The forest outside Loguetown was quiet, untouched by the hysteria raging in town. Tall trees stretched toward the sky, their leaves whispering as the wind passed through. Sunlight filtered in broken beams, painting the ground in shifting gold and shadow.
Tempest D. Kai walked steadily between the trees, his expression calm and focused.
At his waist rested a long katana.
It was no ordinary blade.
Akatsuki — a Supreme Grade Sword.
The scabbard was black trimmed with deep crimson patterns, veins of gold etched along its surface like flowing embers. The hilt was wrapped in black and red, the guard shaped like a blazing crescent sun. Even sheathed, the sword radiated a silent dominance.
Kai rested a small hand against its handle.
"So the Take Over only gives me the talent and potential of the recently dead," he muttered thoughtfully. "Not their experience. Not their memories. Just raw aptitude."
He continued walking, stepping over roots and fallen branches with quiet ease.
"But skills are different," he added softly. "Skills must be forged."
He stopped near a clearing, the wind brushing past him gently.
"As long as I grow stronger and train according to those instincts," he said, closing his eyes briefly, "I won't waste time stumbling like others. I won't need decades just to reach the foundation."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"As long as my body grows stronger and I train properly, I can become a swordsman on the same level as Roger."
The thought amused him.
"No… higher," he corrected calmly.
He unsheathed Akatsuki slowly.
The blade gleamed in a deep, regal violet under the sunlight, faint patterns swirling along its surface like sleeping flames. The air around it felt heavier, sharper.
Kai exhaled.
He swung once.
The movement was clean.
Natural.
Effortless.
The cut split the air with a crisp whistle, slicing a distant tree branch cleanly before it could even fall.
Kai stared at the blade.
"Instinct," he murmured. "That's Roger's talent responding."
He sheathed the sword smoothly.
"No wonder I can only use Take Over on five people," he said quietly. "If I could absorb more, that would be absurd."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"If I remember correctly… Kozuki Oden will die in four years."
A breeze passed through the clearing.
"Oden's swordsmanship talent wasn't weak," Kai continued. "Naturally strong physique. Master of all three types of Haki. He wasn't at the absolute peak like Whitebeard, Roger, Garp, or Shiki… but he stood among monsters."
Kai tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"Fine then. Next target — Oden."
He began walking again, mind racing.
"And after him… Shiki."
A faint grin appeared.
"After he escapes Impel Down."
He paused.
"There's also the Giant King," he murmured, gaze sharpening. "But that would be troublesome."
He imagined the Holy Land.
The castle.
The hidden throne.
"I would have to infiltrate the castle," he said quietly. "Where the Giant King is held under Imu's control. And Gaban, Shanks, and Loki are fighting him."
Kai clicked his tongue.
"That's suicide at my current level."
He crossed his arms, leaning against a tree.
"But it's worth the risk eventually," he admitted. "He was one of the peak fighters. Rocks' equal."
His eyes gleamed.
"Damn it… I'll think about that when I get there."
Silence returned to the forest.
Then his hand moved toward a small pouch hidden inside his coat.
"Now the real question," he murmured. "Should I eat this Devil Fruit?"
He pulled it out carefully.
It was golden.
Not bright like polished metal, but warm — almost divine. Swirling feather-like patterns covered its surface, intricate and symmetrical. It looked less like a fruit and more like something sculpted.
"It's not that I doubt its power," Kai said slowly. "But becoming cursed by the sea…"
He stared at it for a long moment.
"The ocean is freedom in this world."
His jaw tightened.
"And Devil Fruits steal that."
He sighed.
"Still… power is necessary."
He looked at the sky through the trees.
"If Imu can wield something demon-like, I can't afford to hesitate."
He brought the fruit closer.
"Whatever sent me here gave me this for a reason."
He hesitated one final time.
"Fine."
He bit into it.
The moment the flesh touched his tongue, his face twisted.
"Disgusting," he coughed. "What the hell is this taste?"
He forced himself to chew.
"If this is the price of power, they could at least make it edible."
