"Ace… no! No! No!"
Mizuchi stood at a crosswalk, clutching his One Piece manga, roaring toward the sky in anguish. On the page before him was the very scene of Ace's death at the hands of Akainu.
Ace was one of Jiang Lin's favorite characters in One Piece. To think he perished during the Marineford War… in this moment, his heart ached no less than Luffy's.
SCREECH—BANG!
As Mizuchi was breaking down over Oda's cruel plot, a sharp screech of brakes sounded behind him. A crushing pain engulfed him, suffocating and sharp, before his body was hurled into the air and slammed heavily against the ground.
"Devil Fruit Infinite Duplication System has been activated. Binding host… Binding successful. Host: Mizuchi. Current Devil Fruit Card count: zero. Please continue your efforts to collect all Devil Fruit Cards listed in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia."
When that mechanical voice echoed inside his mind, Mizuchi opened his eyes—only to find himself no longer on Earth.
Towering before him was an enormous Yarukiman Mangrove tree, emblazoned with the number 27. At that instant, Mizuchi realized exactly where he was.
The Sabaody Archipelago.The birthplace of the "Worst Generation"… and the closest island cluster to Marine Headquarters on the Grand Line.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
A hail of gunfire, followed by the chaos of panicked screams, snapped Mizuchi back to reality. Pirates were scattering in every direction, fleeing desperately. Chasing them were squads of fierce-looking Marines.
"I… crossed over?"
Heart pounding with excitement, Mizuchi scrambled to find a mirror. Staring back at him was a man clad in a blue coat and pointed leather hat—a full pirate's getup.
Short, neat hair. A clean, unwarped face.At least, he thought, he was a handsome enough extra.
But his self-appreciation didn't last long. A middle-aged man suddenly leaned close, draped in a white coat with the large kanji for "Justice" emblazoned across his back. His attire—a dark yellow suit with pale stripes—was striking enough, but it was his friendly smile and casual tone that froze Mizuchi in place.
"Moshi moshi! Brat, I've got a little something to ask you. I'm looking for a man named Sentomaru. You know where he is?"
The thin mustache, the tinted yellow glasses, and that overwhelming aura… Mizuchi's breath caught.
It was none other than Borsalino, better known as Admiral Kizaru of Marine Headquarters.
"A… A Marine Admiral?!"
The pirates around Mizuchi didn't need a second confirmation. The moment Kizaru appeared, they scattered like frightened rats. Within seconds, the street once swarming with pirates became eerily empty—leaving only Mizuchi standing there.
Don't tell me I'm going to die the moment I reincarnate?!
As a diehard One Piece fan, Jiang Lin didn't even need to think—he knew exactly who stood before him. Any other time, he might have shouted "Idol!" with wild excitement. But now, only one thought filled his mind: how to stay alive. After all, his current identity was that of a pirate.
"How strange…"
Kizaru didn't seem to notice Jiang Lin's panic. He simply lifted his left hand, murmuring into the black Den Den Mushi strapped there.
"You have encountered a Devil Fruit user. To obtain their Devil Fruit Card, either engage them in combat for one minute or remain within one meter of them for one minute. Afterward, you will acquire their corresponding Devil Fruit Card."
The familiar mechanical voice rang again in Mizuchi's head. His eyes widened.
To copy an opponent's Devil Fruit simply by fighting them for a minute—or staying within a meter of them? This system was ridiculously overpowered.
"Kizaru!"
Mizuchi had no other choice. He gritted his teeth, stretched out his hand, and patted Kizaru's shoulder. The instant his palm touched the Admiral's body, two system messages echoed in his mind:
"You have attacked the Pika Pika no Mi user, Borsalino. Copying process initiated. Please endure for one minute.""You are within one meter of the Pika Pika no Mi user, Borsalino. Copying process initiated. Please endure for one minute."
Patting his shoulder counted as an "attack," while standing close triggered the distance condition. Both requirements activated at once.
"So… do you know where Sentomaru is?"
Kizaru lowered his Den Den Mushi and smiled casually at Jiang Lin.
"I know! I just saw him go that way. Want me to show you?"
Mizuchi waved vaguely at the empty street ahead.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Kizaru's tone was noncommittal, but he didn't object. Amused, he simply followed beside Mizuchi as they walked together.
"Thirty seconds…"
Mizuchi led the way, all while counting the system's timer in his head. Right now, he had no powers at all. If he couldn't copy Kizaru's fruit, he was dead meat.
"Moshi moshi, brat. You sure you know where Sentomaru is?"
Kizaru pressed again as they walked.
"Almost there! Just up ahead—turn the corner and you'll see him!"
Mizuchi forced himself to answer, though his attention was glued to the timer. He didn't even realize he had circled back around—until they once again stood before Mangrove Tree #27.
"Oi… brat. Are you toying with me?"
A cold voice drifted from behind him. Mizuchi turned, meeting Kizaru's amused yet dangerous gaze.
"One minute elapsed. Copy of the Pika Pika no Mi complete.""Host has acquired a Devil Fruit Card. Activation device online. Please insert card to obtain corresponding Devil Fruit ability.""Pika Pika no Mi equipped. Usage duration: 10 minutes. Cooldown time: 30 seconds."
System chimes overlapped rapidly. Finally, Mizuchi had gained his first foothold in the One Piece world—the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit.
"Tell me… have you ever been kicked by light?"
Under Kizaru's piercing stare, Mizuchi raised his left foot. A dazzling golden glow erupted from his sole, shocking the Admiral enough to break his lazy composure.
"Honestly… I only wanted to ask you for directions."
Muttering in exasperation, Kizaru lifted his own foot. The same radiant light gathered there.
Two men, both wielding the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit, stood facing each other on the Sabaody Archipelago.
And then—light collided.
(End of Chapter)