Luffy's path to becoming the Marine King… starts here.
He took a deep breath, forcing down the throbbing pain on his head and the embarrassment of being stared at. Tightening his grip on the key and slip of paper until his knuckles turned faintly white, he followed the signs toward the soldiers' dormitory area.
Unlike the solemn grandeur of the port and the massive fortress, the dormitory was made up of several rows of orderly but slightly worn gray buildings. The walls were scarred by years of sea wind erosion, and the air carried a complex mix of mustiness, sweat, and disinfectant.
From the hallways came the occasional sounds of conversations or objects clattering.
Luffy traced the rusty iron numbers on the doors until he found "3A210."
Pulling out the key, he slid it into the ancient copper lock. The sharp kacha sound of metal grinding against metal echoed loudly in the otherwise quiet corridor.
When the door opened, a dull, heavy air rushed to meet him.
The room wasn't large. Three bunk beds stood against the wall, and a small iron cabinet was tucked in the corner.
The lighting was dim. Someone was already inside.
On the top bunk near the door sat a small figure with short pink hair and thick round glasses, fumbling nervously with a small cloth bag.
The boy was visibly anxious. His thin shoulders hunched, and sweat trickled down his forehead in fine beads.
The sound of the door startled him. He spun around, eyes wide behind his glasses, filled with a deer-like fear. Stammering, he blurted out:
"Th-th-that…! H-hello! I-I'm the new… K-Koby!"
His voice was thin and trembling, tripping over itself. The pink hair stood out vividly even under the dim light.
Luffy froze for a moment. Koby?
He was just about to respond—
"Tch, so noisy! Get out of the way, mutt!"
A sharp, impatient voice laced with mockery suddenly cut through the air, rough with the rasp of adolescence.
On the lower bunk by the window, a boy slowly sat up. The first thing that caught Luffy's eyes was his shockingly bright green hair, styled high with an excessive amount of oil, making it jut upward like poisoned weeds.
He looked around thirteen or fourteen, taller than Luffy by half a head. His uniform was clearly of much higher quality than that of an ordinary recruit, its fabric and cut standing out, and a gaudy gold chain hung loosely around his neck, making his appearance all the more unrefined.
Right now, he was staring at Luffy with arrogance, as though he were examining some stale fish at the market.
That green hair… it could only be Colonel Morgan's son—Helmeppo!
Luffy instantly recalled the information.
"Oi! What are you looking at?!"
Helmeppo lifted his chin higher, his brow twitching as he sneered. His gaze deliberately lingered on Luffy's faded, threadbare clothes, the collar and sleeves already worn. His tone dripped with disdain:
"Brat, where'd you dig up those rags? Out of some backwater beggar's pit? And you actually have the face to step foot in Marine Headquarters? Tch—reek of mud all over you!"
He fanned two fingers dramatically in front of his nose, as though to chase away some stench.
"Helmeppo-san, p-please don't… don't say that…"
Koby's timid voice quivered from the top bunk, almost breaking into a sob.
"Shut up! Trash! Nobody asked you!"
Helmeppo roared at Koby, making him flinch violently. The boy clutched his little cloth bag tighter, as though trying to disappear into the wall.
Helmeppo's mocking eyes turned back to Luffy, brimming with scorn. A cruel smile tugged at his lips.
"Oi, brat. You hear me? This area belongs to me! Don't you dare get close! Those filthy rags of yours better not stain my brand-new uniform!" He jabbed his finger toward the dustiest bottom bunk in the corner, piled high with random junk. "That's where you belong. That's the spot for trash like you."
His arrogant words filled the cramped dormitory with the stench of spoiled arrogance. Koby shrank further into his corner, barely daring to breathe.
Luffy stood at the doorway, his small frame etched by the faint light.
He didn't respond. Instead, he slipped the copper key Shuzo had given him into the worn pocket of his linen coat. His fingers brushed the cold metal inside, grounding him, muffling the noise in the room.
The dull ache where Garp's iron fist had struck still pulsed on his head, reminding him.
He lifted his gaze.
Not at the green-haired clown in front of him, but past the narrow dorm window, at the towering cliffs of Marineford. The seagull insignia loomed above, watching it all.
In the depths of his soul, Zangetsu's heavy, icy presence stirred faintly, a low growl like a slumbering beast sharpening its claws in the dark.
The road to becoming Marine King… was already filled with thorns.
Luffy pressed his lips into a thin line, his eyes finally settling on the dusty corner bunk. This was where it began.
No anger. No retort. Only calm.
He stepped forward, his feet steady on the rough cement floor, and walked toward the place Helmeppo had pointed out.
(End of Chapter)
[50 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
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