Chapter - 21
East Blue – Organ Isnds
Syrup Vilge - Kaya's Mansion
After the commotion, Luffy and his group were welcomed into the mansion by Merry, another butler, who guided them to Kaya’s quarters, where they all properly introduced themselves to the young dy.
They chatted for quite a while, with Luffy joining in Usopp’s storytelling, while also sharing his own experiences and adventures up until now. He even revealed for the first time that the Straw Hat crew had another member who wasn’t present.
“Wait, so I’m not your first crewmate?”, Nami asked, not realizing she was already considering herself part of the crew.
“So, does that mean you're accepting my invitation to join the crew?”, Luffy asked, already excited.
“I didn’t say that”, Nami replied, trying to dodge the question.
“Anyway, what’s she like?”, Zoro asked, curious since the stories made her sound quite strong.
“Well, she’s easily the second strongest in the crew right now. She’s super smart, like scientist-level smart, she’s cool, and she’s got pink hair, and she’s cool, and she’s really nice—”, Luffy began describing Reiju in his own way, only to be interrupted.
Chouchou barked, cutting him off. “Alright, alright Cap, we get it. You’d just keep repeating yourself forever.”
“Shishishi, didn’t even notice. Sorry, Chouchou”, Luffy said, rubbing the back of his neck.
“You can understand Chouchou, Luffy?”, Kaya asked, surprised by their interaction.
“Yeah, I can hear the Voice of All Things. It basically lets me hear and understand animals and even inanimate objects.”
“Is it like hearing the breath of all things?”, Zoro asked, intrigued.
“Not really. One big difference is that only a select few people can hear the 'voice,' whereas with 'breath,' anyone who dedicates themselves and trains hard can hear it”, Luffy expined in a very basic way.
“And what’s it like hearing inanimate objects all the time?”, Usopp asked, curious.
“Well, with objects, I can kinda choose if I want to hear them or not. With animals, I hear them all the time”, Luffy said, petting Chouchou, who was lying on his p.
“Changing the subject, you mentioned my dad is part of a Yonko’s crew, right? So that means he’s strong, right?”, Usopp asked, trying to learn more about his father.
“He’s one of the best sharpshooters in the world, so yeah, your dad’s really strong”, Luffy said with a smile.
Hearing this made Usopp beam with pride, gncing at Kaya, who was just as happy for him.
“Actually, if you want, I can call Shanks right now, and you can talk to your dad for a bit”, Luffy suggested, thinking it was a great idea.
“No, no, Luffy, I don’t want to bother them—”, Usopp tried to protest, but it clearly didn’t work.
“Don’t be shy, Pinocchio. I’ll be right back”, Luffy said before vanishing and reappearing in an instant with a transponder snail in his hand.
Dialing Shanks’ number, he waited for the pirate to pick up. “Pero… pero… kacha… Hello, who is this, and why are you calling so early?”
“It’s already three in the afternoon, Shanks, and it’s me, Luffy.”
“Oh, it’s you, Luffy! Sorry, I’ve got a nasty hangover. By the way, I heard from Makino that you disappeared three years ago. What happened? You had everyone worried”, Shanks said, waking up fully.
“I found a really good pce to train, so I stayed there for a while. By the way, did you manage to talk to my brother?”, Luffy asked, scratching his head.
“Yeah, I did. The kid’s doing fine. I taught him some tricks and pointed him to an old crewmate for better training. I heard he’s joined Whitebeard now.”
“Well, Ace has his own adventures, and I don’t usually meddle, but thanks for the favor.”
“No problem, kid. But how are you doing?”
“I started my journey a few months ago and already have some crewmates, but I called to ask if you could pass the snail to Yasopp. I’ve got his son here, and I thought it’d be nice if they could chat.”
“Ah, sure. Hold on.”
After a moment, a new voice spoke, “Hey, how’s it going?”
Luffy handed the transponder snail to Usopp, who responded, “Hi… hi, Dad, how are you?”
“Usopp, is that you? How are you doing?”
“I’m good. Uh, Dad, Mom passed away”, Usopp said, lowering his head.
“I… I know, son. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you”, Yasopp said, his voice heavy with guilt.
“No, it’s okay. I don’t bme you. Mom didn’t either. She knew you were following your dream and was proud of that.”
“Yeah… I know, but it’s still no excuse for not being there.”
After talking for a while, Usopp asked, “Dad, I’ve got a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“If I go out to sea, how will I know when I’ve become a Brave Warrior of the Sea?”
“You won’t, son. There’s no way to know. It’s something you just feel. In the end, it all comes down to a leap of faith.”
They said their goodbyes, and Usopp turned to Luffy, handing the transponder snail back. “Thanks for this, Luffy. I think I needed it.”
“I told you it’d be nice”, Luffy said with a smile.
=Scene Break=
After talking a bit more, Usopp led Luffy and Zoro to the kitchen because Luffy was hungry again, and Zoro wanted a drink.
In the kitchen, Usopp asked Luffy about that teleportation ability he had used earlier.
Luffy not only expined what Rokushiki was and how to train its techniques but also expined Haki and how to train it.
After Luffy finished eating, the three of them spent some time chatting in the kitchen, passing time until dinner. During that time, Usopp repeatedly demonstrated his marksmanship skills with his slingshot.
=Scene Break=
Time passed, and dinner finally arrived. After a while of eating and chatting, Luffy asked Kaya, “So, Pinocchio’s girlfriend, did you manage to check on that ship we want to buy?”
Almost spitting out her drink and blushing deeply, Kaya responded after a moment, “Yes, I did. Merry agreed, and he’ll show you the ship tomorrow. If you like it, we’ll make the deal.”
“By the way, if you want, you can stay the night here at the mansion. How about it?”, Kaya offered.
“Fine by me”, Luffy said, with the rest of his companions agreeing.
