It had been a few hours since Luffy had set off on his adventure with his pet sea beast, an eel, and now his first obstacle had appeared.
"There's the whirlpool I got sucked into. Alright then," he said, turning to the eel. "Don't come out until I call you." The eel nodded, understanding its cue. as he devoured all the fruit in the barrel before sealing itself inside, ready for safety.
"Time for a ride," Luffy declared, excitement bubbling in his chest. He waited for a moment, feeling the anticipation build, until he sensed it—the boat was slowly being drawn into the whirlpool.
As it began to spin, Luffy's eyes widened. "Ahhhh! I'm getting dizzy!" he exclaimed, his vision swirling in a chaotic blur. At that moment, with the world spinning around him, he decided to do the only sensible thing: he closed his eyes and let himself drift off to sleep.
As Luffy's boat spun wildly in the whirlpool, miles away, the luxurious passenger ship sailed steadily through the serene waters of East Blue, blissfully unaware of the approaching storm in more ways than one.
The crew, dressed in crisp uniforms, kept a watchful eye over the wealthy passengers indulging in laughter and dance in the grand ballroom below. The atmosphere was a mixture of sophistication and carefree delight. On the upper deck, elegantly dressed individuals sipped from glasses of fine wine, enjoying the tranquility of the open sea. It was the perfect day for relaxing, with a clear sky holding only a handful of cotton-like clouds and docile waves gently rocking the ship.
On the deck, two crew members leaned against the guardrail, their gazes lazily drifting over the horizon as they exchanged idle chatter. One of them, a tall man with a crooked grin and a hint of stubble, squinted at something bobbing in the water. "Oi, check that out," he said, nudging his companion, who was much younger and slightly more enthusiastic.
The younger crew member peered over the edge, adjusting his cap. "A barrel?"
"Looks like a wine barrel," the older man commented, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Probably wreckage from that whirlpool earlier. Might be our lucky day!"
"Yeah, let's haul it up!" The two scrambled to grab a line, casting it over the edge and latching onto the barrel. With a bit of effort, they dragged the bulky container onto the deck, their grins wide with anticipation.
"It's heavy!" The younger crew member chuckled as they rolled the barrel across the deck. "Must be full!"
Before they could pop it open, a distant yell from the lookout cut through the calm. "Pirates! I see pirates!" The lookout's voice trembled with urgency. "It's the Alvida Pirates!"
The mood on the ship shifted immediately. Chaos erupted as the crew snapped into action, some rushing to ready the ship's defenses, others shouting orders. The barrel, forgotten in the commotion, rolled toward the lower decks, unnoticed by the panicked crew.
The pirate ship closed in fast, its dark sails billowing in the breeze. At the bow stood a figure that made even the hardened crew hesitate—a towering woman, her body grotesquely large, skin freckled with rough patches, and her greasy black hair clinging to her face under a tattered cowboy hat. In her grip was an iron club as thick as a ship's mast, slung casually over her shoulder like a toy. This was 'Iron Club' Alvida, a feared pirate captain with a bounty of 5,000,000 Beli.
"Men, who's the fairest on all the seas?" Alvida's voice boomed over the distance.
Her crew, pale-faced and trembling, immediately shouted in unison, "ALVIDA-SAMA!"
Alvida's yellowed teeth flashed in a grin as she raised her club high. "Charge!"
Her pirates surged forward, swinging across ropes, their weapons gleaming in the sunlight as they boarded the passenger ship. Within moments, the once-luxurious vessel transformed into a battlefield, screams of panic from the passengers blending with the clash of swords and the shouts of the crew trying to defend them.
Amidst the chaos, a small boy with glasses and pink hair cowered on the pirate ship, his knees shaking uncontrollably. Coby. He was barely more than a deckhand, a prisoner of circumstance, forced into servitude by Alvida's cruelty. His heart pounded in his chest as he watched the carnage unfold.
