“Where am I?” Nokiyoru’s head throbbed as if clamped in a vice, leaving him breathless.
He felt weak, his entire body limp as if he had just recovered from a severe illness, devoid of any strength.
Groggily, Nokiyoru opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. Everything was white, suggesting he was in a hospital. He was undoubtedly a patient here.
“Nokishio!” he suddenly remembered. Struggling to sit up, Nokiyoru’s face was filled with anxiety. He hadn’t forgotten the moment a black hole swallowed him and Nokishio.
“Ugh…” He groaned in pain as his body felt as if it was falling apart.
But he had to know if Nokishio was safe.
“You’re awake.” Like a cool breeze, a stern, authoritative voice broke through, catching Nokiyoru’s attention.
“Tsuru?” Despite her relatively young age, her strong, wise presence was unmistakable. Nokiyoru narrowed his eyes slightly, realizing he must have crossed into the One Piece world.
Nokiyoru felt neither excitement nor elation. Despite the unbelievable nature of his situation, it had no real value for him.
He had suffered enough compared to his previous life, which was filled with warmth and connections. As for his parents, they were nothing. His only concern had always been Nokishio.
Tsuru, appearing to be in her fifties or sixties, indicated that the main storyline was still a long way off. Nokiyoru’s mind raced with thoughts and possibilities.
“Young man, are you from Skypiea?” Tsuru’s calm voice interrupted Nokiyoru’s thoughts. She sat upright, her hands clasped on her lap, and her wise eyes fixed on Nokiyoru as if seeing through everything, making him uneasy.
“What makes you think that?” Nokiyoru’s calm gaze met hers without flinching. In the world of One Piece, where the strong prey on the weak, keeping one’s true intentions hidden was crucial for survival and growth. The woman before him was exceedingly sharp.
“Do you know who I am?” Tsuru smiled slightly, intrigued by Nokiyoru. Her intuition told her that this boy was not ordinary, and she trusted her instincts implicitly.
“Judging by your attire, you’re a Marine, and of significant rank,” Nokiyoru replied vaguely.
Tsuru’s eyes flashed with interest before she smiled. “I am Vice Admiral Tsuru, a strategist.”
“Thank you, regardless of everything, for saving me,” Nokiyoru struggled to sit up, wanting to express his gratitude, knowing the Marines saved him.
“What’s your name, and are you from Skypiea?” Tsuru asked again, clearly interested in Nokiyoru’s story.
“You can call me Nokiyoru Kara. As for Skypiea, what makes you think that?”
“You’ve repeated ‘what makes you think that’ twice now. It’s not a good answer, but it’s fine if you don’t want to say. Your body is still weak; you should rest.” Tsuru glanced at him before standing up, ready to leave.
“Please wait.” As she stepped away, Nokiyoru’s urgent voice made her turn back, and she looked curiously at the anxious boy on the bed.
“When you saved me, was there a girl with me? Black hair, black eyes, looks very much like me.” Despite Nokiyoru’s efforts to suppress his urgency, Tsuru could easily see through it.
“I’m sorry.” After a moment of hesitation, Tsuru frowned. “When you fell from the sky, there was indeed a girl with you. Unfortunately, we couldn’t save her in time.”
Nokiyoru’s eyes widened in shock, his face turning pale.
“Do you mean… she’s dead?” Nokiyoru’s fists clenched as he looked up, his once bright eyes now blood-red, his face filled with despair.
A violent rage surged through him, making Tsuru’s heart race. But she quickly calmed herself and said, “No, she might not be dead.”
Nokiyoru’s bloodshot eyes bore into Tsuru.
“During our pursuit of the Flying Pirate Gang, you two suddenly fell from the sky. That girl was captured by the great pirate Shiki. I’m sorry, but we could only save you.”
“Shiki…” Nokiyoru growled, his face twisted in anger. Shiki, a pirate aiming to overthrow the world, was formidable. Nokiyoru couldn’t fathom what kind of treatment Nokishio would endure in Shiki’s hands.
Watching anime, any incident could be dismissed as part of the story. But now, it was a real, hellish world where the weak were worse off than animals.
“Perhaps because you are from Skypiea, Shiki found you interesting,” Tsuru explained, sensing a deep unease and dread from this young boy, who seemed only sixteen or seventeen.
“Rest well. Call for the medical staff if you need anything.” With that, Tsuru turned to leave. Nokiyoru was just an ordinary civilian. With the suspicion of being from Skypiea, he would have seen Tsuru. This was reality, not a story where the protagonist had a halo, and the world revolved around him.
Ignoring Tsuru’s departure, Nokiyoru forced himself to calm down.
“Calm down, calm down…”
The only good news was that both he and Nokishio were alive, and he knew her whereabouts. There was only one path forward: becoming stronger. The best way to achieve that was by joining the Marines.
If he could become a Vice Admiral or even an Admiral, he could use the World Government’s resources to find Shiki and rescue Nokishio.
But first, he needed to determine the current timeline. Tsuru’s appearance gave him some clues, but it wasn’t enough.
As his thoughts cleared, Nokiyoru decided on his future path.
“Shiki, you better not harm Nokishio, or I’ll make sure you die a miserable death.”
Nokiyoru took a deep breath, his eyebrows furrowing as he extended his slightly pale right hand. His entire hand was enveloped in a golden-red flame, radiating intense heat.
“Flames?” Nokiyoru closed his eyes, processing the information flooding his mind.
“A Devil Fruit? Could it be that one?” Nokiyoru’s eyes sparkled. He knew he had the means to grow stronger now.
“Devil Fruit: Tori Tori no Mi, Mythical Zoan Model: Ōgon no Hi no Tori (Golden Sun Bird).”
“With this Devil Fruit, if I develop it properly, I can reach the pinnacle of power. The Ōgon no Hi no Tori, a mythical creature from Chinese legends, can transform into the sun. Shine with me in this world.” Nokiyoru clenched his fist, determined. He sensed this Devil Fruit held many secrets and was ready to uncover them, for someone was waiting for him.
He could cure Nokishio’s congenital heart defect with enough strength, perhaps with the legendary Ope Ope no Mi or the fabled Life Fruit. He had to obtain these no matter what, destroying anything in his path.
Resolving himself, Nokiyoru knew he had to grow stronger by any means necessary.
Author’s Note: The timeline in this book may need to be revised. The author wishes to write about the memories cherished in his heart.
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