Waking up as an anime character wasn't something I ever dreamed would happen to me. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy in the manga, but being reincarnated as him isn't exactly what I had in mind.
Yes, he had a lot of luck, which I think I inherited. I might even use it to seduce the Ojou-sama next door. He also had an inventive mind, and paired with my creativity; I could create a lot of deadly weapons currently scattered around my house and the salvaged ship.
Last, he had a keen sense of smell—more than just your average sense. It was a superpower smell that allowed me to detect someone's state of mind just by smelling them. This unusual ability also helped me awaken and train my observation haki more easily.
The story goes like this: One moment, I was mixing chemicals in an abandoned garage, and Boom! After a bright light and a loud sound, I found myself staring into a mirror at a face that wasn't mine but Usopp's.
Yes. Usopp. The God himself.
I remember those first few minutes after I woke up. My shock was clear to see on my medium-brown face. I had a long Pinocchio-like nose, wild, curly black hair down to my neck, and tanned skin with a bony body.
Of course, there were some differences. For example, I stood up straight with squared shoulders and a straight spine, a posture I'd developed after serving three years in the Navy, unlike how I remembered Usopp standing.
In the following days, I noticed that my tics and mannerisms were the same, including how I laughed, talked, and looked at people. However, some aspects weren't me. I found myself lying easily, full of wild imagination, and able to spin elaborate stories like a seasoned news anchor.
Fast forward to today, and I was holding an old-looking journal. This journal was worn and battered, with visible tears in the leather cover. I opened a folded page, the one I had read last night. The edges of the pages were brown, and somebody smeared the drawing with tints of color. I walked to my workshop table, sat down, and began making sense of what the drawing was about.
This journal contained numerous designs and illustrations, but most didn't make much sense. However, I could realize some ideas if I ignored their logic.
I am currently trying to decipher the design of an airship and the materials needed to build it, including a rare mineral called aquaferrum. This mineral can withstand air pressure, and the journal even mentioned where to find it—somewhere on the seventh route of the Grand Line.
So, the journal in my hands wasn't just any dead man's log or a dead girl's diary; it was an authentic piece of research from the One Piece universe.
I looked out the window toward a caravel I had salvaged from a nearby location. I modified it and added some of my inventions. I planned to set sail for the Grand Line, ideally with an all-female crew, while I searched for my estranged dad to confront him. An important detail to mention: Usopp's dad, Yasopp, joined the Red-Haired Pirates, abandoning his dying wife and toddler son to chase his dream of exploring the seas. The resentment I felt towards Yasopp was significant, and I wasn't sure if it stemmed from the real me or Usopp's memories.
But to journey to the Grand Line and confront the Red-Haired Pirates, I needed a strong crew and an invincible ship. A vessel I could call my own, one that could withstand the treacherous waters and storms of the Grand Line. That's why I needed to find this aquaferrum.
Frustrated, I closed the journal and directed my observation haki toward the only mansion in Syrup Village. Kaya was there; she felt calm and slightly intrigued. I extended my haki to sense the other occupants: Merry was relaxed, while Kuro was upset, likely because one of his schemes failed. The important thing was that Kaya was still safe. I didn't know where the urge to protect her came from, but it was intense.
I walked over to my cupboard and retrieved my faceless, featureless mask. Over the past two years, I had made a name for myself in East Blue; they called me The Ghost, The Faceless One. As a masked bounty hunter, I was known for capturing low-level criminals and no-name pirates. Nobody ever knew when The Ghost was near; they only found themselves caught and imprisoned. I always kept my prey alive because I wasn't a killer. I wouldn't take life unnecessarily unless it were to protect myself.
I closed the cabinet and gazed out the window at Kaya's grand mansion, the only luxurious building in this sleepy community. The rest of us lived in simple one-story houses surrounded by grasslands, hills, and forests.