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Chapter 1: The Shore of Shackles and Freedom
The waves moved back and forth, brushing against the shore in a slow, endless rhythm.
Beneath the wet sand, a silhouette lay buried.
With every retreating wave, more sand was pulled away—until it became clear.
It was the body of a child.
No older than five or six.
Moments passed.
Then—
The child's fingers twitched.
A sharp gasp escaped his lips as he suddenly inhaled, coughing violently as sand spilled from his mouth.
"Argh… my head…"
He slowly pushed himself up, eyes burning as harsh sunlight flooded his vision.
"W-What's happening…? Where am I?"
His gaze wandered.
Blue sky. Endless ocean.
"…Is this a beach?"
"How did I get here?"
As he tried to stand, something felt terribly wrong.
He looked down.
Small hands.
Short legs.
"What the—"
His breath hitched.
"Why am I… so small?"
Panic surged through him. He touched his face, his arms—everything felt wrong.
"No… this isn't a prank. My friends aren't magicians."
His heart pounded violently.
"Is this the same situation I used to read about in isekai anime, novels, and fanfiction? Did I really reincarnate?"
"So… reincarnation is real?"
"…Did I really reincarnate?"
The thought sent chills down his spine.
"If I did, then where am I… and who am I now?"
Forcing himself to calm down, the boy searched his body for clues. That's when his fingers brushed against something cold around his neck.
A locket.
He opened it.
Carved inside were the words:
Monkey D. Joe
"Argh… not again. This damn headache…"
Pain exploded in his head.
"Argh… what's happening—"
Joe fell to his knees as his vision blurred.
Images flooded his mind.
"What's all this…?"
Memories—memories that did not belong to him.
He saw a woman and a man, laughing and playing with him.
The scene shifted.
Fire.
People screaming and running.
Then—a woman in shackles.
Her face was unclear, but she was running desperately through narrow paths between buildings, holding him tightly in her arms. It felt as if she knew the place well. Behind her, figures chased relentlessly.
Then everything changed again.
Joe saw himself placed inside a barrel.
The woman, still wearing shackles, whispered softly:
"Joe… be brave and stubborn like your father. Live your life away from these shackles. Live free, my baby."
"Don't worry about Mama. I'll be happy if you can live freely, without any chains."
In those memories, Joe cried wildly.
"I don't want to leave you, Mom! I'm scared! Are you going to leave me alone?"
"No, sweetie," she said gently. "You have to live—for your mom. Promise me you'll become a brave man."
"And don't worry about me. I'll live forever inside you. I'll always be with you."
"Now promise me."
With tears streaming down his face, the child in those memories nodded.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'll be brave. One day… I'll come back and save you from these shackles."
The barrel was sealed.
It was stored on a ship.
Time passed.
Then—
A loud boom.
Joe gasped as he returned to reality, collapsing onto the sand.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
"What was that? Were those this kid's memories?"
"That woman… that man… was he his father?"
"But he doesn't feel like Monkey D. Dragon…"
As he tried to process everything, his confusion deepened.
His blood ran cold.
"From those memories… it looked like she was being chased by Marines."
"She had shackles on her the whole time… a prisoner? A slave?"
"So many questions…"
"This feels more like transmigration than reincarnation."
"But if that's true… then am I really connected to him?"
One question stood above all others.
"But how did I get here?"
Suddenly—
Memories from his previous life rushed back.
His mother screaming.
His drunk father raising a bottle.
The pain.
"Oh… right."
A bitter laugh escaped his lips.
"I died protecting my mom… before even seeing the end of One Piece."
"Man, that's so sad. I really wanted to see that epic ending."
"One Piece was my only favorite anime. Everything else felt tasteless compared to it."
"I never missed an episode. I read spoilers, then read the official chapters again."
"And now… I'll never see the ending."
"…Or maybe—"
A strange smile appeared on his face.
"Maybe now I'll live inside One Piece."
His expression hardened.
"That bastard… I was in my final year of law."
"I was so close to getting my degree."
"Couldn't he have waited a little longer?"
"If I had known I'd die before graduation, I wouldn't have studied so hard."
"I spent my whole life and savings to graduate… just to die before enjoying anything."
"…I didn't even get to live properly."
"For fuck's sake, God. Was I that bad?"
"I was never your favorite, was I?"
He exhaled slowly.
"Well… looks like I've got a second chance."
"And this time, I'm not wasting it."
"One lifetime of studying is enough."
"In this life, I'll roam the world. I'll live freely."
He looked ahead.
The endless ocean stretched before him.
Behind him—dense forest.
"Forest means food… and danger."
"But I have to eat and drink, or I'll die again."
"I know some basic survival stuff."
"Alright, buddy… time to survive."
"With unsteady steps, Joe began walking forward."
"In my last life, I lived chained to responsibility."
"I lived for my mother… and died protecting her when that drunken bastard attacked."
"At least my mom still has my sister."
"I just hope they survive in that cruel world."
"…I miss them."
He wiped his eyes.
"Well, enough crying."
"Let's gather supplies."
A small smile formed on his lips.
"But this time…"
His eyes shone with resolve.
"I'm going to live for myself."
"I want freedom."
"And I'm going on an adventure—no matter what."
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