The power system of the world of One Piece was brutal and straightforward.
Physical strength.
Haki.
Devil Fruits.
Among them, Devil Fruits possessed the most bizarre abilities, but they also carried an absolute weakness—the curse of the sea itself.
Once submerged in seawater or restrained by Seastone, even the strongest Devil Fruit users could become helpless.
Meanwhile, true monsters like Gol D.
Roger, Monkey D.
Garp, and later Shanks stood at the summit of the seas through monstrous physical ability and overwhelming Haki alone.
Strength.
That was the foundation of everything.
Inside the hidden compartment beneath the merchant ship’s lower deck, Kahn quietly closed his eyes.
His newborn body was still extremely fragile.
His muscles lacked development, his bones were soft, and his nervous system remained immature.
Conventional training was impossible at his current age.
But breathing… That was different.
In his previous life, Kahn had encountered countless theories regarding breathing techniques, oxygen circulation, and physical conditioning.
Some methods claimed to improve blood flow, increase lung capacity, and stimulate the body’s latent potential.
Whether those theories had truly worked on Earth did not matter.
This world was different.
This was the world of One Piece, where living beings could awaken superhuman strength simply through relentless training and indomitable will.
Kahn slowly adjusted his breathing rhythm.
Inhale.
Pause.
Exhale.
At first, the deliberate control nearly suffocated him.
His infant lungs struggled under the strain, and dizziness overwhelmed his senses repeatedly.
But Kahn persisted.
Again.
And again.
He continued adjusting the rhythm carefully, searching for the most stable pattern suitable for his current body.
Hours later, he finally succeeded.
A steady rhythm formed naturally.
With every breath, a faint warmth spread throughout his tiny body.
Kahn’s eyes sharpened slightly.
This world truly possessed a unique life force.
Whether it was the foundation of physical strength,生命归还-like bodily control, or even the embryonic form of Haki itself, he could already sense that something extraordinary existed within all living things here.
The storm finally weakened by the following morning.
Above deck, the sea remained rough beneath dark skies.
Bogard lowered the brim of his hat while staring toward the horizon.
A government vessel carrying the World Government flag was rapidly approaching.
Bogard’s expression darkened immediately.
“Vice Admiral,” he said while opening the hatch leading below deck, “it’s a Cipher Pol ship.” Garp sat upon a wooden crate while feeding Ace with a baby bottle.
“Tell them to piss off,” Garp grunted casually.
“Say this is a confidential Navy supply vessel.” Bogard frowned.
“It’s CP0.” That answer caused even Garp’s expression to change slightly.
CP0.
The strongest intelligence agency directly under the Celestial Dragons.
Unlike ordinary Cipher Pol branches, CP0 possessed authority that often surpassed even Marine jurisdiction itself.
“They’re demanding permission to board,” Bogard continued.
“And they’re not asking politely.” Garp slowly placed the bottle down.
“I can’t show myself.” If CP0 saw him personally escorting two infants away from South Blue immediately after Roger’s execution, suspicion would arise instantly.
“Leave it to me,” Bogard replied coldly while gripping the hilt of his sword.
Inside the lower deck compartment, Kahn overheard everything clearly.
CP0.
His expression immediately became serious.
If they were discovered now, neither he nor Ace would survive.
Just then— Ace suddenly opened his mouth.
He was hungry.
“WAAAAH—” Kahn’s pupils contracted instantly.
Damn it.
If Ace cried now, the sound could expose their hiding place.
Without hesitation, Kahn rolled his tiny body across the cradle toward Ace.
His infant muscles lacked proper coordination, making the movement awkward and clumsy, but he still managed to reach him.
Then Kahn pressed his small hand against Ace’s mouth.
Ace struggled instinctively, letting out muffled noises.
Kahn concentrated desperately.
The faint warmth he had cultivated through breathing techniques gathered unconsciously within his palm.
He had no idea whether it would work.
But surprisingly— Ace gradually calmed down.
The warmth flowing from Kahn’s hand seemed strangely soothing.
Ace blinked sleepily before closing his eyes once more and drifting back to sleep.
Kahn released a quiet breath of relief.
Above deck, tension exploded.
Bogard stood directly before the masked CP0 agent, his hand resting upon his sword.
“This vessel contains classified Marine cargo,” Bogard stated coldly.
“No inspection permitted.” The masked agent sneered beneath his white mask.
“The authority of the World Government supersedes Marine confidentiality.” Several black-clothed agents behind him slowly drew their weapons.
“If you resist,” the masked man continued, “you will be treated as traitors.” Bogard drew his sword instantly.
The blade gleamed beneath the dim sunlight.
“You’re welcome to try.” The atmosphere became suffocating.
Below deck, Garp silently clenched his fists.
If conflict truly erupted, he would have no choice but to eliminate the entire CP0 ship personally.
But doing so would trigger catastrophic consequences.
Just as battle seemed inevitable— “Bru bru bru bru…” A Den Den Mushi rang from the CP0 agent’s coat.
