P.O.V. Raikoh
Raikoh played in the beach sand while Luffy ran around like the little hurricane he was. The other residents of Foosha Village were enjoying their weekend with family on yet another lazy day in the East Blue.
Some adults still looked at him in surprise whenever they noticed his height and the horns on his forehead. Being half-oni, he looked as tall as an older child, and horns were quite a novelty in this part of the sea—but he didn't really care about the attention.
His body had already started to show some muscle; his "grandfather" would always train him and Luffy in the island's forests and mountains. According to Garp, four years old was the perfect age for a Marine to start training.
Not that he or Luffy had any plans of joining the Marines. At this point in the timeline, his "brother" hadn't yet developed the ambition to become the Pirate King, but Raikoh could already sense that dormant charisma slowly awakening—the desire to be the freest man in the world.
Smiling as he remembered the events that would one day set Luffy on his pirate path, he looked toward the village, watching the wooden houses. Up on the hills, the windmills turned slowly, catching the light sea breeze.
'Tomorrow I'll turn five in this world. I miss my old family and friends, but I try not to dwell on them… the past belongs where it is.' Raikoh shook his head, driving away the occasional dark thought.
The mysterious essence was supposed to appear the next day. He'd never been so excited for a birthday before—maybe only when Garp had promised to bring him a few books about the world.
Raikoh had knowledge about the events shown in the anime, but here, this was reality, and he needed to learn how the world truly worked and whether there were differences from what he knew.
He laughed, remembering his grandfather's face when he'd asked for books about the world, arguing it would be useful to understand things and that even a good Marine should study. Garp had learned everything by living it himself; he knew books didn't tell the whole truth—but Raikoh had never been normal and would probably find that out sooner or later.
Mini-Flashback:"Pretty sure Senny won't mind those old books lying around the headquarters; I'll bring you some." Garp had shrugged and grabbed them by the collar, marching them back to the forest.
The training sessions were exhausting—probably Garp's idea of a "light" version of Marine training, which was likely even harsher. Poor Luffy couldn't even stand at the end of the day. Hell, even Raikoh himself felt half-dead.
To his disappointment, Garp hadn't brought many useful books; most were propaganda glorifying the Celestial Dragons and their brainwashing. The few with real information only described some countries under world government protection.
"…koh… rai… RAIKOH!" Raikoh snapped out of his thoughts at the voice of his "little brother," the boy's face full of sand and a huge grin. "Let's go play in the water! Masaki said we can if we stay near the shore! C'mon, hurry!"
Raikoh chuckled, stood up, and walked toward the water. Masaki was practically the village kids' babysitter when she wasn't running her husband's tavern. She was also Makino's mother, who was playing nearby with some other girls.
Luffy wanted to learn to swim but was still too young and would grumble about it constantly. He wanted to be grown up already, and maybe Raikoh didn't help by acting so mature and becoming Luffy's ideal role model—especially since the adults kept praising Raikoh's demeanor.
"Hey! Luffy! Stay closer to the shore. Masaki won't want to ruin her dress saving us from the water, and I don't want to deal with Gramps when he finds out we disobeyed. You know how he gets… we'd be lucky to get away with just a week or two of extra training." Seeing Luffy drift farther from the beach, Raikoh decided dropping Garp's name would work best.
The effect was immediate. Luffy practically teleported back to the shore like he already knew how to use Soru. Soon enough, he was running all over the place again, the endless ball of energy he always was. Raikoh just smiled—life as a kid was relaxing.
And why wouldn't it be? At this point, the mountain bandits weren't bold enough to cause trouble in the village—not with rumors floating around that a vice admiral of the marines visited the island and its forests from time to time.
"What are you thinking about?" Masaki sat down beside Raikoh while keeping an eye on Luffy. Even when he listened to adults, he'd surely find a way to cause chaos if someone got distracted. 'If only he were more like Raikoh,' she thought.
Raikoh glanced at the woman who looked almost identical to the Makino he'd seen in the anime and shrugged, pointing at Luffy. "Tomorrow's my birthday. You know how he gets on those days," he answered without much thought.
Masaki knew that whenever either boy had a birthday, Garp would come to visit, and Luffy would always get anxious thinking about what new training the Marine Hero might bring. The strange part was that Raikoh never seemed to complain, even when he looked half-dead afterward.
"I don't know how you can handle that training—it's abuse," Masaki said. She didn't like Garp's methods, but there wasn't much she could do. The boys did get stronger by the end of it, yet it still hurt her to see them like that.
