Crash Landing, the System Returns Again

"Roy, run faster!!"

Moria lay sprawled across Roy's fully beastified back, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Ahhh, stop rushing me." Roy's middle head turned back and roared.

At that moment, man and dog—

were racing at full speed through Tenpan City's stairways and alleys.

Behind them, the terrified screams of residents rang out.

But Moria had no mind to care about any of that.

His eyes were locked on the distant sky, where a tiny dot was plummeting at terrifying speed.

"Damn it, what the hell happened to Lin Nuo?"

Ten minutes earlier, he and Glen had run into a group of gang members heading to reinforce the dueling arena.

After a fierce battle—

he and Roy had successfully entered the dueling arena.

What they saw was Lin Nuo soaring into the sky with Ivankov, Kuma, and Ginny.

They had immediately turned around and given chase.

But less than five minutes later, the situation in the sky had changed.

That tiny dot, which had been flying steadily, suddenly began to wobble before dropping straight down!

"Faster! Go even faster, Roy!!"

He was not worried about Lin Nuo. That guy was tough as nails.

The crucial thing was the three people Lin Nuo had brought along.

"I'm already going at full speed—"

Roy's three heads stretched forward at once, all six eyes fixed on the falling figure that was growing larger and larger.

Midair.

"Lin Nuo! Lin Nuo, what's wrong with you?!"

Ivankov slapped Lin Nuo's face hard, but he showed no reaction.

"I don't want to throw up anymore, and I'm not dizzy either. Wake up already, Lin Nuo—"

Ginny shook his arm desperately.

Beside them, Kuma lowered his head and glanced below.

At this speed, they had at most ten seconds before they hit the ground and turned into pulp.

"Lin Nuo said we were going to the docks, right?"

Ivankov and Ginny looked at him at the same time.

"Get close to me, quickly," Kuma said. "Hold on to Lin Nuo, and hold on to each other."

There was no time to hesitate. Ivankov immediately grabbed Kuma's arm, while Ginny wrapped her arms around him from behind. Together, they also held on to Lin Nuo.

Kuma drew a deep breath, raised the pink paw pad on his right hand, and pushed forward.

"Compression: Ejection!"

The air compressed.

Four bubbles appeared and shot diagonally toward the dock district at incredible speed.

Two seconds later.

Four dull impacts sounded.

The bubbles landed one after another, gently spitting out the people inside.

Ivankov was the first to scramble up and rush to Lin Nuo's side.

He pressed his ear to Lin Nuo's chest, checked his breathing, then pulled open his eyelids for a look.

"His breathing and heartbeat are still there, and he doesn't have any external injuries. Why won't he wake up?"

Lin Nuo was like... he was asleep.

The deepest kind.

A sleep completely unresponsive to the outside world.

"Hey..."

"Open your eyes..."

The voice seemed to come from far away, blurred and indistinct.

Lin Nuo felt his consciousness sinking.

Tired... so tired... I want to rest...

This feeling... did Imu ambush me again...?

No... wasn't I with Kuma and the others...?

We flew out of the dueling arena... and then...

"Pia!"

Lin Nuo suddenly opened his eyes and sat bolt upright.

He gasped for breath, his eyes rapidly coming into focus before he froze.

Before him was pure white.

He floated in a boundless white space.

"System Space!?"

Lin Nuo blurted it out, and delight immediately burst across his face.

The last time he had entered this space was at God Valley, when Imu's ambush had left him on the verge of death.

Ever since then, this lousy system had acted as if it were dead.

And now, he had actually entered it again!

"Congratulations."

A voice rang out.

Lin Nuo looked toward it, then smiled.

Floating before him was a ship. Its bow bore the iconic lion-head design, and its deck, mast, and sails were all complete.

The Thousand Sunny.

More precisely, it was the last thing he had imagined in his mind before leaving the System Space last time.

"System bro!"

Grinning, Lin Nuo walked over and reached out to touch the hull.

It felt so real, no different from the actual thing.

"I didn't expect your appearance to still be what I last imagined before I left."

Lin Nuo's eyes shifted.

The Thousand Sunny before him began to transform.

In just two seconds, the ship became a black-haired woman with a stunning figure, peerless beauty, and a cheongsam.

Empress Boa Hancock.

And it was an extremely faithful version, with every detail fully realized.

System: "..."

"Hey, I—"

"Wait, I know," Lin Nuo cut in first.

"I bet your next line is—"

"I called you here for your third choice, not to play dress-up."

The system, wearing Hancock's appearance, fell silent for three seconds.

Then she showed an expression that mixed helplessness with disdain.

"Childish."

"No, do you know how long it takes before I get to see you even once, System bro?"

Lin Nuo started complaining.

"Other people's systems practically stick to their transmigrators twenty-four hours a day, answering questions, keeping them company, and handing out benefits."

"But you? You act like you're rushing to clock out. You summon me, hand out a reward, then kick me straight back out."

"You were the same way at God Valley!"

The more he spoke, the more worked up he became. "Do you know, during this time, I—"

Splash!

Before he could finish, a translucent data panel smacked directly into Lin Nuo's face!

Lin Nuo was knocked backward. After barely steadying himself, he focused his gaze on it.

A familiar progress bar interface:

It now contained many more things, including portraits of Alice, Teach, Ivankov, Kuma, Ginny, and a motley assortment of other people.

Bands of light extended from the portraits, filling the progress bar below all the way to the third stage.

[Based on a multidimensional assessment of the host's behavioral trajectory, interpersonal relationships, event participation, worldline disturbance value, and other data following the God Valley incident]

[The system's basic functional modules have been activated]

[Specific functions will be gradually understood after the host returns to reality]

[This is the system's affirmation of the host's progress]

Lin Nuo's eyes lit up.

"So that means I can finally communicate with you normally?!"

The system did not answer directly. Instead, she waved a hand.

The progress bar interface shrank into a corner.

In its place appeared a line of text.

[Begin your third choice]

Lin Nuo's heart skipped a beat.

It was here.

His first choice had come right after he transmigrated.

The system had given him seven options and asked him to choose his race. He had chosen the Lunarians.

His second choice had come when he was on the verge of death at God Valley.

Only three options had remained, and he had chosen the Voice of All Things.

That ability had later guided him to find Alice, Teach, and the others...

So this time...

How many options would there be?

Lin Nuo held his breath.

In an instant.

A light screen that nearly filled his entire vision abruptly unfolded before him!!

[Third Choice · Treasures]

[Full Set of Sky Island Dials (including fourteen basic types and three rare variants, such as Wind Dials, Heat Dials, Impact Dials, Tone Dials, Lamp Dials, and more)]

[Germa 66 Technology Blueprints (basic clone soldier models + combat suit design principles)]

[Black Blade: Yoru (priceless treasure)]

[Seven-Star Sword (cursed holy sword)]

[Ancient Weapon: Pluton Blueprints]

[Poneglyph Rubbing Stone (one random red Poneglyph or one of four ordinary Poneglyphs)]

[Bubble Coral ×100 (a Fish-Man Island specialty capable of creating large bubbles)]

[Memory Seahorse (living creature; can store and transplant memories)]

[Golden Horn of Rare Beast Island (legendary item)]

[Millennium Dragon Bone (fossil)]

[Adam Tree Seedling (can be cultivated in a suitable environment)]

[Eve Tree Seed (same as above)]

[Legendary Island Turtle Egg (its holder may be regarded as friendly by island turtle groups)]

[...]

[...]

[...]

The list continued extending downward...