This environment reminded him of his life in the orphanage in his previous world. Indeed, Chu Yan had been an orphan. Although he lacked luxury and the love of parents, he hadn't been lonely. True loneliness only set in after he left the orphanage to live on his own. Without relatives, even while living among a crowd, he felt like he was entirely alone, and his life became irregular.
He remembered dying from sudden exhaustion and waking up in this world with a Devil Fruit in his hand. He knew it was a Devil Fruit and not something else because the mysterious swirls on the skin were far too distinct.
At the time, he assumed he had crossed over into the world of One Piece. Without hesitation, he devoured the fruit in a few large bites. The taste was something he still didn't dare recall for fear of vomiting up last night's dinner, but to ensure his power had no flaws, he ate the entire thing.
After consuming it, he quickly realized he had eaten the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, the strongest Paramecia-type Devil Fruit. Thinking he was in a world where Whitebeard reigned supreme, his heart had raced with excitement.
Who was Whitebeard? Anyone who watched One Piece knew. Even if Roger claimed the title of Pirate King, he couldn't take away Whitebeard's title as the "World's Strongest Man." No matter who else held various titles, "The Strongest" always belonged to Whitebeard. Even at seventy-two years old and relying on IV drips to stay alive, he remained the pinnacle.
Freshly imbued with this power and adhering to the "low-profile" rule of transmigrators, Chu Yan began practicing his fruit abilities in a deserted mountain range, knowing the world of pirates was full of powerhouses. He recalled Whitebeard's moves from the anime: Air Quake, Sea Quake, and Earthquake. Great power didn't require many flashy techniques.
True strength came from constantly developing the fruit's potential. Currently, he could only release tremors through his hands, but in the anime, Whitebeard could release power from any part of his body, blowing enemies away before they could even get close.
One path to strength was increasing the frequency and amplitude of the vibrations. He spent half a month training until he gained basic control over the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, which was when Makarov found him and invited him to join Fairy Tail.
Only then did he realize he hadn't crossed into One Piece, but into the world of Fairy Tail, which shared a somewhat similar art style.
He was, of course, familiar with Fairy Tail. Although the series had ended long ago and busy work life plus new shows had made him forget many plot points, he would never forget the name of the anime that once moved him.
"Chu Yan, don't think you've won. That was just an accident. Next time, I will definitely defeat you!" Mirajane said while eating, clearly still dwelling on being blown away in one hit.
"Sister Mirajane, stop talking about fighting while you eat."
"Sure! I'm ready whenever!" Chu Yan said with a laugh. Since he had joined the Fairy Tail guild, the best way to integrate was through a good fight.
Natsu chimed in excitedly, "You can't leave me out of a fight! Should we start now?"
Makarov roared, "Behave yourselves, you brats! Finish your food and go to sleep!"
"Aye—!"
"Honestly, if I blink for a second, they start fighting. If I don't watch them, the guild will be torn down sooner or later!"
"Chu Yan, come here. The Fairy Tail emblem—where do you want it stamped?" Makarov asked.
Chu Yan thought for a moment and pulled off his shirt. "Stamp it on my back. I want to be a man who can carry this emblem on his shoulders."
Makarov's eyes lit up, and he grinned, showing his teeth. "Kid, you've got quite the ambition! Then let's see if you can truly carry this emblem!" With that, he pressed a large stamp onto Chu Yan's back.
In the evening, Chu Yan stayed in the Fairy Tail boys' dormitory. "I didn't expect to be in Fairy Tail. The world-building is smaller than One Piece, but the danger isn't lower at all. The strongest, the Black Dragon Acnologia, should be at the level of the Four Emperors' Kaido. Zeref is probably Blackbeard level."
"I recall some hints... like Zeref and Mavis being cursed by the god Ankhselam, and the Chronos possession within the Spriggan 12. There's also Lost God Slayer Magic. Before the age of Dragons, there must have been an age of Gods. A Ragnarok? That sounds bad. Clearly enough material for hundreds of chapters."
"Forget it, forget it. Tomorrow starts my life as an adventurer. No point in overthinking. I have the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, known as the 'World's Strongest.' If I don't become the 'World's Strongest' in this world, then I'm truly a waste."
Spring passed and autumn came; time flew by. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed since Chu Yan arrived in this world.
Vrrr—!!! Ding-ding-ding! Ding-ding-ding!!
"Attention, residents of Magnolia! Attention, residents! Chu Yan is about to arrive! Chu Yan is about to arrive!"
"Please prepare for evacuation! A cautious reminder: if tremors occur, do not panic! Do not jump from buildings! Try to reach open ground! If you are indoors, take cover in corners or under tables!"
"Repeating! Please prepare for evacuation! If tremors occur, do not panic! Do not jump from buildings! Try to reach open ground! If you are indoors, take cover in corners or under tables!"
"Initiate Chu Yan Mode!"
...