Year 1509 of the Sea Calendar~
(11 years before Luffy set sail)
A fleet of fifteen massive warships sailed toward the North Sea, bearing the banners of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons. The decks were teeming with World Government personnel and guards.
Clearly, this was a Celestial Dragon's expedition.
"St. Romantis, the Marine Admiral has arrived."
Upon hearing the report from a World Government official, Romantis paused his game of chess and looked up. Standing before him was the newly appointed Marine Admiral, Aokiji Kuzan.
"I thought they would send Akainu or Kizaru this time. I didn't expect you, Admiral Kuzan."
Seeing that the Celestial Dragon before him was merely dressed in noble attire, Aokiji was slightly surprised. It seemed that the Five Elders had sent a relatively reasonable Celestial Dragon this time.
"I didn't want to come, but this was Fleet Admiral Sengoku's order."
As a Marine Admiral, Kuzan naturally did not hold the same fear or reverence for the Celestial Dragons as ordinary civilians did.
He harbored no particular fondness for the Celestial Dragons and certainly did not feel close to them. When he was assigned this mission to escort them, his first instinct was to refuse.
After all, Celestial Dragons were infamous for being troublesome, demanding, and a nightmare to deal with. Even if he wanted to slack off, they wouldn't allow it.
For an Admiral to be reduced to a mere bodyguard for a bunch of spoiled nobles—it was infuriating.
This kind of task should have gone to Borsalino.
Unfortunately, this was a direct order from Sengoku. Like it or not, Kuzan had to comply. After all, he was just an Admiral, not the Fleet Admiral.
However, something far more unexpected caught his attention.
"More importantly—why is she here? The Devil's Child, Nico Robin."
Compared to the Celestial Dragon before him, Kuzan's focus was entirely on the young girl sitting across from Romantis.
She was the sole survivor of Ohara—the girl his old friend, Jaguar D. Saul, had sacrificed his life to protect.
Kuzan had always felt guilty about what happened to her, so he had secretly been protecting Nico Robin all these years.
Without his intervention, an eight-year-old girl could never have survived under the relentless pursuit of the World Government. And yet, here she was—on a Celestial Dragon's ship.
How could he not be shocked?
Nico Robin's body trembled at Kuzan's arrival. Years of being hunted by the Marines had ingrained a deep fear of them in her.
"Is there a problem, Admiral Kuzan?"
"The Devil's Child is an extremely dangerous individual, St. Romantis. For your safety, it would be best if you handed her over to the Marines."
Kuzan was well aware of the nature of the Celestial Dragons. They saw themselves as gods, treated slavery as a pastime, and regarded human lives as nothing more than disposable toys.
If Nico Robin fell into their hands, she would suffer a fate worse than death.
But unless he was willing to openly defy the Celestial Dragons, there was little Kuzan could do to take her away.
The only viable option was to transfer her into Marine custody instead.
Romantis, however, laughed dismissively.
"Are you joking, Admiral Kuzan? I am a descendant of the creators of this world—a god. Why would I fear the Devil's Child?"
As a reincarnator, Romantis was fully aware of the special relationship between Kuzan and Nico Robin.
But he was also certain that Kuzan wouldn't risk everything to directly oppose a Celestial Dragon just for her sake. Their bond hadn't reached that level.
Eighteen years ago, he had been nothing more than an overworked corporate drone on Earth. But in an instant, he had reincarnated into the world of One Piece—and as one of the untouchable nobles of the world, no less.
For years, Romantis had been ecstatic about his new life. His ancestors must have done something right, because this was the ultimate jackpot.
Servants to cater to his every need. Luxuries beyond imagination. Beautiful maids to dress him, bathe him, and fulfill his every whim. All the power and privilege he could ever want.
But after a few years of living in such decadence, he found himself feeling… empty.
Something was missing.
Humans—when they have too much free time—tend to seek problems to solve.
For most Celestial Dragons, their methods of killing boredom were crude and predictable: spending absurd amounts of money, amassing slaves, betting on blood sports, or parading around Sabaody to pick out new wives.
It was all barbaric. And dull.
By the time he turned twelve, Romantis had finally found his true calling—power.
The power to rule.
The power to control the world.
After all, what man doesn't dream of becoming an emperor?
As a Celestial Dragon, Romantis was born into boundless wealth, endless pleasure, and access to some of the greatest treasures in the world—including Devil Fruits.
But true, world-shaking authority? That was something even he wasn't allowed to have.
That privilege belonged only to Imu and the Five Elders. Power was not shared. Even among the Celestial Dragons, there was a strict hierarchy.
At the very top was the King of the World—Imu. Few knew of her existence, and even most Celestial Dragons would never have the privilege of meeting her.
Yet, for 800 years, she had ruled over everything in the shadows.
Below her were the Five Elders—the true rulers of the World Government. They controlled everything: the Marines, Cipher Pol, and all affiliated nations.
Then came the heads of the noble families—those who governed the Celestial Dragon clans, handled marriages, and distributed the Heavenly Tribute. Some of them, like the leader of the God's Knights, held significant influence.
And finally, at the bottom of the noble hierarchy, were the ordinary Celestial Dragons—the vast majority.
Romantis was one of them.
His parents were both Celestial Dragons, which granted him immense wealth and an effortless life. Every year, he received a generous portion of the Heavenly Tribute.
But that was it.
He could command his personal slaves and servants, but that was the extent of his authority.
Leaving Mary Geoise was heavily restricted. Celestial Dragons were rarely allowed outside of their gilded cages unless explicitly permitted by the Five Elders.
After all, even the Five Elders knew how reckless and insufferable most Celestial Dragons were. If too many of them wandered freely, the world would descend into chaos.
More importantly, they feared what would happen if too many Celestial Dragons were killed.
If the public started seeing their "gods" dying too often, the illusion of divinity would shatter. And there were many powerful individuals in the world who would love to kill a Celestial Dragon.
That's why every time a Celestial Dragon traveled, they were given extensive security. But even the World Government's resources weren't limitless.
Only the most privileged Celestial Dragons could demand elite bodyguards at any time. The rest had to wait their turn.
In other words, most Celestial Dragons lived lives no different from pigs raised in a noble estate.
Romantis refused to be one of them.
He hadn't been reborn just to waste away in luxury. Only absolute power—the power to control the world itself—could satisfy him.
Humans, after all, are creatures who never truly know contentment.
And so, Romantis carefully hid his ambitions while steadily gathering his strength.
He was fortunate—his bloodline had blessed him with talent, and the resources available to him were immense. With effort, he had forged himself into a formidable force.
Though his 2.6-meter height wasn't ideal, at least his looks were refined—an elegant and distinguished noble.
And soon enough, fate presented him with a perfect opportunity—one that would allow him to expand his power legitimately.
All thanks to Judge Vinsmoke and his Northern Seas Massacre.