As a native of Earth, Rolan had always admired survival experts like Bear Grylls and Ed Stafford. Because of that, he had a particular obsession with shelters. Whenever he arrived on a new island, his first instinct was to build one.
Fortunately, for someone who possessed the Electromagnetic Fruit, that task was almost effortless.
"Electromagnetic Oven."
Waves of electromagnetic energy radiated from Rolan's hands, surrounding the large grizzly bear before him. The electromagnetic field created a heating effect similar to a microwave oven.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle…
A rich, savory aroma of roasted meat drifted through the air.
"Looks pretty good," Rolan murmured with satisfaction.
He picked up a small pouch of white powder and sprinkled some over the roasted meat — sea salt he had refined himself using electromagnetic separation from seawater.
With that done, he tore off a bear paw and began to eat, speaking with a grin, "High-quality ingredients only need simple cooking methods."
The setting sun pierced through the drifting clouds, casting golden streaks across the island. Seagulls glided along the horizon, calling to one another as they searched for food.
"Hard to believe it's already been a year since I came to this world," Rolan sighed, gazing into the sunset. "I wonder how far the main story has progressed by now."
Then, something strange caught his attention.
He no longer needed to consciously use Observation Haki, since his electromagnetic senses constantly emitted and received signals from his surroundings. This allowed him to detect movement and danger even while sleeping.
And just now, he sensed two small electromagnetic waves rapidly approaching his camp.
He focused, and his awareness expanded outward.
Two human figures appeared within his mental field.
"Huh? Two people… and they're kids?"
For the first time in months, he had detected living humans. If not for that, Rolan might have started talking to coconuts out of loneliness.
Still, he didn't move. He could feel that these two weren't dangerous — their energy signatures were weak and harmless.
Soon, faint voices reached his ears.
"Ace, it smells so good! Someone's roasting meat!" came a cheerful, boyish voice.
"Luffy, can't you think about anything other than food?" the other scolded, sounding exasperated.
"Hehe, Ace, you're drooling too," the first boy teased.
"Shut up!"
"See? You're mad because it's true!"
Thud.
"Oh, hitting me now? Guess you can't win an argument!"
"Luffy, we're almost there. Stop fooling around!"
Hearing their banter, Rolan's lips twitched in amusement. Those voices… they were unmistakable.
For any fan of the Straw Hat Pirates, those names were legendary.
"So it's them… Ace and Luffy," Rolan thought, his heart stirring. "That means this must be the island where they grew up."
He hadn't explored this island much since arriving, having devoted most of his time to physical training and mastering the Six Styles and Haki. It made sense he hadn't noticed them before.
Just as he was reflecting on the original timeline, two figures appeared before his campfire.
---
[Ding. Choice triggered:]
A. Defeat Luffy and Ace.
Reward: Zoan-type Mythical Beast Fruit – Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Peng, 10 million berries, 10 Senzu Beans, 1 Common Brick.
B. Ignore Luffy and Ace.
Reward: 10 Senzu Beans, 1 Box of Wahaha AC Calcium Milk.
C. Grovel before Luffy and Ace.
Reward: Title: "Lapdog of the One Piece Protagonist."
---
Rolan's eyes lit up. "Finally! The system's back after an entire year!"
He smirked. "No hesitation — I choose A!"
Just then, a cheerful voice broke his focus.
"Hey! That guy over there, your roasted meat smells amazing! Can I have a bite?"
Rolan glanced sideways. As expected, it was Monkey D. Luffy, drooling uncontrollably at the sight of the roasted bear meat.
Before Luffy could take another step, a freckled boy in a yellow shirt punched him on the head.
"Idiot! Don't just rush in like that!" said Portgas D. Ace, sighing as he turned toward Rolan. "Sorry about that. If my brother's behavior offended you, I apologize."
"Hey, Ace, what are you apologizing for? We didn't do anything wrong!" Luffy grumbled, rubbing his head. "And that guy doesn't even look older than us!"
Rolan ignored them, continuing to eat quietly, though his Super Heart Net tracked their every move.
The forest wind rustled the leaves, and the air grew still.
Even Ace, who had lived in the wilderness, could feel the pressure emanating from Rolan, like a predator observing prey.
Luffy, too, sensed it. He straightened, his carefree grin fading slightly.
Then, a dark cloud passed overhead, shadowing the campsite.
"U-um, your roasted meat smells really good," Luffy stammered. "Can we have a little?"
Rolan frowned, clearly torn. Before he could respond, Luffy quickly added, "We don't have money now, but we'll pay you back with treasure someday! We're not trying to eat for free!"
Rolan stared at the boy, then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! You're bold for a kid with no money. Alright, go ahead and eat. There's plenty, and I can't finish it all anyway."
The tension vanished. The dark cloud drifted away, and sunlight returned.
"Really?! You're awesome!" Luffy cheered, diving face-first into the roasted bear and tearing at it like a starving wolf.
Ace sighed and bowed politely. "Thank you for your kindness."
"Mmm! This meat's so good! Way better than Ace's cooking!" Luffy mumbled through a mouthful of food.
"Hey! You didn't say that when you were eating my food!" Ace snapped, bonking him on the head again.
"Ow! Sorry, sorry! Can I keep eating now?" Luffy replied sheepishly, then immediately resumed eating.
Rolan chuckled quietly, amused by their dynamic.
"By the way," Luffy said between bites, "what's your name? Your cooking's amazing!"
"Shouldn't you introduce yourself first before asking for someone else's name?" Rolan replied with a small grin.
He suddenly remembered the scene from the original story, where Luffy and his crew met Crocus inside Laboon's stomach.
"Hey! I was talking first!" Luffy shouted, pouting.
Ace quickly grabbed his brother before he could start a fight again. Rolan laughed lightly. "Hahaha, go ahead, Luffy. You first."
"My name's Luffy! I'm 12 years old, and I'll become the Pirate King! Oh, and I love meat!"
"I'm Ace," the freckled boy said proudly. "I'm two years older than Luffy, and I'm also aiming to become the Pirate King."
Rolan smiled faintly. "Rolan. I'm 14. I guess you could say I'm an orphan. My ship wrecked a few months ago, and I ended up stranded here."
"Whoa! You're an orphan too? So are we!" Luffy said in surprise, eyes lighting up.
Rolan chuckled softly at Luffy's pure-hearted excitement. He truly was the same as in the anime — a boy who could befriend anyone with his sincerity.
"There's no shortage of orphans in this world," Rolan murm—
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