Chapter 59: The Devil Factor (Lineage Factor)
[July 1st, 1516 – You're adrift in a vast, boundless sea with nothing but a piece of driftwood to cling to. You have no belongings, no food or water, just a ring on your finger. You didn't try to contact Roger—because you know that guy won't wake up without a proper feast. After checking, you realize your Conqueror's Haki and Observation Haki are still there, albeit weakened. Only your Armament Haki needs to be completely retrained. You guess it's because the former two are rooted in the mind, while the latter depends on the body.]
[July 2nd, 1516 – You start gathering food while training your Armament Haki through swimming. Your Observation Haki range isn't wide, but it's good enough to lock onto an island in the distance. As you swim, you reflect on what you truly want. During your last journey, you experienced firsthand the darkness of the Celestial Dragons. Perhaps finding the One Piece and toppling the Celestial Dragons' rule would be a worthy goal. (Chaos Tendency +3)]
[July 4th, 1516 – After two days of swimming, you reach the island. Sure enough, it's Windmill Village. The villagers are warm and welcoming, and you encounter that same unlovable brat again—yes, you again, Monkey D. Luffy. You've seen a lot in your time, but this is your first time witnessing someone throwing poop as a hidden weapon. No honor in that. And he's the main character of a manga? What a letdown. According to Luffy, it was his way of protecting Windmill Village—with poop? You curse not having a camera on hand to document this dark, cringy chapter of his youth.]
[July 8th, 1516 – As if guided by fate, the village chief collapses with a sudden illness. Right on time, you arrive at his house and cure him effortlessly, astounding the villagers.]
[July 9th, 1516 – With the help of the villagers, you temporarily settle in Windmill Village and open a small clinic. After all, you need to make a living. At the same time, you begin physical training to rebuild your Armament Haki. As the saying goes, a man must stand strong on his own!]
[July 10th, 1516 – In your free time, you begin exploring ways to earn money. According to a nearby shipyard's pricing, even an old ship costs around 100 million Berries. For reference, the battleships you once sailed on as a Marine were nearly 20 times that size, cost only 2.2 billion, and were vastly superior in firepower and durability. Do all pirates come from money or something? You also discover that the most lucrative industries in this world are all listed in the criminal code—followed by shipbuilding. Isn't that a vicious cycle? If you already had the money to build a ship, what would you even need the money for? After some thought, you decide to submit a manuscript to a magazine in Loguetown. There's no shame in being a copycat author in another world. As for the theme? Love. It's the eternal theme of humanity—and it should hold true even in the world of One Piece.]
[July 11th, 1516 – Finally, some good news. Your grumpy old man companion wakes up ahead of schedule. That's right—it's Roger again, the forgetful death row inmate. After spending time together across two worlds, the two of you click like old friends.]
[July 13th, 1516 – You run into Luffy and Ace. Luffy still has no regard for martial ethics, but with no "weapons" at hand, he fails. You grab him and stretch his cheeks like pancakes. He gets mad, but after you treat them to a meal, you instantly become friends—just like that. During the meal, Roger admits he feels a strange sense of closeness to Ace. The bond between father and son really is a mysterious thing.]
[July 15th, 1516 – Today you receive word from the Loguetown magazine: your short story The Necklace will be published in the upcoming issue. Payment: 1.2 million Berries. So… you'll need to write 100 short stories to buy a second-hand ship. No matter—it's a stubborn goal. Besides, it's a way to leave your mark in this world. Money is secondary. To change the world in a meaningful way—that's worth it.]
[July to September, 1516 – During this time, you copy down over ten classic love stories and become the most famous short story writer in the East Blue. Based on what you've learned, the Loguetown magazine is part of the media empire owned by none other than "Big News" Morgans, the only newspaper tycoon in the One Piece world. Unsurprisingly, your royalties start rising. Meanwhile, your bond with Ace and Luffy grows quickly. You pass on your training methods for Armament and Observation Haki to both of them. Despite this, Ace loses every single sparring match with you. Based on your assessment, Ace's current strength is somewhere between Marine Lieutenant Commander and Commander. His hand-to-hand skills still lag behind yours. Perhaps only after eating a Devil Fruit will he truly soar.]
[September 20th, 1516 – Your savings reach 25 million Berries. One-fourth of your initial goal achieved. On the same day, you successfully retrain your Armament Haki—two months earlier than in your previous life. Roger tells you your current strength isn't bad. He vaguely remembers being weaker than you when he first set out to sea. But if you want to go further, you need to get out there as soon as possible. You agree. After all this time, you've forged a deep friendship with the two brothers. Ace and Luffy both regard you as a friend and an older brother.]
[December 21st, 1516 – Today brings both good and bad news. The good: you've completed two-thirds of your goal, and your reputation as a famous writer has reached the Grand Line. Even several princesses are now your fans. The owner of the Loguetown magazine personally visits and asks to reprint your works in the World Economic Journal, offering you a higher rate. No reason to refuse. The bad: the old coot Garp finally arrives in Windmill Village. Compared to your previous life, he's even more interested in you this time—especially after watching you beat Ace in a spar. He keeps trying to rope you into the Marines. But this time, you stand your ground. No one is swaying your resolve. Not even for a raise.]
[December 27th, 1516 – After multiple failed attempts to recruit you, Garp gives up—reluctantly. He turns his attention to training Ace and Luffy instead. He claims these two grandsons are future Admiral material and mustn't lose to you. You smirk. Optimism is good—for all parties involved.]
[January 22nd, 1517 – Thanks to Garp's iron-fisted training, Ace finally awakens Armament Haki. Promptly, he challenges you again—but still suffers a crushing defeat. Then Garp personally treats you to a fancy meal. Even Roger snickers at the scene. Those two old geezers really are something else.]
[February 6th, 1517 – A few days ago, Garp left for Marine HQ on his warship. Today, you finally reach your small goal. For 88 million Berries, you purchase a beautiful ship and begin preparations to set sail. That day, Ace comes to you, asking to join your voyage. He says he can serve as navigator, cook, and even fighter. When you ask why, Ace tells you a story—about his father Roger and his mother Rouge. He wants to see for himself what kind of ocean could make his father abandon his mother and never return. And if he could, with his own hands, craft a legend greater than Roger's—that would be even better. Roger says nothing after hearing this, but he asks you again and again to take care of Ace.]
[February 21st, 1517 – Over the course of two weeks, you fashion some basic medical tools—microscope, simple blood analyzer. Not too difficult, given your Iron Man-level research skills. You earn the achievement: Leeuwenhoek.]
[February 22nd, 1517 – With everything prepared, you name your crew the Pineapple Pirates. The flag bears a skull with spiky pineapple-shaped hair. You officially set sail. After saying farewell to Luffy, you promise to meet again on the high seas.]
[February 25th, 1517 – Your first destination is Loguetown, then through Reverse Mountain into the Grand Line. They say Stand Users are drawn to each other—but maybe Devil Fruits and people are too. In an unexpected turn, you come across a Devil Fruit on a deserted island. You give it to Ace. In exchange, you obtain blood samples from before and after he consumes it. Under the microscope, you observe tiny black granules in the post-fruit sample. Perhaps this is the legendary Devil Factor?]