Cold, bone-chilling dampness, and a sense of powerlessness from being tightly bound.
Marco's consciousness struggled to the surface like a shipwreck survivor emerging from the dark abyss. He tried with great effort to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt as heavy as lead, his vision filled only with blurred, distorted light and shadows. When he attempted to move his limbs, all he managed was a weak, feeble flailing, accompanied by... cries so startlingly childish they shocked even him.
"Waa... waa..." The sound struck like thunder, shattering all his confusion. His remaining consciousness was instantly drenched in ice water, jolting him completely awake.
What's going on?
Shouldn't I be dead? Under Golden Lion Shiki's terrifying, world-shaking assault, to buy even one more second of escape time for the officers' families who couldn't evacuate from Marineford in time, he had burned all his life force until the blue flames of the phoenix finally extinguished... Just before his consciousness completely faded, he seemed to see Vice Admiral Garp's iron fist fueled by rage and Fleet Admiral Sengoku's brilliant golden light...
Golden Lion... Roger... A bitter self-mockery rose in Marco's heart. How insane - barely past his eighteenth birthday, having joined the Marines for only a few years, how dare he risk his life against that legend among pirate legends? Those families... must have evacuated safely in the end, right? Admiral Sengoku and the others... surely dealt with that mad lion, right?
An indescribable exhaustion and absurdity surged from the depths of his soul. For the second time! This was already the second inexplicable transmigration!
The first time, he went from an ordinary modern youth to waking up as a six-year-old orphan named Marco in the world of One Piece, accidentally consuming that Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit representing "immortality." Over the next ten years, he desperately trained his physical skills, tempered his will, and even unexpectedly grasped the secrets of Observation Haki and Armament Haki in life-or-death battles. During a moment of extreme rage, he awakened the proof of kingly qualities - Conqueror's Haki.
At sixteen, driven by vague aspirations for justice and a desire to control his own power, he chose to join the Marines. Thinking that with the phoenix's abilities, he could at least accomplish something, change something... And the result? The result was that on a battlefield of top-tier powerhouses, he remained merely a slightly more resilient wave, ultimately shattered against the reef known as "legend."
"Zehahaha... Interesting Marine brat! But still far from enough!" Golden Lion's maniacal, arrogant laughter still seemed to echo in the depths of his soul.
So... what's happening now? Judgment after death? Or another joke?
He struggled to focus his blurred vision, barely making out the gray, snow-threatening sky above and a few gaunt, skeletal branches. Beneath him was cold, hard ground, wrapped only in a rough-textured cloth that carried a musty smell and some dark red stains. The air was filled with the faint scent of blood and rotting vegetation.
An infant?! I've become a helpless infant?! And been abandoned in this clearly wild, godforsaken place?!
The massive shock of information temporarily overwhelmed him, leaving him capable only of crying through this fragile body's instincts. Cold and hunger gnawed at his weak vitality like two venomous snakes.
Just as he felt his body temperature gradually fading and his consciousness about to freeze over once more, the sound of hurried yet steady footsteps accompanied by voices drew nearer from a distance.
"Wantang, slow down, mind your condition. The path here is rough, and you're not alone anymore," a steady male voice, carrying an undeniable authority yet filled with tenderness, spoke with utmost concern for his companion and vigilance toward their surroundings.
"Yes, I know, Zhaoyan. But this spirit herb for calming the fetus and soothing the mind is rare, and it only blooms for a few days. I wanted to pick it myself to be sure..." a gentle yet equally alert female voice replied, tinged with the soft persistence unique to pregnancy. As she spoke, she instinctively caressed her slightly rounded abdomen.
The footsteps abruptly paused.
"Huh? Zhaoyan, listen... is that a child crying?" the female voice (Ye Wantang) suddenly interrupted the previous topic, filled with astonishment and a surge of maternal urgency.
After a brief silence, the male voice (Li Zhaoyan) spoke again, heavy with disbelief: "In the Soul Hunting Mountains outside Tiandou City? How could there be an infant?! Let's go check it out, but stay alert!" He immediately moved to shield his wife.
Soon, two faces filled with concern, shock, and high vigilance appeared above Marco. The man appeared to be in his early thirties, with resolute features, eyes sharp as lightning, and a tall, upright posture that naturally exuded an imposing aura. The woman was around the same age, dignified and elegant in appearance, her gentle demeanor carrying an innate nobility. As she looked at the crying infant on the ground and felt the life growing within her, her maternal instincts were instantly triggered. Her willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed tightly, her eyes filled with heartbreaking pity and overflowing compassion.
"Heavens! There really is a child!" Ye Wantang stepped forward under Li Zhaoyan's careful protection. Her gaze swept over the chaotic footprints, signs of struggle on the ground, and a few torn, bloodstained pieces of ordinary fabric not far away. Her face paled slightly—as a mother and a healing-type Soul Master, she instantly understood the tragedy.
