1 Prologue

On a fine Friday evening,in the hustling city of tokyo we begin our story with the main character;a highschool teenager named 'Takeshi Sendo'.He was walking home after an exhausting day at school.He had club practice with the school football team.Takeshi was the team's captain and a very good goalkeeper. His friend's and colleagues knew him as a very charismatic and likeable fellow.That is why he was given the role of Captain.He was a cheerful person who always had a smile on his face.People who didn't know him would assume that he had led a happy worry free life.But that couldn't be further from the truth as the young man had a tragic backstory.

He lost his parents very early in life.He couldn't even remember their faces.He was raised by his grandparents whom he loved very much.But they couldn't fill in the void left by his parents due to their advanced age.Although they tried their best to not let little Takeshi feel the absence of his parents,they could only do so much as they were nearing their seventies.Little Takeshi would often nag them and make a fuss about going on trips or to festivals but they could only refuse him as they could hardly take care of themselves,They couldn't go on trips or something like that,They were too old for that.He would always cry and make a fuss about all his friends going and him being left out just like any other kid his age and it would make their hearts ache.His grandmother would always try to console him while his grandfather would try to think up of a suitable gift as a compensation.They were worried that he would get lost in the big crowds as he was too young.

It was at times like these that they would lament their old age as they couldn't fulfill such simple wishes of their grandson.They truly tried their best and tried to give their grandson everything they could but little Takeshi was only 8 years old and although generally mature for his age he would sometimes become grumpy and throw temper tantrums.

As Takeshi began to grow older and become more mature he realized his grandparent's efforts and came to appreciate them.He was very attached to his grandfather who would often tell him stories about his life as a soldier and later a captain in WW2.He would try to teach Takeshi about life then and the life now and tell him how blessed their generation was.He taught Takeshi about the value of life and how precious it is.Takeshi's grandparents tried their best to raise him as a splendid young man.His grandmother taught him the value of hard work and dedication.She told him to always believe in himself and to never think of something as impossible.Takeshi took his grandmother's advice to heart.On the other hand his grandfather would educate him on how to conduct himself and interact with other people.They were preparing Takeshi for the World as they were already so old.They were worried as to how he would fare alone in the future.

Their teachings helped Takeshi very much as he became a very mature and determined child.When Takeshi was 13 years old his grandparents died one after another in a span of a week.First his grandfather due to natural causes and then his grandmother because of grief.This event turned Takeshi's life completely upside down as he realized the true value of a family.He was devastated.He wished he could go back in time to right all his wrongs.He wished he could tell his grandparents face to face how much he loved them and how grateful he was for all they had done but alas it was too late.

It wasn't that he disobeyed or fought with his grandparents.He was an obedient kid.The regret that he was feeling was because he hadn't treated them like he should have;like someone special.He took them for granted.He thought that they would always be in his life.Always watching over him.Oh how wrong he was.He had never even thought of the possibility of his grandparents dying like this,so suddenly,without warning.Yes they were old but they weren't sick or something.Takeshi thought that they would always be with him even though deep down he was also aware of their age but before any such thoughts could fester he would vehemently crush them.He was just in denial.

After this event he fell into depression.He started skipping school and confining himself to his bedroom.His grades fell and he started getting into fights.He beacme a shell of his former happy and optimistic self.It was during this time that he discovered his love for manga,anime and novels.He had never been interested in them as he was an outdoors person.He would rather play with his friends than sit in one place reading or watching something. But now he had nothing better to do as he hated being on the receiving end of pitying stares of his friends and being treated as special by adults because of his circumstances.

But once he inserted himself into this 2 dimensional world he became an addict.He would borrow mangas from his classmates and friends and would be engrossed in them all day.His friends helped him thinking that this could cheer him up and return him to his former optimistic and determined self but instead they became a great source for him to escape reality and immerse himself in fictional fairy tales.He would stay holed up in his house all day long only coming out for necessities like school and grocery shopping.His favourites were mangas like one piece,fairy tail,naruto and bleach as they were the first mangas he read due to them being so popular.He liked these mangas and anime because they were focused on things like action, adventure, comradeship etc.Their main characters had all either lost one of their parents or both.But they found themselves a big family either in the form of small group of friends or a guild.When he read about them he begun to envy and admire them as they had a much harder life then himself yet they didn't break down and remained steadfast.

Although he started reading mangas and novels as a way to escape from reality but they in return made him realise his mistakes.When he watched how characters like Naruto, Erza,Nami and others who even after leading such a tragic life were able to overcome all difficulties and achieve their goals ;he came to know the difference between himself and them.Compared to them his life was a bliss.He became quite ashamed of himself.

This served as a motivation for him.He gradually began to open his eyes and escape from the quagmire of grief and self pity.He wondered how his grandparents would react to seeing the current him,moping all the time.They would surely be disappointed.They did their best to raise him to be able to stand on his feet one day,and all he had done was to become a disappointment.He vowed to himself that he would no longer remain in his shell leading an introverted life but rather breakthrough it and become a successful man that would make his grandparents proud.

