One Piece : Wild Hunt

After waking up in the middle of the night and taking a piss, a not-so-young man with a young heart headed to his kitchen for a snack and some coffee. He had only gotten around three hours of sleep, but that was par for the course for a seasoned gamer and Otaku.
Feeling the temperature suddenly drop, the grizzled and somewhat unkempt man opened his eyes wide, muttering, "What the hell? This isn't my kitchen..." as he looked around at a hemispherical space filled with an unfathomable amount of displays. He tried focusing on a few, but the way they moved about resembled the patterns seen in a kaleidoscope, making it impossible to keep track of any single screen.
Interrupting the not-so-young man's thoughts, a remarkably deep voice mused, "Ho~? It's unusual for me to have guests, much less those I have not invited into my domain. How curious..."
Following the sound of the voice, the brown-haired, brown-eyed man was shocked to discover an old, aristocratic-looking man seated atop what he could only describe as a throne. The ancient figure had silvery-white hair that flowed away from his scalp, transitioning into a beard that framed his aged face. He also had piercing red eyes that gleamed vibrantly, but even they didn't stand out against his most prominent feature...
Voicing his thoughts aloud, the brown-haired man stated, "You look like someone straight out of a CGI movie..."
"Hmmm..."
Caressing his beard, the ruby-eyed man eyed his markedly more youthful interloper with interest. He possessed an ability that allowed him to peer into the past, present, and future of all timelines he actively viewed, so he was currently sneaking a peek at the fate of the man that had strolled into his dimension wearing a simple t-shirt and boxer shorts...
After realizing that the man had accidentally entered his realm, something that should have been impossible, the elderly figure adopted a somewhat vicious smile before bursting out laughing.
Before the brown-haired man could ask what was so funny, he received his answer as the elderly figure mused, "To think you 'stumbled' into my realm while making your way to the kitchen for snacks. Congratulations, Thomas, you've managed to pique this old man's interest."
Feeling more than a little creeped out, the brown-haired man, Thomas, looked behind him to find the exit. Instead, he found a disorienting swirl of images and absolutely no trace of a path.
Thinking he must have been in a dream, Thomas gave himself a pinch, brows furrowing due to the pain. At the same time, the elderly man said, "This is no dream, boy. And no, you are not dead. At the very least, not presently..."
Rising to his feet, the old man manifested a ruby-tipped cane out of thin air, tapping it on the ground as he slumped over slightly and remarked, "However, while you might not be dead, I 'can' grant you that which your heart desires. Transmigration? Wealth, fame, and power beyond measure? Everything can be yours, so long as you agree to aid me with something of little consequence. What that is, I can only reveal to you 'after' you've completed your journey..."
Though he had the distinct impression he was standing in front of the Devil himself, Thomas's throat tightened as he asked, "You're seriously allowing me to transmigrate to a world of my choosing with some kind of cheat? And I can choose 'any' world...?"
Nodding his head, the old man adopted another vicious smile as he said, "Indeed. However, I don't believe in granting people power arbitrarily. I will provide you the means to get stronger and mighty Servants to protect you. Everything else will depend on your efforts..."
Hearing the fierce-looking man's words, Thomas's heart began beating so powerfully that he could feel it in his ears. He had, on several occasions, joked about selling his soul to the Devil in exchange for the opportunity to visit some of his favorite anime worlds. Now, even if this was just a 'really' lucid dream, he was willing to gamble everything for the opportunity to do so...
Adopting what he imagined to be a resolute look, Thomas replied, "I'll do it. If you can grant my wish, I don't care what you ask of me in return. The world I came from was basically going to Hell in a handbasket, so I don't mind if I spend an eternity in the actual thing."
Narrowing his eyes slightly, the elderly man adopted a grim expression as he stated, "The contract has been established. Now, tell me, Thomas Dale Jansen. Where would you like to begin your 'adventure'...?"
Though he imagined there were better and safer options, Thomas didn't hesitate to reply, "One Piece." He had recently read chapter 1053 of the Manga, and had binge-watched a bunch of Grandline Review videos on Youtube. It was one of the few Anime and Manga that still had a touch of mystery to it, so, as interesting as it would be to transmigrate to a world like Hunter x Hunter, Dragon Ball, or even My Hero Academia, he decided on One Piece.
As he had already peered into Thomas's future, the old man nodded his head before extending his left hand to manifest what appeared to be an apple formed of rainbow-hued crystal. He then made a gesture with his hand, causing the apple to float over to Thomas as he explained, "That is the Mana-Mana-no-Mi, a Special Paramecia I created that will allow you to produce and emit Mana. You are currently just an ordinary human, so this will allow you to utilize the other gifts I have prepared for you..."
