The ocean breeze carried the scent of salt and blood. The aftermath of Shells Town still lingered in my mind, the image of Marines saluting us burning itself into my memory. Coby had stayed behind, choosing his path with the Marines, while we set sail toward the unknown.
Luffy was grinning as usual, sitting cross-legged at the bow, his straw hat tilted just enough to shield his eyes. Zoro leaned back, arms crossed, dozing off. And me?
I was staring at the sky, lost in my own head.
There was something comforting about drifting at sea, yet it also reminded me of how small we were in the grand scheme of things.
Why do humans find satisfaction in hurting others? Wars occurred in my old world for the profit of industrialists, for oil, and newspapers were filled daily with news of murder, child abuse, and rape. Why?
What drives humans to commit crimes and harm others? Is it an instinct, or is it shaped by parenting and society? Why can someone who appears normal suddenly kill another person?
I had read about the Celestial Dragons, the so-called "gods" of this world, their corruption running so deep it poisoned everything they touched. They sat atop their castles, treating people like disposable trash, all while the world turned a blind eye. But they weren't the only ones. Industrialists, politicians—people who thrived on the suffering of others.
Are humans just born selfish, political creatures?
I shook my head. There was no answer, only the reality of the world we lived in.
Chaos Falls from the Sky
We hadn't been sailing long when it happened.
One second, Luffy was sitting there, munching on a piece of bread. The next? A massive bird swooped down and snatched him away.
I blinked.
Zoro opened one eye. "...Did Luffy just get taken?"
"Yep."
We stared at the rapidly shrinking dot in the sky.
"Should we do something?" Zoro asked.
"...I mean, we probably should."
And that was how we ended up rowing after a giant bird that had kidnapped our captain.
Orange Town – Enter the Clowns
By the time we reached land, Luffy had already crash-landed into some poor bastard's cart of food.
"Ow! That hurt!" Luffy groaned, rubbing his head.
The old man who owned the cart was on the verge of tears. "MY FOOD!"
I sighed and hopped off the boat, ignoring the bickering. My eyes immediately caught sight of the chaos ahead—ruffians dressed in ridiculous outfits, harassing the townspeople. And standing in the middle of it all?
A woman.
Her short orange hair framed sharp eyes filled with cunning intelligence. She was smirking, casually dodging the attacks of a group of Buggy's pirates while holding a map in her hands.
Ah. Nami.
The infamous cat burglar, a future navigator, and the definition of "trouble magnet."
Buggy's Men Learn a Lesson
"GET HER!" one of Buggy's lackeys roared, swinging a sword.
Nami sidestepped effortlessly, whacking him over the head with the blunt end of her staff. The guy dropped like a sack of potatoes.
Zoro watched with mild amusement. "She's got skills."
"Yeah," I muttered, cracking my knuckles. "But it looks like we've got company too."
Two of Buggy's pirates rushed at us, weapons raised.
They didn't even get close.
Before they could react, I moved. A fraction of my Sukuna template surged through my limbs—enhanced reflexes, sharper instincts. My body blurred forward, my hand gripping one pirate's face and slamming him into the ground so hard it cracked.
The other guy barely had time to register what happened before I elbowed him in the gut, making him fold like a chair.
Zoro whistled. "Huh. Didn't expect you to be that fast."
I exhaled, flexing my fingers. Even with only 15% of Sukuna's progression, my body was already adapting. My movements felt sharper, more precise. It was like my instincts had leveled up.
But this isn't enough.
Meeting Nami
Nami approached us, looking between me and Zoro with a calculating expression. "You two aren't with these idiots, are you?"
Zoro scoffed. "Hell no."
"Then," she said sweetly, "mind helping a girl out?"
Luffy, who had finally gotten up, grinned. "Sure! We're pirates!"
Her expression flickered, but she masked it quickly. "Pirates, huh?" She gave an innocent smile. "Well then, I guess that makes us allies for now."
I narrowed my eyes slightly. She's good at this game.
But I wasn't some naive idiot. I knew exactly who she was, what her goals were. Still, it would be fun to see how this played out.
The System Evolves
Later that night, after dealing with more of Buggy's lackeys, I finally had a moment to breathe.
[New Feature Unlocked: System Store]
My eyebrows rose.
I accessed the store, scanning the available options. Items from anime, manga, and even my old world. Weapons, skills, random junk I used to take for granted.
This… changes things.
But that wasn't all.
[New Feature Unlocked: Animation Play Function]
It wasn't usable yet, but the description made it clear—I could animate my manga in this world.
My lips curled into a slow smile.
The Grand Line wasn't ready for what was coming.
Reactions Across the WorldMarine HQ
Sengoku read through Naruto Volume 3, his expression unreadable. "The concept of 'will of fire'… it's eerily similar to the ideals we instill in the Marines."
Garp grinned. "Bahaha! That Uchiha kid is pretty interesting! But damn, that fight with Zabuza was brutal."
Aokiji sipped his coffee. "Hmph. Another tragedy. This author really likes suffering."
Somewhere on the Grand Line
A pirate captain slammed the book shut, his fingers trembling. "That battle… it felt real. Like I was there."
Another crewmate nodded. "These stories… they're more than just fiction. They feel alive."