— What the hell is this supposed to mean?
That was the question I asked myself while staring straight into the mirror.
My name is Sheldon. I'm 27 years old, single, and an ordinary office worker.
I spent my entire life studying, and after graduation, working. Of course, I never really complained about my life—I was always laid-back and never tried to bite off more than I could chew. But then…
A new boss came in and forced everyone to work overtime, to the point where we practically lived in the office.
One day, I stayed at my computer for too long and ended up passing out right there. I guess, in that moment, I regretted the life I'd chosen…
And, apparently, fate took my words way too seriously—because I died.
Why do I think that? Well…
— Monkey D. Luffy? Seriously?
Yeah, the reflection staring back at me wasn't my old self—it was a new me. A boy who looked exactly like a certain character… No, I was that character.
I had become the protagonist of One Piece…
— What the actual hell… — I sighed tiredly and looked around.
Like I said earlier, I fell asleep and woke up in some unfamiliar place, which immediately put me on edge.
The first thing I noticed was my body. It felt so light—I'd forgotten what that even felt like. But… there was an uncomfortable sensation under my left eye and a weird burning in my chest…
So, I decided to get up and take a look around, but… strange memories started flooding into my head. They weren't mine. It was like I'd just watched the story of some other boy.
It finally clicked, and I rushed to the mirror. Seeing the reflection of a black-haired kid with sharp eyes and a bandage under his left eye, I realized—I'd taken over someone else's body.
— This is so messed up… — I plopped down on the bed and sank into deep thought, trying to figure out where I was and who I really was now.
The owner of this body was named Monkey D. Luffy. He was 12 years old and grew up without parents—an orphan.
He had an uncle, a traveler who was always busy with his own adventures. He even had his own crew of explorers… But…
He and his crew died in a canyon collapse.
Luffy was devastated. He became a shut-in, refusing to leave the orphanage.
After all, his only family was gone. He was completely alone.
Eventually, the kid managed to crawl out of his depression and slowly started recovering. The orphanage loved him as a cheerful boy with a kind heart, always ready to make friends. But who could've guessed he'd end up crossing paths with one of this world's so-called villains?
Luffy tried to save some kids from the clutches of a villain who'd been terrorizing people with his Quirk.
The result? Luffy got hurt, and the villain was captured by heroes—the ones who stood against scum like him.
And now… here we are. I woke up and realized, logically speaking, I'd been reincarnated.
— Hah… — I exhaled, rubbing my temples. — Talk about a messed-up trip…
Heroes, villains, superpowers… What kind of world is this? Wasn't I supposed to be the protagonist of One Piece?
This is all so weird.
According to the memories of this body's previous owner… This world had something called Quirks—unique abilities tied to a person's genetics, awakened at some point in their life. But 20% of the population were Quirkless—ordinary people.
And apparently, that included me.
— Well… I don't really care. — I smirked, standing up. — I promise you, Luffy… I'll live this life for both of us.
With that, I walked toward the door, ready to learn more about this new world I'd found myself in.
…Wait, why am I taking this so calmly? Am I actually happy I died?
…Huh.
Once outside, I headed toward the kitchen—I was starving.
As soon as I stepped inside, the smell of hot homemade food hit me, something I hadn't experienced in years.
Living off instant noodles and takeout had really done a number on my old body. I used to rely on energy drinks just to keep going…
— Hm~ Hm~
A cheerful humming snapped me out of my thoughts.
Standing in the kitchen was a girl with short black hair and golden eyes. Her dark skin matched her maid outfit perfectly, and the cat ears and tail on her added a certain charm.
She froze when she saw me standing in the doorway.
— Luffy! — she squealed, rushing over and hugging me tightly. — You're finally awake-nya! — Her ample chest nearly suffocated me as she squeezed.
I remembered who this was.
— Eiko-chan… You're gonna… crush me… — I wheezed, trying to escape both her grip and the black hole of her cleavage.
— Oops! Sorry-nya!
She finally let go and took a step back, looking me over.
— How are you feeling, Luffy-nya? Does anything hurt?
I grinned and checked myself before nodding.
— Yeah, of course not! I'm Luffy! — I puffed out my chest proudly.
Well… Guess I'll have to play the part. This isn't my body, and acting too different right away would be suspicious.
— I'm so glad-nya! — She beamed at me.
By the way, who is Eiko? Well, she's one of the caretakers here—she looks after the kids and cooks for them.
This orphanage isn't as big as you'd think. There are about 50-60 kids here, with only five caretakers. There's also a gardener, a driver who takes us to school, and the director.
That said, I'm not planning to mimic the old Luffy's personality forever. I'm 12 now, which is the perfect age for "maturing," so people will probably just chalk it up to that.
Eiko filled me in on what happened while I was out.
First… A whole year had passed. Yeah, a full year. That's a long time, even for me.
Second, the orphanage had gone from 60 kids to *90*. And that hit our budget hard.
The staff's pay got cut, so the director had to let most of the caretakers go. Now, it's just Eiko, Saya, Hayami-san, and the director himself running the place.
And third… My uncle left me something.
After feeding me, Eiko sent me back to my room to rest and told me to check the closet—apparently, that's where my uncle's will was.
Following her instructions, I returned and opened the closet, finding a small box inside.
I pulled it out and set it on the nightstand, noticing my old smartphone next to it. Outdated but still working.
It was off, so the battery hadn't drained completely. When I turned it on, the first thing I saw was the lock screen—a picture of me and… my uncle, judging by the memories.
Red hair, black eyes, and a scar over his left eye—one he got during a jungle expedition.
Shanks… Yeah, in this world, he's my uncle. Ha…
But why did I suddenly feel so sad? I'm not the real Luffy. I'm Sheldon—an adult stuck in a kid's body.
— Hah… — I sighed again, finally accepting this wasn't a dream. — Alright, let's see what's in the box.
Opening it, the first thing I found was an envelope.
I grabbed it and started reading.
"Luffy, if you're reading this, then I've probably gone on a really, really long journey… Don't be sad that an old man like me kicked the bucket. Always smile and chase your dreams. And if I ever catch you crying, I'll haunt your ass!"
I broke into a nervous grin.
— Damn red-haired bastard… You're probably the reason I'm in this mess. — My eye twitched.
"But seriously, Luffy. Don't cry—be a man. That's what your mom and dad would've wanted, and it's what I want too. You're my nephew—a D. Don't drag that name through the dirt. Crush your enemies, and remember—we'll always be watching. P.S. I promised you a gift when I got back. If I don't make it, treat it like your most precious treasure. —Shanks."
After reading, I lifted the cloth covering the bottom of the box.
— No way… — My eyes widened as I pulled out a straw hat with a red ribbon.
The second I put it on, an indescribable feeling washed over me. Like the hat was showing me the original Luffy's entire life.
— Uncle… — I muttered, tilting the hat down to cover my eyes.
Fine then… I'll live this life my way. That's my goal now.