One Piece: Reborn in God's Valley

Year 1494. West Blue, Kano Country

As one of the most recognized powers in the West Blue, the Kano Country's port bustled with activity day in and day out.

Two patrol soldiers strolled lazily along the docks, chatting idly to kill time.

"Hey, Book, did you hear? Chinjao, the head of the Happo Navy, went to challenge Marine Vice Admiral Garp again. You think they'll finally settle it this time?" one of them asked, clearly eager for gossip.

"Hard to say," replied the one called Book. 

"Chinjao's no pushover, but Garp… that guy's been called a demon by countless pirates."

Before they could continue their banter, something unusual happened at the dock.

"Ahhh! Look over there! Something's coming this way!"

A sailor, carrying a crate on his shoulder, shouted to his crewmates from the deck of a merchant ship.

"What are you screaming for? Get back to work! If you delay the delivery, don't expect a single beri in your hands!" the ship's overseer barked. 

He scowled, but grabbed a long telescope to check out the disturbance anyway.

The moment he focused the lens on the sea, the color drained from his face. His body trembled uncontrollably, and his teeth clattered like castanets.

"This can't be… That's a monster from the deep sea! What's it doing here?"

Panic surged through him. He spun around and shouted at the sailors still working on deck.

"Stop unloading! Get this ship out of here now! There's a monster headed straight for the port!"

The merchant ship began retreating in a frenzy, and soon others noticed the abnormal movement in the water. 

Sailors scrambled to cast off mooring lines and hoist sails, desperate to flee.

Naturally, the growing commotion drew the attention of the local patrol. Over 200 soldiers quickly assembled at the waterfront, fully armed and on high alert.

Ten minutes later, more than twenty ships, merchant vessels and pirate ships alike, had evacuated the harbor. 

Onshore, the soldiers finally caught sight of the cause of the chaos, a colossal Sea King.

Only its head was visible above the water, yet even that was enough to showcase its staggering size. 

Its head alone occupied nearly a fifth of the circular harbor, large enough to fit dozens of ships.

The soldiers stood frozen, paralyzed by fear. No one dared to move a muscle. Who in their right mind would provoke a beast that could swallow a man whole?

Then, Plop!

Before anyone could react, a tall figure leapt from the Sea King's head, landing smoothly on the dock.

It was Ashen V. Helgrave, fresh off more than ten days at sea.

"No need to panic," Ashen said calmly as he turned to the crowd. "This one's a gentle kid. He won't cause any trouble."

'Gentle? That thing?'

No one dared say it out loud, but every person there was screaming on the inside.

"Thanks, buddy!"

Ignoring the stunned onlookers, Ashen gave the Sea King a wave.

This young, serpentine Sea King had first appeared the day after Ashen escaped from the deserted island. Curious, it had swallowed his wooden raft in one gulp.

Naturally, Ashen didn't take that too well. After a thorough beatdown, the Sea King had been forced into the role of his ride.

With the help of the Nether Eye, Ashen managed to communicate with it, asking it to swim toward any nearby island inhabited by humans. 

The Sea King, surprisingly intelligent, had brought him here.

"Raaaawr~!"

With a few enthusiastic bellows, the Sea King nodded obediently at Ashen's gesture and dove back into the ocean, vanishing swiftly into the deep.

"Hey, you bastard! Who the hell are you? What were you thinking bringing something that dangerous here? What's your real reason for coming to Kano?"

Book finally mustered the courage to step forward and confront him, now that the Sea King had gone.

"Me? Name's Ashen V. Helgrave, just a pirate who lost his way," Ashen replied with a lazy smile.

The mention of "Kano Country" sparked a flicker of interest in his eyes. 

"So this is Kano, huh? Ha! What a lucky break. Oh right, how's old Chinjao doing these days?"

"The captain went to fight Garp," Book snapped. "If you know of Chinjao, then you'd better behave. Otherwise, you'll see what the Kano Country is capable of."

From within the ranks of soldiers, a large, imposing man stepped forward, clearly the commanding officer.

"Relax," Ashen said, brushing past him. "I just want to buy a ship and restock on supplies. That's all."

"Hmph. You'd better stick to that."

The large man watched Ashen's retreating figure and muttered, then turned to issue orders.

"Book, keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't cause any trouble."

"Yes, Commander Glenn!"

Kano Country. Commercial District

Ashen was scarfing down food like a starved beast in a busy restaurant. 

The waiter serving him was sweating bullets, and the other patrons could only stare, dumbfounded at the mountain of plates piling up.

It wasn't until half an hour later that Ashen finally put down his utensils under the intense stares of everyone around him.

"Unbelievable… I didn't expect to find this good meat in One Piece world. That's crazy."

Satisfied and full, Ashen paid his bill and left the restaurant.

He spent the rest of the afternoon strolling through the commercial district at a leisurely pace.

As for Book's amateurish attempt at tailing him? Ashen had noticed it long ago thanks to his Observation Haki, but didn't bother doing anything about it.

He picked out a few shirts and pairs of pants, then grabbed a long cloak to drape over his shoulders, finally looking less like a shipwreck survivor.

He dropped by a weapons shop too, purchasing two pistols that he holstered at his waist. And lastly, he found a proper sheath for his sword.

By nightfall, Ashen checked into a quiet inn, ready to enjoy a well-earned night's sleep.

That Night. At the Capital of the Kano Country

At the entrance of a towering statue, the commander of the Kano Navy's Second Division crossed the suspension bridge in a hurry and ascended directly to the top floor.

There, a tall, thin, bald man with twin mustaches stood at the window, hands behind his back, overlooking the entire Kano Country.

"Your Majesty, we just received a call from Chinjao's men. That bastard Garp smashed the captain's head!"

The Second Division commander bowed respectfully as he spoke.

"Heh... Just as expected. If that brute Garp hadn't insisted on comparing fists and foreheads with Chinjao, this would've been over a long time ago."

The man turned around, revealing the dragon tattoo on his scalp, he was the King of the Kano.

"In any case, this might teach Chinjao a lesson. The Navy's not something he can afford to mess with. 

If we weren't the top contributors to the Heavenly Tribute in the West Blue, he'd already be rotting in Impel Down for his pirate crimes."

"By the way, I heard a pirate entered the port today?" the king asked.

"Yes. He arrived riding a massive Sea King. Looks like he's pretty strong. Claimed he came to buy a ship, though we're not sure if that's the truth."

"Let's not provoke someone like that unless we have to," the king replied. "With Chinjao injured, now's not the time to be making enemies."

"Understood, Your Majesty."