Nexús spotted a middle-aged woman tending to a fruit stall. She had a warm, welcoming smile and seemed friendly enough. If he wanted information, she was probably a good person to ask.
Stepping forward, he cleared his throat.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Where exactly is this place?"
The woman's smile widened.
"This is Shell Town, young man. You must be a new tourist!"
She chuckled, eyeing him with clear amusement. Such a handsome young man, she thought. It had been a long time since she'd seen one. She couldn't help but have a soft spot for him.
But Nexús didn't hear a single word after Shell Town.
His mind froze. His brain short-circuited.
"Shell Town? As in... Shell Town from One Piece?!"
His body tensed as memories of the anime flooded his mind. This was the same town where Luffy met Coby. The same place where Zoro was imprisoned. If this was real...if he had actually reincarnated into One Piece—then that meant Luffy, Coby, and Zoro were here!
His heart pounded with excitement.
He had to meet them.
But how?
Before he could think of a plan, the old woman's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Young man? Young man?"
Nexús snapped back to reality, blinking rapidly. He glanced down and—wait, when did he start holding a bag full of fruit?!
His stunned expression made the old woman chuckle. "It's a little gift, dear. You seem like you've had a rough time," she said kindly.
The old woman sighed, shaking her head.
"I understand you, young man. The earthquake really gave us a hard time. Even if it wasn't that strong, it's still worrying. This town rarely gets earthquakes, after all… sigh."
Nexús blinked in confusion. Earthquake? He didn't remember any mention of an earthquake in Shell Town. And if there really was one, he should have felt it too, considering he had fallen not too far from here.
"When?" he asked out of curiosity.
The old woman seemed surprised by his question but answered naturally,
"Not too long ago. There was an earthquake, but some say it was caused by a fallen meteor. Honestly, I've never heard of any meteors, but it makes sense… Oh! Some people even said they saw someone falling! Which is weird, right? That's impossible! From that height alone, they would have died instantly."
Nexús stiffened. His expression remained neutral, but internally, his mind was spiraling.
'I'm still alive tho…'
His grip tightened slightly on the bag of fruit. He wasn't an idiot—he knew exactly who the old woman was unknowingly talking about. That fallen person was me. The so-called "meteor" was him. His crash landing had caused enough impact to shake the town, and people had actually seen him fall.
A heavy feeling settled in his chest.
Silently, from the depths of his heart, he apologized to the townspeople.
Before Nexús could do anything, a loud shout echoed from a distance.
"CAUGHT HIM!"
His head snapped toward the direction of the voice. A group of three or four Marines was charging straight toward his location, their expressions sharp with determination.
'Must be a thief or some criminal nearby,'
Nexús thought, watching with mild curiosity. He wasn't one to get involved, but the scene caught his interest. After all, he himself had technically "borrowed" these clothes without permission—though he didn't think anyone would go this far just for that.
Maybe.
The old woman sighed heavily beside him.
"Today is really an unfortunate day. First the earthquake, and now criminals?" She shook her head.
But then—
"CATCH THE GUY IN THE WHITE T-SHIRT BEFORE HE RUNS!"
A sinking feeling settled in Nexús' gut.
Slowly, he turned to look at the old woman, whose eyes had widened in shock. Her gaze darted from the approaching Marines to his shirt.
He followed her stare and finally realized—he was the only one wearing a white t-shirt.
His stomach dropped.
He looked at her. She looked at him. Both of them were equally shocked.
'Wait… did I actually get caught for stealing someone's clothes?!' His thoughts raced in panic.
"Shit—SHIT—!"
"DON'T LET HIM ESCAPE!"
That was all it took.
His body moved before his brain could even catch up.
Panic surged through his veins as he spun on his heels and bolted. The bag of fruit nearly slipped from his grip, but he tightened his hold, sprinting as fast as he could through the crowded streets.
"HEY! STOP!" one of the Marines yelled.
Like hell he would!
Nexús weaved through the marketplace, dodging people and jumping over crates, barely managing to avoid crashing into stalls. The Marines were hot on his heels, their boots slamming against the pavement as they chased him. The townspeople gasped and quickly stepped aside, watching in shock as he ran for his life.
