Melromarc Castle (Day)
Waking up in a dimly lit cellar was not a first for Captain Russo, as strange as it sounded. And despite being feared as a pirate with a several hundred million Berry bounty, he wasn't exactly as physically imposing as others in his profession.
The young man, a mere 18 years old, had messy blonde hair and vibrant green eyes. He wore a dark red coat over a black shirt that looked as though it had been torn to pieces before being sewn back together. His pants were black with a flame pattern, and his shoes were bright red. Most unusual however was the small shield on his arm, giving off an energy that felt bizarrely familiar, yet alien at the same time.
"Oh, sacred heroes! Please save our world from disaster!" a man in dark robes said to the blonde, pulling him from his analysis of the strange shield. It was at this moment the pirate realized he was not alone in the cellar.
Three other boys around his age, each with a weapon that, like his shield, emitted a unique aura. A spear, a bow, and a sword. There were also five robed men standing in front of them, each with a shroud covering their faces. It wasn't hard to deduce that the men in robes were responsible for whatever brought him here.
"I for one, refuse." one of the boys beside him said, shocking the robed men. He had short blonde hair and wielded the strange bow.
"Likewise." another said. This one had short black hair and held the strange sword.
"Yeah, send us back!" the boy with the strange spear shouted. He had blonde hair done in a ponytail.
"Save you from disaster, eh?" Russo said, grinning. Everyone's eyes were on him now. "Yararara! Count me in!"
"Are you serious!?" the spear wielder said, a look of total shock on his face. "You're that willing right off the bat?"
"Are you kidding? This sounds like it'll be tons of fun!" Russo explained, laughing wildly. He then turned to the robed men. "But I am curious about how we ended up here. Are you going to explain, or should I tell you what I think is going on?"
"Fret not, heroes." one of the men said, walking towards a stairway leading to an upper floor. "Our king will explain everything."
The four heroes were led up the long staircase, passing by a few windows that allowed them to see the outside world. They appeared to be in a medieval-style castle that rested in a large city. The distinct absence of modern technology was jarring to three of the heroes, but for Russo, it reminded him of home.
Eventually, they were brought to a giant door leading into a throne room. Noticeably, there were two thrones side by side. One larger and one smaller. The smaller of the two was occupied by an old man wearing regal clothes, while the larger one was empty.
"So, these are the Four Heroes." the man said, looking down on them as they stood in a line in front of him. "I am King Aultcray Melromarc the Thirty-Second. We have summoned you here to help rid us of the Waves of Calamity. These Waves bring monsters with them, and while we have tried to fend them off, our forces have been unable to make any meaningful headway. You four are our last hope."
'No pressure, then.' Russo mentally deadpanned.
"Now then, Heroes, please introduce yourselves!" Aultcray bellowed.
"Amaki Ren. 16 years old. High schooler." the Sword Hero said.
"The names Kitamura Motoyasu. 21, and a college student." the Spear Hero said.
"Guess I'm next. Kawasumi Itsuki. 17 years old. High schooler." the Bow Hero said.
"And that leaves me." Russo said. "My name is-"
"Ren, Motoyasu, and Itsuki, then." the King interrupted, cutting off the Shield Hero. "If you would, please check your Statuses."
Russo's Observation Haki surged, and a blue square in the corner of his vision appeared. Curious, he focused on it, causing an ethereal sheet of his current powers and weaknesses to appear before him. Based on how nobody else reacted to it, he guessed that only he could see it. While the other three Heroes were occupied with their own screens, Russo found himself focusing on a certain line in his own.
Restriction: The Shield Hero may only use shields.
'That throws a wrench into things.' the boy thought to himself. His weapon of choice was the furthest thing from a shield, and being forced to fight without it would likely be a problem. Thankfully, that appeared to be the only thing about his fighting style that he couldn't use. Everything else was still at his disposal.
"It would probably be a good idea if we all formed a Party together." Ren suggested. "That way, we could cover each other's weaknesses."
"I'm up for it!" Motoyasu said.
"I'm sorry Heroes, but you will have to form Parties on your own." the King said. "The Legendary Weapons repel each other, weakening when they're in close proximity."
"Typical." Russo said. Every time you were gifted with power, there was a price. Devil Fruits were a good example. But at least he wouldn't have to worry about dead weight now.
Melromarc Castle (Night)
After being given a hefty feast, the Four Heroes were sent to a room where they would spend the night. Tomorrow, they'd start their quest.
"So, while we're waiting, might as well get to know each other." Russo said, grinning. "I didn't get a chance to earlier, so I'll introduce myself now. Name's Russo."
"Oh, hello." Itsuki said. "Is it just me, or do you smell like seawater?"
"Come to think of it, I have been smelling something kinda off lately. So, it was seawater?" Motoyasu said.
"Really?" Russo asked, smelling his coat. "Hmm, maybe I'm just used to it."
"Do you spend a lot of time at the beach or something?" Motoyasu asked.
"Nope, I happen to be the captain of the greatest ship in the New World!" Russo boasted, grinning.
"Wait, you're a sailor?" Itsuki asked.
"Uh, sure. Let's go with that." the Shield Hero said. It'd probably be best if he kept the fact that he was a pirate to himself.
"Wait, what did you mean by New World?" Ren asked.
Russo stayed silent for a bit after that. "Oh, that's not good." At least now he knew why none of them recognized him from his wanted posters.