Manifesting what appeared to be a leather-bound ship's log with several bookmarks, the old man added, "As you are, you wouldn't last more than five days in a world such as One Piece. To keep you safe and prepare you for the task I have in mind, I will provide you with the means to acquire a crew without having to scout them directly..."
Pulling out one of the tabs, the elderly man revealed it to be a tarot-like card with a humanoid figure and the word 'Captain' written on the bottom, explaining, "Once you reach your destination, ingest that Devil Fruit and do your best to channel as much Mana as you can into this card. So long as you do it seriously, you should be able to summon the entity contained within before you die of thirst or starvation..."
"Wait, wha-"
Before Thomas could ask any questions, one of the displays behind him, depicting a pristine white beach against the backdrop of a verdant jungle, abruptly expanded to the size of a door. In less than a second, it passed through where he was standing, depositing the extremely confused and barefoot man onto the beach. The sudden change caused him to fall onto his ass while the elderly figure casually tossed the book and card through the portal, musing, "By the way...my name is Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. Yes, the very same Zelretch that has just appeared in your mind. With that said, good luck, Thomas D. Jensen..."
After dropping the bombshell of his identity, Zelretch abruptly closed the portal, stranding Thomas on one of the many islands that populated the world of One Piece...
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With the sun shining on him from above, the salt-kissed breeze from the sea hitting his face, and the sand beneath him burning his ass, Thomas looked down at his hands and body to find they had changed drastically. He was still wearing the same t-shirt and boxer shorts, but they looked like they had been run through an extremely advanced cel-shaded filter. As for his body...
Out of curiosity and concern, Thomas pulled at the band of his boxers to see what his dick looked like. The size and shape were roughly the same as he remembered, but it was like someone had made a cartoony version of himself and uploaded it to VR Chat, one that would get him banned on just about any server...
Shaking away his wayward thoughts, Thomas grabbed the Captain's log, card, and the small satchel that had appeared next to his feet and made his way to the shade. He also had the Mana-Mana-no-Mi, but instead of eating it immediately, he opened the satchel to find it was filled with fruit, a canteen of water, paper notes which he assumed were Belly, and a pair of open-toed sandals. Not Thomas's first choice, but as he was currently barefoot, they would have to do.
After donning the pair of leathery sandals, Thomas stared at the unique Devil Fruit that Zelretch had given him. He imagined he wouldn't be able to do much without the power it vested, so, after steeling himself as much as possible, he bit into the rainbow-hued fruit to find that it tasted...like a perfectly ordinary apple.
Feeling no different, even after consuming the entire apple, Thomas took a moment to consider his next course of action before abruptly thrusting out his right hand, palm facing outward. He was hoping to first off some kind of energy blast. Instead, he felt a tingling sensation at the tips of his fingers, like the feeling you would get when you stretched your arm as far as possible but without hyper extending.
"Hmmm..."
Closing his eyes, Thomas focused his mind and imagined he was shaping his Mana into a sphere of energy atop his palm. He could feel 'something' happening, but when he opened his eyes, the only thing he found was an empty hand.
Accepting that he had no clue what he was doing, Thomas looked around before sitting beneath a palm tree and opening the logbook that had been tossed into his face. He expected it to be an instruction manual, but the only thing he found inside were eight additional cards and empty pages, the only exception being the very first page which recorded the date and a line reminding him to channel Mana into the Captain's Card if he wanted to survive...
Speculating that the logbook might be Zelretch's way of communicating with him, Thomas picked up the attached pen and wrote down a line of text asking if the man could read it. When nothing happened, even after several minutes, he snapped the log shut and picked up the nine tarot-like cards he had found inside. Along with the Captain's Card, there were tarot cards denoting the positions of First Mate, Second Mate Cook, Navigator, Doctor, Shipwright, Sniper, and Musician.
While he wasn't too familiar with the nautical hierarchy, Thomas had a basic idea of what each position represented in the world of One Piece. The First and Second Mates were part of the primary combat forces of a pirate crew, while the other positions were pretty much self-explanatory. What bothered him was the fact that there was a Captain's Card among the set. By all rights, shouldn't he be the Captain...?
With such thoughts in mind, Thomas briefly considered using every other card 'but' the Captain. In the end, however, self-preservation won out, so, after staring at the buccaneer-like figure on the card for several minutes, he attempted channeling Mana into it. He had no idea how to do so, but it apparently didn't matter as a pale-blue pattern immediately lit up around the card's border as particles of blue light rose from its surface. That was the 'only' thing that happened, even after an entire hour, but it was better than nothing...
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(A/N: For those that don't know, Zelretch is one of the most powerful entities in Type-Moon, the metaverse within which Fate and its many derivative works take place.)

