[Dear Lieutenant Commander Ripper. By the time you read this letter, I will have already become a pirate roaming the seas! Pirates don't know about attendance, nor do they need to undergo grueling daily training, because pirates are free and unrestrained!]
[Pirates will sail through the most turbulent waves, find ancient treasures, and even find a group of busty, curvy female pirates to ride the waves with.]
[Pirates will freely roam and adventure on the seas, and you, my respected Lieutenant Commander Ripper, I hope you can also soon break free from Morgan's rule and become a truly righteous marine who protects the people.]
—Your dear subordinate, Lieutenant Alan.
East Blue, on a sunny day in the sea area of the 153rd Branch Base, in an officer's office.
A black-haired man in a short-sleeved marine uniform put down his pen and folded the letter he had just written with satisfaction.
After standing up, the man looked around the office.
"I never thought I'd have to leave so soon after arriving. Life is truly unpredictable… "
Alan shook his head and smiled with a hint of regret in his voice.
This was the 153rd Branch Base, ruled by the ruthless and iron-fisted Captain Morgan.
Yes, the one who felled the Hero of the Marines with a single axe blow, the one revered as Axe-Hand Morgan.
Waking up in this place, Alan was initially bewildered, but after sorting out his situation, he decisively decided to leave.
As for where to go… Having transmigrated to the world of One Piece, of course, he would become a pirate.
That's right, he had transmigrated, arriving in the world of One Piece just two and a half hours ago.
Another stroke of incredible luck.
One Piece was undoubtedly a dangerous world where the strong preyed on the weak; few ordinary people who went to sea met a good end.
But staying on land was even more unbearable.
Most countries practiced a morbidly twisted aristocratic ideology, where ordinary people were endlessly oppressed, exploited, and even enslaved.
Even being born in a quiet little village in some remote corner of the sea isn't considered lucky; one could easily be robbed by pirates and end up homeless and destitute.
In this world, if you don't want to be slaughtered, you have to pick up a knife yourself. Wherever you go, the only thing you can rely on is your own fists.
Arriving in this dangerous world, Alan didn't complain. At least he was given a second chance at life; it was better than dying.
He was originally a Lieutenant Junior Grade serving in Marine Headquarters, but later applied to become a Lieutenant in the East Blue branch, thinking that becoming a Lieutenant in the weakest sea would allow him to live a peaceful life.
But…
"The original host was assigned to Morgan's branch, and then died of depression under long-term oppressive rule…"
The original host's previous experience left him speechless.
But perhaps this was a kind of relief.
Putting away the letter, Alan walked out the door, looked around, and headed towards his direct superior's office.
His direct superior was Lieutenant Commander Ripper, the second-in-command of this branch base, an upright marine who had previously received considerable favors from him.
Unfortunately, Ripper was timid and harbored resentment towards Morgan but dared not rebel.
In fact, everyone in the entire base had long harbored resentment towards Morgan's oppressive rule. If Lieutenant Commander Ripper had dared to stand up, the marines here would probably have already joined his rebellion.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Walking down the brightly lit corridor, Alan arrived at Ripper's office door, knocked, and waited a few seconds…
No response.
He crouched down and flicked the letter he had written under the door, then stood up and left.
Alan's gaze was indifferent as he walked down the long corridor while taking out a stack of banknotes from his pocket and glancing at them.
A total of 2 million Belly, his savings accumulated over the past two and a half years.
He would use this as the initial capital for his voyage. After buying a small boat, he should have some money left to tide him over for a while.
As for the future… Alan put away the money, lowered his head, looked at his palm, and clenched it.
With his Golden Finger, even if things went badly, he should be able to survive at sea.
Alan couldn't help but think.
Transmigration like this naturally needs a Golden Finger to make sense, and he got the Hanma's Legacy from Baki as his Golden Finger.
Baki is that shonen anime that, while ostensibly about fighting, is actually low-level fantasy and pseudo-science.
Alan's body not only received the modifications from Hanma's blood, but his mind also contained a large number of fighting techniques from the world of Baki, including techniques like force-dispersion, sonic punches, and more.
Hanma's blood caused his physical abilities to surge across the board.
Although he was still far behind the strong in this world, Hanma's blood also gave him terrifying combat instincts and learning abilities.
In the long run, this unparalleled growth potential is far more important than a one-time improvement.
Moreover, he still has ample room for growth; this world offers numerous ways to enhance strength.
He can further strengthen his body by consuming large quantities of energy-rich food like the Sea King, combined with intense training and combat.
There's also Haki, a power almost all strong individuals in this world possess, and one he will inevitably learn in the future.
Besides that, this world offers an even simpler and more direct method: Devil Fruits!
If he could obtain a powerful Devil Fruit, Alan would eat it without hesitation.
As for the side effects…
"Who in their right mind would be rendered incapable of fighting by a bucket of water?" Alan waved his hand and chuckled.
Impossible.
Nobody in this world would be that stupid.
In short, his Golden Finger only provides him with a safety net; how far he can grow in the future depends on how well he utilizes it.
Brushing aside the chaotic thoughts in his mind, Alan reached the end of the corridor and prepared to descend the stairs.
Suddenly, he faintly heard a rumbling sound overhead, followed by a slight tremor.
"Huh?"
Alan looked up in confusion, only to see several tiny cracks appearing in the ceiling and constantly shedding dust.
The next moment…
Bang!!
To his astonishment, a giant human head smashed through the ceiling above him!
"Holy crap… Damn it…!!"
Boom!!
Before he even finished speaking, the human head crashed down with tons of debris, burying him completely and forming a huge mound.