On a calm sea, Luffy's small boat drifted slowly, accompanied only by the sound of the wind and the waves. Luffy sat on the edge of the boat, swinging his feet in the water as he talked non-stop about finding a new crew member.
"Hey, what do you think about a sniper? Or maybe a navigator?" Luffy asked enthusiastically.
Zoro, leaning against a pile of ropes, grumbled,
"We just need someone who can actually navigate."
Ryuji, calmly reading a book on maritime strategies, looked up.
"Luffy, before you bring someone new onboard, maybe think about where we're headed."
Luffy laughed.
"It doesn't matter where we go! Adventure will find us!"
Before long, an island appeared on the horizon. The port was small but bustling, with several small boats bobbing near the shore.
"An island!" Luffy exclaimed, jumping off the edge of the boat and landing near Zoro. "Maybe we'll find food here!"
"Or trouble," Zoro added, raising an eyebrow.
Ryuji calmly packed his things, preparing to disembark. As they approached, the noises from the town grew louder. Something was wrong. Shouts of panic and a muffled explosion echoed from the direction of the central market.
The three paused for a moment. Luffy put on his straw hat and grinned broadly.
"Let's go see what's happening!"
Quickly docking, they headed toward the source of the commotion. On their way, townsfolk ran past them in a panic. One of them, an old man with a tattered hat, was nearly knocked over by Luffy.
"What's going on here?" Ryuji asked, helping the man to his feet.
"Pirates… Buggy the Clown," the man stammered, trembling. "They've taken over the town!"
Zoro drew one of his swords, resting it on his shoulder.
"Another pirate head? Sounds interesting."
Ryuji sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Luffy, what do you think?"
Luffy grinned widely.
"Sounds like a fun challenge!"
The three pressed on, determined to uncover the source of the chaos and put things right. Even Ryuji seemed intrigued, preparing himself for whatever confrontation lay ahead.
As the three moved closer to the central square, the noise intensified. Small explosions and hysterical laughter echoed in the air, mingled with the clanging of metal. Luffy, brimming with his usual energy, darted ahead without waiting for anyone.
"Luffy, slow down!" Zoro called, but Luffy had already disappeared among the buildings.
Ryuji sighed, shrugging his shoulders.
"It's only a matter of time before he grabs everyone's attention."
Zoro nodded, accustomed to their captain's reckless nature. The two continued at their pace when, suddenly, a figure stepped out from around a corner—a woman, her expression a mix of irritation and concern.
"And who might you be?" Zoro asked, raising his sword defensively.
The woman had orange hair tied in a ponytail and carried a heavy sack that jingled faintly, likely filled with treasure. Her tone was sharp and sarcastic.
"Who am I? Just someone trying to escape this madness."
Ryuji studied her closely, raising an eyebrow.
"Do you have something to do with Buggy's pirates?"
Her expression shifted slightly, becoming more cautious.
"Maybe. Who's asking?"
Zoro let out a short laugh.
"We're here to take Buggy down. As for our friend who ran ahead… let's just say he's probably already in trouble."
The woman sighed, looking them over.
"Your friend… would he happen to be a guy with a straw hat?"
Ryuji nodded.
"You've seen him?"
"Yes," she replied, exasperated. "He barged into the center of town yelling about challenging Buggy. He's probably already caught by now."
Ryuji rubbed his forehead, imagining the chaos Luffy had already caused.
"Wonderful."
"Nami," the woman introduced herself, extending a hand. "Not that I need your help, but if you want to rescue your friend, we'd better hurry."
Zoro shook her hand without hesitation.
"Zoro. And he's Ryuji."
"Pleasure," Nami said with a half-smile, though her tone was distant.
The three hurried toward the central square, where Buggy and his crew were putting on a show. As they drew closer, Nami's frustration grew, but it was clear she had her own reasons for confronting the pirates.
Ryuji glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
"So, what's your deal with Buggy?"
Nami hesitated before responding.
"Let's just say I want him gone."
When they reached the square, they found Luffy and Buggy in the midst of a heated exchange. Luffy laughed at the clown's furious tirade, while Buggy wielded a massive cannon aimed squarely at him.
"Captain Buggy, I challenge you!" Luffy shouted, unbothered by the looming threat.
"Perfect!" Buggy cackled madly. "Get ready to be blown to pieces!"
Ryuji and Zoro exchanged a glance, while Nami tightened her grip on the sack of treasure.
"Looks like it's time to step in," Ryuji said calmly, preparing to show his strength.
