Chapter 2: The Hunter
983 Words
The mysterious "Cycle Paradise" had referred to Su Xiao as "The Hunter" from the very beginning. This title felt strange to him because he had never signed the supposed contract.
"What does this title, 'Hunter', represent?" Su Xiao asked, prompting a significant reaction from the "Cycle Paradise."
[Ordinary people, after signing the contract, become Contractees to perform tasks for the 'Paradise' in exchange for rewards.]
[A 'Hunter' is a Contractee with exceptional talents, particularly suited for combat.]
[While performing regular tasks, the 'Paradise' also issues Hunter-specific tasks, such as eliminating 'abnormal' Contractees.]
[The number of queries is exhausted; the 'Paradise' will no longer answer any questions from the Hunter. Please sign the contract or wait for death.]
The light faded, and the surroundings turned pitch black. An ancient-looking parchment materialized in the air before him.
Struggling to his feet, Su Xiao walked over to the parchment. It was covered in strange symbols, with a large blank space at the bottom.
[Yes/No – Sign Contract.]
Su Xiao had an instinctive feeling that signing this contract would drastically alter his life. He had too much to accomplish. Even if the path ahead was a bottomless abyss, he would leap into it.
“I... agree.”
The moment the words left his mouth, his hand moved uncontrollably, and his thumb pressed onto the empty space of the parchment. A sharp pain shot through his fingertip, and a drop of bright red blood stained the parchment, which turned pale red, exuding a faint smell of blood.
[Contract established! Commencing Hunter's injury restoration.]
A soft green light appeared around Su Xiao, wrapping around him. In a matter of seconds, his injuries were completely healed.
[Injury restoration complete. Hunter talent forcibly awakened.]
His body was still in the process of recovery when a sudden, excruciating pain surged through him. It came abruptly, causing every vein in his body to bulge. Despite the intense pain, Su Xiao’s endurance was beyond human, and he only let out a muffled groan before kneeling on one knee.
The pain was brief but overwhelming. It quickly faded, and Su Xiao sensed something within him had awakened. It didn’t feel out of place, as if this power had always been within him, just waiting to be discovered.
[To demonstrate the Hunter’s capabilities, semi-dataification has been activated.]
[Warning: Semi-dataification is a combat assist ability. If critical organs such as the heart or brain are severely damaged, the Hunter will still die. Hunters should approach 'derivative planes' with caution.]
[Hunter trial begins. Failure to complete the trial will strip the Hunter of their status and reclassify them as a regular Contractee. Death during a mission results in permanent death.]
[Paradise Rules: Everything is an equal exchange.]
As Su Xiao read through the text, everything around him darkened, and he lost consciousness.
[Teleportation commencing...]
When Su Xiao awoke, he found himself in a dilapidated room. It was small, about ten square meters, with a collapsed roof letting sunlight pour in. The corners were filled with cobwebs, and the windows and door were missing, leaving only a pile of garbage that had spilled into the room.
The pungent smell of decay filled the air. As he prepared to leave, a burning sensation suddenly struck his arm.
A black sword-shaped tattoo appeared on his forearm. The same faint blue text materialized, but this time, the text didn’t float in the air; it appeared directly in his line of sight. Even as he moved his eyes, the text stayed fixed as if embedded in his retina.
The text read:
Entering World: One Piece
World Difficulty: LV.6. Nightmare (This difficulty is exclusive to Hunters' trial worlds)
World Source: 0% (The Hunter can increase this by exploring or interacting with the world’s characters. The world source will contribute to the final score upon world completion.)
World Overview: The sea, freedom, pirates, navy, and world government.
Main Task: Assassinate the King of the 'Goya Kingdom.'
Side Task: None.
Warning: Do not mention anything related to 'Paradise' in this world. Failure to comply will result in execution.
Hint: This world is a high-tier 'Derivative World.' Do not leave the 'Goya Kingdom' area, or the difficulty will rise significantly!
Hint: As the Hunter is entering this world for the first time, the language will be automatically understood for three days.
World, Start!
The text vanished, and Su Xiao began processing the information he had gathered.
First, he had arrived at a mysterious place called "Cycle Paradise." While he didn’t know its exact purpose, his own goal was clear: to gain power within "Cycle Paradise" and take revenge.
Second, he had been transported to the "One Piece" world. He knew this world well from anime, and while it was a dangerous place, it was also filled with opportunities. However, he was no longer a powerful figure but an ordinary person in a world full of powerful beings, making survival difficult.
Based on the difficulty rating of "Hell" and the information provided, Su Xiao realized that his mission would not be easy.
The main task was to assassinate the King of the "Goya Kingdom." The brief description gave little to no information about how to proceed.
Main Task: Assassinate the King of the 'Goya Kingdom.'
Difficulty Level: LV.3
Task Description: The Goya Kingdom rules the surrounding towns and villages. The king, Philip Herbert, remains in the royal palace. Assassinating him will be difficult.
Time Limit: 72 hours
Rewards: Complete activation of Hunter status.
After reading this, Su Xiao understood the target: King Philip of the Goya Kingdom. The area he was in seemed to be the "Waste Disposal Station," a garbage heap near the kingdom’s capital. In the original story, the protagonists—Luffy, Ace, and Sabo—grew up near this area.
Realizing that the world around him was filled with danger, Su Xiao decided to take his time and gather more information before making his move.
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