1 Ch.1 Reincarnation
Life can be short, as you never know what could happen! One moment you could be minding your own business, and the next moment you are having a cup of tea with God.
And god is zygarde 50% form.
Funny how things turn out.
"Congratulations! You died. Some noob pegged you with a lightning bolt because he couldn't aim for shit. Worry not little internet gremlin, however, for you get a consolation prize! Mostly because I want to see what will happen."
"So basically I'm your social experiment. What prize do I get? A room with a nice view in heaven or something like that or maybe a harem of beautiful women to compensate me for your mistake?"
The snake's giant diamond-shaped eyes blink like headlights for a moment before it responds. "Quite audacious, little soul. The mistake is not mine. But that attitude will serve you well with what is to come. For you see, in the grand Omnipotent-Being tradition of what to do with little souls that weren't meant to die yet, you're getting thrown into an anime."
I'm barely able to hold back my excitement, "What? I'm getting isekai'd into an anime?" I take a moment to tone down the internal happy squealing noises. "Which one might I ask?"
"Why, you're going to have a very fun time indeed I suspect. I'm a god, don't think I don't know how much time you spend lurking on those internet forums and chat rooms. So not only are you going to One Piece, but your pervy little soul will be satisfied, because I'm fusing it with pokegirls. And yes, before you ask, it is that pokegirls."
God has to be joking with me. No, no he isn't. Not only am I going to get to go to One Piece, but Pokegirls as well? That was like a dream come true.
"Now, One Piece is a very dangerous world. Just by being sent there you'll gain the body of a local inhabitant, with all the charles atlas superpowers bullshit that implies, but the same is true for all the locals, and they die by the thousands when even people as weak as Arlong get pissy. So I'll give you a little something to help out. And heck, I'll even let you pick what!"
I don't even need to consider the thing I want, "I want a system and I want to be reincarnated as Luffy. "
"That's two things you punk. But fine, that way we can get right into the good stuff. Now, onward with you!"
With a loud bang my vision goes black.
I find myself in complete darkness for what seems like an eternity. Finally, I see a light coming up ahead, shining through thin slits; I regain lucidity to find myself curled up, my face right next to wooden planks, some small amount of light shining through cracks between them.
A crude voice chortles outside. "I bet it's booze! Let's crack it open!"
"No, wait!" a whiny, high-pitched voice responds, in a tone that implies the speaker expects to be ignored.
And ignored he is. The barrel I'm trapped in shakes, once, twice, and then with a snap, the wood shatters and shards go flying.
I pop out of the barrel and look around the room. A rough looking pirate mook lies knocked out on the ground in front of the barrel. Two other voices pipe up, one of them the crude fellow from before.
"Ah! It's a monster! It came from the barrel!"
"It didn't contain beer! It didn't contain beer at all!"
I give the unimportant minions no further attention.
Cowering to one side is a small boy with pink hair and big round glasses. I instantly recognize the boy as Coby.
Coby, a barrel and mooks speaking of Alvida. I know exactly what moment this is. The first time viewers see the main character.
This is the moment in the very beginning. The moment right before Luffy takes out Alvida. As I look over to Coby my stomach growls. "Yo, kid! I'm Monkey D. Luffy! Got any food?
Coby just shakes with a fearful look on his face as points behind me. I turned to see the two of all Alvida's goons coming at me with swords. They seem confident in their chances, right up until their swords strike my body and with a ripple in the metal, snap down the middle.
The goons stare, gobsmacked, as shards of metal fall to the ground and they're left holding only broken handles.
'So, these guys are idiots just like in the manga.' I think. "Kid, what's your name?" I ask Coby as I turn to face him. I decide to play it safe and ask Coby his name, not wanting him to think I was weird for already knowing it.
Behind me, I hear the sounds of two men scrambling out of the door and running away. Perhaps I'd normally stop them, but Luffy let them get away in canon and at least for this, there's probably no harm in sticking to the script.
'System' I think trying to see if I can pull up some kind of menu to check Coby's stats.
