"You... you guys are pirates too, right?" Luffy's eyes sparkled as he eagerly approached Kuke and his crew, who had just stepped ashore. "You must be really strong! Shanks couldn't even handle that monster, but you guys took care of it in one hit! Oh, and I'm Monkey D. Luffy, the man who will become King of the Pirates!"
True to his nature, Luffy was completely fearless.
He bounced around energetically like a monkey, always curious and full of energy.
Kuke, however, showed no interest.
While Luffy's future held great promise, for now, he was just a kid. To Kuke, the boy wasn't worth his attention yet.
"Monkey... D.?" Gion raised an eyebrow, glancing at Luffy.
The same surname as Vice Admiral Garp, and he's one of the "D." family. But… clearly, his head isn't screwed on quite right.
Seeing Kuke's lack of interest, Gion also shifted her gaze away from the young boy.
"So, Gaban is hiding on this island?" Kuke looked up at the tranquil village of Windmill Village.
There weren't many villagers around, and none of them seemed frightened by Kuke's arrival. Instead, they looked on with curiosity.
"I've seen him before, in the papers, I think," one villager said.
"Me too," another chimed in.
Windmill Village, being in the East Blue, was quite removed from the chaos of the Grand Line, so the villagers weren't accustomed to keeping up with such events. It took them a moment to recognize Kuke.
"Is he famous?" Luffy asked, having been ignored by Kuke, now turning to the villagers for answers.
"Let me check," one of the villagers said, running into his home and returning with a stack of newspapers. He flipped through them until he found the one he was looking for.
Soon, the village was abuzz.
"He's a big deal," a villager exclaimed.
"Windmill Village has really been visited by someone important!"
"But why would someone like him come here?"
The villagers gathered around, holding up the newspaper and comparing the image to Kuke, their breathing growing heavier with excitement.
"Let me see, let me see!" Luffy whined, jumping up and down, trying to get a peek.
"Tell me, who is he? Is he a pirate? Is he stronger than Shanks?" Luffy's voice was loud and full of questions.
"You mean Shanks, who just left a couple of days ago?" The villagers remembered the Red-Haired Pirates, who had been in the village recently, causing a stir with some local bandits.
"I'm not sure. Shanks is pretty famous, but this guy…" The villager looked back at the paper, shaking his head. "What he did? Shanks can't compare."
The villagers' eyes gleamed with admiration.
"Is he… the Pirate King?" Luffy's eyes lit up, brimming with excitement.
"I don't think even the Pirate King could pull off something like that."
"Yeah, I agree," another villager nodded.
While the villagers weren't particularly focused on who might be the Pirate King, they held deep admiration for Kuke—the man who invaded the Holy Land and humiliated the Celestial Dragons, something no one had ever done before.
"The Pirate King can't do that?" Luffy was baffled.
Wasn't the Pirate King supposed to be the greatest pirate in the world?
His eyes locked onto Kuke's back as the pirate walked further into the village, heading straight for the village's only tavern.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Luffy followed close behind.
...
"Welcome," came a soft, melodic voice from behind the tavern's counter. A beautiful woman with deep green, short hair tied with a headscarf greeted Kuke and his crew with a gentle smile. It was Makino, the tavern's owner.
"Did something happen here recently?" Gion asked, ever observant, noticing some signs of damage around the bar. The village seemed peaceful enough, but perhaps there was more than met the eye.
Makino smiled wryly. "There was a bit of trouble the day before yesterday, but it's all settled now. You must be guests from the Grand Line, right?"
She looked at Kuke with intrigue.
Running a tavern meant Makino had access to more news than most, and she had already recognized Kuke's identity.
Unlike how she treated the other customers, she served Kuke and his crew with extra warmth and care.
"I can smell something delicious! You must be the chef, right?" Lily's nose twitched as she caught the scent wafting from the kitchen, her eyes lighting up. The aroma rivaled even her father's cooking skills.
"You're in luck," Makino said with a smile. "I've just made a stew with venison. Would you like to try some?"
"Yes, please!" Lily exclaimed.
"The food smells amazing, and Makino's cooking wasn't really mentioned in the original story," Kuke thought to himself, savoring the perfectly tender venison. The flavors were rich and balanced.
Through the kitchen doorway, he could see Makino working with grace, moving efficiently as she cooked.
Not only was her food amazing, but she also seemed skilled in a variety of dishes.
"I also make my own wine. Would you like some to go with your meal?" Makino asked softly, bringing over a dish of appetizers.
She even made her own wine.
After finishing the meal, Kuke leaned back in his chair, satisfied and relaxed.
He watched Makino clean up the table.
An idea began to form in his mind.
He wanted to take her with him.
Right now, what the Radiant Eclipse needed most wasn't a navigator, a doctor, or even a sniper. What they needed was a chef.
With their current strength and the ship's one-hour daily invulnerability, the storms and dangerous weather of the sea posed little threat to them. For now, the only role a navigator would play would be in guiding them to Skypiea.
As for a doctor, most of the women on board had strong constitutions, rarely falling ill. A doctor wasn't an immediate concern.
But a chef?
Everyone needed to eat, every day. Without good food, even the strongest crew would lose energy.
However, persuading Makino might be a challenge.
She was a woman, meeting the requirement for joining his crew.
But she was also an ordinary person, content with a peaceful life. Wasting one of his limited hundred crew spots just for good food was worth it in Kuke's eyes. But forcing her to leave, just for the sake of feeding them, didn't sit right with him. He couldn't just drag her aboard and make her cook.
Kuke fell into deep thought.
His silence caught Hancock's attention.
She glanced from Kuke to the gentle Makino.
...
Meanwhile, far across the same island, on a remote shore, a small wooden house stood near the beach, with a vast forest sprawling behind it.
A massive ship with a dragon's head docked nearby.
"Scopper Gaban! I'm here to see you again. I've brought some good friends, and they want to try their luck at claiming the Ace," Shanks called out, even before stepping off his ship.