Chapter 1: The Straw Hat Spectre of Bataan
October 1944 — Leyte, Philippine Archipelago
The tropical heat of the jungle was suffocating. Heavy monsoon rain poured down, turning the dirt tracks into deep, knee-high mud. Cannon fire echoed in the distance from the gulf as Allied forces pushed inward, while Japanese troops held tight inside fortified bunkers.
Inside a muddy trench, a young Allied soldier clutched his helmet, ducking low as heavy machine-gun fire chewed through the palm trees overhead.
Right next to him, sitting calmly on an ammo crate and wringing water out of a bright straw hat, was Ron. He was wearing a dark red cape and an unbuttoned shirt—looking more like he was headed to a beach party than an active warzone.
"Hey, pal," Ron yelled over the thunderous gunfire, leaning toward the terrified soldier. "Quick question—does your army provide sunscreen out here, or do I just gotta let the humidity completely ruin my skin tone?"
The soldier blinked, staring at Ron like he was insane. "What are you doing?! Get down! The enemy has us pinned at the treeline!"
> [System Prompt]
> Host Name: Ron
> Current Timeline: Year 734 (50 Years Before DB Canon) — Earth (Location: Philippine Archipelago)
> Current Template: Shanks (Red-Haired Pirates Captain) — [Synchronization: 12%]
> Acquired Skills: Conqueror's Haki (Basic Burst), Basic Observation Haki, Gryphon (Bound Blade)
>
"Pinned? Nah, they're just noisy," Ron said, standing up and stretching his back until it popped. "Honestly, all this bang-bang-bang is giving me a headache. And I haven't even had breakfast yet."
"Are you crazy?! Step down—"
Before the soldier could grab his cloak, Ron casually stepped over the sandbags and strolled out into the open clearing.
Up ahead, a fortified bunker rattled as heavy machine-gun rounds tore across the dirt toward him. Ron tilted his head slightly to the right, then swerved his shoulder an inch left. Thanks to a faint pulse of Observation Haki, every bullet zipped past him, missing by mere millimeters.
"Missed! Ooh, close, almost ruined my sleeve," Ron called out, strolling through the bullet storm with his hands lazily resting behind his head. "You guys need to calibrate your sights. Or maybe take a break? Try some local mangoes, they're fantastic!"
The gunners in the bunker panicked, adjusting their fire, but Ron kept walking, pulling the hilt of Gryphon just an inch out of its scabbard.
FOOM!
A wave of red-and-black atmospheric pressure blasted outward from Ron in a three-hundred-meter radius. The rain surrounding him froze mid-air for a fraction of a second, snapped back by the sudden density of his aura.
Inside the bunker, the gunners instantly went cross-eyed. Their weapons clattered to the floor as every single soldier in the fortification collapsed, out cold from the overwhelming Conqueror's Haki.
The jungle fell deathly quiet, save for the heavy patter of falling rain.
Ron clicked his blade back into place with a satisfying shack and looked back at the trench, where the soldier was staring with his jaw hanging open.
"See? Less noise, more peace," Ron grinned, adjusting his straw hat. "Now, where can a guy get some good food around here?"
> [System Alert]
> Conflict resolved with zero casualties! Synchronization with [Shanks Template] increased to 15%.
>
Chapter 2: A New Power and the Red Shadow
Over the next year, stories spread like wildfire across the Philippine islands. The locals began whispering tales of Ang Red Dragon—a strange, quick-witted hero who wandered between battlefields, cracking terrible jokes, dodging bullets like he was dancing, and knocking out entire garrisons without spilling a single drop of blood.
Ron stayed in the Philippines until the war finally came to an official close, helping local villages rebuild, scaring off lingering military forces, and enjoying the island food.
By the summer of 1945, Ron stood high on a cliff overlooking the Luzon coastline, watching the sunset cast a gold-and-purple hue over the ocean.
> [System Notification]
> Primary Quest Complete: Protect the Islands (WWII Era).
> [Shanks Template] Synchronization: 100% (MAX)
> Unlocked: Full Mastery over All 3 Types of Advanced Haki & Supreme Sword Art.
> [New Template Unlocked!]
> Target Template: Frankenstein (Noblesse) — [Synchronization: 5%]
> Acquired Attributes: Superhuman Intelligence, Dark Energy Manipulation, Dark Spear (Sealed), Enhanced Cellular Regeneration.
