[Congratulations, Host!]
[You've obtained the A-Class Villain Template: Crocodile.]
Alex raised an eyebrow. "That sounds... familiar. One Piece?"
[Affirmative.]
[Template: Sir Crocodile]Class: A
Origin: One Piece World
Affiliation: Former Warlord of the Sea, Leader of Baroque Works
Power Source: Suna Suna no Mi (Sand-Sand Logia Devil Fruit)
Template Abilities Unlocked:
1. Logia Physiology – Sand Body:You can turn your body into sand at will. Physical attacks phase through you unless imbued with energy or water.– Passive Defense Boost– High Mobility (Sand Flow, Burrowing, Disintegration Travel)
2. Moisture Drain Touch:Any part of your body can rapidly dehydrate whatever you touch – flesh, plant, or material.– Can cause instant mummification in living beings– Can crumble stone and structures to dust
3. Sandstorm Generation:You can generate devastating sandstorms capable of leveling city blocks.– Wind + Sand manipulation synergy– AoE (Area of Effect) crowd control
4. Desert Spada / Grandes Lames Attacks:Manifest massive blades and waves of slicing sand capable of cutting through steel or buildings.
5. Environmental Domination – Desertification:You can transform your environment into arid wastelands over time, creating advantageous terrain for yourself.
[ Host can unlock more abilities as he progress through and learn more about his abilities ]
Alex whistled. "Damn... desert god mode."
[Additional Note: Template Synchronization is currently at 50%. Full potential unlocks at 100%.]
[System Tip: Water-based or haki-empowered attacks may still harm you. Exercise caution.]
"Hmm, so it's only at 50%, huh?" Alex muttered, nodding thoughtfully. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Alright then... play it. Give it to me."
[Affirmative... Integrating Crocodile Template.]
A sudden gust of hot, dry wind surged around him. The air crackled with static as golden grains of sand spiraled from thin air, swirling tighter and tighter around his body like a living cocoon.
His skin shimmered, the texture subtly shifting—coarse and golden like compacted desert sand. The earth beneath his feet cracked and flaked, moisture violently ripped away as a wave of dry heat radiated from his presence.
Alex's fingers flexed, and as they did, a thin stream of sand slid down his palm and dripped to the ground like liquid. He could feel it—power, and its Nature.
His eyes glinted amber, sharp and predatory.
[Template Integration at 50%. Current Abilities Enhanced: Moisture Drain, Sand Body, Partial Desertification Field.]
[New Passive Unlocked: Sand Awareness – You can detect movement within any sandy terrain within a 20-meter radius.]
[System Notification: Sync Rate increases through combat, high-stress situations, and assimilation of desert environments.]
Alex looked at the notification, then around the hospital room—only to find that the entire space was now blanketed in golden sand. Walls, floors, furniture—everything had been covered by fine grains.
"Well... how am I gonna explain this?" he muttered with a half-smile.
He lifted his hand, and as he focused, the sand began to stir. It answered to his will like an extension of his own body. Within seconds, the particles in the air and on the floor spiraled together into a swirling ball in his palm, spinning like a miniature storm.
"My control is already great... thanks to the 50% integration of the template," he noted aloud, watching the sand sphere stabilize.
Curious, he poured more focus into it. The sphere unraveled mid-air as more sand from the surroundings rushed in. The grains twisted and merged, taking shape—long limbs, sinewed muscles, fangs of sand and amber.
Before long, a massive sand tiger stood before him, its body rotating with soft rustling sounds like dry leaves caught in the wind. The creature snarled silently, golden eyes glowing faintly beneath the sculpted surface.
Alex placed a hand on its head, the sand solidifying just enough to hold form under his command.
"A sandy tiger, raised and sculpted at my feet... now this is power."
But the moment of triumph didn't last.
The tiger began to shimmer faintly, its form flickering—and then, like dry leaves in a breeze, it crumbled. The grains lost cohesion, melting back into loose sand that spilled across the hospital floor.
Alex clicked his tongue. "Tch… I guess I need more control to keep it stable."
He nodded to himself, determination sharpening in his eyes. Without hesitation, he raised his hand again. The sand obeyed instantly, spiraling into another construct. The form twisted—this time a wolf—but it too collapsed within moments.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Each time, he learned. Each time, the construct held a little longer.
Until—
[System Notification: Sand Construct Skill – Unlocked]
→ You can now create autonomous or semi-autonomous constructs made of sand. Durability scales with synchronization rate and your current stamina.
[Template Sync: 52%]
Alex paused, panting lightly, grains of sand still swirling at his feet like loyal hounds.
He narrowed his eyes, intrigued. "So the more I use it… the more it grows."
A grin stretched across his face.
"Guess I'll be sculpting more than just statues soon."
He stepped forward, the sand parting under his feet as if bowing.
"Hmm... my injuries are healed too," Alex muttered as he moved his body, testing his limbs. The aching that plagued him earlier was completely gone.
"No pain at all... I guess I also inherited Crocodile's physique from the One Piece world—enhanced durability, natural toughness."
He nodded to himself, sitting back at the side of the bed as loose grains of sand gently shifted underfoot.
"But now the real question is..." he murmured, eyes narrowing slightly. "Who am I in this world?"
He glanced down at his hands, inspecting them as if they might offer some clue. "Strange… why is there no memory of this body? No instinctual sense of who I was?"
Looking around the hospital room for anything that might help, he spotted a smartphone resting on the side table.
"Bingo," he muttered.
He picked it up—it was locked.
"Figures," he sighed. "How am I supposed to use this?"
He hesitated, then tapped the fingerprint sensor out of instinct—just for the sake of trying.
To his surprise, the phone unlocked with a quiet buzz.
"...Huh. Looks like it wasn't powered off after all," he murmured, brows lifting.