To speak of the New World is to speak of the most treacherous sea in the entire Grand Line... No, it's more accurate to say it's the most dangerous sea area in the entire world.
The ocean here is turbulent and volatile, with bizarre phenomena occurring on a daily basis. Sailing through this region is an unparalleled experience.
In the New World, no matter how experienced a veteran might be, death can come at any moment.
After all, everything in this place shatters the understanding of even the most seasoned navigators.
Whether it's an island suspended in the sky, or a sea suddenly splitting open, or a sudden hailstorm larger than ships under a clear blue sky.
In short, no matter what unimaginable event you think of, the New World can make it happen.
Even if the ocean surface abruptly transforms into boiling magma that consumes everything, it's nothing out of the ordinary here.
And the sea is fair in its ruthlessness. It does not discriminate, regardless of who you are pirate, Marine, adventurer, noble, or merchant it doesn't matter. To the sea, every identity is equal, for you are all its children.
Currently, in the waters near the entrance of the New World, on an unnamed island, there exists a man who has lived even after he should have died.
To speak of "living" here is not quite accurate it would be more appropriate to say that this man had already died once, only for his body to be taken over by a soul from another world, beginning a new journey.
At this moment, on the shore of this desolate island, a youth who appeared to be in his teens stood. His body was plump, dressed in tattered clothing that still retained an air of former elegance. His pale blonde hair was long, his face imposing despite his swollen features, his skin morbidly fair.
At a glance, anyone could tell that this young man was no ordinary person. He seemed like one of those idle, inept nobles one who knew nothing of hardship or labor. A person whose life consisted of nothing but eating, drinking, and waiting for death.
Indeed, this young man possessed an extraordinary background. If one were to ask whether there existed anyone in the world who, from the moment of birth to their inevitable demise, enjoyed absolute privilege and authority whose power and wealth were unmatched.
The answer would be yes. Such beings did exist. They are known as Celestial Dragons, referred to as the "Nobles of the World."
To discuss the Nobles of the World, we must delve into an event that occurred 800 years ago.
It is said that 800 years ago, the royal families of twenty kingdoms banded together to form a new regime with the goal of establishing a new world order the World Government. Since then, this World Government has ruled the entire globe for 800 years.
During this period, the descendants of those twenty kings were given illustrious titles like the "Descendants of the Creator" or the "Descendants of the Gods."
These descendants are collectively known as the Celestial Dragons, the true Nobles of the World. The Celestial Dragons are the living embodiment of the World Government, as it was their ancestors who established it.
Moreover, the highest levels of authority in the World Government have always been held by the most powerful Celestial Dragons.
Thus, over the past 800 years, the status of the Celestial Dragons has been constantly "elevated."
Now, they enjoy privileges and powers that ordinary people can never dream of reaching.
To illustrate this, let's use the simplest example: a Marine Admiral the highest rank in the Marines, second only to the Fleet Admiral.
Such a person would be regarded as a figure of great stature, influence, and power across the world.
This person could authorize a Buster Call to condemn an entire island as "criminal" and erase its existence from the map.
Their strength is among the top-tier in this world. While they may not necessarily be the absolute strongest, they undoubtedly rank among the elite.
And yet, such a figure, a Marine Admiral, in the presence of a Celestial Dragon, is merely a "bodyguard."
Yes, the Celestial Dragons are so exalted that whether it's the Marines, who rule the seas, or the enigmatic CP (Cipher Pol) organizations, they are merely the Celestial Dragon's servants.
Offending a Celestial Dragon is an offense that demands retribution at the highest level. The Marine Headquarters and CP organizations must do everything in their power to maintain the dignity of the Celestial Dragons.
That is to say, should something happen to a Celestial Dragon, a Marine Admiral-level figure must personally intervene to clean up the mess.
This world is so unreasonably structured. It is because of this absurdity that the Celestial Dragons have continued to elevate themselves over the past 800 years, viewing everything beneath them as mere dust.
To them, only their own kind the Celestial Dragons are considered people. The rest are merely "slaves."
Their arrogance and disdain for others have reached such an extreme that they wear bubble hoods out of sheer self-importance, simply because they do not want to breathe the same air as the common "untouchables." Though it may seem ludicrous, this custom illustrates the pride and arrogance of the Celestial Dragons in the most blatant manner.
At this moment, the chubby youth sitting on a rock by the shore of this unnamed island was none other than a Celestial Dragon of the most distinguished rank.
"Donquixote Claudius... What a domineering name, but the person himself is a bit of an idiot, no?" the plump youth muttered as he sat on a rock, continually criticizing his predecessor.
Yes, he was a member of the Donquixote family, an authentic Celestial Dragon.
Eight hundred years ago, the Donquixote family was the royal family of Dressrosa. After forming the World Government, the family moved from Dressrosa to the holy land of Mariejois, becoming one of the 19 remaining Celestial Dragon families.
Yes, nineteen.
Among the twenty kings' descendants, the royal family of Alabasta the Nefertari family chose not to relocate to Mariejois, thus refraining from becoming Celestial Dragons.
