The year was 1510 of the sea Calendar.
The sun shone brightly over the East Blue.
At the edge of the Goa Kingdom—known as the "Final Destination of the Uncertain"—a crow descended from the sky, landing atop a mountain of garbage. It pecked at a rotten apple, preparing to feast.
Suddenly—
A hand shot out from the pile.
Startled, the crow flapped its wings and fled, leaving behind a single black feather that drifted down onto a young boy's face.
"Bah! Bah!"
Damon Varkos struggled as he crawled out of the garbage heap, his entire body aching with exhaustion. He collapsed on top of the trash, breathing heavily.
As someone from the modern world, Damon had never imagined that simply staying up all night doing homework would lead to something so absurd—
Being thrown into another world.
Memories flooded his mind, colliding with those of the body he now possessed, forcing him to quickly understand his situation.
This was the Goa Kingdom, praised as the most beautiful nation in the East Blue.
And yet…
It discarded everything it deemed "filthy" into this place.
Garbage. Waste.
And people.
Unfortunately, the original owner of this body had been one of those people—a nameless orphan, a beggar abandoned here to survive or die. He had lived by scavenging scraps that even the city's poorest wouldn't touch.
No one knew what he had eaten…
But whatever it was, it killed him.
And that was how Damon came to take over this body.
Since the boy had no name, Damon naturally chose to keep his own.
Before he could fully process everything, the sound of approaching footsteps reached his ears, accompanied by a childish voice:
"Ace, Sabo, look! That guy is so weird—he's lying in the garbage without any clothes!"
Damon forced himself up and looked toward the source of the voice.
Three boys came into view, chasing each other playfully.
The one in front wore a red sleeveless vest, his messy black hair swaying in the sea breeze. A steel pipe rested firmly in his hand, and his sharp eyes constantly scanned the surroundings.
Behind him was a boy dressed in a neat blue suit, wearing a top hat—his posture refined, yet his gaze filled with a longing for freedom.
Trailing behind them was the youngest, a straw hat hanging loosely across his back, pointing dramatically at Damon.
Damon immediately recognized them.
Luffy. Ace. Sabo.
The legendary brothers.
He glanced down at himself and couldn't help but grimace.
Thin. Dirty. Barely the size of a six- or seven-year-old child.
Covered in filth, reeking of decay.
At that moment—
Grrrlll…
His stomach growled loudly.
Damon's expression darkened.
He was starving.
Ace, who had been watching him cautiously, relaxed slightly upon hearing the sound.
This place was filled with danger—thieves, bandits, traffickers. He had initially suspected Damon of being bait.
But clearly…
He was just another starving child.
Moments later—
"Gululu~"
Luffy clutched his stomach.
"I'm starving! When are we eating?!"
"Let's head to the beach and find something," Sabo suggested.
As the three turned to leave, Damon's eyes flickered.
Alone, he wouldn't survive.
Not in this world.
Without hesitation, he dragged his exhausted body and followed behind them.
"My name is Damon Varkos… Can I join you?"
Before Ace or Sabo could respond, Luffy burst into laughter.
"Great! Now I'm not the weakest anymore!"
Sabo smiled slightly, saying nothing.
Ace hesitated—but in the end, he said nothing either.
And just like that…
Damon stepped into their circle.
⸻
By the time they reached the beach, the sky stretched endlessly above the sea, waves shimmering under the sunlight as seagulls dipped gracefully into the water.
The group split up.
Ace and Sabo went fishing.
Luffy gathered firewood.
Damon stayed behind.
Despite his weak condition, he managed to build a simple campfire using his past experience.
By the time the others returned—each carrying a large fish—the fire was already burning.
As Sabo prepared the fish with practiced ease, Ace casually questioned Damon about his past.
When he learned that Damon was an orphaned beggar, his expression softened slightly.
In the Goa Kingdom, such stories were all too common.
A nation of beauty on the surface…
Rotten at its core.
As they talked, Ace suddenly asked:
"Damon… do you have a dream?"
Before Damon could answer—
Luffy puffed out his chest.
"I'm going to become the Pirate King and find the One Piece!"
Ace and Sabo both covered their faces in embarrassment.
Damon looked up at the sky.
For a moment, memories of his previous life surfaced…
A normal life.
A safe dream.
Study hard, get a stable job, live quietly.
Then—
He smirked.
"To do less… and gain more.
To reap without effort—"
"That's my ideal."
Ding!
A mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
"System detected. Binding conditions fulfilled."
"Meme Lottery System successfully activated."
"By reciting iconic lines, the host will receive lottery chances."
"Congratulations! You have gained one draw opportunity."
Damon's eyes sharpened.
A system.
Just like in the stories.
Suppressing his excitement, he remained outwardly calm as he continued chatting—while silently activating the lottery.
A glowing roulette wheel appeared before his eyes, invisible to others.
On it—
Powerful names.
Legendary abilities.
Even…
Summoned characters.
Damon's lips twitched.
Only children make choices…
Adults take everything.
But he knew better.
This system…
Was not something he could control.
Under the curious gazes of the others, Damon walked toward the sea, washing his hands slowly.
Then—
He clasped them together.
Closed his eyes.
And silently made his wish.