"Help!"

Above a blazing ocean, a massive pink bird glided effortlessly through the sky, clutching a small boy in a straw hat gently in its beak.

Suddenly, the bird tilted its head and opened its beak wider. For a split second, it looked as if it might bite off the boy's head.

But the boy stretched his rubbery body upward and screamed, "Help me!" his voice echoing across the skies.

Far below, the vast ocean reflected the drama unfolding above. A lone green-haired swordsman sat lazily in a small wooden boat. Zoro, the swordsman in question, had been napping, his three swords resting nearby. But the commotion above jolted him awake.

He blinked at the sky, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Luffy hanging from the bird's beak.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Zoro shouted, scrambling to grab the oars. "LUFFY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?!"

The bird flapped its wings powerfully, causing the boat to rock. A layer of clouds swirled around its back, forming an eerie mist. From this vapor emerged a man with long black hair, pale skin, and an unsettlingly slender frame. His appearance was delicate and almost ethereal, enough to confuse anyone into thinking he was a woman. But this was no ordinary person.

This was Shin—a "Cloud Man," the result of eating the Cloud Logia Devil Fruit. His body was made of clouds, and when he slept, he naturally drifted on the wind, carried to wherever fate decided.

Shin had been peacefully napping, his cloud form floating unnoticed, when the giant bird carried him along for the ride. Hearing the commotion, he slowly opened his eyes and groggily observed his surroundings.

The blazing ocean below.

The distant cry of a boy hanging from the bird's beak.

The unmistakable sight of red, blue, and a straw hat.

Shin's eyes widened slightly. "Wait a second... Is that... Monkey D. Luffy?!"

For a moment, Shin was too stunned to react. "How in the world did this idiot make it all the way out here? I thought he was supposed to be in the Grand Line!"

Luffy, still dangling from the bird's beak, stretched one arm toward Shin and grabbed his leg. "Hey, help me out!" he called with a grin.

Shin blinked, looking down at the rubber hand now clinging to his ankle. "Let go! I'm not here to save you!"

Luffy didn't let go. Instead, he smiled wider. "Join my crew!"

"Are you insane?!" Shin snapped, trying to shake Luffy off. "Why would I join a guy who just got eaten by a bird?"

But before Shin could free himself, a loud whistling sound pierced the air.

A cannonball.

The projectile soared toward the bird, striking it with a deafening explosion. The bird screeched in pain, flailing as smoke and feathers filled the sky. It dropped Luffy, who began plummeting toward the ocean below.

"IDIOT!" Shin shouted, transforming into his cloud form and diving after Luffy. He caught him mid-air, cushioning his fall before reforming his body beside him on a small island.

Luffy laughed, sitting up and brushing himself off. "Thanks, Cloud Guy! You're awesome!"

Shin scowled. "Don't thank me. I should've let you fall."

Before either could say more, a group of armed pirates surrounded them, their swords and pistols gleaming in the sunlight. Leading them was a muscular man with scars across his face. He sneered at the two newcomers.

"Oi, who do you think you are, messing with our turf?" the pirate growled.

Luffy, unfazed, clutched his stomach. "You guys have any meat?" he asked casually.

The pirates froze, confused by his question. But their leader recovered quickly, pointing his sword at Luffy. "Meat? You're about to be meat for the sharks, boy!"

High above, from the second floor of a nearby building, an orange-haired girl watched the scene unfold with a sly smirk. Nami, a skilled thief specializing in robbing pirates, leaned on the balcony rail, curious to see how these strangers would handle themselves.

Luffy tilted his head at the pirate leader, his expression serious for once. "You shouldn't mess with me when I'm hungry."

The pirate scoffed. "Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?"

Shin sighed, stepping back. "Here we go…"

In one swift motion, Luffy's rubbery arm shot forward, slamming into the pirate leader and sending him flying. The remaining pirates stared in shock as Luffy turned to face them, his grin back in place.

"Bring me some meat," he said cheerfully.

From the balcony, Nami chuckled. "Looks like things are about to get interesting."

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