The masked man answered immediately.
A deep voice echoed from the snail receiver.
“Target located in North Blue.
All nearby units are ordered to provide immediate support.” The CP0 agent’s eyes narrowed.
After several seconds of silence, he closed the Den Den Mushi and glanced toward Bogard.
“You’re fortunate today.” The masked agent turned around sharply.
“Withdraw.” Soon, the Cipher Pol vessel changed direction and disappeared into the distance.
Only then did the suffocating tension finally vanish.
Below deck, Garp loosened his clenched fists before walking toward the cradle.
Then he stopped.
Ace was sleeping quietly.
Meanwhile, Kahn’s tiny hand still rested against Ace’s mouth.
Garp stared silently for several moments.
“…Weird brat.” The old marine scratched his head.
Ever since birth, Kahn had felt different from ordinary children.
Too quiet.
Too observant.
Too intelligent.
Bogard descended into the compartment shortly afterward.
“Crisis resolved,” he reported.
Garp nodded.
“Full speed ahead.” “We’re leaving South Blue immediately.” The voyage continued for two entire months.
Throughout the journey, Kahn trained constantly.
Every single day, while Ace slept or cried endlessly, Kahn focused on refining his breathing rhythm.
The rough rocking of the ship no longer affected him at all.
His appetite also became terrifying.
He consumed nearly twice as much milk as Ace.
Even Garp began looking at him strangely.
To maintain enough nutrition for the twins, the crew constantly caught fresh fish from the sea and prepared nutrient-rich broth daily.
Kahn’s growth rate became increasingly abnormal.
At only two months old, his bones had already become unusually dense and sturdy.
Faint muscle definition had even started appearing beneath his skin.
Most disturbing of all were his eyes.
There was no childish innocence within them.
Only calm observation.
Eventually, the merchant ship finally reached East Blue and arrived near the Goa Kingdom.
Their destination was Foosha Village.
Compared to the bloody chaos of the Grand Line, the village felt peaceful and isolated.
The air carried the scent of soil, grass, and ocean salt.
Garp wrapped both children within his massive coat before stepping onto the dock.
An elderly man wearing a striped hat approached while leaning heavily upon a wooden cane.
Woop Slap.
“Garp!” the old mayor barked angrily.
“You old bastard actually remembered how to come back?” Without hesitation, Woop Slap struck Garp’s shin with his cane.
Garp burst into loud laughter.
“Bwahahaha!
I brought gifts!” Then he opened the coat dramatically.
Two infants appeared.
Woop Slap nearly dropped his cane from shock.
“…What the hell?” “MY GRANDSONS!” Garp declared shamelessly.
Kahn nearly rolled his eyes internally.
Absolutely ridiculous.
Woop Slap looked unconvinced immediately.
“Dragon got married?” Garp coughed awkwardly before changing the subject instantly.
“Anyway, these brats are staying here from now on.” The village mayor sighed deeply.
“You always dump your problems on other people…” After thinking briefly, he nodded.
“Margaret at the east side of the village recently gave birth.
She should be able to help.” Thus, Ace and Kahn officially settled within Foosha Village.
Margaret turned out to be a kind and hardworking widow whose fisherman husband had died at sea several years earlier.
She treated both children warmly and cared for them with genuine affection.
Life gradually became peaceful.
But Kahn never wasted time.
Every day followed a strict routine.
Eat.
Sleep.
Train.
Breathe.
As months passed, Kahn gradually discovered something incredible.
The air in Foosha Village contained a faint but distinct vitality.
Whenever he inhaled deeply, he could feel that energy circulating throughout his body, slowly strengthening his muscles, organs, and bones.
His growth accelerated further.
Soon, lying quietly inside the cradle no longer satisfied him.
He began rolling over.
Crawling.
Standing.
Walking.
Meanwhile, Ace developed exactly as Kahn remembered from the original story.
Wild.
Loud.
Uncontrollable.
Whenever Ace became upset, he smashed bowls, threw toys, or screamed endlessly until Margaret nearly collapsed from exhaustion.
Kahn often sat nearby silently observing him.
Roger’s blood truly flowed strongly through Ace’s veins.
Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, the twins reached one year old.
And by then— Kahn had already become completely abnormal.
At merely one year old, he could walk steadily without support.
Not only that— He could run.
At dawn, while sea mist still covered Foosha Village, a tiny barefoot child wearing rough cloth shorts sprinted along the dirt roads surrounding the village.
His breathing remained steady.
His footsteps were firm.
Sunlight illuminated the faint muscle lines beneath his skin.
The villagers had already become accustomed to the bizarre sight.
“That kid’s a monster…” Woop Slap muttered while drinking tea outside the village tavern.
Nearby, Makino stepped outside carrying freshly baked bread.
Unlike later years, Makino was still very young, yet her gentle personality remained unchanged.
“Kahn is actually very well-behaved,” she said with a soft smile.
“Unlike Ace…” Her expression became helpless immediately.
“That little troublemaker pulled the mayor’s beard again yesterday.”