Ling sat on the bed, still trying to adjust to this new life.
'What a day…'
'It's still early afternoon. Maybe I'll wander around later… after I sort out my thoughts.'
He let out a sigh.
'Even though I love One Piece and I'm not wasting this second chance … I'm not gonna be some background fodder.'
'If I'm going to live in this world, I'll live it to the fullest. I'll chase my dream of adventure, just like the characters I admired.'
He wasn't starting from zero.
'I have a huge advantage. I know the future. Over twelve years of foreknowledge.'
'I know the condition to acquire Armament Haki and Observation Haki. But Conqueror's Haki will be up to my luck … because only those born with it can wield it.'
Then a memory surfaced.
'There's a man in Grey Terminal… an old pirate named Naguri. He has all three types of Haki. I remember him talking to Luffy, Ace, and Sabo that he fought Roger. Though was beaten badly and spared.
'I'll visit him. Maybe... just maybe he knows something about Conqueror's Haki that wasn't shown in the story.'
'And for the other two, I'll follow Rayleigh's training method for Observation Haki, and Garp's training method for Armament.'
Ling clenched his fist.
'I have a lot of time to master them—at least the basics. For the advanced forms, base on Luffy's progress, training isn't enough. I'll need a lot's of experience.'
'Even if I can't master advanced Haki in the next ten years, the basics are enough for the first half of the Grand Line.'
'Maybe I can even convince Rayleigh to teach me about the advanced versions of Haki someday... or else I would still be a canon fodder even if I know the basic one's....'
'Against those guys... no!' He shook his head
'Demons!'
Ling took a deep breath and relaxed himself. Thinking about them tensed him up.
'No need to rush. Baby steps.'
'Though I have knowledge, without power I would be a sitting meat ready to be feast upon by the strong.'
'So training will be my partner. And there's those options too, the devil fruits.'
'Some boost strength or grant insane abilities—but the trade-offs are brutal. You lose the ability to swim, you're weak to seawater and Seastone.'
'Still… they're worth it if you get something like Luffy's fruit… or Kuzan's Ice-Ice Fruit. Unfortunately, there can only be one user per fruit.'
'And they're rare. Only 225 confirmed users in the series. Maybe I'll look for the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia someday…'
'But right now, what matters most is training.'
'Even without a Devil Fruit, if I master advanced Armament and Observation Haki, I can compete against the top dogs.'
He paused, letting that thought settle.
'I'll rest for now—and start training tomorrow.'
He lay back against the pillow and closed his eyes briefly.
People in this world were monsters.
Kaido. Big Mom. Oden. Roger. Garp. Rayleigh. Xebec. Whitebeard. And so many more.
And there's also Godlike beings that exist too.
'Imu! That will be the biggest challenge that Luffy will face in the future... also Blackbeard, his weird body that let him able to use multiple Devil fruits.'
Cutting through mountains was like breathing to them.
'I need to start building my stamina right away.'
'Weapons? No. I'll keep it simple. Hands and feet. Hand-to-hand combat will be my style.'
He exhaled slowly.
After hours of quiet planning, Ling finally got up and stepped outside. The warm sun greeted him, the breeze brushing gently across his face.
His first destination?
Gyoru—the fisherman who found and saved him.
Walking through the village stirred a small commotion. Windmill Village was a quiet, close-knit place. By Ling's estimation, maybe a hundred people lived here at most.
Finding Gyoru wasn't hard. The villagers were kind and welcoming, and ready to help.
After asking around and wandering a bit, Ling finally spotted him.
Gyoru was tending his fish stall, selling fresh, dried, and smoked fish. When he saw Ling approaching, he waved enthusiastically.
"Thank you for saving me, Gyoru."
Ling bowed deeply in gratitude.
"It's nothing, really. Here, take this," Gyoru said with a smile, already packing up a few pieces of smoked and dried fish.
Ling shook his head politely.
"No, I can't accept it. I already owe you so much, Gyoru-san."
"No can do. It's a celebration gift—for waking up safe and sound," Gyoru grinned.
"Come on, kid. Just take it. Think of it as a present from an old man."
Ling couldn't refuse after that. He accepted the gift with a grateful smile.
They chatted a few more minutes. Just as Ling was about to leave, Gyoru called out again.
