The smell of death covered the air. Blood, gore, carnage. This was not how it was suppose to be. Everything was on fire, his crew was scattered, possibly dead. His armada was demolished with the combined force of the two yonko of the sea.

"All your effort, and yet you still find yourself here. You have been defeated Mugiwara." Kaido, emperor of the new world, strongest beast in the planet, and basically the hand behind Wano Kingdom, stood before Strawhat Luffy, smirking at his victory.

"Not yet…" Monkey D. Luffy, who was dubbed the fourth emperor of the sea was flat on his face, unable to move from the finishing blow delivered by Kaido. "...my nakama will…"

"They can't do anything for your Mugiwara." Kaido began, realization encompassed Luffy at the weight of Kaido's words. "They are all dead."

The Beast's words echoed through his mind. Monkey D. Luffy has never tasted true defeat before...this was it. 'This feels like shit.' He spat out blood as he attempted to push himself up. No luck. Every inch of his body was ridden with pain, then there was also the horrible realization that his friends were no longer of this world. Was the Beast lying? Maybe. Did he have a choice in the manner? Not even the slightest. Will he die fighting? That's the plan.

Flashes of his life engulfed him, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brook, Jinbei…All of his adventures led him to this, dying at the hands of Kaido. 'Some luck…' If only he could have an opportunity to do everything all over again…

Kaido's mace was inches from connecting with his skull, he was seconds from dying, and yet all he could think about is regret. His fist connected with the beast as a last ditch effort but the funny thing was, the mace did not connect with him. A cloud of smoke enveloped Luffy as his body suddenly transported to another location, several hundred yards away from his battle with Kaido.

In his place, a rock was substituted, receiving what would have been a fatal blow to the skull of Luffy. The rock shattered into a million pieces as the Beast was flabbergasted at the event before him.

"Mugiwara-ya, this is no place to die for you." One of his fierce rival, ally, and most importantly, a friend, stated. He did not look like the calm, calculating man who Luffy was used to conversing with. Trafalgar D. Water Law was bloody, beaten and gasping for air. "Someone wants to talk to you…" Before he could speak, ask a question, or even think about what was happening, once again, Luffy had been teleported away from the battlefield and into a secluded room. In his wake, the former warlord had to manage, even for just a second, to hold the dragon before following the strawhat pirate.

At an undisclosed location in Wano...

His ears rang as the immediate transportation by Law was nauseating. He felt his body tense as he could tell that a powerful person was with him in the tiny room.

"Hello Monkey D. Luffy. Do not be alarmed for I am an ally." A woman in her mid forties sat before him, wearing a kimono embroidered with golden flowers. Her hair was long, streaked with white color signifying her age. She had a gentle smile on her face, almost calming.

"Who are you..." The first words that Luffy managed to muster as the crazy sequence of events was still trying to process through his mind.

"My name is Kozuki Toki, and I possess the Time Time Fruit." She took a moment for the Strawhat to situate himself. "I'm sure you have many questions but I only have so much time. Luffy, you are a very important figure in this world and we can't lose you today. In the event that you die, we lose the End War." She noticed the confused look on the man's face but held her hand up to stop him. "Again time is an essence Luffy. I have sent my son and Odin's scabbard 20 years into the future...and now I sent myself forward where the flame burns at its lowest, to assist you as my last will. Monkey D. Luffy, I, Kozuki Toki, will send you to the past where you deem your love for the open sea began."

Suddenly the earth trembled and the roof of the little room was ripped right off by a giant dragon. Kaido floated in the air in his dragon form, circling the room in which the duo resided.

"Goodbye Luffy. Make good..." Was the last word from Lady Toki as Luffy found himself engulfed in white smoke. He could not even ask any questions, he could not even comprehend what just happened. As dragon fire rained down on the room, only one person suffered the ultimate price at the hands of Kaido that day, and it was not Luffy.

The young man traveled through a tunnel, rewinding his life. Throughout the literal drive through memory lane, Lady Toki's voice echoed…'where you deem your love for the open sea began.' What the hell does that mean? He continued to go through his memories then suddenly everything stopped. Where did his love for the open sea began?

He had so many questions in his mind it felt as if it could explode.

Where are his friends?

Why did she help him?

What is this flame she is referring to?

When did he fall in love with the sea?

Then a flash of light swallowed him, when he fell in love with the sea.

Negumi held a young boy in his hands, prepared to launch him into the open sea. The young man had recently eaten a devil fruit, rendering him incapable of swimming in the sea.

"This is for embarrassing me you little shit!" Right before the young man was going to be launched at the sea, a strong gust of wind engulfed the young boy and in his place, a 19 year old man took his place. This man wore a red vest, with khaki brown shorts. His chest had a noticeable cross shaped scar embedded in his skin.

"I still don't understand what the fuck is going on but who the hell do you think you are?!" The 19 year old man punched the poor mountain bandit into the horizon, launching him far far away.

"What have you done with Luffy." A menacing glace pierce the very fabric of the new arrival. And yet he was not fazed, not even one bit. For his immense training and experience throughout his young life prepared him for even the best of the best. This man was a figure who he looked up to all of his life, his signature red hair gleamed with the sunlight.

A sea king jump on the ocean, when the young man was going to be tossed. This was when the red haired man was suppose to give up his arm in order to inspire the young man.

"I haven't done anything to him..." It was that moment that the man understood what Lady Toki was telling him. He was given a second chance to save the world. He was sent back in time in order to correct his mistakes. Though this time with the body and experience of his future self. "...I am Luffy."

"Like hell I'd believe you" The red haired man disappeared into a red streak, flashing before the time traveler. He brought his sword down on him, intending to severe his right arm from his body. Though his sword met an ever so familiar black armor like skin, covering the young man's body. "Haki?" The Luffy stretched his legs to create some distance with the future yonko. 'Interesting, I kept my rubber fruit'

"Hi Shanks, I barely understand it myself. But I am Luffy, and I am from the future." Luffy was so calm and collected. It was so unlike him. A complete contrast the loud mouth little man from not too long ago.

"Interesting." Shanks lowered his weapon and began to caress his chin, thinking. "Care to tell me where you came from exactly?"

"Well I'm from 12 years into the future, and I was fighting Kaido. I was losing and a Lady Toki sent me into the pass to correct my mistakes..." Luffy began to retell his story but Shanks could not pick up the rest as only the beginning of his story was good enough for him.

Shanks knew of a Kaido, the Beast. He knew of Lady Toki who he sailed with in Captain Roger's ship. He also new of her ability to traverse time with her devil fruit. "Okay okay, I understand. So what's your plan then?"

"I need to gather a strong crew. and then an armada...during my time, the one I gathered was not strong enough to defeat Big Mom and Kaido's entire force."

Shank decided to entertain the notion suggested by the young man. Say he was a time traveler, and he was from 12 years into the future where Kaido wins. Then he would have his work cut out for him. "Where will you go then?"

"I need to go to whole cake island, my strongest opponent will be my strongest ally." In his mind, he already mapped out his crew and allies and even a plan for his original crew, now its a manner of swaying them into his cause. If only it will be that easy. 'In time'

There stood Shanks and a 19 year old Luffy, at the edge of the island known as Dawn Island in the Goa Kingdom, continuing to size up one another. One man envisioning his plan for the future, while the other skeptic whether the other could be trusted.

Dawn Island -