Chapter 1: Ice-Cold Waifu
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Rylan Graves groaned as salty sea air stung his nose and the creaking of wooden planks echoed beneath him. His eyelids fluttered open to a dizzying blur of blue sky and endless ocean waves. For a moment, confusion gripped him—where was he? The last thing he remembered was pulling on a gacha banner on his phone… and then—nothing.
His head throbbed, every breath tasted of salt and seaweed, and his body ached from the damp wooden crate he'd been lying in. Slowly, he pushed himself up, muscles protesting. The crate was bobbing gently in the waves. Somewhere off in the distance, gulls cried. He was floating—adrift in the middle of the East Blue, apparently.
"What the hell…?" Rylan muttered, blinking against the glaring sun. His clothes were soaked through, a thin shirt clinging to his lean frame, and his jeans were salt-crusted and torn. The crate creaked ominously as the waves shifted beneath it.
He swung his legs over the side and tried to swim toward the shore. His limbs felt weak, as if he hadn't moved in days. The faint outline of an island shimmered in the horizon, small but promising land.
"First things first," he thought, gulping down a breath of briny air, "find food, fresh water… and maybe figure out where the hell I am."
As he paddled toward the island, his thoughts spun wildly. This had to be some kind of weird dream or game. Maybe a VR malfunction? No, this felt too real. The air smelled alive with something unfamiliar, the ocean heavier somehow. And… why did he still have that weird glowing interface floating in front of his eyes?
He blinked and looked down at the translucent blue rectangle hovering mid-air.
[WELCOME TO THE GACHA SUMMON SYSTEM]
[USER: RYLAN GRAVES]
[MISSION 1: DEFEAT A PIRATE WITH BOUNTY OF 500,000 BELI]
[REWARD: SUMMON AVATAR UNLOCKED]
He blinked again, heart pounding. "What the hell is this? Did I get hacked?"
The message floated steadily in his vision. Underneath, an image appeared—a stern-looking woman in a tight military uniform, icy blue eyes sharp as daggers.
A sudden chill brushed over the island, and the air felt heavier.
Rylan shivered.
"Wait… is this some kind of system? Like in those anime I binge-watch?" He rubbed his face. "No way… this is real?"
Suddenly, the crate jolted sharply as a rough voice called out.
"Oi! What're you doing, floating in my waters?"
Rylan froze. From the nearby bushes, a ragtag group of pirates emerged—rough men with cutlasses and grins that spelled trouble. Their leader was a burly fellow with a jagged scar across his cheek.
"Looks like fresh meat," the leader sneered.
Panic clenched Rylan's chest. His mind raced. He had no weapons, no devil fruit, nothing. Just this weird floating system, and an island that was probably crawling with more pirates.
"Guess you're easy pickings," another pirate chuckled.
Rylan's eyes darted. System, he thought. What do I do?
He glanced back up at the floating message.
[MISSION STARTED: DEFEAT A PIRATE WITH BOUNTY OF 500,000 BELI]
His breath caught. "Alright… guess I'm doing this."
Before he could think further, the crate suddenly shimmered with an icy blue light. The figure from the system image materialized beside him in a swirl of frost and snowflakes.
Tall, with pale skin that gleamed like porcelain, piercing ice-blue eyes that seemed to freeze the very air, and a slender figure wrapped in a dark military coat that accentuated every curve. The woman's long silver hair fluttered as the frost swirled around her.
She tilted her head and smiled, but it wasn't warm—it was sharp and dangerous.
"I am Esdeath," she said softly, voice like an icy breeze. "You summoned me."
Rylan blinked. "Wha—? You're real?"
Esdeath stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. "You need me to survive in this world. I will protect you."
His heart thumped fast, and for a moment, the tension between them felt electric. The cold emanating from her was tangible, making goosebumps rise on his skin. She smiled, but it was the kind of smile that promised danger—and something else. Something… intoxicating.
Rylan swallowed hard. "Uh… thanks? But how does this work? What do you want from me?"
She smirked, stepping even closer. "Husband."
Heat rushed to Rylan's cheeks. "Uh—wait, what?!"
Esdeath's eyes gleamed. "I'm not a woman who asks twice."
The pirates nearby stopped, stunned, watching the sudden frost forming on the sand and air. A shimmer of blue light wrapped around Esdeath's hands as she raised them, a surge of cold energy blasting toward the pirates.
They screamed, scrambling as frost coated their weapons and skin. One man slipped, frozen in place, his breath visible as a mist. The others fled, terrified.
Rylan gawked. "Holy crap…"
Esdeath turned back to him, smirking devilishly. "You'll learn to call me 'wife,' eventually."
He gulped.
The cold touch of her hand brushed his arm, sending a shiver that had nothing to do with the weather.
His thoughts stumbled between disbelief, confusion, and a strange flutter deep in his chest.
He looked at the system again.
[MISSION COMPLETE: DEFEATED FIRST PIRATE]
[REWARD UNLOCKED: SUMMON AVATAR ESDEATH – ICE EMPRESS]
[NEW QUEST UNLOCKED: DEFEAT THREE PIRATES WITH BOUNTY OVER 1 MILLION BELI]
Rylan's vision blurred for a moment. "This… this is insane."
Esdeath smiled softly, tracing a finger along his jaw. "Don't worry, husband. I'll make sure you survive."
His pulse raced as her icy breath brushed his neck.
Rylan swallowed, trying to keep his composure. "Right. First mission done. Now… survive."
The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows on the beach as the ice slowly melted into the warm sand.
Rylan looked at Esdeath, half in awe, half in confusion, and realized something—
His life just got a lot more complicated.
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Author's Note
Greetings, dear readers.
I'm the author of this newly reimagined work, [One Piece: Gacha Hunter of the Grand Line]
This project is a remake of my earlier story, and I sincerely hope you will support me as I strive to improve and deliver a more engaging experience.
I will do my utmost to bring you a story worth reading.
Thank you for your time and support.
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