East Blue.
The warm sea breeze rolled across the rippling waves, fluttering along with the cries of hungry seagulls as they soared toward a lonely island.
On one side of that island, a pirate ship was anchored — its flag a strange mix of skull and heart.
Without question, this was the vessel of the infamous East Blue pirate Iron Mace Alvida, whose bounty had reached five million Berries.
"Who," she demanded, hoisting her iron mace onto her shoulder,
"is the most beautiful woman on this entire sea?"
That was her trademark question.
"Y–You are, Miss Alvida!!!"
All the pirates shouted in unison, pure reflex from long habits.
"Exactly!"
Alvida swung her mace with pride. "And because I'm the most beautiful woman on the seas, I absolutely despise filth!
A beauty like me deserves a ship as beautiful as herself!
Now get back to work — I want this deck spotless!"
"Yes, Miss Alvida!!!"
Her terrified crew immediately redoubled their efforts, scrubbing as if their lives depended on it.
Meanwhile, hidden inside a cluttered storage room on the ship—
"What? Koby, you said you fished up two barrels from the sea?"
"Hah! Guess even a useless weakling like you can be useful once in a while!"
Three pirates, clearly slacking off, sneered as they kicked a short, chubby boy with pink hair to the floor, dragging two large barrels into the room.
"Well, what're we waiting for? Let's crack these open and drink up!"
The bandana-wearing one rubbed his hands together eagerly.
"Wait…"
The older pirate with a scruffy beard hesitated, remembering his captain's temper.
"If Alvida finds out we stole her booze, we're dead men."
"How would she ever find out?"
The third pirate — a blonde who looked just a bit smarter than the others — grinned.
"It's just the three of us here. As long as that little coward keeps his mouth shut, no one'll know."
All three turned to glare at Koby.
"I—I didn't see anything!" Koby stammered, shaking his head wildly.
"Good! Then let's get to it. Hmm… let's start with this one!"
But just as the bandana pirate raised his fist to smash open the barrel—
BANG!!!
The barrel exploded.
Wood splinters flew everywhere.
The pirates froze. None of them had touched it.
And from inside the shattered barrel, a pair of stretching arms suddenly shot out —
one of them slamming squarely into the blonde pirate's jaw and sending him flying… right into the other barrel.
Then, from the wreckage, a cheerful voice rang out:
"Looks like I'm saved!"
A boy climbed out from the broken barrel — young, smiling, carefree.
He wore a red vest, blue shorts, and a simple pair of sandals.
And atop his head sat a straw hat.
The boy glanced around the stunned pirates, then grinned brightly.
"Hey! Who are you guys?"
"That's our question, you brat!!!"
The remaining pirates snapped back, one grabbing his vest and shaking him hard.
But the boy only laughed.
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy. And I'm gonna be the Pirate King!"
For a long moment, silence filled the room.
Then—
"HAHAHAHAHA! You? The Pirate King?"
"If you're the Pirate King, then I'm the Fleet Admiral of the Marines!"
They collapsed into laughter, pounding the floor as if they'd heard the funniest joke in the world.
Luffy didn't mind.
People who mocked dreams weren't worth his time.
Then a timid voice piped up behind them.
"E–Excuse me… are you going to the Grand Line?
To search for Gol D. Roger's One Piece?"
Luffy turned and noticed Koby for the first time.
"That's right," he said with an easy smile.
"Stop joking!"
Koby suddenly shouted, surprising even himself.
"That's something every pirate in the world is chasing! You'll never find it—you'll just die!"
"Shut up!"
Luffy's tone turned fierce. He threw his arms high and shouted,
"I'm not afraid to die!
I'll become the Pirate King—even if it costs me my life!"
His voice grew louder with every word, echoing through the cabin.
Koby, trembling, could only stare in awe.
That kind of conviction… he'd never seen it before.
"If… if I weren't so afraid of dying…" Koby whispered, tears filling his eyes.
"Then maybe I could chase my dream too…
Maybe even someone like me could become a Marine… right, Luffy?"
"How should I know?"
Luffy tilted his head — then grinned.
"But I believe you can do it, Koby."
Because anyone who had a dream deserved respect.
But before the moment could settle, two mocking voices broke in again.
"Well, well… I can't pretend I didn't hear that."
"Koby, are you planning to betray Captain Alvida? You went mad like this straw-hat brat?"
They drew their cutlasses and stepped forward menacingly.
"Marine or Pirate King—it doesn't matter. You're both dying here!"
As they lunged, Luffy prepared to fight—
But then a new voice suddenly echoed from the shadows.
"Excuse me… are you guys filming a movie or something?"
Everyone turned toward the sound.
The blonde pirate, the one Luffy had punched, lay unconscious on the floor.
And beside him, among splintered wood and spilled ale, sat another boy.
He had long black hair tied back, a blue robe with loose black pants, and simple cloth shoes.
His face was handsome — strikingly so — though at the moment, it was frozen in utter confusion.
"Wait… red vest, straw hat… pink-haired Koby…"
The boy rubbed his temples, his mind spinning.
Luffy? Koby?
His expression turned blank.
"…Did I just transmigrate?"
He blinked, dazed, and muttered under his breath,
"I must still be dreaming…"
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