Chapter 1 Arrival
In the Infital Castle.
"Stan Bruch, my dear Duke, you didn't foresee it would be me, did you? "
A young man draped in a golden robe and adorned with a rose crown approached Stanl Bruch, each step deliberate.
Beneath the young man's delicate attire, his royal blue eyes betrayed a spark of savagery, and with the bloodied sword gripped in his hand, he resembled a fiend.
"I never imagined it; truly, I couldn't have expected the one to betray me would be my own sibling! "
Stan Bruch reclined on the rose-adorned throne, his blood-colored robe staining the purple seat crimson.
"Sibling? You are nothing but a contemptible half-blood, unfit to claim the revered Bruch family throne! Only I, a pure-blood, am the rightful leader. "
The tip of Bakar Bruch's long sword menacingly aimed at Stan Bruch.
"The esteemed elder of the Dark Council has long allied with me. Once you are eliminated, I will ascend as the most illustrious ruler of the Bruch lineage in the thirteen clans, while you will simply rest in the Fendal tomb. "
"The Bruch family will remember you, the esteemed Duke Stan Bruch, hahahaha! "
As he envisioned himself on the highest throne of the Bruch family, Bakar couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"So, my dear Duke brother, you must die! "
The atmosphere crackled with lethal intent.
Bakar's blood-stained long sword forcefully pierced Stan Bruch's lower abdomen.
A searing pain surged through his body.
Stan Bruch felt the warm blood swiftly escaping through the blade that had invaded him.
Tick! Tick!
He sensed his strength ebbing away in an instant! His vision began to fade.
"I never thought I, Stan bruch, would meet my end in such a manner. How ironic. "
With that, his consciousness plunged into an unending void.
Sea calendar year 1518
Hiss~
Bruch retrieved a cigar, ignited it, and inhaled deeply.
One hand grazed the hilt of his knife at his waist.
The gleaming white blade flashed briefly.
A massive head fell onto the deck, marking the abrupt end of the pirate named Robis.
Bruch sheathed the long knife back at his side.
Then he pulled out the bounty from a sky blue pocket.
"Captain Robis of the Quick Axe Pirates, with a bounty of 12 million — that should suffice. "
After speaking, he surveyed the lifeless bodies of the pirates sprawled on the deck.
"Let this be your resting place."
Bruch snorted icily.
He leapt onto a wooden boat over three meters long.
Then he swung his knife.
A nearly ten-meter-long blood-red flying slash hurtled toward the pirate ship.
Boom!
With a thunderous crash, the pirate vessel was cleaved in two, sinking into the ocean.
Bruch admired his triumph, a slight grin appearing at the corners of his mouth.
He then grasped the oars on the boat and began to row methodically towards a nearby island.
Yaris Island
This is connected to the 52nd Naval Division.
It ranks among the few naval divisions located throughout the North Sea.
Perhaps it's the navy's strong presence that has made this island relatively tranquil, allowing civilians to coexist in harmony.
When Bruch arrived on the island, night had already fallen.
After enjoying a hearty meal, he opted to stay at the closest hotel.
As he lay in bed, Bruch propped his head on his hands, his gaze vacant as he sank into a sea of memories.
...
"Little Bruch, stay quiet and hide here! "
A woman, bloodied, tenderly caressed Bruch's soft cheek.
She hastily stacked rotting wooden crates, decayed vegetable scraps, and trash beside the wooden box where Bruch was concealed.
Then she dashed away.
In the darkness, Bruch couldn't perceive what was happening outside, only hearing distant sounds of banging and screams.
Eventually, silence descended. When Bruch crawled out from the garbage, not a single living soul was in sight.
He stumbled out of the crumbling wooden structure. Outside, he found neighbors and children who once filled the air with laughter.
He spotted his mother among them.
They lay or knelt one by one, yet all shared the same fate—death.
The entire town was drenched in blood.
It had transformed into a ghost town, the midday sun offering no comfort.
A chill enveloped Bruch's heart.
Having lived here for five years, he believed life was good just as it was.
Yet the stark reality was a brutal pirate-infested world.
He approached and gathered his mother's lifeless form.
Despite never calling this woman "mother" in his life, she radiated happiness every day.
A final parting word from his father had ensured she never cried again.
But what sins had she committed to deserve such a fate? Why did fate inflict this upon her?
"Ah! "
With a piercing cry, Bruch wept, his heart breaking.
He felt confusion, as he was once the Grand Duke of the Blood Clan.
He understood the feeling of being an ordinary person now.
He dug a grave for her, marking it with a fir wood headstone inscribed with:
"Bruch's beloved mother. "
After completing this, he ignited a fire in the town, reducing it to ashes.
As he departed, the sole possession he took was a knife from the blacksmith's workshop!
This marked the onset of his campaign against the pirates. He yearned to witness if these ruthless beings, who thrived on destruction, would scream and plead for mercy as they faced their end.
Though he couldn't comprehend why he had been thrust into such a dire time-travel scenario, he had endured incredible hardship.
He desired to bring an end to this distorted reality through his own will.
Fueled by rage, he set forth on the path of a pirate hunter.
He spent his early years mastering swordsmanship, advancing through challenges, and ultimately reached his current position.
However,
He soon realized that relying solely on his own abilities was insufficient.
Without a renowned mentor and the necessary means to hone his skills, even prodigies can struggle to ascend to greatness in the realm of One Piece.
Thus, he aspires to enlist in the navy to leverage their support in becoming the strongest.
He was convinced that with the vampiric form he was on the brink of achieving and the unique soul that had traversed time, he possessed the potential needed.
All he required was time and an appropriate platform.
As his mind swirled with tumultuous and distracting thoughts, Bruch gradually drifted into slumber.
...…
At noon the following day, Bruch awoke to a cacophony of sounds.
The clamor of street vendors and pedestrians stirred him from sleep.
Rubbing the remnants of drowsiness from his eyes, he sat upright in bed.
After freshening up and getting dressed, he exited the hotel.
In a quaint eatery, after indulging in a hearty meal, Bruch requested a map of Yaris Island from the attendant.
Stepping out of the small restaurant, he navigated using the map until he reached a towering iron gate.
The word "justice" was inscribed on one door and mirrored on the other.
He approached, struck the door firmly twice, and soon heard a voice from within.
"Hold on, I'll be right there. "
When the door swung open, a young marine dressed in uniform appeared.
"Greetings, how may I assist you? " the young marine inquired, eyeing the sword at Bruch's side.
Without hesitation, Bruch responded, "I'm here to enlist in the Navy. "
"Do you have a letter of recommendation from the mayor? "
The young marine asked as he stepped closer.
"No. Is a recommendation necessary? "
Bruch looked at the marine in bewilderment, recalling that in One Piece, it seemed quite easy for individuals like Coby to join the navy.
"Please wait a moment while I check with the officer. "
The young marine didn't elaborate further but turned and rushed towards a white office building.
A short while later, the young marine returned, hurrying back to Bruch.
"Follow me…"