As he gazed at the vast ocean, Alex D. Ivanov sank into a deep state of confusion.
The strong scent of sea salt reminded him of a line from a song: "You love the salty aroma of the sea breeze."
But at that moment, he could only wonder: Who am I? Where am I?
"Damn it!"
A frustrated exclamation escaped his lips, confirming that Alex was someone used to speaking without filters.
"Who the hell is messing with me? Why was I left on a beach?"
"Damn it, brother! Why are you so unreliable?"
The night before, Alex and his friends had gathered for a celebratory dinner after successfully passing an important exam. He had secured a position in the public sector—something worth celebrating, especially right after graduating.
Caught up in the euphoria, Alex drank more than he should have, downing nearly half a bottle of liquor. His friend, whom he called "brother," had promised to take him home or book a hotel room if he went overboard with the drinks. However, he ended up abandoned on an unknown beach.
"This makes no sense!"
Suddenly, Alex remembered that there was no sea in his hometown—not even a large lake. So, where was he?
"Ah!"
A sharp pain shot through his head, as if it were about to split in two. Waves of memories that didn't belong to him flooded his mind—scenes of a young man's life from childhood to adulthood. It was like watching a movie, but in first-person view.
The other person was also named Alex, but his full name was Alexander D. Ivanov.
"Huff… huff…"
After what felt like an eternity, the pain finally subsided. Alex gasped for breath, trying to steady himself. Though he didn't want to admit it, the conclusion was inevitable: he had traveled to another world.
And not just any world, but one of his favorite anime worlds—the world of pirates.
"Damn it! How am I supposed to survive here?"
This was a place where people weren't just ordinary humans—they were absolute monsters. A terrifying world where even a five or six-year-old child could kill a tiger with their bare hands.
How could someone like him—a young man who had barely experienced the harshness of society—adapt to a place like this?
Alex stepped to the water's edge and looked at his reflection. He was tall and attractive, with well-defined features, high cheekbones, and a sharp jawline that exuded unwavering determination. His thick black hair gleamed under the light, and his amber eyes reflected an unsettling intensity.
"Being this handsome in a world of pirates is dangerous," he thought.
Female pirates might see him as a trophy, and his body wouldn't be able to withstand their excesses. If he fell into their hands, his fate would be disastrous.
Remembering that possibility, Alex searched through his new memories for anything useful.
"Windmill Village… orphan…"
"Wait! Isn't this the village where Luffy grew up?"
However, there was a problem—Alex didn't speak the language of this world. Mandarin wouldn't be of much use here.
What he needed to find out was what year it was and how old Luffy was at that moment. According to the memories of the body he now inhabited, the young man had no recollection of his parents and had died under unknown circumstances.
"What a mess!"
Alex couldn't help but feel pity for the original owner of this body, who had been completely overtaken by his consciousness. Now, this body belonged entirely to him.
Just as Alex decided to explore his surroundings, a voice echoed in his mind:
"Ding!"
"Loading system…"
"...10%...50%...70%...100%."
"Loading complete."
"The Lottery System is now at your service. The host has been detected in a different world."
"Downloading language patch…"
"Download complete."
In an instant, Alex felt that he had mastered the local language.
"This is incredible!"
"Kawaii!"
"A scream, a library!"
"I have no teeth!"
Each phrase flowed naturally. The language problem was solved.
Alex discovered that the system functioned like a lottery. With 100 million berries, he could obtain an ability from another world. And with 1 billion, he could exchange the character he had won.
The most exciting part was that the characters had independent personalities but were completely obedient to him. They could even develop feelings for him.
"Wow!"
- Boa Hancock from One Piece
- Kushina Uzumaki from Naruto
- Erina Nakiri from Shokugeki no Soma
- Krul Tepes from Owari no Seraph
- Esdeath from Akame ga Kill
- And many more. There were hundreds of options, each more tempting than the last
The best part was that, as a beginner, Alex had one free spin on the roulette.
"Incredible!"
Without hesitation, Alex activated the system. The roulette began spinning at a dizzying speed.
"Stop!"
The roulette slowly came to a halt, revealing the character he had won.