Iwakura and his group had already set out without waiting for word from Kiri's scouting party. Naturally, Luffy and the others joined them, acting as escorts to fend off any pirate attacks.
No one voiced complaints about their impulsive move. Luffy had managed to quell the dissatisfaction from the two holdouts, after all.
The three of them followed along without even asking for an explanation, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
As they traversed the island, nothing stood out as unusual.
It was just your average uninhabited island—a peaceful landscape devoid of any signs of conflict.
Strolling through the forest, Usopp seemed deflated, adopting a carefree demeanor.
"For an island supposedly occupied by pirates, it sure looks normal. Hey, old man, is that story for real?"
"Yeah. Though I only heard it through rumors."
"Rumors, huh... So it's iffy whether they're here or not. Wait, what if they're ambushing us somewhere? H-Hey, this could be bad! Everyone, let's walk a bit more carefully!"
"Don't worry. If they're waiting to ambush us, I'll just send 'em flying."
"O-Oh. That sounds reliable at first glance, Luffy, but underestimating the enemy is a bad idea. They might be aiming at us from afar with bows or guns!"
"Bullets don't work on me. I'm rubber, remember?"
"Ah, that's cheating!? Not fair, only you get that!"
"Can't help it if you say that. You should eat a Devil Fruit too, Usopp."
The whole time, the atmosphere remained light and cheerful.
They walked without any particular tension, their expressions relaxed.
Yet even in this easygoing air, Tobio's face was somewhat shadowed, as if he didn't know what to do.
He was concerned about Iwakura. The man had never once mentioned his childhood friend before. And now, out of nowhere, it turned out to be the great pirate Woonan.
He couldn't hide his confusion, but he also couldn't bring himself to ask Iwakura directly.
Today, Iwakura smiled less than usual, cloaked in an unusual aura. That strangeness made him seem unapproachable. Though they'd had their share of arguments in the past, something felt different today.
It was odd how he'd suddenly approached Luffy and the others too.
Iwakura wasn't the type to trust pirates, so why had he asked them to escort him?
There were too many things weighing on Tobio's mind, giving him a headache.
With no other choice, Tobio turned back to Luffy and the group trailing behind, hoping to distract himself by striking up a conversation.
They responded readily, without a hint of suspicion. They didn't seem very pirate-like, more like ordinary kids, which was a relief in the moment.
"Hey, do you think it's impossible for me to become a pirate's subordinate?"
"Huh?"
"Whoa, where'd that come from?"
Luffy and Usopp reacted to Tobio's anxious question.
It was clearly a continuation of his earlier talk about wanting to be a pirate. Seeing his serious expression, they couldn't just brush it off.
Since he asked with such earnestness while walking, the two naturally listened intently.
"I mean, I'm just a kid. Even if I joined pirates, I don't know if I'd be useful. What if I meet Woonan and ask, but he says no?"
"You won't know unless you try. We don't even know what kind of guy Woonan is yet."
"But..."
"I don't know how Woonan picks his crew, but at least for me, it's not about choosing useful people. Even if someone's useless or weak, if I want them by my side, they're my crew. And even if you can't do anything now, adventuring will make you stronger eventually."
"Is that really okay for a pirate?"
"You're an idiot. Pirates are free—they do things their own way."
Tobio was struck by Luffy's grinning words.
Pirates weren't bound by rules. He'd completely forgotten that.
Luffy seemed to be saying it was foolish to create your own rules and judge usefulness arbitrarily. Given how Luffy usually seemed so thoughtless, this surprised Tobio. Even Usopp and Nami looked impressed in that moment.
Tobio faced forward again, pondering with his head down.
He'd always wanted to become a pirate.
He'd run away from home countless times, thinking each time he'd join a crew. But strangely, it never worked out, leading to today.
Now, he wondered if he could really do it.
Luffy called out to Tobio's hesitant back.
"If you wanna do it, just go for it. But being a pirate isn't for everyone, so be prepared. Without resolve, you'll just end up dead."
"Resolve?"
"The resolve to bet your life on it."
Though directed at Tobio, Usopp gulped audibly nearby.
Luffy, who usually came off as carefree and foolish, was indeed a pirate. His eyes were dead serious as he spoke with a smile, exuding an indescribable intensity. He didn't look like a dumb kid at all.
Tobio nodded timidly, and in an instant, Luffy's face broke into a wide grin.
"But I think running an oden stand is cool too. You get to eat oden every day, right?"
"That's for business—we don't eat oden every day."
"Really? Aww, man."
"Besides, you'd get sick of it if it was every day."
"I could eat meat every day and never get tired."
"Hey, don't lump meat and oden together. Meat has all sorts of ways to cook it."
Usopp finally chimed in to stop them, and the atmosphere returned to normal.
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