The Monarch, Chapter 01 – Raijin

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Arms bound behind his back and a bloody grin never leaving his mouth, Vincent faced the line of jungle commandos readying their rifles, his adventure seemingly coming to a close far sooner than he'd have liked.

It was worth it, he decided, no regrets after looking back on the events that brought him to this point.

Hearing the bolts slam forward, loading the chambers of the multiple firearms aimed at his position, Vincent closed his eyes, the explosions of gunpowder not even drawing a flinch from his disheveled form as he waited for the end of his existence.

He wondered what death would be like, pausing after realizing that thoughts still moved through his mind.

Shit, were those religious coots right?

But instead of finding himself in whichever afterlife he'd deserved, Vincent opened his eyes only to find someone who seemed particularly out of place given the circumstances.

Dressed in business casual, a well-built man with dark skin, stark white hair, and electric blue eyes stared back at him, the surroundings unnervingly quiet as the fired bullets that should have been his end stood frozen in place, not even an inch from piercing his chest.

"Was it truly worth it?" The stranger asked, an expression on his face he couldn't quite make out.

But the question was a simple one, making him give a nod without hesitation, not even bothering to question the ridiculousness of the situation he'd found himself in. "Absolutely."

"Vincent Sterling, born to an unremarkable middle-class household, struck it big in the crypto trade—becoming a multimillionaire at the young age of twenty—and instead of enjoying the highlife to the fullest like any other in your position, you decide that trekking through the Amazon Jungle to rule as a warlord over a small uncontacted tribe was your calling," the man laid out his unconventional life choices.

"You sure came informed, but you seem to have me at a loss…" Vincent trailed off.

"Haven," the now-named Haven blandly answered his unasked question.

"Haven? Interesting name," he commented, noticing a slight twitch on the man's face at the words.

"Indeed," Haven drawled. "Now tell me, Vincent, what made you choose this path?"

"Sure, why not tell my life story to a complete stranger with powers straight out of a fantasy?" Vincent shrugged. "Either this is my own version of life flashing before your eyes, or something very interesting is about to happen," he chuckled.

"I like the spirit; now let's get a move on; I don't have all day," the man beyond his comprehension drawled.

"It's nothing too serious, really. I was born for greatness that the likes of a modern world couldn't hope to contain," he easily explained.

"Yet, this life you claim to be born for seems to be coming to an end so soon," the being calling himself Haven pressed.

"Heh, like I've said, no regrets. I'd take this way out any day over rotting away in the weak society that humankind has become," Vincent affirmed, not at all backing down from his convictions, a short pause falling as the man hummed in thought.

"Sure, I guess you'll do," Haven broke the silence, seeming to be talking to himself. "But wouldn't it be a shame if your adventure ended so soon? Would you like to hear the offer I have for you?"

"Why does this feel like I'm about to make a deal with the Devil?" Vincent asked, not really imagining he'd receive an answer.

"Because that's not so far from the truth," Haven crushed his expectations before continuing. "Anyway, I run a company spanning the infinite realms, and I've currently got a position open for you. That is, if you're willing to accept."

"This seems too good to be true. Is there a price?" Vincent deadpanned.

"Of course there's a price," Haven gave him a wide, toothy smile without elaborating at all.

"Wait, isn't this like..." he began before getting cut off.

"Yes, yes, this is exactly like the fanfictions you've read; no, you don't get any wishes, no, you don't get to choose your world, and no, I'm not reading your mind," the dapper man told him, making his eye twitch in annoyance. "Now hurry up and make your decision."

"Okay, sure, I accept. How can I say no when the big boss himself is the one doing the recruitment?" Vincent gave his response. "But doesn't this part usually come after a person dies?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Eh, I find it simpler to leave out that messy bit—less existential crises and all that to deal with," Haven gave him a shrug. "And, unfortunately, I can't claim that title. That role would go to my father," the man casually admitted to there being someone above his already incomprehensible standing.

"How interesting," he almost lifelessly replied, already rethinking everything he thought he knew.

"Alright, like I said, I don't have all day, so I'll be sending you off. Oh, and you should be grateful, kid. The start I'm giving you is well beyond what that shitty old man of mine stuck me with," Haven told him with a smirk.

"Well, thanks in advance, I guess," Vincent grinned back, giving the immensely powerful man a wave as he walked through a portal forming out of nowhere, his vision going black a second later.

