Darkness slowly became light.
For months, Vik had existed in the warm, floating silence of the womb, sensing the outside world through faint emotions and distorted voices. His strange Observation Haki had grown sharper each week, allowing him to feel the intentions of those around him.
Cold curiosity.
Scientific obsession.
Motherly love.
And beneath everything else… pain.
The pain always came from the same person.
Vinsmoke Sora.
Even without words, Vik could feel it.
The woman carrying him and his sister was fighting something inside her own body.
A quiet resistance.
A rebellion.
Against the experiments of her husband.
Vinsmoke Judge.
The Day of Birth
Bright lights stabbed into Vik's closed eyes.
His tiny body convulsed as cold air hit his skin for the first time.
He tried to breathe.
His lungs burned.
Then—
He cried.
A weak, newborn cry echoed through the laboratory.
Metal instruments clattered nearby.
Doctors moved quickly around the operating table.
The smell of antiseptic filled the air.
Judge stood nearby with his arms crossed, his tall armored figure towering over everyone in the room. His expression was calm and analytical, like a scientist observing a new machine.
Sora lay on the bed, pale and exhausted.
Her breathing was shaky.
But when she heard the crying… her eyes softened.
A small smile appeared despite her pain.
The doctor carefully lifted the first baby.
A girl.
Pink hair.
Sharp eyes.
The scientist spoke.
Doctor (respectfully):
"Subject One has been successfully delivered, Lord Judge."
Judge stepped forward, adjusting his glasses slightly.
His cold gaze examined the baby carefully.
Judge (thinking coldly):
Genetic enhancement stable.
Cellular regeneration… promising.
He nodded once.
Judge (speaking calmly):
"This one will be named Reiju."
The baby girl in the doctor's hands stopped crying strangely quickly.
Her eyes were alert.
Almost intelligent.
Across the room, Vik—still in another doctor's hands—felt her presence immediately.
Her mind was calm.
Curious.
Alive with emotion.
That was Vinsmoke Reiju.
Then the doctor lifted Vik.
He cried again loudly.
His tiny fists waved wildly.
Inside his mind, however, he was already thinking clearly.
Vik (thinking, overwhelmed):
This… this is insane…
His eyes squinted against the bright lights.
Everything was blurry.
Shapes.
Movement.
But his haki filled in the gaps.
He could feel the minds around him.
Excitement.
Scientific interest.
And Judge's cold pride.
Judge stepped closer.
His shadow fell over Vik.
The man observed him silently for several seconds.
Then he spoke.
Judge (firmly):
"This one…"
He paused thoughtfully.
Then nodded once.
Judge:
"Reiji."
The name echoed through Vik's mind.
For a brief moment, his thoughts froze.
Vik (thinking slowly):
Reiji…
My name… is Reiji now.
The doctor gently placed him beside Reiju.
The twins lay next to each other for the first time.
Reiju turned her tiny head toward him.
Their eyes met.
And through Observation Haki, Reiji felt her emotions clearly.
Curiosity.
Warmth.
Family.
He smiled faintly.
Reiji (thinking softly):
Guess you're my sister now.
Across the room, Sora watched the two babies.
Her eyes filled with quiet tears.
The Experiments Begin
The first year of life was not peaceful.
Not in Germa 66.
The twins did not grow in a normal home.
They grew in a laboratory.
Every week, new experiments were conducted.
Scientists injected special serums into their bloodstream.
Their bones were scanned.
Their muscles stimulated with electrical pulses.
Their genetic development constantly monitored.
Judge personally supervised many of these procedures.
Reiji quickly learned one important rule.
Never show too much intelligence.
Even as a baby, he forced himself to behave naturally.
Cry.
Sleep.
Eat.
But inside his mind… he watched everything.
The first major experiment happened when they were only six months old.
The twins were placed inside transparent medical pods.
Mechanical arms extended toward them.
Syringes filled with glowing blue liquid.
Judge spoke to the scientists calmly.
Judge (explaining):
"The genetic modifications must be reinforced during early neural development."
