New York
Eric was not the kind of man who made people dramatically turn their heads on the street, but he did not fade into the background either.
There was something about him that worked quietly.
Twenty-five years old. Average height. Average build.
No magazine-cover muscles. No supermodel aura.
Just… well put together.
With slightly wavy dark hair, he still managed to catch a few glances, especially from women over forty.
Born on Earth-616.
He had been living a perfectly normal life on a planet that, according to all official records, had no gods falling from the sky and no green giants smashing cities. Not yet.
Until one day…
"What… the hell…?"
His voice came out rough, disbelieving.
He was in his apartment.
And floating in front of him was a visible hologram.
A clear, precise sensation settled directly into his mind, as if it had always been there and had only just been switched on.
> [System Activated]<
There was no dizziness. No pain.
Just information sinking in with unsettling ease.
"No… no, no, no," he whispered, dragging a hand down his face. "This is stress. This is very clearly stress."
The system did not respond.
Because it did not need to.
He already knew how it worked.
> [Primary Objective: Create a web channel.]<
He blinked.
"A… channel?"
> [Special conditions applied.]<
• Impossible to delete.
• Impossible to censor.
• Impossible to sabotage.
• Absolute adaptive algorithm.
Eric let out a short, incredulous laugh.
"All this imaginary spectacle… just so I can upload videos?"
The irony of it was almost insulting.
He knew the concept of a "System" thanks to the stories and fanfiction his little sister read, the ones she sometimes forced him to read with her.
In other words…
Pure fantasy built on fantasy.
Eric was already halfway to dismissive—
Until the next line appeared.
>[Permitted content: Marvel Cinematic Universe. All cinematic material. No temporal restrictions. No consequences for the operator.]<
Eric straightened slowly.
"Wait… what the hell is the Marvel Cinematic Universe?"
The moment the question left his mouth—
The world went dark.
And then the information came.
All of Marvel crashed into him at once.
No neatly organized files.
No chronological list.
It arrived the way a life is lived.
He woke up as a child watching a movie for the first time… and simultaneously as an adult analyzing scenes frame by frame.
He felt the audience's excitement in packed theaters, the heavy silences before major deaths, the spontaneous applause, the restrained sobs.
He lived through every release.
Every expectation.
Every Marvel disappointment.
Every meme.
Every unhinged internet theory that almost got it right.
Cameras powering down.
Actors laughing between takes.
Directors arguing over alternate endings that would never see the light of day.
Eric was completely speechless.
Scarlett—not as the perfect spy, but as a tired woman adjusting her suit between scenes.
Elizabeth Olsen silently rehearsing a line, searching for the exact emotion.
Downey Jr. firing off sarcasm even when no one was filming, as if the character had fused to his skin.
Eric lived years.
Years when Marvel was just a franchise. Years when it became a cultural phenomenon. Years when fans argued endlessly over whether an ending was fair or not.
It was all there.
Past.
Present.
Future.
When the vision ended, Eric was on his knees on the floor of his apartment.
Breathing fast.
Too fast.
"No…" he whispered. "That's not possible."
He staggered to his feet, walked to the bathroom mirror, and stared himself in the eyes.
He braced his hands on the sink.
"How long was that?" he asked the empty room. "Minutes? Years?"
The system answered with surgical coldness.
>[Subjective time experienced: several decades.]<
[Actual time elapsed: 3.7 seconds.]<
He let out a short laugh.
"Great. So now, on top of cosmic spoilers, I've got existential jet lag."
He sat on the edge of the bathtub, rubbing his face.
His brain was still trying to assemble impossible pieces.
Because if that had been real…
Then his world was the fake one.
A piece of entertainment, just like the one he used to enjoy in theaters.
Before he could sink any deeper into that dangerous thought, the system activated again.
>[Welcome reward unlocked]<
Eric slowly lifted his head.
"A reward?" he repeated. "After you shattered my perception of reality?"
There was no sarcasm in the reply.
>[Devil Fruit granted]<
>[Pika Pika no Mi]<
Something materialized in front of him.
A strange, gleaming fruit, covered in patterns that seemed to reflect light even in shadow.
He held it in his hand, tempted to bite into it, but hesitated and instead checked the system's interface.
[Pika Pika no Mi]
[Light Human]<
[Origin: One Piece World]<
>[Abilities: Light Body]<
>[Your physical form can fully or partially convert into photons.]<
>[• Conventional physical attacks pass through your body without damage.
• You can disperse and reconstitute instantly.
• Your mass can be nullified or condensed at will.]<
Eric blinked.
"So.… people pass through me like I'm a bad idea?"
>[Confirmed]<
>[Light-Speed Movement]<
>[You can move at the speed of ligh]<
>[• Instant linear movement.
• Ricochets between reflective surfaces possible.
• Requires focus to avoid destructive collisions.]<
"Ah," Eric said. "Of course. Because slamming into a building at light speed sounds like a learning experience."
>[Warning acknowledged]<
>[Concentrated Light Attacks]<
>[You can generate light blasts, explosions, and energy projectiles.]<
>[(Consumes significant stamina]<
>[• High penetration.
• Extreme temperature.
• Accuracy dependent on mental control.]<
Eric raised a hand.
A golden glimmer sparked at his fingertips.
>[Accelerated Perception]<
>[Your mind can process information at speeds matching your movement.]<
>[• The world may appear in slow motion.
• Prolonged use may cause cognitive fatigue.]<
Eric frowned.
Then came the part he knew was coming.
The part that always came.
>[Inherent weaknesses of this great power]<
The air seemed to grow heavier.
>[Water incompatibility: Submersion in large bodies of water nullifies your strength. Total loss of mobility and energy drain.]<
Eric closed his eyes.
"Of course. Naturally. Why wouldn't it?"
>[Kairoseki (Seastone)]<
>[• Direct contact severely weakens the body.
• Actively nullifies abilities.
• Sensation equivalent to extreme fatigu]<
"So… water and special rocks."
Perfect. New York was surrounded by water.
Eric stared at the fruit in his hand.
He would literally possess the power of light.
Along with—
Knowledge of the future.
An uncensorable channel.
Rewards.
And a weakness as simple as falling into the water like an idiot and drowning.
He let out a low laugh.