"Oh, one more thing—I almost forgot! When I found you unconscious, there was a small chest nearby. I gave it to Makino yesterday."
Ling's eyes lit up slightly. He nodded, thanked Gyoru again, and made his way toward Party's Bar.
On the way, he bumped into the mayor.
"Oh, Ling! You're out and about. Feeling better?" Mayor Woop Slap asked with a smile.
"Yes, much better now, Mayor. I was just heading to sister Makino's bar," Ling replied politely.
"Good, good. Mind if I walk with you?"
They walked together through the lively village streets. Soon, they reached the bar. The place was bustling with villagers laughing, drinking, and chatting away.
'What a busy bar,' Ling thought, quietly slipping inside.
Makino was working behind the counter—pouring drinks, wiping down tables, chatting with regulars. The bar buzzed with laughter and clinking glasses.
Her eyes lit up the moment she saw Ling walk in. Relief softened her face. Just remembering the state he'd been in when they found him made her heart ache.
Shaking away the thought, she called out cheerfully.
"Hey, Ling! Good to see you up already! Are you hungry? Come over here."
Ling walked over and sat at the counter, his feet dangling above the floor. The mayor followed and took a seat beside him.
"Gyoru mentioned he found a small chest near me when he rescued me. Do you have it? It's the only thing left from my parents…"
Makino nodded.
"Yes, he gave it to me yesterday. He was really worried—you gave us quite the scare. Oh, and I also found a necklace on you. It had a small key. Maybe the two are connected?"
Ling nodded again, keeping his expression solemn as the mayor wandered off to join the other villagers for a drink.
A minute later, Makino returned with a small wooden chest and the necklace. She placed them gently on the counter in front of him.
Ling stared at the chest for a long moment. As soon as he touched it, a sharp pain flashed through his head.
He clutched his temples and groaned. Makino rushed forward, alarmed.
"Ling? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice full of concern.
"You might still be tired."
She gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Let's get you back to the mayor's house. You need to rest. I'll bring your dinner later, alright?"
Just then, the mayor noticed the commotion and came over.
Makino quickly explained, and the mayor nodded, stepping in to help.
Ling said nothing more, quietly carrying the small chest and the necklace as the mayor guided him to his home.
As they walked, thoughts swirled in Ling's mind.
'The memories… I got some of them. Not everything—but enough to know who's the boy I'm occupying.'
'My guess was right. This body belonged to a boy traveling with his parents to the Goa Kingdom.'
'They were headed there… but then a storm struck. It came out of nowhere and capsized their ship, drowning everyone—including the boy parents.'
'That's how I ended up here.'
When they reached the mayor's house, the old man led Ling to a bed and handed him a glass of water.
"Thank you, Mayor," Ling said sincerely.
"No worries, Ling. Get some rest first. Don't push yourself. Stay here until you're fully recovered," the mayor replied with a kind smile.
He placed the glass on the bedside table and quietly left, gently closing the door behind him.
Ling lay still for a few moments, staring at the ceiling. He waited, listening carefully until he was sure no one was nearby.
Then he sat up, placing the small wooden chest on his lap. With steady hands, he retrieved the key from the necklace and inserted it into the lock.
Click.
For some reason, his heart was beating strangely fast—racing with excitement and nervousness. He slowly lifted the lid.
Inside was a fruit.
A Devil Fruit.
His breath caught in his throat.
'A Devil Fruit. There's really one inside...'
He clenched his fists, trying to calm his rising excitement, and sat back down to take it all in.
He had been holding back this anticipation since earlier.
From the fragmented memories, he'd learned more about the boy whose body he now inhabited. His name is Thomas. His family was a merchant and on their way to the Goa Kingdom for a meeting with the king.
His father had planned to sell the Devil Fruit—for money, and for status. He wanted to become a noble of the Goa Kingdom.
That dream sank with their ship during the storm.
Ling picked up the fruit gently. Every detail deepened the weight of the moment.
The swirling patterns. The twisting stem. The unusual shape.
He was frozen shocked.
He knew this fruit.
Hourglass-shaped. Deep violet skin with silver spirals curling across its surface. Ling's breath grew shallow as realization dawned.
This wasn't just any devil fruit.
"This is the… Toki Toki no Mi," he whispered.
His voice filled with excitement.
The legendary Time-Time Fruit.