"Coby!" Alvida's bellow sent a chill down his spine.
"Y-Yes, Alvida-sama!" Coby stammered, trembling as he dashed across the pirate ship's deck toward the boarded vessel. He barely made it before Alvida swung her massive club, narrowly missing his frail form. Sweat trickled down his brow as he hurried below deck, seeking any way to appease his ruthless captain.
"Think, think!" Coby muttered to himself as he ran, finally stumbling into a storage room that smelled faintly of salt and rum. His eyes scanned the dimly lit space until they landed on something large—something familiar.
"A barrel?" Coby's eyes widened as he approached the heavy object. It was the same one the crew had hauled aboard earlier. "Maybe this will do. Alvida-sama loves wine, right?"
He gave it a tentative push, but the barrel refused to budge. Coby groaned, his arms already aching from the effort. "It's too heavy… Maybe I should—"
His thoughts were interrupted by footsteps. Coby barely had time to react as three of Alvida's grinning lackeys appeared at the door.
"Oi, Coby!" one of them sneered. "What're you doing with that barrel? Trying to hoard it for yourself?"
Coby's words tumbled out in a panic. "N-no! I-I just thought maybe Alvida-sama would—"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the second pirate cut him off, greedily eyeing the barrel. "Let's crack it open."
The third pirate laughed menacingly as they hefted the barrel upright, preparing to pry off the top. Just as they were about to open it, a sudden burst of energy exploded from the barrel, sending the lid flying. Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, a fist shot out, knocking one of the pirates unconscious with a single blow.
From the barrel emerged a young man, his black hair wild and windswept, a straw hat perched precariously on his head. His skin was tan, and he wore a red vest and blue shorts, his carefree grin widening as he stretched his arms over his head.
"WHAT A GREAT NAP!" the young man declared with enthusiasm, his eyes closed in bliss. He stretched languidly, seemingly oblivious to the chaos around him, his foot resting on the unconscious pirate.
The remaining two pirates stared in dumbfounded shock. "Wh-who the hell is this guy!?" one of them sputtered.
"Monkey D. Luffy, I'm gonna become King of the Pirates." Luffy echoed.
Coby stared at the strange boy who had burst from the barrel like a force of nature. Could this be a pirate? He didn't act like the bloodthirsty criminals he'd seen under Alvida's reign of terror. There was something different about him—something almost… reassuring. But that thought only terrified Coby more. How could he possibly trust someone who claimed to want to become the King of the Pirates?
Luffy grinned. Stretching his arms behind his head as he surveyed the room. "Now then, where's Zoro? I need to rescue him and find food on the way."
"Zoro?!" Coby blurted out, eyes wide with disbelief. "You mean Pirate Hunter Zoro? He's locked up at the Marine base, waiting for his execution!"
Luffy nodded casually. "Yosh. We're going there next. But first..." His gaze turned locking onto the two remaining pirates, who were still trying to make sense of what just happened, and yelled "JAMA!"
The two pirates blinked in confusion. "Uh… what?"
Luffy laughed, then shot his fist forward, stretching it across the room. It collided with the two pirates, sending them flying into the wall. "That's better."
As the chaos of battle raged on around them, Coby's eyes widened, still trying to process the whirlwind that was Luffy. "You… you just took out those pirates like it was nothing!"
Luffy shrugged, a playful smile on his face. "They weren't that tough! But I'm really hungry. Do you have any food on this ship?"
Coby hesitated, glancing back at the ongoing fight. "I—I don't know! Alvida-sama will be furious if I—"
"Forget her!" Luffy interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. "We need to get out of here and find something to eat!"
Luffy ignored Coby's awe-struck expression as he turned toward the ship's main deck. "Come on, Coby! Let's go find some food. And maybe we'll run into someone else along the way."
Just as they reached the deck, a loud crash echoed across the ship. Luffy grinned—there she was, darting between crates, her blue pirate outfit and orange hair unmistakable.
