[Pokémon Breeder in One Piece] Chapter 344 (Patreon)

"Hello, is there anything I can help you with?"

Dak never expected to be assigned the role of an NPC within the game.

Simply standing still in contemplation for a moment was enough to attract a player attempting to "interact" with him.

The player appeared to be trying to trigger a quest or gain some hidden information.

"…"

Dak glanced at the player, whose name appeared in green above his head:

[Diavel]

Though his memory was faint, Dak recognized the name.

In the original story, Diavel was a beta tester who died early during the first-floor boss fight, slain by the boss while attempting to claim the "last attack bonus." Despite this, Diavel was a righteous figure who initially organized players to tackle the game's challenges.

Even in his final moments, Diavel's goal was to free all the trapped players.

"Hello? Don't tell me this part of the game is bugged."

Diavel waved his hand in front of Dak's face.

"Oh, sorry about that. Actually, I do have something I need help with," Dak replied, snapping out of his "daze" and flashing a sheepish grin.

He played the role of a dimwitted NPC convincingly.

"Great! I'd be happy to help!" Diavel clenched his fists in excitement.

His hunch had paid off. This NPC, with a face far more refined than the usual NPCs, clearly held a special quest.

"If you could bring me a hooded cloak of any style, I'll reward you with…" Dak paused to check his system inventory. "A fairly decent katana."

Dak's inventory, a chaotic collection of items gathered from countless ten-pulls, contained all sorts of oddities. The katana was a standard-issue weapon forged by Wano's blacksmiths, drawn from the pirate world. It wasn't a legendary blade but could fetch 100,000 Berries if sold.

"I'll be right back!"

Although slightly disappointed by the reward, Diavel saw the value. Players at this stage had only beginner weapons, so acquiring a stronger blade this early would give him a significant edge.

Without hesitation, Diavel dashed off, likely to buy a cloak from a nearby shop. Players started with 1,000G in their inventory, after all.

Once Diavel left, Dak retrieved the katana from his inventory and examined it.

[Standard Katana]

Range: Short

Type: One-handed weapon

Attack: 37–50

Attributes: Strength +10, Agility +7

Durability: 120

Weight: 35

Requirements: Strength 35, Endurance 20

"Is this good or bad?" Dak mused, unable to gauge its quality due to the lack of comparison data.

At least the weapon had stats, confirming that his items were functional within the game. More importantly, it meant Dak could continue masquerading as an NPC and issuing quests, albeit without the ability to grant experience points.

Diavel soon returned, holding a hooded cloak.

"Here's the cloak you asked for!"

Diavel handed over the item, having spent all his starting funds and even selling his beginner sword to buy the best cloak he could find.

Dak instinctively took the cloak and donned it, obscuring most of his form.

"Here's your reward." He handed the katana to Diavel, watching the player's reaction.

"Whoa!"

Even before taking the weapon, Diavel marveled at its craftsmanship. Once he examined its stats, his excitement turned to dismay.

"This is amazing, but the requirements… I won't meet them until at least level 10."

Diavel muttered his thoughts aloud, unaware that NPCs like Dak weren't supposed to hear such things.

Dak also took the opportunity to peek at Diavel's status screen:

[Diavel]

Level: 1

Strength: 10

Agility: 10

Endurance: 10

Intelligence: 10

Sword Skill: Thrust

A typical beginner build.

With the quest complete, Diavel hurried off without even a goodbye.

Dak chuckled. He, too, had rushed off like that in past games.

Before Dak could decide what to do next, the area around him shimmered, and another figure materialized.

[Heathcliff]

"Hmm?"

Akihiko Kayaba, in his administrator avatar, frowned as he surveyed the area.

Anomalous data had been flagged in the system—a weapon that wasn't part of the game's original assets had appeared.

Kayaba inspected the location, finding only an NPC in a hooded cloak.

As he pondered the situation, the NPC approached him.

"Akihiko Kayaba, I didn't expect you to come straight to me," Dak said.

"…"

Kayaba's in-game avatar froze, his eyes widening.

An NPC calling his real name?

"No, this must be a tester. Their ID and health bar are hidden," Kayaba thought, trying to rationalize the situation.

"Don't bother questioning my identity. I'm not from your world—I'm from another dimension. I know this sounds unbelievable, but for you, it should be easy to accept, shouldn't it?"

Dak circled Kayaba, even taking the shield off his back. "After all, you've always believed in the existence of other worlds."

Kayaba stared in shock. Not only was there no mechanic to steal equipped items, but his shield was stored in his inventory, not physically on his avatar.

"This world is real to me. I came here in person, which is why I can break your game's rules."

Dak tossed the shield to the ground, demonstrating that it couldn't be stored in his system inventory.

"How did you enter SAO? What's your purpose here? And how do you know my name and beliefs?!"

Though his avatar remained composed, Kayaba's mind was in turmoil, grappling with the impossible.

(End of Chapter)

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