Akashi didn't feel the impact. One moment, he was walking home from school, headphones in, staring down at his phone. The next… darkness.
Then, he opened his eyes.
The sky above him was a crisp, cloudless blue. A gentle breeze ruffled his red hair. Red? He sat up, blinking rapidly. A bright sun bathed the sandy beach in warm light. Waves lapped softly at the shore. Tall, tropical trees framed the area like something out of a travel brochure.
Where am I?
He stood slowly, taking a few cautious steps before catching sight of a pool of water nestled between some rocks. Curious, he leaned over—and froze.
The reflection staring back at him wasn't his.
His black hair was gone. In its place was a crown of crimson, styled sharp and controlled. His eyes were no longer dull brown but a golden hue, glinting with power. His skin was smooth, youthful—but there was something else. A kind of quiet authority in his gaze that hadn't been there before.
"This is… not me."
Before he could panic further, a sudden ding echoed in his mind. A translucent blue screen appeared in front of his eyes.
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> [Welcome to the Recruitment System.]
Host: Akashi Uzumaki
Status: New User
System Synchronizing... 100% Complete
Initializing Starter Quest…
____________________________________
"What the hell is this?" he muttered, trying to swipe the screen away. But it didn't disappear. Instead, it expanded.
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> [Personal Status Menu]
Name: Akashi Uzumaki
Age: 18
Strength: E
Agility: D
Intelligence: C
Stamina: E
Chakra: Locked
Haki: Locked
Empire: 0% Established
Summon Cards: Bronze x1
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> [Main Quest - Chapter 1]
Objective: Use your first summon card to summon a character and begin building your empire.
Establish Logue Town (Base Island).
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Akashi's mind reeled.
He was dead. That much was obvious. Hit by a truck—classic. The old "truck-kun" meme. It should've been funny, but here he was, alive again, in a different body, on an island he didn't recognize, with a literal game system giving him orders.
Another screen popped up.
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> Would you like to use your [Bronze Summon Card]?
[Yes] / [No]
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He hesitated. "Bronze summon card? What am I summoning?"
The system responded.
> [Bronze Summon Card]
Allows the summoning of a random loyal character from the world of One Piece.
Characters summoned via the system are loyal to the host. They retain their memories, abilities, and skills.
Advice may be offered, but all commands will be obeyed without question.
This card will disappear after one use.
One Piece?
Akashi's brow furrowed. He wasn't a huge anime fan, but even he knew about One Piece. Pirates, Marines, Devil Fruits… if he could summon someone from there…
His lips thinned. If this was real, if this system wasn't a dream or hallucination, then every decision mattered.
"Alright," he said aloud, his voice steady but quiet. "Let's see how real this is."
He tapped [Yes].
The screen shimmered and glowed. A circular magic seal appeared on the sand in front of him, etched with strange symbols and a golden compass motif.
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> Summoning…
Character Type: Marine
Rank: Captain
Name: Smoker
Status: Loyalty 100% - Advisor Mode ON
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A burst of wind exploded outward as a tall figure emerged from the light.
He wore a long white Marine coat draped over his shoulders like a cape. His short silver hair contrasted with the perpetual scowl on his face. A pair of cigars smoked between his lips, and a large jitte weapon—tipped with Seastone—was strapped to his back.
The man opened his eyes and locked onto Akashi. Then, to Akashi's shock, he dropped to one knee.
"Smoker reporting for duty, Commander Akashi."
Akashi took a step back. His heart thundered in his chest. "Y-You're real…"
Smoker nodded. "Of course. I was called here to serve. My loyalty lies with you and the empire you will build."
Akashi stared at him. This was no game NPC. This was Smoker, the Marine Captain from One Piece. Flesh and blood. Breathing. Talking.
And loyal.
He took a deep breath, forcing his brain to catch up. "Then… do you know what this place is?"
Smoker stood. "It appears to be an isolated island, unmarked by any known civilization. The perfect location for a base. With your permission, I will begin scouting and drawing plans for development."
Akashi's fingers curled into fists. He was still overwhelmed, but a strange calm washed over him. Maybe it was this new body. Maybe it was the Emperor's spirit within.
"Do it," he said. "We're building Logue Town. This island… it's the start of something bigger."
Smoker nodded once. "Consider it done."
As the Marine captain vanished into the forest to begin work, the system chimed again.
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> Quest Updated: Logue Town Established – 10%
New Quest Unlocked: Secure Resources – Gather 100 Wood, 50 Stone
Reward: Silver Summon Card
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Akashi exhaled and sat on a flat rock nearby, gazing out at the horizon.
He had no idea how or why he ended up here. But if he was given this second Life... He would make the most of it.
This was his world now. His empire and it had just begun.