After dinner, everyone enjoyed a well-deserved bath and went about their own activities. Meanwhile, Luffy went to find Usopp to officially invite him to join the crew.
Asking around, he discovered Usopp had gone out, so using Observation Haki, Luffy found him near the beach.
When he got there, Luffy witnessed Usopp secretly listening to Kurahadol’s conversation with a strange guy who seemed to be imitating Michael Jackson.
Lying next to Usopp, Luffy overheard Kurahadol and the man, whose name was revealed to be Jango, discussing their pn to assassinate Kaya to steal her fortune. Luffy also found out that Kurahadol’s real name was Kuro and that he was a pirate, a fact Luffy already knew through his meta-knowledge and from having seen many wanted posters, including old ones.
After they set the attack time for the morning because Kuro wanted to hurry things up, both men went their separate ways.
“That guy seemed suspicious”, Luffy said, startling Usopp, who hadn’t realized he was there.
“Holy crap, don’t scare me like that! How long have you been here?”, Usopp asked, holding his chest.
“You need to learn Observation Haki soon. I’ve been here since those two started talking, and you didn’t even notice”, Luffy said, distractedly gazing at the stars.
“It’s true. They’re going to attack the vilge and kill Kaya. We need to warn them”, Usopp said, getting up in a hurry.
“Calm down, Pinocchio. I’ll get the crew to defend the isnd, then we’ll kidnap your girlfriend in the dead of night to protect her. In the morning, we’ll beat the crap out of this Captain Kubo and his crew”, Luffy expined his ‘pn,’ making Usopp blush at the mention of Kaya being his girlfriend.
“Okay, okay, let’s do that”, Usopp said, calming down.
“But before that—”, Luffy vanished and reappeared in the same spot, this time carrying a box. “Here, I’m sure you’ll make good use of these.”
Usopp opened the box to reveal two Malorian 3516 pistols, complete with silencers and several extended magazines, all neatly organized inside. “Wow, they’re beautiful, Luffy. Thanks a lot.”
“No problem. Alright, let’s go”, Luffy said, already heading toward the mansion.
“Wait, let’s stop by my house first. I need to grab some things”, Usopp said, not feeling afraid for the first time in his life.
When they arrived at his house, Usopp grabbed a double shoulder holster that had belonged to his father and wore it, storing his two new pistols in it. He then put on a rge fanny pack that had belonged to his mother, where he stored the silencers and loaded magazines. Before leaving, he grabbed a cowboy hat his father used to wear and put it on.
Back at the mansion, Luffy called his crew and asked them to take Usopp to the boat and wait for him there. He then knocked out Kaya and her butler Merry, who were in their quarters when he arrived and carried them to the boat, where the group was already waiting.
“Did Pinocchio tell you?”, Luffy asked as soon as he arrived.
“Yes, the butler with gsses is actually a pirate, and his crew will attack the vilge at dawn and then kill Kaya”, Nami said, holding her bo staff, already prepared for the fight.
“Alright, Pinocchio, where could they nd?”, Luffy asked.
“They could arrive from the south coast, where you all came from and where we are now, or from the north coast”, Usopp said, a little nervous.
“Okay, we’ll just wait. When they arrive, I’ll take us to them. Tangerine and Pinocchio will fight Kubo, and Zoro and Chouchou will take care of the rest. If any of you need help, I’ll step in”, Luffy said, assigning tasks.
Even though Usopp wasn’t confident about fighting Kuro, he didn’t object. Nami, feeling safe with Luffy around, didn’t compin either.
At dawn, they spotted a ship in the distance with a Jolly Roger fluttering in the wind, approaching the coast where they stood.
“Yeah, looks like we’re in the right pce”, Zoro said, unsheathing two swords.
As soon as the pirates docked, Zoro and Chouchou began walking toward them, with Chouchou transforming into a twenty-meter-tall white wolf along the way. They then dashed forward using Soru, obliterating any pirate that got in their way.
From Kuro’s crew, only Jango and the Nyaban brothers remained, watching everything from the ship.
Zoro then unleashed two incredibly fast-flying sshes with his swords, the first time he had done so since starting his training under Luffy. These flying sshes hit the Nyaban brothers head-on, cutting them in half and continuing forward, splitting the ship into four pieces.
At that moment, due to all the noise, Kaya and Merry woke up, confused about how they ended up there.
“What’s happening?”, Kaya asked, disoriented.
“Miss Kaya, are you alright?”, Merry asked, checking on her to see if she was unharmed.
“The isnd is under attack by pirates. Kurahadol isn’t who he says he is. His real name is Kuro, and he’s a pirate. He’s trying to kill you to take your fortune”, Usopp said, keeping a close eye on his surroundings.
“This has to be one of your jokes, right, Usopp?”, Kaya asked, not wanting to believe it.
“No, this time he’s telling the truth. Here”, Nami said, handing her an old wanted poster of Kuro.
While Usopp and Nami comforted the young woman, who was shaken by the revetions, along with Merry, Luffy walked over to Jango and said, “I challenge you to a dance battle. You in?”
“A dance battle, huh? That’s already in the bag. Let’s go, Straw Hat”, Jango said, immediately starting to show off his dance moves, identical to Michael Jackson’s.
After showing his moves, it was Luffy’s turn. He began with the choreography from the introduction scene of Deadpool and Wolverine, mixing in some breakdancing in the middle of the routine.
Meanwhile, everyone around, except for Jango, watched them with strange looks, utterly confused by the situation.
As soon as Luffy finished his dance moves, Jango said, “Not bad, you actuall—”
But he couldn’t finish his sentence because he was killed by Kuro, who had just appeared, extremely angry, his face showing pure disgust and contempt for having witnessed such a ridiculous dance battle.
“Oh, come on, he was just about to compliment me”, Luffy said, disappointed that his dance moves didn’t get the praise he was hoping for.