Buggy laughed maniacally, readying the cannon to fire. Behind him, his pirate crew clapped and cheered, relishing the chaos.
"Luffy!" Zoro called, but their captain stood unbothered, a wide grin plastered across his face.
"Buggy, I love your red nose!" Luffy shouted, laughing loudly.
The comment struck right at the clown's pride. Buggy's face turned beet red as he lost his composure.
"YOU! No one mocks MY NOSE!" he roared.
Of course, Luffy continued laughing.
"But it's funny!"
Enraged, Buggy commanded the cannon to fire. As the chaos unfolded, Nami ducked behind a large crate, her eyes wide with apprehension.
Ryuji, however, stayed calm. Observing the trajectory of the cannon, he sprinted forward. When the cannon fired, the projectile sped straight toward Luffy.
"Luffy, get out of the way!" Zoro yelled, but it was already too late.
In a blur of movement, Ryuji appeared in front of the cannonball. Clenching his fist, he unleashed his Cataclysmic Punch, striking the air with tremendous force. The explosive projectile was entirely neutralized, and the resulting shockwave rippled through the square, knocking Buggy's pirates to the ground.
For a moment, there was silence, even Buggy stunned by what he had just witnessed.
"Dude, you're a monster!" one of Buggy's pirates muttered in disbelief.
Ryuji turned his gaze toward Buggy, then glanced back at Luffy.
"Can you at least try to pay attention for one second?"
Luffy roared with laughter.
"Thanks, Ryuji! That was awesome!"
At that moment, one of Buggy's pirates, noticing Nami clutching her sack of treasure, crept toward her. Drawing his sword, he prepared to strike. However, Ryuji, catching the movement, vanished from his spot and reappeared in front of the attacker.
With astounding speed, Ryuji intercepted the attack with one hand, disarmed the pirate, and sent him sprawling to the ground with a lightning-fast punch.
Nami stared at him, unsure whether to feel grateful or terrified.
"Are you okay?" Ryuji asked calmly, turning to her.
Nami nodded, still clutching the sack tightly to her chest.
"Yes… thank you."
Luffy, meanwhile, wasn't interested in pleasantries. He marched straight toward Buggy, still grinning.
"My turn now! Buggy, get ready!"
Ryuji sighed, stepping back to let Luffy take the lead. Zoro walked over to him, smirking.
"Looks like you've made an impression," Zoro remarked.
"Let's hope it doesn't always have to be like this," Ryuji replied with a faint smile.
As Luffy began his showdown with Buggy, Ryuji kept an eye on Nami, who seemed increasingly intrigued by the strange crew that had just saved her.
As Luffy and Buggy fought, the square descended into chaos. Explosions and cannon blasts turned the area into a battlefield. Nami weaved through the crowd of pirates, clutching her sack of treasure tightly.
Suddenly, one of Buggy's men, furious that their plans had been foiled, turned his attention to her. Raising his sword, he aimed directly at Nami. Before she could react, a familiar figure appeared between her and the attacker.
"Don't move," Ryuji said coldly, intercepting the sword with his powerful arm. Without hesitation, he extended a hand and slammed the pirate to the ground with a single blow.
"What… what are you doing?" Nami asked, staring at him in disbelief.
"Watching your back," Ryuji replied calmly, standing in front of her like a human shield.
Another pirate rushed at them, but Ryuji struck with dizzying speed, sending the attacker flying back into his comrades.
"Why are you helping me?" Nami asked, confused.
Ryuji didn't respond immediately. His focus remained on the enemies advancing toward them.
"I don't like seeing someone attacked unfairly, especially someone without a weapon to defend themselves."
Nami frowned slightly, unused to such loyalty from a pirate. But before she could comment, Ryuji's next words left her speechless.
"Besides, Luffy trusts you. If he believes in someone, then so can I."
At that moment, another cannon fired, and a massive cannonball hurtled toward them. Ryuji raised his arms, absorbing the full force of the impact. Nami stood behind him, completely shielded, her expression stunned.
"You're insane!" she shouted.
"Probably," Ryuji said with a faint smile, "but it works."
As the explosion subsided, Nami turned to him, suspicion flickering in her eyes.
"Why are you really here? You and your captain…"
Ryuji glanced over his shoulder at her.
"We're pirates."
Her words caught in her throat.
"Pirates?"
"Yeah, we travel with Luffy," Ryuji answered simply, turning to face the next wave of attackers.
