In the end, I decided to follow the Red Line westward to reach the West Blue.
My memories of the One Piece world were frustratingly incomplete, but one thing I knew for certain, Luffy and his generation hadn't even been born yet. Gold Roger's execution had taken place just before I became a wanted man, marking the beginning of what would later be called the Great Age of Pirates.
So this truly is the era of the mafia, I mused as I surveyed the bustling port town below.
Ever since realizing I had been reincarnated into this dangerous world, I had thrown myself into training with desperate intensity. Rough situations were inevitable here, survival demanded strength. I had experimented with Haki, though my understanding remained frustratingly shallow, managing only to grasp the basics of what resembled Rokushiki techniques. The "Soru" movement technique had shown the most promise, complementing my natural leg strength.
That confidence in my speed had allowed me to traverse the Red Line in a single, grueling year-long journey. The contrast between the seas was immediately apparent, the East Blue truly had been peaceful compared to this place.
"There he is! 'Slippery Leg'!"
The shout cut through the morning air like a blade. I tensed, recognizing the hungry gleam in the approaching bounty hunters' eyes.
"Thirty-five million berry bounty! Don't let him escape!"
Thirty-five million? I blinked in surprise. The enthusiastic bounty hunters of the East Blue had been persistent, but at least they'd been manageable. These West Blue hunters carried themselves with the confidence of experienced killers.
When did my bounty increase again? I wondered frantically. And why?
During my trek across the Red Line, I had encountered several groups of bandits and overzealous bounty hunters, but I couldn't recall doing anything particularly heinous that would warrant such a dramatic increase. The encounters had been brief, disable, strip of valuables, and move on. Standard operating procedure.
"Even though you're already a wanted man, when people come for your life, you'd better be prepared to take theirs, right?" called out the lead hunter, a scarred man wielding twin cutlasses.
You should examine your own preparedness before questioning others, I thought grimly.
As expected, the skill level in the West Blue was significantly higher than what I'd faced in the East Blue. These weren't amateur treasure seekers, they were professional killers who wouldn't hesitate to use lethal force.
The lead hunter moved with practiced precision, aiming to sever my leg at the knee. "Stealing his mobility,!"
"Now he's disappeared again," one of them started to say.
"GYAAAHHH!!" The scream echoed off the harbor walls as my fist connected with the newest recruit's solar plexus.
"Damn it! The rookie's down already!"
I had no choice but to strike with full force against obviously weaker opponents to thin their ranks quickly. The brutal efficiency was necessary, these weren't people I could afford to hold back against.
After I deal with these guys and strip them of their weapons, I'll need to purchase proper armaments at the next town, I decided. Bare-handed combat won't suffice against enemies of this caliber.
Captain Kuro's signature weapons were the "Cat Claws", blade-tipped gloves that turned each finger into a deadly weapon. Living as Kuro, I desperately wanted to wield them, but creating such specialized weapons would require significant resources and expertise.
My natural physique and leg strength had initially made me consider adopting a kicking-based fighting style like Zeff or Sanji, but the complexity quickly became apparent. Such techniques required years of intensive training and perfect form, something I simply didn't have time to develop.
"Die, bounty hunter scum!" I snarled, driving my heel into another attacker's temple.
"Gubera!!" The man crumpled like a broken marionette.
Without Sanji's incredible leg techniques, those devastating kicks that could shatter stone, I had to rely on brutal simplicity. Stomp their heads, slam them against walls or pavement, anything to render them unconscious with minimal energy expenditure. It was efficient, if unrefined.
When executed properly, the psychological effect was as valuable as the physical damage. A bloodied, broken opponent served as an excellent deterrent to their companions.
"You monster! How can you be so cruel?" shouted one of the remaining hunters, his voice cracking with fear and revulsion.
"Demon!"
"Devil!"
"Murderer!"
"Bobby, stay with me! Your face is smashed, nose broken, teeth scattered, and you're covered in blood!"
"Hey, you bastard, move your foot! He's already unconscious! Stop trampling him! The ground is already soaked red!"
Damn, I overdid it.
In the East Blue, displays like this had been sufficient to scatter most opposition. Either the character writhing beneath my boot wasn't intimidating enough, or West Blue hunters possessed stronger stomachs than their eastern counterparts.
Tch. This particular fool had chosen to attack me, his suffering was self-inflicted and served as a lesson to others.
"Did you see that? He actually clicked his tongue at us."
"As expected from one of the most wanted criminals from that peaceful East Blue."
"After beating Bobby half to death and leaving him covered in blood, he shows no remorse whatsoever."
Shut up! My eyes had grown wild and predatory over the past few years, completing my transformation into the infamous Captain Kuro. Having beautiful women attack me might still provide some twisted entertainment, but being hunted by ugly, desperate men like these was nothing but irritating.
"Alright, let's take down this little punk."
"Yeah, agreed."
"What's wrong, brat? Come here to beg for mercy?" The largest hunter stepped forward, cracking his knuckles with theatrical menace.
I studied his scarred face and crude movements with cold calculation. "You look like the type who enjoys hitting women. I'm going to completely rearrange your face."
"We don't want to hear that from YOU!!!" they roared in unison.
•~•
"Damn useless bounty hunters. Even after stripping all of you clean, I only managed to collect about eighty thousand berries."