—Company of Conquest—

Coming back to himself, Vincent felt physical and mental pain like never before. And as the new set of memories rolled through the front of his mind, he knew his current state wasn't simply the result of having a life's worth of experiences burning themselves into his brain.

Vincent… No, that name wasn't relevant any longer. He was now Raijin, and damn was that omnipotent being not lying when he said he'd be giving him a great start.

"Kaido, you goddamned reckless brute, what the hell were you thinking?!" A familiar feminine screech rang out, only slightly muffled by the walls of the room he found himself in.

"Hmph, he's still breathing, isn't he?" the gruff voice of his father answered.

Holy fuck, he was in One Piece, and yes, his new father was that Kaido: Kaido of the Beasts, The Strongest Creature.

As for his mother? That would be the King of Conflagration him... Err, herself. Because why not gender bend the only known remaining Lunarian?

Well, there goes any plans of relying on cannon, Raijin thought, not believing that this would be the sole change his ROB decided to make.

Whatever, he'd just take things as they came, and he couldn't really complain. He'd gladly take the unknown when it meant having such an incredible lineage running through his veins.

But as he tried moving an arm, his body going limp at the pain shooting through his body, Raijin realized he was in quite a pitiful state, the result of his father going overboard in one of their usual hellish training sessions.

With his memories of this world, he now knew that what really did him in was the final blow Infused with The Color of The Supreme King.

He figured it was a heat of the moment thing, because as much of a bastard that Kaido still was, he cared about his children far more than what Raijin remembered from the story, a few ideas for what could have caused this already coming to mind.

"Just leave already; I'll look after my boy!" His mother growled, a grunt the only thing his father replied with before hearing heavy footsteps walking away, the large sliding doors of his room opening as the largest and most beautiful woman he'd ever seen with his own eyes entered.

"Oh, thank God you're awake, baby," his mother sighed in relief, resting her tanned hand on his forehead before running a hand through the hair that so closely resembled her own. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Heh, I've never felt better," Raijin smiled, not able or even wanting to suppress the emotions he now felt towards this woman who birthed and raised him. "And it won't be long before I have that bastard in my position."

"Ow, fuck!" he cursed, glaring at the long finger that'd flicked his cheek.

"I don't need to hear any of your misplaced bravado; just focus on recovering," his mother told him, giving him a scolding look that all mothers seemed to possess.

"Alright, alright," Raijin grumbled, unable to rub at his sore spot.

"That's my good boy," she cooed, stroking the damage she'd caused. "But as much as I want to stay and take care of my baby, I've got to check on the factories."

"Hmph, I can take care of myself," he lied, still only able to slightly move his head.

"Keep telling yourself that," his mother giggled. "Still, Yamato will be here to look after your sorry self. It'll be just the two of you for a few days."

"What about the old man?" Raijin asked.

"An island in our territory needs his attention; he'll be away for a month or two," she answered, making him nod as much as he could.

"Now get some rest," the large woman commanded, soft lips pressing against the side of his face before leaving him to his lonesome company.

Watching the door close, Raijin knew that he'd have never acted as he had without the other set of memories influencing his mind. But it wasn't a bad feeling, he decided, the experience a new one compared to the distant relatives of his past life; any further thought cut off as rows of floating text wrote themselves across his vision.

Monarch System activating...

Ah, so we're going with this cliché, but at least the name sounds promising.

Generating skills based on the host body's background...

[Lunarian Fire Control - Novice]

As a descendant of the legendary Lunarian race, you possess the ability to ignite your body an manipulate the fire you create.

[Devil Fruit Mastery - Apprentice]

You've eaten the Mythical Zoan Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Raiju.

[Armament Haki - Adept]

You have the ability to harness your spiritual energy to form armor around yourself and objects you hold.

[Observation Haki - Apprentice]

You have the ability to Harness your spiritual energy as an extrasensory sixth sense.

[Conqueror's Haki - Apprentice]

You have the ability to Harness your spiritual energy to assert your will over others.

[Unarmed Combat Mastery - Adept]

You let your fists... or any other part of your body do the talking.

[Armed Combat Mastery - Apprentice]

You have a beginning understanding of attack and defense using cold weapons. As a descendant of the Oni race, a Kanabo is especially lethal in your hands.

Yeah, that all seemed about right. As the son of Kaido, like Yamato, he, of course, hadn't fallen far from the tree when it came to Haki, the only thing of note being the mythical Devil Fruit.

