chapter 1: O'Hara

In the dark space, everything appears incredibly silent. It is a peculiar space that resembles a prison, divided into two halves. On one side, it is divided into three cells by thick dark golden pillars, each as thick as a thigh. Above each cell hangs a straight bronze chain, but there is no one inside.

On the other side of the divided halves stood a slightly bewildered black-haired young boy, appearing to be around seven or eight years old.

"Where am I? How did I end up here?" The black-haired youth was now filled with confusion, his mind filled with question marks. If he remembered correctly, he seemed to have died in a car accident. Could this be the legendary realm of Hell? But why couldn't he see any other lost souls?

Just as the black-haired youth was engulfed in bewilderment, suddenly his consciousness became hazy as if someone was calling out to him. He rapidly faded away, disappearing from the dim space.

...

Uh...

The azure sea occasionally swayed with graceful waves, accompanied by seagulls soaring through the sky, painting a beautiful seascape.

"Hey, wake up! Are you alright?"

As Qin Ge opened his eyes, still somewhat bewildered, he saw a black-haired girl with emerald green eyes looking at him nervously and excitedly.

"Who are you? What happened to me...?" Qin Ge, who hadn't yet grasped the situation, instinctively blurted out. At the same time, for some unknown reason, although he didn't recognize the girl before his eyes, she gave him an extremely familiar sensation.

While speaking, Qin Ge, lying on the beach, unconsciously tried to sit up. However, as soon as he moved, his mind was suddenly struck by an explosive pain, as if something had been forcibly thrust into his head.

A muffled groan escaped Qin Ge's nose as the intense throbbing pain made him wince, clutching his head in agony. He knelt on the beach, cold sweat continuously forming on his face.

The sudden change not only caught Qin Ge off guard but also startled the girl beside him. Panic immediately appeared on her face.

"What's wrong with you? Are you alright? Should I take you to the hospital in the nearby town?" the girl nervously exclaimed.

The young man before her was also someone she didn't recognize. She had encountered him by chance while taking a walk on the beach, near the sea. It seemed that he had experienced a shipwreck and drifted to the island.

Driven by her innate kindness, although the girl was startled, she immediately approached to check the situation. Initially, she was glad to see the other person wake up from unconsciousness, but she didn't expect the sudden change.

The throbbing sensation in her head came suddenly and receded just as quickly. After a short while, the feeling of an impending explosion gradually diminished.

However, at this moment, Qin Ge had no spare attention to respond to the girl's words. After the pain subsided, he sat dazedly on the beach.

Under the recent throbbing pain, his mind had been flooded with a plethora of images and memories, resembling a slideshow. From these visuals and recollections, it became abundantly clear that he had indeed traveled through time or experienced some form of reincarnation.

Qin Ge was originally an ordinary young man living in modern society, but he had the misfortune of dying in a car accident.

However, unexpectedly, instead of returning to dust as one would expect, his soul crossed over to the world before him. Furthermore, he managed to possess the body of the young boy who had just perished in a recent shipwreck, granting him a chance at rebirth.

Time travel is undoubtedly a dream cherished by countless teenagers in their fantasies, but Qin Ge never expected to encounter such an unimaginable situation. Naturally, he found himself lost in thought for a moment.

Of course, being able to have a second chance at life was undoubtedly something to be grateful for. After all, Qin Ge hadn't finished living yet. However, the main reason for his absent-mindedness was primarily because he was reborn into this particular world.

From the residual memories absorbed from the original body's owner, Qin Ge not only learned that the person's name was Allen but also discovered that the world he was currently in was none other than the fictional world of "One Piece."

The reason Qin Ge was able to ascertain this world as "One Piece" was due to the memories of the original body's owner, which contained information about characters like Pirate King Roger and Devil Fruits. In his past life, Qin Ge was also an avid fan of the "One Piece" anime, so the situation suddenly became clear to him.

"A world of fantasy has become a reality. Though it's somewhat unbelievable, simply being alive is enough!" After being lost in thought for a while, Qin Ge gradually returned to his usual self, silently contemplating.

He had personally experienced death, and the horrifying sense of despair and fear that accompanied it was something beyond the comprehension of ordinary individuals. The feeling of being shrouded in death left him with lingering fear even now, and he had no desire to experience it again.

"Although you died in a shipwreck, after all, I've taken over your body. As a token of gratitude, starting today, I will be called Qin Ge Allen. It's also a way to show my appreciation for this body!" Qin Ge silently thought to himself.

"How are you feeling? Why aren't you saying anything? Is there something wrong with your body?" The wide-eyed girl looked at Qin Ge, noticing that he seemed less distressed and more lost in thought.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Qin Ge looked at her in response. Unlike before, now that he knew the world he was in, his gaze subtly flickered when he looked at the girl with big eyes.

"I'm fine, thank you for your concern. By the way, I don't know your name. What should I call you?" Qin Ge displayed a faint smile.

The wide-eyed girl, Nicole Robin, felt a bit embarrassed and said, "My name is Nico Robin. And what about you? What's your name?"

"Nico Robin," Qin Ge repeated in a whisper, his gaze intense. "I'm called Qin Ge Allen!"

No wonder he had felt a strong sense of familiarity with her before. She was the mature and intellectual beauty he would encounter in the future. He just didn't know if they were currently before or after the events of the "Demon Slayer" series. If it was before, it could be dangerous.

"So, you're Qin Ge Allen. Can I call you Allen from now on?" The little girl's emerald green eyes shimmered with anticipation as she gathered the courage to ask.

"Of course, you can. After all, you're the one who saved my life!" Qin Ge chuckled softly and stood up, his gaze scanning the surroundings.

"If you call me Allen, then I'll call you Robin as well. So, Robin, can you tell me where we are? I was drifting at sea for a long time after the shipwreck, and I have no idea where I ended up!" Qin Ge casually asked.

Nico Robin, who had stood up from her half-crouched position, happily replied without any guard, "We are in Ohara, a world-renowned archaeological site!"

As she introduced her hometown, a sense of pride filled Nico Robin's face. It was not only a deep affection for her hometown but also a pride rooted in the fact that she was an archaeologist.