One Piece: Mangaka of Legends

The salty breeze washed over the deck, carrying the stench of unbathed pirates and damp wood. I rubbed my temples, my mind still processing everything—my sudden death, transmigration, and the fact that I had just joined the crew of the most ridiculous yet dangerous future pirate in history.

Monkey D. Luffy.

The boy in the straw hat stood before me, grinning ear to ear as if he hadn't just wrecked an entire pirate crew. His rubbery fists rested on his hips as he turned to the pink-haired kid beside him—Coby. The poor boy looked like he'd seen a ghost. Probably because I had just taken out a few pirates in a way that wasn't exactly normal.

"Oi, you fight weird! But it's cool! What's your name?" Luffy beamed at me.

I dusted myself off, pretending I hadn't just used Sukuna's technique to slice a man without touching him. "Call me Ren."

[Straw Hat Crew Membership Confirmed.] [System Fully Activated.]

A wave of unseen energy pulsed through me. I didn't flinch, but I could feel something unlocking deep inside my body. A connection forming.

[Congratulations! You have received the Mangaka System.] [Your First Reward: Sukuna Template (10% Synchronization) has been granted.]

I ignored the notifications for now. Luffy was still staring at me like I was some new kind of fruit user. "You really don't hold back, huh? That's awesome!"

Coby swallowed hard, gripping his tiny fists. "B-But… aren't you scared? You fought like it was nothing! Are you a pirate too?"

I shot him a lazy smirk. "Do I look like one?"

Coby hesitated. "Well… no, but…"

"Then don't stress about it. I just know how to handle myself." My words were casual, but my mind was already running calculations. If I acted too different, suspicion would rise. I needed to blend in naturally.

Alvida's unconscious body still twitched on the ground, her oversized club splintering the deck near her. The remaining pirates had either jumped overboard or were too scared to move.

"Luffy," I said, stretching my limbs. "Shouldn't we get going? Marines are probably on their way."

Luffy nodded. "Yeah! I need a boat to go find Zoro!"

Right. Roronoa Zoro. The demon pirate hunter. The guy that eats swords for breakfast and still gets lost in a straight line. The timeline was still following the manga. Good.

Coby perked up. "You know about Zoro?!"

Luffy grinned. "Yep! He's supposed to be really strong, right? I'm gonna make him join my crew!"

Coby paled. "B-But he's a criminal!"

Luffy shrugged. "So?"

I chuckled under my breath. Luffy's absurd way of thinking was something else. It was refreshing. No pointless worries, no grand schemes—just pure, raw willpower.

The kid was the definition of a walking headache, but I could already see why people followed him.

"Alright," I said, glancing at the horizon. "Let's get a ship first. Alvida won't be waking up anytime soon."

Luffy cheered. "Coby! Let's go! You wanna be a Marine, right? This is your chance!"

Coby's face twisted in conflict, but eventually, he clenched his fists. "Y-Yeah!"

[New Mission: Sketch the Future] [Create and submit your first manga chapter to the system. Reward: Increased Synchronization with Sukuna Template.]

I read the system message as I sat on the edge of our stolen boat, watching the waves. The system was quiet for now, but I could tell it was pushing me towards one thing—creating manga.

"Tch. Even in another world, deadlines follow me."

I exhaled, closing my eyes. For now, I'd play along. There was no rush. Luffy's journey had just begun, and I had the perfect front-row seat.

As long as I didn't mess up the flow of things, I could sit back, relax, and draw to my heart's content.

…Unless, of course, the world had other plans.

Which, knowing my luck, it probably did.