In New York
The rain fell in heavy sheets, soaking the boy's thin coat and plastering his hair to his forehead. Each step splashed through puddles that reflected the flickering neon signs from the streets above. The shouts of the men behind him echoed off the narrow alley walls, mixing with the distant wail of a siren and the hiss of water draining into the gutters.
He clutched the loaf of bread to his chest like it was a treasure, his small fingers slipping occasionally on the wet paper wrapping. Fear tightened his chest, but hunger and desperation fueled his legs. One of the men's boots hit the puddle just a moment too close, splashing cold water over his back. He stumbled but didn't fall—he couldn't afford to.
Ahead, the alley split into two, one path leading deeper into shadowed streets, the other toward a faint glow of lamplight. He hesitated only a fraction of a second before darting left, hoping the darkness would swallow him. Behind him, a growl of anger followed—a sound that made his heart hammer even faster.
Somewhere, a dog barked, and a loose piece of trash skittered across the cobblestones. He could hear the men's footsteps pounding, closer now. His lungs burned, his legs ached, but he couldn't stop. He wouldn't stop. Not if he wanted to survive the night.
"Boom." A sudden bolt of lightning tore down from the sky, striking the boy directly and killing him on the spot.
The men chasing the boy froze, their eyes widening in horror when they saw the lightning crashed down on the boy and instantly killing him
The men quickly turned around and fled in terror.
______
In Island in the grandline
A beautiful woman screamed in agony as she was giving birth. "Aaaahhhh!"
The woman appeared to be in her twenties, with long raven-black hair and a face so delicate it seemed as though a fairy from heaven had taken human form.
She had plump, rounded breasts, a slender waist, and long, graceful legs.
Her skin was soft as silk—so flawless that it made every woman who saw her sigh with envy.
Next to her stood an elderly woman, guiding her through the delivery. "Come on, Sarah, you're almost there. I can see the head—keep pushing!"
"AAAAAHHHHHH, AAAAHHHHH, AAAAHHHHHH,"
After half an hour of agonizing effort, the woman succeeded in giving birth. The old woman swiftly caught the baby and cradled the tiny infant.
The newborn's eyes widened as he took in his surroundings. "What is this place? I remember the lightning… it killed me. Don't tell me—I've been reincarnated?"
The woman who had just given birth glared at her baby with palpable hatred. The infant recoiled in surprise at the fury burning in her eyes.
The old woman sighed as she watched, then said to Sarah, 'This little boy is innocent, no matter who his father is, Sarah.'
When Sarah heard this, fury flared within her. She turned to the old woman and shouted, 'Take that evil spawn away, Mother. I never want to see him again!'"
The infant scowled inwardly at the words, while the elderly woman sighed, nodded, and watched them leave the house.
_____
After 3 hours
An old man stepped into the house and noticed the elderly woman seated on the sofa, the baby sleeping peacefully beside her.
The old man was bald, his wrinkled face and skinny build making him appear much older than he was.
The old man raised his eyebrow upon seeing the baby and asked, "Sister, what is with the baby?"
The old woman sighed heavily, her voice trembling as she answered, "This is Sarah's newborn son, though she never bothered to name him. Ken… please take him to an orphanage on another island. I'm terrified that if he remains here, Sarah may attempt to kill this poor child."
Upon hearing this, the old man's eyes shot wide open before he exhaled a long, tired sigh. "I see… so she still hasn't let go of her resentment for what happened when that pirate kidnapped her."
The old woman nodded softly, and the old man gazed at the sleeping baby. "So… this little one is that pirate's offspring."
The old woman let out a weary sigh and nodded. "Yes, but this boy is innocent, big brother."
The old man nodded softly. "I know, sister. I'm not so narrow-minded. I'll take the boy to Commy Village on Shooting Star Island. It's far away, and I've heard they have an orphanage there."
The old woman nodded in satisfaction and gently handed the baby to her brother, who departed the village without delay.
_______
7 years later
Shooting Star Island
Commy Village
Sunflower Orphanage
A boy, seven years old, had blond, spiky hair, piercing blue eyes, and fair skin. He was the abandoned son of Sarah. Anyone who looked closely into his eyes could see the sharp intelligence that seemed to dwell within them.
The old man who brought him to the orphanage named the boy Van Noor D. Oliver.
