(I ate the Brain-Brain Fruit and became a Brain-Brain Human, with the ability to stash brains.)
Sea Circle Calendar, Year 1492,
Duramos Island, an ordinary little island in the first half of the New World.
"Hey, Jesse, you don't want word getting out that you're eight and still wet the bed, do you!"
In a cluttered alley, a shirtless little boy with long black hair grinned wickedly at the snot-nosed brat in front of him,
while a few other brats in the distance, furious yet cowed, glared at the long-haired boy as well,
"Huh? I clearly washed up before dawn—Aos, how would you even know…" Halfway through his words, the snot-nosed brat Jesse hurriedly clapped a hand over his mouth, as if terrified his friends in the distance might hear,
"I told you a long time ago—nothing in this world escapes my eyes."
He snatched the few hundred Berries of pocket money from the kid's hand, stuffed it into his pocket under Jesse's furious glare, and strode off laughing.
Only after he left did the other kids dare come over to comfort the robbed Jesse, cursing one after another,
"Damn it, that guy—when I grow up, I'm definitely getting revenge!"
"Yeah, Aos is always stealing our allowance. Give me a chance and I'll beat him to a pulp."
But one kid was more clear-headed, staring bitterly at the long-haired back disappearing into the distance,
"Stuff like that… no way it'll work out. The mayor said it himself: Aos killed a wild boar when he was six. He's…"
As he spoke, a hint of fear crept into his eyes, as if recalling the warnings from his parents,
"A natural-born monster!"
...
"Nice, another five hundred Berries in the bag—means I can buy two more newspapers."
Aos pushed open the door in high spirits.
This was his ninth year in the world of One Piece. Abandoned at birth and raised by the old mayor, Aos had long since grown used to this strange new world.
He had yet to see how truly vast it was, though, so he diligently bought newspapers from the News Coo to keep up with the big happenings at sea.
Today, as usual, he was heading home for lunch—but for some reason, the old mayor grandpa wasn't there.
He looked around and saw no one, then furrowed his little brows and glanced toward the neighbor's doorway, as if sensing something carefully. A moment later, he shook his head,
"Nope. Not at the widow next door either."
Probably out carousing. Aos didn't think much of it—he just grabbed some bread and ham from the kitchen and sat down to eat,
eating as he flipped through the day's freshly bought paper.
"The remnants of Rocks are building up their own forces, led by the likes of the Golden Lion and Whitebeard…"
Nothing too noteworthy. Though, gotta admit—young Charlotte Linlin is pretty gorgeous,
Munching away as he eyed that hourglass figure in the photo, Aos mused to himself, then kept reading,
"The Roger Pirates were reportedly sighted at Sanderilla Island."
The Pirate King in the flesh, huh. Aos chewed and sighed, then read on,
The next headline was…
Wait!
Aos suddenly froze mid-bite, sensing something off. He snapped back to the Roger Pirates blurb, the bread falling from his mouth without him noticing, his mind going completely blank!
Sanderilla Island?
Isn't that the island just a few dozen nautical miles away?
Holy crap!
At this point in time, Roger hasn't reached Laugh Tale yet—and he's not the Pirate King!
Insane!
Aos's eyes went wide. In just a few seconds, a very bold decision took shape in his mind!
"In my previous life I waited nearly thirty years and still never figured out what One Piece actually is—now I've got a ready-made chance to see it for myself, don't I?"
If I can worm my way onto the Roger Pirates…
What do you call that?
Starting at the peak?
The Great Treasure that ordinary pirates spend a lifetime chasing—found by me within two years of setting sail?
The thought alone made Aos buzz with excitement,
not to mention the roster of world-class monsters on Roger's crew—pick up a couple moves from them and I'd be final-movie-boss material.
And then there's the status buff. Even future-Buggy gets treated with respect everywhere just for being a former Roger crewmate, doesn't he?
Think it, do it,
"Old man, I'm going to join the Roger Pirates. I'll repay your kindness when I return in glory!"
He scribbled a farewell note,
slung a stick over his shoulder with a bundle tied to the end, and set his resolve: once he'd made it big, he'd come back and repay the villagers who'd raised him,
"By then, I'll even leash the village strays and send them to the great kingdoms as guard dogs so they can eat the royal ration—that ought to count as something, right?"
Aos immediately packed up the old mayor's few possessions and sprinted for the docks, flying along the road.
...
At the same time,
A lavish red-and-gold, sharp-prowed giant of a ship—its figurehead carved with two mermaids—pulled in to the largest dock on Duramos.
At the bow stood a man who could only be the captain, steady as a rock,
draped in a red coat and wearing a captain's hat; beneath his trademark mustache was the hearty smile of a true powerhouse, a born king's aura pouring off him,
"Unfathomable bearing, Haki practically leaking off him—no doubt one of the sea's strongest."
Even by sensing alone, Aos could grasp the abyssal gap between their strengths.
This was the Pirate King—Gol D. Roger!
At this point he and his crew had already fought the Battle of God Valley, and were sailing far and wide, seeking the four lost Poneglyphs and embarking on their final adventure,
He had yet to be stricken with his incurable illness, and was reveling in the freedom of the sea.
Beside the pier, members of the Roger Pirates disembarked one after another; they were only passing through to resupply,
But amid the crowd of burly men, two little guys threaded their way along, looking out of place,
two brats who were a bit on the red side,
one with red hair, one with a red nose.
"Who are you calling Red-Nose, huh? Say it again if you dare!" Young Buggy was livid, face flushing scarlet,
"No one called you Red-Nose, Buggy," Shanks hopped down the gangplank, pressing down the straw hat the wind almost lifted, and said helplessly, "You can feel it without hearing anything? Is your Observation Haki telling you you're Red-Nose…"
"No, someone definitely said it. This feeling can't be wrong!"
Buggy clenched his fists and yelled, then looked around—and suddenly spotted a figure sprinting from afar. "Hey, was it you, punk!"
"Hahahahaha… sa shi bu ri da na, Buggy, Shanks!"
Laughing, Aos waved a greeting as he sprinted over.