He turned into a narrow alleyway, hoping to lose them in the maze-like layout of the town. For a moment, it seemed like he had shaken them off, but—
"THERE! HE'S HEADING TOWARD THE RESIDENTIAL AREA!"
Nexús cursed under his breath. These Marines were persistent! He jumped over a fence, landing awkwardly but recovering quickly, then dashed through a small backyard, startling a poor elderly man watering his plants.
"HEY, YOU BRAT! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" the old man shouted.
"Sorry, old man!" Nexús yelled back but didn't slow down.
Just when he thought he had a chance to escape, two more Marines suddenly appeared at the other end of the street, blocking his way.
Shit!
He skidded to a stop, his mind racing for a solution. Turning back wasn't an option—the other Marines were right behind him. His only choice was—
The rooftops.
Without thinking, he jumped onto a wooden crate, using it as a springboard to grab the edge of a low roof. He grunted as he pulled himself up, his arms burning from the effort, but he managed to scramble onto the tiles.
The Marines shouted in frustration.
"HE'S CLIMBING UP!"
"GET HIM BEFORE HE ESCAPES!"
Ignoring them, Nexús ran across the rooftop, leaping to another building with adrenaline pumping through his veins. But just as he landed—
CRACK.
The fragile roof gave way beneath him.
"OH, COME ON-!"
He crashed through the ceiling, landing hard inside what looked like someone's kitchen. Plates shattered, a wooden chair broke under his weight, and the terrified scream of a woman rang through the house.
For a moment, he just lay there, groaning in pain.
Then, the door slammed open.
A group of Marines burst into the house, weapons drawn. He was surrounded.
Nexús slowly raised his hands in defeat, his face twisted in frustration.
"Okay… maybe running wasn't my best idea."
The cold metal of the handcuffs dug into his wrists as the Marines secured his arms behind his back. The sensation was foreign, uncomfortable. The cuffs weren't just there to restrain him—they made him feel like a real criminal.
'Damn it… this why you can't steal other people stuff' Nexús groaned internally.
He wasn't in pain thanks to his unnatural healing ability, but his pride had taken a massive hit. This was humiliating. Just a few hours ago, he was still struggling to accept his reincarnation, and now he was being marched through town like some infamous outlaw.
As the Marines dragged him through the crowded streets, the townspeople gathered around to get a look at the "criminal" they had caught. And just as he feared, whispers spread like wildfire.
"That kind of face? There's no way he committed a crime! They must've arrested the wrong person!"
"Yeah! He looks too refined to be a thief!"
"He must be a foreigner. Look at that white hair… It's so rare!"
"Kyaa~! How can a criminal be this handsome!?"
A young man nearby clicked his tongue. "A criminal is still a criminal, handsome or not!"
A middle-aged woman sighed, disappointment written all over her face. "Such a pity. Having a beautiful face doesn't mean having a good heart."
Another woman beside her shook her head. "Yeah, don't judge a book by its cover. Looks mean nothing."
Meanwhile, Nexús was internally screaming.
"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?!"
He regretted taking the clothes, okay?! But did he really have a choice? Did they prefer that he ran around town naked with his ass out for everyone to see?!
…Actually, now that he thought about it, he would've preferred that over this. At least then, he wouldn't have been arrested.But despite everything, a small realization gave him hope.
This was Shell Town. And in Shell Town, there was only one Marine base so far he remembered.
That meant—
Luffy. Coby. Zoro.
"I can meet them!"
…Probably through the jail bars, though.
The thought excited him… and immediately made him depressed again.
After a few minutes, they arrived at the Marine base.
Even though it was just a small outpost, Nexús couldn't help but be a little impressed. Seeing it in the manga and anime was one thing, but being here in person made it feel so much grander.
As they led him down the hallways, he made sure to take in his surroundings. He didn't know how long he'd be here, but if there was even a small chance he could break out, he'd take it.
As they walked, he heard the Marines whispering about him.
"If I had his face, I'd hit on every girl I see!" One of the Marines laughed, glancing at Nexús.
Another rolled his eyes. "Stop dreaming and do your job."
The others snickered.
Nexús sighed, completely unamused.
