Chapter 12: First Steps Into the Unknown
The sun hung high over the endless blue as the Monkey D. brothers and Coby sailed forward. The sea breeze carried the salty scent of adventure, and for the first time in their lives, they were truly free—no obligations, no responsibilities, just the open ocean and their dreams.
Luffy stood at the ship's bow, his straw hat tilted slightly as he grinned. "This is it, Lucky! We're finally out here!"
Lucky, leaning against the mast with his staff resting on his shoulder, smirked. "Yeah. No more training, no more preparing—we're living it now." His golden tail flicked behind him as his sharp eyes scanned the horizon.
Coby, standing near the helm, adjusted his glasses. Unlike the brothers, who had spent years training and fighting, Coby had grown up under their guidance. He was no longer the timid, weak boy they had once found—he was determined, eager to prove himself.
"I can't believe we're actually doing this…" Coby murmured, his fists clenched in excitement. "So, what's the plan? Do we go straight to the Grand Line, or—"
Before he could finish, Lucky raised a hand. "Hold that thought."
Luffy's grin widened. "You feel that, too?"
A disturbance. A shift in the air.
Something—or someone—was nearby.
The Hunters Become the Hunted
A sudden splash erupted from the sea beside them. In an instant, figures leaped from the water, landing on their deck with practiced precision.
Five men, each clad in dark armor, their faces obscured by masks. They moved with the confidence of predators, their weapons already drawn.
"Pirates," one of them spoke, his voice low and gravelly. "You're entering our waters."
Luffy tilted his head. "Huh? Your waters? I don't see your name on 'em."
The leader, a tall man with dual cutlasses, took a step forward. "We are the Black Tide Hunters. This is our domain. If you're looking to sail these seas, you pay the toll… or you don't sail at all."
Lucky sighed, shaking his head. "Man, we just left the island, and we're already dealing with small fry?"
Coby gulped. "They look serious… What do we do?"
Luffy grinned, stretching his arms. "Easy."
In a flash, he was gone.
A gust of wind rushed past Coby as Luffy reappeared behind the masked men, his foot already swinging.
"Gomu Gomu no… Whiplash!"
His leg stretched and slammed into the leader's side with enough force to send him flying off the ship, skipping across the water like a stone before crashing into the sea.
The remaining four barely had time to react before Lucky moved.
He didn't teleport—he didn't need to. His speed was so refined that he simply appeared in front of one of the hunters, his staff glowing with Armament Haki.
"Sun Wukong's… Comet Strike."
A single downward smash. The deck groaned as the hunter crumpled beneath the impact, unconscious before he hit the floor.
The last three hesitated.
Wrong move.
Coby, taking advantage of their distraction, rushed forward. His fist, clad in the basic form of Armament Haki that Lucky had taught him, slammed into the gut of one of the men, sending him sprawling.
The final two turned to flee—only for Luffy to appear before them, arms crossed.
"Leaving already?"
Before they could answer, he flicked them both on the forehead.
The force sent them tumbling off the ship, splashing into the sea.
Silence followed.
Coby blinked. "That… was fast."
Lucky yawned. "Expected more of a challenge, honestly."
Luffy laughed, stretching his arms as he walked back to the helm. "Well, they won't be bothering anyone anymore."
The ocean was vast, and dangers lurked everywhere. But as far as the Monkey D. brothers were concerned, they were just getting started.
A Storm on the Horizon
As the ship continued forward, a distant island appeared on the horizon. Smoke rose from its shores.
A sign of civilization… or trouble.
Luffy's eyes gleamed. "Let's check it out."
Lucky grinned. "Finally, something interesting."
Coby took a deep breath, steadying himself. Whatever was waiting for them, he knew one thing for sure—he was sailing with two monsters.
And nothing would ever be the same again.