>
The second the notification flashed, a wave of staggering knowledge flooded Ron's mind. His brain felt as though it were expanding tenfold. Suddenly, complex physics, advanced bio-engineering, human anatomy, and dark aura control made absolute, perfect sense to him.
"Whoa..." Ron held his forehead, wincing slightly as equations and chemical formulas danced behind his eyes. "I went from a chill pirate who likes to party to a hyper-intellectual mad scientist with an attitude problem. Frankenstein, huh? Guess I need to buy a suit and a lab coat."
The Discovery: Year 735 (DB Calendar)
Utilizing his newly awakened Frankenstein intellect, Ron spent the next few months building a hidden underground laboratory in the mountains and cross-referencing global data to figure out where in the universe he had landed.
He hacked into primitive military radio networks, mapped energy signatures, and surveyed the world's geography. It didn't take long for the horrifyingly funny truth to settle in.
"Capsule Corporation doesn't exist yet... dinosaur fossils are walking around alive... and the global government uses a single King," Ron murmured, tossing a coin into the air and catching it lazily.
He leaned back in his leather chair, a smirk growing across his face.
"I'm in Dragon Ball. And I'm fifty years before the canonical story even starts."
Goku wasn't even born yet. Master Roshi was likely sitting on his island reading magazines, and the world was in a quiet, post-war lull.
Except for one thing.
Through his global intelligence sweep, Ron picked up a series of dark industrial footprints and high-tech military movements gathering strength in northern mountain ranges. A private, rapidly growing military force bearing two bold red letters on their gear: RR.
The Encounter: Red Ribbon Outpost
A week later, Ron perched casually on a tall tree branch overlooking a heavily fortified valley base. He had swapped his casual pirate vest for a sleek, tailored dark suit beneath his red cloak—blending Shanks' pirate swagger with Frankenstein's sharp, dangerous elegance.
Below him, dozens of early Red Ribbon soldiers were loading crates of heavy military tech and blue-printed research into armored trucks.
"Move it, slacker!" yelled an early Red Ribbon Officer, waving a pistol. "Command wants all prototype weapons secured! If Dr. Gero's initial blueprints are delayed, Commander Red will have your heads!"
Ron's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of the name. Gero.
He dropped lightly from the tree branch, landing smack-dab in the middle of the crowded courtyard with a soft thud.
"Hey guys! Quick question," Ron said loudly, brushing a speck of dust off his shoulder. "Does the 'RR' on your sleeves stand for 'Really Rude'? Because you're making way too much noise for a peaceful Tuesday."
The entire courtyard went dead silent. Dozens of rifles instantly snapped up, aiming straight at his chest.
"Intruder!" the Officer screamed. "Who the hell are you?! Shoot him!"
"Name's Ron. Part-time tourist, full-time guy who hates military industrial complexes," Ron chuckled.
His eyes flashed with a dark, ominous purple hue—a terrifying blend of Conqueror's Haki and Frankenstein's dark aura.
"I heard someone mention a doctor, and as a newly certified scientist myself, I'm here to conduct a quick peer review of your tech. And by 'peer review', I mean I'm going to roast it."
A hail of heavy machine-gun fire erupted.
Ron didn't even bother drawing his sword. Combining Frankenstein's absurd physical speed with Observation Haki, he moved like a black ghost, stepping smoothly between the incoming bullets while whistling a cheerful tune.
"Slacker aim! 2/10!" Ron laughed, appearing behind two soldiers instantly and tapping their helmets together. CLANG! "Take a nap, boys."
The Officer panicked, pulling out a heavy rocket launcher and firing a high-explosive missile directly at Ron's chest.
BOOM!
A massive fireball engulfed the courtyard, kicking up a thick plume of black smoke. The soldiers began to cheer—until a swirling vortex of pitch-black and dark purple energy effortlessly blew the smoke away.
Ron stood completely unblemished, a sharp, razor-thin smile on his face. Swirling strands of dark energy crackled around his fingers like living shadowy lightning.
"Now then," Ron said softly, his voice dropping into a dark, dangerously polite tone that echoed Frankenstein's infamous aura. "Are you going to hand over Dr. Gero's research notes... or do I have to disassemble your little army piece by piece?"