Rain poured from the darkened sky, drenching the city streets in a cold, unrelenting torrent. The night was eerily quiet, broken only by the rhythmic splashing of water against the pavement and the occasional whoosh of a passing car. Amidst the downpour, a lone figure hurried across the intersection, gripping his coat tightly against the biting wind. This was Grey, an orphan and an ordinary office worker in his early twenties, worn out from yet another long day at work.
Grey's mind was consumed by a swirl of mundane thoughts—deadlines, bills, and the grocery list he had yet to tackle. As he stepped off the curb, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Distracted, he fumbled to retrieve it, unaware of the blinding headlights speeding toward him from the left.
A deafening horn pierced the rain-soaked night, but it was too late.
Time seemed to slow as Grey turned his head, eyes widening in shock. The truck hurtled toward him, and in a single, brutal instant, everything went black.
******
Grey's last memory was of the cold rain and the blinding light of an oncoming truck. Now, there was only darkness—deep, unending, and strangely peaceful. He felt weightless, floating in a vast, empty void, and for a fleeting moment, he wondered if this was what death truly felt like. No pain, no fear, just an overwhelming sense of nothingness.
Gradually, a soft glow began to pierce the darkness. It started as a distant, faint pinprick of light but steadily grew, pushing back the shadows until it enveloped him completely. The sensation of floating ceased, replaced by the solid feeling of ground beneath his feet.
Grey found himself standing in an endless expanse of light, its source coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. The air was warm and still, carrying with it a sense of calm that made it difficult to feel alarmed, despite having no idea where he was or how he had gotten there.
"Am I... dead?" he whispered, his voice barely audible in the vastness of the space.
"Yes and no," came a gentle reply, as smooth and clear as a stream. Grey spun around to see a figure standing a few feet away, watching him with serene eyes. It was a beautiful woman with blue eyes, golden hair, and a soft smile. She appeared almost human, yet there was something ethereal about her—an aura of power and wisdom that transcended mortal comprehension.
"Who are you?" Grey asked, his voice trembling slightly despite the comforting atmosphere.
The figure smiled kindly. "I am a guide, a guardian of sorts. Some might call me a deity. My role is to oversee the passage of souls, helping them find their way as they cross the threshold between life and death."
"So... I really am dead," Grey murmured, the reality sinking in. Strangely, he felt no fear, only quiet acceptance. After all, he had no family to leave behind and no lover to mourn. He had close friends, but he knew they'd shed a few tears, raise a glass in his memory, and then move on with their lives.
"In a manner of speaking," the guide replied. "Your life as Grey, the office worker, has indeed ended. But your journey doesn't have to end here. You've been given a rare opportunity, one that few souls are granted."
"An opportunity?" Grey repeated, a flicker of curiosity stirring within him.
"Indeed. Your soul has been selected to be reincarnated into a different world, with all your memories intact," the guide explained.
"Reincarnated into a different world!" Grey said, awe and wonder creeping into his voice. "Am I a being chosen to save the world?"
"No, you're not that special," the guide chuckled, her blunt words stinging a little. "Every once in a while, we choose a random soul to reincarnate to spice up the destinies of the world."
Grey blinked, momentarily stunned by the guide's blunt response. "Not that special," he echoed, more to himself than to her, the excitement that had been building within him deflating slightly. But there was something oddly refreshing about her honesty. No grand destiny, no weight of the world on his shoulders—just an ordinary guy given an extraordinary second chance.
The guide's soft smile remained, though a hint of amusement danced in her eyes. "I see you're not used to such straightforwardness. But I believe in honesty, even with souls that find themselves in a place like this. The truth is, while you may not have a heroic destiny written in the stars, the world you'll enter is full of limitless possibilities. How you choose to live there, what you choose to become, is entirely up to you."
Grey considered her words, his initial disappointment giving way to a more grounded curiosity. "So, if I'm not destined to be some kind of hero, what's expected of me in this new world?"
"Nothing more than what you expect of yourself," the guide replied gently. "You can do whatever you want; no one will stop or reprimand you for your actions."
