In the year 1494, located somewhere within the New World, there was an island called Aska. Deep in the forest, an 8-meter-long giant tiger stared at its prey. It had been attracted to the area of the island by the subdued scent of blood, and all its slitted eyes could discern was a human boy and the corpse of a large, half-eaten bear beside him.
The tiger's natural instincts allowed it to sense a slight threat from the small human, though that was it, a small threat. It circled him with silent, almost muffled steps, gradually getting closer to the boy whom would soon become its meal. The boy didn't move from his spot, to all appearances just
lacking any resistance, perhaps he was scared to move; the tiger was leaning more on the latter with what simple intelligence it had.... or perhaps the fight with the bear had consumed all of his energy?
This idea made the tiger less cautious. It took one step, then another, until it was at the perfect range to launch itself towards the human's neck. Seizing the opportunity, it let out a loud, almost excited-sounding snarl and pounced on the boy with a leap from its thickset of hind legs.
In a sudden moment, the boy's silhouette emerged right before the tiger's flank without warning, causing the beast's pupils to shrink even further in response. The boy's countenance was twisted in an unsettling blend of excitement and malice as he bellowed a weird-sounding laugh... that isn't really weird in the context of One Piece, "Ze-Hahaha!"
The fingers of his hands bent into claw-like motion, while his arms grew taut with rippling muscles. As if in lumbering pace, the atmosphere grew quiet and tense, and ten ominous shadows resembling blood-red claws sliced through the air in quick succession.
The boy's body plummeted down from the air, and with a thunderous crash, the hulking form of the tiger slammed onto the ground. Blood spurted out of the gaping wounds that raked across the tiger's midsection.
The boy's hands were stained with droplets of blood as it dribbled on the forest's earth. Ten deep claw marks seared the tiger's belly, identical to the wounds visible on the large lifeless bear lying nearby.
-
The night had grown deep, and a fire was burning in an open space in the forest. The boy was roasting what seemed to be a giant bear paw over the flickering flames, lost in thought. 'I've already turned twelve years old, it should be coming soon...' He thought, like one would when waiting and biding his time.
He had never expected to find himself in the world of One Piece, more so to be in the body of one of the future emperors of the sea, Marshall D. Teach. There was no truck-kun that rammed through him, nor some type of overpowered system that was handed to him on a golden platter, he simply took a nap and found himself stuck in the body of a six-year-old Teach directly after waking up.
He didn't really have much time in harmonizing his thoughts and had just basically been on auto-pilot. He wasn't one to mull over the past anyways, and trying to think about what being or... thing sent him here was way too much of a hassle for his mind. Might as well live in the moment.
He was naturally very familiar to the world of One Piece. In the anime, Teach boarded Whitebeard's pirate ship at the age of twelve while he was an ordinary boy with little to no strength at all.
It was undoubtedly a waste of his potential. When he woke up, he had perfectly integrated Teach's memories and had a better understanding of his abnormal physique than even the original owner of what is now his body. He was born with a terrifying and monstrous amount of strength, but the side effect was that he couldn't sleep, like at all. Nevertheless, it didn't affect Teach in the slightest.
-
For the past six years, Teach has been focusing on physical training, coming to understand the reality of this world and the importance of true strength. He wasn't just going to immediately book it to some dangerous canon island on a fishing boat without any power to at least defend himself whatsoever. Since he didn't know how to train his Haki, he has focused solely on martial arts and swordsmanship, the latter of which he stole from a derelict dojo on the island. This dojo used to be renowned for its founder, a powerful swordsman, but after his death, it gradually fell into decline.
The inheritor of the dojo had even wanted to sell it off at one point, and Teach easily acquired the treasured sword techniques and handwritten notes of the deceased swordsman, considering that the inheritor didn't even bother to hire any sort of security for the dojo. One of the secret techniques he found in the dojo was a complete guide to the Thunder Sword Style, a famous style of swordsmanship known for its ability to imbue its strikes with lightning and fire, greatly enhancing their power. Personally, he found the technique's name a bit... edgy. But he wasn't complaining.
The core of this technique is a breathing method called the "Thunder Breathing technique", which can be used in conjunction with the sword techniques. Teach, with his monstrous physical abilities and unusually strong vitality, finds this breathing technique perfect for him, as it can enhance his physique and even reinforce his internal organs. The breathing technique was the heart of the Thunder Sword style, and it produced an electrical current in the body through the breathing method. However, the technique had serious side effects on the body, causing the swordsmen who had emerged from the dojo to have rather short lives.
Teach is a rare talent when it comes to swordsmanship, likely due to the merging of two souls, or perhaps it was just due to his past hobby in Kendo. Although his young age limited his power, he has now been practicing swordsmanship for four years, studying the basics of the art at a different dojo on Aska Island. This dojo is owned by a Flame Sword Style master named Heil, who taught Teach the basics of swordsmanship and is regarded as his mentor.
Having finished his meal, Teach left behind him a mess of bones, some of which larger than even his body. Teach began meditating on the ground as he closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, breathing in and out. Electrical arcs appeared and hovered just above his body's surface, and the surrounding air became somewhat hot. This was the Flame Sword technique, which had been taught to him by Heil.
Suddenly, a wave of heat emanated from his body, causing the ground beneath him to sizzle and burn as if flames were about to erupt. The crackling of lightning intermingled with the searing heat, tempering Teach's physique to be able to wield even more powerful bolts of lightning and flames. But in order to do so, his body had to be strong enough to withstand the intense heat and energy he was generating.