---
(AN: 2,133 Words)
Chapter - 22
East Blue – Organ Isnds
Gecko Isnd – Syrup Vilge
Realizing his mistake in killing an important part of his pn, Kuro stood stunned for a moment, his mouth slightly agape before saying:
"Yeah, if I want something done right, I’ll have to do it myself", Kuro said, staring at Jango’s dead body. "A bunch of incompetents who can’t even follow a simple pn."
"But pns always change, so after I deal with these meddling brats, you, Miss Kaya, will do exactly as I say before suffering an 'accident.' Otherwise, you won’t like what I’ll do to the vilge", Kuro said, staring directly at Kaya, who was tearing up, finally facing the reality that one of the people she trusted most was actually a pirate trying to kill her.
"Enough, Kurahadol. If you want my money, then take it, just leave the isnd", Kaya said, standing up.
"I think you misunderstood something, Miss Kaya. I don’t just want your money. I want a peaceful life. What’s the point of being rich if I can’t live in peace? I faked my death because I was tired of being hunted and chased wherever I went, so there’s no way I’m going back to being a wanted criminal", Kuro said, adjusting his gsses with the palm of his hand.
Luffy then returned to Kaya and Merry’s side, while Usopp positioned himself at a higher ground, drawing one of his pistols, and Nami extended her bo staff, assuming a fighting stance in front of Kuro.
Going all out from the start, Nami used Soru to charge at Kuro, thrusting her staff multiple times, but unlike in the canon, this Kuro had already mastered and perfected his version of Soru to the point where he could kick the ground fifteen times with each step.
Kuro easily dodged all of Nami’s thrusts. Seeing an opening, he advanced with Soru, attempting to ssh her with his cws in a downward strike from a vertical angle, which Nami barely dodged using Observation Haki, losing a few strands of hair in the process.
As she dodged, Nami swung her bo staff, trying to sweep Kuro’s legs from under him.
Reacting quickly, Kuro jumped over the attack, crossing his arms in an X over his chest and aligning himself parallel to the ground at the peak of his jump before tilting his body into a backflip.
Landing on his feet, Kuro unched an attack that would have hit squarely, as Nami was practically facing away from him after her open attack and wouldn’t have been able to react in time.
Just as Kuro thought his cws were about to pierce Nami’s back, a thunderous ‘BANG’ echoed through the area, followed by a projectile that hit his cws, deflecting the trajectory of his attack and causing him to miss his target.
Wasting no time, Nami took advantage of the opportunity. With her right hand, she twirled her staff around her back and hooked the loose end under her left arm, creating tension in the staff that begged to be released.
Nami then let go of the staff with her right hand, creating a powerful strike that hammered Kuro’s head, smming his face into the ground and sliding him a few meters away.
From his elevated position, Usopp watched the fight, smoke still rising from the barrel of one of his pistols.
'Damn, I was aiming for his head', Usopp thought, still getting used to using a firearm.
The fight progressed with Kuro unable to deal significant damage to Nami beyond scratches, thanks to the combination of Nami’s Soru and Observation Haki, and Usopp’s methodical field control, which was driving Kuro increasingly mad.
Tired of the situation, Kuro faked an attack on Nami, which she dodged, but instead of continuing to focus on her, he charged at Usopp, using Soru at maximum speed, aiming to slice him in half with his cws.
Just as Luffy was about to intervene, he realized that Usopp had instinctively used Observation Haki to dodge the lethal attack but still ended up with five deep cuts running from his left shoulder to his waist, which would surely leave scars.
The force of the attack knocked Usopp to the ground, where he rolled backward, trying to avoid further strikes.
Seeing Usopp get hit, Kaya screamed, standing up and attempting to run to him to help, "NO, USOPP!", only to be stopped by Luffy, who knew she would cause more harm than good.
Nami then appeared, using Soru to defend against an attack with her bo staff that was aimed at Usopp.
From that point on, Kuro focused more of his attacks on Usopp, gaining the upper hand in the fight as Usopp was no longer able to attack as effectively as before. Despite Nami mastering Soru, she was still slower than Kuro, causing Usopp to get increasingly hurt as the battle wore on.
Covered in blood, Usopp compined loudly, "Damn, this guy’s too fast! I don’t even know how to use this Rokushiki thing yet."
"But you’re using Observation Haki instinctively when your life’s in danger! You just need to take control and use it consciously!", Luffy shouted to Usopp.
"Use it consciously, huh?", Usopp murmured, recalling what Luffy had told him about Haki, specifically Observation Haki.
He then closed his eyes and tried to feel the spiritual energy within him and how it behaved.
The fight progressed with Usopp becoming more and more injured while sensing how his body used Observation Haki unconsciously when his life was at risk. Although his body could use it, it only did so when it was too te to fully dodge the attacks. Usopp knew he had to take control soon, or his injuries would get the better of him.
Despite the unbearable pain that made him want to give up and the overwhelming fear he felt at that moment, Usopp kept going, driven purely by willpower because he needed to save the vilge and couldn’t let the person he loved be killed like that.
Usopp then tried to 'grasp' that spiritual energy and replicate what his body did unconsciously when using Observation Haki.
For the first time in the fight, Usopp managed to dodge a Kuro attack without taking significant damage in the process.
He then drew one of his pistols and shot at Kuro while dodging, the bullet grazing Kuro’s arm.
From that point on, Usopp continued fighting with his eyes closed because whenever he opened them, he lost control of his Haki.
Now that Usopp could use Observation Haki to dodge, Kuro once again felt pressured by the coordinated attacks of Nami and Usopp.
Despite Nami becoming faster with Soru, now able to kick the ground twelve times per step, and her Observation Haki becoming stronger, allowing her to read Kuro’s intentions more effectively and dodge his attacks with greater anticipation, Kuro was also becoming faster, able to kick the ground eighteen times per step.
