Chapter 1: Chat Group for The Dead

"Flop!"

Lucas collapsed onto the rough track of the marine training ground, his body drenched in sweat as he gasped for breath. The relentless drills had pushed him to his limit, and for the hundredth time that day, he cursed his fate.

As a transmigrator, he felt like a disgrace to others who had experienced the same phenomenon. Weren't time travelers supposed to be blessed with cheat-like abilities or land in the perfect timeline to change history? Why did he have to arrive at the worst possible moment?

First, the timing of his arrival was completely off. It had already been several months since the end of the Marineford War. If he had appeared earlier, he might have had a chance to leave his mark on history. Now? The world had settled, He can't prevent the famous donut scene and the waves of chaos had already subsided. He was nothing more than a drop in the vast ocean, an insignificant recruit in the Marine.

Second, his identity left much to be desired. He was just a lowly marine recruit with no background, no connections, and—worst of all—shockingly poor talent. In a world where strength determined everything, he was nothing more than cannon fodder. If nothing unexpected happened, his fate was sealed: he would perish in some battle, forgotten and nameless.

Just as despair threatened to consume him, a crisp mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

"Ding! The Chat Group for The Dead System is binding..."

"Binding successful!"

Lucas's eyes snapped open. His exhaustion momentarily forgotten, he bolted upright, heart pounding in excitement.

"A system? A chat group?"

In an instant, all his frustration and hopelessness vanished. He quickly accessed the system's interface, eager to see what it had to offer.

The system's abilities were astonishing:

It could randomly invite spirit souls to join the chat group.

The invited spirit could see the living world through him.

He could acquire the abilities of the spirit group members.

As the group owner, he had administrative privileges, including muting, blocking perceptions, and even kicking members out.

Lucas's breathing quickened. "This... this is incredible!" He clenched his fists, excitement surging through his veins. "This is my golden ticket to rising above the ranks!"

"Ding! Do you wish to start inviting group members?"

Without hesitation, Lucas confirmed. "Invite!"

A series of notifications popped up before his eyes.

"Ding! Pirate King Gol D. Roger has joined the chat group!"

"Ding! Golden Lion Shiki has joined the chat group!"

"Ding! Whitebeard has joined the chat group!"

"Ding! Fire Fist Ace has joined the chat group!"

"Ding! Fisher Tiger has joined the chat group!"

Lucas sucked in a deep breath as five legendary names materialized before him. He had braced himself for the possibility that the system would summon some no-name spirits, but instead, it had brought together some of the most powerful figures in history.

Pirate King Roger. Whitebeard. Golden Lion Shiki. Fire Fist Ace. Fisher Tiger.

This was an insane lineup!

Before he could fully process his excitement, the chat group burst into activity.

Pirate King Roger: "Huh? What is this? Wasn't I stabbed to death by the executioners? How did I end up here?"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Roger? Is that really you?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Roger! You bastard, you're here too?!"

Pirate King Roger: "Whitebeard? Golden Lion? Wait, what the hell is going on?! Weren't you two alive when I died?"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Things have changed, Roger. I'm dead too."

Pirate King Roger: "What?! That can't be right! You were strong, still in your prime when I left! How could you have died?"

Whitebeard: "Prime? Don't kid yourself. By the time you died, I was already over fifty. And when I finally met my end, you had been dead for over twenty years."

Golden Lion Shiki: "I get it now! Roger, you must have been in some kind of unconscious limbo after you died. The moment you came here, you regained awareness. That's why it feels like you just died yesterday."

Pirate King Roger: "Nani?! I've been dead for over twenty years?! No way! How's the world now? What happened after my death?!"

Fisher Tiger: "A lot has changed... thanks to you, in fact. Your final words before your execution started the Great Age of Pirates."

Pirate King Roger: "Hahahaha! That's exactly what I hoped for! I'm a genius! I really pulled one over on the World Government!"

Fisher Tiger: "Proud, are you? Do you realize what your so-called pirate era did to Fishman Island? Because of you, our home became a living hell."

Pirate King Roger: "Uh...?"

Whitebeard: "Roger, he's not wrong. Fishman Island became a major passage for pirates entering the New World. And you know what kind of people pirates can be. Worse, slave traders started targeting the mermaids there, capturing and selling them like merchandise."

Fisher Tiger: "That's right! So tell me, Roger, what was your real goal in starting the Great Pirate Era?"

Pirate King Roger: "Well..."

Roger hesitated, seemingly unsure of how to respond.

Before he could answer, another message appeared in the chat.

Fire Fist Ace: "I want to know too."

Ace, who had been silently watching the conversation, finally spoke up.

Whitebeard: "Ace? My son!"

Fire Fist Ace: "Yeah, it's me, Dad..."

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Why didn't you say something earlier? I didn't even notice you!"

Fire Fist Ace: "I... I let you down. I failed to live up to your expectations, and I ruined everything. I'm ashamed to even face you..."

Ace's guilt was palpable. He had hesitated to speak because he felt unworthy of calling himself Whitebeard's son after failing to protect his family.

Whitebeard: "Nonsense! There's no point in regretting the past. You were never wrong in my eyes."

Logically, Ace's decision to fight Akainu had been foolish. His anger had cost him his life. But in the world of pirates, logic often took a backseat to emotions. Just as the Whitebeard Pirates had sacrificed everything to save Ace, Ace had thrown away his escape for the sake of his pride and family.

Golden Lion Shiki: "So let me get this straight. Roger, Whitebeard, Ace, Fisher Tiger, and me... we've all joined this 'Chat Group for the dead'? From the name alone, it sounds like we're all spirits, dead but still able to communicate."

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