"Now that you understand what's happening, let's begin the process of reincarnation," the guide said, producing a board that floated before Grey. The board displayed several columns, each with a few empty spaces waiting to be filled.
World:
Boons:
*
*
*
Weapon/Object:
System:
"Let's see which world you'll be reincarnated into," she continued, snapping her fingers. Suddenly, names flashed rapidly in the "World" column, each one appearing for only a split second before being replaced by the next. Then, the names slowed and finally stopped, landing on words that made Grey's heart skip a beat.
World of Sea - One Piece!
The words glowed softly on the ethereal board, and for a moment, Grey couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"One Piece?" he repeated, disbelief tinging his voice. "You mean the One Piece? The world with pirates, Devil Fruits, and the Grand Line?"
The guide chuckled, a playful glint in her eyes. "Indeed, the very same. It seems fate has chosen a rather adventurous world for you to explore. A world where the seas are vast and treacherous, where the strong thrive and the weak are swallowed by the tides."
Excitement and anxiety bubbled up inside Grey. One Piece had always been one of his favorite mangas, so he knew all too well how perilous this world could be. It wasn't just the Grand Line that was dangerous; the entire world was rife with threats. Evil pirates, corrupt Marines, and even seemingly ordinary people with hidden strength could seriously harm you and get away without any consciousness.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, the guide observed him closely, nodding in appreciation. Unlike her previous summons, this one wasn't blinded by the thrill of reincarnation. Grey was taking this seriously, which gave her hope that this one won't disappoint her.
"Now that you know where you're headed, tell me, what boons would you like to choose for yourself?" the guide asked with a smile.
"Wait! I get to choose my boons!? I thought it would be random, like the world selection," Grey said, surprised.
"That used to be the case," the guide explained with a chuckle, scratching her chin. "But we soon realized that randomizing boons either drastically reduced the survival rate of reincarnated souls or plunged the worlds into chaos too early and quickly. It became boring for us. So, we started letting reincarnated souls choose their boons, with a few restrictions if necessary."
"You can choose three boons," she continued, "but remember to keep it reasonable."
'Hmm... what should I choose?' Grey pondered, mentally cycling through a ton of potential powers. But the guide's words about being reasonable made him reconsider. 'And here I was thinking of asking for Alien X's power set,' he thought with a chuckle, not noticing how the guide's smile briefly turned strained before she sighed in relief.
As he deliberated, another thought crossed his mind. Was choosing an offensive ability really the best option? After all, in the One Piece world, there were plenty of ways to fight—Devil Fruits, Haki, and various combat skills like martial arts or swordsmanship. What wasn't readily available, however, was intelligence.
In his previous life, Grey knew he wasn't exactly a genius. Sure, he had earned a scholarship at university, but he couldn't compare himself to someone like Robin, a true scholar, or Luffy, a combat genius who learned from every fight. Intelligence, particularly the kind that could give him an edge in this new world, seemed more valuable than sheer power.
With this in mind, Grey made his decision. "Lady Guide, can I get Lord of Wisdom: Raphael as my first boon?"
"Hmm... Raphael from the Tensura system, huh?" The guide thought for a moment before sighing. "Given the potential of this power, I'm almost tempted to reject it. But on the condition that you won't be allowed to ask for any other power from the Tensura system, I'll allow it."
"Thank you," Grey said with a smile. Although he was disappointed that he couldn't pair Raphael with Beelzebuth, he was grateful to get such a powerful boon.
"Good," the guide said, snapping her fingers. In the next moment, Grey screamed as unbearable pain coursed through him, sending him writhing on the floor. After what felt like an eternity, the pain subsided, and Grey looked at the guide with questioning eyes.
Seeing his confusion, the guide explained, "In the world of Tensura, there are two ways to obtain skills: they are either born from within a person's soul, or they are gifted. However, gifted skills are often inferior to those born from the soul. I won't allow you to have an inferior boon, so I strengthened your soul to make it capable of holding an Ultimate Skill, then made it manifest from within."