From the beginning until now, the fight was extremely close for both sides, but the fatigue of having to fight two people at once and the accumution of injuries began to affect Kuro’s performance. Although Usopp was far more injured than Kuro, the fact that Nami was covering his back gave him much-needed time to breathe. Nami, on the other hand, was exhausted from moving so much during the fight, but the upside was that she wasn’t badly hurt.
No matter how bad the situation became, neither side gave up, pushing their bodies to the limit, extending the fight for another three hours, during which Luffy had to resupply Usopp with ammunition several times.
Finally, we reach the decisive moment of the battle, when Usopp nds a precise shot on Kuro’s shoulder, causing his attack to miss Nami by millimeters. Taking advantage of the opening, Nami delivered a powerful blow with her bo staff, putting all her strength into the attack and hitting Kuro square in the groin, lifting him into the air from the force of the strike.
Wasting no time, Usopp ran and slid under the unconscious Kuro, riddling his back with bullets.
In mid-slide, Usopp got up and walked over to Kuro, who had just fallen to the ground and was barely alive.
And with a simple shot to the head, Usopp erased Kuro from existence, colpsing from exhaustion and injuries immediately afterward.
"USOPP!", Kaya screamed as she ran toward Usopp in desperation, this time without being stopped.
Holding the person she loved in her arms in that state caused so much stress that her body couldn’t take it, and she fainted, leaving everyone worried about her health.
=Scene Break=
"So, how is she?", an Usopp, wrapped in bandages and barely able to walk, asked the doctor Merry had brought from outside the isnd to check on Kaya, as he stepped out of the room.
Looking at everyone present, the doctor replied, "She’s been regurly ingesting a specific poison that mimics a disease. She’ll be fine; I’ve already given her the antidote, and now she just needs to rest for a few days."
"Whew", Usopp and everyone else presents sighed in relief.
It had been two days since the fight with Kuro. Usopp had slept for an entire day, and when he woke up, he was extremely worried after learning what had happened to Kaya. Despite her condition being stabilized by the isnd’s doctors, Merry went to another isnd to bring in a more qualified doctor to treat her.
After answering a few more questions, the doctor left, paid by Merry, who thanked him profusely.
After a while, Merry came to talk to Luffy. "Mr. Luffy, I apologize for not having had the time to show you and your friends the ship, but if you don't mind, I would like to wait until Miss Kaya recovers before making any agreements."
"That's fine with me. My crew needs some time to train anyway", Luffy said, not minding waiting a few more days.
They stayed for another three days until Kaya fully recovered, no longer being sick.
Kaya woke up a day after the doctor left, and during those three days, Kaya and Usopp interacted a lot with Luffy and the group, developing a friendship.
During those three days, the group continued training with Luffy's help, this time with the addition of Usopp to the training routine.
Zoro was seen training for hours on his air sshes, trying to master the technique.
He also fought Luffy several times, growing stronger with each battle, now infusing Armament Haki into all of his attacks, including his air sshes.
He could now kick the ground eighteen times per step when using Soru, and he had mastered the basics of Observation Haki.
Nami could now kick the ground fifteen times per step, and besides growing a bit stronger physically, she also mastered the basics of Armament Haki.
With Usopp's help, she was almost finished developing a new retractable bo staff, more powerful than her previous one.
Chouchou perfected his Soru, now able to kick the ground seventeen times per step. He had also mastered the basics of Observation Haki and was working on his Armament Haki.
Now that he had space, he trained in his full Zoan form, mastering it and no longer feeling awkward or clumsy when transforming. Unfortunately, he focused so much on his full Zoan form that he ended up neglecting his half-Zoan form.
In addition to growing much stronger physically, Usopp completely mastered the basic form of Observation Haki, no longer needing to close his eyes to use it. He also learned Soru, progressing toward mastering the basics of the technique.
In his free time, Usopp trained with his new pistols and his old slingshot or experimented with creating new special bullets for both his pistols and his old slingshot.
After she recovered, Kaya and Merry took the group to see the ship.
"This is the 'Going Merry,' and as you can see, it's not very rge, and I don't know how far it can take you on the Grand Line, but I'm sure Merry will be an important companion on your journey", Merry said, introducing the crew to the charming caravel.
"It's perfect", Luffy said, with a giant smile on his face as he touched the ship's hull.
What no one noticed at that moment was that Luffy already loved the ship so much that its Kbautermann had just been born.
"Alright, how much do you want for it?", Luffy asked Kaya.
"It's a gift of gratitude for saving my life and the vilge", Kaya said with a soft smile.
After thanking her, Luffy and Zoro began moving their belongings from their old boat to the new ship, carefully ensuring they didn’t forget anything.
Meanwhile, Merry expined to Nami how to navigate the new ship.
After everyone boarded the ship, ready to set sail, Usopp said, "Well, I guess this is goodbye. Maybe we'll meet again on the seas someday."
"What are you talking about, Usopp? Get on the ship. You're part of the crew. You too, Kaya. What are you waiting for? Get on board", Luffy said, scratching his ear, calling Usopp and Kaya by their names for the first time.
"Wait a minute, Luffy. I can't just leave the vilge and the mansion like this. I have to take care of my parents' business", Kaya said, trying to refuse despite really wanting to join Usopp.
"So what? I've already decided you're part of my crew", Luffy said, puffing his cheeks.
"But—", Kaya then looked at Merry for help.
With a smile, Merry said, "It's alright, Miss Kaya. If you'd like to join your friends, I'll take care of things while you're away. Just be careful."
Kaya then looked at Usopp before turning to Luffy and saying, "Alright, I just need to grab my things—"
"I already got your stuff when I brought our things from the old boat to this one. It's all here", Luffy said, patting the ship’s white railing.
Without wasting time, Kaya and Usopp boarded the ship, with Usopp saying, "I'm the captain, then."
