A month ago.
X had arrived at Organ Island. It took him less than a day to do so thanks to the motor of his boat and his ability to alter reality. The sea was calm, and the sound of the waves gently hitting the hull accompanied his journey. In the distance, the island rose through the mist, with several small houses and a small port where only a few lights could be distinguished.
The white-haired boy watched the horizon calmly, the wind stirring his white suit as he thought about what was to come in his journey.
"It's quite a peaceful town,"
X thought as he looked around. The townspeople walked without worry along the dusty streets, children laughed and ran freely without any obstruction, while adults carried planks and tools, working on the construction of new houses. The atmosphere felt alive, peaceful...
One of the villagers who was watching over the port approached when he saw a white-haired boy stepping off the boat. He didn't look like a pirate or anything of the sort.
"Hey, boy, are you alone?" asked the man with the cane, looking at him curiously.
X glanced at him from the corner of his eye while calmly grabbing his food sacks and replied,
"Good afternoon, sir. Yes, I came alone. I came to see new islands."
The old man raised an eyebrow, quite confused. He couldn't believe a child was traveling across the sea as if it were nothing, knowing how dangerous it was.
"Well, come with me," he said afterward, giving a small smile. "I'll show you the town so you'll have somewhere to sleep for at least one night. I wouldn't like a child wandering around without a roof over his head."
With a single motion, X slung the sack over his back and calmly followed the man with the cane. As they climbed the stairs from the port, almost all the townspeople passing by looked at him in surprise. It was no wonder: his elegant white suit made him look like a noble or someone important.
"Boy, you draw a lot of attention with that suit," commented the old man as they climbed. "You're not someone important, are you?"
"Not at all," X replied with a calm smile. "I'm just an employee at a bar."
"I'll take you to the town mayor. He'll give you a place to stay."
As he listened, X turned his gaze toward the main street. On both sides were several small shops selling fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish, filling the air with different aromas. Everything seemed peaceful, until suddenly several people came running, carrying a wounded man. He had cuts all over his body: on his leg, arm, and stomach, from which blood was flowing endlessly.
"Out of the wayyy! Wounded man coming through!"
"Make space, quickly!"
"Damn it, hold on!"
Yelled the three men carrying the injured man at full speed. The group ran into a three-story white building that, judging by the sign at the entrance, appeared to be the town's hospital.
"Sir, what's happening in this town?" asked X seriously, watching how the wounded man left a trail of blood on the ground. Some adults hurried to cover their children's eyes and moved them away from the scene.
"Unfortunately, we suffer constant pirate attacks," replied the man with the cane, his expression filled with sadness and restrained anger. "We sacrifice our lives to preserve the peace of this little town we built with our own hands."
The man clenched his fists tightly, stopping in front of the hospital entrance as he watched the doctors rush the injured man inside.
Then, the man with the cane continued walking, with X behind him. As they advanced, the tension in the air grew stronger; the townspeople's eyes reflected exhaustion and distrust.
Several minutes passed until they finally reached the heart of the town.
There, a white-haired man was crouched down, petting a small dog with equally white fur. In front of them was a small dog food store, with a sign somewhat worn by time and sunlight.
"Mr. Mayor, I've brought you a visitor," exclaimed the man with the cane.
"Eh? A visitor at a time like this?" asked the mayor, somewhat surprised, while continuing to pet the puppy's head. Then he turned his gaze toward X, observing him with curiosity.
"I'm X. I came for a visit, since I wanted to see new islands," said the protagonist straightforwardly.
"A visit, you say...? Boy, we're going through a problem right now. You probably saw it while coming here: many men are dying and sacrificing their lives. I recommend you leave," said the mayor in a tired voice.
He lowered his gaze; the sunlight made his eyes look darker. Then he stood up and walked toward the pet food shop, the small dog following closely behind.
"It's the pirates, isn't it?" replied X with a serious look.
"That's right... there are fights we can't escape from. It's madness to face them, but we love our town..." added the mayor, closing the door behind him while gesturing for X to come in.
The man with the cane nodded and gave a gentle pat on the white-haired boy's back. "Go on, boy, don't worry," he said with a kind smile before saying goodbye and continuing on his way.
The white-haired boy nodded and entered the shop, observing how the shelves were filled with all kinds of pet food and products. The place smelled of dried meat and kibble, and in one corner, the mayor was sitting on a chair beside a small white-furred dog.
Suddenly, another dog, this one with light brown fur, came running down the stairs. He wore a black hat and a purple scarf that fluttered with the wind.
"Woof, woof! Damn it, I have to go back! I can't stay here watching how the citizens sacrifice their lives!"
He barked furiously as he ran down, but was abruptly stopped by the mayor.
"You're not going, Ahu. You're too injured," said the mayor in a firm voice, looking worriedly at the dog's wounds. Ahu was bandaged from his torso to one of his legs, and he had a bruised eye he could barely keep open.
"Mayor, step aside! I can't just wait here like this!" shouted Ahu angrily; he didn't care how hurt he was, he only wanted to protect this town and its inhabitants.
"I'm sorry, you can't... I don't want to see you get more hurt. I couldn't bear it if you died along the way..." whispered the mayor, hugging Ahu as small tears fell onto the brown dog's fur.
"Mayor, I'll take care of this town. I'll stop them all," said X with a faint smile, as the glow of his glasses reflected an intense, determined light.
The mayor looked at him in astonishment, unable to believe what he had just heard. How could a boy barely seven or eight years old speak with such confidence? Did he really intend to face pirates?
Meanwhile, Ahu froze completely. That presence, that firm gaze, the white suit, the silver hair, the glasses... and above all, the X on his tie. There was no doubt: it was him, the number one hero.
It was X, the same one from his previous life.
"You! What are you doing here?! X!" exclaimed Ahu, shocked.
The protagonist only gave him a calm smile and elegantly adjusted his glasses.
"Well… so I wasn't the only one. How interesting."