Chapter 11: Baptism by the Sea
The waves crashed against their ship as Luffy and Lucky stood at the helm, their eyes locked on the endless blue horizon. The sea was vast, unpredictable, and alive—just like the dreams they carried.
With the island of Dawn fading behind them, the brothers set their sights on their first true challenge as pirates. They weren't just boys with ambition anymore—they were warriors shaped by years of training, responsibility, and battle.
Lucky adjusted his coat, the weight of his staff comfortable in his grip. "So, what's the plan? We going straight to find a crew, or you wanna pick fights first?"
Luffy grinned, his straw hat casting a shadow over his eyes. "We find strong people and take them with us. But if they get in our way..." He cracked his knuckles. "We show 'em what the Monkey D. name means."
Lucky smirked. "I like the sound of that."
But before they could discuss further, a massive wave rose up ahead—unnatural, towering like a mountain, and moving against the wind.
Then they saw it.
The Sea Beast's Challenge
A colossal sea beast, unlike anything they had ever seen, erupted from the water. Its scales shimmered like obsidian, and its golden eyes locked onto them with an eerie intelligence.
This wasn't just some mindless sea king. This creature knew what it was doing.
"Lucky…" Luffy's grin widened. "I think the sea's testing us!"
"Then let's pass," Lucky said, already activating Armament Haki. His golden staff extended, and his aura flared as his Sun Wukong fruit activated. His tail flicked behind him, his eyes glowing with divine energy.
Luffy took a deep breath—his body stretching, shifting subtly.
His Gomu Gomu no Mi had evolved past the basics. Through his relentless training in Dawn Village, he had discovered something new—his rubber-like flesh wasn't just about stretching. It could absorb impact, redirect force, and store kinetic energy like a coiled spring.
He crouched low.
The beast lunged.
A New Attack—Lightning Impact!
The creature's jaws snapped down—only for Luffy to disappear in a blur.
Lucky had already moved, spinning midair and slamming his staff into the beast's skull with a Haki-infused strike. The impact sent a shockwave through the sea, but the beast refused to fall.
Then came Luffy.
He had coiled himself like a spring, absorbing momentum from the wind, the waves, even the tremors of Lucky's strike. His body turned deep crimson, steam rising as he launched himself downward at blinding speed.
"Gomu Gomu no… Lightning Impact!!"
Luffy's fist collided with the sea beast's head, unleashing a compressed explosion of force that shattered the air. The creature's skull caved in instantly, sending shockwaves rippling for miles.
The beast let out a deafening roar before collapsing into the depths below, vanishing beneath the sea.
Silence followed.
Then, Lucky burst into laughter. "Damn, bro. You've really been holding back on me."
Luffy stretched his arms with a satisfied grin. "That was just a warm-up."
The Legend Begins
As their ship steadied and the sea calmed, a rumble of thunder echoed across the sky.
It wasn't a storm—it was something else.
The brothers had announced their presence to the world. And far beyond the Grand Line, powerful figures were already taking notice.
A new era was beginning.
And the world wasn't ready for the Monkey D. Brothers.