The scent of iron hung thick in the air. Blood — old, warm, and fresh.
Lupin groaned. His throat felt raw, his chest tight as though a massive weight pressed down on him. His eyes flickered open, blurry at first, then painfully clear.
A dark room. Wooden walls riddled with bullet holes. Bloody footprints smeared across the floor. A single oil lamp flickered weakly, casting long shadows across the carnage.
Where… what…?
He tried to move, but pain screamed through his body. Every nerve felt frayed, muscles torn, bones cracked. Then, his gaze caught on a broken mirror hanging crookedly on the wall.
Not his face.
Blond hair, streaked with blood. Pale skin. A dark red hood from which two heart-like shapes dangled. A very dark-purple feathered mantle hung heavily from his shoulders, clumped with dried blood. Beige jeans, dirtied and stained dark. A white shirt patterned with pink hearts, torn and clinging to his battered frame.
His heart froze.
It couldn't be. It shouldn't be.
But it was. Donquixote Rosinante.
"No… this… no way…" Lupin whispered, voice rasping against his throat. It wasn't a dream. He could feel the pain, the warm blood sticking his clothes to his skin. His fingers twitched, stiff but moving.
A storm of memory surged through his mind.
Doflamingo. The gunshots. Law's escape. Cora-san's final smile.
And now… Lupin was here. In this body. Moments after its death.
"Is this… reincarnation?"
Before the thought could fully settle, a sharp chime rang in his head — crisp and unnatural, like a digital notification.
[DING.]
[Welcome, New User.] [Activating System: Wanted Poster Editing System.]
A translucent, blue-tinged window materialized before him, floating midair.
[System Binding Complete.] Host: Lupin (Merged with Donquixote Rosinante's Body) Status: Critical Injury (68% Blood Loss, Multiple Gunshot Wounds, Fractured Ribs) System Functions: Active Daily Quest: 1 Available
Lupin stared, his mind reeling.
A system. A goddamn system.
He'd read hundreds of stories like this, but now it was real — in the world of One Piece.
Another prompt appeared.
[Wanted Poster Editing System] Available Points: Edit Points (EP): 0 Creation Points (CP): 0
Functions Unlocked:
Edit Existing Wanted Posters
View Active Bounties
Rumor Spread Rate Monitor
Daily & Monthly Quests
Then another crisp chime.
[DING.]
[Daily Quest Issued!]
Quest: "Mend the Vessel" Objective: Stabilize your new body to remove 'Critical Injury' status. Reward: +10 Edit Points (EP) Penalty: Death
Lupin's heart pounded. Critical Injury. It wasn't just a title — his body felt like it was moments from shutting down completely. Breathing sent fresh stabs of pain through his chest. Blood was pooling beneath him.
The system remained coldly silent. No guidance. No instructions. It was up to him.
I have to stop the bleeding…
Gritting his teeth, he forced his arms to move. The room swayed as he dragged himself to a nearby crate, one hand gripping his side, warm blood seeping through his fingers. Every movement was agony.
His eyes landed on a half-open medical kit in the corner — probably forgotten in the chaos. He crawled toward it, smearing blood across the floor.
Almost… there…
His trembling fingers clutched the kit and yanked it open. Inside were basic supplies — bandages, disinfectant, needle and thread. Nothing fancy. Nothing Devil Fruit-enhanced. But enough.
His mind raced. He wasn't a doctor. But he'd seen enough in fiction — and more than enough in war movies and manga — to fake a crude patch job.
Tearing open a bandage roll with his teeth, he pressed it against the worst wound on his abdomen, wrapping it tight, grunting as fresh waves of pain shot through him. Blood still seeped, but slower now.
Next, he grabbed a suture kit. Hands shaking, he threaded the needle, lips pressed in a tight line.
This is gonna hurt.
He dug the needle into his skin and stitched one of the bullet wounds shut. His vision swam, black dots crowding the edges. But he kept going.
A second. A third. Each stitch a burst of white-hot agony.
When he finally tied off the last knot, his breath came ragged. Sweat and blood mixed on his face. He grabbed a bottle of disinfectant, dousing the bandages and cuts. It stung like fire, but the bleeding was finally slowing.
He slumped back against the wall.
The system chimed again.
[DING.]
[Daily Quest Complete.] +10 Edit Points (EP) awarded. Status Update: Critical Injury removed. New Status: Severe Injury.]
Lupin let out a shuddering breath.
I did it.
Not healed. Not even close. But no longer moments from death.
The system updated silently, the number beside Edit Points flicking to 10.
A start.
Lupin's lips curled into a small, blood-smeared grin.
This world thought Rosinante was dead. The Marines had mourned him. Doflamingo thought he'd buried him. But now…
Now I have a system. I know the future. And I can rewrite the bounties, the names, the legends.
One forged name at a time.
He leaned his head back against the wall, a thin smile tugging at the corners of his lips despite the pain.
It's my turn now.