Chapter 162 - 1

Chapter 1: The Beginning of TransmigrationIn the heart of the desert, scorching heat waves rose, and the yellow sand swirled in the wind, whipping fine grains against the boy's face.He lay spread-eagled, his sandals long since worn crooked by the sand, and his black hair clung to his sweat-drenched forehead... It was clearly a youthful face, with sunshine and optimism etched into his features... but mottled blood flowed down his chest, soaking his tattered red vest and blooming into a dark brown stain on the sand."Ah... it hurts."The pain throughout his body felt like countless red-hot needles, making it difficult to even move a finger as his consciousness flickered between clarity and chaos.'Am I... dead?'"Yo, you woke up quite fast."An alluring female voice rang out from in front of him, carrying a hint of nonchalant coolness.The boy struggled to look up, and a tall silhouette was cast against the backlight:Waist-length black hair fell like silk, and the shadow of a wide-brimmed hat covered most of her face, revealing only a sharp chin and deep blue eyes like a bottomless cold pool, making it impossible to see the ripples in her heart."You are..."The boy's heart suddenly tightened, and a wave of shock instantly swept through his mind.As a die-hard One Piece fan, how could he not recognize this face—Nico Robin!'So... I transmigrated?''Into the world of One Piece?''Then who am I?'Countless chaotic memories suddenly flooded his mind, flashing before his eyes like a revolving lantern:On an old tree by the sea, his grandfather's Iron Fist-like lessons rang in his ears:"Luffy, when you grow up, you must become a glorious Marine!"In a tavern, Red Hair's hearty laughter echoed:"The Pirate King—that's the freest person in the world!"On the beach of Foosha Village, three boys hooked their fingers together, making a childish yet firm vow:"From today on, we are brothers!"And the image of himself roaring at the sea, with an unquenchable fire burning in his eyes:"I'm the man who will become the Pirate King! I am... Monkey D. Luffy!"...'So, I am Luffy!'The boy slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. The sharp pain in his chest made him groan, yet he still struggled to turn his head and look at the woman before him, his voice as raspy as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper: "Thanks..."Robin ignored his words, her gaze remaining indifferent. Her thin lips parted slightly, her tone carrying a faint hint of testing:"Why fight? You should know Crocodile's strength. If you turn around and leave Alabasta now, it's not too late.""You people who carry the name of [D]... what exactly...?!""D... *cough, cough-cough*!"Luffy suddenly coughed violently, blood splattering onto the sand as he blinked blankly."Never mind, it seems I asked too much."Robin withdrew her gaze and stopped looking at him, turning to gaze toward the other end of the desert.There, a white figure was rapidly approaching, the corners of his mouth beneath a hooked nose tightly pursed, and the cape behind him fluttering in the sandstorm—it was the Guardian Bird of Alabasta, Pell."What did you do to Princess Vivi?!"Pell's voice carried suppressed fury and anxiety. The moment he landed, he stared fixedly at Robin, his hand on the weapon at his waist, his aura as sharp as a blade.Robin only gave him a faint glance, her tone still nonchalant: "Yo, awake so soon?""I've already figured out your ability; I won't fall for your trick again!"Pell gritted his teeth, his eyes full of vigilance as he closed in step by step."Just a stubborn guy!"Robin gave a light scoff, her gaze sweeping over the weak and exhausted Luffy on the ground before she turned to Pell and said,"You've come at the right time. Save this child. He's the Knight Pirate who escorted your precious princess all this way and fought until now."Before her voice could fade, she stopped lingering and turned gracefully. With the tips of her toes lightly touching the sand, she leaped onto a Banana Crocodile lurking nearby... leaving only a resolute black silhouette for the two of them as she disappeared into the sandstorm.Pell's eyes wavered violently as shock, hesitation, and powerlessness intertwined.He looked in the direction Robin had gone, then looked down at the wounded and dying Luffy... Finally, his legs gave way, and he fell to his knees with a thud, his fist slamming hard against the sand as he let out a desperate sigh:"I can't even beat them... who else can protect Princess Vivi? Who else can save Alabasta?""Meat..."A weak but firm voice suddenly sounded.Pell was stunned and looked down, only to see Luffy using his last ounce of strength to tightly grip his robe.Those eyes, which had been somewhat unfocused due to the intense pain, were now wide open, burning with an unquenchable fire and a decisiveness that put everything on the line."Give me meat... as long as I have meat, I can definitely... send that Crocodile flying!"At that moment, a cold mechanical voice rang out in Luffy's mind without warning:[Ding, host detected. Would you like to bind the System?][Ding, host breathing detected, binding in progress...][1%... 50%... 100%][Task Requirement: Please maintain stable vital signs within 1 hour (requires energy replenishment or medical treatment).][Reward: One Newbie Gift Pack!]Luffy: "..."