"That doesn't make sense!" Nami yelled. "How can you help me and still be pirates?"
"Not all pirates are the same," Ryuji replied, blocking another sword strike with his arm. "It depends on what you choose to believe."
Nami fell silent, but her expression grew more conflicted. Deep down, however, a new thought was beginning to form: these pirates were… different.
As Ryuji efficiently fended off Buggy's crew, Nami couldn't take her eyes off him. It was the first time she had met someone who helped her without asking for anything in return, someone so undeniably strong. And yet, the fact that he was part of a pirate crew made her wary.
Meanwhile, Buggy, watching the scene unfold from across the square, bellowed in frustration.
"What are you all doing, you useless fools?! You're being held off by just two men?!"
His shout cut through the chaos of the battle. He directed his attention toward Ryuji and Nami, raising his hands dramatically.
"You there, playing the human shield! Do you think you can meddle in the affairs of the great Buggy the Clown?!"
Ryuji didn't seem impressed. Without turning his head, he said to Nami,
"If you can find somewhere safe, now would be the time."
"What are you planning to do?" she asked skeptically.
Ryuji gave a faint smile, his gaze locked on Buggy.
"Set things straight."
Buggy, annoyed at the lack of reaction, used his Devil Fruit ability, detaching his arms and launching them toward Ryuji.
"Is that all?" Ryuji asked calmly, easily dodging the flying hands. Buggy's arms flailed past him, hitting some of the nearby pirates instead.
Ryuji took a step forward, but Nami grabbed his arm.
"You're not serious, are you? He's… he's dangerous!"
"I've faced worse," Ryuji said simply.
With a swift leap, Ryuji closed the distance between him and Buggy, ignoring the disembodied hands still flailing around him. Buggy tried to reassemble his body, but Ryuji grabbed him by the collar before he could.
"You've got two options," Ryuji began, his tone calm but threatening. "Stop and leave, or keep fighting and regret it."
Buggy broke into hysterical laughter.
"You think you can scare me?! I'm the great Buggy!"
Ryuji shook his head, disappointed.
"So, the second option it is."
With a precise movement, Ryuji delivered a punch so powerful that it sent Buggy flying through the air, crashing into one of his own cannons, which exploded on impact.
Luffy, who had been dealing with a few particularly stubborn pirates, burst out laughing.
"Hehe, nice one, Ryuji!"
Nami, watching the scene unfold, couldn't hide her astonishment.
"What is with you two?"
Ryuji turned to her, his expression calm.
"We're pirates, aren't we?"
That simple reply left her speechless. Despite the chaos, one thing was becoming increasingly clear to Nami: these pirates were nothing like the ones she had always hated.
Luffy, grinning broadly, turned to Nami, completely ignoring the groaning remains of Buggy's defeated crew scattered on the ground.
"Hey, Nami! Wanna join us? We need someone smart who can draw maps!"
Nami crossed her arms, her hands on her hips, eyeing him skeptically.
"Join you? Hm... joining a pirate crew?"
"Yeah!" Luffy replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Ryuji stepped in, helping Luffy fill in the gaps.
"We're not like other pirates. We fight for ourselves and our dreams."
Nami hesitated, looking between the two of them. Then, with a faint smirk, she answered in a firm tone,
"I'll agree... on one condition. Buggy's treasure is mine."
Luffy laughed, nodding enthusiastically.
"Sure, I don't need treasure!"
Ryuji sighed softly, rolling his eyes.
"And who's going to carry it all, exactly?"
Luffy pointed at him with a wide grin.
"You, of course! You're the strongest!"
Ryuji groaned, glancing toward the pile of loot Buggy and his crew had amassed. Gold, jewels, and valuables gleamed in the sunlight.
"Of course… it's me," he muttered, hoisting a heavy chest onto his shoulder.
Nami chuckled but couldn't resist adding,
"You're quite an efficient human shield, Ryuji."
With the treasure secured and Buggy's crew thoroughly defeated, the three of them left Orange Town aboard their small boat.
On the way, Luffy sat on the edge of the boat, waving his arms enthusiastically in the air.
"We've got an amazing crew now! A strong fighter, a clever navigator, and... me, the future King of the Pirates!"
Nami laughed softly, but her gaze turned serious as she looked out at the vast sea. Deep down, she knew the journey with these pirates wouldn't be simple, but she felt that things were beginning to change.
Ryuji, sitting quietly and calmly, stared at the clear sky, lost in thought.
What lies ahead for me?