North Sea.
On the beach of Gaea Town, in the Kingdom of Crewe.
A young boy, holding a dagger, wearing a tattered red coat and a hat with the words "Zheng Yang" on it, was unconscious on the reefs of the beach, seemingly washed ashore by the waves.
After an unknown amount of time.
The boy's eyebrows twitched slightly. He slowly opened his eyes, gradually regaining control of his body. He propped himself up with his hands and sat up, looking at the gently rippling sea before him.
"I'm still alive?"
A wave of weakness spread from his stomach. He rubbed it with his hand, feeling that something was wrong. He looked down and realized that this was clearly a child's body. With this thought, the boy quickly got up and ran to the sea, looking at his reflection in the water.
He appeared to be about 5 years old, clad in rags, looking malnourished, holding a small dagger, with a hint of murderous intent in his gloomy eyes.
Rebirth?
Transmigration?
Possession?
Several thoughts flashed through his mind. Suddenly, a wave surged onto the beach. The moment the seawater covered his ankles, the boy felt his whole body go limp, unable to muster any strength. He collapsed straight down.
This sudden turn of events interrupted the boy's thoughts. Facing the fear of the unknown, his adrenaline surged, and only one thought echoed in his mind.
"Move, move, move!!!!"
The moment the sea receded, the boy regained a sliver of control over his body, which grew with each passing moment. He used all his strength to crawl onto the reef that was higher than the sea level, then lay down, gasping for breath.
The aftermath of the adrenaline rush hit him. Already very weak, he now experienced an explosion of fatigue. His eyes involuntarily closed, and even with his best efforts, he couldn't resist his body's instincts, and he fell into endless darkness.
The boy had a dream. In the dream, he was born in a prosperous town in the North Sea, with a happy family that owned several shops, living a carefree life.
But during a pirate invasion, everything was lost. His parents were killed, the town was massacred. The boy, returning from playing in the mountains, saw only countless dismembered limbs and severed heads in the town, as well as the collapsed ruins of his home and two charred human bodies.
Tears streaming down his face, the boy dug and buried his parents all night. Only one thought remained in his heart: I will kill all the pirates in the world, all of them! All of them! All of them!!!!
He could no longer stay in the town. The boy snuck onto a merchant ship that docked at the town's port the next morning. After an unknown number of days and passing through several ports, the boy finally found an opportunity and slipped off the ship.
On a secluded beach in a remote corner, he built a stone hut and lived there. Every day he would go to crowded places to gather information, and at night, he would train frantically. When he was hungry, he would catch fish in the sea to eat.
A year later, the boy was 7 years old.
As usual, the boy was training on the beach when he suddenly saw a strange-looking red fruit floating on the sea.
The boy ran into the sea and picked it up. Looking at the bright red, tempting fruit, and having not eaten all day, he thought for a moment and took a bite.
Instantly, an indescribable taste exploded in his mouth. He wanted to spit it out but couldn't, and had to force himself to swallow it. Before he could react, a wave of powerlessness washed over him, and he fell into the sea.
Struggling, he grew weaker and weaker, finally falling into darkness. When he woke up again, his soul had already been replaced by another.
Night fell.....
The boy on the reef woke up again. This time, however, he had already merged with the boy's entire life in his dream.
The awakened boy seemed to remember something. He extended his palm, and slowly, his palm began to emit a pungent smoke, then turned red, deformed, and finally transformed into a palm made of magma.
The magma dripping from his palm hissed and produced steam as it landed on the reef.
The boy began to laugh. First a smile, then a loud, wild laugh, his laughter seeming to pierce the heavens. He thought of many things: his past life, the future, and this magical world.
"From today onwards, I will bear everything you once carried."
"I am"
"Sakazuki!"