"What kind of Marine conversation is this?"
Just as they were about to throw him into a jail cell—
BOOM!
A loud commotion erupted from outside.
The ground vibrated slightly, followed by shouts and the sound of weapons clashing. It wasn't just random noise—this was a fight.The Marines froze, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons as they exchanged confused looks.
Nexús, however, felt his heart skip a beat.
This timing… this chaos… could it be—?!
Without thinking, he muttered under his breath.
"Could it be…?"
All of the Marines snapped their heads toward him.Their eyes narrowed.
"That your friend?" one of them asked suspiciously.
Another Marine scowled. "Did your crew come to break you out?"
Nexús blinked, completely caught off guard.
"Huh?"
Wait… what? Crew?! What the hell were they talking about?!
Apparently, a woman had reported a robbery while they were patrolling the town. She claimed that the thief was wearing a white t-shirt and short pants.
And the man in front of them,he was wearing exactly that.They were never expected the suspect to be someone with such a good-looking face.
The world is truly unfair. The four of them thought.
The chaos outside intensified. The distant sounds of yelling, metal clashing, and heavy impacts echoed through the Marine base. The Marines around Nexús were getting more distracted, their grip on him loosening as they turned their attention to the commotion.
Some were already reaching for their weapons, while others were whispering among themselves. Their focus was no longer on him.
Nexús noticed it immediately.
"This is my chance."
His body moved before he could even think.
With a sharp twist of his body, he yanked himself sideways, throwing his weight into the Marine holding his left arm. The sudden force knocked the man off balance, his grip slipping just enough for Nexús to pull free.
Before the Marine could react, Nexús threw himself forward, slamming his shoulder into the man's chest with everything he had. The impact sent the Marine staggering backward, his boots scraping against the tiled floor as he struggled to stay upright.
Nexús didn't stop there.
Without thinking, he swung his leg in a low, sweeping kick, targeting the Marine's knee. He had seen moves like this in movies and anime, but never once had he expected to do it himself.
To his surprise—
It worked.
The Marine's legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed onto the floor with a loud grunt.Nexús stared for a brief second, completely stunned.
"Holy shit… did I just take someone down?!"
His heart pounded wildly in his chest, a mix of adrenaline, disbelief, and excitement surging through his veins. He had never fought anyone in his previous life. He wasn't some martial arts expert or a soldier—he was just an overworked employee!
And yet, his body had moved instinctively.
But there was no time to process it.
One of the other Marines snapped out of his shock and reached for his sword.
"HEY! STOP HIM!"
"Oh, hell no—"
Nexús turned on his heel and sprinted down the hallway at full speed.His legs moved on their own, his heartbeat thundering in his ears.The hallway blurred past him as he ran, dodging confused Marines who were too preoccupied with the ongoing commotion outside.
"This is my chance! I have to get out of here!"
But more than that—
His mind was racing.
Luffy. Zoro. Coby.
The thought sent a thrill down his spine.
"I'm really going to meet them!"
The very idea made his adrenaline spike, pushing him to run even faster.
...
The moment he burst through the doors and stepped outside, a completely different world greeted him.
A battlefield.
Right before his eyes, Luffy was fighting Captain Morgan.
Not in a manga panel.
Not on a screen.
This was real.
Right there. In front of him.
Nexús froze in place.
His breath hitched.
His mind blanked.
And for the first time, the reality of his reincarnation truly hit him.
Luffy, stood just a few meters away, his rubber arms stretching as he effortlessly dodged Morgan's massive axe-like arm.Morgan's brutal swings tore through the air with bone-crushing force, but Luffy weaved through them with unnatural flexibility.
The ground trembled with each of Morgan's attacks.The wind carried the weight of the fight—the sound of flesh hitting flesh, weapons clashing, and gritted determination.
Dust kicked up around them, debris scattered across the battlefield, and the sheer pressure of the moment pressed against Nexús's skin.
Seeing it in the anime was one thing.
But being here? Witnessing it in real life?
It was something else entirely.
He felt paralyzed.
Awestruck.
His body wanted to move, to react, to do something—but all he could do was stare.
"Holy shit…"
"This is really one piece..."