Honestly, he'd have been a little miffed if his older sister was the only one of them with such luck.

And it truly was luck. Like how Yamato somehow stumbled across her fruit in their father's stash; his own hadn't been something planned—the thing basically falling into his lap while playing outside, his caretakers mysteriously missing as he gobbled down the disgusting snack.

Granting Monarch Abilities...

[Monarch's Will – Rank 1]

You gain the willpower to tackle any foe. Even bloody and broken, you will not stop. Your mind is a bastion, easily shrugging off pain as well as any ability meant to affect your psyche.

[Monarch's Charisma – Rank 1]

Your words carry a certain weight to them, the weak bending to your desires, while those with greater fortitude will find themselves more inclined toward your persuasions.

The system messages continued, and Raijin had no complaints at the continued handouts.

Choose An Archetype

Warning: While you can choose multiple archetypes, your first choice will define your existence, always being the strongest of the options. Secondary archetypes will also require more effort to level.

Holy Archon

Dark Lord

Shadow Regent

Demon King

Beast Sovereign

Dragon Primarch

Humming at what was likely to be the most important decision he'd ever make, it didn't take long for him to come to a decision—there was really no other choice given the options.

Granting Beast Sovereign Abilities...

Sure, it wasn't the flashiest of the bunch, and Dragon Primarch sounded pretty badass, but something about this just felt right.

[Primogenitor]

Your current bloodline and any that you gain from external means is near perfection, constantly evolving towards its apex and beyond as you grow in strength.

[Bestial Pheromones – Rank 1]

You exude an innate aura that attracts the opposite gender while giving those of the same a sense of unease and danger. These effects are especially impactful after a target has been defeated, and regardless of the gender, they will feel an instinctive urge to submit toward their vanquisher.

And after receiving the two new perks, and as further knowledge of how his system worked entered his mind, he couldn't have asked for more. Well, he could have, but he wouldn't want to get too greedy, now, would he?

About to take his mother's advice and get some sleep after assuming that would be all, it seemed like the system wasn't finished with him just yet, a chime ringing in his head before turning him into a spasming mess, new levels of pain reached as he felt his body change.

Requirements met for bloodline advancement…

[Devil Fruit Mastery - Apprentice] and [Lunarian Fire Control - Novice] Transforming...

New Attribute Gained…

[Bloodline: Winged Infernal Raiju – Rank 1]

A new mythical bloodline created from the combination of your Lunarian Oni hybrid physique, and Zoan Devil Fruit.

Generating bloodline skills…

[Lightning Manipulation – Novice]

You are a novice at harnessing the destructive powers of lightning.

[Flame Manipulation - Novice]

You are a novice at harnessing the incinerating powers of fire.

'Fuck, couldn't this system of his have made it painless? And wasn't the name of his new bloodline a bit of a mouthful?' Raijin internally complained, wiping the beads of sweat from his face before pausing, realizing that he could now move his body perfectly fine.

Swinging his legs over the side of the mattress, he had to take a moment while marveling at the sheer strength felt in the muscles just below his skin, and after getting to his feet, even with the muscle memory still there, standing at a solid ten feet tall was a wild sensation.

But with only a few movements to work out any kinks, Raijin felt like he'd been piloting this new body of his from birth, looking around before walking over to the standing mirror in the corner of his room—wanting to see if that whole bloodline transformation debacle had any effect on the appearance he had in memory.

Good, he thought; finding that nothing in his base formed seemed off, the expected Lunarian features still as prominent as ever—the only difference being a blue bonfire hovering behind his back, a set of identically colored horns poking from the top of his head, and the color of his eyes, along with the ends of his hair matching the pointy appendages.

Holding up a hand, a ball of blue lightning formed before trailing across his bandaged body, the powers of his Raiju fruit really tying the color scheme he had going together.

"Little Rai!" The voice he knew perfectly well hollered, rudely interrupting the fun he was having with his new abilities, the white-haired Oni girl uncaringly breaking down his door the next moment before flying at him with her arms spread wide.

Damn, luckily, he'd healed, or that tackle probably would have done him in. He also wondered how the fire on his back wasn't lighting the floor he was now sprawled across on fire, something he'd not even bothered thinking about while lying in his very flammable bed.

Well, at least this new life of his would be interesting, Raijin thought, helplessly watching as his older sister roughly checked his body for any injuries.

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