By the time Kira returned to the edge of town, the streets had begun to stir. The port was coming alive—fishermen shouting, crates being loaded, the slap of boots on weather-worn docks. It was far from a big city, but it had a rhythm. A pulse.
Shells Town. That's what the map in his inventory called it. A small, overlooked island in East Blue. Not famous. Not powerful. But for now, it was home.
"Shells Town… this is where Luffy and Zoro first met," Kira murmured, "I need to find out if the story's already started… or if I still have time."
[Daily Quest Objective: Speak to a Local (0/1)]
He drifted through the morning crowd, avoiding the loud vendors and dockhands. Most looked too busy or too guarded to entertain a stranger. He passed a group of Marines patrolling the marketplace and instinctively pulled his hood up.
He didn't know how this Town handled wanderers with no identification—and no origin.
Eventually, his steps brought him to the edge of the pier, where the scent of the sea was strongest and the voices faded into a low murmur. There, alone, sat a weathered old man in a tattered coat, a half-smoked pipe clenched in his jaw. One eye was clouded, the other sharp as a hawk's. He cast a line lazily into the harbor with the ease of someone who no longer fished for fish.
He fished for silence.
Kira stopped a few feet away. "That line's too loose. You're not gonna catch anything with slack like that."
The old man didn't look at him. "Didn't come here to catch anything, boy."
Kira raised an eyebrow. "So why fish?"
"Sometimes you don't need to hook the fish," the man muttered, smoke curling from his lips. "Sometimes you just need a reason to sit still."
They stood in silence for a moment. The water lapped at the pier beneath them.
"You don't sound like you're from around here," the man said finally
"Not," Kira admitted. "Just arrived."
"No ship in the port matches your look."
Kira glanced down at his clothes—simple, worn,"I came in alone. Small rowboat."
The man finally looked at him—really looked. His good eye locked on Kira's face, reading something behind the relaxed posture and sharp grin. Kira held the stare.
"You got a name?"
"Kira."
The man nodded once. "Old Juro. Don't expect kindness from the townsfolk. They don't like wanderers unless they bring coin or muscle. You bring either?"
"Nope."
"Then watch your back."
[Daily Quest Complete: Speak to a Local – 1/1]
[+50 Credits | +Minor Stat Boost | +Random Loot Crate]
The system notification barely registered as Kira studied the old man. There was something about Juro. Not the usual gruffness of age. Something beneath the surface. A weight behind his words. He didn't smell like alcohol or desperation. He smelled like salt, iron, and secrets.
"You used to be something," Kira said, almost to himself. "Before this quiet life."
Juro's hand paused on his pipe.
Kira didn't press further. He just sat on the edge of the pier beside him, letting the sea air wash over them both. They didn't speak for a while. No need to.
When he finally stood, Juro spoke again. "You'll need work. Try the shipwright's shop by the west docks. Old man there won't ask too many questions."
Kira nodded. "Thanks."
As he turned to go, the system chimed again.
[Loot Crate – Open Now?]
Kira tapped yes mentally, and a small blue flash appeared in his inventory.
[You've received: Basic Leather Gloves (Stamina +1, Grip +1)]
Not flashy. But useful. He slipped them on, flexing his fingers.
"Time to get a job,"
——
The shipwright's shop sat at the far end of the west docks, right where the wooden pier gave way to stone. It looked like it had been built a century ago and patched up every decade since—boards mismatched, walls leaning slightly, roof patched with tarps.
It was ugly.
But it was alive.
Hammering echoed from inside, rhythmic and precise. A young man with grease-stained gloves carried a plank of lumber past Kira without so much as a glance. From inside, a voice barked curses at a wayward apprentice.
Kira smiled. This place reminded him of old construction yards back home—chaotic, sharp-tongued, and honest.
He stepped through the open doorway, ducking slightly under a low beam.
A burly man stood at the center of the room, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, sawdust clinging to his arms like armor. His hair was short and gray, but his back was straight and solid. A thick scar ran down his left forearm, like something had tried to bite straight through it.
"Apprentices to the back," the man barked without looking. "Clients to the desk. Idiots out the door."
"Which one am I?" Kira asked.
The man turned, eyebrows raising just a fraction. "…New."
"I'm looking for work."
"Don't care about your story."
"Not giving one."
That seemed to please him.
"Name's Turlo," the man grunted. "You work hard, don't talk too much, and don't steal tools, I'll pay you enough to eat. Job starts now. That fine?"
Kira nodded. "Perfect."
[Side Quest Activated: "Blend In"]
•Aquire local clothing
•Obtain food
•Find shelter for the night
[Progress: 0/3]
Turlo didn't treat him kindly, but he treated him fairly. Which was rare. Kira spent the next three hours hauling planks, hammering nails, sanding down hull boards, and moving heavy barrels of pitch and tar.
