"Allen, starting tomorrow, you will be the base commander of West Blue Branch 179."
…The waters of the West Blue gleamed a deep azure.
At the end of the street, two men sat on a wooden bench. Dim streetlamps cast a hazy glow through the slowly rising smoke that enveloped them.
The one speaking was powerfully built, broad as a bear. His short hair was silver white, and two cigars were clenched between his teeth, burning steadily as he puffed away.
Born on the Grand Line, now stationed in the West Blue, base commander of Branch 179, Marine Headquarters lieutenant colonel, and a Logia type Smoke Fruit user.
His name was Smoker.
He drew deeply on both cigars and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. His sharp gaze swept over the townspeople hurrying past, and he snorted.
"I know exactly what those big shots are scheming. Those greedy bastards want me free of the underworld's mess. As if I would play along."
"Promoting you, their own loyal aide, is nothing more than putting another leash around your neck."
…The year was 1510 by the Sea Calendar, roughly a decade after that man's execution and the dawn of the Great Age of Pirates.
Piracy was more rampant than ever. These days, every newly appointed base commander had to undergo centralized training at Headquarters and receive an official commission before taking office.
At the other end of the bench, a young man lounged lazily, arms draped across the backrest. His shoulders were smooth and proud, relaxed yet confident.
His features were sharp and well defined. Black hair was tied high into a ponytail, tucked neatly behind his ears. His skin was pale, but there was nothing fragile about him.
Placed beside the weathered Smoker, the contrast was striking. He looked almost too handsome, refined in a way that bordered on dangerous.
From Smoker's words alone, it was clear that this young man's name was Allen, Smoker's executive officer.
A cigarette hung loosely from the corner of his mouth, bobbing slightly as he spoke.
"Honestly, it's not a bad deal. A promotion is a promotion. The pay raise alone makes it worthwhile."
"Officer Smoker, where are you headed next?"
"…Loguetown."
Smoker's voice dropped.
Loguetown sat at the junction of the East Blue and the Grand Line. Since the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was born there and later publicly executed in the same place, the town had become known across the seas as the City of Beginnings and Endings.
Allen's eyebrow twitched, and his fingers slowly curled into a fist.
"That place is a nightmare…"
At the same time, other thoughts surfaced in his mind.
According to the timeline, Smoker would be stuck in Loguetown for a full eight years.
A Logia user with close ties to Admiral Kuzan, yet never promoted. His stubbornness and open defiance of authority were almost certainly the reason.
He was one of the few Marines who questioned the World Government's doctrine of Absolute Justice, choosing instead to follow his own moral code.
Naturally, the higher ups did not appreciate that.
…Allen was not a native of this world. He was a transmigrator.
More precisely, he was the result of a misdelivered assignment.
Name: Allen Uchiha.
Age: 18.
Gender: Male.
Origin: West Blue, Flower Country, orphan.
Position: Deputy Commander of the West Blue Branch 179 base, a side role that would end tomorrow.
Rank: Marine lieutenant colonel, with promotion imminent.
The problem was simple. The Uchiha clan.
Much like the mysterious D. family, this surname carried immense weight in another world, heavy as ink spilled across history.
After Allen calmed down, something resembling a mission interface appeared before his eyes.
"Project: Love and Peace Initiative for Mother and Children"
"Due to their power and history, the Uchiha clan has long been labeled a cursed family, steeped in tragedy and misfortune."
That tragedy will end with you.
Your father is of the Uchiha clan. Your mother belongs to the Snow lineage. You possess both the Sharingan and Ice Release. Your mission is to fuse flame and frost and sever the chains of fate.
Mend the rift between Kaguya Otsutsuki and her sons. End the thousand year feud between Indra and Asura. Bring the Uchiha clan's suffering to a close.
The plan spanned countless pages, encompassing nearly every living member of the Uchiha clan, even the white haired masked impostor hidden among them.
An error occurred. The deployment point in the Land of Water malfunctioned.
Personnel are correcting the timeline. The target has been temporarily revised.
"Purge Protocol"
Until the world line is corrected, target objective:
Eliminate all Celestial Dragons.
Hey!
Do you have to be this biased?
System panel, your preferences and dislikes are showing.
At least tell me the mission details. The rewards? The penalties?
"Mission parameters pending. Rewards and penalties pending."
"There is, however, a fundamental difference. The Uchiha clan sacrifices itself to save the world. As for the Celestial Dragons… the explanation is lengthy. You may draw your own conclusions."
…A mess. Absolutely shameless.
Allen arrived in the Flower Country as an infant. He had no memory of how he got there. All he knew was that he had died in his teens in his previous life.
He had been given a second chance. And since failure carried no punishment, he never obsessed over it.
Fortunately, he awakened Ice Release at the age of four. By conjuring ice to survive, he scraped through his earliest years.
At twelve, after saving for a long time, he bought a small boat, raised a skull flag, and declared his ambition to become a free pirate.
In a world where everyone chased the title of Pirate King, that seemed perfectly reasonable.
He never even made it out of the harbor.
Smoker caught him on the spot.
Facing a Logia user, Allen was completely helpless. His cheap fifty Beli flag was torn to shreds.
His enterprise died before it ever began.
After that, he was dragged onto Smoker's ship as an "intern" and steadily worked his way up to deputy officer.
The best part was the pay. Marine field officers earned well, and there were plenty of side opportunities.
Allen did not mind hunting Celestial Dragons. They disgusted him.
But he was not someone like Luffy, adored by fate itself. If you shouted "down with the dragons" at dawn, by dusk grass would already be growing over your grave.
Just kidding. As if there would even be a grave.
Originally, he planned to go to Wano, train under Kaido, and strike from the shadows once he was strong enough.
But over the years, he had thought it through carefully.
Kaido's training was brutally demanding. Fundamentals came first.
When it came to building an unshakable foundation, no organization surpassed the Marines.
Besides, being a Marine and hunting dragons were not mutually exclusive.
Working from the inside was often easier.
"Allen, you've been running the base anyway, so no need for a speech…" Smoker gestured toward the scattered figures in black suits under the night sky. "Capone Bege. A fast rising newcomer."
"They say the days belong to the Marines, and the nights belong to his family."
The West Blue had always bred mafia groups. Organizations like his were practically part of the scenery.
About ten years ago, another name had once dominated this sea.
Ohara.
The sanctuary of archaeologists.
Unfortunately, it had vanished from every record, erased completely.
"Too arrogant…" Smoker muttered.
He took another drag from his cigar, his tone turning grave.
"He's ruthless."
"Tonight, I'll take you to meet him. Crush his pride and make it clear…"
Crack.
Smoker bit down, snapping the cigars in half. His voice was cold.
"This is not pirate territory."
"No need to go through all that trouble." Allen rose unhurriedly, a lazy smile spreading across his face. "You leave tomorrow. Go take a bath and get some proper rest."
If a new commander needed the old one to flaunt strength for him, the other side would only laugh.
The young man's lips curved into a relaxed, cunning smile, handsome to the point of danger.
"I've always wanted to say this, Officer Smoker. You're far too soft on pirates."
"Let me show them the justice of their new commander."
Hands in his pockets, Allen strolled calmly into the night.