"There she is!" Luffy exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over. "That's my navigator!"
"W-what?!" Coby stammered, still caught up in Luffy's whirlwind energy. "You know her?"
"Not yet, but I will!" Luffy shouted, charging toward her without a second thought.
Nami's hands worked quickly, stuffing as many jewels as she could into her satchel. She didn't have much time. The Marines would be here soon, and she had no intention of getting caught. She didn't care about the passengers, the pirates, or the chaos swirling around her. All that mattered was the treasure—her ticket to freedom from Arlong's grip.
When she heard the commotion behind her. Turning around, she saw Luffy barreling toward her, his carefree demeanor completely at odds with the chaos surrounding them. "What the heck are you doing, idiot?!"
"Just helping out!" Luffy shouted back, leaping over a fallen pirate and landing right beside her. "You're going to be my navigator!"
Nami froze, her sharp eyes narrowing at the boy who had just leaped into the fray. "Navigator? Are you out of your mind?" She didn't have time for this nonsense. But there was something in his grin, something in the way he spoke, that made her hesitate. He didn't seem like the typical pirate. Not that it mattered—she had no intention of joining him. Not now, not ever. She says. "Navigator? Are you insane? I'm not joining some random pirate!"
"Sure you are!" Luffy replied, grinning
Nami blinked, momentarily stunned by his audacity. Then, she smirked. "Oh really? You don't even know me, and you think I'll just join you?"
Luffy shrugged. "I don't need to know you. I already know you're amazing."
Nami huffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "You're really stupid."
Luffy beamed. "YES!"
Before Nami could reply,
The cannon fire rang out, signaling the Marines' arrival as they closed in fast. The deck was shaking under the assault, the ship starting to splinter from the force.
"We don't have time for this!" Nami shouted as she spun on her heels, dodging the falling debris from the ship. "If we don't get out of here soon, we're all gonna sink with the ship!"
Luffy, completely unfazed by the explosions, beamed at her, "Then lead the way, Navigator!"
Nami huffed, eyes narrowing. "I'm not your navigator!"
Luffy just laughed, "You will be!"
Before she could protest, another cannon blast rocked the ship, this time knocking it off balance. Nami's sharp reflexes kicked in, and she grabbed onto a nearby mast to steady herself, her mind already racing through escape plans.
Suddenly, a massive shadow loomed over them, blocking out the sun. Luffy and Nami turned just in time to see Alvida's towering figure cast a long shadow across the deck, her iron club capable of smashing bones with a single swing. Even the bravest among the crew hesitated to face her. But Luffy... Luffy just grinned, standing there with an easy confidence that made Coby's stomach twist. Was he going to try and fight her?
"There you are, you little rats!" Alvida bellowed, her voice a mixture of rage and arrogance. "I'll crush you where you stand!"
Nami's heart nearly leaped out of her chest. "We need to move!" she shouted, but Luffy stood his ground, casually dusting his hands.
"Who's the fairest on all the seas?!" Alvida roared, her grotesque grin widening as she swung the club down with terrifying force.
Luffy tilted his head slightly to the side, still smiling. "You sure talk a lot, Gum-Gum Pistol," he said, his tone light as ever. Then, faster than Nami could blink, Luffy's fist shot forward, stretching like a rubber band, and collided with Alvida's stomach.
BOOM!
The impact was deafening. Alvida's eyes bulged comically wide as her body was launched through the air like a cannonball, crashing through the ship's main mast and disappearing into the horizon.
For a moment, there was stunned silence. Nami, Coby, and even the remaining pirates froze in shock, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
Luffy, meanwhile, simply dusted his hands off again and grinned. "That was easy."
Coby's jaw dropped, and his eyes filled with awe. "Y-you just... knocked her out with one punch!"
Luffy stretched his arms behind his head, completely unfazed. "Yeah, she was annoying. Anyway, where's that boat?"