He felt it in his arms. In his back. In the sweat dripping down his neck.
And he welcomed it.
Because this was his first real interaction with the world. Not a simulation. Not a system window. Work, sweat, and barked orders.
By the time the sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the dock in orange-gold light, Turlo finally grunted and tossed him a cloth sack.
"Wages for the day," he said. "Don't expect that rate tomorrow. Consider it a test."
Kira opened it—about 5,000 Berries. Enough for food, maybe a cheap room. Not bad at all.
"Appreciate it," Kira said.
As twilight fell over the dock, Kira walked into the town proper. With his wages in hand, he bought a simple dark-gray shirt and coat combo from a local tailor—a style that didn't draw attention. Nothing fancy. Just clean, tough fabric.
Then a bowl of rice and fish from a vendor by the docks. The woman looked tired but smiled when he complimented the seasoning.
And finally, he found an old inn tucked between two warehouses, with cracked stone steps and a crooked sign reading: "The Broken Compass." It cost 2,000 Berries for one night, no food included. Not cheap. Not safe.
But it was a roof.
And for now, that was enough.
[Side Quest Complete: Blend In]
[+100 Credits]
[Mini Map Unlocked]
[New Feature: Mini Map Activated]
A small local view of your surroundings is now accessible.
Kira collapsed onto the thin mattress in his tiny room. Dust filled the air, and the window barely opened. But the door locked, and the floor didn't creak.
He smiled to himself as he lay back, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling.
He was inside the story now. Deep in it.
He opened the map he got from the system .
The screen revealed the geography of East Blue—some familiar names, some not.
Shells Town, where he currently stood, was marked near the western edge of the sea. Not far from Loguetown to the north. Farther east—places like Orange Town, Syrup Village, and Dawn Island flickered to life on the map.
Shells Town was isolated, quiet—but near important routes. If he got stronger, smarter, and prepared… he could head to Loguetown. Maybe even find a ship. A crew. A real path to the Grand Line.
But not yet.
And the system? It wasn't giving him cheat codes. It was giving him tools. Just enough to rise if he was willing to bleed for it.
And Raven D. Kira?
He'd always been willing to bleed.
——
Morning broke over Shells Town with the same gray-blue haze each day. Fishing boats went out. Marines marched through the streets in stiff formation. Shopkeepers opened their stalls and cursed at the gulls. Life moved in a circle.
And at the edge of it, quietly moving within the flow, was Raven D. Kira.
He woke before sunrise every morning, stretched out the soreness in his limbs, and ran laps around the town perimeter. It wasn't for show. It wasn't because the system told him to. It was because he needed to become more—faster, stronger, sharper. This world didn't wait for the weak to catch up.
Kira didn't remember the anime in perfect detail, but he remembered enough. As he scanned his surroundings, he spotted Morgan—still here and in charge—but there was no sign of Zoro yet. That meant the story hadn't started. Not officially. He didn't know how much time he had—maybe a week, maybe a month, maybe even a year—but one thing was certain, by the time it began, he was going to be ready.
Each day, the system quietly shaped him. Each night, he reviewed his status beneath candlelight, memorizing the slow growth in his stats like a scholar tracking the tide.
He learned the rhythms of the town, too. When the market was quiet. Which alleys were watched by Marines. Where the local drunks gathered. Which rooftops gave him the best vantage of the harbor.
But he didn't stay idle.
Turlo kept him working at the shipyard, and the man never once asked about Kira's past. He paid in cash, taught with growls and swears, and occasionally—when no one was around—gave short, clipped bits of advice that felt like lessons meant for soldiers, not carpenters.
Kira listened to all of it.
⸻
Day 4,
[Skill Module: Basic Martial Arts I] – 1,000 Credits
[Perk: Iron Will I] – 1 Token Used
[Unlocked: Inventory Expansion (5 Slots)]
Turlo didn't comment when Kira started shadowboxing in the empty corners of the yard, but he did throw him a pair of weighted gloves and say, "Don't drop these. Not once. Not even when your arms beg for mercy."
Kira didn't.
He trained with focus, even obsession. Not just because of the Quick Learner perk—but because he needed to. Every drop of sweat, every aching joint, was a step away from the boy who once felt powerless.
⸻
On Day 6, the first real tension hit town.
A merchant vessel limped into port, half its sails torn and hull damaged. Rumors spread like wildfire—pirates near the southeast coast, possibly testing trade lanes. The Marines took it seriously, doubling patrols. Captain Morgan wasn't in town, but his second-in-command cracked down hard.
Kira stayed out of sight, watching.
