Ron Johnson, a 19-year-old mobile gaming enthusiast, was in the middle of a heated online battle. His fingers flew across the screen, executing intricate combos and strategies. But suddenly, a searing headache struck him, forcing him to drop his phone.
When Ron came to, he found himself in an unfamiliar environment. He was standing in the middle of a bustling city, surrounded by towering skyscrapers and endless streams of people. Disoriented and confused, Ron stumbled forward, trying to get his bearings.
"Where am I?" Ron asked aloud, but his voice was drowned out by the cacophony of city sounds.
As he looked around, Ron's eyes widened in shock. The iconic skyscrapers, the yellow cabs, and the bustling streets – it all seemed eerily familiar.
"Isn't this... New York City?" Ron's voice trembled with incredulity.
Ron stood frozen for several minutes, trying to process his surroundings. Finally, he snapped out of his trance and approached a nearby newspaper stand. The headline read:
"NEW YORK DAILY NEWS - MARCH 15, 2000"
Ron's eyes widened as he stared at the date. 2000? But... but that's impossible! Ron's mind reeled as he tried to make sense of his situation. How did he get here? Why was he in New York City in the year 2000?
As Ron stood there, trying to wrap his head around the situation, a sudden "Ding!" pierced the air. A futuristic, game-like menu appeared before him.
*System Initializing...*
Name: Ron Johnson
Age: 19
Race: Human?
Ron's eyes widened as he stared at the question mark next to his race. "What's going on? System, are you there?!" he shouted, but only received strange looks from passersby.
Before he could react further, another "Ding!" sounded, and a new message appeared:
*System Beginner Pack*
Do you want to open?
Ron's shock gave way to curiosity, and he hesitantly said, "Yes."
*Loading... 1%*
The progress bar quickly filled up, and when it hit 100%, a final "Ding!" announced:
*Your existence has been integrated into this world.*
A new address appeared on the screen:
*1435 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10128*
Ron's eyes widened as he stared at the address. A house?
*1 Skill Uploaded:*
Mind Resistance - You are now 100% resistant to mind manipulation, mind control, and mind reading.
A small icon of the Light Light Fruit from the One Piece universe appeared on the screen:
*Devil Fruit: Light Light Fruit*
100% blessed by the system, removing all curses. You will not be affected by the fruit's usual weaknesses, including an inability to swim or feeling weak.
Ron's mind reeled as he tried to comprehend the sheer amount of information being thrown at him. What did it all mean? And what was this "system" that seemed to be controlling his life?
As Ron walked towards the address, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Why was his race listed as "Human?" with a question mark? He pushed the thought aside for now and focused on finding the building.
As he turned a corner, he noticed a TV playing in a nearby store. The news anchor mentioned Tony Stark, and Ron's eyes widened in shock. Wait, what? Tony Stark? As in, Iron Man? Ron's mind reeled as he tried to process the information. Was he somehow transported into the Marvel universe?
Ron's thoughts were interrupted by a passerby, and he asked for directions to the address. The passerby pointed him in the right direction, and Ron continued walking.
As he approached the building, a girl with a bright smile greeted him. "Hello, sir! I'm Anna. You're the one who bought this 5-story building, right? Here's the key and all the papers are inside. Thank you, sir!"
Ron's shock was still evident on his face as he took the key and papers from Anna. She smiled and left, leaving Ron to process the sudden turn of events.
As he entered the building, Ron was surprised by its luxurious interior. He walked around the first floor, taking in the sights, and noticed a box in the corner. Curiosity got the better of him, and he opened the box, revealing a credit card with a password of 0000. A paper attached to the card caught his eye:
*System Notice:*
1 billion dollars deposited into your account as a newbie gift pack.
Ron's jaw dropped as he stared at the paper. 1 billion dollars? He couldn't believe his eyes. Growing up, Ron had always struggled financially. His parents had passed away when he was young, and his relatives didn't care much for him. He had been living paycheck to paycheck, earning a meager 400-500 dollars per month.
But now, in an instant, he had become a billionaire. Ron sat down, trying to process the overwhelming emotions and thoughts racing through his mind. What would happen next?