Birds flew freely above the Evergreen Forest.
Oxen drank from a spring that glittered like crystal.
Deep within the thicket, men and women sang elatedly.
They thanked the Creator for a beautiful day
Unaware that their light would soon turn to darkness,
as ships crept silently toward their island.
"Papa! Papa, can I come hunting with you?"
Pipo grabbed his animal-skin garments, grinning wide
his front teeth missing, a twinkle dancing in his eyes.
His father chuckled, patting his head,
bending the tribal mark scarred across his cheek.
"You're still too young, Pipo. Look after your little brother—"
"No! I wanna go with you!"
His grip tightened, and tears blurred his vision.
Zoro, the king, removed his crown and placed it on the boy's head.
"I leave this kingdom in your hands. Can you handle it?"
Pipo nodded, a bit confused by his father's sudden solemnity.
"Your Majesty," a guard whispered, "it is not right for you to strain yourself."
Zoro laughed. "I'll grow roots if I sit in that chair any longer.
Besides… I need new skin."
"But Your Majesty… Princess Fiona asked to meet with you
she wishes to speak about this… System."
"She seems wise, that young girl. The golden light in this world of shadows, is she?"
He chuckled again. "Well. I'd like to see that for myself."
A Megaolius devoured another beast,
its head twitching unnaturally… before falling dead.
Leaves rained down as hunters passed beneath.
They took what they needed for the day: eggs, birds, meat.
From the base of an old oak,
a Gorrilisis stirred from a seventy-year slumber.
A horn blew in the distance.
Zoro heard it while dissecting a wild beast.
He grinned.
"My skin is ready."
Back in the palace,
Pipo sat proudly on his father's throne.
The crown tilted to the right,
the armor far too big for his frame.
His baby brother cried.
"Pipo, let your brother have a turn,"
their mother sang gently as she rocked the child.
"It's my job to keep watch.
My father wants me to prove my strength, so I—"
A sudden flash of light.
Pipo tilted his head just in time,
barely dodging the bloody dagger.
Guards swarmed him.
In the small gap between armored shoulders,
Pipo saw the man—
"Yare yare. I missed it."
He grinned, holding six warriors' heads by their hair.
More of them revealed themselves in the shadows.
At that moment,pipo realized his bedtime stories were far different from reality .
"Make way for Zoro!"
He ran like the wind, grinning.
He came into view leaping from a tree, gliding midair, using the spikes as stepping stones.
A spike shot toward his eye — he dodged a millisecond before it pierced him.
Grabbing it, he twisted and stabbed the gorilla mid-lunge.
"I need new skin, you see. No hard feelings."
He descended. The beast's wound sealed, skin shifting — bonding with nature.
Their fists clashed.
They smiled.
The men dropped severed heads, launching toward the guards.
He licked blood off his dagger, eyes gleaming with boredom.
He barely dodged a slash from Pipo.
His armor gone.
His eyes narrowed.
His face is calm, yet fierce as a lion.
"Evacuate everyone. I'll stall him."
"No! You—"
His mother passed out. A guard caught her.
"I'll inform your father. Please hold on, Your Majesty."
"Where is he...?" Raiza asked as he licked blood.
"I can feel his spirit."
The people trusted Pipo. That trust awakened ancient power passed down in his blood.
He took a breath and attacked.
Zoro clashed with the beast, their blows splitting trees apart.
Zoro blocked one final swing.
"This was fun. If we meet again 70 years from now no, maybe it'll be my son. Don't go easy on him."
He laughed.
Then blurred forward in a speed-blitz.
The monster's last vision: a man with tribal marks, grinning through red eyes.
And behind him... a boy.
Despite exhaustion, Pipo stood tall.
Blood dripped onto the roses .
With his last strength, he hurled the dagger. Then disappeared.
The enemy mocked it mid-air. But Pipo appeared just behind it, using the last of his strength to push it forward.
It pierced the man's eye.
He staggered back.
Pipo dropped.
Tears mixed with blood.
"I'm sorry, Pap..."
The leader watched, arms folded behind his back. Emotionless.
"Raiza!"
A man screamed.
Raiza howled in pain, clutching his ruined eye.
Then he stomped on Pipo's head.
"You little bastard! I'll tear out every part of your body and feed it to the dogs!"
Pipo's people were hunted like prey.
His mother and brother hid in a cave with ridges — the kind only they knew.
The forest was part of them. It gave them space to plan, to retaliate.
Raiza leaned down and spat on Pipo.
Once.
Twice.
But the second time, his head disobeyed him.
It flew from his shoulders toward a tree, landing beside his father.
The open mouth held part of the spear that had pierced him.
The war drums fell silent.
Within the quiet galaxy, golden curtains blew in the mythical palace as two beings clothed in white and gold played a game of chess.
One smiled as she looked through the window.
"It seems like a storm is approaching."
"I hope Fiona hasn't caused any trouble "
The other girl smiled ,"checkmate."
Raizas father.looked at his son's severed head.
He closed the boy's still-unsatisfied eyes.
Then he stood.
Walked toward Zoro.
"My people cry out. Their spirits aren't at peace. Their blood haunts this land...
Not even your head will satisfy them."
He drew his sword.
"Who sent you?"
His voice didn't shout — it was calm. Cold.
The eyes, which looked like those of an angel of death
Raleigh looked into his eyes, and he grinned.
"You and I both know that orders from a god are absolute"