North Sea, Year 1502 of the Sea Calendar.
A violent storm raged through the skies, thick clouds smothering the night while thunder rumbled in the distance. It was as if the heavens themselves were whispering a dire omen.
Barron curled up in the corner of the ship's hold. The air was thick with the stench of blood, mold, and the briny tang of seawater.
Around him, faint groans echoed through the gloom. His frail body, clothed in tattered rags, was riddled with bruises and wounds.
He was nothing more than cargo now—a slave aboard a pirate ship, worth just enough to be sold into a mine or auctioned off for a few tens of thousands of Berries.
*THUD!*
The cabin door burst open with a loud crash. A pirate with a face full of scars stomped in, holding an oil lamp that flickered in the darkness.
His eyes swept the room with disdain, like he was inspecting damaged goods. He stopped before Barron, reached down, and yanked him up by the hair.
"Hey, brat. You dead yet? Still breathing?" The pirate gave him a rough shake, his tone thick with cruelty.
Barron didn't respond. His mind was still clouded, but fragments of memory swirled in his head like shards of a broken mirror. A strange yet familiar sensation gripped him—part fear, part exhilaration.
"Where am I? No... who am I?"
Then, all at once, the floodgates of memory burst open.
He remembered clearly. He had once been an ordinary person in another world.
Countless lonely nights, the unending struggle to survive, even that sudden, fatal accident—all of it came rushing back.
Now, he had been reborn, his soul fused into this boy's body. The boy's name was also Barron, a weakling doomed to be trampled by fate.
This time, he would not submit.
A cold gleam flashed in Barron's eyes. He quickly assessed the situation. This body was weak, but not broken. And this ship—no, these pirates—would become his first stepping stone.
"Hey! I'm talking to you, brat!" the pirate snarled, hurling him down so hard that Barron nearly hit the floor again.
Barron lowered his head, hiding the light in his eyes. He trembled slightly, his voice weak and feeble. "N-no... not dead..."
"Heh, tough little bastard." The pirate sneered, hung the lamp on a hook, then shouted toward his crewmates outside, "This one's still breathing. Keep him alive. We'll sell him when we reach port."
Outside the hold, waves crashed against the hull. Laughter and insults drifted down from above. Barron stared at his hands—pale, bony, and trembling. But it wasn't fear that shook him. It was excitement.
They had underestimated him.
His gaze swept across the room and locked onto a broken plank in the corner. A sharp fragment jutted out—a worthless piece of wood to most, but to a desperate man, it was a key to survival.
Night deepened. The drunken laughter of the pirates slowly faded. Most had passed out, with only a few still on watch above deck.
Barron inched closer to the shard, burying himself deeper into the shadows. Carefully, he reached out and wrapped the sharp end in his sleeve, gripping it tightly.
Now... all he needed was a chance.
It didn't take long.
A half-drunk pirate stumbled into the hold, mumbling to himself as he came to check on the slaves. Barron remained curled up, playing the weak and helpless boy.
"Hey, runt. You awake?" the pirate muttered, nudging him with a foot.
*SWISH!*
In that instant, Barron sprang up. The wooden shard in his hand drove straight into the man's throat.
Blood sprayed. The pirate's eyes went wide, but he couldn't even cry out before collapsing. Barron pulled the shard free, his expression calm and cold. There was no hesitation—he knew this was his one shot.
He dragged the body aside, stripping it of a dagger and a key. With practiced speed, he unlocked the chains around his ankles and crept toward the door.
Above deck, a few pirates huddled around a fire, oblivious to the danger creeping through the shadows. Barron studied them with steady eyes. A direct fight was suicide. But chaos—chaos could open a path.
He found a bottle of rum and a box of matches on the corpse. Quietly, he doused some rope and canvas with the alcohol, then struck a match.
*BOOM!*
The fire erupted with a roar.
Flames leapt skyward, devouring the sailcloth and ropes. The pirates screamed in panic, scrambling for water as the inferno lit up the night.
In the chaos, Barron bolted for the ship's edge. He wasn't aiming to fight—he was going to escape.
"Stop right there, brat!" *Bang!*
A shout rang out behind him, followed by a gunshot. A bullet grazed his shoulder, spinning him sideways. But he didn't stop. Gritting his teeth, he leapt onto the railing and flung himself into the frigid sea.
