Chapter 1: Dante
(I am the Brain-Brain Human who ate the Brain-Brain Fruit, with the ability to store brains.)
Sea Circle Calendar, Year 1492.
On Dullamos Island, an ordinary little island located in the first half of the New World.
"Oi, Jesse, you wouldn't want the news about you still wetting the bed at eight years old to spread around, would you?!"
In a messy little alleyway, a shirtless boy with long black hair wore a wicked grin as he stared at the snot-nosed brat in front of him.
A few kids in the distance, angry but not daring to speak up, also glared at the long-haired boy.
"Eh? I clearly cleaned it up before dawn, Dante, how do you even know…" Halfway through his words, the snot-nosed brat Jesse quickly covered his mouth, as though terrified that his friends in the distance might overhear.
"I've said it long ago—there's nothing in this world that can escape my eyes."
With that, he snatched the few hundred Berries of pocket money from the boy's hands, stuffed it into his pocket under Jesse's furious glare, and swaggered away laughing loudly.
Only after he left did the other kids dare come over to comfort the robbed Jesse, angrily cursing:
"Damn it, that bastard, when I grow up, I'll definitely take revenge!"
"Yeah, Dante always robs us of our allowance, I swear I'll beat the crap out of him someday."
But one kid was more rational, his face twisted with bitterness as he looked at the long-haired figure fading into the distance.
"Something like that… no matter how you think about it, it's impossible. Even the mayor said, Dante killed a wild boar when he was only six years old. He's…"
As he spoke, fear flickered in his eyes, recalling the warnings his parents had once given him.
"A born monster!"
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"Good, another five hundred Berries earned. Now I can buy two more newspapers."
Riven D. Dante pushed open the door with a cheerful mood.
This was already the ninth year since he arrived in the world of One Piece. Abandoned since birth and raised by the old mayor, Dante had long grown accustomed to this strange new world.
Only, he had yet to truly witness the vastness of this world. That's why he always bought newspapers from the News Coo, keeping track of the great events happening across the seas.
Today, just like usual, he was preparing to go home and eat lunch. But for some reason, the old mayor wasn't at home.
He looked around—no one was there. So he furrowed his brows and looked toward the door of the widow's house next door, as if sensing something carefully. After a moment he shook his head.
"Nope, not at the widow's either."
Probably off drinking with prostitutes, Dante thought. He didn't dwell on it, just grabbed some bread and ham from the kitchen, sat down in a chair, and started eating.
As he ate, he flipped open today's freshly bought newspaper.
"The remnants of the Rocks Pirates are developing their own forces, led by the likes of Golden Lion and Whitebeard…"
Nothing too noteworthy. But honestly, that young Charlotte Linlin really was gorgeous.
Staring at the voluptuous figure on the paper, Dante chewed while silently sighing to himself, then kept reading.
"The Roger Pirates suspected to have appeared on Sandrilla Island."
The Pirate King still alive, huh… Dante chewed and reflected for a moment, then continued reading.
The next piece of news was…
Wait!
Dante froze mid-bite, suddenly sensing something off. His eyes darted back to the line about the Roger Pirates.
The bread slipped from his mouth to the floor he didn't even notice. His whole body went stiff!
Sandrilla Island?
Isn't that the island just a few dozen nautical miles away?!
Holy shit!
At this point in time, Roger hadn't even reached Laugh Tale yet—he wasn't the Pirate King!
Unreal!
Dante's eyes widened, and in just a few seconds, a bold decision had formed in his brain!
"In my past life I waited nearly thirty years, and never figured out what One Piece actually was. And now… isn't this the perfect chance to find out firsthand?"
If he could join the Roger Pirates…
What would that be called?
Starting at the peak?!
The treasure every ordinary pirate spends their whole life chasing, and he'd find it not even two years after setting out to sea?!
Just imagining it made Dante's entire body tremble with excitement.
Not to mention the Roger crew was full of top-tier monsters. Learning just a couple moves from them would be enough to become a final-movie boss!
And beyond that, the status alone.
Didn't even Buggy get treated with respect everywhere just for being a former member of Roger's crew?
Decision made.
"Old man, I'm going to join the Roger Pirates. Your kindness in raising me , I'll repay you when I return in glory!"
He scribbled a farewell note.
Shouldering a stick with a bundle tied to the end, Dante resolved that once he made it big, he'd return to repay the villagers who raised him.
"By then, even the stray dogs in this village, I'll bring them to the great kingdoms to work as royal guard dogs, eating state rations. That should be enough of a payback, right?"
Riven D. Dante immediately packed up the few belongings from the old mayor's house and dashed toward the docks, running like the wind.
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Meanwhile…
A massive, gorgeously designed crimson-and-gold ship with a sharp bow and two mermaid statues carved at its front was docking at Dullamos' largest port.
At the bow stood a man who was unmistakably the captain.
Draped in a red coat, captain's hat on his head, the man's iconic mustache framed a smile full of vigor. His natural kingly aura radiated outward.
"Unparalleled bearing, overwhelming presence… truly one of the sea's greatest."
Just by sensing, Dante could already feel the abyss-like gap between his strength and that man's.
This was the Pirate King—Gol D. Roger!
At this moment, he and his crew had already lived through the battle of God Valley, and were now sailing across the seas, searching for the missing four Poneglyphs in their final adventure.
He hadn't yet fallen ill. For now, he was fully enjoying the freedom of the seas and the joy of traveling.
At the port, the Roger Pirates disembarked one after another. They were only here to resupply.
But amidst the group of burly men, two little figures stood out awkwardly.
Two brats—one with red hair, the other with a red nose.
"Who're you calling red nose, huh? Say it again if you dare!" The young Buggy was red-faced with rage.
"No one called you red nose, Buggy," Shanks hopped off the gangplank, pressing down on the straw hat the wind threatened to blow away, looking helpless. "You're imagining it. Is your Observation Haki just 'red nose' now?"
"No! Someone definitely said it. This feeling can't be wrong!"
Buggy clenched his fists, shouting loudly, then scanned the area—until his eyes landed on the figure sprinting toward them in the distance. "Oi, was it you, brat?!"
"Hahahahaha… sa-shi-buri da na, Buggy! Shanks!"
Riven D. Dante laughed while waving, sprinting toward them.
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