Chapter One: Luo Lan and the Golden Lion

The sky was overcast, and a fine drizzle fell relentlessly. Shivering inside a damp cave, Roland could never have imagined that the car accident would actually lead to his transmigration.

He had been a lawyer, on his way to the law firm, when suddenly the accident struck. His consciousness faded, everything growing dim.

He had no idea how much time had passed before he began to feel again—his body terribly cold, racked with chills.

When at last, with great effort, he pried open his heavy eyelids, he realized he now inhabited another body.

Here he was, trembling in the rain, a chill gnawing at his bones.

The flood of unfamiliar memories in his mind left Roland both exasperated and bemused. In both his past and present life, it seemed, his father had been an undercover agent; only, in this life, fate had not been as kind.

In this world, Roland’s father had been a navy spy planted among pirates. During a battle between pirate crews, his father was killed in action. The pirates, surprisingly honorable, returned the body to his hometown and left Roland enough wealth to sustain him until adulthood.

But as soon as the pirates departed, the villagers seized the fortune and cast Roland out.

It was now the third day since his exile. Hunger and illness had claimed the life of this body’s original owner.

And so Roland had crossed over, inheriting the memories and fate of this eight-year-old boy.

Finding this damp cave had taken all the strength he had left. Having already died once, Roland was not as fearful of death as before.

Yet, since fate had granted him a second chance, he was not about to give up so easily.

Especially here—this world was none other than that of the anime he had watched since childhood: One Piece.

The vast sea, Devil Fruits, pirates, marines, the Revolutionary Army, Celestial Dragons—everything was so thrilling. How could he possibly let his story end here?

But at this moment, he had no idea how to survive.

Cold, hunger, sickness—every threat loomed.

He was only eight, alone, with nothing to his name. How was he to continue living?

Then, a curious sound interrupted his thoughts.

“Pfft…pfft…pfft…”

Was it a hallucination? Roland strained to lift his head and peer outside the cave, having just heard a series of noises that sounded suspiciously like flatulence.

“As long as it’s not those villagers, maybe I’m saved,” he thought, hope stirring within him.

“Can’t you do something about those footsteps of yours, Dr. Indigo?” came a roar, as if someone had finally lost patience with the fart-like footfalls.

Moments later, two figures entered the cave, and Roland’s heart sank.

One man walked with swords for legs and half a ship’s wheel embedded deep in his head.

Roland couldn’t possibly forget this man—a titan of the One Piece world: Golden Lion Shiki, captain of the Flying Pirates, rival to Roger himself.

But that wasn’t the most important part. What mattered was that in the anime, Golden Lion was a thorough villain.

“Oh? There’s a sickly little brat here… Looks like he’s about to die,” Shiki remarked, eyeing Roland with suspicion. It was odd to see a child in such weather, especially when he recalled there was a village not far from here.

“Was he cast out?” Shiki’s gaze lingered on the pirate flag behind Roland, and understanding dawned.

As a pirate, Shiki knew well how the common folk viewed them. Perhaps they dared not show their feelings to men as powerful as himself, but a child with ties to pirates would have no such protection.

What puzzled Shiki more was the way the boy’s face changed as soon as he appeared, as though he had been recognized.

“Boy, do you know who I am?” Shiki asked with mild surprise. He had kept a low profile ever since escaping Impel Down ten years ago. Yet this seven or eight-year-old immediately grew fearful and incredulous at his presence.

Roland didn’t know how to respond; he could only nod awkwardly, then shake his head.

In one sense, he did know Shiki—from the television in his previous life. But in another, he didn’t—after all, this was his first time meeting the Golden Lion in person.

Perhaps, Shiki mused, the boy knew his name because his family were pirates.

Satisfied with his own reasoning, Shiki concluded that Roland was a child driven out for his pirate connections.

“Indigo, take him with us. We’re going back to Floating Island.”

With that, Shiki’s interest was piqued, and he ordered his assistant Indigo to bring Roland along.

To be honest, Roland was terrified when Shiki appeared. A man like that could just as easily kill him as save him.

Yet, as Shiki continued to observe him, Roland began to think he might survive after all. If Shiki didn’t intend to kill him, then perhaps he could find a way to go on living.

But it never occurred to him that Shiki would actually take him along.

Just who was Golden Lion Shiki? A man who commanded a force even greater than Roger’s, who hacked off his own legs to escape prison, who raised savage beasts to ambush the East Blue in pursuit of vengeance.

Shiki’s every deed spoke of cruelty and ruthlessness.

And yet, such a fearsome figure was taking him away?

Roland could hardly believe it.

But as Indigo carefully picked him up, Roland had no choice but to accept the truth.

Indigo was Shiki’s most trusted assistant—one of his key fighters. The fact that he treated Roland so carefully spoke volumes.

“Thank you…” Roland murmured. He didn’t understand why Shiki was saving him, but his upbringing compelled him to say the words.

Inside, however, he was overjoyed.

He had found himself a powerful backer.

Not only was Shiki a Devil Fruit user, but also a formidable swordsman—his legs now famous blades: Sakura Ten and Deadwood.

If Roland could learn swordsmanship from him, what would he have to fear on these seas?

And so, filled with anticipation and anxiety, Roland returned with Shiki to his pirate ship.

He didn’t have long to marvel, though; soon after boarding, he fainted, missing both the sight of the grand vessel and the astonishing scene of a ship rising into the sky.

“Lord Shiki, who is this?”

As Shiki returned, his assistant cradled a frail child in his arms, drawing curious glances from the crew.

“Take him for treatment,” Shiki said simply, seating himself without further explanation.

Saving Roland had been a whim, not the purpose of his journey.

“Yes, Lord Shiki,” the crew responded, not daring to question the captain’s motives. They quickly took Roland from Indigo and hurried him to the infirmary.

“Please, don’t die…” one crewman whispered anxiously, unnerved by Roland’s weak appearance.

After all, this was the captain’s chosen child. If he died from delayed treatment, they would all be in serious trouble.