" No fucking way, Usopp. I'm the captain", Luffy said, smacking Usopp on the head.
---
(AN: 2,361 Words)
Chapter - 23
East Blue
Somewhere in the middle of the sea
It has been a week since they set sail from Gecko Isnd. Kaya joined the crew’s training, learning Observation Haki and Soru, while also growing stronger physically. Zoro continued to make rapid progress in all of his skills, mastering Geppo. Chouchou kept perfecting his abilities, fully mastering basic Armament Haki and Geppo. With Luffy’s help, he started training with a sea stone bracelet to build resistance against the weakness of his Devil Fruit and improve his physical strength.
Nami grew even stronger physically and refined all of her previous skills, mastering the basics of Geppo. With Usopp’s help, she finished building her upgraded bo staff.
Usopp, too, improved quickly, growing stronger physically and refining his Observation Haki. He mastered Soru to the point where he could kick the ground fifteen times per step. He also learned the basics of Geppo and Armament Haki.
Everything progressed smoothly, with only a few obstacles along the way.
A few hours after leaving Gecko Isnd, Luffy gathered the crew on deck, raising a bck fg. He showed them a drawing that was supposed to be a skull with a straw hat and crossed bones, but it looked more like a creature from a horror story due to how badly drawn it was.
“Is that supposed to be a Jolly Roger?”, Usopp asked, eyeing the drawing strangely.
“I think it’s modern art”, Nami said, joining the joke.
“Well, it was supposed to be a Jolly Roger, so it’s doing its job of scaring people, but in this case, it’s because it’s so ugly”, Zoro said, mocking the drawing.
Next to them, Chouchou ughed, finding the drawing ugly.
“Come on, guys, stop being mean. It’s not that bad. I think it’s… umm… creative, Luffy”, Kaya said, trying not to hurt Luffy’s feelings, even though she thought it was the ugliest thing she’d ever seen.
“Aww, come on, guys, it’s not that bad, right?”, Luffy asked, thinking they were overreacting.
After getting no response, he asked, “Okay, does anyone here know how to draw?”
Usopp offered to draw the fg but got smacked on the head for changing the symbol, drawing something completely different from what Luffy wanted.
After another attempt, despite Usopp thinking his previous design was amazing, he presented the crew with the cssic Straw Hat Jolly Roger.
“Now that looks like a pirate fg”, Nami said, admiring the Jolly Roger Usopp had drawn.
“Now we just need to paint it on the sail, and Merry will be ready to turn the world upside down”, Luffy said, jumping with joy.
“But first, we need to burn that monstrosity before it spreads”, Zoro said, poking at Luffy’s drawing. Everyone agreed, except for Luffy, of course.
“What? Why? We could keep it as a memento or something”, Luffy tried to argue, and when that didn’t work, he turned to Kaya, who had seemed to be on his side earlier. “Kaya, help me out, say something.”
“Sorry, Luffy, but this is necessary”, Kaya apologized.
“Noooooooooooooooooooo!”, Luffy yelled to the heavens as his drawing was burned and discarded.
After all the drama, they repced the fgs on the two masts with their new pirate fg, then helped Usopp paint the Jolly Roger on the sail.
About halfway through the week, they were attacked by a Marine ship commanded by a captain wearing a crab-like armor with a technological exoskeleton, robotic arms on his back, and mechanical cws.
Luffy nicknamed him ‘Doc Crab’ because he reminded him of a Spider-Man vilin with robotic arms on his back.
Naturally, he became training fodder for Kaya, who performed excellently in defeating him with ease.
After dealing with the Marines and stealing Doc Crab’s tech exoskeleton, they returned to their normal routines.
Thus, the week passed uneventfully until today. Luffy approached Usopp, who was studying the Buggy bombs Luffy had given him, and asked, “Hey, Usopp, can you fire a cannon?”
Usopp stopped what he was doing and said, “Of course, the great and spectacur Captain Usopp knows how to fire a cannon”, even though he had never fired one in his life.
“Well, there’s a small isnd near the ship, and I thought it’d be fun if we had a target-shooting contest with it”, Luffy said, knowing there was no one on the isnd since he had checked with his Observation Haki beforehand.
“Sure, let’s do it. Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two from me”, Usopp said boastfully as he moved toward one of the ship’s cannons.
Luffy fired first, but his shot didn’t even come close to the isnd. “Damn, how am I so bad at using a cannon when I’m good at throwing things by hand?”
Luffy then looked at Usopp and, with his best puppy-dog eyes, asked, “Hey, Usopp, can I use my hands to throw?”
“No way, this is a cannon-shooting contest, so you have to use cannons”, Usopp said firmly.
“Awww, come on, but my arms are natural cannons”, Luffy said, flexing his muscles.
“Luffy, stop trying to cheat. He’s not going to let you”, Nami said, petting Luffy’s head as she arrived to watch.
“Aww, fine, but I’m sad”, Luffy muttered, pouting.
“Here”, Nami said, handing him one of the strawberry milkshakes she had brought with her.
“Yay, I’m happy now”, Luffy said, completely forgetting he was sad.
“My turn”, Usopp said, loading the cannon and adjusting his aim.
“Fire!”, he yelled, lighting the fuse.
The shot hit the small isnd dead on. Since Luffy was completely absorbed in his drink and lost interest in the competition, Usopp sort of won by default.
=Scene Break=
A few minutes after the shooting contest, the whole crew was rexing in the kitchen when Luffy asked Nami, “Hey Tangerine, do you know where that floating restaurant ‘Baratie’ is?”
“Yeah, I do. Why?”, Nami said, stopping her map drawing to pay attention to Luffy.
“Because that’s our next destination”, Luffy said, already imagining how delicious the food would be.
“Huh? What? Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you wanted to go there?”, Nami asked, indignant that he hadn’t mentioned it sooner.
