"I tell you, there's a devil fruit of earth ! A mythical zoan, just like Nika. It's called Human Human fruit: Gaia, Goddess of Earth !"
Alex screamed at his club mates. He was in a club named "Modern Literature Club", which was a smart pretense for "Manga Enjoyers Club". It seemed to work pretty well as the club had been there for years and the direction of the university still hadn't suspected anything.
The main subject of the club was currently One Piece, with each members advancing always crazier theories every day. It had been a week that Alex had talked about his theory, and none of his club members were taking it seriously.
"No you dumbass ! Stop inventing devil fruit just because you want it to fit your theory!"
Alex's theory was that there were gods in One Piece. There was the Sun God Nika, the Sky God, whom Enel had the fruit, and the Earth God, a still unknown fruit, model: Gaia, from what Alex advanced.
His club mates also had their theories, which Alex didn't agree with. There were talks about crazy broken abilities with such or such devil fruit, wasted potential on some characters, theories about the one piece world and talks about races that governed the world in secret.
As the six club members talked, they failed to notice that someone was listening to them. A tall man was sitting in a corner of the room. When Raphael, the one Alex had been arguing with just now noticed him, he almost died of fright.
"Dir- director ?!!!"
"..."
Everyone was petrified.
"That is not what I would call a "modern literature club", isn't it ?"
"Director sir, it isn't like you think ! You see, we are exploring every side of modern literature!"
Alex replied.
"I have been observing you for a few years and I must admit I've had much fun hearing your ideas !"
No one replied, not knowing whether this was the end or they had been saved by fate. The old director made a pause and his smile faltered, glimpse of danger now present in his eyes
"You have entertained me, but now is the time for me to do my job. I wish I could watch your adventures, but I have things to do. Don't despair though, we will meet again. The fate is very strong around you, after all."
In the last sentence, Alex felt as if he was staring at him, even though the old man wasn't even looking at him.
The six students looked in disbelief and horror as they saw two giant, ghostly grey hands come out of the floor. The old man looked at them with a mix of pity and amusement, before one of the hands slapped violently Josh, student. With the hand being more than twice his size, everyone thought that this would be the end for Josh, but instead of crushing him, the hand passed right through him. A white ghost was now in the hand, linked to Josh by a little white thread. The hand then retracted in the ground, and when it did, the thread was cut down and Josh fell down, lifeless.
Alex and his fellow club members looked in horror as the hand came back. Alex didn't even have the time to react when a ghostly hand slapped him. He closed his eyes, preparing for the worst time of his life, but nothing came.
He only saw his body, getting farther and farther as the hand took him underground. The last thing he saw before the thread that kept his body alive was forcefully cut was the old man laughing. It was a nasty, sadistic laugh.
TO BE CONTINUED