As I heard the system notification, I waited eagerly, hoping for something useful.
> [Congratulations, Host has gained new pair of clothes. Item has been stored in the inventory.]
The system finally revealed the reward I was anticipating—only to be a pair of clothes.
"Are you kidding me?" I muttered aloud, drawing Jinbe's attention as he heard my outburst.
"What?" Jinbe asked, confused.
"It's nothing. I couldn't even move an inch—it's pissing me off. These seastone chains are draining my energy," I replied quickly, trying to avoid suspicion.
"Yeah, even though I'm not a Devil Fruit user, they're still sapping mine too," he said with a dry chuckle.
I averted my gaze from Jinbe and stared at the blue screen in front of me, my anger almost choking me.
I thought this system would be helpful, but it's already throwing red flags—on the very first day. Damn, this is exhausting. I let out a deep sigh.
A cold breeze swept through Impel Down, making my body shiver. Just hours ago, I was on Earth. Now, I'm trapped in the body of a character destined to die.
Man... you often meet your fate on the very road you take to avoid it. Fate is unpredictable.
One day it's smiling at you; the next, it's orchestrating your downfall. If I had known I'd die, I would've done something—anything—with my life. But what did I do? I just scrolled endlessly, obeying stupid rules made to control people.
Honestly, I think this world's no different. Watching One Piece on a screen was fun, but experiencing it firsthand is a different story. It may seem lighthearted on the surface, but beneath it lies a darkness far deeper than anyone could imagine.
And now here I am, placing my hopes in some system given by an unknown entity. God knows what it actually wants.
I was so naïve, so delusional—tricking myself into thinking that having "a piece" was enough. I let life pass me by. But now that I'm in this godforsaken pirate world...
I'm going to do whatever it takes to survive. To live freely.
They call Ace a pirate, a threat, because of Roger's blood. What blood? Ace had already died emotionally—his will shattered. A prodigy with the potential to awaken Conqueror's Haki reduced to nothing.
But the truth is... I'm not Ace. I may have his face, but I'm not him. I have a superior mind. I won't waste this second chance. I obeyed once, but not anymore.
I didn't even notice the evil grin forming on my face.
"Ace? Are you okay?" A calm, familiar voice pulled me from my thoughts.
"Yeah, I'm okay," I answered Jinbe.
"Maybe you should get some sleep—you look tired," he said, concern lacing his voice.
It was touching. No one had ever worried about me before. I was an orphan—my parents died when I was young. I grew up in an orphanage, never knowing what love or care even felt like.
---
Meanwhile, on a small, remote island in the New World, countless ships surrounded the shore—as if something monumental was unfolding. Among them, the iconic Moby Dick stood out.
Yes, these were the ships of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Inside the island, pirates stood scattered, all eyes on a single man awaiting his decision.
"Gurararara! We've avoided each other for too long, but now the Marines think they've found my weakness. They're trying to bait me," Whitebeard's deep laughter echoed across the island as he took a sip of wine, his tone firm and commanding.
"Father, don't worry. We'll save Ace—yoi," Marco, the crew's calm and dependable vice-captain, reassured him.
"Ace is my son. I would never abandon family... even if it means death," Whitebeard declared, his voice deep and resolute.
"We are family!" the crew roared in unison, excitement and loyalty blazing in their eyes as they leapt back onto the ships.
---
Back in Impel Down.
I should get some sleep. I'm exhausted, I told myself, closing my eyes to rest.
---
Hours later, I woke to the sound of the cell door opening. Through my half-lidded eyes, I saw the same young man who had fed me earlier.
Is it already night? I wondered.
He sat in front of Jinbe, performing his usual task—feeding him.
When it was my turn, he looked at me with open contempt. That look—so smug, so demeaning—it hit me like a slap. This guy... he thought he was better than me.
He stood and walked toward the door.
"Hey, why aren't you feeding me?" I asked, recalling his earlier words—he said he wouldn't feed me.
A cold smirk crossed his lips as he locked the cell behind him.
"You're going to die anyway. No point wasting food on you," he said with biting sarcasm.
"Hey! Give my brother food!" Jinbe barked, his voice rising with anger as he glared at the food guy.
"It's okay. I'm not even angry, honestly," I said, trying to reassure Jinbe—though my gaze stayed locked on the guy, bloodlust quietly rose in my eyes.
I had assumed he was a kind person, but hearing those words from him exposed something deeper. This wasn't just cruelty—it was calculated.
He was using psychology—trying to make me beg.
I found it almost amusing to witness this kind of manipulation in the One Piece world. But I've read enough psychology books to recognize it. He's the type who builds trust through kindness... then yanks it away the moment you start to rely on it.
"Hahaha… interesting. This is absolutely interesting," I said, laughing darkly. Jinbe looked at me like I'd finally lost it—but I didn't care. I was already planning how to make that guy regret everything.
Looking back on my past life, I realized I'd always been like this. I picked fights at school—not because I was cruel, but because I had to be the best. Top of the class, best at sports, the one who always stood out.
Back then, I didn't understand why. Only later did I realize... I had a condition. A need for dominance. A hunger for superiority.