ROAR
From the depths of the island, all kinds of animals, regardless of their species, fled in panic. Whatever was lurking inside seemed to evoke a primal fear in them, as if they were facing a predator.
Before long, a figure emerged.
A young man dressed in black clothes, about 185 cm tall, 19 years old, with unruly golden hair and purple eyes. His face had two scars—one crossing his left eyebrow near the eye, the other tracing a path along the bridge of his nose.
"The current year... If I'm not mistaken, it should be 1519, the right time to go out to sea," he said in a cheerful tone.
How could he not be excited, if in his previous life he was just an orphan who was a fan of anime in general? Who in their right mind wouldn't be? His goal was to explore this vast world as much as he could, recruit powerful members for his crew, leave his mark on this world like the pirates of old, and of course, be surrounded by beauties.
Cough... Cough... That last bit is for later, when he has already established himself in the New World and his crew is strong enough.
Leaving that aside, he focused on the animals that surrounded him. He could notice that they had an expression of terror. As if they weren't going to be terrified of him—for 14 years, they were his punching bags to train his physical abilities and his Devil Fruit.
Speaking of his Devil Fruit, he consumed the Kūkan Kūkan no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allows him to manipulate space. It allows the user to create, bend, and warp spatial dimensions, enabling him to affect his surroundings in remarkable ways, both offensively and defensively.
He had been training that fruit since he ate it 14 years ago, when it suddenly appeared on this island.
Stopping to remember his past, he focused again on the animals around him.
"So... I'm leaving this island," Ethan said, to which he could notice a look of relief in the animals.
To which he smiled—and released his Conqueror's Haki.
BOOM
The pressure generated was so much that many animals fainted. Others were still conscious, but could not move. A group of six were in better condition. They were pressed against the ground, but unlike the others, they could move slightly.
"But that does not mean that they will get rid of me," Ethan said, with a smile adorning his face, which in the eyes of the beasts was the smile of the devil himself.
BOOM
He again released a burst of Conqueror's Haki—this time stronger—and now only one of them remained standing: a gigantic lizard of around 5 meters, with a robust body and spiked spines similar to plates on its back.
It writhed, trying to free itself from the coercion of the Conqueror's Haki.
GRRRROOOAAARRRHHH
Suddenly, it began to roar, and as if triggered, its body began to change. Its thick scales hardened, becoming rocky and more robust in appearance. The plates along its back lengthened into sharp, lethal stone spikes. Its body expanded, muscles grew, and limbs became more powerful, making the ground tremble beneath its paws.
With its new strength, it began to resist the coercion even more—to the point that it was able to stand up. Even though it tried to move, it couldn't take a single step.
It seems it can't attack that human bastard.
"Hooo... So you're a Devil Fruit user—and from what I see, you're a Mythic Zoan. Now I want you even more in my crew," Ethan said in a happy tone, like a child who just received a Christmas present.
How could he not be excited if he just found a Mythical Zoan user, and by the looks of it, he must be an Earth Dragon.
Now all that remains is to test the strength of this one and classify it according to a rank in the Navy, and send it to train with the rest of the animals.
"Let's see how strong you are," Ethan said, as he withdrew his Conqueror's Haki and stood still, waiting for the lizard's next move.
Seeing that its movements were no longer restricted, the lizard launched itself in Ethan's direction with its arms extended, trying to cause as much damage as possible.
YAWN
Ethan didn't even react and simply limited himself to yawning.
The lizard got angry seeing this and prepared to attack Ethan again, but Ethan raised his arm and simply stopped the attack.
BOOM
The blow generated a shockwave that raised a cloud of dust.
Some animals that woke up looked at the scene in amazement and silently prayed for the lizard to finish off that human monster.
But that was destined not to come true.
As the dust cloud dispersed, the beasts could see that the lizard had not achieved anything. It kept attacking, but it had no effect.
"So... Marine Commander level is not as high as I expected, but it is passable. Well, it'll be better to finish this quickly," Ethan said in a hurried tone—he wanted to leave quickly, but it ended up taking longer than it should have.
Almighty Push
Suddenly, Ethan extended his arm and with his palm he generated a repulsive force which sent the lizard flying.
Universal Pull
But not for long—as an attractive force grabbed the lizard and pulled it toward Ethan.
PAM
The last thing the lizard saw before being knocked out was a fist.
Seeing that he could finally leave, Ethan smiled, since he could already begin his journey. But before that, he turned to the awakened beasts and with a smile said:
"Now I want you to drag this guy and return to the center of the island and train. I don't want weaklings in my crew. We'll see each other in 1 year."
