Early morning.
The sea breeze softly brushed against Kaizen's face, carrying a hint of saltiness but not unpleasantly so.
Kaizen took a deep breath, picked up his fishing tools, and strolled towards the coast.
On his way, he took great comfort in watching the town come to life under the morning sun.
"It looks like I'm the first to arrive today," he said to himself, noticing the empty coastline with no other anglers around.
Fishing was a tranquil activity, and few people were willing to get up early for it, which was part of why he cherished it so much.
As he set up, Kaizen's heart lifted—this was the happiest moment of his day.
After positioning his fishing rod, Kaizen lay back in his creaky armchair, placed his hands behind his head, crossed his legs, and settled in for the day.
"Hmm... na... oh..." Kaizen hummed a little tune contentedly.
White clouds drifted across the blue sky, gathering and dispersing, while waves rhythmically crashed against the rocks on the shore.
"Everything is calm and warm..."
Kaizen muttered leisurely, but he suddenly stopped mid-sentence, turning his sharp gaze towards the sea in the distance.
Something strange was stirring out at sea.
Soon, a massive figure appeared.
"A Sea King? Real or fake! Aren't these creatures supposed to stay in the Calm Belt? What's it doing here?"
Kaizen jumped up from his chair.
The colossal form of the Sea King approached at incredible speed, its gaze fixed directly on him.
"Just when I was enjoying a peaceful morning, I have to deal with you!"
Kaizen clenched his fists and muttered, looking annoyed.
"Still, at least there's no one else around. I guess using a bit of power won't hurt."
With that, Kaizen lifted his head, releasing a powerful wave of Haoshoku Haki.
The intensity of his Conqueror's Haki was unlike anything seen before.
Sensing the overwhelming force, the Sea King froze in terror. Its massive body trembled, and it stared at Kaizen, cold sweat covering its form.
"Get out of here! I'm here to catch little fish, not deal with big nuisances like you!"
As soon as he spoke, the Sea King turned and fled, its enormous shape quickly disappearing back into the depths.
The sea returned to calmness shortly after.
Kaizen let out a sigh of relief, looked around to confirm he was still alone, and then sat back down in his chair.
"This is the first time I've seen a Sea King in these waters. What's happening out there? Things must be getting chaotic," he muttered, troubled, as his good mood began to fade.
When the sun finally set in the west, and the last of its light vanished, Kaizen packed up his fishing gear and headed home.
Before going home, he always stopped by the island's tavern for a drink to mark the end of his day.
It wasn't completely dark yet, but the lights inside the tavern were already glowing faintly through the cracks in the door and windows, welcoming the men who had finished their work for the day.
Kaizen pushed open the tavern door, instantly enveloped by the lively noise within.
"Hey! Kaizen, you're here. Don't forget you promised to buy me a drink last time," a drunken middle-aged man sitting on a bar stool called out when he saw him.
Kaizen waved casually and replied, "Cass-san, I'm afraid I can't today. I didn't catch a single fish."
"What? Hahaha! I saw you head to the shore with all your gear early in the morning, and now you're back with nothing? Doesn't seem right!"
A short, bearded man leaned back in his chair with a smug look.
"Who knows, maybe the fish just didn't want to be caught today," Kaizen shrugged and responded indifferently, before approaching the bar.
A full glass of frothy beer was already waiting for him.
Kaizen paused in surprise, then grinned. "Ai-san, I don't have any fish to buy you a drink today. I owe you this one, but I'll make it up to you tomorrow with double."
"No need, Kaizen-san. You come here often and are a regular customer. This one's on the house. Please enjoy!"
Ai blushed slightly, glancing at Kaizen and then quickly lowering her head when she saw his smile.
"Thank you, Ai-chan! You're looking lovely as always!"
Kaizen raised his glass and toasted Ai with a warm smile.
"Hey! Ai-chan, that's not fair!" one of the men shouted.
"Yeah! I didn't bring enough Beli tonight—do I get a free drink too?" another chimed in.
The tavern filled with laughter as Kaizen took a big sip of beer, turned to the man who had spoken, and teased, "Not enough Beli? Did you hand it over to your wife again? Better watch out—I might tell her you've got some hidden stash!"
"Kaizen, you jerk!" The man shot back, flustered, which made the crowd laugh even louder.
Even Ai-chan, still blushing, couldn't help but giggle behind her hand.
"Kanpai!" Kaizen raised his glass to toast this carefree day.
Life may have been simple, but he found a sense of ritual in it. This was Kaizen's only remaining habit from his previous world.
After a few drinks, the tavern's lively hum began to drift away.
Lost in his thoughts, he was suddenly pulled back to reality by a tall, rugged man with a bit of stubble who walked in.
The man quietly took a seat next to Kaizen, ordered a glass of rum, and downed it in silence.
"Hiccup... Hahaha! That's some good rum!" the stranger exclaimed boldly, wiping his mouth.
The voice shook Kaizen out of his reverie.
Turning to look, Kaizen found the man familiar, but couldn't quite place him.
Noticing Kaizen's gaze, the man flashed a broad grin.
"Kanpai, brother!"
With that, he lifted another bottle, drinking deeply without hesitation.
Seeing this, Kaizen's competitive spirit flared. He grabbed his own full glass, took a swift gulp, refilled it, and downed it in one go.
Setting his empty glass down, he looked at the man with a victorious smile.
The man raised an eyebrow, grabbed two bottles at once, and drained both in several long gulps.