The icy water swallowed him instantly. But beneath the surface, his mind was clear.
This was his beginning. Not his end.
............
[World Background]
1. Expansion of the Seas
The original Four Seas—East Blue, West Blue, South Blue, and North Blue—remain, but each has expanded significantly. There are more islands, larger territories, greater populations, and deeper political complexity.
The "Sea of Abyss" lies within the North Blue—a perilous region and the epicenter of fierce territorial battles. Legend has it that the mythical "Abyssal Treasure" lies buried somewhere in its depths.
North Blue is now one of the world's most resource-rich regions, making it a hotbed for pirates, Marines, and the ever-watchful World Government.
2. Major Power Distribution
- World Government: Now stronger than ever, its rule extends across vast domains. The Cipher Pol units, especially CP0, have been massively reinforced and are far more dangerous.
- Marines: While the Fleet Admiral remains unchanged, the previous Three Admirals system has expanded into Five Admirals. Mid- and lower-tier forces, such as Vice Admirals and Admiral candidates, have been significantly enhanced in both number and strength.
- Shichibukai (Warlords of the Sea): While their structure remains for now, their influence and strength are far beyond their anime counterparts.
- Yonko (Four Emperors): No major structural changes for now, but their power and territories are more formidable and consolidated than ever.
- Revolutionary Army: Vastly enhanced. Unlike the scattered, understaffed image from the original series, the revolutionaries here boast a full-fledged military hierarchy and powerful forces across all levels. However, their internal factions are not without conflict.
3. Devil Fruit Expansion
The classification of Devil Fruits has been refined and greatly expanded. (The original series barely showcased even a hundred types.)
They are now divided into:
- Common Fruits: Basic and often weak, such as the Zoan-type Goat Fruit.
- Rare Fruits: More powerful, like Ancient Zoan-types.
- Legendary Fruits: The most powerful, often Mythical Zoan-types.
Paramecia and Logia types follow similar rarity tiers, though they remain rarer than Zoan overall.
Despite the increase in fruit variety, they remain extraordinarily rare. Most ordinary people will never even see one in their lifetime.
4. Classification of Ships
- Small Boat: Carries up to 5 people. (e.g., Luffy and Zoro's first vessel)
- Small Warship: Carries 30. (e.g., Going Merry)
- Light Warship: Carries 50. (e.g., Thousand Sunny)
- Medium Warship: Carries 150. (e.g., Smoker's flagship in East Blue)
- Medium-Large Warship: Carries 350. (e.g., a Vice Admiral's flagship)
- Large Warship: Carries 800. (e.g., Admiral's flagship)
- Super Warship: Carries 1800. (e.g., Moby Dick)
Special Ships: Unique vessels like Thriller Bark (Moria's ship-island) fall outside these categories.
[Note: Capacity is approximate; ships can vary. However, for a vessel to operate at full combat potential, it must carry at least half its intended crew]
5. Nations and Their Scale
- Tiny Nations: Populations in the tens of thousands.
- Small Nations: 100,000 to 300,000 (e.g., Drum Island, Chopper's homeland)
- Medium Nations: 300,000 to 1 million (e.g., Dressrosa)
- Large Nations: 1 million to 5 million (e.g., Fishman Island)
- Super Nations: Over 5 million (e.g., Wano, Alabasta)
6. Three Major Factions within the Sea of Abyss
- Blackfin Alliance: A coalition of powerful pirate crews. Though they aid each other on the surface, fierce rivalry simmers beneath.
- Bloodgold Guild: A merchant association that appears legitimate, but secretly controls the underground black market for weapons, slaves, and Devil Fruits.
- Undercurrent: A radical offshoot of the Revolutionary Army, operating independently from Dragon's leadership. Based in the North Blue, they are notorious for their ruthless methods.
7. The Abyssal Treasure
A mythical trove said to be hidden somewhere in the Sea of Abyss. It's believed to grant immense wealth and power to whoever finds it.
No one has ever truly uncovered it, but the three major factions remain locked in a constant war of shadows and blood in pursuit of this legendary prize.
[This is just the foundation. More will be added and refined as the story unfolds]