Instead, over the course of 800 years, they have come to be seen as mere "provincial lords" in the eyes of the Celestial Dragons.
Nonetheless, the Nefertari family still holds a measure of respect in Mariejois and within the World Government.
In short, this chubby youth is a member of the Donquixote family. From a familial standpoint, one could say he is the big cousin of the future pirate overlord, Heavenly Demon Donquixote Doflamingo, older by a few years.
As for the name "Claudius," it might not mean much in this world, but Claudius knows very well that this name carries the legacy of a certain Roman emperor a name signifying power and might.
Holding a wooden stick in his hand, Donquixote Claudius scratched out a few lines on the sand, muttering to himself: "First things first, let's get a clear picture of my current situation..."
"To start, the first point is that this idiot of a predecessor somehow ended up eating a Devil Fruit. I can't change that, but at least it's a Logia-type. With my excellent brain... I shouldn't be as hopeless as that idiot, right?" Claudius murmured softly.
Yes, his foolish predecessor despite being a noble Celestial Dragon had somehow been tricked into eating a Devil Fruit. While it was indeed a Logia-type fruit, it still highlighted his predecessor's sheer stupidity.
Naturally, if the present Claudius possessed the same inexplicable sense of nobility as the current Celestial Dragons, he would rather throw a powerful Devil Fruit to the slaves as a toy than use it to enhance his own strength.
But that's not who he is.
Yes, Claudius is a far more pragmatic person.
He does not subscribe to these so-called "feudal" beliefs.
Moreover, having arrived in the world of One Piece, how could he not relish the opportunity to experience the sensation of wielding Devil Fruit powers and the extraordinary mysteries they entail?
Thus, if his predecessor hadn't foolishly consumed a Devil Fruit, Claudius would still have dreamed of developing something like the Thunder Fruit to play with. But now it seemed that dream could no longer be realized. What a pity...
"The second point is that Claudius... or rather, I... am a Celestial Dragon."
No wonder this body is so fat, bloated, and utterly wasted.
It really puts a damper on my own handsome soul...
Claudius shook his head helplessly and looked at his reflection in the fluctuating tide, sighing at the state of his own body.
Understanding the situation of being a Celestial Dragon, especially a lower-tier one like Claudius, is straightforward.
The World Government is a massive organization that has maintained world order for 800 years. It's not possible for all Celestial Dragons to be mindless idiots like Claudius.
While all Celestial Dragons share the same noble bloodline, they are divided into upper and lower classes.
To use the simplest analogy, consider the Five Elders, the highest power holders in the World Government.
The Five Elders are also Celestial Dragons, but they are of the highest order.
Individuals like them are vastly different from the trash like Claudius.
They possess sharp minds, abundant experience, and serve as the steering wheel of the World Government's ship.
In addition to the highest-ranking Celestial Dragons, there are also the middle and upper Celestial Dragons those who hold leadership positions within the Celestial Dragon families or possess some capability of their own.
These individuals can be regarded as power holders within the Celestial Dragons' social hierarchy, wielding some measure of authority and a more "normal" state of mind.
Finally, there are those like Claudius, the lowest-tier Celestial Dragons who are mere parasites, content to eat, drink, and waste away.
After examining his appearance reflected in the ebb and flow of the tide, Claudius touched his chin for a moment, finally nodding with a hint of self-satisfaction and vanity.
"From a foundational perspective, there's potential. If I can change this temperament and transform this body, I should be able to match this skin with my truly handsome soul."
The original Claudius was a textbook example of a lower-tier Celestial Dragon, existing only to eat, drink, and wait for death. He lacked any awareness or motivation to take care of his physical appearance. Over-indulgence and laziness had turned him into a repulsive "dead fat" slob.
But if one were to look past these acquired factors and consider the underlying natural foundation, Claudius could indeed become quite good-looking. After all, the Celestial Dragons, despite their flaws, have a decent standard of aesthetics. Whenever they saw someone beautiful, they would often marry them, adding these individuals to their collection of wives. This proves, at the very least, that their aesthetic sense is not skewed.
Moreover, these Nobles of the World have been consuming the finest foods and enjoying the best of life for 800 years, which means their genes remain quite strong. As such, very few among them grow up to be hideously ugly. Most of their unpleasant appearances are the result of excessive indulgence and the absence of restraint.
In conclusion, Claudius felt that if he could put in the effort to control this body's excessive desires, lose weight, and shake off the inherent greasiness, he should be able to transform into a handsome man.
After all, his cousin, Donquixote Doflamingo, would become quite a dashing figure in the future at least much more attractive than most Celestial Dragons in Mariejois.
In Claudius's opinion, this was largely due to Doflamingo's unique growth environment. If Doflamingo had stayed in Mariejois, merely existing as a Celestial Dragon, he probably would have ended up the same as the others physically and mentally decayed.
"Lastly, the reason why Claudius my predecessor ended up shipwrecked and stranded on this island is clearly due to some conspiracy. After all, by all rights, I should have already been dead," Claudius murmured softly, a complicated light flashing in his eyes.