A light green translucent screen appears before me. By Coby's lack of reaction, I can tell that only I can see it. The bolded header reads 'Tutorial part one! Observing', and the text below explains further. 'To see other's stats', it reads, 'simply state 'Observe' mentally, or verbally, while focused on them.'
After reading the little tutorial box, I focus my gaze on Coby, and give the mental command.
Cabin Boy
Coby
Level 1
Str: 8
Con: 10
Dex: 11
Int: 9
Wis: 8
Cha: 9
'So he really is a weakling.' I think looking over his stats. Though I don't know the average stats right now, a statline like that could never be mistaken for anything but a weak individual.
"C-Coby, sir! The A-Alvida pirates are attacking t-this boat!"
"And you are a passenger on this boat I take it. Or are you one of the pirates? Because it sounded like the pirates that attacked me knew you".
Coby fell to the ground, pressing his head into his arms with streams of tears running down his face. Above him a small, dark raincloud formed and began to rain on him.
"T-The truth is… the t-truth is that I was captured by the pirates weeks ago and have been forced to be their cabin boy ever since!" Coby lamented.
"So basically you're a coward." The raincloud doubles in size, and a small lightning bolt strikes the ground near Coby's head. "Look, Coby, I will defeat Alvida for you, but I will need you to do something for me, or rather for yourself. I can tell you are obviously very scared of Alvida, so I want you to stand up to her. Really let the manky old sea cow have it. Just stand your ground for once, and you'll be on the path to improvement. I'll handle the rest."
Coby's lower jaw drops to the floor, extending a full meter to get there. "You can't call Alvida that! She'll kill you!" I ignore his whining and grab him by the collar. Lifting the small boy up to my face, I address him directly.
"So, Coby. Where is Alvida?"
"S-she's p-probably up on d-deck!"
"Good, then that's where we're headed." With that, we're off. I proudly stride through the corridors of the ship, putting my extendable legs to good use, Coby in hand, until we finally reach the deck. It takes a full minute even with my considerable speed, and we pass through the lower-class, wood-furnished workers area at the bottom of the ship and several classy halls for the rich cruise-goers before reaching the top.
The cruise ship is in the middle of the ocean, with nothing else in sight except a garishly pink pirate ship, on which twenty pirates remain, keeping it moving in line with the ship they're looting. The deck is full of pirates, moving about at random and threatening civilians they find with cheap cutlasses and pistols to force them to hand over their property. Over a dozen pirates hold large sacks open for their crewmates to drop stolen items into.
And standing over the same two men I didn't knock unconscious in the hold, is what can only be 'Iron mace' Alvida.
Just like in the manga, she is a big woman. By the look of her I'd estimate her at a fair 450 pounds, mostly in the obese torso though the fat arms and legs no doubt aren't light. The very giant iron mace that is her epithet is clearly visible in her hands, as she threatens a crew member of the ship.
'Observe' I think as I look over at Alvida.
Pirate Captain
Alvida
Level 10
Str: 53
Con: 35
Dex: 10
Int: 10
Wis: 8
Cha: 5
'Her highest stat is strength, that's to be expected. That heavy mace certainly isn't suited for a fast and acrobatic fighting style. System, is there any way to tell if she is a pokegirl or not?'
As if summoned by my question, a system prompt appears.
'Special ability: Deep Observe, not unlocked. Use ability: Observe more often!'
I make a mental note of that before turning to Coby, "Well, now's your chance, Coby! Stand up for yourself!"
The pink-haired boy visibly psyches himself up, before stepping forward just in time for Alvida to finish her aggressive conversation with the two men and turn with a furious, pig-eyed glare.
"And you woul- HEY?! Coby? Did you lead this bounty hunter here, you traitorous little runt?!" the woman's head literally expands, her skin turning red and mouth revealing sharp teeth as anime logic strikes again to emphasize how furious she is.
"N-no I… Actually, Yes! And I'd do that again, you fat old hag! I'm resigning, I'm not part of your crew anymore!" Coby cries out, eyes closed and fists clenched.
