I didn’t ask to be reincarnated in ONE PIECE!

The arena was alive with noise, a roaring sea of cheers and anticipation. My second match was about to begin, and across from me stood my next opponent—Nathan "The Hitman." The bounty hunter was cool, composed, and most concerning of all, had a pistol holstered at his hip.

"Hope you're ready, Fish-Slinger," Nathan said with a smirk, rolling his shoulders. "I don't go easy just 'cause I like someone's attitude."

I cracked my knuckles, bouncing on my feet. "And I don't go easy just 'cause someone brings a gun to a fistfight."

Nathan chuckled, shaking his head. "You'll regret that."

The announcer stepped forward. "Alright, folks! The second round begins! Lucius versus Nathan—BEGIN!"

Nathan was fast—faster than I expected. Before I could move, his gun was already drawn, and a shot rang out. Instinct kicked in, and I twisted my body just in time, the bullet grazing past my shoulder instead of going through it.

"Okay, that's not fair," I muttered, rolling behind a crate for cover.

Nathan laughed. "Oh, come on, kid! Fair fights don't pay the bills!" He fired again, but I dodged, flipping forward and closing the distance. My foot lashed out in a taekwondo kick, aiming for his wrist.

CLANG!

Nathan spun his gun, redirecting the kick's impact, but I followed up with a quick right hook. He ducked, sliding back, and took another shot. This time, I swayed to the side and rushed him, slamming my fist into his stomach.

Nathan grunted but didn't go down. Instead, he grinned and drove his knee toward my ribs. I barely blocked in time, and we broke apart, both of us smirking.

"You're better than I thought," he admitted.

"Same to you," I replied. "For a guy who relies on guns, you're pretty good at fighting."

He opened his mouth to respond—

BOOM!

The entire arena shook as an explosion rocked the stands. Screams filled the air as smoke and debris rained down. Nathan and I both turned toward the chaos just in time to see a group of pirates storming the arena, weapons drawn, cutting through the crowd like wild animals.

Leading them was a man with wild black hair, a thick coat, and an arrogant grin. His sword rested lazily on his shoulder as he walked toward the center stage, surveying the arena like it already belonged to him.

My stomach dropped. Finn. The same Finn I had met before.

"You've gotta be kidding me," I muttered, eyes narrowing.

Finn's gaze swept across the arena before landing on me. His grin widened. "Well, well, look who it is! Fish Boy!"

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "You two know each other?"

I exhaled sharply. "Unfortunately."

Finn chuckled. "Didn't think I'd be seeing you again so soon, but I gotta admit—it's almost poetic. Here I was, planning to take everything for myself, and now I get the bonus prize of knocking you flat."

As if on cue, one of the pirates dragged a bloodied figure onto the platform and threw him down.

It was Jiro.

He was bruised, bleeding, and struggling to stand. My stomach twisted as I saw him, barely conscious, groaning in pain.

"Oh, I get it," Finn chuckled. "You're looking at your old Marine buddy. Sorry to say, but he put up a fight. Shame it didn't last long."

Rage burned through me. My fists clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms.

Nathan let out a low whistle. "Guess the fun's over. You still wanna fight, or are we dealing with these guys first?"

I clenched my jaw. "Later."

Finn's grin widened. "Now that's what I like to see! Some fire in the eyes! But before we turn this into a war, let's not forget the main prize."

He motioned to the auctioneer, who was cowering beside a locked iron chest. The box that held the Devil Fruit.

The auctioneer, trembling, hurriedly unlocked the chest and revealed the fruit inside. It was a deep blue, spiraled with wisps of white mist swirling around its skin.

"The Kaze Kaze no Mi…" Nathan muttered.

"A Logia."

Finn chuckled. "That's right. A fruit of wind and storms. And it's mine."

He stepped forward, reaching for it—

And I moved.

Before I knew what I was doing, my legs shot forward, my body moving faster than my brain. I sprinted toward the chest, ducking under a sword swing from one of Finn's lackeys, and snatched the fruit out of the box.

Finn's eyes widened. "You little—"

I didn't think. I just bit into the fruit.

Immediately, a disgusting, overwhelming bitterness flooded my mouth. It was like chewing rotten fish mixed with seawater and dirt.

"BLEGH—WHY DOES IT TASTE LIKE THIS?!" I gagged, nearly throwing up.

Finn's face twisted in rage. "You brat! You—YOU JUST ATE MY DEVIL FRUIT!"

Nathan let out a low whistle. "Well… guess the game just changed."

The moment the fruit settled in my stomach, something shifted inside me. A strange sensation, like my entire body had suddenly become lighter. The air around me swirled, reacting to my thoughts, and when I moved my hand—

A gust of wind erupted from my palm, blasting Finn and his men backward.

Finn hit the ground, skidding across the arena, coughing from the sudden burst of air. His men scrambled to their feet, looking between me and their captain in shock.

I blinked. "Huh."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Well, congratulations. You just became a wind-powered menace."

Finn wiped blood from his lip, his teeth clenched in fury. "You… just made an enemy you won't survive, kid."

I clenched my fists, feeling the power coursing through me. The wind howled at my fingertips, ready to strike.

I grinned. "Funny. I was just about to say the same thing."

The battle for Nowhere Island had begun.

To Be Continued...