The old man looked almost too young to be so cheerful.
"This place… it's like a paradise," he said.
In a narrow alley, a group of ragged children surrounded him, their eyes full of suspicion and longing.
The man sat on the steps, wearing a black wide-brimmed hat and a worn white coat. His skin was pale, and he looked fragile.
"Doctor Reddy, don't think you can fool us just because we're kids," one boy shouted, maybe eleven or twelve. "There's no paradise in the world!"
The others nodded, echoing his words:"Yeah! You can work hard, but pirates will steal everything!""No kid gets a proper education!""And orphans aren't magically taken care of by the government!"
They fired off one objection after another.
Reddy just smiled. He didn't argue. His body belonged to this world, but his soul came from another, one that knew a different kind of life. A life where stability, peace, and opportunity existed.
"Yes, that world had flaws," he thought, "but it was safe. No famine, no war, and every child could learn."
A small girl, maybe five or six, clutched a filthy stuffed rabbit with one ear missing. "Will you take us there?" she asked.
Her friend Yake, older and more skeptical, scowled. "Mia, don't buy into this nonsense. If Doctor Reddy knew about a paradise, why come to Rogue Town? Is paradise somewhere in the East Sea?"
"I… I just want to go," Mia whispered.
The alley went quiet. The other children looked to Yake, uncertain but unwilling to speak up.
"Don't believe him," Yake muttered. His voice was harsh, not because he doubted Reddy, but because he couldn't bear seeing his friends cling to false hope.
Reddy chuckled. He knelt, pressing a hand to Mia's head, forehead to hers. "Yake is right," he said gently, "there's no paradise here—but we can make one ourselves."
Mia sighed, disappointed. The other children mirrored her expression.
Rogue Town had earned its grim reputation. It sat at the throat of the East Sea, the last stop for pirates before the Grand Line. Families lost to pirate raids were a common sight. Every child here dreamed of escape.
"Even if it takes years, we must try," Reddy said, tousling their hair one by one.
The children scattered, muttering among themselves. Mia stayed, clutching her doll. "Can we really build a paradise?"
"Of course," Reddy said, smiling. "That's why I came to Rogue Town." He pressed her head gently.
Her eyes sparkled. "So… paradise is in the East Sea?"
"Not exactly," Reddy said, grinning. "I'm looking for an island in the sky."
"An island in the sky?" Mia blinked, bewildered. "What… what would that even look like?"
Reddy gestured toward the harbor. "Or maybe a giant ship, floating in the sky."
Suddenly, Yake came running, flanked by several children, panic written all over their faces.
"Hide! Pirates are coming again!"
Yake led the group, his arm wounded, a bruise on his forehead, and the corner of his mouth split.
"Those little brats are here!"
A band of pirates, turbaned and grim-faced, chased them down the alley.
Mia hid behind Reddy, clutching his coat. "Doctor… he's just a doctor. He can't fight them. If we hold out until the Navy comes, we'll be safe."
"I don't believe the Navy can save us," Mia said firmly. "Doctor Reddy will. He'll lead us to build a paradise!"
The pirates shouted behind them, "Catch that man and the kids! Make them pay, and we'll show everyone who's feared!"
Yake grabbed Mia's hand, trying to pull her away.
"I'm staying!" she said stubbornly.
Yake hesitated, then shoved the other children forward. "Go!"
He faced Reddy. "We're going to die here because of you!"
Reddy smiled calmly. "Aren't you afraid of death?"
"I am," Yake admitted. "But I won't let Mia die alone."
Mia continued to cling to Reddy, believing him to be their savior.
"The Navy only serves their own sense of justice," Reddy said. "They can't protect everyone who wants stability. I've decided to create my own utopia."
He raised a hand. A hidden interface appeared before him, visible only to his eyes:
[Gene Library]
[Gene Analysis Lab]
[Gene Editing Lab]
[Chip Lab]
[Biochem Lab]
[Clone Factory]
He clicked "Clone Workshop." A new menu opened:
[Finished Product Library]
[Strengthening Workshop]
[Transformation Workshop]
The finished product library revealed:
[Gene Wolf (LV4)] ×5
[Gene Sea Beast (LV5)] ×1
Reddy clicked. Five black shapes appeared, surrounding him and the children. Wolves—but taller, over 1.6 meters, covered in glimmering black scales, claws sharp as daggers. They glared at the pirates chasing them.
"He's a Devil Fruit user! Run!" one pirate yelled.
The pirates froze. Devil Fruits were legendary, granting extraordinary powers. No one expected a frail-looking doctor to summon monsters out of thin air.
"I knew Reddy would save us!" Mia cheered, clapping.
"I'm just a doctor… and a gene scientist," Reddy said, smiling. "It may not make sense to you, but we can't ignore those in need. Will you come with me?"
"I want to!" Mia jumped, gripping her coat.
Yake hesitated, then nodded firmly.