Despite the Sun descending over the horizon, Thomas continued pumping Mana into the Captain's Card. With what he knew of Zelretch, the elderly man was a massive troll, but he was also a 'good' guy. He was the kind of fellow who hated villains but laughed in the face of those that struggled to oppose fate. Once he took an interest in you, there were only two fates that awaited you: excellence or becoming a cripple.
After living a mundane life filled with regrets and failures, Thomas was determined to turn things around. One Piece was a world where even a weak cabin boy with absolutely no talent could become a Captain, on the verge of becoming a Rear Admiral, in just three years. So long as you had a strong enough will, you could even reach the point of slicing mountains in half or destroying entire islands with the force of your punches...
Though he didn't know what 'fate' awaited him at the end of his journey, Thomas intended to make the most of the situation he had found himself in. He had stumbled into a scenario that most people could only dream of, and, if given a chance, he was certain that many would forsake even their families and friends for the opportunity to swap places with him.
Determined to change his fate and experience a thrilling adventure he could only imagine previously, Thomas continued channeling his Mana into the Captain's Card late into the evening and into the early morning. He eventually passed out after eating some of his rations, but he held the card and logbook close to his chest as he curled up atop a makeshift bed made from palm leaves...
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Stirring Thomas awake, a deep yet feminine voice asked, "How long do you intend to sleep? It's already past noon."
Before Thomas could open his eyes, he received a face full of hot sand, startling him awake and compelling him to shout, "What the fuck!?" as he glared at the person responsible. Immediately afterward, his face and jaw went slack as a woman who transcended the traditional beauty standards appeared before him. She had wavy, crimson-pink hair, fierce blue eyes, and while there was a large scar that ran across her face, it only served to give her a 'heroic' appearance.
Lowering his gaze from the woman's face, Thomas's eyes widened when he got a good look at her massive tits, practically on full display beneath a stylish red captain's jacket. Below that, she had on a leather corset that hugged her slender waist, form-fitting white trousers that emphasized her wide hips and plump thighs, and dark boots that extended past her knees.
Instead of chastising Thomas for his rather overt ogling, the pink-haired woman crossed her arms under her breasts, the two enormous melons threatening to burst out of her vest as she mused, "It seems my Master is a bit of a deviate. Not that I mind, mind you. We just have more important matters to attend to right now. First and foremost, the name's Drake, Francis Drake. I'm the Captain of the Golden Hind and Commander of the Wild Hunt. I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but you don't seem all that reliable with those scraggly arms and your indolent appearance..."
Catching Drake a little off guard, Thomas practically jumped to his feet, punching the air as he shouted, "Jackpot!" He had already expected the cards to summon characters from the Fate series, but he never imagined his first ally to be Drake, a legendary pirate and an absolute bombshell of a woman.
Raising her left brow, Drake asked, "Has the Sun cooked your head? You had best get ahold of yourself. You might be the Master who summoned me, but don't think I won't beat you into shape if you keep behaving like a fool."
Calming his excitement, at least on the surface, Thomas managed to meet Drake's gaze as he said, "Sorry, but you have no idea how happy I am to see you. Yesterday, I could only imagine something like this in my wildest dreams. To be here, in this place, and to see you, standing right in front of me...I feel like the luckiest man in the world..."
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Drake mused, "You have a glib tongue. If you're truly grateful, you'll work hard to shave off that fat and become someone reliable. I hate incompetents, so don't expect me to go wagging my ass or spreading my legs unless you can prove yourself worthy of my time."
Blinking rapidly, various thoughts raced across Thomas's mind. He would be lying if he said the thought hadn't crossed his mind, but the notion he might actually be able to fuck Drake left him at a complete loss for words. He wasn't sure what he looked like after being thrown through a cartoony filter, but she was 'way' out of his league...at least, she would have been if a certain Kaleidoscopic Mage hadn't given him the chance to seize hold of his destiny and change his fate...
Feeling more motivated than ever, Thomas's expression was more serious than it had ever been as he stated, "I might be weak now, but I'll prove to you I can become stronger. Just you wait..."
Looking to Thomas's right hand, Drake questioned, "Is that an order, or are you expecting me to save myself for a greenhorn that probably hasn't even sailed on a ship before?"
Following Drake's gaze, Thomas's eyes widened when he saw a pattern resembling a blood-red skull and crossbones on the back of his hand. He immediately understood what they represented, his expression becoming incredulous as he whispered, "Command Seals..."
As their name implied, Command Seals were a special form of contract magic that permitted a Master three claims of absolute obedience when dealing with their Servants. They had other functions, such as healing all wounds, empowering attacks, enabling Noble Phantasms, or summoning a Servant across vast distances instantly. However, their most common use was compelling a Servant to obey an order they might have otherwise refused. If the Master was especially malicious, they could even deprive a Servant's free will altogether...
