Idle Level-Up in One Piece Chapter 1: Reincarnated: My Classmate is Garp!
"My name is Monkey D. Garp. I'm from the East Blue, and my dream of becoming a Marine is all about throwing punches and beating up those damn pirates!"
Up on the podium.
A sturdy square-jawed lad boasting bushy eyebrows and wide eyes beamed widely. His straightforward grin exposed two neat rows of sparkling white teeth while he shared his introduction.
Monkey D. Garp…
'That's how Garp appeared in his youth? Bursting with passion and vitality!'
Klein fixed his gaze on Garp's fresh-faced features, his mind wandering distant.
He had dwelled in this realm for seventeen years, fully conscious that he had transmigrated into a perilous domain—a vast ocean world swarming with pirates where power reigned supreme.
Yet...
For all their menace, pirates weren't the sole danger lurking here.
Klein had joined the Marine Academy, aiming to grow powerful—commanding the Six Powers and Haki—to head back to his origins, perhaps the East Blue, and settle into a laid-back life as a cozy colonel. Days of pure idleness, free from worries.
The New World and Grand Line? No spot for ordinary folks. 'Monsters' kept emerging endlessly.
Devil Fruit abilities were freakish and incredibly hard to counter.
With his completely ordinary aptitude, Klein understood that slaving away endlessly wouldn't elevate him to the elite ranks.
Seventeen years prior, upon grasping he was in the One Piece universe, exhilaration had surged through him—wild fantasies abound. Yet his anticipated "cheat system" failed to appear.
Nothing crushes the spirit like hope turning to ash.
Thus, relentless self-training became his path. Seventeen years without a single lazy day—but outcomes…
Far from impressive.
Time's harsh truths had smoothed his sharp ambitions.
He grudgingly accepted his skills surpassed the common man's slightly, yet genius status eluded him. After eighteen years of brutal toil, his progress lagged behind Koby's mere one or two months of "200% intensity."
Comparisons only breed frustration!
Or as the adage puts it: A quick cheat thrills briefly. Perpetual cheats? Pure bliss!
Klein yearned deeply for a boost like Koby's...
Marines and CP groups brimmed with fanatical trainers—some pushing to death's edge. But true prodigies shone regardless.
For regular folks, such heights remained a distant fantasy.
And moreover...
Those elites possessed cheats!
Klein knew his best bet lay in securing a Marine colonel spot at a branch base someday. Rule locally like Kuro once envisioned: safe, snug survival.
After all, his timeline worked in his favor...
Current era: Sea Calendar 1463. When Luffy embarks, Klein would be a seventy-something retiree—far from any pursuit or chaos.
Schemes swirled in Klein's head.
Up on the podium.
Garp wrapped his intro, and next came a skinny boy with an afro, fluffy mutton chops, and sagging brows, his face etched with constant gravity.
He declared:
"My name is Sengoku. I like calligraphy. My dream is to throw all the pirates on the sea into prison!"
"Or send them to Enies Lobby for trial!"
From the seats, Klein eyed the afro and those hanging brows, thinking, 'That's future Fleet Admiral Sengoku? Unrecognizable completely.'
Then a sly smirk crossed his face, 'I'll buddy up with Garp and Sengoku now. Someday, a favor called in lands me in East Blue. Perfect life locked in!'
"And besides..."
"Being a pirate isn't just about fighting—it's about connections."
Timeless truth across any realm!
Luffy's "background boost" proved its worth masterfully. Savvy ones know.
A sudden shadow of despair enveloped Klein once more.
'Cursed talent limit… it's suffocating. Maddening! With slightly better gifts, seventeen years' grind could've forged a Vice Admiral, snagged a Devil Fruit… made me a big shot.'
'Now? Mere nobody—background filler in another's tale.'
Quickly, fellow students shared their turns, Zephyr and Tsuru among them. Spotting the severe ponytailed girl—stunning like a manga page come alive—Klein's eyes gleamed.
'Stunning beauty. Total knockout!'
The baggy Marine attire failed to conceal her alluring figure. She swayed gently per step—youthful yet impressively developed. Impossible not to notice...
Prime-era ladies of One Piece truly dazzled—goddesses every one!
Klein inwardly saluted that crafty Oda,
'Twisted preferences aside, props given—the young heroines are insanely curvaceous. Only guys grasp fellow guys' desires.'
Soon enough, Klein's moment arrived.
From the back-row window spot—the classic overlooked throne—he strode to the podium for a crisp intro:
"Hey everyone, I'm Klein. My dream is to become a bit stronger."
In his former life, cash wasn't all—yet none meant zilch.
In this sea-faring world, strength wasn't total—but lacking it doomed you to scraps.
Intros complete...
The instructor announced:
"I'm sure you all get it—to excel as a Marine, a robust physique is essential. Thus, daily body training is mandatory!"
"All of you, come with me outside. Physical drills await in the yard!"
Out at the training ground.
Students formed lines matching classroom order.
Klein lingered in the rear, overshadowed by the massive builds ahead, as gloom seemed to eclipse the sky.
These recruits were enormous. Garp and Sengoku stood out massively. Zephyr, though junior, held decent height. Tsuru? Towering at 189 cm already.
Klein?
Seventeen… barely scraping 170 cm.
In One Piece, that screamed "handicapped."
Admirals hovered near three meters.
Of Four Emperors, solely Red-Haired Shanks qualified as "short"!
The rest…
True titans.
'This accursed aptitude… Beside these beasts, it stings the heart!'
Klein griped silently.
The talent chasm hit him full force.
Good thing: last row hid him well—pure "minor NPC."
Plus...
Klein scanned peers, a bitter laugh escaping inwardly.
'Truth is, we're all alike.'
'Ahead, we're war fodder like at Marineford.'
Next, standard physical exercises began.
Naturally, this served as assessment too, letting instructors gauge fitness—and crucially, resolve.
Klein's eyes shifted to Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr.
'These trio destined for Admiral might… Curious how mighty they are now…'