The air around him seemed to sizzle as he concentrated his power. The ground beneath him felt like it was starting to burn, heat expelling from his body in tides and waves. Lightning and heat mixed together, forging his body into a weapon capable of unleashing even more destructive strikes. Though such power came at a cost – Teach had to be able to withstand it himself.
There were other methods, of course. He could create flames by moving at incredible speeds, rubbing the air so quickly that it ignited. He wouldn't touch the flames directly; they would cling to his sword, and he'd be able to strike with the burning blade. This was a popular technique among swordsmen, exemplified by the samurais of Wano Country, like Kin'emon.
Alas, Teach's approach was more extreme. Without a powerful physique to match his techniques, he wouldn't be able to handle the strain. His goal was to combine swordsmanship and physical prowess, so that he could slash like a swordsman even without a blade – to use his bare hands as weapons. Badass, he knows.
After all, physical strength was the foundation. It was thanks to this that Teach's claw-like grip was so powerful. If there were machines that could measure energy, they would show that the temperature and electric charge in Teach's hands exceeded those in the rest of his body. He plunged his hands into burning flames, feeling the searing pain, but also using the heat to augment his training. It was excruciating at first, but he gradually got used to it.
-
As the sun beat down on the town located in Aska, a young woman scolded Teach while she tended to his wounds. "Teach, didn't I tell you to be more careful last time? How did you get hurt again?" The girl's lips was twisted into an irritated frown, eyebrows knitted in focus as her hands continued to deftly wrap the white bandages around his burned arm. It was a rather familiar routine.
Teach released a chuckle, "...I accidentally set a whole tree on fire while I was cooking some meat out in the woods, had to put the flames out before it spread and turn the whole mountain into ashes,"
"I swear, I almost got roasted alive! what a close call!" Teach voiced with the same wide signature smile on his face.
Monica tightened her grip on his arm after seeing Teach's blatant disregard for his own safety. "Ow, ow, ow! Easy there, Monica," Teach winced, his back arching as if he was about to spring up from the ground. Monica knew well that Teach was just exaggerating his reaction, the large oaf was anything but fragile.
Monica narrowed her eyes and covered her mouth with a free hand, her frown upturning into a softer smile. She then tenderly applied a healing herb to Teach's injured hand and wrapped the rest of it with a bandage.
"Zehahaha! thanks a lot! My hand would have probably been ruined. I wouldn't want my path to be cut short before it even started," Teach expressed his gratitude. He rose from his chair and gazed out the window afterwards before spreading his arms wide while arching his back to stretch after a long time of sitting still.
Watching Teach's silhouette from behind, Monica couldn't help but stare. His sturdy physique and outstretched arms seemed to embrace the entire ocean. She looked a bit entranced while looking at him, though she quickly got out of her stupor as Teach cried out, "Ah, it hurts!" Teach exclaimed as he returned to his seat, accidentally reopening his wound due to his previous movement. "You idiot! I just finished patching you up!" Monica scolded as she twisted his ear with one hand.
"Easy, easy, Monica, it hurts. You're a lady, you can't be so violent all the time," Teach complained, internally smirking to himself. Monica let go of his ear and crossed her arms, saying, "That's because you never learn your lesson" She retorted, rolling her eyes at him, something that Teach found endearing. In a more sister-like sense, of course.
"Alright I'm sorry, it's my fault. I'll be sure to be careful next time," Teach replied lightly.
Although he was only twelve years old, Teach was already 1.8 meters tall. His black, slightly curly hair was neatly groomed, a strong and sturdy body honed from years of training. He was built like an Ox. Despite his youthful appearance, there was a distinct air of maturity that emanated from his face, or perhaps just machismo.
"Alright, I forgive you." She replied after sighing. Monica had always taken care of Teach, treating him like her brother, though in recent years, she had noticed some changes in him, especially after he started training.
Seeing her like this, Teach couldn't help but laugh. "Hahaha, medicine's pretty expensive these days, and I can't really afford 'em. I don't have any money to pay for the treatment though I can pay it back in time, but I'm sure that if Uncle Modi finds out, he'll beat me half to death."
"Oi, don't make it sound like my father's that cruel, he's nice to you... most of the time." Monica replied, sounding uncertain herself at the end of her sentence.
"I'm starting to owe you more and more. What can I pay you back with?" Teach asked. Monica zoned off upon hearing Teach's words as her face adopted a thinking expression.
Suddenly, Teach's face changed as he sensed danger in the wind. "Teach, you bastard! How many times do I have to tell you not to go hanging around my daughter!" A voice came from upstairs, and Teach barely had time to react. He narrowed his eyes to see more clearly and instinctively raised his arms to shield himself.
In the next moment, a figure appeared in front of Teach . A powerful punch slithered through Teach's arms in a strange way and hit his chest. "Puff!" Tich's eyes bulged, and he let out a gasp before flying backward in a straight line, breaking the door and crashing into the wall outside, leaving cracks and rubble around the area.
"Teach!" Monica screamed and turned to the man who appeared where Teach was standing, a man with short golden hair, wearing a white coat, square glasses, and towering at nearly 6'5". "Dad, you hit him way too hard, he was already injured!" she said in a worried tone.
"Hmph! Monica, you're too nice to the boy." Modi, Monica's father, looked at Teach's direction with an annoyed mug on his face and a tick mark on his forehead. Seeing Monica's worried look, he felt as though his precious little girl had been snatched away from him after all those years of raising her...