The Grand Line wasn't just a sea. It was a beast—wild, unpredictable, dangerous beyond imagination. From the edge of the horizon, Alex watched the tiny ship with the unmistakable straw hat punch its way through the waves. Monkey D. Luffy had just entered the Grand Line, and the world might never be the same.
Alex smirked, folding his arms as the ship neared the familiar landmass known as Twin Cape—a common stop for new adventurers entering the Grand Line. This was where things got interesting.
Arrival at Twin Cape
Luffy's ship, the Going Merry, anchored with characteristic chaos. The crew leapt ashore, laughing and bickering, their energy loud enough to wake a sea king.
Alex descended from the shadows, stepping onto the bustling docks just as Luffy's eyes caught his.
"Hey! You look serious," Luffy called out, grinning wide. "Are you gonna join my crew or just stand there looking like a pirate ghost?"
Alex's lips twitched into a smirk. "I prefer to haunt the shadows, thanks. Besides, I'm not here to join any circus."
Luffy laughed, waving his hand. "Suit yourself, Ghost Pirate! What's your name?"
Alex raised an eyebrow, deadpan: "Count D. Alex. And I'm not a ghost."
Luffy's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Count D. Alex? Sounds fancy. How about 'Shadow Slapstick' since you look like you don't smile but probably have jokes?"
Alex snorted quietly. "More like 'Sarcasm Incarnate.' But I'll take 'Shadow Slapstick' as a warning."
Watching the Crew
As Luffy and his crew shouted and argued over directions and food, Alex's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"The Gum-Gum Fruit… simple in appearance, but a devilishly clever power," he muttered. "Rubber body that bends rules, but not broken by them. Flexible, unpredictable. Exactly like its user."
He caught a glimpse of Luffy bouncing excitedly, ready to jump headfirst into the chaos that awaited deeper in the Grand Line.
"Reckless as always," Alex said, shaking his head with a smirk. "But maybe that's exactly what this world needs right now . "
A Moment of Banter
Luffy approached Alex again, unbothered by the stranger's serious demeanor.
"Hey, Alex! You don't seem so bad for a 'Ghost Pirate.' You ever use a Devil Fruit?"
Alex's lips curled into a wry grin. "
Stranger
: "Yeah… the Soul-Soul Fruit."
Luffy: "Whoa! What's your power?"
Alex: "I can steal souls."
Luffy: "Cool! What happens if you eat two Devil Fruits?"
Alex: "I don't know… but I've got room for one more soul to find out .
Luffy's - "hey thats not fair".
Alex chuckled . "Just kidding . I have eaten a devil fruit but i still dont about it . Seems like you just entered grand line can you even survive ".
Luffy laughed, tossing a piece of meat in the air and catching it. "Survive? Pfft! I'm gonna become pirate king!"
Alex shook his head, dry humor dripping from every word. "That's the problem with pirates—they never think about the bills after the fireworks."
Setting Out
As the sun dipped, the crew prepared to set sail again. Alex lingered a moment longer, watching Luffy rally his friends with that infectious energy.
He knew the road ahead was littered with dangers no one could foresee. But in that wild, unpredictable pirate, he saw a spark of something old and powerful—a force the world hadn't seen in generations.
"Good luck, Straw Hat," Alex muttered under his breath. "You'll need it."
With that, he vanished back into the shadows, ready to follow the tides wherever they might lead.