When I woke up in the morning, I had a gorilla face.
I got out of bed and tried to wash my face, but then I noticed something else. Not only had my face changed, but my whole body had shrunk, and even though I'd fallen asleep in my own room, I woke up in a completely unfamiliar place.
I looked at my reflection in a bucket of water and thought:
"Hmm, a vague sense of déjà vu."
I appeared to be around 10 years old, with wild, light purple hair, and a face that looked like a gorilla's—thick lips and a rugged appearance. In fact, it was rather ugly; there wasn't a trace of handsomeness to be found.
My memory of yesterday was that I finished work, went home, and got into bed. I was born and raised in Japan, with black hair and black eyes—a typical Japanese face. I definitely didn't have this hair color or this kind of face that defied my genetics.
"What do you think about that, old man?"
"What the hell are you talking about? If you're awake, get out there and make some money!"
When I asked the old man next to me, he threw his bag at me and shouted.
Still, I don't like being yelled at, so I quickly slung the bag over my shoulder, opened the door, and left the house. When I closed the door behind me, part of the wall collapsed.
Or rather, you could barely call it a house. The place was falling apart. The scenery outside was chaotic, and the clear, sunny weather only emphasized that this must be a slum, even though I'd never been to one before.
There were a lot of people who looked shady.
The smell of the sea suggested we were near the ocean, but it definitely wasn't Japan. Plus, everyone had colorful hair, so it probably wasn't Earth either.
"Is this an isekai reincarnation scenario, or maybe possession?"
As I walked, I tried to recall my memories. It seemed like my job was to "pick up things." If taking items without permission counts as "picking up things," then that's what it was.
The old man from earlier seems to turn the items I pick up into money and rents out his house as a place to sleep. He's probably skimming off the top, but who knows.
As I walk, I reach the sea—or rather, a port.
Several sailboats are lined up, and since it's my first time seeing them in person, I just stand there with my mouth open, staring. Then, a ship that looks incredibly familiar catches my eye.
The sails, gleaming in the sunlight, bore the proud word "MARINE" and a seagull emblem.
"Oh shit, this is the world of One Piece!"
It was a naval warship.
It seemed like a pretty harsh world, though I can't remember much else about it.
As for my options—
Continue my current life while getting beaten up by the old man I'm living withJoin the navy while getting beaten up by superiors (prejudice)Set sail and make a name for myself
I'd like to choose option 3 because I hate pain, but I have no special skills, so going out to sea doesn't seem to offer a promising future—
"So, please let me work on this ship."
"I don't know what 'so' means, kid. Are you lost?"
As a compromise, I decided to join the navy to learn the necessary skills and then leave to go out to sea.
I approached a marine who looked idle.
"...I have no parents. There's someone who lets me stay, but they make me steal and drink, and they beat me up. It's so painful."
I bowed my head, covering my eyes, emphasizing how terrible my current environment was and how loose those relationships were.
"I see. Wait here. I'll talk to the higher-ups."
The marine said that, placed his hand on my head, and added,
"It must have been tough losing your parents, but you've been through a lot."
He then headed toward the ship. While suppressing my guilty conscience, I waited, thinking, "Wow, he's handsome," and soon the handsome marine returned.
"First, I'll introduce you to my superior... Let's take a bath first. Then we'll cut that messy hair of yours."
Before I knew it, I was thrown into a bathtub, my hair was cut, and I was dressed in a marine uniform. When I looked at myself in the mirror—
"It's Don Krieg!!"
There stood a small Don Krieg dressed in a marine uniform.
Do you know Admiral Krieg?
He is the admiral of a pirate fleet with 50 ships and 5,000 men, equivalent to an army of a nation, and is known by the nicknames "Krieg the Deceiver" and "Pirate Fleet Admiral."
His bounty is set at 17 million berries.
His subordinates are also top-notch, including the ruthless combat commander "Oni" Gin, who is loyal to Krieg and boasts high combat ability, and the second squadron commander "Iron Wall" Pearl, who is said to have never shed blood in battle. Krieg himself believes that "the one with the most strength is the strongest," and has prepared numerous weapons and armor, using meticulous tactics to defeat his enemies.
In the original story, he overwhelms the protagonist using a variety of weapons and tactics, but his belief in "brute strength," which he holds dear along with his armor, is shattered, leading to his defeat and descent into madness. He is then knocked unconscious by his subordinate Gin and forced to retreat.
In short, he was strong, but his opponent was too powerful (this includes a lot of personal opinion).
I think he was originally a marine (though that's incorrect), who seized a military ship he was assigned to (escaping from prison by impersonating a marine) and rose through the ranks using various deceptive tactics.
His unarmed combat strength is said to be so great that he can effortlessly wield a "Great War Spear"—a 1-ton explosive spear—demonstrating his extraordinary strength.
And the crucial point is—
"Was he around 40 years old? (42 years old at the start of the original story) That would make me 10 years old now, 30 years before the original story... Did something happen then?"
"Hey, newbie! Hurry up and finish scrubbing the deck!!"
I was scolded for daydreaming.
I started scrubbing the floor with a brush.
Hmm, Franky and Robin were supposed to be in their late 20s (Franky 34, Robin 28), so they'll be born in a few years, and Roger was executed around 20 years before the original story (22 years ago), right?
I don't remember much of the original story, so I'd rather stay quiet until the beginning. I want to help Kuina and save Shanks' arm, though.
"Ugh, there's no point in thinking about it."
"If you're done, let's move on! Sharpen your weapons, follow me!"
"Alright, alright, apprentices should follow orders," I think to myself as I scrub the gun handed to me with a polishing cloth while considering my plans.
In the original story, he swung a 1-ton weapon with incredible strength, so I should probably develop that ability. I also want to master the Six Powers (a unique combat technique of the Navy).
I want to be able to use Haki, but I'll probably avoid eating Devil Fruits—their abilities are tempting, but they're hit-or-miss and the drawbacks are too painful.
I'd love to have the "Gachi Gachi no Mi" (Hard Hard Fruit), though.
Alright, for now, I'll prioritize protecting myself and stay low-key until the original story begins, only helping when I can.
I'll eventually start my own pirate crew, but I really need to figure out what to do about Sanji's situation...