Bab 2: Flames and Beasts
The heat of the midday sun beat down on Ling's back as he trudged through the forest, sweat rolling down his forehead. He had ventured deep into the jungle, hoping to find something that would give him more information about where exactly he had landed. But the island remained frustratingly quiet, its only inhabitants the small animals that scurried away at the sound of his footsteps.
After walking for what felt like hours, his legs began to tire, and his stomach growled, reminding him of a more pressing concern: hunger. The few fruits he had eaten earlier had only whetted his appetite, and he knew he needed something more substantial if he wanted to keep his strength up.
Frustrated, Ling turned back the way he had come, retracing his steps to the beach. The rhythmic sound of the waves grew louder as the trees began to thin, and soon, he was standing on the shoreline once more. The ocean stretched out before him, as vast and endless as it had been earlier, but now it felt more daunting.
Ling scanned the beach for anything useful. A few pieces of driftwood, tangled nets, and old debris were scattered along the shore, remnants of ships that had been battered by storms or wrecked on the island. In his previous life, he would have ignored such things as useless trash, but now, everything had a purpose.
He approached the larger pieces of wood, inspecting them for potential. After a few moments, he found a sturdy length of driftwood, thick enough to serve as a makeshift fishing rod if he could fashion some kind of line. Near the tree line, he spotted the remnants of an old fishing net, tangled in the branches. It was frayed and worn, but with a little effort, he managed to pull free some usable strands of rope.
With his makeshift line and driftwood rod in hand, Ling set about crafting a simple hook out of a sharp stone. It wasn't perfect—far from it—but it would do for now. He also fashioned a spear from another piece of wood, sharpening the tip with the same stone. The idea of spearfishing sounded cool in his head, but he knew it required skill and precision—skills he wasn't sure he had yet.
He glanced at the shore, eyes scanning for movement in the shallows. Finding a worm wiggling under a damp rock near the treeline, he baited his hook, sat back on the beach, and cast his line into the waves. The rod was crude, but it would have to work for now. As he sat there waiting for a bite, his mind began to drift.
The hunger gnawing at his insides was more than just physical; it was also a reminder of the uncertainty of his situation. He had been reincarnated in this world—One Piece, the world he had admired from the safety of his previous life. But the thrill of adventure was quickly giving way to the harsh reality of survival.
"So, where the hell am I, anyway?" Ling muttered to himself, glancing around the shoreline again. "Is this the Grand Line? The New World? Or one of the Blues?"
That was the real problem—he had no idea. Without knowing his exact location, he couldn't properly plan his next move. If he was in the Grand Line or the New World, it meant danger was lurking just beyond the horizon. But if he was lucky and landed in one of the Blues—East, West, North, or South—then he might have a little more time to prepare before facing any real threats.
"I need a strategy," he said aloud, trying to think clearly. "First, I have to survive long enough on this island to either get picked up by a passing ship or figure out a way to build a raft. Then, I'll need to figure out where to go from here. Without knowing where I am, it's risky to venture toward any major islands. I should avoid places crawling with pirates or marines until I'm sure of where I stand."
His fishing rod bobbed lightly in the water, but there was no immediate sign of a catch. Ling leaned back on his hands, staring out over the ocean. "I could aim for one of the smaller, less important islands," he mused, his voice soft in the solitude. "Someplace where I can lay low, gather information, and figure out my next steps. I don't want to draw any attention to myself right now."
His stomach growled again, louder this time, snapping him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the rod—still no movement. The wait was frustrating, but at least it gave him time to think.
The sea breeze rustled his hair, and his thoughts returned to the Devil Fruit he had hidden away, the Toki Toki no Mi. The weight of it, even just in his mind, pressed on him heavily. He couldn't risk using its power—not now, and not ever. The ability to send people into the future was too dangerous, too unpredictable. In the wrong hands, it could wreak unimaginable havoc. And in this world, with all its wars, ambitions, and power struggles, there was no shortage of people who would gladly take that fruit to further their own goals.
"I'll keep it hidden. No one can know I have it," he whispered to himself, his resolve strengthening. "That's the key to staying alive right now."
Before Ling could dive deeper into his thoughts, the ground beneath him suddenly began to tremble. At first, it was a faint vibration, one that could easily be mistaken for the aftereffects of a distant earthquake. But within seconds, the tremors grew stronger, shaking the beach with increasing intensity.
Ling shot to his feet, his heart racing as he glanced toward the ocean. The waves, which had been calm moments ago, were now churning violently, as if something enormous was stirring beneath the surface.
"What the...?"
Before he could finish the thought, the sea exploded. A massive creature burst from the depths, sending water and foam cascading into the air. Ling's eyes widened in shock as the creature's enormous body—easily the size of a small mountain—rose from the sea. Its serpentine form was covered in thick, glistening scales that shimmered in the sunlight, and its head, crowned with jagged horns, turned toward the shore.
A sea beast.
The creature let out a deafening roar, the force of its voice shaking the very ground beneath Ling's feet. The sound was enough to make his blood run cold, every instinct in his body screaming for him to run, to hide, to escape. But he stood frozen in place, transfixed by the sheer size and power of the beast.
The sea beast thrashed in the water, sending waves crashing toward the shore. Ling barely had time to react as the force of the waves knocked him off his feet, sending him sprawling back into the sand. He scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest as he stumbled away from the shoreline.
"Okay, okay—stay calm, stay calm!" he muttered to himself, his mind racing. "It's just a sea beast... a massive, terrifying sea beast that could crush me in one bite... Oh god, I'm going to die."
His instincts screamed at him to flee, but he forced himself to think logically. Running into the forest might buy him time, but if the beast followed him inland, there was no telling how much damage it could cause. His only hope was that it wouldn't venture too far from the water.
The creature let out another roar, its massive body undulating as it continued thrashing about in the ocean. Ling took the opportunity to back away, keeping his eyes locked on the sea beast. He could feel his pulse pounding in his ears, his entire body trembling with adrenaline.
Despite the overwhelming fear surging through him, there was a part of Ling—a small, irrational part—that couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. This was it. This was the One Piece world, the world of adventure, danger, and the unknown. And as terrifying as it was, it was also... exhilarating.
He had come too far to let fear control him. He needed to be smart, to survive. But more than that, he needed to grow stronger. This world wasn't going to wait for him, and the dangers wouldn't stop coming.
"I'll be ready next time," he whispered, clenching his fists. "I'll figure this out. I have to."
Just as Ling began to regain his composure, a distant voice cut through the air—a voice so powerful that it seemed to resonate through his very bones.
"Fire Fist!"
Ling's eyes snapped toward the horizon. In the distance, above the churning sea, he saw a blazing figure—a man with flames erupting from his fists, soaring through the air toward the sea beast. The man moved with incredible speed, his entire body radiating heat as he launched himself directly at the massive creature.
The sea beast let out one final roar before the fiery figure collided with it, sending an explosion of fire and steam across the sky.
Ling stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest as the battle unfolded before him. He knew exactly who that was. There was no mistaking it.
"Portgas D. Ace..."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone