Chapter 1: A New Beginning
Darkness. That was the last thing Jack remembered.
His life on Earth had been unremarkable—a regular guy, stuck in the daily grind of work, no real excitement. He didn't expect his life to end that day. One moment, he was walking down the street, the next… everything was blank.
But just before the darkness consumed him, he heard a sharp, crackling sound. A gunshot. Then another. The instinct that had been ingrained in him as a man of strategy, a man of survival, kicked in. He instinctively ducked, trying to find cover, to hide from the unknown threat.
But before he could react, he saw it—a bullet reflecting in the light, moving too fast. His pupil froze as the bullet met its target.
And just like that, he died.
But the journey did not end there.
Jack opened his eyes to an entirely different world. The first thing he saw was a face—an unfamiliar one. The man standing over him had a massive head, far larger than any human should have. His deep, intelligent eyes studied Juno with curiosity.
"Are you okay?" the man asked, his voice calm and collected.
Before Jack could respond, a torrent of pain rushed through his skull. Memories—foreign yet familiar—flooded his mind. Images of a life he had never lived flashed before him. He saw himself as a child, growing up in a world unlike Earth. A world filled with pirates, marines, and Devil Fruits.
Then, a name surfaced: Juno Ignis.
That was his name now. He was no longer Jack. He was an eleven-year-old boy living in the world of One Piece.
As the pain subsided, Juno clutched his head, breathing heavily. The realization hit him hard. He was in One Piece. The man before him—the one with the impossibly large head—was none other than Dr. Vegapunk, the greatest scientist in the world.
His heart pounded as he sifted through his memories. This body… this life… it had something special. A power. One that shouldn't belong to him.
The Gasu Gasu no Mi.
The same Devil Fruit that Caesar Clown would one day consume. But in this world, in this timeline, he was the owner of the Gas-Gas Fruit.
Juno slowly sat up, meeting Vegapunk's inquisitive gaze. A mixture of fear and excitement bubbled within him. He had been given a second chance, a new life, and a power that could shape his destiny.
The question was—what would he do with it?
"I'm fine. Just a headache," Juno said, trying to mask the excitement bubbling up inside him. His eyes darted around, trying to make sense of everything around him.
Vegapunk frowned. "Really? Even with a Logia? Don't keep trying to develop it—you're still too young for that. You can't be a pirate with your weak physique. It's better to become a scientist, maybe not the best one, but qualified with your IQ. Come, help me."
Juno stared at him, feeling a knot twist in his stomach. Vegapunk thought he was just some young boy who had eaten a Logia and thought he was invincible. The scientist had no idea what Juno was capable of. But Juno knew the truth—he wasn't some naïve child who would blindly embrace the pirate life. His past had taught him better.
I've seen the cost of a life like that. The blood, the chaos… I left it all behind in my past life. I don't want to be part of it again.
In his previous life, Juno had been a mercenary—a man who fought to survive, constantly surrounded by danger. He had grown tired of it. Tired of the violence, the killing. After years of bloodshed, he'd retired, choosing a quieter life working an office job. He'd sworn never to go back to that world, where death was a constant companion. So how could he, as a 21st-century man, choose a life of piracy? Of looting, robbing civilians, and causing chaos?
But even as he thought about it, a part of him wondered if it was the only path to true freedom. Still, the idea of becoming a pirate, a ruthless force on the seas, didn't sit right with him.
"No," Juno muttered, shaking his head. "I won't become a pirate. Not after everything I've been through."
Vegapunk's expression darkened. "Shut up. You think you can just go off and do whatever you want? I won't let you."
Juno met his adoptive father's gaze, his eyes filled with determination. He had already made up his mind, but it still hurt to disappoint Vegapunk. He could see the concern, the fear, in the old man's eyes. Vegapunk cared for him; that much was clear. But Juno couldn't let fear dictate his future.
The storm of emotions in Vegapunk's eyes—concern, fear, and love—was clear. But Juno had made up his mind. The life of a scientist, hidden away from the world, was not for him. He didn't want to be confined to an isolated life of research and invention. He wanted more. A life on the seas, a life that would give him the freedom to forge his destiny. But not as a pirate in the way Vegapunk feared.
"I know the world out there," Juno continued, his voice softer but firm. "I've seen what pirates do, the chaos they bring. But it's not just about stealing or fighting. It's about carving my path. I won't be like them. I don't want to rob, hurt, or destroy. But I want to be free. I want a different kind of freedom. I'll make my legend, my way."
Vegapunk's brow furrowed even deeper, but Juno could see the understanding flicker in his eyes. It wasn't what he wanted for Juno, but Vegapunk had always known the boy was different. He wasn't going to be held back.
Juno stood resolute in front of Vegapunk, his adoptive father. His decision was final. He had been reborn into this world, carrying the knowledge and power of his past life. Now, it was time to carve out his path.
"Let the world see what I can do," Juno whispered to himself, his heart burning with determination. "I will be the master of my fate."