He adjusted a monitor displaying their biological data.
Judge:
"Reiju will develop poison resistance and venom generation."
Another screen showed Reiji's body.
Judge (continuing):
"Reiji's genetic enhancements focus on neurological expansion and physical adaptation."
The syringes pierced their skin.
The liquid entered their bloodstream.
Pain exploded through Reiji's tiny body.
His muscles spasmed violently.
His mind screamed.
Reiji (thinking in agony):
AAAAAGH—!
But outside…
He only cried like a normal baby.
Reiju cried too.
But her emotions were different.
Fear.
Pain.
And obedience.
Reiji felt something strange through his haki.
A genetic command buried deep within their bodies.
Absolute loyalty to Judge.
Absolute obedience.
It was like chains wrapped around their minds.
Reiji felt the chains too.
But something inside him pushed back.
His consciousness.
His past life.
Two minds inside one body.
The chains tried to tighten.
His will resisted.
Reiji (thinking through the pain):
No.
You don't control me.
The chains cracked slightly.
They didn't break completely.
But they loosened.
Reiju, however…
Her chains remained intact.
She still had emotions.
But the command to obey Judge was absolute.
Reiji noticed it immediately.
Two Years Later
Time Skip — Two Years
Germa Kingdom.
Training Hall.
Metal walls echoed with the sound of small footsteps.
Two children ran across the training field.
They were only two years old.
Yet their movements were far beyond normal children.
Reiji slid across the floor, dodging a mechanical training drone that fired a rubber projectile at his head.
The shot missed by centimeters.
He rolled, jumped to his feet, and grabbed the drone midair.
His small hands crushed the metal device.
CRUNCH
It fell apart instantly.
Across the room, Reiju finished defeating another drone with a precise kick.
She brushed pink hair away from her face and smiled slightly.
Reiju (cheerfully):
"You're getting faster, Reiji."
Reiji grinned confidently.
His white hair stuck slightly to his forehead with sweat.
Reiji (laughing):
"And you're still slow."
Reiju pouted dramatically.
Reiju (mock angry):
"Hey!"
But she laughed too.
On the balcony above the training field stood Judge.
He watched silently.
His cape moved slightly in the wind.
A scientist stood beside him.
Scientist (impressed):
"At only two years old, their combat ability already surpasses trained soldiers."
Judge nodded calmly.
But his eyes focused particularly on Reiji.
Something about the boy was… unusual.
His intelligence.
His adaptability.
Even his emotional expressions.
They were… too complete.
Judge adjusted his glasses.
Judge (thinking):
Interesting.
Below them, Reiji suddenly paused.
His Observation Haki expanded slightly.
He felt the cold presence above.
Judge.
Watching him.
Evaluating him.
Reiji slowly turned his head upward.
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment… father and son stared at each other.
Reiji smiled innocently.
But inside his mind—
Reiji (thinking calmly):
I know what you're doing.
And I'm going to beat your system.
Judge turned away.
Satisfied.
For now.
The Future Approaches
That night, Reiji sat beside Reiju near the palace balcony.
The ocean wind moved gently through their hair.
Reiju leaned against the railing.
Reiju (curious):
"Father said something today."
Reiji looked at her.
Reiji:
"What?"
Reiju tilted her head thoughtfully.
Reiju:
"He said next year… more brothers will be born."
Reiji's eyes narrowed slightly.
He already knew.
Through memories from another life.
Through haki sensing Sora's body.
Next year…
The other Vinsmoke children would arrive.
Vinsmoke Ichiji
Vinsmoke Niji
Vinsmoke Sanji
Vinsmoke Yonji
Reiji stared out toward the dark ocean.
His expression became serious.
Reiji (thinking):
Sanji…
You're coming soon.
He clenched his small fist quietly.
The wind blew stronger around the floating kingdom of Germa.
Warships moved across the sea below.
The future of the Vinsmoke family was already approaching.
And Reiji…
was preparing to change it.
If you like follow on patr eon.com/ Pennymaster