Chapter 2: Sailing on the Sea.

Seventeen years later.

A youth was standing in front of a grave, silently looking at the tombstone. A moment later, he opened his mouth, and spoke out as if talking to a person.

"Mother, it's been seventeen years since you've died. That mean, I am also already seventeen years old this year." 

"By the way mother, I'm actually not the soul of your dead baby. I'm someone who got reincarnated to this world. I hope you forgive me for taking over the body of your child."

"In order to repay you, I will go out to the sea, to find and save your other son, Ace. I will set out to sail on the sea after this."

After saying that, the youth then bowed towards the grave. "Farewell mother. Don't worry, I will come back after I did what I've said."

After that the youth turned around and left. This youth is Rex. He has the same appearance as Ace. Hair color, freckles, eyes, height, all of these traits that can be found on Ace, there are present on Rex.

After walking for sometimes, Rex reached the shore, where a small ship was docked there, ready to be used. Some people also gathered there. As Rex reached his ship, a late thirties lady walked forward and approached him.

"Do you really want to set sail? The sea is not a safe place. There are too many danger out there." Said the lady, looking deeply at Rex's eyes.

"Mom, you don't have to worry about me. I'm a tough guy." Replied Rex, smiling at the lady. He then climbed onto his ship. "Farewell everyone. I will be back after I find my twin brother."

"Sniff* sniff* stay safe, and eat well. Don't forget to send back a letter." Said the lady. Tears were flowing down on her face as she waved her hand at Rex.

"You must come back after you found your little brother."

"Bring some good things when you come back."

"Bring a girl too. It's almost time for you to have a wife."

"Yeah, you should do that."

All the aunty that helped looked after Rex waved their hands, and give their own advise to Rex.

"Rex, if you wanted to be someone out there, I advise you to not become a navy. That is the thing that I hated the most." Advised the mayor.

"I got you, Sazu-san. Don't worry, I will not become a marine." Replied Rex.

"That's a relief then." Nodded Sazu.

At this time, a marine patrolling ship appeared at the distance sea. A watcher on the marine ship saw Rex's ship, and hurriedly informed the crews. Not long later, the marine ship sailed towards Rex's ship.

"Ah! A marine ship is here!"

"Hurry Rex! You need to leave. Don't let those arrogant marine question who you are, or recruit you into their ship." Yelled the mayor.

Rex also saw the marine ship, and smiled. He then intentionally showed the flag on his little ship. On the flag, there was a drawing of a human skull with a crown on top of the skull.

"Oh no! Rex, what are you doing?"

"Are you crazy? Why are you provoking those Marines?"

"This is bad. Rex, hurry up and leave!"

Panic attacked the villagers, when they saw the glaring pirate flag on Rex's ship. They hurriedly warned Rex, and asked him to leave.

On the marine ship, the commander on the ship frowned when he saw the pirate flag. "So, that newbie is trying to be a pirate. Everyone, ready those cannon. At my command, shoot that pirate ship."

"Roger!"

The crew then hurriedly rushed to prepare those cannon. Rex saw them directing all of their cannon towards his small ship, and his smile turned even bigger.

"Let me show you guys what I can do. Come attack me if you dare."

As if answering to his call, the marine shot out several cannon balls towards Rex's ship. Before those cannon balls reached the ship. Rex jumped out of the ship.

"Store!"

Rex caught one by one of the cannon balls, and before it exploded, he stored all of it inside his left eye. Within ten seconds, all of the cannon ball that were shot towards his ship vanished without causing any damage or explosion.

"What? What just happened?"

"His ship didn't get wrecked? Even the sea still remained as it is."

"Did he just use some kind of power?"

"A devil fruit user?" The commander frowned as he saw what just happened. Somehow, those cannon balls disappeared as soon as the boy touched them. "This is a difficult target. I need to contact the headquarter."

Just then, the marine saw Rex throw something towards their ship. At first, they were confused. A second later however, their faces turned pale. Those thrown out things are exactly those cannon balls that disappeared just now.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Instantly, those cannon balls hit the marine ship. Not long later, the ship started to sink into the water, as it was damaged by those returning cannon balls.

"Oh no! We are sinking."

"Hurry up! Repair those damages."

"It's no use. The damage is too big and to many."

In the end, those marines were forced to jump away from their ship, and swam to the shore. Rex smirked when he saw this. He then sailed away, and left the place.

"Serve them right! Did they think Rex is someone who is easy to bully. Fat chance!" Sneered the mayor, gloating at those unfortunate marines.

"Are not you the first one who panicked just now when you see those cannon balls almost hitting his ship?"

"Whose panicking? I really trust Rex's ability to fight back."

"Yeah right."

"What are you guys sneering at me for? Go back into the village!" Scolded the mayor.

He then turned around and headed back into the village, followed by the villagers. They didn't even look at those helpless marines.

...

Three days later, a small ship was sailing smoothly on the sea. Rex who was alone on the ship was currently checking the map on his hand. 

