22 Years Before the Great Pirate Era
The late summer wind rolled lazily over the small fishing village of Loden, nestled quietly in the East Blue. It was a simple place—wooden docks, salt-stained sails, and taverns filled with laughter and cheap rum. But just outside its borders, atop a grassy hill, a lone figure sat beneath a tree. Not a fisherman. Not a child.
A stranger.
A boy of seventeen, with calm, unreadable eyes and two wooden practice swords resting beside him.
His name was Ankit.
And unlike anyone else in this world—he wasn't born here.
"Status."
The word echoed in his mind like a whisper. A faint shimmer flickered in front of his eyes—only visible to him.
[PROFICIENCY SYSTEM – ACTIVE]
Combat: Basic [Level 2 – 42%]
Dual Swordsmanship: Locked
Haki: Unknown
Observation: Inactive
Navigation: Beginner [Level 1 – 19%]
Passive Skill: Transmigrator's Awareness [Auto-Active]
Quest Log: No Active Quests
Inventory: 2/6 Slots Used
— Item: Local Map
— Item: Hand-Carved Training Blades
Ankit closed the panel and leaned back against the tree.
"Still nothing useful unlocked… Damn, this world's stingy."
Three months had passed since he woke up in this strange new reality—one he knew all too well from fiction. Pirates. Devil Fruits. Haki. The Great Pirate Age. But he had arrived before all of it… just two years after the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was executed.
And now, history was just beginning to stir.
"If I've got any chance to survive in a world like this," he muttered, "I'll need power… and swords sharp enough to change fate itself."
He glanced at the practice swords beside him. Wooden for now—but soon, they would be steel. Twin blades—his chosen path. He would walk the road of the pure dual-sword style, not as a flashy swordsman, but as a master of precision, speed, and lethal synergy.
The wind shifted.
Something had arrived.
Down at the harbor, the villagers were gathering in excitement. A new ship was docking—lean, sleek, and modest in size, with crimson-red sails bearing a rough skull-and-crossbones sigil. A single scar ran across the left eye of the Jolly Roger, though it was clearly painted by hand, not yet refined into a symbol of fear.
The crew disembarked with cheers and laughter. Only a dozen strong—but bold. Proud. Hungry.
At the center was a young man with wild red hair, a black cloak fluttering at his back, and a sword on his hip.
Shanks. Age: 17.
Former apprentice of the Pirate King. Now, a captain forging his own legend.
And fate was about to cross his path with someone far stranger than he could imagine.
Ankit descended the hill slowly, practice swords strapped to his back with rope. He stood at the edge of the crowd—not cheering, not jeering. Just observing.
That's him. Red-Haired Shanks. Barely started his crew… doesn't even have his famous sword yet.
Shanks laughed with the villagers, tossing a sack of gold at a tavern maid and shouting, "Drinks for everyone!"
His crew cheered, the tavern roared, and yet—Shanks paused.
He turned.
His eyes narrowed.
Someone was watching him. Not with awe or fear… but familiarity.
A teenage boy, leaning casually by a post, twin wooden swords at his back.
Shanks approached him without a word. The villagers kept drinking and dancing.
"You're not from around here," Shanks said finally.
"I could say the same," Ankit replied, his voice calm.
Shanks grinned. "I like your eyes. They're not loud, but sharp. Like you've seen more than most sailors twice your age."
"I've seen enough," Ankit said. "And you? What are you looking for?"
Shanks shrugged. "A crew. A purpose. And a lot of fun. Maybe even a dream, if I figure one out."
There was a silence. Two 17-year-olds. One a pirate-in-the-making. The other, something not of this world.
"You fight?" Shanks asked.
"With two blades," Ankit said. "But I haven't used real steel yet."
Shanks's eyes gleamed. "You're serious about that style?"
Ankit nodded.
"I like that. You've got a path. I can see it in your stance."
Shanks paused, then said, "Why don't you come with us? The sea's wild, and I could use someone who watches the horizon with steady eyes."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
New Quest Available: "Sail with the Red-Haired Pirates"
– Objective: Accept Shanks' offer
– Reward: Dual Swordsmanship Tree Unlocked
– Bonus: Custom Title – "Red Dawn's Blade"
Accept Quest? [Y/N]
Ankit hesitated. He had planned to train longer on land. Stay hidden. Grow in secret.
But this was fate. And power never waited for the perfect moment.
[Y] Selected. Quest Accepted.
Ankit extended a hand. "On one condition."
"Oh?"
"I'm not a deckhand. If I sail with you—it's as your first mate. Vice-captain."
Shanks blinked… and then laughed. Deep, loud, full of fire.
"Hell, I like your guts. Fine by me. From this day forward, you're my Vice-Captain!"
The crew cheered—some laughed in disbelief, others clapped Ankit on the back.
He stepped aboard the ship, his eyes on the vast ocean.
[QUEST COMPLETE]
– Dual Swordsmanship Unlocked
– Title Gained: Red Dawn's Blade
– System Upgrade Pending...
– Combat Efficiency +10% when using twin blades
– New Passive: "Silent Intent" – Easier to mask killing intent
Ankit stared out at the sea, wind brushing his hair back.
"Let's see how far I can go… in a world already destined for legends."
Far below deck, in a barrel in the cargo hold, something quietly bumped and shifted. A devil fruit. Round. Swirled.
Unclaimed. Forgotten… for now.
End of Chapter 1
Next Time: Chapter 2 – "Red Waves and Rusty Blades"
Ankit's first day as Vice-Captain begins with a skirmish—and his wooden blades clash against steel for the last time.