back home, tears threatened to spill and tried to fight it to no avail as sobs came out as everything came. He felt small, everything was overwhelming, but there were little moments of clarity, probably the system using the skill to help him cope with everything. At some point, he fell asleep. The next morning, after a disorienting awakening, his eyes were sore and puffy. The morning light was an annoyance, as was Lucius poking him to wake him up.
``Rise and shine. It's morning, and every second we aren't gaining exp is wasted time´´ said Lucius, in that smug tone that was becoming increasingly annoying in Hayate's mind.
``Did you have a good night? Because you look worse than a newborn baby with those big ol'eyes´´ Hayate never thought he would hate someone just for a random comment, he now stands corrected, and he hates Lucius more with every word that comes out of his mouth. Hayate decided that he would find a way to shut him up. But for now, he needed food.
``Why am I smaller than I was before?.´´ Hayate's feeling of being small werent just a feeling. He was literally smaller than before.
``The system gives you a body around 15 years old, and a lot more things on it.´´ lucius and his random facts. And he says it like it's common knowledge. Hayate needs more info on the system, so yeah, he was going to interrogate the smug bastard to know everything.
``Tell me everything. Tell me everything about the system.´´ Hayate had to specify because he knew Lucius would be a smart ass and tell him just the word everything.
Lucius sighed, rubbed his temples before speaking. ``The system by itself is weird. It works in a way similar to video games, but it's only available to randomly selected people. There are more than just this system, but we don't talk about them. Anyway, from what I know, beings and races go from G grade to S grade. Some say there's something beyond S grade, but I only reached C grade before the incident that wiped me out. Skills and items have rarities from inferior to Divine, and from inferior to rare can be leveled up to gain an upgrade in rarity. From rare to divine, you can only upgrade upon certain requirements being met. C grade will help with awakening your bloodline if you have any. And most things are pretty much rocket science and unnecessary for now. So let's go eat, and we'll start with the plan.´´