Immediately after making the vow he determined his first step would be to visit his grandparent's grave and apologise for what has become of him and then tell them proudly that he would overcome this setback and emerge a better man.That he would no longer cry over the past or mop around all day as they had taught him better then that.He will move on from their deaths and make a future for himself.He had wasted two years of his life not caring about his studies or his friends.He will have to change all that.He was 15 years old now and was about to start his highschool.This will be the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

2 days later:

Takeshi was going to his grandparents grave after changing from school uniform.It was their death anniversary tomorrow and they were buried in their village.He was sitting in a bus.The ride took about 2 hours.He arrived at the village in the evening and booked himself a room in hotel.He was pretty exhausted after the bus ride so he retired to bed early that day.Next morning he woke up early and got ready before going out of the hotel and walking towards the direction of the graveyard.It was a fifteen minute walk.This gave him enough time to sort out his emotions and ready himself to face his grandparents for the first time in 2 years as he haven't visited since their funeral.Upon entering the graveyard he could feel the solemn atmosphere and spot a couple of people here and there praying to their loved ones. He ignored them and approached his grandparent's graves.He grimaced as he saw the state they were in.Moses had started growing out and the surrounding was littered with dead leaves.It was untidy likely the result of no one maintaining it.His parents were also burried there right beside them and their graves were in an even worse condition .He remembered coming here every year with his grandparents to pay respects and clean up there grave.'But now they are gone....'.He started to feel his eyes redden and his nose sting as he realized how unfilial he had been.Hot tears leaked out as he knelt there overcome with emotions.But he quickly shook himself as he remembered his purpose in coming here.All of that was in the past.He had come here to begin a new chapter in his life and not mull over his past mistakes.He stood up gathering his resolve and spoke

Takeshi:"Ojiisan ,Obaasan I am sorry ...sniff....it took me so long to come here and say this.I should have done it a long time ago infact I should have told you when you were alive of how much the both of you mean to me and how I could never even begin to repay you...sniff...I have been very unfilial. I am truly thankful for everything you have done for me.Thank you for taking such good care of me and always looking out for me.You raised me to become a winner not a qitter in life so I Takeshi Sendo promise that I will do my best to live a life that you will be proud of!I will always work hard and never give up because that is what you taught me obaasan ...sniff...sniff..."crying he continued "and I'll always strive to be the best I can be just like you taught me ojiisan. I'll make sure to lead a life that you both will be proud of! That's a promise."

Takeshi kneeled there and cried his heart out as he released all the emotions that had remained bottled within him for the past two years.He remained there for hours as he recounted all that has happened to him in the past two years.Sometimes he laughed and sometimes he cried.After telling them everything and then cleaning and fixing up their graves he left as the sun was going to set.Unknowingly he had spent the whole day there just talking to his grandparent's graves.Coming out of the front gate of the graveyard he felt as light as a feather.He felt like a huge weight has been lifted of his chest.His mind felt so clear and he felt so fresh despite sitting all day.He was stunned.He hadn't realised how much those bottled up emotions had effected him until now.He felt like he was reborn.He had finally moved on from his grandparents death and now no longer had that bleak outlook on life.

His grades in school started to improve and he started hanging out with his friends more often.His teachers and fellow students took note of the change in his behaviour.He worked hard in his studies and participated in sports.Although he didn't stop reading mangas and watching anime,it was no longer the only thing his life revolved around anymore.He joined his highschool football team from his freshman year as he had a relatively tall height and longer wingspan.His good instincts and spatial awareness made him stand out among the competition and booked him a place on the squad.He has been playing with the team for 3 years now becoming the captain in his second year.It looked like everything was turning for the better but this was only an illusion.Fate had something far greater in store for the boy then a simple mundane life.

Present day:

He was thinking about the new episode of one piece that will be released today.He was pretty excited about it.One Piece was one of his most favourite anime.He loved the fantastic world that Eichiro oda had built.All those unique characters and amazing devil fruits.His favourite character was without a doubt Whitebeard for sheer epicness.The man was a LEGEND. He was a Monster.Who wouldn't love a badass character like him.But that's not the only thing he loved about him as the main reason was his personality.Whitebeard despite being one of the 4 yonko was not interested in things like wealth and fame like all the other pirates.All he wanted was a family and he had the guts to go against the entire navy for a single crewmember. Whitebead had no need for morals.If he wanted he could have destroyed the world by flexing his tremor-tremor fruit every day and producing gigantic tsunamis.He was a true man, a man that was not corrupted by the immense power he wielded and kept his humanity.

As he was thinking about such topics suddenly the ground started to shake as the pedestrians around him started panicking.'Really 'he thought,'what kind of fucking coincidence is this,I think about whitebeard and the earthquake hits...god dammit...'He fell to the ground unable to hold his balance.He was at first dazed then fear gripped his thoughts before he calmed himself down forcibly as he remembered his grandfather's words "panic is the recipe for disaster"He began analysing his situation and think of the best possible solution.It wasn't the first time he had experienced an earthquake. Japan was frequently hit by earthquakes but he could easily tell that this one was different from all them 'I have to find a shelter and then get to high ground , this is a big one,possibly of magnitude 7 or 8'.But before he could even move a muscle a flower pot on top of the balcony of an apartment fell over the edge due to all the shaking straight on his head.The last thing he saw was a lot of blood and people running towards him as the shaking had stopped.He couldn't hear them as his ears were ringing.His last thoughts were of how he wouldn't be able to fulfill his promise to his grandparents.The amount of blood loss was too much and he doubted the ambulance could get to him in time.There surely were a lot of other such incidents like this because of the earthquake.It would all depend on luck.Tears leaked out of his eyes as he thought of this'why....why me...why is life so unfair...I haven't even...'his body felt cold as he struggled to form a coherent thought '....completed my..promise...the vow I made on my grandparents grave.. to make them proud.. ha ...ha ha....if only i could get... ha ha a second chance..."

Takeshi sendo died with regrets.