A gentle breeze drifted through the valley, making the yellow flowers and green grass sway gracefully with its touch.
On the other side of the valley, a teenage boy lay sprawled across the hillside, crushing the delicate flowers and grass beneath him.
His presence there was clearly disrupting the valley's natural beauty—any onlooker would be tempted to walk over and give him a good scolding, or even a beating.
In fact, if someone did show up and give him a beating, the boy might actually be moved to tears of gratitude.
That boy lying weakly on the slope, eyes dull and limbs limp, was named Li Wenjin.
As for why he was lying there, even Li Wenjin didn't have the answer.
Just the night before, he'd been home, watching the latest episode of One Piece, cursing the author's slow plot progression. After venting, he finally drifted off to sleep.
But when he woke up, he found himself lying in the middle of a mountain valley—an unfamiliar, untouched wilderness. He had no idea how he got there.
Even if someone were playing a prank on him, no one would go so far as to move him to a place like this. After all, he lived in the city. There were no vast valleys like this anywhere nearby—only remote rural areas had scenery this beautiful.
Naturally, panic set in. He climbed a small hill, hoping to spot the city or something familiar, but was left completely dumbfounded.
He was on a small island, surrounded on all sides by endless ocean. There wasn't a trace of civilization in sight.
Still clinging to the idea of a prank, he spent two days exploring the island, hoping to find other people.
But the island was small—about 50 kilometers in size, oval-shaped, covered in wildflowers and grass. There were no forests, and no signs of human life. Just small animals like rabbits and wild chickens.
After five days on the island, surviving on wild roots and drinking rainwater or puddles from the valley, he barely managed to stay alive.
He'd tried catching rabbits or chickens for food, but he wasn't nearly fast enough. His physical strength failed him every time.
After two long, lonely weeks, he was at his breaking point. His mind frayed, on the verge of collapse.
A man used to modern life—phones, internet, takeout—suddenly thrown onto a deserted island, cut off from everything. No people, no devices, no communication. It was enough to drive anyone mad.
And yet, despite everything, he'd survived this long. That alone was a miracle.
But on this fifteenth day, Li Wenjin gave up. He collapsed halfway up the valley slope, refusing to get up.
He just wanted to lie there and quietly wait for death. In his heart, he hoped this was all just a nightmare—and that death would finally wake him up.
Just as he was fading into unconsciousness from hunger, a naval warship bearing a seagull insignia approached the island.
The ship was damaged, clearly battered from a recent battle.
At the ship's bow stood a sharp-eyed female officer with a cigarette between her lips. She looked toward the island and gave her order:
"There's a small island ahead. We'll stop there and rest for the day. Repair the ship, then we'll head back to Navy Headquarters tomorrow."
Four marines behind her responded firmly, admiration in their eyes:
"Yes, Ma'am! Understood, Major Tashigi!"
Major Tina, 24 years old, was already a mid-ranking officer in the Navy Headquarters. She had been dispatched to the South Sea to capture a wanted criminal—Kainet Kinlo, a brutal swordsman with a bounty of 42 million Berries.
Kainet Kinlo had no Devil Fruit powers, but his swordsmanship was nearly that of a master. Even for Tina, subduing him had been difficult.
They clashed at sea. Tina managed to sink his ship using her Black Spear Formation, but Kinlo unexpectedly swam aboard her own warship and killed several of her men.
With no other choice, Tina had to face him herself. In the end, she emerged victorious, but the battle left the ship in tatters.
Left with no better option, she ordered a return to Navy HQ, stopping at this island along the way for emergency repairs.
It just so happened to be the same island where Li Wenjin lay unconscious.
After docking, the marines went ashore to search for usable wood. One of them discovered the collapsed Li Wenjin while scavenging.
Oddly, Li Wenjin's body had reverted to that of a 14-year-old boy, no longer the 25-year-old adult he remembered being. He was aware of this strange change but had no energy to question it. All he wanted was to go home.
The marine who found him hesitated. Seeing a child, dirty and clearly starving, his heart softened. He picked Li Wenjin up and carried him back to the ship.
Had Li Wenjin still looked like an adult man, the marines might have tied him up just to be cautious. After all, in these seas, even kids could be dangerous.
At the edge of death, Li Wenjin was brought aboard the warship.
Inside, Major Tina saw her soldier return not with wood, but with a strange-looking child. She frowned and asked,
"What's going on with that kid?"
"Report, Major. I found him on the island. Looks like he passed out from hunger," the marine replied.
Tina furrowed her brows, staring silently at the boy.
She wasn't debating whether to save him—that was already decided.
What she was thinking about was... where to send him.
Bringing an unidentified child to Navy HQ would raise too many issues. He had no record, no identity.
After a long pause, she finally said,
"Save him first. We'll decide what to do with him once he wakes up."
The marine's eyes glistened with emotion.
"Major Tina… you're so kind."
Tina rolled her eyes. She was used to reactions like that.
"Don't just stand there. Go make him something to eat. Or he really will die."
The marine carried Li Wenjin off to find food, while Tina turned her attention back to more pressing matters. After all, people got stranded at sea every day—she couldn't save them all.
But still... this time, she would do her duty.
She'd save this one boy, and make sure he reached a place where he could survive.
That was enough.