The sea waves, as if by agreement, rushed with a roar towards the rocky cliffs, tirelessly crashing against them one after another. A warm, gentle wind gently stroked the snow-white wings of the seagulls, helping them to soar along the coastline.
Suddenly, a thin line appeared on the calm surface of the water, as if someone's invisible hand had drawn a light stroke across the sea.
For a moment the line disappeared, but a storm followed: the waves rose, raising a raging torrent of foam and water. The peaceful sea, divided by this line, suddenly split into two parts, revealing hidden sands and sharp reefs.
The jets of water hit the sides with force, and the seagulls, frightened by the unexpected commotion, flew in different directions. At the same time, amid all the chaos, a human figure appeared in the air. It deftly landed with one foot on a ledge of rock, used it as a support for another jump, and finally found itself on the top of the cliff.
Drops of water flowed down his black hair, falling to the ground. The man lifted his head slightly, revealing a young face.
"They say that there are people who train underwater and eventually achieve the highest level of mastery. So why have I achieved almost nothing in three months?" he muttered under his breath. Then, taking the katana in his hand, the young man lazily shook it, and then turned the blade over and put it back into the sheath with a light click.
He turned and looked out to sea, where the waves had just been raging and now had subsided again, leaving behind a clear sky.
"What a beautiful… world," he sighed, adding almost inaudibly, "If only this weren't the world of One Piece."
- Rogu, you're saying strange things again! - suddenly, a young voice was heard from behind him.
The young man did not look back. Still looking at the waves at his feet, he sighed heavily: "You shouldn't have come here."
"But I'm already here!" the voice said confidently. A boy of about eight or nine years old emerged from a small grove nearby. His face was twisted with anger, and his gaze was full of determination.
"If you've come, don't leave," Rogu said. He put one hand behind his back and the other on the hilt of his katana, resting it on the ground. He raised his head to the sky, as if lost in thought.
"If I stay, my mother will break all your windows tonight!" the boy shouted, unable to bear it.
"This is too much," Rogu turned to him indignantly. "Are you seriously threatening me with your mother and my windows?"
Little Ferr, a little taken aback by such a sharp reaction, almost retreated. But, remembering that he still had a formidable mother behind him, he stuck out his chest and said: - So what?
"In that case, I guess I'll just keep quiet," Rogu shrugged carelessly, rolling his eyes.
— … — It seemed to the boy that all his threats had fallen on the air, without receiving the proper reaction. He was so angry that he could not find a place for himself. But, alas, he had not yet reached the age to arrange such obvious emotional outbursts. Therefore, he had to grit his teeth and, drilling Rogu with his gaze, simply remain silent.
Rogu didn't seem to notice. He took off his clothes, which were hanging on a large rock nearby, and after shaking them off a couple of times, asked, "So why did you come? By the way, did you do the homework I gave you?"
"Of course!" Ferr said proudly. He stood up straight like a soldier on parade. "I'm a man who dreams of becoming a great swordsman! Not like you, who only calls yourself a sword master!"
Rogu glanced at the boy, nodded, and said, "That's a good dream. But first, you should find a female swordswoman."
- Why? - Little Ferr looked at Rogu in bewilderment.
- Because that's the only way you can become a man.
Ferr was even more confused: "What does this mean?"
Rogu sighed heavily and, smiling, patted the boy on the head: "You're still too young to understand this."
Ferr instantly turned red with anger. He pushed Rogu's hand away sharply and, gritting his teeth, blurted out: "Norlos Rogu! The headman wants to see you! And don't you dare think of me as a child! In two days I'll be nine years old, I'm already an adult!"
"Wow!" Rogu clapped his hands, as if he was genuinely amazed.
- Pfft! - Ferr, who had almost become an "adult", puffed up, stuck out his chest and headed towards the grove. His gait was proud, as if he were a bull ready to go into battle. It even seemed that steam was about to come out of his nostrils.
Rogu, looking at his retreating figure, shook his head with a slight smile: "Children at this age are not at all cute."
The name Norlos Rogu, of course, was not the young man's real name. Three years ago, he had suddenly found himself in this world, literally reincarnated into the wounded body of Norlos Rogu, floating on the surface of the sea. And if it had not been for the villagers of Moonlight who saved him, his journey as a time traveler would likely have ended before it had begun.
When asked for his name, he didn't think twice before saying Norlos Rogu. The name just came out of his mouth automatically. And since his body was so badly damaged, he claimed to have lost all his memories except his name. This didn't arouse any suspicions from the villagers, and then, through open questioning, he learned more about his new surroundings.
In short, the situation was as follows: he found himself in the world of One Piece, in one of the small villages. And now the main question is - what to do next? Wait? But there is nothing to wait for. Without thinking twice, he decided to start living in the village of Moonlight.
Unfortunately, he did not inherit any of the memories of the previous host. From Norlos Rogu, he only inherited the blade skills and the name. That is why he had to gather information about this world on his own.
With only these two resources, he naturally had no intention of rushing headlong into adventures in this vast and dangerous world. After all, the world of One Piece was full of incredible opponents, literally monsters. Even now, after three years of intense training, Rogu did not feel like he could leave any mark on the Great Age of Pirates.
"But if I never try, won't I regret it later?" he muttered under his breath, looking out at the vast ocean again. His eyes flashed with determination. "It's been three years, time to take the first step."
He smiled slightly, threw the katana over his shoulder, and slowly headed towards the grove.
There was a narrow path in the grove that led straight to Moonlight Village. The village was located on a small island with only one mountain that resembled a curved moon. It was at the foot of this moon mountain that the village was located, and it got its name from its unusual shape.
The villagers led a simple life, farming and hunting. Even children of eight or nine years old could easily run through the mountains and forests as if it were their second home.
Rogu, although not a local, had learned the local area very well over the past three years, so he moved along the path leading to the village with ease. But after going halfway, he suddenly stopped. His face changed, and wariness appeared on it.
- Something is wrong.
The sounds of the forest - the chirping of insects, the singing of birds - suddenly disappeared. The air became oppressive. In the thick grass and on the tops of the trees, quiet but heavy breathing could be heard.
- AAA!!! - Suddenly a scream of horror was heard. Rogu instantly turned his head towards the sound. But at that very moment, a curved silver arc appeared silently behind him, sparkling like moonlight, which was rapidly approaching the back of his head...