The morning sun shimmered across the horizon, scattering diamonds of light over the endless blue. Kaen stood on the deck of his newly repaired vessel — or what was left of it. The patched sails fluttered proudly, the flag still blank, waiting for a symbol that would one day make the world tremble.
He exhaled slowly. The salt-filled wind brushed through his dark hair, carrying the familiar voice of the sea — the same whisper that had guided him since the day he ate the Umi Umi no Mi.
"Still talking to me, huh?" Kaen murmured. "Guess that means we're not done yet."
The ocean replied with a gentle wave lapping against the hull, steady, rhythmic — like a heartbeat.
He reached down, trailing his fingers along the surface. The water rippled and rose, responding to his will, shaping itself into a faint image — a map made of living waves. Islands formed from swirling foam, currents marking paths that led in every direction.
One route glowed faintly brighter than the rest — a single trail moving eastward.
"The Grand Line…" Kaen whispered.
He'd heard the name before — from the whispers of wandering sailors, from scattered memories of Ohara's lost texts. A place where dreams either soared or drowned. And something deep inside told him that his answers waited there.
But before he could set sail, he needed a crew.
A storm brewed behind him — not from the sky, but from the forested cliffs overlooking the beach. Footsteps. Shouting.
"Over there! That's the guy who sank the Red Claw's ship!"
Kaen turned slowly. Five men emerged from the treeline, armed with swords and pistols. They wore tattered coats marked by a crimson claw — the same pirate gang he'd nearly drowned days ago.
Kaen sighed. "Guess word travels fast."
The leader, a scar-faced brute with iron teeth, sneered. "You cost us our captain, kid. We're gonna gut you and feed you to the sea."
Kaen smiled faintly, stepping toward the water. "You sure you wanna do that?"
"What, scared?" the brute jeered.
"No." Kaen's eyes turned deep blue, shimmering like the ocean at dusk. "Just wondering how you plan to fight my captain."
The men hesitated. "Your… captain?"
The sea behind Kaen surged upward, spiraling into a towering wave shaped like a monstrous serpent. Its eyes glowed, its scales made of living water.
The pirates stumbled back in terror.
"Meet Umi," Kaen said softly. "The sea itself."
The serpent roared, crashing down upon them. Water exploded outward — a perfect blend of destruction and mercy. When the spray cleared, the pirates lay unconscious on the shore, their weapons scattered, their pride broken.
Kaen stood silently, letting the serpent dissolve back into the ocean. The Umi Umi no Mi still pulsed inside him — powerful, wild, and hungry. He could feel it trying to merge with his very soul.
"You're not just power, are you?" he muttered. "You're… alive."
The voice of the sea whispered faintly in his ear, soft as a lullaby.
"We are one tide… two souls."
Kaen touched his chest. "Then let's make some waves."
He raised the patched sail and turned the ship toward the open sea. The wind caught it immediately, propelling him forward.
The island shrank behind him — a forgotten speck swallowed by the horizon. Ahead lay countless islands, each with its own mysteries, dangers, and dreams.
As the sun climbed higher, Kaen took the stone tablet from his pack and set it on the deck. The glyphs shimmered again, revealing faint new lines — coordinates, carved by fate itself.
"Ohara… the sea remembered your map," he whispered. "And now, I'll finish what you started."
He looked up at the endless sky, determination burning in his gaze.
"The world government erased Ohara… but they didn't erase me."
The sea responded with a mighty roar, waves rising behind his ship as if cheering him on. Seabirds circled overhead, the air alive with energy.
Kaen smiled — a calm, confident smile. For the first time, he didn't feel lost.
He felt chosen.
The tide of rebellion had begun — and somewhere far across the sea, whispers began to spread.
A survivor of Ohara.
A boy who commands the ocean.
A man with eyes like the deep.
The world would soon learn his name.
Kaen Ohara — the Sea's Successor.
And the era of tides was only beginning.
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To be continue...