Chapter 3: The Pirate Hunter
My conversation with Coby stretched on for hours. I told him all about the outside world—the Four Blues, the treacherous Grand Line, and the mysterious New World. Since his dream was to become a Marine, I made sure to explain how their forces operated in those advanced seas.
I also casually dropped the fact that my grandfather was Monkey D. Garp, the Hero of the Marines. Coby practically short-circuited. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that the grandson of the greatest Marine alive was sailing the seas to become the Pirate King.
When he finally calmed down, he asked why we were heading to Shells Town. He knew the town was under the jurisdiction of a Marine base commanded by Captain Morgan. Naturally, he was worried that a pirate sailing directly into a Marine stronghold was a terrible idea. I simply waved off his concerns with a laugh.
When I finally told him I was going to Shells Town to recruit someone for my crew, his curiosity got the better of him.
"Who is it?" Coby asked, his eyes wide.
I looked at him calmly and grinned. "Roronoa Zoro. Shishishi."
Coby shrieked. "Eeeeeeeeee?! But Luffy-san, don't you know that Roronoa Zoro is a ruthless Pirate Hunter?! He might not want to join you since you're a pirate! In fact, he'll probably try to kill you! You shouldn't recruit him, he's dangerous!"
His worries were completely justified, but I just patted his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Everything will work out. And if he really doesn't want to join... well, then it wasn't meant to be."
Coby was left entirely dumbstruck by my carefree attitude.
We had dinner while continuing our chat. I made sure to impart some heartfelt advice and perspective that I knew he would need for his future in the Marines. By the time we turned in for the night, his admiration for me had hit the roof. At this point, I seriously doubted he would refuse if I outright asked him to join my crew instead of the Marines, but I wouldn't do that to his dream. I told him to pick any spare room he liked, and we went to sleep.
As I lay in bed, I thought about Zoro. He was going to be my first mate, which meant I needed him to be monstrously strong. And I meant crazy strong. I wanted him casually fighting Yonko Commanders on equal footing long before we ever reached the New World. Since he was a strict swordsman, all of his training would need to be focused on his blade work and Haki. Fortunately, with my System, helping him break his limits wouldn't be an issue.
Even though I didn't want to completely shatter the timeline right away, there was no way I was going to follow canon perfectly. I was going to do things my way.
After two days of leisurely sailing, we finally arrived at Shells Town.
I was buzzing with excitement. What loyal fan wouldn't want to meet Roronoa Zoro? He was the epitome of dedication, the literal reincarnation of loyalty in the flesh. I couldn't wait to meet my future first mate.
To avoid looking suspiciously all-knowing, I took Coby to a restaurant near the docks to "gather information." After chatting up a waiter, he gave us the rundown on Zoro's capture and his temporary arrest. Since I already knew the details, I didn't press further, ordered the house specialty, and devoured my food.
As we left, Coby looked up at me nervously. "Luffy-san, are you really going to try and recruit the Pirate Hunter?"
"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" I laughed. "He's strong, which makes him the perfect fit to be the right-hand man of the future Pirate King. Come on, you should come with me. Since the Marines captured him, you might learn a thing or two about how they operate here."
Coby hesitated, then nodded firmly, following my lead.
We approached the execution yard, which was surrounded by a massive stone wall. Reaching out, I seamlessly pulled a large wooden ladder from my Inventory Ring. Coby blinked, utterly bewildered by where a ten-foot ladder had just come from, but before he could ask, I propped it against the wall and started climbing.
We peered over the top. Tied to a wooden cross in the center of the baking dirt yard was Zoro. Coby tensed up at the sight of the infamous bounty hunter, but relaxed slightly when he realized the man was securely bound and fast asleep.
I hopped down from the wall, leaving Coby perched at the top. I walked up to Zoro, picked up a long stick from the dirt, and casually poked him in the nose.
No response.
I poked him again. And again.
Slowly, his eyes cracked open. He glared at me with an intensity that could have cut steel, his face twisting into a scowl. I didn't stop poking him. Furious, he snapped his jaws, trying to bite my hand, but I quickly pulled the stick away.
"You wanna die, punk?" Zoro growled, his voice rough and dry. "I'm gonna slice you to ribbons the second I get out of here."
I ignored the threat, leaning in closer. "Yo. What's your name?"
Zoro maintained a calm but incredibly hostile tone. "I'm the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro. And like I said... I'm going to kill you. Just wait until I'm free, you bastard."
I let out a loud laugh. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy. I'm going to be the King of the Pirates. Join my crew."
Zoro stared at me like I had completely lost my mind. "Are you an idiot? There's no way in hell I'm joining a filthy pirate. I'm a pirate hunter. I'm almost done with my sentence here anyway, and when I'm out, you're dead."