"There's only one boat left," she said quickly, scanning the deck. "We need to get there before the Marines board."
"Leave that to me," Luffy replied, his grin never fading. He grabbed Coby's arm and stretched out his other hand to latch onto a distant part of the ship. In one swift motion, he launched them toward the lifeboat, landing perfectly next to it.
Nami caught up a second later, looking between Luffy and the approaching Marines. Her survival instincts took over. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "I'll get us out of here, but don't think this means I'm joining your crew!"
Luffy just smiled, hopping into the boat as Nami untied it from the ship. "Whatever you say, Navigator."
The boat hit the water with a splash, and Nami immediately took charge, expertly steering them through the wreckage and debris floating in the sea. Her hands moved fast, guiding the boat past sinking ships and dodging cannon fire.
"Hold on!" Nami shouted as she navigated through the narrow gap between the two ships.
Luffy, laughing the entire time, looked back at the Marines who were getting smaller on the horizon. "You're amazing, Nami!"
Nami didn't reply, but a small smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. Despite herself, she was impressed with how smoothly they'd managed to escape.
As they sailed away from the chaos, Coby was left speechless. "That... that was insane."
Luffy stretched out, leaning back as if they'd just had a nice stroll. "Told ya! The real adventure starts now."
As they sailed into the sunset, Coby finally gathered his thoughts. "But Luffy, how did you know to come here? I mean, it's so dangerous!"
Luffy shrugged, looking ahead with mischief and anticipation. he laughed as he said "Shishishishi I just knew there would be something worth finding."
The boat hit the water with a splash, but as Nami expertly navigated them through the ships, they all heard a strange sound—a low rumble from the deep. Coby's eyes widened in alarm, and Nami's brow furrowed.
"What the hell is that sound?" Nami shouted over the crashing waves and the distant cannon fire.
Just then, a massive shape rose from the water next to the boat. The sea beast—the giant eel that Luffy had tamed—surfaced with a loud splash, towering over the small craft. Its slick, serpent-like body shimmered under the sunlight, its eyes glowing with loyalty as it looked toward Luffy.
Coby's jaw dropped, his hands shaking as he pointed at the massive creature. "Wh-What is that?! A Sea King?! We're doomed!"
Nami's reaction was more of annoyance than fear. Her eyes narrowed, her teeth grinding together. "Are you out of your mind, bringing something like that with us?! We're supposed to be escaping, not attracting more attention!"
Luffy just laughed, completely at ease with the situation. "That's just my pet eel! I told him to stay hidden until we needed him." He gestured to the creature, patting its side as if it were a harmless puppy. "Good job, buddy! We're heading to the Marine base now."
"The Marine base?!" Coby yelped, still staring wide-eyed at the giant eel. "You mean where Zoro is? The one they're about to execute?! Are you insane?!"
Luffy simply nodded, his grin as wide as ever. "Yep! I'm gonna recruit him into my crew."
Nami pinched the bridge of her nose, exasperation seeping into her voice. "First, you claim I'm gonna be your navigator without asking me, and now you want to go to a Marine base—on purpose—to rescue Pirate Hunter Zoro? Have you completely lost your mind?!"
Luffy scratched his head, looking up at the sky as if thinking hard about it. "Nope. I'm pretty sure this is a great plan. Zoro's strong, and I need strong people if I'm gonna become King of the Pirates."
Nami threw her hands up. "I can't believe this. First a pet sea monster, now you want to break into a Marine base… What have I gotten myself into?!"
Coby, meanwhile, had gone pale, staring at the eel in terror. "Wait… does that thing eat people?"
Luffy laughed, slapping the eel's side again. "Nah, he's harmless—unless I tell him not to be."
Coby shuddered but didn't dare ask more. Instead, he turned to Nami. "Are you seriously going along with this? You seem... smart."
Nami crossed her arms, glaring at both Luffy and the horizon ahead. "I don't have much of a choice, do I? He's dragging me along whether I like it or not. But the second I get what I need, I'm out of here."