Grey nodded, calming down as he noticed that Lord of Wisdom: Raphael was now listed as his first boon on the board.
"So, what's your next boon?" the guide asked.
"For my next boon, I want an unlimited Inventory," Grey said.
"Huh? That's a rather simple request compared to your first one," the guide remarked as she added Inventory to the list.
"It's simply for convenience," Grey replied. "I want to have all my useful and important things on hand at all times. Besides, in a world full of pirates, you don't want to leave your belongings lying around."
"Fair enough," the guide nodded. "And now for your last boon—what will it be?"
'Hmm... what else do I need in the world of One Piece?' Grey wondered, his mind racing. Then, it hit him—disease. He remembered how many characters in One Piece succumbed to illnesses. Even the Pirate King, Roger, was dying of an incurable disease. With that in mind, he knew what his third boon would be.
"As my third boon, I want a healthy body that is immune to any and all diseases and illnesses, and that has rapid recovery from injuries and fatigue," Grey requested.
"Another good choice," the guide nodded, adding Perfect Healthy Body to the list.
"With your three boons selected, it's time to choose your Weapon or Object," the guide said. "But let me warn you—be specific in what you want. Many reincarnated souls have met their end by the very weapons or objects they chose, used against them."
"In that case, it's good that I already know what I want," Grey replied with a cheeky smile. "I want a top-of-the-line smartphone from my original world, with an unlimited battery and internet connection that links back to my old world. I also want it to be enchanted with unbreaking protection and loyalty."
"Oh, that's an interesting choice," the guide smirked at his request. "Is there a specific reason you chose this?"
"Well, as you know, the story of One Piece isn't finished in my original world. I want to keep up with the manga so that if Oda-sensei suddenly decides to add a new element, I won't be caught off guard," Grey explained. "Plus, having internet access in a world like One Piece could be incredibly useful. Combined with Raphael, it would be a treasure trove of knowledge for me."
"Fair enough," the guide nodded. "However, while I'm allowing you to keep this smartphone, you are not permitted to contact anyone from your old world in any way—no texts, calls, comments, or anything that could reveal your presence. Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Grey replied, and the word smartphone appeared on the board.
"Now that we've covered that, let's see what system you'll get," the guide said, summoning a large roulette wheel.
"I guess this isn't something I'll get to choose," Grey mused aloud.
"We tried letting reincarnated souls choose their own systems, but..." the guide frowned in disappointment, "too many chose systems related to harems or... other less than noble pursuits. So, we decided that giving you the choice of boons and objects was enough privilege."
"Now, let's see what you get," the guide said as she spun the wheel. After a few seconds, it slowed and finally stopped on the words: Randomizer System!
"Well, well, well, the Randomizer System!" the guide said enthusiastically. "This could be one of the best or one of the worst systems, depending on the rewards you get. It's a Gacha-type system where you use points to roll for rewards. For your system, each roll will cost you 1,000 points."
"Now, you're probably wondering how to earn points. There are four ways," the guide continued. "First, you receive daily points upon waking—10 points a day. Second, by killing others; the number of points depends on the person's power and value in the world. The third and fourth ways are tied to hidden objectives and achievements. You'll earn points based on how significant they are."
"So, now that you understand everything, it's time for you to be on your way," the guide said as Grey's body began to glow. "Live a good life and make sure to entertain us, okay? Bye!" The last thing he saw was the guide's gentle smile as the world around him dissolved into light.
******
The next time Grey opened his eyes, he found himself in an unfamiliar room. 'Where am I?' he wondered as the memories of meeting a deity and being reincarnated into the world of One Piece flooded back. But now, he faced a new question—where exactly was he?
As he was pondering this, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Luffy, get up, it's morning already!"
"I'm up! Give me a minute!" he instinctively replied, only to freeze as the realization hit him. His mind caught up with what had just happened, and his eyes widened in shock.
He scrambled out of bed and rushed to the nearest mirror. Staring back at him was the face of a young boy with shaggy black hair, round black eyes, and a scar with two stitches underneath his left eye.
"What the fuc—"
To be continued...