"So you still have to stay tied up here for now," I noted cheerfully, completely unbothered by his murderous intent. "Got it. In that case, I'll come back tomorrow."
I tossed the stick aside and turned my back on him.
"I'm not joining a pirate!" Zoro yelled at my back as I climbed back over the wall.
I left with Coby and headed into town. While eating at another restaurant, we overheard the locals discussing the real reason Zoro was tied up: he had killed Helmeppo's pet wolf to save a little girl named Rika. When Coby heard the truth, his entire worldview shifted. The Marines he idolized were acting like tyrants, punishing a good man for doing the right thing.
Seeing Coby staring blankly at his food, his heart filled with doubt, I nudged his arm. "Hey, Coby. Don't overthink it. Like I told you before: not all Marines are good, and not all pirates are evil. It completely depends on the character of the individual."
"I... I understand," Coby muttered, looking a little more at ease.
The next day, I waited until noon before bringing Coby back to the Marine base plaza.
When we arrived, little Rika was already there, trying to feed Zoro some sweet rice balls. Right on cue, Captain Morgan's spoiled brat of a son, Helmeppo, strolled into the yard with his lackeys. He snatched the food, stomped it into the dirt, and laughed in the little girl's face.
Deciding I had seen enough, I stepped out into the yard.
I released just a fraction of my Conqueror's Haki—not enough to knock anyone unconscious, but enough to make the air feel as heavy as lead. The Marines froze, a primal fear gripping their hearts as I walked past them. Coby trailed closely behind me, unharmed by the pressure but wide-eyed at the sudden shift in atmosphere.
When I reached Zoro, I offered a casual wave. "Yo, Zoro. Nice to see you again. I decided we're setting sail today, so I came to break you out. Need to do anything before we leave?"
Despite the heavy Haki in the air, Zoro's sheer willpower kept him from folding. He glared at me. "I already told you, I'm not joining a pirate crew! Once I'm out of here, I'm going back to hunting pirates. I have my own ambition... I'm going to become the world's greatest swordsman!"
I grinned, reeling my Haki back in. "The world's greatest swordsman? That sounds perfect. The right-hand man of the Pirate King shouldn't settle for anything less. By the way..." I pointed lazily at Helmeppo. "That idiot has no intention of letting you go. He's planning to execute you tomorrow."
With the Haki pressure lifted, Helmeppo regained his arrogant smirk. "That's right! I'm executing him! How dare you defy me? I'm the son of the great Captain Morgan!"
Zoro's eyes narrowed dangerously as he realized he'd been played. He looked back at me. "Fine. I'll join your crew. But I need my swords. And let me make one thing clear: if you ever do anything to get in the way of my ambition, I will cut you down myself."
My grin widened into a massive smile. "Deal. You can be the greatest swordsman in the world. In fact, I'll even help you train."
Furious that we were completely ignoring him, Helmeppo ordered his guards to capture us. Not wanting to waste time, I flared my Conqueror's Haki just a bit higher. In an instant, Helmeppo and his guards rolled their eyes back and collapsed to the dirt, foaming at the mouth.
Zoro's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
I turned to Coby. "Untie him. I'm going to go grab his swords. I won't be long."
As Coby rushed forward to work on the ropes, I blurred into motion, using a burst of speed to slip into the base. It only took me a few moments to locate Zoro's three katanas, including the Wado Ichimonji.
I rushed back, but just as I leaped out of the upper floor window toward the yard, I saw Captain Morgan and a full squad of Marines aiming their rifles at a newly freed Zoro and a terrified Coby.
"Fire!" Morgan roared.
Using Flash Step, I instantly materialized directly in front of Zoro and Coby. They both stared at my back in horror, bracing for the worst.
Dozens of bullets slammed into my chest, back, and arms. But instead of piercing my flesh, my body stretched backward like a rubber band, catching the kinetic energy before violently snapping back. The bullets ricocheted off me at twice their original speed, taking down half the firing squad in a flurry of sparks and smoke.
I dusted off my shirt and smiled over my shoulder. "Guns don't work on me. Shishishi."
Morgan's jaw dropped, his face paling with sheer terror. "Are you... one of the devils of the sea? Who are you?! What kind of Devil Fruit did you eat?!"
Zoro and Coby looked at me, stunned. To most people in the East Blue, Devil Fruits were nothing more than a myth.
I looked at Morgan with a calm, unshakable confidence. "I'm here to save my crewmate. My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and I am the man who will become the King of the Pirates."
I cracked my knuckles, my grin turning fierce. "As for my power... you can call it the Sun God Nika fruit."