"Where… am I?"
Ethan felt a crushing headache, as if a steel clamp had locked around his skull, squeezing until he could barely breathe.
His body would not respond. He lay there limply, as if he had just escaped death, without a trace of strength left.
He blinked and slowly opened his eyes.
White. Everything was white.
From the equipment around him, it was obvious this was a hospital room. And he was the patient.
"Lily…"
Ethan suddenly snapped awake and struggled to sit up, panic surging through him. He had not forgotten the moment they were swallowed by the black vortex.
A muffled groan escaped his lips. Even the smallest movement made his body feel like it was being torn apart. The pain was unbearable.
But he needed to know if Lily was safe.
"You're awake?"
A calm yet authoritative voice drifted toward him like a breeze. Ethan instinctively turned toward the sound.
An elderly woman in a Marine uniform stood nearby, watching him carefully.
Tsuru.
She looked younger than he expected, perhaps in her fifties or sixties, but the sharp intelligence in her eyes was unmistakable.
Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly.
He understood immediately.
He had transmigrated. And not just anywhere. He was in the world of One Piece.
But he felt no excitement. No joy.
Transmigration might be a miracle to others, but to him it meant nothing.
He had already known warmth in his previous life. His parents meant nothing to him. The only person who mattered was Lily.
Tsuru's relatively young appearance meant the main storyline had not yet begun. Countless possibilities flashed through Ethan's mind in an instant.
"Young man, are you from a Sky Island?"
Her calm question interrupted his thoughts.
She sat upright with her hands folded neatly on her lap. Her wise eyes seemed capable of seeing through everything, and the weight of her gaze pressed down on him.
"What makes you think that?" Ethan replied calmly, meeting her eyes without fear.
In a world where the strong devoured the weak, a person's greatest protection was themselves. Only by hiding his cards could he buy time to grow stronger. And the woman in front of him was famous for her intelligence.
"Do you even know who I am, boy?" she asked with a faint smile.
Her instincts told her this young man was no ordinary survivor. And she trusted her instincts.
"Judging by the uniform, you're a Marine. And not a low rank either."
He answered vaguely, offering nothing definite.
Her eyes flickered slightly.
"Vice Admiral. A staff officer, to be precise."
"Thank you," Ethan said, attempting to stand. "Whatever the reason, I'm grateful you saved me."
It was obvious the Marines had rescued him.
"What is your name? And are you from a Sky Island?" she asked again, clearly interested.
"You can call me Ethan Hale. As for the Sky Island question, what makes you so sure?"
"You've asked that twice now," she said calmly. "That isn't really an answer. Still, keep your secrets if you wish. You're weak enough as it is. Get some rest."
She gave him one last look and stood to leave.
"Wait."
She paused and turned back, seeing the boy lying in bed with a desperate expression.
"When you rescued me… was there a girl with me? Black hair, black eyes. She looks like me."
Though he tried to sound calm, the desperation in his voice was impossible to hide.
Tsuru hesitated.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "When you fell from the sky, there was indeed a girl with you. But unfortunately… we couldn't rescue her in time."
Ethan's pupils shrank.
His face went pale, like the last light of a dying sunset.
"You mean… she's dead?"
His fists clenched tightly as he looked up. His once bright eyes were now bloodshot, and his features twisted with despair.
A killing intent burst from him like a wild beast. Even Tsuru stiffened for a moment before regaining her composure.
"No. She might still be alive."
His crimson eyes locked onto hers without blinking.
"We were pursuing the Flying Pirate Fleet at the time. You fell into the battlefield. The girl was taken by the pirate known as Golden Lion Shiki. I'm sorry. We only managed to save you."
"Golden Lion…"
The name came out as a low growl.
A man who once tried to overturn the world. Even without his forces, his individual strength alone was overwhelming. Ethan stood no chance against him.
What would Lily suffer in that monster's hands?
Watching anime was one thing. Living in that world was another. This was a reality where the weak were worth less than nothing.
"They may have taken interest in you because you might be from a Sky Island," Tsuru said.
She looked at the pale boy before her.
"Get some rest. If you need anything, call for the staff."
Then she left the room.
To the Marines, he was just another civilian. The only reason she had even spoken to him was the possibility of Sky Island ancestry.
This was reality. Not every transmigrator arrived blessed with power or destiny.
Ethan ignored her departure and clutched his head, forcing himself to calm down.
Stay calm. Stay calm.
The only good news was this:
He and Lily had survived.
And now he knew where she was.
There was only one path forward.
Strength.
The fastest path right now was joining the Marines.
If he could rise to the rank of Vice Admiral, or even Admiral, he could use the World Government's intelligence network to track down Shiki and find Lily.
But first, he needed to determine the era he was in. Tsuru's younger appearance suggested many things, but confirmed nothing.
Countless thoughts converged into a single path.
His future began to take shape.
"Shiki… if you hurt Lily even a little… I swear you will die."
He exhaled slowly and raised his pale right hand.
Flames burst to life.
Crimson gold fire wrapped around his entire hand, radiating intense heat and light.
"Fire…"
He closed his eyes, sorting through the flood of new knowledge in his mind.
"Devil Fruit… was it that one?"
His eyes snapped open.
Light filled them.
He had found it. The seed of power.
"The Bird Bird Fruit. Mythical Zoan. Golden Sun Crow."
If he could fully develop this power, he could stand at the top of the world.
The Golden Crow. The embodiment of the sun in ancient myth.
"Let's burn our way across this world."
He clenched his fist, determination burning in his heart.
His instincts told him this fruit held even deeper secrets. And he would uncover them all.
Someone was waiting for him.
With enough power, Lily's heart condition could be cured completely. Whether through the legendary Life Fruit or the known Op Op Fruit, he would obtain them.
Anyone who stood in his way would be removed.
Ethan accepted the gamble.
Danger and opportunity went hand in hand. Everything depended on strength.
He had to become stronger.
As fast as possible.
No matter the cost.