The aftermath was disappointing in more ways than one. Breaking their weapons had been tactically sound, destroying an opponent's armaments quickly eliminated threats, but it also destroyed potential profit. The local pawnbroker had offered fair market value for the salvageable pieces, preventing me from simply robbing him outright.
Lucky shopkeeper, I thought darkly. Your honesty saved your life.
"Excuse me, shop owner," I called to the elderly man behind the counter. "Are there any weapon dealers in this area?"
"What's this, young man? Traveling at your age?" He peered at me with grandfatherly concern. "There aren't any dedicated weapon shops in this town. If you need knives or tools, there's a hardware store a few blocks west."
"I see."
Fighting with kitchen knives or construction tools felt wrong somehow. Saws seemed excessively brutal, and knives... well, they were meant for cooking. Treating them as weapons might earn me a legendary beating from a certain future pirate cook, should our paths ever cross.
Not that I had any idea where we stood in the original timeline.
Two years had passed since Gold Roger's execution, and my current body appeared to be around twelve or thirteen years old. At minimum, I knew Luffy hadn't been born yet, that gave me some breathing room to establish myself before the main story began.
"Weapon sales are controlled by the five major families, in other words, the mafia," the shopkeeper continued, his voice dropping to a cautious whisper. "You might find dealers on certain islands, but stay away from them, boy. You never know what kind of trouble you'll stumble into."
"The mafia?" I feigned ignorance.
"Oh my... where exactly do you come from, child?"
"Overland from the East Blue."
"Good heavens! You actually crossed the Red Line on foot? Even if that's true, that route is crawling with bandits."
"Thanks to them, I made excellent money," I replied with a predatory grin.
"So you were working as a bounty hunter at your age? I see, that explains why you need weapons."
"Not exactly. I broke their legs and collarbones, then stripped them naked and sold their belongings."
"You're more of a bandit than they were!"
The shopkeeper's shock was understandable. Even I hadn't expected to be living this kind of life at such a young age, especially not in the One Piece world. All those navigation skills and maritime knowledge I'd studied so diligently after realizing my situation had barely been used.
"But I understand now, you must be incredibly strong. I've been hearing stories about powerful children like you lately... stories that echo the tales of the Pirate King himself. Perhaps this marks a turning point in our era."
"A strong child?" My interest sharpened immediately.
There were undoubtedly many powerful individuals who never appeared in the original story. If I could find someone reasonable to ally with, it would significantly improve my chances of survival. I had no illusions about avoiding the coming storms, my bounty alone guaranteed I'd be swept up in the chaos that would define this era.
If I get the chance, I'll eliminate any major threats before they become problems, I decided coldly.
"Yes, apparently there was a child about your age who fought off an entire gang of thugs single-handedly when they tried to pick a fight with him."
The description sent chills down my spine. A child my apparent age taking on multiple adult opponents... in this world, that level of strength usually indicated either exceptional training or something far more dangerous.
"Do you have any details about this child?"
"Only that it happened somewhere on an island west of here."
West. That aligned perfectly with my intended direction anyway. I had come to the West Blue specifically to find potential allies before the world descended into complete chaos.
I hope there's someone strong and reasonable out there.
•~•
"You're the 'Slippery Leg'?"
The voice was calm, measured, and completely devoid of the excitement or fear I'd grown accustomed to hearing from bounty hunters. I turned slowly to face the speaker, my combat instincts immediately screaming warnings.
"In addition to your thirty-seven million berry bounty, there's also a five million berry bonus for eliminating the bounty hunter groups affiliated with the Family."
Thirty-seven million now? The escalation was getting out of hand. More concerning was his casual mention of "the Family", one of the major mafia organizations that controlled the West Blue's underworld.
"Are you the child I heard about? The one who defeated those thugs?"
"I don't pay attention to rumors, but that description probably fits." His voice carried an odd metallic quality that made my skin crawl.
"What's your name?"
"Daz Bones."
Oh no. Oh no no no. Recognition hit me like a physical blow. Daz Bones, future assassin, future baroque Works agent, and current wielder of the Supa Supa no Mi devil fruit. This was definitely not the kind of "reasonable ally" I'd been hoping to find.
"The reason my bounty keeps increasing slightly is..." I began, hoping to deflect the conversation.
"You've eliminated fifty bounty hunter groups affiliated with the Family. Natural promotion in the West Blue hierarchy," he finished matter-of-factly.
Fifty groups? Had I really been that thorough during my journey?
"I've been able to accomplish various things ever since I ate the strange fruit I found at a battle site the other day." He flexed his fingers experimentally, and I caught the telltale gleam of metal beneath his skin.
Various things indeed. The Dice-Dice Fruit had turned his entire body into a living weapon. Every part of him could become as sharp as a blade, making him virtually untouchable in close combat.
"Please spar with me."
The polite phrasing did nothing to disguise the underlying threat. This wasn't a request, it was a challenge from someone who had just consumed one of the most dangerous devil fruits in existence and wanted to test his new abilities.
Help me... someone, anyone...
The scent of salt and rust filled the air as Daz Bones shifted into a combat stance, his skin already beginning to take on its characteristic metallic sheen. The setting sun cast long shadows across the harbor, painting everything in shades of blood and gold.
I had wanted to find a strong ally. Instead, I had discovered a future legend in the making, one who saw me as nothing more than a convenient test subject for his newfound powers.
This is exactly the kind of situation I was trying to avoid, I thought desperately as I prepared for what would likely be the most dangerous fight of my new life.