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Luffy had plopped himself on one of the stools by the counter, picking up a glass of juice as if he owned the place. He sipped it leisurely while tossing a plate of food toward the Gorgon sisters, who hesitantly accepted his offering. They clutched their bowls tightly, their expressions cautious yet grateful as they began to eat in silence.
Behind the counter, Shakki exhaled a long plume of smoke, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in the bold young man before her.
"You've got guts, kid," She said, her tone laced with amusement. "Walking in here, eating my food, and then just helping yourself to a drink. Do you even have money to pay?"
Luffy paused mid-sip, glancing at her as though the question were completely foreign to him. He set the glass down on the counter and grinned sheepishly. "Nope, no money. But I'll pay you back eventually. You can, uh… put it on the tab."
Shakki's brow arched, and she chuckled, shaking her head. "A tab? Hoh!... you're quite the smooth-talker, aren't you? What makes you think I won't just toss you out right now?"
Leaning back on the stool, Luffy's grin widened, his confidence shining through. "Because I'm Monkey D. Luffy, and you wouldn't want to mess with me unless you've got a death wish."
The audacity of his statement hung in the air, and for a moment, the bar was silent. Then Shakki burst into laughter, her cigarette dangling precariously from her lips. "Hahaha! Guts and manners, huh? You've got the same reckless energy as someone I used to know. Monkey D., you said? You wouldn't happen to be related to Garp, would you?"
Hearing the name, Luffy gave her a casual thumbs-up, still smiling. "He's my grandpa. And yeah, he's as crazy as you think."
Her laughter subsided as Shakki leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter. "Garp's grandson, huh? Now that's something. That old man caused plenty of headaches in his prime. What's he up to these days?"
Luffy scratched his head, chuckling. "Oh, you know, punching me with his 'fist of love' every time I don't listen to him. He's trying to force me to be a Marine, but that's never gonna happen."
Shakki smirked, her amusement growing. "Let me guess—he thinks he can knock some sense into you with those fists of his? Sounds just like him."
"Wahahaha... Garp's grandson. Kid, you are very interesting."
Before Luffy could respond, a loud, booming laugh echoed from outside the bar. The sound reverberated through the walls, sending a chill down the spines of everyone present.
Luffy instinctively straightened up, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His carefree grin faltered for just a moment before he masked it with his usual bravado.
The doors to the bar creaked open, and in stepped a tall, broad-shouldered man whose very presence seemed to make the room shrink. His tan skin glowed faintly under the bar's dim lighting, and his neatly trimmed white beard added a touch of elegance to his intimidating appearance. A scar ran across his right eye, and round glasses glinted on his face. He carried a bottle of whiskey in one hand, sipping from it as he surveyed the room.
Despite his calm demeanor, the sheer weight of his aura pressed down on everyone in the room, making the Gorgon sisters huddle closer together. Luffy, however, forced himself to remain calm, though his instincts screamed that this man was far beyond any foe he had faced before.
The only other person till now to ever give him this feeling was his grandfather, Monkey D. Garp!
'This guy is a monster!'
The man's gaze landed on Luffy, and a warm smile spread across his face. "Well, well. What do we have here? A cheeky kid raiding Shakki's bar?"
His voice was smooth yet commanding, carrying an air of authority that couldn't be ignored.
Luffy met his gaze, his grin sharp and confident. "It is an honor to meet a living legend in such a place. So, how is life faring for you, Dark King?"
Rayleigh chuckled as he sauntered over to the counter, setting his whiskey down before taking a seat beside Luffy. "Oh my, it seems this old man is famous. Even Garp's grandson knows me. Wahaha... How is your grandpa nowadays?"
Luffy smiled at his question and laughed. He was clearly familiar with Rayleigh's character and knew that the old man would never resort to making a move on him so he relaxed.
"It should have been an easy life for him if not for your captain to give such a grand speech on his execution."
The Dark King studied him for a long moment before laughing heartily. "Wahaha! You remind me of your grandfather, but you've got something else in you, too. Something... dangerous."Â
Shakki rolled her eyes as she leaned against the counter. "Rayleigh, don't scare the kid. He's already got enough trouble tagging along." She gestured toward the Gorgon sisters, who flinched slightly under her gaze. "So, what's the story with these three?"
Luffy glanced at them, his expression softening. "I found them hiding in some ruins. They escaped from the World Nobles during the chaos caused by Fisher Tiger. They needed help, so I decided to bring them here."
Rayleigh's gaze shifted to the sisters, his expression thoughtful. "The World Nobles, huh? That's not an easy escape. You've got good instincts, kid, helping them out. But what's your plan now?"
"I was hoping Shakki could help get them back to Amazon Lily," Luffy admitted. "I can't stay with them, but I want to make sure they're safe."
Shakki exhaled another puff of smoke, studying the young pirate with a newfound respect. "You've got a good heart, kid. Alright, I'll take care of it. Consider it my way of repaying the favor for the entertainment today."
The Gorgon sisters' faces lit up with relief, their expressions softening for the first time since they'd entered the bar. Boa Hancock, in particular, couldn't take her eyes off Luffy.
"Thank you," She said softly, her voice trembling. "We… We'll never forget this."
Luffy grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Don't worry about it. Just promise me you'll keep moving forward, no matter what happens."
As he turned to leave, Rayleigh called out, his voice filled with curiosity. "Luffy, let me ask you something. Do you want to become a pirate?"
Luffy stopped in his tracks, turning back with a mischievous smile. "Do you want me to?"
Luffy smiled and replied confidently. "If I decided to be a pirate then I would become the King of the Pirate!"
"Hoh!..." Rayleigh had not expected that answer and was even more intrigued, asking the same question that he asked the original Luffy in a serious tone.
"... Do you think that you can rule this mighty sea?"
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