Moments later what is probably a ton of metal is headed for his head.
Seeing Coby stand up to Alvida, I decide to step in and block the attack. "Well said, Coby. Well said Indeed."
The mace hits my head, but as expected for the head of Monkey D. Luffy, the entire impact is cushioned. I quickly knock the club aside and let the attack smash pointlessly against the deck, then stretch my fist back as far as I possibly can with all the power of a rubberman. The sensation of stretching feels interesting, like a combination of extending your arm to its fullest reach and throwing an item on the end of an elastic spring. But enough about that. It's time for shouting anime attack names.
"Gomu Gomu no: Bullet!"
I let out an excited yell as I pull my fist forwards at top speed, hitting the overweight pirate right in the gut. The attack strikes with the force of a thousand cannons, a ground-shaking crack echoing out as the woman's enormous body is propelled into the sky, flying away from the boat.
The watching pirates' lower jaws hit the ground, eyes bulging out of heads as some of them trace the path that their leader flew away on and others stare at me.
A screen appears.
'Defeated Alvida! Exp++ Gained!'
Nice.
That business being done, it's time for a quick bit of grinding before I leave. I look at the pirates and think 'Observe.'
Pirate Mook
Derek
Level 4
Str: 17
Con: 17
Dex:14
Int:11
Wis: 12
Cha: 14
The others were much of the same. Not a single one had a title other than 'Pirate Mook', and the only one with a stat above 20 was a bearded fellow wearing boxing gloves named Matt, who had 21 dex.
That done, I turned my Observing eyes on a random civilian.
Rich Boy
Charles
Level 0
Str: 5
Con: 6
Dex: 10
Int: 10
Wis: 8
Cha: 14
Another, and another. Wow, these guys are even worse than Coby.
Wait, what's that? I see a flash of blue as someone moving at speed vaults down from the deck of the pirate ship out of sight.
I almost got an Observe off, but a system prompt blocked my vision.
'Observe levelled up!'
,New ability gained: use 'Deep Observe' to uncover further details as you focus on someone, to a limit of your perceptive abilities.'
'Sweet' I think as I look up to the wide open sea, searching for something else to Observe.
And what do I see, but three large Marine ships appearing from over the Horizon, all blinding white and decorated in blue. All three are larger than the Alvida Pirates' ship, and bristling with cannons.
The pirates that see what direction I'm looking in turn around themselves. The ones that spot the marine ships start panicking, but given how I wrecked their boss, the loud order I give still gets a fair amount of attention. "Alvida Pirates! Get Coby and I a ship right now, unless you wanna end up like your boss."
Several panicking mooks throw up untrained salutes, shouting "Yes, sir!" and go rushing for the sides of the ship, one group efficiently seizing ropes that hung over the sides and beginning to haul a lifeboat up high enough to be jumped into.
An offer I take up immediately, stretching a hand back to snatch up Coby by the back of his shirt. His neck doesn't snap from the force, presumably thanks to anime physics, and a moment later he lands in the boat next to me.
Offering up a prayer to the anime physics engine, I punch the ropes holding the lifeboat to the greater ship, somehow snapping them along perfectly cut lines, and the boat plunges downward toward the sea.
The boat hits the water with a massive splash, a second splash causing me to quickly look over to the second boat that just hit the water. I catch sight of a girl in a blue shirt, orange hair peeking out from under a black bandanna. Time almost seems to freeze for a moment as we glimpse one another through the froth our landing boats threw up, and, acting quickly, I think 'System, deep observe!'
Pirate Thief
Nami
Level 12
Str: 30
Con: 15
Dex: 55
Int: 30
Wis: 20
Cha: 40
Mood: Irritated(Marines), Curious(You), Excited(Loot).
Species: Pokegirl(Saltee, water/ghost)
Health: Completely healthy.
I almost have to take a second look at Nami's stats. More Dex than Alvida has Str, and her other stats are all high too. But the thing that catches my eye, drawing it away from the high stats, is the fact that she is a pokegirl. And one of my favorite breeds, no less.
