"What's wrong? Weren't you just buzzing with energy a moment ago?" one of the pirates said, noticing Luffy had gone quiet. He gave Luffy a light pat on the head, casting a warm smile at the sleeping Uta. It was a surprisingly tender expression, especially coming from a pirate.
"It's nothing," Luffy mumbled, desperately trying to ignore the soft, warm weight of Uta leaning against him. He looked forward, hoping to keep his thoughts away from his increasingly distracting awareness. Unfortunately, his gaze couldn't stay on her hair, which was his usual trick to calm down.
The pirates were genuinely kind to Uta. It was, after all, a strange but endearing quirk of the pirate world—a unique "parental" dynamic, one of complex loyalties and odd compassion.
Pirates and their children often had unorthodox family relations, the kind that glorified a "love them and leave them" approach. Nico Robin's mother had left her to pursue archaeology; Luffy's father had practically vanished, leaving him to be raised by his grandfather. Luffy hadn't even known his father's name until his adventure began. Usopp's dad had answered the call of the pirate flag, boarding Shanks' ship, leaving only a few early years with his son.
If anything, the pirate world seemed to breed orphans by default. Parental bonds were often set aside for the romantic lure of freedom on the seas, while foster families like Nami's adoptive mother or Chopper's mentor were the ones who truly cared.
Back at the palace, Luffy carefully placed Uta on a bed, taking off her shoes and socks to reveal small, perfectly clean feet. He frowned, chastising himself. Get a grip! He sighed, pulling up a blanket over her and gently removed her hair accessories, letting her hair fall freely. He'd heard girls sometimes got tangled up in their hair while sleeping, so he figured this would be more comfortable for her.
With Uta settled, Luffy headed off to the kitchen, the pirate beside him already hurrying off to find Shanks and let him know about Uta's new Devil Fruit ability. They'd have to be careful with her near water now, and the crew would need to keep a closer eye on her safety.
"I want milk!" Luffy declared, standing in the palace kitchen.
"Here you go…" The chef handed him a large, ice-cold bottle of milk. "You're pretty young to be out with pirates, aren't you?"
Word had already spread through the castle staff about the visiting pirates who were looking for a music teacher for a child prodigy. It wasn't every day that pirates docked for such a wholesome reason.
"I'm just here to travel," Luffy grinned, taking a gulp of the milk.
"A travel companion, huh?" The chef chuckled, studying the strange little boy in front of him. Luffy had a pistol on his hip, a sword strapped to his back, and a strength that showed in his compact, muscular frame.
For a moment, the chef imagined grabbing Luffy's head to see if he could keep him at arm's length like a pesky kid, but the pistol at his side made him think better of it.
Luffy soon left the kitchen, milk in hand, keeping an eye on the castle guards in search of a potential sparring partner. The royal guards seemed like decent practice opponents.
His gaze quickly landed on one guard yawning as he patrolled the garden. Perfect.
"Hey, mister," Luffy called, stepping in front of him.
"Lost, kid?" The guard asked, looking down at him with mild interest.
"Nope. I'm here to challenge you to a duel!" Luffy grinned, pointing his thumb toward himself.
"Huh?"
The guard was baffled, but Luffy had already tossed his sword to the side, bending his knees and adopting a ready stance.
"Kid, I could hold you down with one hand. Go play somewhere else," the guard said with a snicker, unimpressed.
But the way Luffy carried himself didn't match his age. Though small, he radiated the demeanor of a true warrior. Had he taken off his shirt, his lean muscle and defined abs would have said it all—this kid was no ordinary seven-year-old.
"Come on, mister. I'm really strong!" Luffy urged, kicking into the air with impressive power.
Intrigued, the guard glanced around, saw no one else watching, and shrugged. Why not? Kids were always fun to toy with.
"Alright, kid. Prepare to see what adult strength is all about!" He flexed his muscles, showing off for dramatic effect.
Bam!
Luffy's shoulder rammed into the guard's chest, sending him flying two meters back. The guard blinked, lying on the ground, stunned.
"Pfft," Luffy smirked, looking down at the guard.
The guard's face went red with anger and embarrassment. He pushed himself up, waving off the pain, and marched back over. "Alright, kid, now I'm serious!"
But before he could finish, Luffy's fist slammed into his stomach. Even with his armor, the guard doubled over, stumbling back from the impact.
"You just said 'come on,' didn't you?" Luffy asked with an innocent smile, reveling in the thrill of this strange, slightly sadistic satisfaction.
"Brat…" the guard growled, regaining his stance and charging again.
Luffy side-stepped, barely exerting himself to dodge. He didn't plan on hurting the guard too badly; instead, he saw this as a chance to hone his budding Observation Haki.
The fight reminded him of the moment the Devil Fruit had fallen from the sky—he'd felt a chilling instinct then, even before he saw it. This sense was what he needed to train. Kids naturally had sharp senses, and if he could harness this sixth sense now, he'd be a Haki master in no time.
The guard was soon panting, swinging wildly
and missing. The little kid dodged every blow, moving like a shadow.
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