"You have died."
That was the first thing Akira Sato heard. No trumpets, no angelic chorus. Just a cold, mechanical voice echoing in the darkness.
Then came the blinding light.
"Reincarnation Protocol Initiated."
'What the hell…?' Akira thought, his mind still reeling. He remembered it clearly—the sharp slip on the bathroom floor, the soap, and the unfortunate angle of his fall. A death so absurd that even his favorite manga protagonist would've laughed at it.
But death wasn't supposed to come with system notifications.
Before he could process anything, his consciousness was pulled—ripped, really—through a whirlpool of colors, memories flashing like fragments of broken glass. His favorite manga panels. Straw hats. Devil Fruits. Smiling faces. A fiery fist. A scarred chest.
Then—darkness again.
When Akira opened his eyes, he was staring at the bluest sky he'd ever seen. The salty scent of the ocean filled his nostrils, and a gentle breeze brushed against his face. He tried to sit up, but his body felt…weird. Lighter, almost elastic. His arms didn't respond the way he expected.
Then he heard it.
DING!
[Welcome to the Pirate King System.]
Host: Monkey D. Luffy (Altered Soul Detected: Akira Sato)
Initializing… Loading Memories…
Primary Quest Unlocked: "Become the Freest Man Alive."
Akira froze.
Monkey D. Luffy?
He scrambled to his feet—only to stumble awkwardly, his legs wobbling like noodles. Panic surged through him. He darted toward the nearest puddle of water to see his reflection.
Big round eyes. A goofy grin. A small scar under his left eye.
"No… freaking… way."
It wasn't a dream. He was staring at Luffy's face.
Akira stumbled back, clutching his head. Okay, think, think… This isn't some VR game. I'm not hallucinating. This is real. His heart raced.
But why Luffy? And why did everything feel slightly off? The landscape wasn't exactly like the manga. The town in the distance wasn't familiar.
Before he could question more, another notification flashed in his mind.
[Starter Quest: "Prove You're Luffy."]
Objective: Defeat the bandits harassing the nearby village.
Reward: +5 Strength, Beginner's Combat Skill, Random Devil Fruit Boost.
Failure: Permanent debuff: "Fake Pirate" (-20% charisma with crew members).
Akira's jaw dropped.
"Wait, what? Bandits? Already?"
As if on cue, the faint sounds of shouting reached his ears. Smoke curled into the sky from beyond a small hill. His instincts screamed at him to run, to hide, to figure things out first.
But his body—Luffy's body—moved on its own.
His legs kicked into motion, stretching slightly more than they should have.
Rubber… right. Gomu Gomu no Mi.
Adrenaline surged as he sprinted toward the chaos. In the distance, a group of rugged men with swords and clubs terrorized a small fishing village, overturning carts, kicking down doors.
Akira's heart raced.
This is it. My first real fight. I'm not just some spectator anymore.
He skidded to a stop at the edge of the village. The bandits noticed him immediately.
"Oi! Look at this scrawny kid!" one of them sneered, gripping his rusty sword. "You lost, brat?"
Akira clenched his fists, feeling the strange elasticity in his arms. His mind screamed RUN, but something deeper—something that felt like Luffy's spirit—roared louder.
"I'm not lost," Akira grinned, stepping forward.
"I'm just where I need to be."
Without thinking, he pulled his fist back. His arm stretched unnaturally, rubber snapping with tension.
"Gomu Gomu no… PISTOL!"
His fist rocketed forward, slamming into the bandit's face with bone-crushing force. The man flew backward, crashing into a fruit stand with a satisfying thud.
Akira blinked.
I just did that.
Before he could celebrate, the remaining bandits charged. Swords gleaming. Shouts filling the air.
But Akira wasn't scared anymore.
Because for the first time in both his lives—
He felt truly alive.
DING!
[Quest Complete: "Prove You're Luffy."]
Rewards: +5 Strength, Beginner's Combat Skill Unlocked, Random Devil Fruit Boost (Gomu Gomu Mastery +1).
New Quest Unlocked: "Find Your First Crewmate."
Akira wiped the sweat from his brow, panting. His fists were sore, but he couldn't stop smiling.
I'm Luffy now… but this is my story.
[End of Chapter 1]