The steady rocking of a tiny ship woke Luffy, the salty tang of the ocean air instantly recognizable. He rubbed his eyes groggily, his fingers brushing against his beloved straw hat. But something felt off.
Looking up, his stomach flipped. He wasn't on the Thousand Sunny. The boat was tiny—his boat—the one he used to set off from Dawn Island at the very beginning of his journey.
"Wait, huh?! Where—?!" He shot up to his feet, wobbling as the ship swayed dangerously. Looking behind him, his heart sank. On the distant shore, he saw familiar faces waving him goodbye.
"That's... Makino? And the mayor?!" His voice cracked. The realization struck hard as he struggled to piece things together. "Why am I back here?"
Suddenly, the ocean surface shimmered, and a familiar shadow emerged—a massive sea king bearing down on the small boat with razor-sharp teeth bared. Panic surged for just a second before instinct took over.
"Oh no, you don't!" he shouted, haki crackling over his fist as he punched clean through the beast's open mouth. The creature recoiled, diving back into the sea with a yelp. Luffy, panting lightly, looked at his hand.
A slow grin spread across his face. "Heh. Guess I've gotten a lot stronger, huh?" Then his smile faltered as reality set in. "But... where are the others? And why am I here? Something's not right."