Another thing that worried her was how Raikoh seemed more like an adult in a child's body than an actual child. The boy helped around the village in exchange for food and money; he went fishing with some of the fishermen, sometimes helped out at the tavern doing small chores, and rarely played with other kids—Luffy being the only real exception.
"Gramps is just worried about our future," Raikoh replied.
Masaki simply sighed and stood up; the sun was setting, and it was time to head back. The boys lived in a small house near the tavern—kept standing mostly thanks to Raikoh, who cleaned and fixed whatever Luffy broke. It was a simple wooden house, weather-worn and in need of repairs here and there, but enough to live in.
With everything gathered, the villagers returned to the village, storing their belongings. That was the ritual after a day at the beach, before everyone gathered for dinner at Masaki's husband's tavern. Raikoh had only seen the man a few times—he was a fisherman who was often away from the island, also working as a trader with nearby islands, carrying goods on his ship.
When night fell, everyone gathered at the tavern for dinner. Despite the place being crowded, it wasn't too rowdy since the children were exhausted after playing all day. Even Luffy was eating quietly for once. The peace of this village was something Raikoh intended to protect in the future.
"Luffy, we should go to bed," Raikoh said, his voice tired. Even though he had more stamina than an average human, he was still just a little boy. They thanked everyone for the meal and went home, falling asleep the moment they lay down.
The next day.
Raikoh opened his eyes, coming face-to-face with a vial filled with silvery liquid dotted with tiny lights like stars in the night sky—and next to it, a yellowed scroll. A chill ran down his spine, and smiling, he took both items and went to the bathroom, trying not to wake Luffy in case anything magical happened, like glowing lights or something.
Taking a deep breath, he placed the vial carefully in the bathroom cabinet and unrolled the scroll. Its contents made his eyes widen and his heart pound faster. The scroll read:
**"Ahoy! How's my favorite half-oni doing? Hope all's well!
Well then, you're about to taste the nectar of the gods! Something not even the Pirate King or the Emperors could dream of—and if they knew, they'd never refuse! Let me present to you: the Essence of Hypercompetence! Pause for dramatic effect.
Drink this essence, and welcome to the magical world of people who can do it all.
Whether wielding a sword, mastering your Haki, or even learning to play the shamisen—you'll do it all at the peak of your abilities. The best part? No mistakes, stumbles, or slip-ups. Every reflex will feel as if you'd planned it hours ahead.
Just by seeing or trying something new, you'll already know how to start mastering it. Sailing through the Calm Belt? Figuring out the secrets of a Devil Fruit? You'll find it so easy it might almost feel boring—but really, who could get bored being this good in such a dangerous world?
You'll be strong, fast, resilient, and agile like a champion. Old wounds and illnesses will vanish as if they'd never existed. Your muscles, reflexes, and stamina? Sculpted as if by Hephaestus himself.
And your brain, naturally, gets its own upgrade! You'll have the peak intelligence a person in this world can reach. Watch out, Vegapunk! Perfect memory? Check. Creativity? Check. Perception beyond the ordinary? Everything balanced at the very top!
Your mom always said you're the most precious thing in the world—guess what? She's right, now more than ever, thanks to this beauty.
Traumas, guilt, regrets? Please! You'll be a perfectly functional, balanced adult! Do what must be done, or at least what should be done—understand them, overcome them with clarity. Every fall will help you rise even higher.
Time won't be your enemy—or rather, it won't wear down your skills, memories, or techniques. My boy is flawless!
Feeling a bit too humble? There's an off switch somewhere in your mind—but your survival instinct is tireless and always active. Danger ahead? You'll know!
Think a mere Conqueror's Haki could block all this? Think again! Nothing in these seas or skies can block, steal, or even weaken it.
Not planning to have kids? That's up to you! And as a bonus, how about always smelling good, even after weeks at sea? Amazing, right? And you know what else? That red-haired swordsman everyone loves, the one who can never be caught off guard? You get that too! Heh!
Drink up, and become as legendary as the treasure everyone seeks—or as cursed as those who dare challenge the sea without fear.
Signed: The one who laughs even at fate.
P.S.: Despite all this, you're not immortal—so don't go picking fights with emperors and the world government on your own."
"Heh… hehehe… hehehehehehehehahahahahaha!" The laughter came out uncontrollably—even someone like Raikoh couldn't help it after receiving a gift like this. But he quickly recovered, remembering he wasn't alone in the house. Without another thought, he uncorked the vial and drank the liquid.
"Doesn't taste like anythi—" Raikoh lost consciousness immediately afterward.