...At this time, Alabasta was a scene of chaos:Civilians sighing secretly over a senseless war;Soldiers driven by hatred and pointing their swords at one another;Conspirators hiding in the shadows fanning the flames;Guardians who knew the truth but fought with all their might to stop the catastrophe;—Everyone, carrying their own obsessions and goals, surged toward the capital, Alabasta.This city was built with white stone as its skeleton and a circular layout as its form.The tall, continuous clock towers rang out urgent warnings, and the palace dome gleamed coldly under the scorching sun, quietly waiting for a collision destined to be tragic."I see it! Though it's still far, I can already see the silhouette of Alabasta!"Usopp waved his arms excitedly, his voice full of uncontrollable agitation as he shouted to his companions behind him.On the sand nearby, the yellow dust was kicked up into the sky by horse hooves.The Rebel Army leader, Koza, rode a tall horse, his battle cloak fluttering in the wind. He looked back at the dark mass of the Rebel Army behind him and spoke with a voice like a great bell:"Only one last stretch remains until Alabasta! Everyone, give it your all and take it!" Before his voice could fade, tens of thousands of rebels charged toward the capital like a surging torrent."Lord Chaka! The Rebel Army has appeared 15 kilometers to the south! Their numbers... there are too many!"The soldier knelt on the ground trembling, his tone full of despair—those dense figures almost covered the entire desert.Chaka's expression was grave. As the guardian of Alabasta, he suppressed the turmoil in his heart and calmly ordered:"Everyone, perform your duties and hold the line! You must not let them set foot in Alabasta!"The fuse of war had already been lit, and in the secret base of Baroque Works, members were sitting in a circle, whispering about the conspiracy to push the chaos to its peak... Meanwhile, in a remote tavern, a completely different sound rang out."Ah—I'm so full!"Luffy patted his round belly and squinted his eyes in satisfaction, food crumbs still clinging to the corners of his mouth.The hideous scars previously left by Crocodile had now completely vanished, without a single trace remaining.He gave a light stretch, and his bulging belly seemed to shrink into thin air, instantly returning to his lean and upright form, his whole body radiating the brisk energy of a youth.This scene directly stunned Pell, who was standing to the side. He had witnessed Luffy go from a dying state of heavy injury to being restored to normal just by eating a meal; such vitality was simply unheard of![Ding! Host's vital signs have stabilized. The Newbie Gift Pack has been issued. Would you like to open it immediately?]The cold mechanical voice rang in his mind, and Luffy did not hesitate: 'Open!'[Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining rewards: Three-color Haki (Initial Awakening), Exclusive Dual Haki Training Notes of an Elite Vice Admiral!]BOOM—It was as if a thunderclap had exploded in his mind. Countless insights, application techniques, and cultivation methods regarding Haki flooded into Luffy's mind like a tide.The deterrent power of Haoshoku;The hardened defense of Armament Haki;The sensory prediction of Observation Haki;...Countless pieces of information were rapidly integrated and digested in his brain.The next second, an invisible wave centered on Luffy, like ripples from a stone thrown into a lake, instantly swept through the entire tavern!The originally noisy tavern instantly fell into a deathly silence.Those pirates who were playing drinking games and bragging, as well as the civilians chatting and joking, had their smiles frozen. Their eyes became hollow and blank... as if an invisible giant hand had seized the throat of their fate. Their bodies went limp, and they fell straight to the ground one by one, losing consciousness.The sound of tables and chairs collapsing and wine glasses shattering became exceptionally clear in this sudden silence.In the entire tavern, only a few people were left barely standing.Their faces were pale, their bodies trembled, and they looked at each other with eyes full of horror and confusion, not understanding what had just happened.—Pell was one of them.He could clearly feel that extremely powerful force sweeping across his body, carrying a pressure that originated from the depths of his soul, making him almost unable to breathe.And he keenly sensed that this heart-palpitating power had actually come from the boy before him who had just been devouring meat!Complex emotions surged in Pell's heart: shock at Luffy's strength, confusion over this mysterious power, and a hint of curiosity about Luffy's identity... but more than anything, it was a fire of hope suddenly ignited when on the brink of despair.He looked at Luffy's back, as if he saw in this boy the future of Alabasta escaping its catastrophe and gaining a new life.Meanwhile, Luffy was looking down at the light blue panel that only he could see:[Host: Monkey D. Luffy][Physique: 62.5 (High)][Power: 60.2 (High)][Speed: 39.2 (Intermediate)](Note: Base stats do not include Devil Fruit or Hakienhancements, except for Zoan types. Example: The Glint-Glint Fruit does not count towards speed, while the Azure Dragon Fruit significantly increases physique.)[Conqueror's Haki: 29.9 (Initial)][Armament Haki: 1.0 (Initial)][Observation Haki: 1.0 (Initial)][Devil Fruit: Rubber-Rubber Fruit (29.9%)][Special Ability: Life Return][System Space: Dual Haki Training Notes (Elite Vice Admiral level)][Comprehensive Evaluation: Elite Rear Admirallevel]"Sigh, I still have to rely on the Protagonist Halo..." Luffy thought to himself helplessly."The Newbie Gift Pack didn't bring too much of an improvement. Compared to Crocodile, the gap is still large. However... maybe I can use some means!"He raised his head, his bright eyes full of determination. His gaze swept over Pell, and his tone was categorical:"Let's go! You go save your country. As for Crocodile—I'll send him flying!"Before his voice could fade, Luffy stepped out of the tavern, his figure already disappearing into the sandstorm at the entrance.Pell snapped out of it and followed closely without hesitation, with only one thought in his heart: This time, Alabasta might truly be saved!PS: New author, new book. I hope everyone enjoys it.I'm a college student; I have classes to attend, games to play, and novels to read. Although I'll work hard, the chapters might be short. I hope for your support!!