"Currently, I'm still inside this part of the World, called South Blue. If I want to find Ace, I needed to go to this area, called East Blue." murmured Rex. "So, how should I go to that place?"

From South Blue to East Blue, there are many obstacles that Rex needed to pass by. If he go directly towards that area of the world, he needed to go pass a Calm Belt, where many of those gargantuan sea monsters reside. After that, he needed to sail across the Grandline sea which have a very dangerous weather. Next, he needed to go through another Calm Belt on the other side of the Grandline.

Other than those primary known dangerous places, there are still the pirates, marines, and many more dangerous sea creature that are lurking all over the sea. That is how bad it is for him to reach East Blue.

"The safest route to go to East Blue is by going through the Reverse Mountain. However, that is also the longest route from my current location. What should I do?"

Rex was thinking deeply about the right direction for him to take. He was thinking too deep that he didn't realize a cannon ball was shot at his ship.

Boom!

Instantly, the ship was wrecked, and started sinking into the sea. Rex, expression changed when he saw the damage. "Oh no. This is bad. I don't know how to repair ship. Ahh!"

The ship quickly sunk into the sea, and Rex was left floating while grabbing on a wooden plank. He looked coldly towards the distance sea. In the distance, a pirate ship slowly approached him, and stopped not too far away from Rex.

"Hahaha! Kid, that's what you get for showing a pirate flag on your little ship." Said a man, laughing while showing his yellow teeth.

"Haul him up. He is still useful to us. Make him do the ship chores." Said the captain of the ship.

"But captain, we don't have much food to feed newbie." Replied one of the pirate crew. 

"What of it? Let him starve to death. Easy right?"

"But captain, we have no place to accommodate this kid."

"If I said take him, just take him."

"But captain..."

Bang!

The captain was irritated with the nagging, and shot the guy to death. "Now, we have an available spot for that kid. You, haul him in."

All the crew was frightened when they saw how easily the captain shot one of the crew to death. The person who was asked to haul Rex, hurriedly did as instructed. He threw a rope towards Rex, and said, "Hurry up. Climb the rope, and come up here."

Rex just followed the command, and climbed the rope, up onto the pirate ship. 

"Yo kid. Watch out. You glaring at me won't save your life. It might just be the cause of it being shortened." Said the captain. "Listen here. Your task is to clean up the ship. You see those cleaning equipments over there, right? Now, get to work."

Rex looked at the side, and saw a broken broom, and some rugs. That's the only equipments that he could see. 

"I think, you are the one that is suitable to do the cleaning." Said Rex, smiling at the pirate captain.

"You sure?"

"Before, I was just saying. But now, when I looked closely at your face, I'm sure that cleaning job is suitable for you. I'm even starting to suspect that you are born to do that, and I'm sure you are the descendant of an ordinary seaman." Replied Rex.

Instantly, the whole pirate crews turned silent, and gaped at Rex. The captain also was shocked and froze on his feet.

"Ahahahaha. That's really funny. You have a very good humor there." Laughed the captain. Suddenly, he pulled out his gun. "Die you Motherf@#ker!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The captain aimed all the shots directly at Rex's head, intending to kill him on the spot. Rex didn't panic as he was ready to face any reaction from that captain. The moment the gun was pointed at him, he already started evading, and those shots didn't manage to hit him.

 After evading those shots, Rex swiftly rushed forward. Instantly, he closed the distance between him and the pirate captain. His hand reached out, and caught the neck of that guy.

Bam! Pow!

Rex didn't give the guy any chance to struggle away from his grip. As soon as he caught the captain on his neck, he lifted him up, and then slammed him hard on the deck of the ship.

Not satisfied with just that, Rex followed suit with a heavy punch on the face of that man. The punch hit squarely on the face of the man, and cause his head to sunk into the broken wooden deck. The double hit instantly caused the captain to lose his consciousness.

Swoosh...

Silence hit the whole ship as the fight ended abruptly. The instant KO caused a great shock to the pirate crews. All of them looked at Rex with a stunned face, mixed with fearful expression.

"What? What just happened?"

"He...he has beaten the capt'n..."

"Oh no! Will he kill us too?"

"Ahhh! We are dead!"

All the pirate crew swiftly turned fearful. They didn't dare to look at Rex's eyes, fearing that they will become the next target of his wrath. 

"If you all wanted to live, leave the ship!" yelled Rex. He then pointed at two people, saying, "You two, take away this guy and leave the ship!"

"Ye...yes!"

The two pirate crews hurriedly run to get the unconscious captain. After that, they hurriedly jumped down onto the sea. Not long later, except for Rex, all the other pirates already jumped down onto the sea.

Rex saw that some of them are not good at swimming. So, he grabbed those small canoes and threw it near those pirates. "You all are too naive to be a pirate. Go back to wherever you come from, and don't waste your time pirating on sea."

Saying so, Rex then sailed away using the big ship that he seized. The pirates who was left floating on the sea could only look at the disappearing ship in sadness, and regret. They regretted attacking this guy, and caused them to lose their ship and wealth.