1 New World
Southeastern United States, Georgia.
The capital city, situated to the north of Atlanta.
An abandoned wooden house nestled in the suburbs.
The wooden house was in a state of disarray, cluttered with numerous abandoned items, and covered in a thick layer of dust. In the left corner, a small clean space had been cleared, where a few old clothes were spread out, and a man lay upon them.
This man appeared to be in his early twenties and stood at a height of about 1.8 meters. He appeared to be unconscious, with his eyes closed.
There was a woman seated on a rickety chair.
She had fiery red hair and piercing blue eyes. Though her attire was simple, it couldn't hide her attractive figure, and her delicate features now bore an expression of sorrow and worry. Her name was Sonia, and she was a Mutant.
Due to her Mutant identity being exposed, agents from the Sentry Secret Service were relentlessly pursuing her. She had reluctantly bid farewell to her former life and embarked on a life of constant evasion. Just a day prior, she had stumbled upon this abandoned wooden house and decided to take refuge here temporarily.
However, an unexpected event occurred as a door suddenly materialized on the roof of the wooden house, causing a man to tumble out of it.
Initially startled, Sonia contemplated fleeing, but upon noticing that the man had inexplicably lost consciousness, she hesitated. Judging from the peculiar manner of his arrival, it was likely that he too was a Mutant. Encounters with fellow Mutants were rare during her escape, so Sonia chose to stay.
A groan suddenly pierced the silence, and Sonia was jolted from her thoughts. She turned her attention to the prone man.
In the dim light, the man slowly opened his eyes.
His eyes, originally a piercing black, seemed to emit a sharp gleam momentarily before being replaced by an expression of confusion and pain.
"How do you feel waking up? You've been unconscious for a day, and I almost feared the worst," Sonia inquired, her voice tinged with concern.
"I'm alright," Max replied hoarsely as his vision cleared. A sharp tingling sensation gripped his throat.
It dawned on him that he had crossed over.
Just a day ago, Max had been on vacation from his mercenary duties. Despite being only 21 years old, he had become a seasoned veteran in the industry since he started as a mercenary at the tender age of sixteen.
Survival in the world of mercenaries was no easy feat, given its high mortality rate. Max never imagined that he would not meet his end in the midst of bullets and combat but rather through a bizarre incident involving his Samsung phone.
He vividly recalled playing a One Piece mobile game at the time. He had just acquired a Devil Fruit to enhance his character and was eager to test its abilities.
Then, his phone had exploded.
What followed was not a typical smartphone explosion but an inexplicable surge of energy that engulfed him in flames.
In his comatose state, Max had experienced fragmented moments and received peculiar messages.
And now, he had awakened, greeted by a blinding light emanating from a door that loomed before him.
Then he awoke.
Upon waking, these messages suddenly appeared:
"The Devil Island incident occurred a few years ago."
"Jean Grey met her demise and emerged as Dark Phoenix."
"The X-Men and Mutant Brotherhood have vanished."
"The conflict between Mutants and humans is intensifying, with the government implementing new policies and laws concerning Mutants."
"The government established the Sentry Secret Service to oversee Mutant affairs."
After receiving these messages, Max quickly grasped the situation!
"Is this a few years after the conclusion of the X-Men3 movie?"
As a seasoned mercenary, Max naturally indulged in European and American entertainment culture during leisure. In recent years, Marvel's film and television series had gained immense popularity.
Max, too, had immersed himself in them and delved into the world of Marvel through comics. Judging from the information implanted in his mind, it seemed to be a period following the events of X-Men 3 but before the alteration of the future timeline. The so-called Sentry Secret Service was evidently the precursor organization to the rogue Sentinels, which nearly drove Mutants to extinction in the future!
"What's your name? What's happening here? Why did a door suddenly materialize, and you tumbled out of it?" Sonia pointed upwards inquisitively. "Is this a variation of your power?"
Max gazed up at the roof, which bore no sign of a door whatsoever, and gave a subtle nod.
Indeed, that was his power!
But it wasn't a Mutant ability; rather, it was the Door-Door Fruit!
It was the Devil Fruit he had purchased for his gaming character just before his cell phone exploded. Little did he know that with the explosion and his subsequent crossing, he would acquire this power.
This much he could gather from the messages he had received! He even suspected that the door he had opened might be connected to the Door-Door Fruit!
"It's an unusual power," Sonya mumbled. "You still haven't told me your name. I'm Sonia."
"Max!"
Max lifted his gaze to Sonya, with her crimson hair, azure eyes, exquisite features, and well-proportioned physique. From their brief interaction, he could sense her friendly disposition. However, Max couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity.
"Can your power manipulate or erase others' memories?" Max suddenly inquired.
Sonya became slightly tense. "How did you know?"
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Max's lips.