He swallowed.
The world shifted.
A violent heat surged through his veins, but it wasn't burning — it was awakening. His heart pounded, his muscles tightening as if something ancient stirred within him.
Kai staggered back slightly, gripping a tree trunk.
"Ah—!"
Energy flooded his body.
His bones felt denser.
His skin felt alive.
His senses sharpened.
He closed his eyes.
The name surfaced in his mind.
Hito Hito no Mi, Model — Seraphim.
Kai's eyes snapped open.
"Damn the—" He paused, at a loss for words. "What the hell is this feeling?"
He felt light.
Powerful.
Expansive.
A laugh escaped him before he could stop it.
"No way in hell I'm dancing," he muttered, though his body practically buzzed with euphoria.
He stretched his fingers.
Golden energy shimmered faintly around his skin before fading.
"Four active abilities," he whispered, analyzing instinctively.
"Weather Manipulation."
A gust of wind suddenly spiraled around him.
Leaves lifted into the air.
Clouds above shifted slightly.
"Wind… thunder… fire… clouds."
He lifted a finger.
A spark of lightning crackled between his fingertips.
Kai's grin widened.
"This is ridiculous."
He exhaled and the wind calmed.
"Size Manipulation."
His body flickered.
In an instant, he shrank — clothes and all — until he was no larger than an ant. The forest floor became a towering landscape of dirt and roots.
"Unbelievable…" his tiny voice echoed.
He willed it.
In a heartbeat, he returned to normal size.
He inhaled sharply.
"And I can grow as large as a true dragon?"
His pulse quickened.
"Kaido is a fish dragon," he muttered. "But a true dragon…"
His mind flashed to Loki.
"In his beast form, he could cover most of Elbaf."
Kai clenched his fists.
"And I can reach that size."
A low laugh escaped him.
"This is insane."
He steadied himself.
"Purification."
He focused.
The air around him shimmered faintly.
A patch of decaying leaves nearby slowly regained vibrancy, rot reversing into freshness before settling naturally again.
Kai's eyes narrowed.
"Any and everything," he murmured. "Poison. Corruption. Disease."
"And finally…"
His expression turned serious.
"Serap-Contract."
He exhaled slowly.
"Similar to Imu's sea contract. But I can't control others through it."
Golden sigils briefly flickered around his palm.
"It allows me to form contracts with others," he said thoughtfully. "Granting them enhanced regeneration."
He imagined Yamato training relentlessly.
"If I formed a contract with Yamato," he said quietly, "and she trained like a monster… her recovery time would drop by more than seventy percent."
He looked down at his hands.
"That means more training. Faster growth."
He stepped forward.
"And it's not just physical regeneration."
He tapped his temple.
"It enhances mental and spiritual recovery too. Haki."
His breathing slowed.
"It's superior to the Gorosei's regeneration in one way," he said calmly. "Theirs is instant, but stagnant. Mine fosters growth."
He smirked faintly.
"Sure, it won't regrow limbs instantly like theirs. It takes time."
He clenched his fist.
"But it keeps the body in its prime."
His gaze sharpened.
"Twenty to thirty years old. No illness. No decay."
Wind circled him softly.
"As long as you're alive and have energy, you regenerate to peak condition."
He exhaled slowly.
"This… is broken."
The forest felt smaller somehow.
Kai looked up at the sky.
"So this is the power you gave me."
His lips curved upward.
"Roger's potential. A Seraphim's power."
He rested his hand on Akatsuki once more.
"The sea may curse me," he said quietly, "but heaven just blessed me."
A faint rumble of thunder rolled in the distance, though the sky remained mostly clear.
Kai began walking deeper into the forest.
"I'll train," he murmured. "Master this body. Master this fruit."
His eyes gleamed with ambition.
"Four years until Oden."
His smile sharpened.
"Let's see how much stronger I can become by then."
The leaves rustled as the wind followed him.
A child moved through the trees.
But within him slept a king's potential and a seraph's divinity.
And the world had no idea what was coming.