A small barrel floated aimlessly on the waves of the East Blue. It bobbed with the gentle rhythm of the sea, unnoticed by the grand ships and naval fleets that sailed these waters.
Nearby, a pirate ship with a distinct Jolly Roger—featuring the caricature of a pink-haired woman—loomed over the horizon. Inside the ship's hold, chaos reigned.
"Coby! Get the mop, you worthless brat!" a pirate barked, kicking a scrawny pink-haired boy forward.
"Y-yes, ma'am!" the boy stuttered, scrambling to obey.
Coby, barely a teenager, had lived two years under the tyrannical rule of Alvida, the ship's captain and self-proclaimed "most beautiful woman on the seas." Her words were law, and anyone who dared question her met a swift and brutal punishment.
While Coby cleaned, the pirates hauled the mysterious barrel aboard.
"Bet this has some good booze in it!" one of them said, licking his lips.
"I call dibs!" another pirate shouted, rolling it toward the galley.
Meanwhile, Alvida, her large frame towering over the deck, scowled. "What's all this noise about?"
"J-just a barrel we found, Captain Alvida!" one pirate said nervously.
"Hmph. Worthless fools. Get back to work!"
Down in the galley, two pirates hovered over the barrel.
"Let's crack it open and see what's inside."
As they lifted the lid, it suddenly burst apart. A boy in a red vest and straw hat popped out, grinning widely.
"Ah, that was a good nap!"
The pirates froze, their jaws dropping in shock.
"W-who are you?!" one stammered.
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy!" the boy declared, stretching his arms and yawning.
The pirates, recovering from their surprise, drew their weapons. "You picked the wrong ship to sneak onto, brat!"
Luffy tilted his head, unimpressed. "Oh, I'm not sneaking. I'm just hungry."
One pirate lunged, but Luffy's fist shot out with unnatural speed, slamming into the attacker's face and sending him flying across the room.
The second pirate hesitated. "W-what kind of freak are you?!"
"Me?" Luffy said, grinning. "I'm a rubber man!"
Coby, who had been cowering in the corner, watched in awe as Luffy easily dispatched the pirates.
As the commotion settled, Coby gathered the courage to speak. "E-excuse me… Are you a pirate?"
"Yep!" Luffy said cheerfully, leaning back in his chair.
"But… you don't seem like the bad kind," Coby murmured, his voice trembling.
Luffy shrugged. "Not all pirates are bad. I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!"
Coby's eyes widened. "K-King of the Pirates?! That's impossible! You'd have to find the One Piece, the legendary treasure hidden at the end of the Grand Line!"
"That's the plan!" Luffy said, grinning.
Coby stared at him, a mix of fear and admiration on his face. "You're crazy…"
The two sat in silence for a moment before Luffy spoke again. "What about you? Why are you here?"
Coby's shoulders slumped. "I… I didn't want to be here. Two years ago, I accidentally boarded this ship while fishing, and I've been stuck ever since. I've always dreamed of joining the Marines, but…"
Luffy frowned. "Why don't you just leave?"
"I can't!" Coby cried. "If I tried, Captain Alvida would kill me!"
At that moment, a deafening voice echoed through the ship.
"Coby! Where are you, you sniveling coward?!"
Luffy raised an eyebrow. "Is that Alvida?"
Coby paled. "Oh no… She's coming!"
Captain Alvida stormed into the galley, her iron club resting on her shoulder.
"Coby! What's going on here?!"
The pink-haired boy trembled as he stepped forward. "C-Captain Alvida… There's someone you should meet…"
Luffy stood up, looking entirely unbothered by the intimidating woman.
Alvida's eyes narrowed. "Who are you, brat?"
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy," he said simply.
"And who's the most beautiful woman on the seas?" she demanded, her voice laced with menace.
Luffy tilted his head. "Uh… Dunno. Definitely not you."
The room went silent.
Alvida's face turned beet red, and she raised her club with a roar. "You insolent little—!"
Before she could finish, Luffy stretched his arm back.
"Gomu Gomu no Pistol!"
His fist rocketed forward, slamming into Alvida and sending her crashing through the ship's wall.
The remaining pirates froze, staring in disbelief at the hole where their captain had been moments ago.
Luffy turned to Coby. "Well, that takes care of that. Let's get off this ship!"
Using a small boat from the pirate ship, Luffy and Coby rowed away, leaving Alvida's crew behind.
"You… You really are incredible," Coby said, his voice filled with awe.
Luffy laughed. "Told you I'm going to be the Pirate King!"
Coby hesitated. "Luffy… Do you think I could join the Marines? Even after being stuck with pirates for so long?"
"Of course," Luffy said without hesitation. "If it's your dream, go for it."
Coby's eyes filled with tears. "Thank you…"
As they sailed toward the horizon, Luffy grinned. "Next stop—adventure!