"What a sin... They must have encountered a powerful soul beast. This child's parents... they..." Li Zhaoyan swiftly and professionally inspected the surroundings, murmuring grimly, "Yes, there are signs of intense fighting and fleeing... The parents must have lured the soul beast away at the cost of their lives, buying this child a chance to survive." He looked at the faintly breathing infant in the tattered swaddling clothes, his expression complex. "Surviving at the edge of the Soul Hunting Mountains is already a miracle."
Without hesitation, Ye Wantang carefully, almost instinctively, gathered Marco into her arms along with the bloodstained cloth. Her embrace was exceptionally warm, carrying a faint, soothing fragrance and a vibrant life force.
"Poor child... don't be afraid," she whispered soothingly, her powerful Soul Power naturally releasing a gentle stream of life energy that nourished Marco's icy body. She looked down at the infant in her arms, then touched her own stomach, a thought arising naturally: "Zhaoyan, look at him... so young, and already without parents. What if... what if we let him be an older brother to our child? This is fate, it's heaven's will."
Li Zhaoyan gazed at his wife's face, radiant with maternal determination, then at her swollen abdomen, and finally at the now-quiet infant. His resolute eyes softened. He sighed, his tone firm and decisive: "Alright! You're right—this is fate. We can't linger here. Let's take him back to Tiandou City first. This child… from now on, he will be the eldest son of our Li family, our baby's elder brother!"
Marco had miraculously stopped crying. He stared blankly at this extraordinary couple, especially the pregnant woman who exuded warmth and compassion. The adult consciousness within his soul understood the tragedy before him and this sudden, precious kindness. So, his birth parents had protected him in a tragic manner, and now he was being embraced by another kind and powerful couple, with such tender expectations.
The couple wrapped him snugly. Ye Wantang carefully cradled him against her chest, while Li Zhaoyan guarded them closely. Their movements were swift as lightning, carrying them swiftly and steadily away from the mountain forest tinged with sorrow and danger, heading straight toward the majestic Tiandou City in the distance.
Passing through the towering city gates, the guards clearly recognized them, saluting respectfully and allowing them entry. The city's streets were broad and bustling, filled with streams of carriages and crowds. They went directly to a serene, well-situated mansion within Tiandou City. The estate's entrance was unassuming, yet it occupied a vast area, with guards of restrained aura standing watch. Inside, pavilions, towers, artificial hills, and flowing water were arranged in harmonious disorder, revealing profound heritage and refined taste.
Despite her pregnancy fatigue, Ye Wantang personally cared for Marco, bathing him and checking his condition. Li Zhaoyan instructed the servants to bring specially prepared nutritional milk porridge.
While bathing him, Ye Wantang noticed the handwriting on the bloodstained inner lining of the swaddling clothes. "Zhaoyan, look here."
Li Zhaoyan leaned in, carefully deciphering the hastily embroidered yet resolute characters: "This is… 'Marco'? It seems to be the child's name. His parents, in their final moments… left him a name." "Marco…" Ye Wantang murmured softly, looking down at the exceptionally quiet, well-behaved infant with clear, bright eyes in her arms. She smiled tenderly, "From now on, this will be your name. Little Marco, don't be afraid. This is your home now, and you will be our child's elder brother."
Marco's heart trembled, and he silently accepted this name and the profound warmth.
As time passed, Marco learned through listening that his adoptive mother, Ye Wantang, came from a noble background. She was a direct descendant of the family inheriting the top-tier support-type Martial Soul, Nine Heart Begonia, with a Soul Power of level 74—a revered Soul Saint. His adoptive father, Li Zhaoyan, though not from a major clan, possessed the Hundred Wood Divine Spear, a top-tier tool Martial Soul with extremely powerful offensive capabilities. Through his remarkable talent and relentless effort, he had cultivated to the level of an 82nd-rank Soul Douluo, renowned for his formidable strength and prestige.
Not long after, Ye Wantang safely gave birth to a daughter, named Ye Lingling.
"Marco, come. This is your sister, Lingling." Li Zhaoyan crouched down in front of Marco, holding the little girl in his arms, a warm smile spreading across his resolute face. "You're her elder brother now. You must protect your sister."
Marco gazed at the delicate, jade-like little life before him, then turned his eyes to his adoptive parents who treated him as their own. A warm and steadfast sense of protective responsibility welled up within him. In this life, he had a family—loved ones he needed to guard.
He displayed far greater intelligence and maturity than an ordinary child. He could clearly sense that this body possessed exceptional innate talent, and deep within his soul lay the faint seeds of the Three Types of Haki.
By the age of four, his physical condition was noticeably superior to his peers. Li Zhaoyan, delighted by his "giftedness," began personally guiding him through the most basic and gentle physical exercises and Soul Power awareness.
Seizing this opportunity, Marco quietly meditated using methods from his previous life while laying his foundation, nurturing those three seeds of power.
He knew that this time, although he was an orphan adopted by a prominent family, he carried the experiences of two lifetimes and latent strength. He would rely on his own power to protect this family and his younger sister.
His name remained Marco. The will of the Azure Flame Phoenix would ignite once more in this new world—for the sake of protection.