“Shishishi, I kinda forgot, sorry”, Luffy said, scratching his head.
“You… you… ugh… sigh… from where we are, it’ll take a few hours to get there”, Nami said, giving up on arguing because she knew stupid things like this would keep happening whether she liked it or not.
At that moment, everyone heard someone shouting loudly from the deck, “Show yourselves, you bastards, I’m going to kill all of you!”
They rushed out of the kitchen to see a man wearing sungsses, about to destroy part of the ship.
Acting quickly, Luffy stopped him, grabbing his arm just as he was about to strike a fence on Merry with his sword.
At that moment, Zoro stepped out of the kitchen and, seeing the man, asked, “Huh? Johnny? What are you doing here? And where’s Yosaku?”
“Big bro Zoro? What are you doing here?”, Johnny asked, not expecting to find Zoro in a pce like this.
“I became a pirate. Where’s Yosaku?”
=Scene Break=
“He... he's really sick. He was fine about three days ago, but suddenly he got worse. His teeth started falling out, and the wounds that were almost healed started bleeding and reopening. I have no idea what to do. A few minutes ago, we stopped at that isnd to rest when this ship started firing at the isnd”, Johnny says after ying Yosaku on the deck.
““We're really sorry””, Luffy and Usopp apologize simultaneously.
“It’s all good. You guys couldn’t have known we were there. Honestly, I overreacted by attacking your ship”, Johnny says, sitting beside Yosaku.
“Actually, I checked if there was anyone on the isnd, but you guys must have arrived after that. So, sorry anyway, I should’ve checked more carefully”, Luffy says, feeling guilty because he hadn’t expected to find Johnny and Yosaku on his journey this time. That’s why he made sure there was no one on the isnd before firing, to avoid accidentally hurting them.
“I appreciate the apology, but it’s really okay. I’m just desperate. I don’t know if my friend is going to survive and get better”, Johnny says, rubbing his forehead, clearly upset by the situation.
“You two are pretty dumb, huh?”, Nami says, looking at Johnny and Yosaku.
“You think my friend being near death is stupidity?”, Johnny asks, getting angry.
“Luffy, Usopp, there are lemons and pineapples in the kitchen. Make juice with them and bring it for him to drink”, Nami orders Luffy and Usopp.
““Yes, ma'am!”” Luffy and Usopp say at the same time, saluting and then running into the ship to do as she asked.
“What's that for?”, Zoro asks, confused.
“Your friend has scurvy. It’s a common disease at sea, caused by a severe deficiency of vitamin C in the body. But it can easily be treated by eating foods rich in vitamin C, like lemons, pineapples, or strawberries. As long as he eats these foods regurly, he’ll be fine”, Kaya expins to Johnny and Zoro, crifying Nami’s intentions.
While Kaya expins, Luffy and Usopp make Yosaku gulp down a whole bucket of juice.
“If it’s not too te, he should get better in two or three days”, Nami says, petting Chouchou.
"Wow, you two are miracle doctors! I didn’t know that besides being a navigator, you were also a doctor, Tangerine”, Luffy says, impressed.
Nami just sighs and shakes her head after seeing Luffy impressed by something so basic.
“My dream is to become a doctor so I can help Usopp”, Kaya says, whispering the st part and blushing.
“That’s awesome! When we get to the Grand Line, we should stop by Drum Isnd. I’ve heard they have some of the best doctors in the Grand Line”, Luffy says, patting Kaya on the shoulder.
At that moment, Yosaku jumps up as if he’s completely fine, shouting, “I’m cured!”
“Hooray! My friend is going to be okay!”, Johnny joins him, jumping and celebrating.
“That’s not how it works, you idiots!”, Nami yells at them, irritated.
=Scene Break=
“Uh... sorry, we haven’t properly introduced ourselves yet. I’m Johnny.”
“And I’m Yosaku. We’re bounty hunters, just like big bro Zoro used to be. Nice to meet you”, Yosaku says, introducing himself.
“““““Nice to meet you!”””””, the whole crew, except for Zoro who already knew them, greets them back.
Just then, everyone hears a cannon fire, and its shot nds near the Merry in the water.
Running to the stern, they all see an imposing Marine ship with a figurehead of a dog holding a bone in its mouth.
At the ship’s bow, Luffy sees a tall old man he recognizes as his Grandpa, and standing behind him are two young men he identifies as Coby and that guy with the butt chin from Shells Town.
Suddenly, Garp grabs a loudspeaker Den Den Mushi and says, “This nonsense ends now, Luffy. You and your friends are going to surrender and come home, and you, brat, are coming with me to enlist in the Marines.”
“NEVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!”, Luffy screams, stomping his foot.
Looking around for a solution to the situation, he notices a thick fog forming near the ship.
He then turns to Nami, who’s standing beside him, worried, and says, “Tangerine, steer the ship into the fog. I’ll dey Grandpa while you do it.”
“Wait, Luffy, is your grandpa Garp the Fist?”, Nami asks, shocked. She knew Luffy’s grandpa was in the Marines, but she never imagined he’d be someone so important and famous.
Without answering Nami’s question, Luffy shoots off toward the Marine ship, running through the air using Geppo.
Midway, the Marine ship fires another shot, this time aiming directly at the Merry as it sails into the fog.
Luffy changes direction to intercept the shot, grabbing the projectile and hurling it back at his grandpa’s ship with all his strength. It tears through two of the ship’s masts before hitting the sea behind it, destroying the masts and preventing any chance of pursuit.
Afterward, Garp also takes off toward his grandson, running through the air using Geppo.
The two meet halfway, colliding with force, their fists connecting and creating a deafening ‘boom’ that raises massive waves in the sea due to the air pressure from the collision.
As the Merry sailed away into the fog, the entire crew witnessed the csh, and it left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth. They felt weak knowing their Captain had to risk his life to save them. This weighed especially heavily on Zoro and Chouchou. That doesn’t mean the others weren’t affected, they all were, but Zoro and Chouchou felt it the most.
