Soft sunlight spilled across the sea, laying a thin golden veil over the waves. The water shimmered and rippled, glinting like scattered stars.
The surf slapped against the wooden hull, thumping rhythmically as though urging the small vessel forward.
Upon that endless blue expanse, a tiny boat—barely large enough to seat two or three people and a heap of supplies—drifted away under the villagers' blessings, setting sail toward a distant, mysterious future.
On board, a boy in a straw hat and a red vest, a fresh scar etched beneath his left eye, was laughing with unrestrained joy, his hands clapping together as his eyes shone with excitement and anticipation.
"Ahahaha~ Arelon! I knew you'd come sailing with me!"
"I told you already—without you, I'll never become the Pirate King!"
Luffy's rubbery arms swung wildly as he slapped the boy sitting across from him.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
The sharp sound echoed non-stop.
The victim, unable to dodge, was a boy of similar age, messy-haired, wearing a red baseball cap.
Bang!
Finally, his patience snapped. The pain flared, and his fist crashed into Luffy's face, burying the pirate's features deep into his head.
"Stupid!!! That hurts like hell!"
He roared, punching Luffy again for good measure.
"...Mmph… S-sorry, Arelon, I know I was wrong…"
Luffy, with his face still caved in, apologized in a voice that was all too practiced.
"You'd better mean it this time!"
The boy sighed, rubbing his sore shoulder muscle. He didn't believe that apology for a second.
After all, he'd heard the same thing countless times in the past two and a half years since he crossed over into this world.
That's right—this boy sitting opposite Luffy was no ordinary person. He was a true-blue transmigrator.
He had once been an ordinary college student on Earth—his hobbies included anime, web novels, video games, and, well, other "solitary" activities.
One day, he learned about a cosplay convention being held near campus. On a whim, he ordered a simple cosplay outfit online—the iconic red-and-white attire of Arelon, the protagonist from the classic Pokémon games.
The convention went smoothly. The atmosphere was lively—so lively that the crowd's excitement often had the security guards on alert—and he, of course, had quite the feast for his eyes.
What he didn't expect was that on his way back to school, a runaway dump truck roared toward him like a man-eating beast.
And then—
He woke up in a different body.
May there be no dump trucks in the next world. Amen.
That was how this college student became a fourteen-year-old orphan named Akane, identical in name to the Pokémon protagonist "Arelon."
As fate would have it, his spawn point in this new world was none other than one of the One Piece world's most iconic locations—East Blue, Goa Kingdom, Windmill Village.
"If I'd known I'd end up in the world of One Piece, I wouldn't have dropped the anime after Marineford…"
Watching Luffy tug his own face back into shape in that absurd way of his, Arelon couldn't help sighing again—something he'd done far too often lately.
He had stopped following the series after the Marineford Arc because of filler fatigue—something he now deeply regretted.
Fortunately, thanks to fan videos from creators like HomeworkBook and AhWang, he still knew a fair bit about what came after.
Like how his once-favorite "One Punch Man" Garp had fallen from grace on Hachinosu Island, earning the dubious honor of becoming the world's best at losing his ID in a deck of cards…
"Come to think of it," Arelon muttered, "since I got here, Garp hasn't returned to Windmill Village even once."
"The old man drops by every few years, and as for his son… completely useless."
"No wonder Luffy ended up so influenced by Shanks that he wants to become the Pirate King."
"Hey, Luffy!"
Arelon snapped out of his thoughts just in time to catch Luffy trying to sneak a hand into the supply box.
Startled, Luffy froze and turned with a nervous grin. "Ah… haha… it's nothing! I was just… checking to see if the food's gone bad!"
"We set sail only a few hours ago. What could've possibly gone bad already!?"
"Forget it. I should've expected this from you."
Arelon shot him a glare, then stood up and, ignoring the rocking boat, yanked Luffy over by the arm.
"From now on, you handle the lookout and the sails. I'll manage and guard the supplies."
"Out here, food and fresh water are lifelines. You better not mess around!"
He plopped down beside the supply crate, physically blocking Luffy's hungry eyes.
No way was he going to starve on his first voyage because of this glutton.
Still, as he glanced around the cramped little fishing boat, Arelon couldn't help letting out a sigh.
"If I'd known it would turn out like this, I would've saved up for a proper boat. At least then I wouldn't have to squeeze in here with Luffy…"
He gave a wry smile. Truth be told, sailing with Luffy hadn't been part of his plan.
If not for his golden finger suddenly awakening—and granting that ability—he would never have dared to set sail in his current weak state.
Arelon was a cautious person by nature, someone who never fought a battle unprepared.
But this voyage had completely blindsided him.
Fortunately, after two years together, he'd gotten good at reining in Luffy's reckless streak. It was thanks to that that they'd managed to avoid a few close calls.
Seeing Luffy's eyes still fixed hungrily on the food, Arelon decided it was time to hammer the lesson in.
"Luffy," he said, his expression hardening. "Remember what we agreed on before we left?"
"Even though you're the captain of this ship, as the vice-captain, I have the right to veto any of your decisions!"
"That means every decision we make—from when to eat to how much we eat—has to go through me!"
"Being a pirate isn't a game. The moment you formed a crew, you took on the responsibility of everyone's lives!"
"If you act recklessly, we won't get far!"
Their navigation skills were poor, and they didn't even have a proper chart. One bad decision could doom them both.
Even though Arelon had insisted they delay their departure to avoid the whirlpool blocking Windmill Village in the original timeline…
The sea was merciless. Who knew what dangers lay ahead?
"Alright, alright, I got it~"
Faced with Arelon's rare sternness, Luffy relented immediately, slumping forward with a pout before obediently leaning over the bow.
He might be the captain, but after two years of experience—and that strange adventure they'd shared one night—he'd learned one undeniable truth:
When in doubt, listen to Arelon.
Seeing this, Arelon couldn't help but smile softly.
Sure, this version of Luffy might not be as carefree as the original, but at least he'd learn what responsibility meant before it was too late.
Still, expecting Luffy to stay quiet was about as likely as expecting Zoro to find Raftel without getting lost.
Barely five minutes later, Luffy sidled back over, eyes shining with curiosity.
"Hey, Arelon! When can we go back to that other world again!?"
"You know—the one with those… 'Poke-something' creatures! It was so fun! I didn't even get to catch any!"
"That's Pokémon!"
Without even looking up from his compass, Arelon corrected him for what felt like the tenth time.
Seriously, how could he still not remember that name?
He sighed inwardly, then glanced at the Nintendo Switch embedded in his body, checking its remaining charge.
"Not yet," he said. "Once it's dark, there should be enough power for a full session."
"Eh!? We have to wait until night!?"
Luffy deflated instantly, his enthusiasm vanishing.
Arelon gave him a side glance. "Relax. It's just a few hours."
"You think I don't want to go sooner?"
"Now quiet down and let me read the map. If we get lost, we're screwed."
"Okay~ fine~"
Chastised again, Luffy straightened his hat and plopped down at the bow.
Even so, the thought of returning to that "Pokémon world" was enough to rekindle his excitement.
"Hehe~ Arelon might be kinda scary sometimes, but sailing with him is awesome!"
"I'm gonna be the Pirate King for sure!!!"
He grinned from ear to ear, shouting into the endless blue.
Arelon's ear twitched, and he smiled faintly.
"That's Luffy for you… always burning bright."
"Well then…" He looked out at the open sea, eyes gleaming.
"Since you're my very first Pokémon…"
"The title of Pirate King—this trainer will help you claim it."