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Under the expansive blue sky, a flock of seagulls soared gracefully, their cooing echoing over the tranquil sea.
Yet, at the shoreline, a different scene unfolded.
The golden sands of the beach stretched endlessly toward the horizon, merging with the tranquil coastline.
Behind it, a lush forest stood like a towering green fortress, its dense canopy soaring skyward as if reaching for the heavens.
On the beach, under a sun umbrella, a child of about five or six years old lounged leisurely, basking in the sun. He was almost completely bare, wearing only a pair of short beach trunks.
Standing behind him were five or six burly men, and two or three young women tending to him.
The boy seemed particularly relaxed and at ease, utterly unconcerned with the world around him.
"Prince Anos, is the sun too strong? Should we find a shadier spot for you?" one of the maids asked cautiously, as the boy, with his eyes closed and a piece of fruit in his mouth, basked in the sunlight.
The boy opened his eyes slightly, showing no expression.
He glanced briefly at the maid before closing his eyes again and replied languidly, "Just move to the shade under the trees if it's too hot. I'll stay here and enjoy the sun."
The maids exchanged helpless glances, while the burly guards standing behind them wiped sweat from their brows.
Despite the boy's words, none dared to leave, remaining dutifully by his side.
Although the boy lay there enjoying himself, his thoughts drifted far away.
It had been a week since he had found himself in this world, and he still couldn't quite grasp the reality of it. How had he ended up here?
He vividly remembered eating at a restaurant, and then suddenly, he woke up as a child in someone else's room & gained the memories of his current body.
After a few days, though, he had grown accustomed to this new environment. He had to admit, the air here was incredibly fresh, almost indescribably so.
His name was Anos Drexus, prince of the Kingdom of Tru, and the only heir to the throne.
The elderly king, having fathered a son at the age of seventy, doted on him immensely. No matter where he went, he was always surrounded by bodyguards.
Like now, he hardly had to worry about anything and spent his days enjoying himself without a care in the world.
But Anos wasn't entirely content. Despite having been here for several days, he still hadn't figured out what world he was in or why he was here.
He had grown weary of this mundane life. For someone who used to be a hardworking office worker, this kind of leisure was something he once dreamed of.
The Kingdom of Tru wasn't very large. Surrounded by the sea, its economy was modest at best. But Anos didn't care about these things.
Besides, he is too young to take on any responsibilities, and the old king wouldn't burden him with such matters.
Lying on the beach under the scorching sun, life could almost be called luxurious. Each day passed in monotonous leisure, but he didn't need to worry about the future.
"Prince Anos, there seems to be someone in the sea!" one of the maids suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward the water.
Anos, shaken from his reverie, immediately sat up and looked toward the sea.
Sure enough, there was a figure bobbing on the waves, drifting toward them on a makeshift raft.
After a moment of watching, Anos turned to the guards behind him, who stood unperturbed.
Exasperated, Anos shouted, "What are you waiting for? Go save him!"
The guards sprang into action, stripping off their clothes and diving into the sea.
After some time, they returned with the man, who looked nearly drowned. The guards dressed swiftly and resumed their posts without a word.
Anos walked over to the unconscious man. Though he looked close to death, his rising and falling chest indicated he was still alive.
Finding a stranger adrift in this remote place piqued Anos's curiosity. He turned to the maid. "Bring some food over!"
"Prince Anos, this man looks like a pirate! Should we help him?" the maid asked, eyeing the man's attire nervously.
"A pirate?" Anos paused. He had heard the term often but hadn't given it much thought.
But now, a real, live pirate had washed ashore, and Anos couldn't help but feel curious.
"Just bring the food! What's there to worry about? With so many people here, are we really afraid of one man?"
Convinced by his logic, the maid hurried off and returned with some fruit.
The man lying on the ground was weak but not dead. He had merely fainted.
Anos squatted beside the pirate, a playful smile on his face. He patted the man's cheek lightly, enough to rouse him.
The pirate opened his eyes, saw the child beside him, and weakly muttered, "Is there… something to eat?"
Hearing this, Anos grinned and offered the fruit.
The pirate, who had seemed on the brink of death, sprang to life at the sight of food. He snatched the apple and devoured it ravenously.
The people around watched in silence, astonished by the pirate's transformation. How long had he been starving?
After regaining some strength, the pirate lay back down, staring at the sky, a sinister smile on his lips.
"Thank you, little guy. You saved my life. But how can I repay you?" he asked with a twisted grin.
Anos, intrigued, asked, "And how do you plan to thank me?"
"Such a bold little brat. How about I eat you instead?" The pirate's face contorted grotesquely as he stared at Anos. Sand began to Tremble & roots emerged from the ground, the pirate tried to summon his powers but failed.
Anos was momentarily startled but quickly sighed, turning to the guards. "This guy is hopeless."
"Do you know who I am? I'm a pirate…" the man began to boast weakly.
The guards stepped in front of Anos, shielding him. "Prince Anos, you should step back. Pirates are ruthless."
"Stop chatting and deal with him already!" Anos ordered, frustration evident in his voice.
Despite the pirate's apparent weakness, the guards hesitated, realizing he was a Devil Fruit user.
"He's a Devil Fruit user…!" one of the guards shouted, eyes wide with fear.
"A Devil Fruit?" Anos's mind raced. Was this the world of One Piece?
The guards were struggling. Though the pirate was weak, his Devil Fruit powers made him dangerous.
The maid, clutching Anos, began to retreat, but he pushed her away gently, saying, "Put me down. Why are we running?"
"But, Prince Anos, he's dangerous! We should retreat—"
"He's too weak to even stand. We're not in any real danger." Anos's voice was firm, even as his heart raced with excitement.
Reluctantly, the maid put him down.
The pirate, noticing Anos's calm demeanour, grew angrier. He tried to summon his powers again, but the guards quickly tackled him, pushing him toward the sea.
Realizing his mistake too late, the pirate stumbled into the water. As soon as he touched it, his strength left him, and he collapsed, the wood bindings around the guards vanishing instantly.
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Thank you for reading!