Chapter 1

The sky was clear and cloudless, with golden sunlight shimmering on the rippling sea, as if a layer of fine silver gauze had been laid upon the water.

The morning sun was somewhat cold, and the salty sea breeze added a touch of desolation. However, the bustling crowd on the shore felt no chill, their eyes burning with excitement as they gazed at the sea.

The composition of the crowd was quite unique, ranging from children around four or five years old with runny noses to teenagers around sixteen or seventeen wielding iron swords. Such a combination would usually lead to chaos and noise, but at this moment, there was complete silence. Only the trembling bodies and disordered breathing revealed their inner turmoil.

Suddenly, the sea turned red with blood, the waves surged, and the tide roiled as if a monster from hell was emerging from the depths. But this group of "boy scouts" was not afraid; instead, they erupted in cheers that filled the shore.

In the next moment, a bare-chested, handsome young man emerged from the sea, holding a massive sea king creature that was dozens of meters long. Each step he took caused the ground to tremble and the sea to surge.

"Wow! He defeated a sea king with his bare hands! Brother Longinus is really too strong!"

"Idiot, it's not the first time. What's so strange about it? You should focus on the fact that Brother Longinus has broken his record again, capturing a sea king in just three minutes!"

"I wonder when I'll be as strong as Brother Longinus?"

"Wait until you can dive into the deep sea every day like Brother Longinus to train your body, then you can talk about such dreams!"

Not only the seven- or eight-year-old kids, but even the sixteen- or seventeen-year-old teenagers, were sincerely convinced by the twelve-year-old Longinus, calling him "Brother" without any hesitation.

The young man named Longinus had a gentle smile on his face, giving off a trustworthy aura.

"Baggy, move the sea king's meat and distribute it to everyone!" Longinus leaped high into the air, falling like a meteor and striking the sea king with a single punch, instantly splitting it into two even halves.

The boy named Baggy stood up as if injected with adrenaline, walking forward with his head held high, as if being assigned a task by Longinus was a great honor. The other "boy scouts" looked at him with envy and jealousy.

"Brother Longinus, I promise to complete the task!" Baggy walked to the half of the sea king, skillfully pulling out an iron hook and securing it in the creature's flesh. He then grabbed the rope with the other "boy scouts" to pull it back.

"Oh, Brother Longinus, here's today's newspaper. I almost forgot to give it to you." Baggy scratched the back of his head sheepishly, pulling out a carefully preserved newspaper from his pocket and handing it to Longinus.

"Thanks for the trouble." Longinus smiled in gratitude.

"N-no trouble at all, not at all!" Baggy's face turned red as he stammered, then ran back to the group to help move the sea king.

...

Smoke rose from the shore, and the enticing aroma of food tempted the appetite, but Longinus remained unmoved. He only sat on a rock after completing his last physical training, holding a mountain-sized piece of grilled meat as his breakfast and flipping through the newspaper to gather information.

At this moment, Longinus's face was expressionless. If Baggy and the others saw him, they would be utterly amazed. The Brother Longinus who always wore a gentle smile had an unknown side.

Longinus gently closed the newspaper, and a faint smile finally appeared on his indifferent face: "After three years in this world, I finally know what era I'm in!"

Following Longinus's gaze, the front page of the newspaper was dominated by two huge headlines.

"Pirate King Roger Executed, the Era of Pirates Comes to an End!"

"Worldwide Conscription"

"Talking about the end of the pirate era is just a final cover-up by the Navy and the government. They see more clearly than anyone that a chaotic era of great pirates is about to begin. Otherwise, they wouldn't start worldwide conscription in such a 'favorable situation'!"

Longinus calmly continued to eat the grilled meat, while deep in thought: "Based on my guess, the island I'm on is likely part of the initial section of the first half of the Grand Line. Although I don't know which of the seven routes it is, being in the midst of the Great Pirate Era, this place will soon become the center of the storm. The pirates that will appear won't be the small-time pirates with bounties of a few million that occasionally come here for a raid!"

"Staying here any longer, I might encounter powerful pirates at any time, and the sea kings are also running out. It's time to leave!"

"Whether to become a pirate and ride the waves or to join the Navy and clear the corruption, it's not a difficult decision for me."

"Given the talent of this body and the strength brought by my soul, what I lack is systematic guidance and training. After all, not everyone can have a foundation laid by Garp in childhood and be taught Haki by Rayleigh after setting sail. For me, joining the Navy can maximize the potential of my talent, which is the first point."

"To establish a foothold in this sea, I cannot abandon the help provided by that thing. Since I can't avoid killing, I might as well choose the Navy, which allows me to kill pirates openly and provides support, which is the second point."

"To unravel the heartaches of my predecessor, the intelligence system of the Navy and the government is indispensable, which is the third point."

"Moreover, so-called factions are just a pursuit of interests. If necessary, creating a dark alter ego is also a good choice." Longinus's eyes wandered, after all:

In the world of the sea, how can one avoid being cut? To succeed, one must have multiple identities—Lu Xun

"Brother Longinus, Brother Longinus, something's wrong... something's wrong!" A blue-haired boy ran over in a hurry, out of breath.

Longinus's cold expression quickly softened, instantly switching his personality: "Fitz, what's wrong? Calm down and speak clearly."

Finding a pillar of support, Fitz's anxious and restless expression calmed down, but his trembling legs revealed that his inner fear had not yet dissipated: "It's the Great Rhinoceros Pirate Crew! It's the great pirate Great Rhinoceros Alex with a bounty of 37 million berries!"