“Where did you learn these techniques, brat?”, Garp asks, surprised that his grandson had gotten so strong without any guidance.
“I realized three years ago that if I wanted to achieve my dreams, I needed to work harder, or it wouldn’t be enough. Besides, I got some help from Shanks”, Luffy says, circling his grandpa while still in the air.
“You’ve been talking to that red-haired punk? Well, it doesn’t matter. If that’s all you’ve got, you’re still weak”, Garp says with a grin, feeling that his grandson was holding back in their brief csh.
“Well, my crew must be worried, so I’m going all out from now on, Grandpa. Let’s see how far I am from the big leagues”, Luffy says, starting to activate Gear Fourth.
---
(AN: 2,245 Words)
Chapter - 24
East Blue
Somewhere in the middle of the sea
“Well, my crew must be worried, so I'm going all out from now on, Gramps. Let's see how close I am to the big leagues”, Luffy says, beginning to enter Gear Fourth.
As soon as Luffy completes his transformation into Gear Fourth 'Rocketman,' everything seems to freeze in time, giant, turbulent waves caused by the previous collision now frozen in pce. In this moment, with time almost standing still, Luffy rockets toward Garp, running through the air using Soru and Geppo at full throttle, leaving a trail of fmes behind him as the friction from his speed creates scorching fire.
Upon reaching his grandfather, Luffy assumes a punch stance, pulling his forearm inward while twisting it, generating so much tension and friction that fmes emerge from the folds of his contracted arm.
Using Advanced Armament and Conqueror's Haki, Luffy unleashes a point-bnk 'Gomu Gomu no Red Kong Gun' at Garp. But to his surprise, even though Garp is caught off guard by Luffy's speed, he manages to defend himself by coating his arms with Armament Haki, crossing them over his chest. Even without Luffy’s punch making contact, Garp is sent flying at light speed, bouncing off the sea like a stone for several kilometers.
When he finally stops, Garp flexes his hands to ease the pain in his forearms, which are completely red from the impact and fmes.
‘Ah, you little brat, that’s definitely going to leave a bruise ter’, Garp thinks, his grin widening even more as he realizes his arms had also suffered some internal damage.
The fight resumes with time still frozen. Luffy appears before Garp, his knees bent and his torso twisted, parallel to the ground. His left arm is contracted and twisted, like in his previous attack, aimed for an uppercut to Garp’s chin from a low angle.
His legs push his body upward, and once in position, Luffy jumps and throws the punch. His arm uncoils like an extremely tense spring, creating a torrent of fire from the friction with the air.
But Garp dodges Luffy’s ‘Gomu Gomu no Spider Punch’ completely, which punches a colossal hole through the clouds above. As he evades, Garp coats one of his legs with Advanced Armament and Conqueror’s Haki and delivers a powerful Spartan kick to Luffy’s stomach, sending him flying just like he had been.
Hitting the surface of the sea and sinking at breakneck speed, Luffy manages to stop his momentum but spits out a rge mouthful of blood.
Wasting no time, he brings his hands to his sides and quickly charges up a Kamehameha, using Observation Haki to aim properly, then fires it.
A massive beam of bck and reddish energy bursts from the sea, racing toward Garp in an instant, so hot that it boils the water around it.
Garp quickly counters Luffy’s Kamehameha with a ‘Gaxy Divide,’ slicing Luffy’s attack in two beams that explode behind him, causing a gigantic fsh and an ear-splitting 'Boom!' that could be heard from miles away.
At this point, the sea is utterly chaotic, the sky den with dark clouds, and lightning forming all around.
Luffy then shoots out of the water at full speed, heading toward Garp and resuming the fight.
As the battle continues, Luffy finds himself more and more pressured by Garp. No matter how much stronger he becomes, his grandfather always raises the bar whenever Luffy starts gaining ground.
It gets to the point where, although Garp hasn’t taken too much damage, just several bruises and some internal injuries, Luffy is entirely covered in his own blood, exhausted. He feels that, beyond the Advanced Armament Haki tearing through his body, something else is happening.
That’s when a theory clicks in his mind: ‘It’s almost like Gramps’ Haki is affecting my own, draining me much faster than usual. My Haki feels weaker, and there’s this sense of exhaustion. If you think about it, Haki is essentially spiritual energy given form, and spiritual energy could be transted as the soul… Oh… Damn, that’s the next step in Advanced Armament Haki, isn’t it?’
“Bwahahahaha, is that all you’ve got, kid? If so, you might as well give up and come with me to become a good Marine”, Garp shouts, rotating his right shoulder to stretch it out.
“Hah… hah… No, this is just the beginning”, Luffy says, catching his breath. “How did you even find me, anyway?”
“Bwahahaha, pure luck! We were heading to Loguetown because I knew you’d pass through there. Then I saw a Jolly Roger with a straw hat skull and knew it had to be you, kid.”
“I’ve told you a hundred times, Gramps, I’m not joining the Marines. I’m a pirate.”
“No way am I letting my grandson become a pirate! Ace is bad enough. Ugh, when I get my hands on that brat, I’m gonna tan his hide and enlist him in the Marines”, Garp says, irritated.
“Yeah, Gramps, I’m not just gonna be any pirate. I’m going to find the One Piece and become the Pirate King”, a blood-soaked Luffy says with a massive grin on his face.
“It won’t be easy, kid”, Garp says, wanting to see if Luffy is serious.
“I never thought it would be”, Luffy replies, and Garp nods in understanding.
The fight resumes, with Luffy trying to gain some ground, only to be beaten down by Garp more and more. But this time, things are different for Luffy, he knows what he has to do.
If he could master this evolved form of Advanced Armament Haki, maybe, just maybe, he’d have a chance to escape.
