"Eight years old already. A lot has happened this past year." In the early morning, Luffy stretched his body as he got up.
After finishing a few sets of exercises, he went down to the sea. Standing on the water, his legs sank to knee level, his body suspended as the waves gently swayed him.
Luffy was practicing Kami-e, relaxing his whole body before concentrating his strength into his legs for high-speed kicks. Each motion sent ripples spreading across the sea's surface.
Shockwaves...
Luffy watched the water, adjusting the weight of his body as he focused.
Meanwhile, Uta was holding a brand-new Transponder Snail, carefully standing on a rock, pointing it at Luffy in the sea.
"What are you doing?" Luffy looked at her, puzzled by the snail.
"Luffy, Grandpa gave me this new type of Transponder Snail! It can record audio, capture images, store, and even broadcast them." Uta proudly showed off her device.
"Oh, so it's a camera Transponder Snail," Luffy remarked.
"Hey, wait a minute! What are you doing with it? Don't record me!"
Only then did Luffy realize Uta was filming him, dressed only in swim trunks as he trained.
"What? It's fine, isn't it?" Uta smirked, refusing to lower the snail.
She wore a pair of white shorts, her slender legs together with no gap between them. Her top was a light, cropped camisole that showed a hint of skin if she moved or straightened up.
On her feet were delicate, cage-like sandals, holding her like a princess in a birdcage. Uta mostly dressed in princess-like clothes, though she occasionally wore sporty outfits, which were so rare they felt refreshing whenever she did.
In her dream world, Dream Uta wore all sorts of different styles, conjuring them from Luffy's drawings through her musical powers.
"Be careful not to fall," Luffy warned, glancing at her clothing. "And… maybe wear something a bit warmer."
His eyes quickly scanned her slight figure. Uta was probably old enough to start wearing certain... well, things. That was something only Makino should handle, though!
"Of course you wear less at the seaside! Besides, don't you like clothes like this?" Uta asked curiously.
"If I wore a skirt and it got wet, it'd just get heavy and cling to me."
"..."
She crouched on the rock with her snail in hand. "I want some new clothes."
"Want to go to the Kingdom of Goa to shop?" Luffy suggested.
"The 'Ugliest Country in the World'? Sure, why not. But what about your training?"
Training was exhausting; for Luffy, it was something he didn't necessarily enjoy but knew he had to do, like a job. Skipping it every now and then felt justified to him.
"It's fine. Training is just daily work, no different than punching in for a shift. Besides, taking it easy sometimes is totally normal."
With a grin, Luffy walked over the waves to where Uta stood on the rock, scooped her up, and with a couple of jumps, carried her back to shore. He picked up his jacket from the pile of clothes and placed it over her shoulders.
"Uta's wish is more important than training."
"Really…" Uta blushed slightly, a soft hum escaping her lips. "Luffy, you're treating me too well." She huffed playfully.
"Still, you can't replace Shanks in my heart, you know."
Luffy adjusted his hat, smiling. "You're Shanks' greatest treasure. Since he left you with me, of course, I'll treat you the best I can."
Putting on his yellow straw hat and red sleeveless shirt, Luffy continued with a smile, "Besides, it's okay if you rely on me a little more."
Uta's heart softened as she thought about Shanks and his ship, a place where she had lived in luxury. It wouldn't be fair to make her follow him and live a poor life now. Doing his best for Uta felt like the right thing to do—a way of showing respect to Shanks.
"That's not true! Shanks didn't leave me with you!" Uta pouted, crossing her arms and pulling the black jacket tighter around herself. As she looked up at Luffy's hat, she almost imagined it was Shanks standing in front of her.
"Alright, let's head to the Kingdom of Goa and go shopping."
Luffy finished dressing and grabbed his gear, taking Uta's hand as they walked.
"Slow down! I can't keep up!"
In the newspapers, there were recent sightings of the Red-Haired Pirates, following their usual route toward the New World. Everyone knew where he was headed, and Uta understood Shanks' journey was, indeed, a man's trial.
They navigated through the dense forest of Mount Colubo, where wild beasts lurked, including giant bears, which Luffy took down with just a couple of shots.
"Why don't you ever use that sword?" Uta asked, noticing the weapon at his waist.
Luffy used his gun and body techniques often but hadn't yet practiced with the sword.
"The gun is just more efficient."
"Oh." Uta extended her arms. "Carry me."
As if on cue, Luffy lifted her in a princess carry.
"Why don't you give me a piggyback anymore?" she asked, pouting. "Did I… gain weight?" Her face went pale.
"No, no…" Luffy scratched his head, unsure how to explain something like that without it sounding awkward.
Uta snuggled closer, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, her soft form pressed close, causing him to momentarily falter.
Uta pointed the snail camera at the surrounding forest, entranced. The device fascinated her, and before long, she was completely absorbed in her new gadget.
"Luffy, I can record songs on this and share them. Help me record one!" She leaned her chin on his shoulder, her cheeks tinged pink.
"Sure." Luffy smiled.
Focusing his energy, he jumped swiftly and skillfully through the trees, making his way toward the towering, walled kingdom.
"Whoa, why are we going so fast all of a sudden?" Uta complained as the scenery blurred on the Transponder Snail's screen. "This snail can't keep up! It just turns blurry!"
Luffy landed lightly, letting the impact dissipate.
"What's your business here, kids?" a guard called out, approaching with his weapon ready.
The Kingdom of Goa didn't welcome the poor, the slaves, or the lower classes. They were meant to remain outside, in the trash heaps.
"I'm with the Marines," Luffy said, pulling out a Marine ID card.
"Marine family, huh? You're allowed entry."
The guard examined
the card, verified its authenticity, and waved them through.
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