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"Waaah… waaah…"
What's that sound?
A baby crying?
Wait—was that me?!
Dan tried to snap his eyes open, but his eyelids felt like they were made of lead.
His whole body was soft, weak—his arms and legs didn't obey him at all.
After several tries, he barely managed to crack his eyes open.
Through the blur, he saw a completely unfamiliar place.
Where… where the hell am I?
Still in my country?
Dan was completely lost.
Wasn't I supposed to be in my rented apartment, grinding games all night?
How did I wake up in the middle of nowhere?!
And this body… feels so weird!
He tilted his head down and struggled to raise one "hand."
A chubby, pink little arm entered his view.
Short. Weak.
A baby's hand!
What the—?!
Dan's brain buzzed like a bomb had gone off.
I turned into a baby?!
Did I transmigrate? Reincarnate?!
What the hell is happening?!
[Ding! Soul stability confirmed. Activating Multiverse Growth System…Activation complete. Beginner's gift pack distributing…]
A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
A system?
Dan froze.
Did I just get the standard-issue transmigrator starter pack?
But what's a baby supposed to do with a system?
Before he could think, a wave of indescribable pain shot through his very soul—
Like someone pressed a red-hot iron brand straight onto his consciousness!
"Waaaaaahhh!"
Dan screamed uncontrollably, tears and snot running down his tiny face.
The agony hit fast—but faded just as quickly.
What replaced it was… strange.
It felt like something new had appeared inside his body.
Something like… presence.
[Ding! Beginner's gift pack received: Top-Tier Conqueror's Haki!]
Conqueror's Haki?
Top-tier Conqueror's Haki?!
Dan's crying hitched to a stop.
Oh, he knew this one.
The ability straight out of One Piece—one in a million people had the potential to awaken it, and he'd gotten the rarest, strongest version!
So… I really did end up in the One Piece world?
As a newborn, no less?!
Before he could wrap his head around it—
BOOM!
The ground shook violently, like a magnitude-10 earthquake had just hit.
Stones flew, dust rose into the air.
Dan felt like a rubber ball, bouncing and rolling away with the tremor.
When he looked up—
A shadow so massive it blocked the sky loomed over him.
An oppressive weight crashed down on him, making it hard to breathe.
Dan forced his tiny head up.
What he saw made his blood run cold.
A colossal figure stood not far away.
Bulging muscles, horns jutting from his head, a rope sash around his waist, and a gigantic kanabo club in one hand.
That face—brutal, savage, radiating barely restrained rage.
"Burp… what a damn boring day…"
The voice rumbled like thunder, making Dan's head buzz.
Kaido.
The Kaido.
The Strongest Creature in the World.
Dan's pupils shrank to pinpoints. His heart nearly stopped.
A Yonko—right at the start?!
And it had to be the suicidal lunatic himself?
System, did you throw me here just to watch me die?!
Kaido looked like he'd just failed yet another sky-jump suicide attempt and was in an even fouler mood than usual.
He scanned the area, and his gaze briefly landed on the baby lying there like a helpless grub.
"Hmph. Abandoned brat."
A flicker of something passed through Kaido's eyes before he looked away again—this kind of scene was nothing new in this world.
He let out a burp, hefted his kanabo over his shoulder, and turned to leave.
From start to finish, he hadn't taken the baby seriously at all.
Live, die—what did it matter to him?
Dan watched Kaido's towering back, a rush of relief washing through him… quickly followed by despair.
He was a newborn. He couldn't crawl, couldn't walk, couldn't even sit up.
Sure, he had top-tier Conqueror's Haki—
But could that feed him?
Clothe him?
Change his diaper?
He'd still just starve here!
[Ding! System Mission Issued: Survival in Desperation!Objective: Survive 100 days in the current environment.Reward: One random Multiverse item.]
A hundred days?!
In this state, three days would be a miracle!
Dan's gaze snapped to Kaido's retreating back.
No way.
He couldn't let Kaido leave.
Kaido was his only chance to live!
But how could he make him stay?
Cry?
Like Kaido would care.
Act cute?
To Kaido? Yeah, that's just asking to die faster.
Wait…
Conqueror's Haki!
The system gave me top-tier Conqueror's Haki!
I don't know how to use it, but it's the only card I've got to play!
All or nothing.
At that moment—
Hissss—
A brightly-colored snake slithered out from between the rocks.
Its triangular head rose, tongue flicking, cold pupils locking onto Dan.
Fresh, tender meat—perfect snack.
It struck like lightning, fangs bared, aiming right for the back of Dan's neck.
Dan didn't even know it was there.
At the last possible second—
BANG!
A shadow flashed by.
The snake was smashed into pulp on the spot, its remains splattering the ground.
Dan couldn't turn over to see what happened—
But then he saw Kaido glance back.
The giant bent a finger, flicked a pebble toward him.
"Annoying little pest."
Kaido muttered, then kept walking.
Dan finally realized what had just happened—
Kaido had saved him!
If that's the case…
He owed this guy.
No way could he just let him walk off now.
Dan gathered every ounce of his will.
His gaze sharpened.
"Huh?"
Kaido seemed to sense something and stopped.
The next second—
WHOOOOM!
An invisible shockwave exploded from Dan's tiny body!
This wasn't just ordinary Conqueror's Haki intimidation—
It was sharper, purer, radiating a primal, sovereign authority that seemed to come from the very core of life itself.
The air itself seemed to freeze under that presence.
Pebbles and grass silently turned to dust.
Even a few massive trees in the distance cracked apart like they were about to collapse.
Kaido turned fully now, his eyes widening for the first time.
This Haki—
So strong!
Stronger than any he'd ever felt.
Even… stronger than his own when he was that age.
Impossible!
A newborn awakening Conqueror's Haki?
And not just any Haki—this monster-level presence?!
Kaido had seen everything in his life—
But this scene shattered even his worldview.
His own Haki was already among the strongest.
But the potential exploding from this baby made even him feel a twinge of dread.
This brat… what is he?
Kaido's gaze changed.
No more casual indifference.
Now he looked with suspicion… curiosity… and just a trace—
Of excitement.
Interesting.
This is getting very interesting.
"..."
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