One Piece: Tournament!

{ Third POV }

It is the morning of May 15th, 2021.

In a massive countryside far away from populated areas, there is an enormous forest stretching for miles. At the center of this rural land stands a sprawling villa bustling with activity. One feature that notably stands out is a tall clock tower that looms over the estate. Suddenly, the clock rings out, its sound reverberating throughout the residence, prompting many individuals inside to wake up and begin their morning shifts.

Within the villa lies a beautiful, well-kept living room. A television hangs on the wall, and on the plush couch below it, an elderly man slouches, sleeping peacefully with his arms crossed. He is an imposing figure—built like a giant, with muscles still well-defined even in his older years. His tanned skin is marked with faint wrinkles, particularly around his eyes, and his facial hair—a neatly maintained goatee connected to his mustache—stands out against his clean-shaven head. Despite being bald, he retains an intimidating aura that makes it clear he is not someone to be trifled with.

Suddenly, the sharp ring of a telephone pierces the silence, causing the elderly man to open one eye lazily. With a sigh, he extends his hand toward the desk, where an old-fashioned telephone sits—oddly out of place in this modern era.

"What is it?" the elderly man asks, his tone betraying faint curiosity despite his annoyance at being disturbed during his rest.

Sebastian, his trusted servant, responds quickly, his voice tinged with nervousness. "My apologies for the interruption, my Lord. I received a call from an unknown individual. Normally, I would have dismissed it as a prank, but this person claimed to know you… and said they have information that would benefit you."

The old man frowned, a hint of irritation surfacing. "Sebastian, please don't tell me this is why you interrupted my rest. This is unlike you. What is going on?"

"My Lord," Sebastian stammered, "t-this person mentioned my granddaughter… her location, to be specific. I can't risk assuming it's a prank and putting my family in danger. The caller only asked to speak to you."

The elderly man's frown deepened. He already disliked this unknown individual for exploiting his subordinate's weakness—family. It was a tactic he himself had employed countless times in his past, but he despised being on the receiving end of it. Nevertheless, he decided he would speak with this stranger. If the caller intended to demand something absurd—money, power, or worse—he wouldn't hesitate to retaliate, even if it meant sacrificing Sebastian's family.

"I will deal with this," the man assured Sebastian firmly. "Connect me to this individual, and rest assured that your family will be safe."

Sebastian let out a breath of relief, stammering his thanks before quickly connecting the call.

"You are very bold, I'll give you that," the elderly man growled, holding the telephone to his ear. "How dare you threaten my subordinate with such baseless claims."

"I know I am," came the unsettling reply. The voice on the other end sounded distorted—neither distinctly male nor female—and carried an eerie, playful tone. "But I assure you, the threat was very real. Now, I don't have much time to spare. Today is a very busy day for me, but you're in luck."

The old man straightened his back, his brow furrowing as he focused on the call.

"I've chosen you to participate in a game. While you are free to refuse, I can promise you—no, I guarantee—you will regret that decision. You are not the only one chosen, so do not think yourself special. Everything will be explained once you travel to my humble abode."

The elderly man pinched the bridge of his nose, his patience wearing thin. "Get to the point. What is this offer you speak of?"

"Ah, my apologies. How careless of me!" the voice chuckled, sending a shiver down the man's spine. "Here's the deal: you will have the opportunity to reincarnate into another world with a completely new body. In return, you must complete a single mission within that world. Oh, and this world happens to be supernatural—exciting, isn't it?

"Of course, if you refuse, I'll simply wipe both your and your subordinate's memories of this call. A pity, wouldn't you say? So… yes or no?"

The elderly man slouched back on the couch, exhaling deeply as his mind raced. 'What is going on here?' he thought. 'This can't be real—it's too absurd. But… what if it is?' After all, he was getting old. If it turned out to be a hoax, so be it. He'd just admit he was a fool.

"I accept," he declared at last, his voice firm as he clenched his fists and closed his eyes.

"Oh ho, splendid!" the voice purred with amusement. "You are the eighteenth person to accept my offer. Good choice! But listen carefully now. In exactly five hours, make sure you are alone in your room. A bright light will appear, and anyone near you who has not been selected will perish. You wouldn't want your poor subordinates to die, would you?"

Before the elderly man could respond, the line went dead. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he slammed the telephone down. Standing abruptly, he began pacing back and forth, mulling over the conversation. 'Was this stranger telling the truth, or was this some elaborate joke?' After a while, he stopped his musings with a sigh, unable to find an answer. Resolving to prepare for the worst, he headed toward his room.

On the way, he encountered Andre, one of his trusted butlers. Andre was a lean man with muscular arms adorned with tattoos, and his hair was tightly braided.

"Andre, good to see you," the elderly man greeted. "I need you to do something immediately. In exactly five hours, I want you to inform everyone—everyone, including yourself—not to come near my room. I'll be staying there. Understood?"

Andre bowed respectfully, his admiration for his master evident. After all, the elderly man had once been one of the strongest individuals in the world.

"Understood, sir. Do you need anything else?"

"No, I'm good. Just go and inform everyone."

Without another word, Andre nodded and hurried off to carry out his orders, leaving the elderly man to prepare for whatever was to come.