A salty breeze swept through the small coastal town, carrying the scent of grilled fish and sizzling meats from a lively restaurant near the docks. Inside, a young man in a red vest and straw hat was devouring plate after plate of meat, seemingly oblivious to the amused stares of the other patrons.
"Hahaha! This meat is great!" Monkey D. Luffy exclaimed, his mouth still half full.
Across from him, a man sat with his arms crossed, calmly eating his own meal. He had dark, spiky hair, sharp golden eyes, and a presence that made the room feel heavier. His black coat was draped over his shoulders, and his hand rested near a sheathed katana at his side.
The restaurant was filled with laughter and chatter, but the moment Luffy loudly declared, "I'm gonna be the Pirate King!" the entire room fell into silence.
Then came the laughter.
"Hah! This kid's crazy!" "A pirate king? In the East Blue? Get real!"
The patrons mocked him, but the man across from Luffy didn't laugh. Instead, he took another bite of his food, his gaze steady.
"What about you?" Luffy asked, his curiosity piqued. "You look strong. What's your name?"
The man set his chopsticks down and finally spoke. "Ren Kiamichi."
Luffy grinned. "Ren, huh? You should join my crew!"
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Your crew? You don't even have a ship, let alone a crew."
"Not yet! But I will!" Luffy said confidently. "And I want strong guys with me!"
Ren let out a quiet chuckle. "You want me to join you without even knowing how strong I am?"
Luffy jumped up onto the table. "Then let's fight! If you're strong, you gotta join!"
The restaurant fell silent again. A fight inside? This was going to be interesting.
Ren sighed, pushing his plate aside. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."
Without hesitation, Luffy lunged forward with a stretched-out punch. "Gomu Gomu no Pistol!"
Ren didn't move. Instead, a faint glow of energy flickered around his hand. The moment Luffy's fist reached him, Ren sidestepped, grabbed Luffy's extended arm, and effortlessly threw him to the ground.
The impact sent a small shockwave through the wooden floor, cracking a few planks. Luffy groaned but immediately got back up, his grin widening.
"Whoa! That was awesome! What was that?" Luffy asked, eyes shining with excitement.
Ren dusted off his coat. "Ki Ki no Mi (Spirit Force Fruit). My Devil Fruit lets me channel my ki to enhance my speed, strength, and even fire concentrated energy blasts."
Luffy laughed. "You're strong! You should definitely join my crew!"
Ren looked at Luffy's unwavering smile and then sighed, shaking his head. "You're a weird one. But... I like that." He stood up, tossing a few coins onto the table. "Fine. I'll tag along. Let's see if you're really cut out to be the Pirate King."
Luffy cheered. "Alright! Welcome to the crew, Ren!"
Little did they know, their journey together would be the beginning of something legendary.