The birds came before the headlines.
They always did.
White-feathered wings cut through the morning skies of islands that had never heard the name Naruto, landing on rooftops, railings, mastheads, and window sills with practiced precision. Bundles were dropped. Coins were taken. The birds left without waiting for reactions.
By noon, the world had something new in its hands.
---
Somewhere in the East Blue
A boy no older than ten crouched behind a barrel, fingers pressed together awkwardly.
"Like this… right?"
He thrust his hands forward. Nothing happened.
The other kids stared for a second—then burst out laughing.
"You're supposed to shout it!" one of them said. "It says it right here!"
The boy puffed out his chest, face red with determination.
"SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"
An old fisherman nearby snorted, pipe dangling from his lips. "Back in my day, kids pretended to be pirates. Now they're ninjas."
He shook his head, but he didn't sound annoyed.
He sounded amused.
Red-Haired Pirates – Somewhere on the Grand Line
Shanks sat with his boots up on a crate, a bottle balanced loosely in one hand, the other holding a thin book that looked entirely out of place among weapons and scars.
He flipped a page.
Then another.
"…Huh."
Benn Beckman leaned against the railing, cigarette unlit. "You're quiet."
Shanks grinned. "This is interesting."
Lucky Roux was already chewing through dried meat with one hand while holding his copy with the other. "The kid with the fox thing's got guts."
Yasopp laughed. "You like him because he's loud."
"Hey," Shanks said, eyes still on the page, "don't underestimate stories."
He closed the book slowly.
"No name. No origin. Distributed like news." His grin sharpened just a little. "That's not an amateur move."
Beckman finally lit his cigarette. "World Government won't like it."
Shanks shrugged. "They don't like a lot of things."
---
Dracule Mihawk – A Lone Island
Mihawk read standing.
He always did.
The massive blade on his back didn't move. Neither did his expression. Only his eyes shifted, tracking panels with surgical precision.
A boy hated by his village.
A sealed monster.
Power earned through pain, not bloodline privilege.
"…Tch."
He closed the book.
"Well-structured," he muttered. "Disciplined."
Mihawk placed it on the table beside his wine glass, as if acknowledging it deserved the space.
---
Whitebeard Pirates – Moby Dick
Marco flipped through the pages upside down, eyebrows raised.
"Oi, Pops," he called. "This thing's everywhere."
Whitebeard took the book with one massive hand, eyes scanning it far faster than most would expect.
A long silence followed.
"…Family," Whitebeard said at last.
Marco blinked. "Huh?"
"The theme," Whitebeard continued calmly. "Belonging. Being accepted despite what you carry."
He closed the book.
"Good story."
The crew relaxed. If the old man said it was good, that was enough.
---
Trafalgar Law – North Blue, Docked Submarine
Law didn't smile.
He never did.
He read in silence, fingers resting lightly against the page edges. When he finished, he didn't close the book immediately.
"A sealed power," he murmured. "A system that punishes emotion."
His eyes narrowed.
"…Interesting."
He slid the book into his coat.
---
Donquixote Doflamingo – Somewhere High Above
Doflamingo laughed.
Not loudly. Not wildly.
A soft, amused sound.
"Fufufufu…"
He turned a page with one finger, sunglasses reflecting inked panels of struggle and ambition.
"A story that makes people root for suffering," he said. "And sells."
He snapped the book shut.
"Whoever released this understands the world."
---
Smoker – Marine Base
Smoker crushed his cigarette in the ashtray harder than necessary.
"This came through official channels," he growled. "And nobody knows where it came from?"
A Marine officer swallowed. "N-No sir."
Smoker picked up the book again, jaw tightening.
"…Tch."
He didn't throw it away.
---
Aokiji – Somewhere Cold
Aokiji read while reclining, the book resting on his chest.
"Hmm," he muttered lazily. "Kids carrying heavy stuff."
He yawned.
"World's full of that."
The book stayed with him.
---
Back in Shells Town
Osamu sat on a crate near the harbor, watching birds leave.
He didn't feel nervous.
He felt… detached.
> [Sales Data Updating…]
Coins clinked softly in his inventory, unseen by anyone else.
No one looked at him.
No one asked questions.
No one cared.
Perfect.
> [Naruto Vol. 1–2 Total Units Sold: 1,247]
[Gross Revenue: 4,988,000 Belly]
Osamu let out a slow breath.
"…Huh."
> [System Distribution Fee: 30%]
[Fee Deducted: 1,496,400 Belly]
> [Net Profit: 3,491,600 Belly]
Osamu leaned back against the crate, staring up at the sky.
"Worth it," he murmured.
The birds vanished into the distance.
And the world, unknowingly, turned a page.