Chapter 4: Inherited Power
"Where am I?"
In a vast, empty darkness, a small, weak consciousness drifted aimlessly. It didn't know how it got there. It didn't know what this place was.
"Oh? Are you the one who's going to inherit my power?"
A playful, lighthearted voice suddenly echoed in the darkness. The consciousness turned toward the sound. A tall, lean figure with gravity-defying silver hair materialized before it.
The figure casually pushed his black sunglasses up onto his forehead, revealing a pair of breathtaking, pale blue eyes that seemed to hold the sky itself.
"This space is really something else," the man mused, looking around with interest. "My Six Eyes can't even fully perceive its limits."
"Are you... Satoru Gojo?"
Seeing that iconic face and those impossible eyes, the baby's consciousness recognized him immediately. Strangely, though this consciousness belonged to an infant, it could form coherent thoughts here.
"Oh ho! You know me? Am I that famous? How embarrassing~"
Gojo Satoru's tone was mock-shy, but the grin on his face was pure, unadulterated pride. See? Even someone in another world knows my name. I'm a celebrity everywhere!
"Uncle here doesn't know how he got to this place," Gojo continued, shrugging. "But after I showed up, a mysterious voice told me to give you all my power. Like a copy and paste job, you get it? All my techniques, my Cursed Energy, everything. Poof. Yours."
"So I died... and I've been reborn in the world of One Piece?"
The thought of inheriting the full, overwhelming power of Jujutsu Kaisen's strongest sorcerer made the baby's spirit surge with excitement. Satoru Gojo was the absolute ceiling of his world. That meant, potentially, he could become a ceiling here. The only one who could ever rival a bootleg Gojo Satoru would be Gojo Satoru himself.
"Who knows? Not my problem anymore!" Gojo said with a cheerful wave. "Alright, little baby. Get ready. My power is... a lot to handle."
As he finished speaking, a dazzling, brilliant white light erupted from Gojo Satoru's body. It rushed forward, engulfing the small, wandering consciousness completely.
When awareness returned, the dark space was gone. Satoru Gojo was gone.
What appeared before him now was the face of a large, rough-looking man with intense eyes.
Who the hell is this? He looks like a brick wall that learned to frown. He's terrifying!
But what came out of the baby's mouth wasn't a coherent insult. It was a loud, helpless wail.
Waah!
I actually did turn into a baby!
"Why is the little guy crying?" Garp asked, holding the infant awkwardly. He looked genuinely perplexed. Fortunately, he had some experience holding his own son years ago, or he might have just tossed the child in the air out of confusion.
"With my many years of experience with children, Vice Admiral, that little guy is probably hungry," said a Marine with the rank of lieutenant commander, nodding sagely.
"You have experience with children?" another lieutenant commander scoffed. "Everyone knows your wife raises your kids. You've been home, what, three times? In my experience, the baby needs to use the bathroom."
"He's hungry!"
"He needs the toilet!"
The two officers immediately began to bicker. Other Marines chimed in, quickly dividing into two camps and arguing loudly.
"ENOUGH!" Garp's voice boomed over the deck, silencing everyone instantly. "We'll do both! Get him some milk and check his diaper! I don't believe we can't figure out why he's crying!"
The entire crew stared at Garp, momentarily stunned by his 'solution.' It was ridiculous... but it would stop the argument.
What the...? the baby's mind reeled. Do both at the same time? And why do all these guys look like they think it's a good idea? Is it me who's weird, or is this whole world insane?
"Vice Admiral," Bogard interjected calmly, cutting through the odd moment. "Perhaps you should give the child a name first. That seems the proper thing to do."
"Hm! You're right!" Garp boomed, his expression turning thoughtful. "Gotta have a name. What should it be..."
He rubbed his chin. "How about... Monkey D. Satoru?"
"Satoru?" the Marines muttered, puzzled. "Why Satoru?"
The 'Monkey D.' part made sense—if Garp was adopting him, he'd take the family name. But Satoru?
"I don't know," Garp said, his face uncharacteristically serious for a moment. "But in my head, a voice just told me this kid's name is Satoru. If I had to say why... call it fate. A gut feeling."
"Monkey D. Satoru," Bogard repeated, giving a slow, approving nod. "It is an unusual name, but it has a ring to it. It sounds... reliable." Bogard was privately relieved; he'd been half-expecting Garp to suggest something like 'Monkey D. Fist.'
"Satoru! How do you like it? It's the name your grandpa gave you!" Garp said, beaming down at the baby.
And now, Satoru understood completely. The man was named Garp. His surname was Monkey. He was a Marine Vice Admiral. There was only one world this could be.
Giggle~
The baby, Satoru, let out a small, involuntary gurgling laugh.
"Look! He's smiling! He likes it! See? The old man's still got a talent for picking names!" Garp declared, puffing out his chest with pride. He now considered this a personal achievement.
"I never knew Vice Admiral Garp was so good with children's names," a Marine whispered in genuine surprise.
"Wah wah! From now on, I'm your grandpa, got it?" Garp said, poking the baby's cheek gently with a finger the size of a sausage. "You have to be good to your grandpa, you hear? Otherwise, I raised you for nothing!"
This statement made baby Satoru want to roll his eyes. He'd rather be adopted by some random, normal family than be raised by Garp. He knew exactly how Garp 'raised' kids. He remembered stories of Luffy being tied to balloons and flung into the sky, thrown into bottomless ravines, and left overnight in beast-infested jungles. What kind of grandfather did that?
"Hey! You little ingrate!" Garp exclaimed, seeing the skeptical look in the baby's blue eyes. "Giving me attitude already? Let me show you the power of my Love-Love Fist, grandson-style!"
Garp raised a massive fist, knuckles poised to deliver a gentle (by his standards) knock on the baby's head.
"VICE ADMIRAL!" Bogard's hand shot out, catching Garp's wrist before it could descend. "If you do that, you will kill him. Instantly."
Bogard's voice was utterly flat. It would be a supreme irony for a child saved from pirates to be accidentally slain by the Marine Hero's idea of 'affection.'
Garp blinked, looking from his fist to the tiny baby in his other arm. He slowly lowered his hand. "...Right. Good point, Bogard. Have to wait until he's tougher."