From this point on, Luffy relentlessly tries to attack using the same concepts of Ryuo, but aiming not just to affect the body’s interior, but also the soul.
For what seems like hours, Luffy tries and fails miserably most of the time. But eventually, things begin to work. His attacks now not only impact Garp’s body with far greater power than before but also affect his soul, slowing down his recovery and, if not for Garp’s own Haki protecting him, draining his energy and weakening his Haki.
The battle continues, with Luffy now able to strike at Garp’s soul while defending his own. He had finally leveled the pying field if only slightly, giving himself a sliver of room to breathe.
Garp was now taking more damage, not nearly as much as Luffy, but enough to show dark bruises, bleeding cuts, and even some burns.
This intergenerational csh reached its climax when Luffy compressed his forearm and unleashed a ‘Gomu Gomu no Red Culverin’ at Garp.
Garp dodges the first punch, but Luffy’s fming arm keeps stretching, gaining speed and changing direction like a pinball.
Narrowly avoiding the punches coming his way, taking a few gncing blows, Garp maneuvers in freefall through the air, using Geppo and Soru to propel himself, navigating the tangled mess of Luffy’s outstretched arm. He rapidly closes in on Luffy and delivers a point-bnk ‘Gaxy Impact.’
But Luffy manages to dodge at the st second, making his arm change direction and nd a full-force blow on Garp’s attacking arm.
Garp’s punch misses Luffy, striking only the air and the ocean, creating a hole the size of a rge isnd that would fill with water once time resumed, stirring the sea into massive tsunamis.
Luffy seizes the opportunity and creates distance from his grandfather. Compressing his legs like springs, he unches himself at Garp and nds a powerful ‘Gomu Gomu no Red Rhino’ on his chest, creating an explosion of fmes upon impact.
Garp blocks with crossed arms and Haki, but he’s sent flying at light speed.
Without wasting a moment, Luffy inftes the skeletal and muscur structure of his right forearm until it becomes gigantic, then compresses it back to its normal size, creating enormous tension. He then contracts his forearm like a spring, twisting it as he charges toward Garp, his arm trembling from the effort of containing the tension. Conqueror’s Haki crackles wildly around his arm.
Garp recovers quickly from the previous attack and realizes that the next strike is likely the final blow. He shoots toward Luffy, grabbing the air with his right hand in a manner simir to Whitebeard, with Conqueror’s Haki sparking from his fist.
They meet halfway, huge grins pstered across their faces. On one side, Luffy’s arm looks like a bomb about to explode. On the other, Garp’s fist seems to be tearing at the very fabric of reality.
Both unleash their attacks. Luffy releases all the stored tension, using the concept of Shigan mid-strike. Garp closes his fist, causing a small air explosion in his palm as he punches.
Their attacks connect, leaving a gap of a few centimeters between their fists, with bolts of Conqueror’s Haki dancing wildly at the epicenter of the impact.
At the same time, both Garp and Luffy shout the names of their techniques at the top of their lungs “Universe Crusher!” “Gomu Gomu no Nuke Punch!”
A colossal fsh occurs, followed by an ear-splitting ‘Booooommmmm’ that echoes for kilometers. A line splits the impact, cutting through the clouds in the sky and creating a massive ravine in the ocean, devoid of water.
Luffy was unched far away, with his arm bleeding profusely, both from the force of his grandfather's punch and the recoil of his own attack.
It was the same for Garp. He was thrown into the sea, sinking deep, and the arm he had used to strike Luffy was also bleeding heavily from the strength of the punch.
Luffy quickly regained his footing after skipping across the water like a stone and taking advantage of the moment, he fled, but not before appearing on his grandfather's ship.
=Scene Break=
For Luffy and Garp, the fight had sted hours. However, for those unable to keep up with their speed, in an instant, they traded punches, and minutes ter, Luffy appeared on their ship with the sea in a furious and violent state. The sky had been split in two, not to mention the fsh and the sounds of explosions from before.
“Hey Coby, Butt-Chin, how are you guys? Looks like Gramps put you through some training”, Luffy says, waving with his left arm since he couldn't lift his right.
“Luffy? What happened to you? Where's Vice-Admiral Garp?”, Coby, still a bit confused by what had happened, fired off questions like a machine gun.
“Rex, the old man’s tough as nails. He’ll show up any moment, and since I don’t stand a chance against him yet, I’m gonna get out of here. But don’t be sad, remember this day as ‘The day you almost captured Monkey D. Luffy, the man who will become the Pirate King!’ Well, see you around”, Luffy says, disappearing and heading back to his ship, using Observation Haki to find his way.
Moments ter, Garp appeared at the bow of his ship, looking out toward the horizon in the direction Luffy had gone, a huge grin on his face. “Bwahahahahahaha, my grandson's a genius prodigy, just like his grandpa! He learned that just by watching me… bwahahahahaha.”
“Vice-Admiral, are you okay?”, Bogard asked as he approached Garp.
“I’m great, Bogard, it’s just a scratch. I went easy on the brat, but he did manage to nd some good punches”, Garp said, giving Bogard a light tap on the shoulder with his bloodied right arm before heading inside the ship, whether for medical treatment or food, who knows.
Meanwhile, Luffy nded on the Merry, leaving his crew and guests shocked at his condition.
“Luffy, wh-what happened to you?”, Nami asked, starting to whimper.
Chouchou began rubbing against Luffy, whining and licking his wounds to clean him.
Zoro clenched his jaw, gripping his swords tighter, feeling like he had failed.
Usopp clenched his fists in frustration, feeling powerless.
Kaya cried openly, her hands covering her mouth.
Meanwhile, Johnny and Yosaku stood off to the side, their respect for Luffy growing immensely.
“Rex, guys, I just need some meat, milk, and a nap”, Luffy said before passing out.
---
(AN: 2,017 Words)
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