Tom tilted his head, not understanding why Zhang Da Ye was so surprised. Getting thin from hunger and fat from eating—wasn't that normal?
Zhang Da Ye wanted to bang his head on Tom's for thinking that was normal.
But then, remembering it was Tom, he let it go and decided to focus on studying his cheat device.
Pressing his right hand on the circular mark on the back of his left hand, the 72% number dimmed, turning into fine lines that formed a magical pattern.
A light screen appeared, hovering above his left hand and following its movement.
The top displayed the time, and below it was the magical energy pattern.
Zhang Da Ye tapped the pattern. A message popped up:
[Notice: Insufficient energy. Summon unavailable. Please charge to above 90%.]
He then tried swiping left and right. Swiping right showed:
[Inventory]
Below it were empty square slots.
Curious, Zhang Da Ye placed a bar of soap into the slot—nothing happened. He tried putting it on the back of his hand:
[Notice: Only summonable items can be stored.]
So, he could summon items from other worlds? Not an all-purpose pocket dimension, but still useful.
Swiping left, he saw:
[Character List]
Below were only two avatars: Zhang Da Ye and Tom. Tapping each showed basic info and a brief introduction.
Reading his own introduction, Zhang Da Ye grimaced. Cause of his world-crossing? Likely some roommate casually wishing on a shooting star.
Which idiot was that?
Wait until I see that star—I'll make sure to deal with all of you.
Flipping through the pages multiple times, Zhang Da Ye checked for hidden functions but found none.
The screen transitions reminded him of his lost phone, and the magical pattern looked oddly like a combination of his school emblem and key.
Two unrelated designs fused together to create something surprisingly elegant.
Satisfied, Zhang Da Ye tapped the back of his hand, dismissing the screen.
Tom, having just finished his back scrub, peeked curiously at Zhang Da Ye.
Zhang Da Ye patted Tom's head, changed his own clothes, and stepped out.
"Da Ye, your room is ready. Rest a bit. Later, I'll introduce you to Bail," Molly said.
"Thank you for the trouble."
"You're too polite. Bail will be the one giving you trouble later."
Zhang Da Ye entered the guest room with Tom. A single bed with neat bedding awaited him, and a small blanket was prepared for Tom.
On the bedside table were a cup, some snacks, and a stack of newspapers.
This is overthinking, but just what I need, Zhang Da Ye thought, picking up a paper to catch up on information.
There were five papers, dated from May 5 to May 9 in the Sea Calendar 1510—likely because he drifted at sea for five days.
He started with the May 7 issue, drawn by the eye-catching front-page photo.
It showed a long-haired princess-style beauty, wearing bold clothes, snake-shaped earrings, and a snake coiled behind her, her expression haughty.
No matter who saw her, they'd be captivated—unfortunately, it was black-and-white.
Zhang Da Ye didn't look for bounty info, because the headline read:
"Pirate Empress Boa Hancock Invited to Join Seven Warlords of the Sea"
Once a pirate became a Warlord, their bounty would be canceled.
The article praised her beauty and elegance extensively, only briefly mentioning her first voyage bounty of 80 million Berries and her Warlord invitation.
It also explained Amazon Lily and jokingly called it a paradise for men, which Zhang Da Ye found dangerous—going there could be fatal.
Since she just became a Warlord, the Seven Warlords aren't complete yet.
Another key piece of news:
"Vice Admiral Kadarou Transferred to the Sabaody Archipelago"
Good to know, since he'd be living here a while—it's useful to understand the local Navy leadership.
The paper gave a brief bio: Kadarou was a subordinate of Vice Admiral Borsalino (Kizaru) and had notable achievements.
Zhang Da Ye recognized the names—later, the three admirals included Kizaru, Akainu, and Aokiji, with Fleet Admiral Sengoku at the top.
He continued scanning the newspapers meticulously, only rivaled by someone nicknamed the Newspaper King.
Speaking of whom, there was news of Donquixote Doflamingo:
"Donquixote Family pirate ship flees from Vice Admiral Tsuru in the North Sea"
At this time, Doflamingo was still being chased, not yet a Warlord, and unclear on the status of Law and Corazon.
Other headlines included:
"Red-Haired Pirates Enter the Grand Line! Shanks Loses an Arm—What Powerful Enemy Did He Face?"
In fact, Shanks not only lost an arm but also got his head cracked by the Mountain Bandit King with a bottle.
After reading through, besides familiar figures, only one serialized comic caught Zhang Da Ye's attention:
"Brave Sea Warrior Sora and the Evil Army Jerma"
It told stories of Jerma being repeatedly defeated. Sora bore a seagull emblem, and even his team included seagulls. Clearly, this comic wasn't about actual strength.
Phew, Zhang Da Ye heard soft breathing beside him.
Turning, he saw Tom asleep, wrapped in the small blanket like a caterpillar, head on Zhang Da Ye's lap, bubbles forming on his nose.
Zhang Da Ye smiled, gently set Tom on the pillow, and lay down himself, grateful for the comfort after days adrift at sea.