The waters near Loguetown.
A massive pirate ship cut through the waves, laughter and cheers echoing across the sea.
Cups clinked together as overflowing liquor splashed onto the deck. The air was thick with celebration, even the passing seagulls seemed slightly tipsy.
A band of fierce-looking pirates were now basking in high Mental Powers.
"To celebrate the captain's bounty reaching 15 million, cheers!"
"Cheers!"
One pirate raised his glass toward the man seated at the head of the banquet table, their captain. The rest of the crew followed suit, echoing with hearty toasts.
The aroma of booze filled the entire ship.
To the captain's right sat a sharp-looking man in a neatly pressed suit, thick glasses perched on his nose. He suddenly stood up.
"Captain, we're heading straight toward Loguetown."
Adjusting his glasses, the suited pirate continued, "Rumor has it a dangerous bounty hunter has been active in that area. Some notorious pirates have already fallen to him. I recommend we play it safe and take a detour."
Despite the warning, the captain, rugged and imposing, remained calm.
He swirled the wine in his glass and gazed at the vast sea through its amber glow.
After a moment, he muttered, "They say the 10-million-bounty Wild Wolf met his end around there too… Maybe the rumors are exaggerated, but in these seas, caution is everything."
"First mate, inform the lookout to stay sharp for the next couple of days."
"Yes, Captain." The suited man nodded and left the table.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
The Next Day
The sea remained a dazzling blue. The ship carved its path through the waves, carrying the dreams of every pirate aboard.
On deck, dozens of men lay passed out, their faces flushed red from the previous night's celebrations.
Even so, the ship sailed on. Not everyone had joined the party, those on duty were still manning their stations.
At the bow stood the captain and first mate, gazing at the endless horizon.
"We've come far," the captain said, a glimmer of ambition in his eyes.
"Indeed… Time flies," the first mate replied, removing his glasses to wipe them with a handkerchief.
The captain laughed. "You know, back when I asked you to sail with me, you were dead set against it. But now? You're one hell of a first mate."
The first mate chuckled. "That's rich coming from the guy who knocked me out and dragged me to sea while I was still a town guard."
"Bwahahaha!"
The two shared a laugh, their memories as bright as the rising sun they looked toward, just like their dreams.
"Captain! First mate! There's a strange fishing boat following us!" shouted the lookout.
The two snapped out of their reminiscing and hurried to the stern. Sure enough, a small boat was rapidly approaching.
Seated in the tiny vessel was Luffy, his arms spinning the oars at a speed so fast they were nearly invisible.
The boat sped forward like it had an engine.
After breaking two sets of oars during previous chases, Luffy had gone to the blacksmiths in Loguetown and commissioned a pair of alloy paddles just for this purpose.
Seeing the speed of the oncoming boat, the first mate's expression hardened.
Realizing they couldn't avoid the confrontation, he immediately ordered the crew to gear up for battle.
Pirates rushed to wake their drunken crewmates and ready their weapons.
They weren't just relying on their captain's strength, surviving on these seas for years also required the first mate's foresight and wisdom.
Luffy's boat pulled up alongside the ship.
He reached into the boat, pulled out a metal hook and chain, and hurled it at the ship's midsection, punching a hole through the hull to anchor the chain and secure his boat from drifting away.
Grabbing the chain, Luffy scaled the side of the pirate ship in a matter of seconds.
As he landed on deck, he was immediately greeted by over a hundred fully armed pirates.
Before Luffy could speak, the first mate stepped forward.
"A child's appearance… abnormal behavior… eyes that are impossible to read… You must be the infamous bounty hunter causing a stir lately, Demon Kid."
"Oh? You've got good eyes," Luffy said with a playful smirk.
The first mate remained calm. "If that's the case, might I propose something? We have valuables aboard worth at least ten million. If they suit your taste, they're yours.
It's not that we fear you, we just can't guarantee our crew won't suffer losses. We'd rather spend money than spill blood."
"First mate!"
"We're not scared!"
"We outnumber him!"
"Yeah!"
The pirates shouted in defiance, itching to fight.
But Luffy ignored their bravado. His gaze remained locked on the first mate.
"Where's your captain? Jerlsen, right? The one with the 15 million bounty?"
He paused. "I heard you massacred a village last month. That's what made your bounty skyrocket."
A towering figure stepped forward from the crowd, it was Captain Jerlsen.
"That was an accident. We only wanted some supplies, but a villager ambushed us and killed one of my men.
It escalated from there. But this is the Grand Line, survival of the fittest. Surely you understand that."
"Survival of the fittest? Then you should've said that from the start," Luffy replied coldly. "All this talking is getting annoying."
In a flash, he dashed into the crowd, fists clad in gloves, striking mercilessly at the pirates.
Blood and bodies flew as he tore through them with terrifying force.
Jerlsen's fury boiled over as he saw over ten of his men fall in seconds.
"No more talk!" he roared. "Fight me, bounty hunter!"
With a scream, his body began to swell. Clothes tore. His arms grew thick and black, his head expanded, and a long horn sprouted from his forehead.
He transformed into a massive bipedal rhino.
Luffy's pupils narrowed. This was the first time since entering the pirate world that he'd seen someone use a Devil Fruit.
Jerlsen lowered his stance, horn aimed straight at Luffy. "I've eaten the Uma Uma no Mi, Model: Rhinoceros. I am the Rhino Man.
You chose to fight me, prepare for pain!"
With that, he charged.
Thump! Thump!
Each step shook the entire ship.
Luffy had no time to dodge and raised his arms to block.
As the horn slammed into him, Luffy caught it perfectly, holding himself upright.
But Jerlsen was prepared. Seeing that Luffy hadn't been impaled, he pushed his head lower, dragging the horn along the deck, grinding Luffy across the planks.
Then, with a sudden upward swing, he slammed Luffy into the deck with bone-crushing force.
BOOM!
The impact blasted a hole through the deck, sending Luffy crashing into the cabin below, where he lay still, unmoving.
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