Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Madam, It Wasn't On Purpose
David was panicking. No—he was beyond panicking. He was in full-blown terror mode.
Just yesterday, David had finished volunteering, indulged in a sumptuous seafood feast, exercised for an hour, taken a refreshing shower, and fallen into a deep, blissful sleep. Now, he was suddenly surrounded by a group of burly men wielding weapons, their faces twisted into menacing expressions.
They were speaking excitedly about something, but David couldn't understand a word. Judging by the swaying deck beneath his feet and the endless blue expanse around him, he appeared to be on a ship in the middle of the ocean. He stared dumbfounded at the roasted chicken in his hands, utterly confused.
"Ah!"
A sharp pain shot through his head, and everything went black as David collapsed onto the deck.
In his hazy state, he could hear voices nearby. To his surprise, their words began to make sense:
"What happened? Why did Jack suddenly faint?"
"Hmm..."
"From the looks of it, there's no external injury. Maybe he's just too young and got overexcited?"
"Or maybe he overate and passed out?"
"Could it be seasickness? Jack's strong, sure, but he's still just an eight-year-old kid..."
"Or maybe he's sleep-deprived. Let's let him rest for a bit."
"To be safe, we should head back at full speed and have Queen-sama take a look."
"Quacks!" David cursed mentally as the pain in his head intensified, and his vision went completely dark.
My name is Jack. I'm eight years old. Ever since Boss Kaido took me in, I've been following him. Don't be fooled by my age, my ferocity is renowned within the Beasts Pirates.
I admire Brother King and Brother Queen the most. Though they're constantly bickering, they've taught me a lot. As for Boss Kaido, he's the man I respect the most.
Recently, Kaido has been scheming something big in Wano Country. It seemed like a critical moment, so I secretly led a group from Onigashima to Wano to assist him. Then, out of nowhere, I felt a sharp pain in my head and everything turned black.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in a dark void. Standing before me was a frail-looking man with a terrified expression. Just from his weak stature, I could tell—this guy was trash! Someone so pathetic that I could drown him in a puddle of my spit.
Naturally, I stepped forward to grab him. But as I did, my consciousness began to fade again.
"Huff… Huff…"
"What is this?"
"Wait a second… My name is Jack? A fish-man? I'm not even human?"
"Roger the Pirate King? The Navy? Pirates?"
"The Beasts Pirates? Kaido? King? Queen?"
"Devil Fruits? Mammoth?"
"Is this League of Legends? Where the hell did I end up? Wait… Devil Fruits..."
"Pirate King Roger? That sounds familiar. Isn't this from an anime? Is this the world of One Piece?"
After lying in bed for what felt like forever, Jack finally mustered the strength to stand. He stumbled over to the mirror and examined his reflection. Broad shoulders, muscular arms—he tentatively pinched his biceps.
"This muscle… so hard! So big!"
"But..."
Jack raised his head, taking another look at the mirror, then compared his height against the room. With a soul-deep question, he muttered:
"This can't be… eight years old?"
"And these tusk decorations? What kind of fashion statement is this?"
"Sure, I ate the Ancient Zoan Mammoth Fruit, but did you really have to make it so obvious?"
A sudden tremor shook the ship, accompanied by chaotic shouting:
"Boom!"
"Hahaha! Charge!"
"You peasants dare to resist us?"
Jack rushed out onto the deck, where he saw pirates wielding weapons with wild, manic grins.
"So this is what it means to be a pirate?"
As he watched the frenzy unfold, an unfamiliar excitement coursed through his veins. Gripping the hidden scimitar within his tusk decoration, Jack leapt into the fray.
Despite the childish age of this body, its physical prowess was leagues beyond anything from his previous life. Facing a swordsman wielding a longsword, Jack's curved blade struck without hesitation.
"Clang!"
The swordsman felt an overwhelming force and collapsed, his vision fading to black. Jack gazed at the lifeless body without a shred of remorse, wiping the blood from his neck with a detached expression.
"So… this is what killing feels like. This world is absolutely insane."
"But I love it."
Jack and his crew arrived at Oden Castle, intent on pursuing the remnants of the Kozuki clan. However, he soon found himself outmatched by two formidable samurai: Kin'emon and Kanjuro. Realizing he couldn't win, Jack seized the opportunity to sneak into the castle instead.
Inside, he encountered Toki Kozuki and her child, Momonosuke. Drawing his blade, he faced them with a cold expression.
"Drop your weapon, woman," Jack said. "I don't want to harm a defenseless mother and child. Don't force my hand."
Despite his warning, Toki stood firm, sword in hand, shielding her son. Before Jack could act, an excruciating pain erupted from his back. Collapsing to the ground, he saw the samurai who had struck him sheathing his blade.
"Impossible…" Jack muttered as darkness claimed him once more.
When Jack awoke, he found himself surrounded by flames. In the distance, he could make out shadowy figures, including the samurai who had defeated him. Overcome with hatred, Jack hurled his twin scimitars, striking down two figures. One of them… was Momonosuke.
"Momonosuke!" Toki's anguished scream pierced the air, shaking Jack to his core.
Staring at the devastated mother, Jack stammered:
"L-Lady! You have to believe me! I didn't mean it! It was an accident…"
"Uh… How about I give you a few years? I can… replace your son? Or you could adopt me as your godson? I'm open to suggestions."
Before she could respond, the burning walls collapsed, burying her beneath the rubble. Jack stood there, mumbling to himself:
"Well, I guess there's no point now…"
"I'll make sure to give you a proper burial. Assuming I can find your ashes…"