Alex was still deep in thought when Luffy, who was sleeping beside him, suddenly rolled over and flung one of his large feet squarely onto Alex's stomach.
"What the hell—this guy sleeps like a beast."
Before Alex could even finish that thought, he felt his whole body tighten—he couldn't move at all.
Turns out, Luffy had wrapped both arms around him in his sleep, hugging him tightly like a teddy bear. Drooling slightly, Luffy muttered in his sleep, "Meat... don't run..."
Alex was completely speechless.
"Damn it. How much meat did you eat tonight? You're still dreaming about food? What the hell is your stomach made of—rubber? Oh, right..."
Alex lay there, stunned. By his rough estimate, Luffy had devoured over a hundred kilograms of meat at the feast. Yet this walking stomach still wasn't satisfied—he was dreaming of chasing more meat.
Unbelievable.
But the worst part?
"Dude! Don't hug me so tight! And stretch your arms like that? Anyone walking in would think we're... involved!"
It was a real tragedy. Ever since he arrived in the world of One Piece, the first person to have physical contact with him wasn't some stunning beauty—it was a meat-obsessed maniac named Luffy.
And so, the two of them... "slept in each other's arms."
Who knows how long passed. The sky was already beginning to brighten. Alex hadn't slept at all. He kept bouncing between two conflicting thoughts: One—say screw it and go to sea with Luffy. Two—worry that his strength wasn't enough, and he'd only drag Luffy down.
Both sides of the argument kept swirling in his mind, torturing him with indecision.
As a man, he knew he should just be decisive. Go or don't. No whining. No hesitation.
He'd always believed in that. If it were any other situation, he could've made up his mind instantly. But this decision was different. It wasn't some small thing—it could completely change the course of his life. This was a turning point.
He hadn't felt this torn since filling out his college application forms back on Earth. Back then, just picking a major had been nerve-wracking.
"Screw it!" Alex finally cursed inwardly.
The sky was getting brighter, and the sun was about to rise.
"I used to be an ordinary guy. My life was dull, unremarkable. Now I'm in the world of One Piece—and I'm supposed to just keep living like a boring villager?"
"No. I want more."
"Luffy found me. Invited me. Am I really such a coward that I can't even accept the chance of a lifetime?"
He clenched his fists. "I've eaten a Devil Fruit. I'm not the same anymore. I don't know what my ability is yet, but I'll figure it out."
"And even if I'm weak now, I can train—relentlessly. I started out knowing nothing about fishing, and now I'm a damn good fisherman."
"I can do this."
"What, am I gonna stay here and hope to be village chief one day? That's not the life I want."
His resolve grew stronger with every passing second. The doubt faded from his face, replaced by a new determination. His eyes, once clouded by hesitation, now shone with a brilliance he'd never known before—the kind of clarity that only comes from setting your sights on something and charging forward.
As fate would have it, fat guy was walking past just then, heading out to pee. He caught a glimpse of Alex's glowing eyes—and nearly pissed himself on the spot.
"Holy crap... He's glowing like that while being hugged by that straw-hat dude?!"
fat guy's face twisted in horror.
"Good thing I insisted on sleeping in another room. Who knows what might've happened if we'd shared a bed."
He bolted away, confused and vaguely traumatized.
Half an hour later, Luffy woke up too, along with a few groggy villagers stretching and rubbing their eyes.
"Morning already?" Luffy yawned, stretching his arms and tossing his straw hat onto his head. He looked over at Alex. "You're coming with me, right?"
Alex gave him a faint smile—and nodded.
Luffy beamed. "I knew it! Knew you wouldn't say no!"
Just then, the Village Chief hobbled over with a cane and said, "Ah, you're awake. I've prepared a new boat for you. You can set sail whenever you're ready."
"You're the best, old man! First the feast, now a boat?" Luffy laughed, genuinely excited.
The chief waved it off and motioned for them to follow him to the harbor.
On the way, Alex said goodbye to every villager he passed. Some even pleaded with him to stay, but he declined each offer with a polite smile.
fat guy, meanwhile, was absolutely losing his mind.
"He's going to sea with that crazy straw-hat guy who says he wants to be King of the Pirates?! Alex is nuts!"
fat guy sobbed loudly, tears streaming down his face. Seeing this, Alex was genuinely moved. He'd grown close to fat guy over the past six months. Despite everything, they'd become great friends. He even thought about hugging fat guy goodbye.
But just as he stepped in for the hug, fat guy dodged like lightning, eyes full of fear.
"No need to hug, man! Just be careful out there. The world's not as peaceful as our village. You make one wrong move, and boom—you're dead. Don't make me hear about your death in a week."
Alex had no idea fat guy still thought he was into guys after the "sleeping incident" with Luffy. But fat guy's words were sincere and full of concern.
Alex was touched.
They waved goodbye. And as Alex turned to leave, he saw Luffy already standing on the little fishing boat waiting for him.
He started to jog over—but before he could get there, one of Luffy's long rubber arms came flying toward him.
"Oh no..."
Before Alex could react, Luffy's hand grabbed him and yanked him into the air.
In a blink, Alex was flung aboard the boat—slamming hard into the mast.
"Ow, crap... I think my spine cracked..."
But Luffy just grinned at the front of the boat, arms raised high.
"Let's set sail, boys!!"
Lying half-dazed on the deck, Alex looked up at the sky.
"One day... I swear... I'm gonna get you back for this. And if my spine isn't broken, it's a damn miracle."