Ben wasn't entirely sure if what he was seeing truly counted as a Dimensional Gate—after all, he'd never witnessed one in person.
For now, he decided to call it a Dimensional Gate.
When the gate opened, time and space around him seemed to slowly freeze, like the world itself was holding its breath, until the gate finally stabilized and took form.
At that moment, Ben could feel that the gate was draining his physical energy—he wouldn't be able to maintain it for long. Yet at the same time, he instinctively knew that he could close the gate at will.
That was strange.
It didn't match anything he'd read in the news. Over the past two weeks, Ben had done his homework on Dimensional Gates. As far as he knew, their sizes varied widely—some stretched into the clouds and could be seen from miles away.
Others were no bigger than a regular door and could easily go unnoticed.
But regardless of their size, one thing was always true: Dimensional Gates were uncontrollable once they appeared. Nobody could open or close them at will, and certainly no one had ever mentioned gates draining physical stamina to function.
"Could it be... my transmigration has changed somehow? Am I finally getting the bonus rewards?" Ben thought excitedly.
Just then, the swirling, multicolored glow of the gate faded, and the view beyond became clearer.
The time-space on the other side hadn't fully stabilized—it still looked semi-frozen.
Taking advantage of the brief window, Ben leaned forward to take a peek—and what he saw surprised him.
It looked like the scene of a murder.
A man dressed like a chef lay face down on a wooden floor, blood pooling beneath his back—stabbed from behind. The killer hadn't even fled yet. From Ben's current angle, the killer's back was facing him.
The murderer was stocky and broad, with a black headscarf wrapped around messy, shoulder-length hair. His appearance was unkempt, wild even—the kind of guy who clearly didn't care about grooming.
He was still reveling in his crime, holding a bloodstained dagger in one hand and a bizarre-looking fruit high in the other—clearly the object he'd killed for.
The moment Ben laid eyes on the scene, he felt a strong sense of déjà vu.
And when he got a clearer look at the strange fruit—now practically right in his face—he suddenly realized:
"Wait a minute—isn't that a Devil Fruit?!" he gasped.
There was no mistaking it. The distinct swirl patterns and alien appearance were unmistakable.
Ben had been a longtime fan of manga and anime back in his previous world, so he recognized it immediately.
It all made sense now.
The gate had connected to the world of One Piece, and based on the scene in front of him… this had to be the night Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teach) murdered Thatch, the 4th division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, to steal the Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit)—the most fearsome Devil Fruit in the story.
As Ben pieced it together, time and space in that world suddenly snapped back to normal.
"Hahahaha! Thatch, blame your fate! This Dark-Dark Fruit is mine!"
Blackbeard burst into maniacal laughter, drunk on victory and power.
He seemed to be venting years of pent-up ambition and desire, showing off his prize to the corpse below.
But before he could finish his triumphant speech—he froze.
He suddenly sensed someone watching him.
Ben wasn't one to hesitate. The moment Blackbeard lifted the fruit toward his face, Ben lunged forward and snatched the Dark-Dark Fruit right out of his hand!
Without saying a single word, he immediately willed the gate to close.
He knew very well: even without the Dark-Dark Fruit, Blackbeard was a terrifyingly powerful opponent—one of the few men who could leave a permanent scar on Shanks, even while the Red-Haired Emperor was giving it his all.
Blackbeard hadn't kept a low profile in the Whitebeard crew because he was weak—he was hiding his true power, biding his time.
Ben had just stolen the thing he valued most. That made him a dead man in Blackbeard's eyes.
Ben might've been strong enough for street fights in New Dal, but compared to Blackbeard, he'd be flattened in a second.
Escape was the only option.
Just as Blackbeard turned around, he caught a glimpse of Ben closing a mysterious glowing portal.
"BASTARD! GIVE ME BACK THE DARK-DARK FRUIT—!"
Blackbeard roared, his fury exploding like a bomb.
His Haki burst out, a storm of pressure surging across the ship and surrounding sea.
His shout and killing intent instantly alerted the others on board.
"Teach?!"
Moments later, a young man burst into the cabin, throwing open the door.
"What's going on?!"
If Ben had still been there, he would've immediately recognized the newcomer: Portgas D. Ace, son of Pirate King Gol D. Roger, beloved "son" of Whitebeard, and the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Ace's eyes widened as he spotted Thatch's lifeless body lying in a pool of blood.
"Thatch?!"
Ace rushed over, checking for signs of life—but it was too late.
Meanwhile, Blackbeard quickly regained his composure. He had no idea where the intruder went, and his Haki couldn't sense anything. He had to cover this up.
"Thatch and I were just having a drink. He was seeing me off when some ability user opened a strange portal right here!
That bastard snatched the knife from my waist, stabbed Thatch in the back, and stole the Devil Fruit!"
Blackbeard clenched his teeth, fury etched all over his face.
Ace, overwhelmed by grief, didn't question the story. He trusted his crewmates deeply—and Blackbeard's rage seemed genuine. From Ace's perspective, Teach had no reason to kill Thatch.
And let's be honest—Ace wasn't exactly known for being cautious or skeptical.
He bought it immediately.
"Did you see the guy's face? Anyone who dares hurt the Whitebeard Pirates—I'll find him, no matter where he runs. I'll make him pay and avenge Thatch!"
Blackbeard nodded gravely.
"I saw him clearly. Get a sketch artist—I'll hunt that bastard down and tear him apart!"
—
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Dimensional Gate, Ben stood alone in the dim stairwell, staring at the Devil Fruit he had just snatched from the jaws of fate.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I wonder… does this Devil Fruit still work now that it's outside the One Piece world?"
But then again, considering how many strange powers from other worlds had successfully crossed through Dimensional Gates and flourished in this world…
"Then this fruit… should still work too, right?"
In any case, as Ben felt the energy pulsing within him, and sensed that as long as his stamina held up, he could open the gate again at will—
A smile crept across his face.
"Maybe… this situation isn't so bad after all."