Year 1520 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
East Blue, Marine Branch 153.
Two figures crouched on top of the base's wall, peering into the training ground. In the center stood a man tied up on a wooden cross, his appearance ragged and worn.
"Reiner, is that the three-sword swordsman you mentioned?"
Luffy turned his head toward the man beside him.
The man had short golden hair and wore a light blue shirt with the sleeves neatly rolled up, paired with beige slacks. He looked every bit like a professional office worker out of place in this world.
"Green hair. Three golden earrings."
Reiner studied the figure on the cross intently and nodded.
"That's him. Let's go."
Francis Reiner.
He had crossed over into the One Piece world a year ago. After meeting Luffy in Foosha Village, today marked the first day of their voyage.
Reiner had led Luffy straight to Marine Branch 153. The reason?
To claim their beginner's reward: the three-sword user, Roronoa Zoro.
With his usual wide grin, Luffy vaulted over the wall and strolled boldly into the base.
Reiner, slower and calmer, lit a cigarette and followed behind.
"So, you came for me?"
Zoro had already noticed them, his sharp gaze cautious.
"Who are you people?"
"I'm Luffy! The man who's going to become the Pirate King! I came to ask you to join my crew!"
Luffy grinned widely, making his intentions plain as day. Without hesitation, he reached out to untie Zoro.
Zoro froze.
"What the hell are you talking about!? Hey! Don't just untie me like that!"
He wasn't here by accident. He had allowed himself to be captured to protect a mother and daughter. The deal with the Marines was simple: if he endured a month without food or water, the mother and daughter would be spared—and he would be released.
But Luffy, of course, didn't care about explanations. His hands fumbled quickly with the ropes.
Only—
"They're getting tighter, you idiot!!"
Zoro roared in pain as the ropes cut deeper into his skin.
Reiner: "..."
On the first day at sea, Luffy was about to strangle a potential crewmate to death. What a way to make headlines.
"Forget it, Luffy. Let me handle this."
Reiner's thoughts shifted, and suddenly a rift opened in the air. Out of it stepped a pale, eerie skeleton gripping a dagger.
Zoro's eyes widened.
"What the hell is THAT!?"
"I'm a Devil Fruit user. I can summon undead creatures."
Reiner casually took the dagger from the skeleton, sliced through the ropes with a flick, and gave Zoro a reassuring smile.
"Long story short… cough, cough… kaita cho! Just come with us, nothing to worry about."
"…Huh???"
Zoro stared at him, bewildered. He had no idea what this guy was saying, but he was disturbingly confident about it.
Reiner stabbed the dagger back into the skeleton's skull, dismissing it back into the void. He grew serious again.
"I heard about your situation in town before I came. You don't seriously think you can last a whole month without food or water, do you?"
"Tch. Not your problem."
Zoro sneered, but he didn't argue. Truth was, he was already at his limit. And this was only the ninth day.
"In any case, after today, you'll be branded a criminal. You either become a pirate… or rot here and die."
Reiner flicked away his cigarette and crushed it under his heel.
"Or, if you really have no ambition, you can just run off and hide. We'll pretend we never came."
"If all I wanted was to cower, I might as well die here."
Zoro spat on the ground and rubbed his sore wrists.
"I've still got things I need to do."
He knew Reiner was right—once wanted, he'd have no choice but to live like a pirate anyway. Since his saviors were standing here, maybe he should just sail with them.
His gaze hardened as he met Reiner's eyes.
"You seem prepared. Looks like you've set your sights on me. Are you the captain?"
"Nope. The captain's him."
Reiner jerked a thumb at Luffy.
Zoro turned to see Luffy grinning at him with pure, wide-eyed innocence.
"…Doesn't look reliable at all."
Something about this idiot made him uneasy. He glanced back at Reiner.
"Then you're the vice-captain?"
"No, no, no. I'm just logistics support."
Reiner waved his hands quickly, face full of rejection. Vice-captain? Hell no.
That kind of title drew way too much attention. Not his style at all. He wanted to develop quietly in the shadows—then shock everyone later.
People reacted very differently to "vice-captain" versus "support crew."
He was the type who preferred to take cheap shots from the back. No one understood combat better than him.
What's that? Dishonorable?
Yes. Exactly. That's me.
"Support crew?"
Zoro frowned.
"Sounds weak. You're a Devil Fruit user, aren't you? Doesn't that make you strong?"
Reiner noticed his skeptical look—and felt secretly pleased.
Perfect. That's exactly what he wanted him to think.
If he unleashed his powers right now, Zoro would be on the ground bleeding before he blinked.
At that moment, footsteps thundered across the yard.
"Ready! Fire!!"
A deep, booming voice rang out.
The three of them turned to see a massive, bear-like man wielding a giant axe. Behind him marched rows of Marines with rifles aimed straight at them.
It was Axe-Hand Morgan, captain of Branch 153!
The Marines raised their guns and opened fire.
Bang! Bang!
Bullets tore through the air toward them.
"Watch out!" Zoro shouted.
But the next instant left him speechless.
The bullets struck Luffy, only to sink harmlessly into his body, stretching his flesh like a pincushion. Then, with a violent rebound, the bullets shot back out—ricocheting straight into the Marines.
"What kind of monster is that!?"
"Dodge!!"
As the soldiers panicked, Luffy puffed out his chest and laughed proudly.
"Shishishishi! I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit. I'm a rubber man—bullets don't work on me!"
Zoro's jaw dropped.
"What the hell—he's a Devil Fruit user too!? Wait… where's that blond guy?"
He turned, only to realize Reiner had vanished.
"Damn it, my swords are gone!" Zoro cursed, clutching at his empty waist.
Meanwhile, Morgan glared at Luffy. He had been a Marine captain for three years; he wasn't ignorant.
"Don't panic! Try blades instead! Surround him and take him down!"
"Yes, sir!!"
At his command, the Marines drew their swords and charged. A chaotic melee erupted.
Zoro lunged into the fray as well, pummeling a few Marines barehanded before reclaiming a blade. The moment steel touched his grip, his aura sharpened like a beast unleashed.
Morgan scowled from the sidelines.
"Let them tire each other out. Once they're worn down, I'll strike."
What a coincidence.
That was Reiner's plan, too.
A shadow crept behind Morgan. At some point, Reiner had circled, moving silently toward the captain.
Click.
The sound of a gun cocking broke the air.
Morgan stiffened, dread crawling up his spine. He turned slowly—only to find the blond man aiming a pistol straight at his head.
"Eat shit, Captain."
"W-wait—"
BANG!
Reiner pulled the trigger without hesitation, smirking as Morgan collapsed into a pool of blood.
"Sorry, Captain, I couldn't wait. Who knows if you'd pull some kind of last-minute twist?"
He had said it before: no one understood combat better than him.
Reiner knelt, pressing his palm against Morgan's corpse. A ghostly green flame surged from his hand, engulfing the body.
Thirty seconds later, the flame returned, dancing like a will-o'-wisp in his palm.