Setting sail

Sunlight shone on his black hair as he adjusted his black, square-framed glasses.

The young man was impeccably groomed from head to toe, with a white-sheathed sword at his waist.

A gentle smile always rested on his lips. Anyone who saw him would think he was a mild, warmhearted young man.

"Go, Lofan! Announce to this sea that you've arrived!"

Kong watched the wooden boat set sail. He knew the world was about to face a surging tide.

Some people were destined to have their names celebrated by countless others and become legends in this turbulent Great Pirate Era.

In the year 1512 of the Sea Circle Calendar, Tsuru discovered Lofan on a deserted island in the Calm Belt.

At the time, Tsuru and Vice Admiral Momousagi were escorting Boa Hancock, one of the Shichibukai, to the Reverie.

By then, Lofan had spent more than half a month on the deserted island.

Had they arrived any later, this transmigrator might have disgraced his fellow transmigrators by starving to death on the island.

Aizen Template progress: 1.4%

Hōgyoku: locked.

Lofan had only just arrived in this unfamiliar world when he saw this so-called Aizen Template.

Sōsuke Aizen was a charismatic villain from Bleach, immensely ambitious and isolated by his extraordinary genius.

A character full of flashy lines, yet powerful beyond measure.

But Lofan had no idea where he was.

An endless expanse of seawater surrounded him. All he knew was that this would be his only means of staying alive.

Half a month later, just as he thought he was about to bid the world farewell, a familiar-looking warship appeared.

Sailing behind it was a Kuja ship pulled by two enormous sea serpents.

Only then did he realize which world this was.

A world of twisted dreams where the protagonist played house while everyone else's survival was uncertain.

This world's very nature was cruel and appalling, devoid of the humanism of his own world.

All it had were extreme dreams and the supremacy of strength.

Yet it held an unparalleled appeal for anyone, likewise because of dreams, likewise because of strength.

Having inherited Aizen's monstrous talent and ability to learn, he became a recruit training at Marineford on Tsuru's recommendation.

As the template progressed, and through his own efforts.

Lofan was actually recommended to Commander-in-Chief Kong by the training camp's instructor, Black Arm Zephyr.

Shocked by Zephyr's assessment of him, Kong personally visited headquarters to inspect him.

So much so that stories of Lofan were still circulating in the training camp.

This was how Zephyr assessed him: he saw a future in which the Marines would dominate an entire era!

For a former Marine Admiral, someone who had trained the current Three Admirals, to describe him in such terms.

That was why Kong took such an interest and personally came to headquarters to see just what kind of monster he was.

And Garp had been teasing Sengoku about it ever since, because upon arriving, Kong had said:

"Lofan, come train with me for a few years. Maybe you'll be the one sitting in my seat someday! Hahahaha!"

Everyone present was a pillar of the Marines: Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Garp the Hero, and Black Arm Zephyr.

Garp had immediately doubled over with laughter, tears flying from his eyes.

"Hahaha! Sengoku, just look at your old self!

A teenage brat is already working toward becoming Commander-in-Chief, and an old bag of bones like you is still just a damn Fleet Admiral! Haha!!"

Thus, although Lofan himself was absent, his name had long been spreading throughout Marine Headquarters.

Countless Marines at Marineford wanted to see for themselves the man who had since been called the greatest talent in the Marines' eight-hundred-year history.

Today, Lofan had originally been scheduled to head to Marineford to receive his Marine appointment.

As Kong's pupil, he would ordinarily have had a warship sent to pick him up, but Lofan refused.

Saying he wanted to try going to sea on his own once before formally taking up his post, he set sail alone.

For him, having spent over three years in this world and inherited Aizen's power, way of thinking, and talent.

He had long since made other plans.

He had no dream of reshaping the world, nor any delusions about the so-called ONE PIECE.

Much less whether the history of the Void Century involved some earth-shattering secret.

Only this world itself held endless fascination for him. Since he had been brought to this world.

Then he ought to make his life even wilder! Freer!

He would unlock the Hōgyoku, create the Espada, and build the Soul King Palace.

He wanted to stand at the pinnacle of this world and experience its magnificent figures for himself.

To compete with them on this sea-only then would this journey have been worthwhile!

Lofan had insisted on setting sail alone because he needed to go to Dressrosa and establish a partnership with Doflamingo.

By this point, after attacking a ship laden with Heavenly Tribute, Doflamingo had also threatened to reveal Mary Geoise's National Treasure.

Through this, he had obtained the authority of a Shichibukai from the World Government and successfully usurped the throne.

Using the Dressrosa Kingdom to his advantage, Doflamingo had further extended his secret control over numerous illicit industries around the world.

Lofan's first target was Doflamingo's black-market resources, followed by the technology behind Artificial Devil Fruits.

He needed to establish his own forces and make the necessary plans for the emergence of the Espada.

Dressrosa, the land of love, passion, and toys.