The beasts nodded in fear and began to head towards the forest while pulling the lizard.
Dimensional Door
Suddenly, a door appeared, which he crossed to disappear—and consequently, the same event affected the door.
A day later, in Nashika Town, South Blue.
A sizable ship lay docked at the bustling port, surrounded by a flurry of activity.
"Sister Baccarat, we're just days away from completing our pirate ship. I'm eager to set sail and hunt for treasure! With Sister Baccarat by our side, we'll lead a prosperous life, hahaha..."
"The sea beckons true men; I've yearned for the ocean for ages, Hehe~~."
Baccarat waved her hand dismissively, her tone stern.
"How many times must I reiterate that I cannot captain this ship? We lack strength and must rely on the capable. Thus, I've led us to sea in search of the ship's rightful owner."
With a solemn shake of her head, Baccarat spoke with conviction:
"Navigating these treacherous waters without sufficient strength is tantamount to suicide."
Suddenly, a voice echoed from above.
"Are you in search of strength? I may possess the power you seek. Behold, Lady Luck Baccarat!"
Startled, the ship's occupants gazed upward to see a young man perched atop the mast. Clad in black trousers, arms crossed, he exuded an air of calm assurance. There were bursts of terrifying Haki faintly emanating from his body!
"Who are you? Why have you appeared..."
Baccarat interjected before her subordinates could finish speaking.
"Hold your tongues!"
Her crew, thoroughly convinced by Baccarat's authority, turned their attention to her and fell silent. Ignoring their stares, Baccarat inclined her head slightly toward the mast's direction.
With a delighted smile, she addressed the figure atop the mast:
"Captain, Baccarat has eagerly awaited your arrival. You are most welcome."
Ever since Ethan's arrival, her intuition had been unwavering. This young man was the formidable leader she had been anticipating. Baccarat placed her trust in her instincts. After all, her Devil Fruit ability had never led her astray.
Two days later. At the port of Nashika Town.
"Wiiiihahahaha..."
Gazing at the imposing vessel before him, Burgess raised his arms in triumph.
"Doc Q, we've finally come across a grand ship ripe for the taking!"
Doc Q lay atop Stronger, his demeanor reflecting his frail condition.
"Burgess, I'm not well..." His words came in fragmented intervals, punctuated by weakness as if he were on the brink of death.
"Wiiihahaha... Of course, you stay put!" Burgess chuckled and strode forward. Approaching the shore, he addressed the workers aboard the ship with a booming voice.
"Listen up, you lot on that vessel; I claim this ship! Vacate immediately..."
As the workers prepared to retort, a voice interrupted from ahead.
"I'll gladly surrender this ship to you if you can defeat me."
Ethan approached calmly, his voice steady.
"But should you lose, you'll willingly join my crew."
Looking at the frail-looking Doc Q beside him, Ethan clarified his intentions. Two days prior, Ethan and Baccarat had discussed their next course of action. Upon the arrival of Burgess and Doc Q, they witnessed firsthand the confirmation of Baccarat's Lucky Fruit ability.
"Captain, this bloke's too cocky; let's take him down!!"
"Boss Ethan, you're the toughest of the bunch; show him what you've got..."
"What nonsense! Daring to provoke our Captain..."
"Brothers, there's a spectacle unfolding; come quickly..."
Burgess immediately perked up. Fighting was his forte, so how could he resist Ethan's challenge?
"Kid, I, Burgess, am claiming your ship. Bow down before me, Wiiihahahaha~~"
With his declaration, Burgess charged toward Ethan like a speeding arrow. His fist, the size of a sandbag, was clenched tightly, his expression wild.
Ethan crossed his arms before him, glancing at Burgess before addressing Doc Q.
In a calm tone, he stated:
"Both of you, pay attention; I'm about to impart a power, a skill reserved for the strongest. It's called Haki!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Burgess's colossal fist hurtled toward him.
"Quit your yammering; just lie down!"
Ethan replied flatly, "You'll strike from the left."
As he spoke, he subtly shifted his head to the right.
"What?!"Burgess exclaimed, a mix of shock and disbelief on his face. His punch had missed its target. How was this possible? How had Ethan evaded his attack?
Ignoring their shock, Ethan continued with composure.
"The ability to keenly sense an opponent's presence is called Observation Haki."
Burgess roared in frustration, "I can't believe I can't land a hit on you!"
As Burgess's fists continued to rain down, Ethan effortlessly dodged every strike with calm precision, explaining how Observation Haki allowed him to predict movements before they happened.