He felt the shift. The sense of something building.
But the pirates didn't come. Not yet.
⸻
By Day 9, he'd begun venturing outside town during daylight. The woods near the southern cliffs became his private training ground. He practiced strikes, stances, defensive pivots. He dodged falling branches and batted aside thrown stones with open palms and tight elbows.
[Martial Arts I: 41% Mastery]
[Agility Increased]
[Dodge Technique I Unlocked (Passive)]
He was still no warrior. But he was no longer prey.
⸻
Day 10 – Night
[Daily Quest Completed – Day 2 through Day 10]
[Rewards Accumulated:]
+9 Strength
+8 Agility
+6 Perception
+5 Stamina
+3 Willpower
+10 Loot Crates (Basic)
+1 Loot Crate (Rare)
+5,000 System Credits
[Perk Token x1]
[Passive Skill Unlocked: [Enhanced Reflexes I]
[Reputation (Shells Town): Neutral → Familiar]
The room at the Broken Compass was dark, lit only by the faint glow of the system interface floating before Kira's eyes. The candle had long since burned out, but he didn't need it anymore. Not when the light from his own rising power was brighter.
He sat cross-legged on the thin mattress, breathing slow, controlled, grounded.
[ Status ]
And there it was. The numbers that defined his new self. After ten days of grind, sweat, and quests, the system displayed a version of Kira that looked nothing like the man who washed ashore.
• Title: Transmigrator
• Race: Human
• Age: 21
• Affiliation: None
• Bounty: None
• Level: 6 (EXP: 120/400)
•Credits: 4500
•Stat Points Available: 15
—
•Strength: 15
•Agility: 13
•Stamina: 15
•Perception: 11
•Intelligence: 6
•Willpower: 23
He stared at the numbers for a long moment, fingers twitching with a mix of hesitation and hunger.
Strength was already higher than the rest. It came naturally—lifting, striking, pushing, grinding through resistance. Not finesse. Not clever tricks. Just raw force.
He remembered the first day he trained. The first time his fists bled on wood. The first time his arms screamed in pain. And how good it felt.
Kira selected the Strength stat and began allocating.
+1. +2. +3…
He kept going.
+10. +11. +12…
When he hit +15 total points, the system pinged.
[Strength: 30]
His hands curled into fists, and for a moment, he just felt the power flow through him—like a storm under his skin. His arms vibrated with it. The whole world felt lighter. Like he could punch through walls if he wanted.
——
Kira sat on the edge of the harbor wall, legs dangling over the sea. The East Blue map hovered in front of him, glowing faintly. He zoomed in on Shells Town, then slowly panned toward the Grand Line.
So far. So impossible.
The screen shifted as the system chimed softly.
[Main Quest Update Available]
[Would you like to view?]
Kira's eyes narrowed.
"Yeah," he said, tapping the air. "Let's see what's next."
A new window unfolded in front of him, clean white text scrolling across a dark blue background, glowing faintly in the candlelight of the harbor.
You stand at a crossroads. Your strength grows. Your choices matter.
The world awaits your answer.
Choose your path:
[Path of the Pirate]
Forge your name in infamy. Seek freedom, fortune, and power. Rule by your own code. But beware—the world will hunt you.
[Path of the Marine]
Uphold justice. Rise through the ranks of the World Government. Bring order to chaos. But remember—justice is not always clean.
[Path of the Revolutionary]
Tear down the world. Fight for the forgotten. Change the system from the shadows. But know—revolution has its price.
A faint pulse ran through the air as the prompt hovered, waiting. Kira leaned forward, elbows on his knees, eyes locked on the options.
"Pirate… Marine… Revolutionary…"
He whispered each word, tasting the weight of them.
All three had appeal. All three had risk.
No timer. No pressure. But he felt it—the importance of this choice. A branching point in the script of fate. His fate.
The screen faded slightly, the choices still glowing softly.
He sat there for a long moment, watching the moon ripple over the sea.
Then he smiled. Just a little.
"Power, freedom… and my own rules," he said, almost to himself. "Yeah."
He reached up and tapped the option with no hesitation.
[Path of the Pirate – Confirmed]
The system flared.
You have chosen the Path of the Pirate.
A new legend begins.
[Main Quest: Raise Your Flag] — Active
Objective: Form your crew. Acquire at least one crew member. Make the world notice your name.
Rewards: +50 Stat Points + 10,000 EXP
The glow faded. The night returned.
Kira sat still, the sea wind brushing against his face. Somewhere, far off, waves crashed against a distant cliff. The stars stretched overhead like a map waiting to be drawn.
And for the first time since he arrived, he didn't feel lost.
"Not yet," he whispered again.
Then he grinned.
"But soon."
———————————————————
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