A young man in his mid-20s was seen walking while browsing his phone. He was completely absorbed in it, oblivious to his surroundings. What do you think he was reading on his phone? It was the latest chapter of the One Piece manga, in which the Straw Hat Pirates confronted the God's Knights. He was engrossed in every page, meticulously observing every little detail, finishing it just before he crossed the pedestrian lane.
After completing the latest chapter, the young man couldn't help but daydream about the world of One Piece, imagining how he would give anything to be there. He even knew which Devil Fruit he would choose if given the chance — the Hie Hie no Mi, also known as Kuzan's Devil Fruit. This choice was simple: ice was his favorite element, as he loved winter and had always been fascinated by ice powers.
"God, I wish I could have Kuzan's Ice-Ice Fruit powers. I'd trade my current life for that chance," the young man thought while noticing the green pedestrian light. Assuming it was safe to cross, he stepped onto the street, still lost in his thoughts.
Suddenly, a loud horn blared. The young man turned his head just in time to see a truck speeding toward him, too fast to avoid. In that moment, he accepted his fate, wishing he could have Aokiji's power if he ever got transported to a new world.
Instead of feeling pain, he felt an intense coldness, like standing in front of a blasting air conditioner set to its maximum setting. As he tried to comprehend what was happening, he saw a tall, lanky man with an afro walking toward him. The young man immediately recognized him from his attire and sunglasses — it was Aokiji, after the two-year time skip.
The young man tried to speak, but he couldn't. Aokiji kept walking, each step echoing in his ears. After what felt like an eternity, Aokiji finally stood before him, looking down at the young man, who lay there unable to move.
Aokiji's hand froze over, and he touched the young man's face. Slowly, inch by inch, ice crept over the young man's body until he was completely encased in a frozen shell. The young man's consciousness was gradually consumed by the encroaching ice until everything went black.
When he finally woke up, he found himself in an entirely different room. The walls were painted white, and the space was noticeably larger than his previous apartment.
"Please let me be reincarnated. Please let me be reincarnated," the young man thought desperately, still trying to process what had just happened.
Suddenly, a flood of memories surged through his mind. Memories that didn't belong to him — or did they? He learned that he was now in the body of a ten-year-old boy named Aokiji Kuzan, a name strikingly similar to the former Marine Admiral.
As the memories settled, he realized that Aokiji had not awakened a quirk yet, despite being ten years old. However, a quirk test conducted when he was five revealed that he only had one joint in his pinky toe, indicating that he was quirk-compatible and would eventually develop one, though it was still uncertain when it would manifest.
Now, with his memories fully awakened, the young man — now Aokiji — got up and headed straight to the bathroom, eager to see what his new appearance looked like.
After entering the bathroom, Aokiji paid no attention to how spacious it was. His eyes immediately locked onto his reflection in the mirror. The face staring back at him was unmistakably that of a younger Aokiji — curly hair, thick lips, and a tall, imposing build. Despite being only ten years old, he was already two meters tall.
He couldn't help but think that he really did get the Aokiji template. The only thing missing was the Hie Hie no Mi powers.
And as if on cue, a sudden chill swept through the room. Frost rapidly spread across the bathroom, encasing everything in a thick layer of ice. Even Aokiji himself felt the creeping cold as ice formed along the left side of his face. But to his surprise, he didn't feel cold. He felt perfectly comfortable.
Aokiji couldn't contain his laughter. He had gained Aokiji's power, albeit a far weaker version. He was just a beginner, a rough template of the man he idolized.
Determined to test his new abilities, Aokiji raised his hand and attempted to unfreeze the bathroom. At first, it was difficult; his control was clumsy, and the ice resisted his will. But the more he practiced, the easier it became.
It felt as though someone was guiding him, a faint whisper in the back of his mind, instructing him on what to do. Before long, he managed to control the ice with greater precision, freezing and unfreezing specific areas of the bathroom.
Aokiji exhaled, his breath visible as a mist. He had a long way to go, but he had taken the first step toward mastering his newfound powers.