Sea Circle Calendar 1517 — three years before Luffy set sail.
Wano Country, Onigashima.
"RaimeiHachi~Gwa!!! (Thunder Bagua!!!)"
With a thunderous roar, a white meteor blazed across the sky above Skull Dome and crashed violently behind Onigashima.
"BOOM!!!"
The island trembled. A pillar of smoke and dust erupted into the sky.
The impact was as fierce as a naval bombardment, but the Beasts Pirates stationed there remained calm.
"Lady Yamato got her ass handed to her again."
The pirates muttered among themselves.
This sort of thing happened every two or three months. They were long used to it. Everyone knew—just one of Kaidou's classic family squabbles.
As usual, what followed was—
The skies darkened. Thunderclouds rolled in, hiding the heavens. A giant azure dragon emerged from the clouds, coiling above the island.
The Strongest Creature — Kaidou of the Beasts!
The dragon let out a battle cry-like laugh.
"Wororororo! You lot! Go grab that dumb brat of mine and toss her in the dungeon! No food for half a month!"
"OOOH!!!"
The pirates raised their weapons and roared, surging toward the mountain out back.
An order from the boss himself. Carrying it out meant a huge reward—and maybe, if lucky, a promotion to executive.
Skull Dome, second floor. A certain room.
Rogan stood in front of a mirror, staring at the burly body reflected there—one that rivaled Zangief from Street Fighter, with a ferocious bald head like Kratos from God of War. His eyes went blank.
He couldn't call it handsome. Not even remotely close.
But it totally fit the wild, brutal aesthetic of the Beasts Pirates.
Overflowing with raw masculinity. Folks back home would probably think he was a world-class WWE wrestler.
Once again shaken by his own reflection, Rogan tilted his head back in despair, tears slowly sliding down his face.
"Noooo!!!"
Snowflakes drifting~~ North wind howling~~
"Why… Why did I transmigrate?!"
Yes, Rogan was a transmigrator.
But he really didn't want to be one.
In his previous life, his family got rich from housing demolition projects.
They were compensated with eight apartments.
Eight!
After graduating and getting slapped around by society, he took his parents' advice, quit his job, and became a full-time freeloader—living that sweet landlord life.
His days were filled with park strolls, chess and mahjong with neighbors, sometimes fishing, playing ball, gaming with friends—just living the chillest life ever.
At the end of each month, the cold chime of a bank transfer reminded him that every day was filled with hope.
Dreams? Ambition?
Hah—tui!
Did they know the bliss of collecting rent?
He was thriving.
He thought he could just keep living that way.
But then—bam, he transmigrated. Into the chaotic world of One Piece. As a lowly grunt in the Beasts Pirates.
He hadn't enjoyed enough of that sweet life yet!!!
"Why'd you jump in when someone fell in the river, huh? You worthless rent-leeching bum, acting all heroic for what?!"
Cursing and wiping his tears, Rogan's eyes sharpened.
He'd heard Kaidou's order loud and clear.
After two and a half months, he'd grown used to the new world and his new body. And now, he had been waiting precisely for this kind of opportunity!
"Ugly doesn't matter—as long as I'm rich!"
"If I catch Yamato, I'll get a huge reward!"
"Then buy a house—collect rent. Buy another—collect more!"
"The happiness I lost… I'll take it all back with my own hands!"
Rogan clenched his fists so tightly that veins bulged across the back of his hand.
I, Guradon Rogan, 24 years old.
Have a dream—not a noble one—but a real one.
To become a rent-collecting, sleep-eat-chill landlord!
"Yamato… jejejeje…"
Rogan grabbed a sword as wide as a door and grinned viciously as he stepped into the hallway—only for his grin to freeze moments later.
Trouble ahead.
Not far away, a cute girl with long blue-pink hair and a pink mask was storming through the hall, checking room after room.
CRACK!
She ripped a door off its hinges with her bare hands.
"Not in here!"
"Or here!"
"Damn it, Pei, where the hell are you?!"
Watching her lose patience and about to snap, Rogan quickly turned to slip away—he wanted nothing to do with her.
Damn, should've checked the fortune calendar before leaving today!
But—it was too late.
The girl spotted his sneaky retreat. Her eyes lit up. She bent her legs and leapt, appearing in front of him in a flash.
"Stop right there, Rogan!"
"Lady Uruti."
Rogan's face twitched as he looked down at the girl with resignation.
Her name was Uruti, a Shinuchi-class officer in the Beasts Pirates and his direct superior.
At only 173 cm tall, she looked like a potato compared to his 2.8-meter-tall, bear-like frame. He could probably slap her silly in one hit.
And yet—her strength was miles beyond his.
Fair? No.
But that was reality.
Uruti glared up at Rogan, grinding her teeth in frustration.
"Rogan, did you find Pei yet?!"
"No."
Rogan shook his head with a flat expression.
"Pei" referred to Page One, Uruti's younger brother.
She was a notoriously explosive siscon whose biggest joy was tormenting her brother. Which meant the poor guy was always hiding from her.
And so, finding her little brother became Rogan's daily headache as her assistant.
But it was a thankless job.
If he didn't find him—Uruti got mad.
If he did—Page One got mad.
Better to just not bother.
Without getting the answer she wanted, Uruti grabbed Rogan by the collar. "Then keep looking, you idiot!"
"Lady Uruti."
Rogan remained calm and pointed upward. "Boss Kaidou just ordered Lady Yamato to be thrown into the dungeon."
"Huh?!"
Uruti's eyes flared as she snapped, "Again with the family drama?! Kaidou is such a moron! And what's it got to do with us?!"
"Well… you're not wrong," Rogan said, pretending not to hear her insults toward Kaidou. "But it is a direct order. Given Lord Page One's personality, I imagine he'll go try and capture Lady Yamato."
"Oh! Then we're going too!"
Uruti clapped her hands in realization, then leapt up onto Rogan's shoulders, swinging her pale long legs back and forth.
With a bright smile, she pointed forward and cheered—
"Charge, Ro-chan!!"
"…"
Rogan's face twitched again.
Those legs really—wait no! Damn brat was treating him like a mount again?!
It wasn't the first time. But with those snow-white legs swaying in front of him, Rogan really wanted to grab her and slam her into the ground like a chick.
Fuuuuu~~
Calm down. Calm down!
Rogan, you can't beat her right now.
But thirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west.
One day—you'll ride her.
For now, stay focused. If someone else catches Yamato first, his house-buying, rent-collecting dream goes poof!
Let's go—time to take down that damn Yamato!
(End of Chapter)
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