Lucius was just about to announce that the first rabbit was ready when a rubber arm shot past his head. The sight reminded him of elastic bands snapping back on the farm machinery, except this was a human limb stretching impossibly far. Before he could even process what he was seeing, the entire skinned and deboned rabbit vanished into Luffy's mouth as if it had been absorbed into a black hole.
"What the..." Lucius stared, dumbfounded, as Luffy swallowed the entire rabbit in what appeared to be a single gulp. The meat hadn't even had time to cool properly.
Nami and Vivi burst into giggles at his expression. "Everyone reacts like that the first time they see Luffy eat," Nami explained, wiping tears from her eyes. "Our cook almost fainted when he first had to prepare a meal for the crew."
"MORE!" Luffy was already reaching for another rabbit, his arm stretching across the fire.
While distributing the remaining portions, Lucius noticed new system messages materializing in his vision. Unlike his usual teaching evaluations back home, these notifications seemed to float in the air like ghostly text:
[Tutorial Quest Complete: First Training Session]
[Bonus Sensei Points Awarded: 50]
[Currency Conversion Rate: 1 SP = 1000 units]
[New Feature Unlocked: Otherworldly Shop]
Curious, and while the others were distracted by their meal, he focused his thoughts on accessing the shop interface. The experience reminded him of using his old classroom's smart board - responding to mental commands instead of touch, but with similar precision.
[Otherworldly Shop Interface Activated]
[Available Items:]
[Glock-19 Pistol - 25 SP]
[Origin: Earth, Modern Era]
[Description: Standard 9mm semi-automatic pistol. 15-round magazine capacity. Includes basic ammunition. Warning: Introducing modern firearms may significantly impact this world's balance of power.]
The familiar shape of the pistol brought back memories of home. He'd kept one in his farmhouse desk drawer, more for dealing with coyotes than anything else. But seeing it listed here gave him pause. In a world where people could stretch like rubber and slice through air itself, introducing firearms felt dangerously unpredictable.
[Miyamoto Musashi's Katana - 40 SP]
[Origin: Earth, Edo Period]
[Description: Authentic blade once wielded by the legendary swordsman. Contains residual spiritual energy from countless battles. May enhance user's sword techniques.]
[Barrier Crystal - 15 SP]
[Origin: Unknown Dimension]
[Description: Single-use protective barrier. Creates an impenetrable dome for 30 seconds. Shatters after use.]
"So," he asked, closing the shop interface and turning his attention back to the group, "how exactly did you all end up on this island? And how did your other crew members get separated?"
Nami swallowed a bite of rabbit before answering. "We were being chased by a group called Baroque Works. Their agents have been after us since-"
"Since we left the last island," Vivi interrupted quickly, though Lucius noticed her slight tension and the way her hand instinctively moved toward her weapon. Teaching had made him observant of such small gestures - they often revealed more than words.
"Baroque Works?" Lucius asked, remembering their earlier mention of someone called Mr. 3. Back in his classroom, he'd learned to pick up on these connecting threads of information. "Are they the ones with that Mr. 3 person you mentioned before?"
Vivi nodded cautiously. "Yes... they're a criminal organization that uses number-based codenames for their agents. The higher the number, the lower their rank."
While they talked, Lucius found himself subconsciously checking the shop interface again. It reminded him of how he used to browse teaching supplies catalogs, always looking for tools to help his students. But these items were far beyond anything in an education catalog:
The Glock-19's familiar shape brought back memories of target practice behind his barn. The Musashi katana spoke of history he'd only read about in books. The barrier crystal seemed almost like science fiction - though in this world, he wasn't sure what qualified as fiction anymore.
"The magnetic fields are shifting too," Vivi was saying, pulling his attention back to the conversation. "Some islands that were fixed points for centuries have started drifting."
"QUACK!"
Karoo's sudden alarm snapped Lucius to attention, his teacher's instincts immediately alert to potential danger. Everyone tensed as rustling sounds came from the forest directly behind their campfire.
Luffy jumped to his feet, still chewing but ready for action. Watching his students move into defensive positions, Lucius felt a familiar pride - their training was already showing results.
Then Luffy's face split into a huge grin. "Oh! Zoro! Sanji! There you guys are!"
Two figures emerged from the darkness - one with distinctive green hair that indeed resembled moss, the other a blonde man with a curiously curled eyebrow. Their appearances matched perfectly with what Lucius had heard about them during training.
"QUACK!" Karoo quickly ducked behind Vivi, trying to make himself as small as a giant duck possibly could.
"Nami-swaaaan! Vivi-chwaaaan!" The blonde man's entire demeanor changed as he twirled toward the women with hearts in his eyes. "Did you miss me? Have you been hungry? I'll cook you a feast to make up for my unforgivable absence!"
"Shut up, love-cook," the green-haired man growled, looking irritated and exhausted. "They've obviously already eaten. I can smell the food from here."
"WHO FED MY PRECIOUS-"
"I'm still hungry!" Luffy interrupted cheerfully, waving a bone from his latest rabbit. "Lucius made rabbits but I need more meat!"
Both newcomers turned their attention to Lucius, their expressions shifting from surprise to wariness. The swordsman's hand moved subtly toward his katana while the cook's stance shifted almost imperceptibly. Lucius recognized these micro-movements from breaking up playground fights - the moment when casual observation turned to threat assessment.
"And who exactly," the blonde man asked, his demeanor suddenly serious, "is Lucius?"
Keeping his composure, Lucius smiled warmly. "I'm their teacher. I've been helping them learn some new techniques while searching for you."
"Teacher?" Zoro's eyes narrowed with interest. "What kind of techniques?" His hand still rested on his katana. "How about a spar to see if you're actually qualified?"
SLAM!
"Show some respect to Sensei!" Nami's fist connected with Zoro's head, leaving a sizeable bump. "He's been teaching us valuable skills while you two were lost in the jungle!"
Meanwhile, Sanji had zeroed in on Karoo, who was still trying to hide behind Vivi. "Oi, duck! Weren't you supposed to find them and bring help? We waited for hours!"
"QUACK!" Karoo shrunk further behind Vivi.
"He says he got thirsty and forgot," Vivi translated apologetically. "You know how he gets in hot weather..."
"Please, join us," Lucius offered, gesturing to the remaining food. "There's plenty left, despite Luffy's best efforts."
Sanji approached the cooking area with professional interest, examining the preparation. "Not bad at all," he commented, taking a bite. "Simple but well-executed. Getting this tender without proper seasoning isn't easy."
"Got any sake?" Zoro asked, settling down by the fire.
"Better," Lucius replied, reaching for a makeshift container he'd prepared earlier. "Try this."
"What is it?" Zoro asked, accepting the flask.
"Palm wine. Found a way to ferment it while surviving here," Lucius explained carefully, avoiding mentioning where he'd actually learned the technique.
Zoro took a long drink, his eyebrows rising in surprise. "Not bad at all," he grinned, taking another swig. "You might be alright after all."
[New Potential Students Detected]
[Roronoa Zoro - Potential Rating: 5 star]
[Sanji - Potential Rating: 5 star]
[Warning: High potential students detected. Adjust teaching methods accordingly]
Lucius tried to hide his surprise. Three five-star students in one crew? What were the odds? First Luffy, and now these two. There had to be something special about this group...