How lucky, is what I'd say if the god who added pokegirls to this world hadn't read my search history.
So instead I- wait, why's she rowing away so fast?
*BOOOM*
A cannonball hits the water less than twenty meters away.
Oh yeah.
RowrowrowROWROWROWROWROW!
The boat starts speeding up, Coby clinging to the bench, as I make a direct line away from pirate and marine ships alike.
The boat starts steaming through the ocean, my rubberized muscles increasing the rowing speed faster and faster until I'm almost certain that the oars should have broken, the screaming of a pink-haired child mixing with the frothing water as a backdrop to the high-speed travel.
'Escaped the marine ambush! EXP+ Gained!'
Almost a minute later I slow down my movement, the rubberbanding of my arms back and forth at immense speed slowing to a more sedate several rows a second, then slowing down further and further until I finally drop the oars back into their holders and sit back on the bench.
It takes a solid ten seconds for Coby to open his eyes, let go of his deathgrip on the bench, and uncurl from a ball.
"Uh, Mr. Luffy? Are you actually a bounty hunter?"
"Just Luffy is fine, and no. I'm not a bounty hunter. I'm a pirate, and not just any pirate. I'm the man who's going to find the One Piece and become the king of the pirates!"
Coby's jaw hit the ground. "W-What?! T-The Pirate King? Only one man has ever held that title! It's impossible! Impossible! Impossible!" he ranted in shock.
"Nothing is Impossible Coby, you can do anything if you put your mind to it." I give the widest grin I can manage, and thumbs up. "What are your goals?" I ask already knowing what his answer will be.
And just as surely as expected, the answer comes. "I want to join the marines, and defeat pirates just like Alvida. One day I'll become a great marine, and protect these seas!" a moment later he realises what he said and backpedals. "T-That is, not you, Mr. Luffy Sir. You defeated Alvida yourself, and rescued me and all… to speak truthfully, I might never have escaped on my own. I was too scared."
"And I have confidence that you will complete those goals, you just need to get over that fear. It's the only thing holding you back from your dreams."
I stand up on the prow of the boat with one foot, keeping my hat on with one hand, and look out into the ocean. Half-remembering a scene from the original anime, I take the hat off my head and look into it. Nothing there, just a normal piece of headwear. I wonder, however, if there's more to it. 'system deep observe on the hat'
Pirate King's Straw Hat
Owner: Monkey D. Luffy
Description: Given to it's current owner by the Yonko, Red-Haired Shanks, this hat represents a promise to reach the top of this era and become the king of pirates. Once per day can grant +10 Str, +10 Con for an hour. +100 to conqueror haki training attempts. Functions as a key.
The hat has a pretty useful ability, which reminds me of something I'd been intending to check. 'system, is there a way to start Haki training without Silvers Rayleigh?'
A screen appears promptly. 'Tutorial part eight! Skills.'
'To check a person's skill levels, requires Deep Observe and 50 intelligence. To check a person's skill percentage to next rank, requires Deep Observe and 120 intelligence. Skills require appropriate training to increase at acceptable speed.'
Another, smaller textbox in a darker shade of green reads 'Haki requires specific knowledge to train. Try asking Grand Line level combatants, such as your grandfather or elder sibling.'
'So then I would have to wait till Alabasta, when I meet Ace there or... wait, didn't Red Leg Zeff spend some time in the Grand Line?'
"Umm… Mr. Luffy Sir, where are we headed? I mean we gotta have some kind of destination in mind."
Coby's voice draws me from my thoughts,"Shells town should be pretty close to here. I'm going there to recruit my first crewmate, Roronoa Zoro!"
"T-The pirate hunter?"
"Yup."
"The terrifying man known for hunting pirates?"
"Yes."
"You, a pirate, intend to recruit the demonic Roronoa 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro?"
"Yes." I answer faux-obliviously.
"WHY?! Why would you try to recruit someone famous for his brutal hunting of exactly what you are?"
I kick back in the boat, and smile widely. " I bet he's really strong."