Right now, Oliver laid beneath a tree, eyes fixed on the drifting clouds, lost in thought as he pondered about his reincarnation.
"Seven years have passed since the lightning strike that ended my life and led to my reincarnation. I may not be the type to believe in God, but I truly am grateful for this second chance," Oliver reflected.
Oliver noticed three boys approaching him: one was fat, one was short, and the third was skinny.
They glared at Oliver with arrogance, and the fat boy sneered, "Move, trash. This is my favorite spot—scram."
Oliver narrowed his eyes, but before he could react, a cold, mechanical voice rang inside his head.
DING.
CHOICE SYSTEM IS LOADING.
10%, 20%, 40%, 80%, 100%.
CONGRATULATION HOST THE CHOICE SYSTEM HAD SUCCESSFULLY FUSED WITH YOUR SOUL.
Oliver's breath hitched as the mechanical voice rang through his mind. "What the hell…? What's going on?!"
Calm yourself, Host. You've been chosen by the Choice System! Every choice you make in this second life will shape your path—and earn you various rewards.
Oliver froze in shock and asked, "How… how do you know this is my second life?"
I will explain everything later, but for now, you must make a choice, host.
First choice: beat up these three boys, and you will be rewarded with innate strength physique.
Second choice: listen to the three boys and walk away; you will be rewarded with a calm heart.
Oliver was confused and asked, "What are the innate strength physique and calm heart?"
Some people are born with unique bodies known as special constitutions. There are many types among them, and the Innate Strength Physique is one such rare constitution.
The Innate Strength Physique grants its wielder exceptional physical power. Your body will naturally be stronger than that of your peers, but this doesn't make you invincible. With enough dedication and training, anyone can develop a physique that rivals—or even surpasses—the innate strength physique.
The advantage of having this constitution is that your body strengthens faster than normal when you train, and you recover from injuries much more quickly than others.
The only disadvantage you have in possessing this constitution is that you will be consuming a lot of food.
Oliver was taken aback, and the system continued.
A calm heart is a rare of state mind. No matter what dangers lie ahead, your heart will remain steady, unaffected by fear or any other emotions.
Oliver nodded his head, 'The innate strength physique is more practical than the calm heart. Those three are so annoying —I it is time I teach them a lesson."
Oliver rose to his feet and stepped toward the short boy. His right fist curled tightly, arm pulled back, and then he struck, connecting squarely with the boy's face.
"AAAAHHHHH."
The short boy collapsed to the ground, clutching his nose in pain, and tears streaming down his face.
The fat boy and the skinny boy froze in shock, and Oliver exploited their surprise without hesitation. He lunged at the fat boy, unleashing a rapid flurry of punches and kicks.
The fat boy curled up on the ground in pain, tears streaming down his face. "Please… stop! I'm sorry!"
Oliver shot the fat boy a look of disdain, then shifted his gaze to the skinny boy. The thin boy flinched under his stare.
The skinny boy spun around, trying to flee, but Oliver seized his arm. "Let go, you lunatic!" the boy screamed, his voice trembling with fear.
Oliver couldn't help but laugh at what the skinny boy called him. He tightened his fist, pulled his arm back, and hammered it into the boy's face.
"BAAM."
The impact sent three of the skinny boy's teeth flying. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his mouth, sobbing uncontrollably.
Suddenly, Oliver heard the system's mechanical voice echo through his mind once more.
Congratulations, host. You have beaten the three boys. Do you want to claim your reward now?
Oliver smiled and nodded. "Yes, System. I want to claim my reward now."
As you wish, host.
Suddenly, a warm sensation coursed through every cell of Oliver's body—his bones, blood, organs, muscles, and skin—lingering for several seconds.
After the warm sensation ceased, Oliver felt he was full of energy, and his body was way stronger than before.
Oliver's eyes widened as he felt his body surge with strength. "Is this the innate strength physique?" he murmured.
Oliver heard the system's mechanical voice once more in his head.
You are correct, host. The changes you feel in your body are the result of obtaining the innate strength physique.
Oliver smiled, nodded, and strode off, thinking, "Now that I have obtained this, I'll should start training my body to reach its full potential."
Oliver spotted a clearing surrounded by trees. A satisfied nod passed over his face before he dropped to the ground and began a set of push-ups.