The Going Merry docked quietly near the far end of the island.
Not the main harbor.
Not the busy merchant piers.
A place just obscure enough to avoid attention.
The crew disembarked one by one, blending into the steady flow of travelers, merchants, and townsfolk heading toward the heart of Logue Town.
Luffy adjusted his coat as his eyes swept the surroundings.
Too calm.
Too clean.
Too… normal.
No Marine patrols shouting orders.
No rifles raised.
No sirens.
For a town infamous for executing pirates, it felt strangely relaxed.
Weird, Luffy thought.
With a bounty like his—one hundred million—he'd expected the Marines to swarm the docks the moment his ship touched wood.
Reinforcements had been sent. That much he knew.
And yet—
"They're doing a terrible job," Luffy muttered.
Not that he was complaining.
He didn't want trouble yet.
When they reached the edge of the main shopping district, Luffy stopped.
Crowds thickened. Shops lined the street. Banners fluttered. Voices overlapped in dozens of languages.
He turned back toward his crew.
"Alright," he said casually. "See you later."
Everyone froze.
"…Huh?" Usopp blinked.
"I'll go find where they killed him," Luffy added, already turning away.
"KILLED WHO—"
"WAIT—"
"CAPTAIN—"
Too late.
Luffy was already gone, swallowed by the crowd.
Luffy's real goal in Logue Town wasn't supplies.
It wasn't Marines.
It wasn't Smoker.
It was history.
Before he stood where Gol D. Roger died…
Before he faced the execution platform…
There was something he needed to do.
He walked slowly down the main street, eyes scanning storefronts with deliberate care.
Weapon shops.
Taverns.
Curio stalls selling fake relics and exaggerated legends.
Then—
He stopped.
Rita Tailored Clothing
Luffy smiled.
"That's the one."
The bell chimed as he entered.
The shop smelled of fabric and old wood.
Mannequins stood dressed in long coats, formal suits, and heavy cloaks meant for storms at sea. Rolls of fabric lined the walls in every shade imaginable.
At the back, behind a modest counter, stood an elderly woman with sharp eyes and steady hands.
She looked up.
"What can I do for you today, young man?" she asked warmly.
Luffy returned the smile and stepped forward.
"I was hoping you could add something to my coat."
He removed it and laid it flat on the counter.
Her eyes lingered on the stitching. The quality. The wear.
Then she looked up again.
"…Are you a pirate?"
Luffy grinned, wide and unapologetic.
"Yep."
She chuckled.
"Well then," she said, picking up the coat, "it's been a long time since one of you walked through my door."
She examined it closely.
"Let me guess. You want your Jolly Roger sewn onto the back."
Luffy reached into his pocket and handed her the design.
Her eyes widened.
"Well," she muttered. "That's unsettling."
A Hannya mask.
A straw hat.
Lightning where bones should be.
"I'm glad," Luffy laughed. "Means it's working."
"How long will it take?"
"Not long."
She sat at her sewing machine, the needle coming to life with a soft hum.
As she worked, Luffy wandered the shop, running his fingers across fabrics.
"So," he asked casually, "you used to get a lot of pirates?"
"Used to," she replied, not looking up.
"They came nonstop. Before the Grand Line."
Her hands slowed slightly.
"Then Smoker arrived."
The name carried weight.
"Every pirate who steps foot here now gets caught," she continued, voice edged with bitterness.
"Some don't even make it out alive."
Luffy laughed softly.
"That's good."
The machine stopped.
The woman's head snapped up.
"…Good?"
"Yeah," Luffy said calmly.
"These days, anyone with a boat calls themselves a pirate."
He turned, grin sharp.
"If they can't get past a Marine Captain, they've got no right entering the Grand Line."
For a moment, she stared at him.
Then she smiled.
"You're a strange one."
Luffy walked back to the counter.
"My name's Monkey D. Luffy."
She hummed thoughtfully.
"So that's why you look familiar."
She resumed sewing.
"You've got the Marines nervous. Big bounty for someone so young."
"Not my fault," Luffy shrugged. "They're cowards."
She laughed quietly.
A few minutes later, she lifted the coat.
"All done."
Luffy slipped it on.
On the back—
His Jolly Roger stared outward, bold and unmistakable.
"Perfect," he said.
"Two thousand Berries."
Luffy paid without hesitation and turned to leave.
As he reached the door, her voice stopped him.
"Good luck, young man."
He paused.
"…Why won't anyone use my name?" he muttered, stepping outside.
He didn't return to the main street.
Not yet.
Too visible.
Instead, Luffy slipped into the narrow alleys of Logue Town, weaving through paths only locals used.
Stone walls.
Laundry lines.
Twisting intersections.
He followed instinct.
Then—
…silence.
He stopped.
Looked around.
"…Huh."
He turned left.
Then right.
Then spun in place.
"…I'm lost."
Luffy sighed.
Somewhere, somehow—
Zoro would be proud.