The little wooden boat rocked gently on the vast blue sea. Waves slapped against the sides, spraying saltwater into the air. The scent of the ocean was everywhere—sharp, fresh, alive.
Adam stood at the rudder, hair blowing wildly in the wind as he stared at the endless horizon."Man… I'm really in One Piece. The sea looks way cooler up close than on a TV screen. Still… no Wi-Fi. Tragic."
Luffy was perched happily on a barrel, chewing on a piece of meat that seemed to appear out of nowhere."This ocean is amazing! Pirates, meat, adventures!"
Zoro, as usual, was lying in the shade, dead asleep.
Adam sighed. "How are they so chill? I still have a headache from the whole Morgan fiasco."
His system chimed suddenly:[Reward Added: +50 points for defeating a boss.][Debt cleared. Current balance: 40 points.]
Adam grinned. "Nice. Not rich yet, but hey, survival funds."
While he muttered to himself, another boat appeared in the distance. Sleeker, faster, and on it stood a girl with orange hair, sharp eyes, and a little satchel slung over her shoulder.
Luffy pointed instantly. "Ooh! A girl!"
Adam narrowed his eyes. "Yep… that's Nami. The thief. Guess the story's still on rails. Say goodbye to our stuff."
Nami waved cheerfully from her boat. "Yoo-hoo! Hi there, kind pirates!"
Adam leaned toward Luffy. "Heads up. She's not here to hug you. She's here to rob us."
Luffy beamed. "I like her! She's joining my crew."
Adam facepalmed. "Of course. Your one communication strategy: 'Join my crew.'"
Nami hopped aboard their boat with a smile so sweet it could rot teeth. "Wow, you guys look strong! Mind if I borrow your ship for just a little bit?"
Adam deadpanned: "You mean steal."
Nami winked. "Clever boy." In one smooth motion, she snatched Luffy's pouch.
"MY FOOD!" Luffy cried.
Adam burst out laughing. "Told you!"
Zoro cracked one eye open, saw Nami holding the bag, and then went right back to sleep."Not my problem."
Nami tied her small craft to theirs, ready to escape, but Adam used [Quick Step] and appeared in front of her, blocking the way."Hold it, Orangehead. This boat's all we've got. If you steal it, we'll be sleeping in the sea. And I don't swim."
Nami raised an eyebrow. "What are you? Normal people don't move like that."
Adam smirked. "Correct. I'm a tourist. Tourists take photos, not hostages."
Luffy popped up between them, grinning. "So! Want to join my crew instead?"
Nami laughed. "Crew? You mean this sad team? You've got a wreck of a boat, two swords, and half a sack of meat."
Adam piped in. "Don't forget: one rubber boy and one tourist on loan."
Nami tilted her head. "You guys are the strangest bunch I've ever met."
Before she could continue, the sea shook. A much larger pirate ship appeared in the distance, cannons lining its sides. Its black flag fluttered in the wind, painted with a ridiculous clownish skull.
The Marines' voices carried across the water: "It's Captain Buggy!"
Luffy's grin widened. "Cool! More pirates!"
Adam froze. "Buggy?! No no no, it's way too early for clown nightmares!"
Nami bit her lip. "This is bad… I hate pirates, and I'm not going down with you fools."
Adam held out a hand. "If you wanna live, stick with us. At least our brand of insanity comes with half a brain cell."
Nami snorted. "Half a brain cell? That's the most accurate thing I've heard about you so far."
The pirate ship's cannons roared. Cannonballs splashed around their boat, sending up walls of seawater. The little vessel rocked violently.
Adam looked up, feeling the salty spray, the heat of the explosions, the rush of adrenaline. His heart pounded hard, but for the first time, he grinned wide."This… this is a real adventure. And I'm right in the middle of it."