A dozen plates of sizzling barbecue vanished into Kairo's stomach like it was nothing. Within moments, it was as if he'd eaten nothing at all, his powerful digestive system broke it all down in minutes.
Steam rose from his body in wisps of hot, white mist, drifting above his head like smoke from a freshly forged blade.
Ivan, who had been standing nearby reporting on gang business, was struck speechless. His voice faltered, eyes wide, as if watching a volcano about to erupt.
Truthfully, Kairo hadn't heard a single word.
The Wild Wolf Gang was nothing more than a means to an end. As for Ivan?, He's just a caretaker. Kairo had no desire to lead or control, he simply needed a stable base, a quiet corner of the world where he could only focus on one thing: becoming stronger.
The maids came and went with trays, refilling food, clearing plates, wiping sweat from their brows. Kairo finally leaned back, satisfied. The familiar hum of power coursed through his limbs.
He leapt from his seat with a casual motion—so casual, it sent him soaring over ten meters into the air. He landed with force, cracking the tiled floor beneath his feet, and walked toward the yard.
In front of him stood a towering tree, easily six meters tall and wide enough that it would take six grown men holding hands to circle it.
He clenched his fist.
Bang!
The entire trunk cracked like brittle glass, splitting in two and toppling forward.
"Ah!"
The maids standing nearby screamed as the massive tree leaned toward them. Before it could crash down, Kairo's foot lashed out with a heavy thud, sending the trunk hurtling sideways through the air.
It flew over ten meters before smashing into the ground, throwing dust and debris skyward.
Ivan stood rooted to the spot.
Was this strength... even human?
Kairo tilted his head, expression thoughtful as he looked at his own hand. "...I wonder what level this puts me at in the pirate world?"
There wasn't a clear power system in this world like on other anime. No neat numbers. But in Kairo's past life, fans on the forums used to debate tiers all the time:
Miscellaneous:
F rank: Grunts
D rank: Captain
C rank: Colonel
B rank: Brigadier General (Proficient in Six Powers)
A rank: Major General (Mastery of Haki)
S rank: Vice Admiral (Advanced Haki)
S+ rank: Warlords / Commander Tier
SS rank: Admiral
SSS rank: Yonko
It was flawed—full of contradictions and glaring inconsistencies.
Take Vice Admiral Garp, for example, a man who could shatter mountains with his bare hands, yet a Warlord like Moriah was considered a joke. Then there was Mihawk, who could single-handedly face off against Yonko-level opponents.
Despite all of that, the ranking system has at least offered a rough framework for understanding the power system of One Piece.
(Time Skip)…
As the years goes by...
Two more years has passed.
Kairo no longer lived in the mountains. He had moved closer to the sea.
After finally learning how to swim, he started training his swordsmanship in the water because, in every story he read, every swordsman worth his salt trained in harsh conditions.
He wasn't a prodigy with the blade. But he was persistent. Inspired by Zoro, he trained endlessly with the goal of mastering the philosophy: "to cut everything until nothing is left."
Every day, Kairo stood at the coast. Or waist-deep in ocean tides. Or diving deep with weighted boots and dull iron swords.
Slash.
Repeat.
Slash again.
It was a mechanical rhythm, etched into his bones. He repeated the same movements a thousand times, hoping to find that invisible line between strength and clarity.
"Hah…"
Kairo crawled out of the water, sword dragging behind him. His arms ached. His shoulders were tight. His heart pounded in his chest like a war drum.
The training left his body burning, but something deeper bothered him.
Frustration.
Restlessness.
He couldn't shake it.
It had been four years since he came to this world. Now as 14 years old, Kairo had pushed his body to the limit, becoming stronger than any average adult, stronger than most Marines, maybe but…
His progress was slowing.
His physical growth had peaked for his age, and training wasn't giving him the same explosive gains anymore.
"I'm missing something," he muttered, staring at the blade in his hands.
He could scar boulders with it now. But that wasn't enough.
He hadn't yet found that moment.
That feeling.
The state where a swordsman could cut anything until nothing was left.
He wanted to reach that, not just to become stronger…
…but to prove he was worthy of the power he now held.
"Boss! Here's the sword you wanted!"
As Kairo appeared, Ivan hurried over with towels and a basket full of swords.
Kairo had been practicing swordsmanship relentlessly, breaking nearly one sword every few days. So he'd tasked his subordinates with supplying him with new blades regularly, a job Ivan managed while also keeping tabs on town news and bringing Kairo the latest newspapers.
"Anything news happening recently?" Kairo asked casually, scanning the newspaper Ivan handed him.
His eyes widened as he read: the Lockes Pirates had just razed a kingdom.
The bounty notices caught his full attention, while familiar names from the anime world he remembered from his past life appeared.
Rocks D. Xebec: 13 billion belly. Captain of the Rocks Pirates, infamous for ruthless atrocities.
Whitebeard Edward Newgate: 4 billion belly. First division captain, wielding the power to shake the earth itself.
Golden Lion Shiki: 9 billion belly. Second division captain, with flutter fruit abilities.
Charlotte Linlin: 7 billion belly. Third division captain, soul fruit user.
Captain John: 6 billion belly. Fourth division captain, notorious for merciless crimes.
Ochoku(Wang Zhi): 5 billion belly. Fifth division captain, equally ruthless.
Silver Axe: 3 billion belly. Sixth division captain, with a violent reputation.
Kaidou of the Beasts: 3 billion belly, bounty for capture alive only.
The newspaper was filled with names Kairo recognized instantly.
"Boss, pirate activity has exploded this past year, all thanks to the Rocks Pirates," Ivan said with concern. "They've burned, looted, and killed across the second half of the Grand Line, the very waters around here. They're attacking World Government allied nations and naval branches nonstop. Centered around Hive Island, they've nearly taken control of this entire area. Even the navy's struggling to hold them back. If the navy doesn't act soon, our island could be next."
Ivan's worry was justified. Their island sat in the middle of the second half of the Grand Line, close to a naval G-8 branch—but even that might not be enough protection if the pirates advanced.
Kairo folded the newspaper and handed it back.
"Don't worry too much. There's a navy base nearby, and no pirate is foolish enough to cause trouble here. Now you may go, come to me if you need anything."
He dismissed Ivan's fears with a wave.
Suddenly—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Explosions echoed in the distance.
"What was that?" Kairo asked, eyes narrowing as he looked toward the smoke rising near the port.
A dark feeling settled in both their hearts simultaneously.
"Go! Check it out!" Kairo ordered and sprinted toward the port.
Activating his Observation Haki, Kairo scanned the area mentally. A three-dimensional map of the surroundings appeared in his mind's eye, centered on him.
"Damn it... It's the pirates!"
In his mind, he saw three pirate ships docking at the port.