Though he had read 'a lot' of Doujins where errant Masters ordered their Servants to become cum dumps or living onaholes, Thomas shook such thoughts from his mind, lowering his hand as he stated, "It's not an order, but I will make it clear...now that I'm in this situation, one of my goals is to make you my woman. I know how 'free-spirited' you are, so I'll do my best to become strong enough that you readily stand beside me..."
Narrowing her eyes in amusement, Drake playfully retorted, "Well, you certainly know how to talk. Once you become a real man, you'll let your actions speak for you. Now, tell me, what's the plan? Based on what I've been 'informed,' you should have advanced knowledge of this world. My job is to get you to a place called Laugh Tale, so how do we get there...?"
Blinking in surprise, Thomas parroted, "Laugh Tale...?" before asking, "Why is it your 'job' to get me there? Don't tell me there's a Holy Grail among the One Piece's treasure..."
Leaving Thomas a little speechless, Drake nodded her head, revealing, "If there weren't, why would any of us bother answering the call? We all have hopes and ambitions that drive us, so in exchange for helping you achieve your dream, you will help us attain ours. That's the only reason we're here, so if you can't fulfill your end of the bargain..."
Pulling out an ornate-looking flintlock pistol embellished with gold, Drake aimed it at the center of Thomas's head, adding, "Then you're wasting our time..."
Raising his hands on instinct, Thomas's pulse and breathing accelerated as he exclaimed, "Calm down! I have no problem heading to Laugh Tale, okay!? I was just surprised to hear you bring it up...!"
Adopting a teasing smile, Drake retracted her pistol from Thomas's head, adopting a casual posture as she mused, "Then it seems we've reached an accord. Now, tell me, where is the Laugh Tale? And is there anything you want to accomplish before we make our way there?"
Though he was still recovering from the shock of having a gun pressed to his head, Thomas managed to reply, "I want to become strong enough to stand at the pinnacle of this world. Reaching Laugh Tale will require all of us to possess such strength. As for where it's located...we would need to find all of the Road Poneglyphs and have someone translate them if we're to locate it..."
Since she had no idea what a Road Poneglyph was, Drake just nodded her head, trusting that Thomas knew what he was talking about as she asked, "Do you know anyone that can translate them for us?"
Returning a nod of his own, Thomas replied, "There is a woman named Nico Robin who possesses the ability to translate them. Other than her, there is a boy called Momonosuke. The problem is, I have no idea where we are, much less 'when' we are. We need to find a town or flag down one of the seagulls that distribute the news. By monitoring world events, we can plan our actions accordingling."
Nodding her head in approval, Drake said, "Sounds good." before turning around and abruptly walking over to the shore. Before Thomas could ask what she was doing, the pink-haired woman extended her hand toward the sea, shouting, "Come forth, my fated vessel! It's time to set the Sun anew...!"
Following Drake's shout, a large wooden vessel breached out of the sea like a whale before crashing down. It would appear diminutive next to the larger ships in the world of One Piece, but its spear-like bowsprit, sleek hull, twin masts, and numerous cannons gave it the impression of a swift, exceptionally fierce vessel that could cut through larger vessels like a hot knife through butter. After all, despite having a modest length of 37m, it was outfitted with four artillery cannons near the bow and fourteen flank cannons along its port and starboard sides.
Turning to the stunned Thomas, Drake narrowed her eyes in amusement as she mused, "You have my permission to come aboard. We'll sail around the island and see if we can't find a harbor or port city. If there isn't one, we'll lay anchor somewhere and come up with a different approach."
Without waiting for Thomas to respond, Drake casually leaped the more than sixty-meter distance between the shoreline and her ship. She was far from being considered the most powerful Heroic Spirit, but her power and agility were beyond anything a normal human could hope to achieve. As for Thomas, thanks to his Devil Fruit, he couldn't even swim...at least, he 'assumed' he couldn't.
With Drake watching him from the bowsprit with a teasing smile on her face, Thomas inhaled a deep breath, placed his logbook into the water-tight satchel, and stepped into the sea. He didn't feel anything at first, but the moment the water reached past his knees, he felt like he had chugged an entire bottle of tequila. What little strength he had immediately left his body, his legs giving out and his vision swimming as he sank beneath the gentle waves...
Nearly as soon as Thomas submerged, Drake removed her hat and jacket and dove in after him. She already knew he couldn't swim due to the Devil Fruit he had consumed, but she was curious to see what its actual effects were. Now that she had confirmed that Thomas was a stone that couldn't even tread water, she would either need to keep a close eye on him or tie a rope around his waist during inclement weather. If he fell overboard and plunged to the bottom of the ocean, they were all sunk...
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(A/N: This is a weak-to-strong story, so don't lose patience if the MC isn't tea-bagging Whitebeard by chapter 5.)

Chapter 1: Getting Lost on the Way to the Kitchen