Everywhere in this country brimmed with the rich Spanish style of his original world.

Roses, red bricks, castles, and a distinctive bullfighting colosseum.

The original rulers of the Dressrosa Kingdom had been the Donquixote Family.

They treated the Tontatta as slaves, and because they forced the Tontatta into slavery.

This kingdom had once become exceedingly wealthy.

Only after the Riku Family became the new royal family were the Tontatta freed.

Together with the use of fairy legends to keep the citizens from disturbing the Tontatta, hardship gradually returned, and the prosperity of those days was no more.

This was why Doflamingo had chosen this place. It had once belonged to his family, which meant it ought to belong to him.

The arrival of a wooden boat was not enough to draw anyone's attention.

All the more so because Lofan deliberately chose a concealed route ashore, then headed straight for the highest point, the King's Plateau.

He adjusted his black frames as the sea breeze lifted a few stray locks over his forehead.

For three years, he had consistently modeled his every movement on Aizen.

The template's progress could increase not only through fighting, training, and other methods akin to accumulating experience.

Lofan discovered that imitating Aizen in his dress, thinking, and other ways could also improve it.

But he, too, had struggled: would his future self be Lofan, or Aizen?

Yet through day after day of grueling training, the only thing he could be certain of was this:

No matter what, without power, he would not even have a chance to struggle, because once a person died, everything was gone.

Thus, to obtain power, he needed to prepare for a performance that would shock the entire world.

For the ideal stage, was there any better choice than the Paramount War, which would become a turning point in the era?

Lofan entered the palace with ease.

Using Observation Haki, he quickly pinpointed Doflamingo's location. No one noticed him, the intruder.

He used the hypnotic ability of his Zanpakuto, Illusion, to affect every guard who saw him.

Within his perception, none of the other officers were inside the palace except Sugar.

Step by step, he smoothly made his way into a luxurious lounge.

There, he met Doflamingo, the man known as the "Heavenly Yaksha."

Doflamingo was wearing oddly shaped red sunglasses and a pink feathered coat.

He was drinking while enjoying the warmth of the sun.

Today's rare leisure was interrupted by Lofan's arrival.

"Fufufu!"

"Kid, you're pretty capable. I noticed you the moment you set foot on the King's Plateau.

But how did you manage to make every guard you encountered think nothing was wrong?"

Doflamingo showed no anger. Instead, he happily drained the wine in his glass.

"Just a little trick. Nothing worth mentioning."

Lofan gave a gentle smile. That air of a courteous gentleman from China truly made it difficult to dislike him at first sight.

Doflamingo continued sunbathing on the balcony, his back to Lofan.

Though he was arrogant, untamable, cold-blooded, and ruthless.

As someone who also possessed Conqueror's Haki, he had, as a king, what was called the bearing of a ruler.

He was already considering recruiting Lofan. This was an interesting fellow.

But if he could not achieve his aim, he would not mind using force to make him submit.

If even that was not enough, he could only have him die.

A king permitted no defiance.

Doflamingo said nothing. He waited for this man, who remained composed throughout, to speak. This was his territory!

"Everyone's time is valuable, so let's skip the probing.

Work with me, Doflamingo. I know you don't care about becoming Pirate King.

But don't you want to turn this world upside down?"

"The Celestial Dragons, the Four Emperors-don't you find all those people an eyesore?"

Doflamingo abruptly stood and turned around. Only now did he take Lofan seriously for the first time.

Because the other man's words had struck at the truth he had long hidden deep within his heart.

"Fufufufufufu!!! You think you know me so well?!"

Veins bulged on Doflamingo's face. Behind his lenses, his eyes fixed on Lofan's, which were narrowed slightly by his smile.

"I suppose I do."

Lofan spoke calmly, walking toward Doflamingo as he talked with a gentle smile.

"Sugar, Caesar, Kaido. Oh, right."

Lofan deliberately paused. His composed figure carried tremendous pressure.

Watching the other man's face twist with disbelief, he slowly spoke again:

"And that secret in Mary Geoise..."

"Shut up!!!"

Conqueror's Haki, laden with fierce killing intent, suddenly surged wildly toward Lofan.

Its momentum was immense, stirring upheaval within the palace.

Yet Doflamingo did not attack. He was a little afraid.

Just a few words had inspired more fear than facing someone like Kaido.

"That's not it, Doflamingo. Let me show you what intimidation is. What true deterrence is."

Lofan pushed up his square-framed glasses with his right hand.

Deep, terrifying blue Reiatsu surged from his tall frame like an ocean.

It crossed the several meters between them and crashed down upon Doflamingo like a raging tide.

Doflamingo instantly dropped to one knee, a deafening buzzing in his ears.

That unmatched weight struck directly at Doflamingo's soul, making his body tremble uncontrollably.

The surrounding air grew thick, and thought nearly froze.

"Conqueror's Haki?! No, what the hell is this?!!"