CHAPTER 3

"Bye, dad", I said to my father as I went inside the town library. The town library was composed of a modest amount of books. Due to being Saturday, there were more people than usual.

"Hello, Uncle Ray", I said to the man who is in charge of the library. He had a desk near the entrance of the library, he mostly greets people before they read.

Uncle Ray is a man in his late 50s or early 60s, with a well-built body due to him working in the past as a marine, most of his hair was already turning white due to his age. The most notable feature about uncle Ray is the scar on the left side of his face, starting from his forehead that goes all the way below his left ear. I once asked him how he got it and his response was that he got it 10 years ago by a pirate attack. At that time he was a Captain in the Navy, he told me that surviving the injury was a miracle that he was always thankful for.

"Hello to you as well Enzo. What do you want to read about today?", uncle Ray asks.

The last time I was in the town library I read about the story of 'Liar Noland'. The story was used to teach children about the danger of lying, in which the main character, Noland lied about the existence of a golden city, which then eventually led to his death. I always found the story to be too dark for a child's book, but who am I to judge the literature of this world.

"I want to read something interesting this time, Uncle Ray", I said.

Uncle Ray nodded, and he went behind his desk to find a book.

"How about this one?", Uncle Ray said as he handed me a book titled, 'The History of the Marines'.

I read the title and ask him, "What is this?".

"Just try it, maybe you'll find inspiration", Uncle Ray said as he left me to my own devices.

'The History of the Marines, read it to find inspiration'...I'm pretty sure he's manipulating me to try and join the marines in the future.

"What a dirty trick, Uncle Ray", I said to myself in a low voice. I found myself a seat and began reading the book that talks about the Navy.

The Navy is basically the World Government's military sea force, tasked with law enforcement, international security, and military operations. The book also contained some photos and a list of achievements by there more renowned members, the one that was most emphasize was a guy named, Monkey D. Garp. Vice-Admiral Garp is known as the 'Hero of the Marines' and the one who captured the Pirate King in the past.

After reading the book, I had a taught that was running in my head, 'do I want to join the military again?'. In my last life, I died as a soldier but I wasn't sure if I want to join the marines the second time around. I also vaguely remember my past friend talking about the marines and that he told me that the marines were composed of two groups, what those two groups were, I have no clue or more specifically I don't remember.

The main reason I was always in the library was that my past friend told me that the people in the anime One Piece had powers. At first, I taught that everyone in this world had powers so I tried summoning fire in my hand in the past. I tried every magic word know; abracadabra, fire come forth....you know stuff like that. I finally stop when my parents ask me what I was doing and the two of them laugh. They told me that they'll tell me when I'm older but I can't wait that long. This made me even more desire to have powers if my parents won't tell me maybe the books in the library will. That was my thought back then, but sometimes it wasn't that easy.

I stood up from my seat and decided to look around the books in the library. I wanted to find anything that pertains to powers, cause who doesn't want powers. I kept searching the books in the library but it was the same as the last time I checked, there was no book in particular that talks about abilities of any sort.

I made it in the back of the library and saw a door that was always locked. As far as I remember only Uncle Ray was allowed to enter that room.

"Maybe it's here, the book that talks about powers", I said to myself in a low voice.

I scan my surroundings and realized that the shelves somehow block any view towards the door. If I opened the door then there was a huge chance that no one would know. I decided to try my luck and opened the door, but the doorknob was lock.

"Please, a locked door won't stop this former soldier", I said to myself as I left the library to buy something. Uncle Ray saw me leave and he asks me, where I was going. I just responded that I wanted to get some snacks.

I had some spare change on me, and I went to a store. I bought two bobby pins, since I was already in the store I bought some cheap chocolates. I returned back in the library with chocolates in my mouth and went straight towards the back of the library.

"You better not have brought snacks inside the library", Uncle Ray yelled at me.

Before I could respond, multiple people who were quietly reading inside the library, "shush", uncle Ray.

Uncle Ray subconsciously rubs the back of his head and he began apologizing to the people in the library, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry".

I inwardly laugh when I saw a well build elderly man apologizing for being too noisy. Uncle Ray's predicament gave me the opportunity that I need to open the locked door without anyone seeing me, especially the opportunity of not being seen by Uncle Ray himself.

As I am currently in front of the locked door, I took out 2 bobby pins.

"Let's see", I said as I began using the pins to open the door. After a while, I heard a click on the doorknob.

"Success. I still got it", I said as I opened the door. The room was dark, I turned on the lights and I carefully close the door, I made sure to make as little sound as possible.

The room was moderately large, the room contained 3 shelves on the sides. There is a long rectangular table in the middle of the room, on top of the table were materials use to repair broken books. On one side of the room, there was a large metal box, on top of the box were cleaning materials used to clean the library.

I went towards the 3 shelves and took a look at the books on them. Upon skimming the books on the 3 shelves I realized that the books were the same as the books displayed in the library, the only difference was the books on the shelves were in need of serious repair.

"I just know that there is something important in this room", I said to myself. My gut was telling me that I was close, very close to my goal.

I decided to try and open the large metal box. I took the cleaning supplies that were placed on top of it and place it on the side. I opened the box and what I found was a huge amount of letters.

I took out one of the letters and began reading it:

"To my old friend Ray.........