Emboldened by the incredible power sleeping within his eyes and the guidance of the System, Jovi began his trek out of the luminous forest. Each step felt lighter than the last, the alien moss yielding softly under his feet. He moved with a newfound purpose, the terrifying memory of his death now overlaid with the thrilling uncertainty of his rebirth. The twin suns beat down warmly, and the chiming leaves seemed to whisper tales of adventure. He had to find civilization, to understand where—and when—the System had brought him.
After a walk that felt both endless and fleeting, the bizarre silver trees began to thin, replaced by more familiar, sturdy oaks and pines. The scent of the sea, salt-kissed and invigorating, filled the air, a welcome and grounding aroma. Pushing through a final thicket, he emerged onto a grassy cliffside. Below, cradled in a serene bay, was a small, picturesque town. His breath caught.
It was… familiar. The red-roofed cottages, the central windmill whose sails turned lazily in the ocean breeze, the long wooden dock stretching into the clear blue water—it all tickled a deep, nostalgic part of his memory. A place he knew from countless panels and episodes, a place he had visited a thousand times in his imagination.
This can't be... he thought, his heart beginning to race with a wild, impossible hope. It's just a coincidence, right? A generic coastal town?
Driven by a desperate need to know, he hurried down the sloping path and passed under a rustic wooden archway at the town's entrance. The atmosphere was peaceful, the air filled with the sounds of gulls crying and children laughing in the distance. He had only taken a few steps into the main street when a kindly voice called out to him.
"Young man! You look a little lost there. Are you new here?"
Jovi turned to see a stout, older man with a wide-brimmed hat and a friendly, weather-beaten face. He was holding a fishing rod, a bucket of freshly caught fish at his feet.
Jovi, slightly startled, nodded. "Yes, sir. I... I got lost in the woods and just found my way here. I'm not sure where 'here' is, exactly."
The man chuckled, a warm, rumbling sound. "Well, you've found your way to a peaceful spot, that's for sure! This is Windmill Village, on the lovely Dawn Island. Name's Woop Slap. I'm the mayor around these parts."
The names hit Jovi like a physical blow. Dawn Island. Windmill Village. Woop Slap. The pieces snapped together with dizzying, earth-shattering clarity. He wasn't just in some random fantasy world. He was in the East Blue. He was in the very village where Monkey D. Luffy had been raised. The shock was so profound he felt lightheaded, his System-forged confidence momentarily forgotten in the face of this revelation.
Woop Slap, mistaking his stunned silence for weariness, clapped him on the back. "You look like you could use a drink. Come on, let's get you something."
Numbly, Jovi followed the mayor to a familiar-looking building with a sign that simply read "PARTYS BAR." Pushing the door open, the scent of polished wood, ale, and grilled meat washed over him. And then he saw her. Behind the counter was a beautiful young woman with kind eyes and long, sleek green hair, effortlessly wiping down a glass.
Makino, Jovi's mind supplied, his internal voice a whisper of awe. It was really her.
Woop Slap settled onto a barstool and ordered two cups of beer. Makino smiled warmly at Jovi, a silent welcome, and brought over their drinks.
"So, Jovi," Woop Slap began after a long sip. "What are your plans now that you've found your way to civilization?"
Jovi took a moment, his mind whirring. He was in the world of One Piece. The world he had loved, the world whose ending he had died regretting he would never see. Now, he was living in its past. The possibilities were infinite and terrifying. He couldn't just stay in this peaceful village. He had a System. He had the Sharingan. He had to see it all.
He met Woop Slap's gaze, a new fire igniting in his own eyes. "I'm going to look for a boat," he said, his voice firm with resolve. "A ship to take me to the next island."
Woop Slap raised a bushy eyebrow. "Is that so? And what's the hurry? The sea's a dangerous place, you know."
Jovi took a sip of his beer, the bitter taste a stark contrast to the sweet excitement on his tongue. He offered the mayor a confident smile. "It's simple, really," he said. "I have a taste for adventure." And for the first time, saying those words felt not like a dream, but like a promise.