Luffy, still grinning, turned toward the open sea. "Don't worry, Nami! You're gonna love being part of my crew. You'll be my navigator, and we'll have the best adventure ever!"
Nami just sighed, her expression a mix of irritation and begrudging acceptance. "We'll see about that…"
With that, they continued their journey, Nami steering them toward the Marine base where Zoro was held.
Luffy, Nami, and Koby were finally sailing away from the wrecked ship, leaving the carnage behind.
Koby sat nervously beside him, still processing everything that had happened, while Nami was focused on navigating the small boat through the open water, her gaze fixed on the horizon. For a moment, the world felt calm, with nothing but the sound of the waves and the distant caw of seagulls filling the air.
Luffy stood at the bow of the boat, staring out at the endless sea. His hand rested on his straw hat, and a small smile played on his lips. 'Alright... now Nami's with me. That's two. Just nine more to go,' he thought to himself, feeling the familiar surge of excitement building inside him.
But then, the grin faded slightly as his mind drifted. 'It won't go the same way this time. I'll recruit some new crewmates... maybe Carrot, Pedro, Uta, and Pineapple head. They'll all be part of my crew' He could already picture their faces, though some of them he hadn't even met yet. His eyes glimmered with anticipation, knowing that things would be different this time around.
A sudden breeze caught his hat, forcing him to clutch it tighter. His gaze hardened as his thoughts shifted to the one person who weighed most on his heart.
'But first... I have to save Ace. No matter what. This time, I'll make sure he lives. I won't let the Marines take him from me again.' The memory of Ace's last moments flashed through his mind, but Luffy pushed it away. He couldn't dwell on the past. This time, he would change it. He would be stronger, faster... ready to do whatever it took.
Glancing back over his shoulder, Luffy noticed Koby staring off at the sea, wide-eyed and deep in thought. Luffy chuckled to himself, lightening the mood in his mind. 'Maybe I'll leave a message with Gramps to take care of him... and the butt-chin guy.'
He couldn't help but laugh, earning confused looks from both Nami and Koby. Luffy waved them off with a grin. "Nothing, nothing!" he said, adjusting his hat once again. The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear in his heart. He wouldn't let anyone he cared about slip away this time.
As the boat sailed farther into the blue, the journey had just begun, and Luffy's heart raced with the thrill of the adventure ahead. Grinning at the thought that the world itself was an endless adventure just waiting to be seized. The sea beast, now gliding alongside them like a loyal companion, sent ripples through the water, a silent protector.
Nami, focused on the horizon, felt the tension in her shoulders ease slightly. Even if she wasn't planning to stay with this reckless rubber man, she had to admit that the way they had escaped from Alvida's pirates was nothing short of miraculous. Her mind was already calculating their next moves—how they'd infiltrate the Marine base, how to avoid being captured herself, and how to use the situation to her advantage.
Coby, still trembling slightly, couldn't stop glancing nervously at the massive eel. "I can't believe we're heading to the Marine base… I mean, it's a death sentence, right? Zoro's the Pirate Hunter! What makes you think he'll join your crew, Luffy?"
Luffy tilted his hat back, giving Coby a confident look. "Because Zoro has a dream. And people with big dreams stick together."
Nami raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. It was a curious thing to hear from someone who acted so carefree, but there was a strange weight behind Luffy's words. Despite everything, there was no doubt in her mind that he believed every single thing he said.
The wind picked up as the boat sliced through the waves, the Marine base now visible in the distance—a foreboding fortress jutting out from the land, surrounded by watchtowers and heavily armed ships. It was a place that sent shivers down the spine of any pirate, a symbol of the World Government's absolute authority.
But to Luffy, it was just another place to visit. Another place to find the next member of his crew. He stood up, stretching his arms and flashing a bright grin. "Get ready! It's time to rescue Zoro!"