He could not believe he was here. His nerves were on edge, and he barely managed to keep his cool in front of the crew.
They are real! This is real! Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp — all living and breathing in front of me!
Mario pinched himself once, twice, three times. No, he wasn't dreaming.
He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart.
First, he needed to inspect the ship.
Mario started his inspection with determination. He moved below deck, stepping carefully through the narrow corridors of the Going Merry. The familiar creaks and groans of the wooden ship echoed around him like a heartbeat. Everything was… exactly as he had imagined, yet terrifyingly tangible.
The food stores were sparse. Barrels of rice were half-empty, some crates looked battered by salt and time. Water supplies were running dangerously low. A faint musty smell filled the air — a mixture of sea salt, damp wood, and stale provisions.
He scribbled notes furiously on the parchment, cataloging every empty barrel, every damaged sack. His eyes scanned the walls for cracks, checking the timbers for signs of wear.
The ship was holding together.
Mario shook his head. Thinking about what is to come.
Upstairs, the muffled sounds of the crew carried through the wooden floorboards — Luffy laughing wildly, Zoro snoring quietly in the corner, Nami softly organizing charts and maps.
He climbed back onto the deck, breathing in the salty sea air.
Luffy bounded over, waving enthusiastically. "How's the inspection, Mario?"
Mario forced a smile. "It's… not that bad. Only supplies are low thanks to someone. The ship does not need repairs. But if we don't restock soon, we're in trouble."
Luffy's grin didn't falter. "Then we'll just find some meat and fix everything! Easy!"
Mario laughed softly.
Nami approached, folding her arms. "You're doing well so far. But managing this crew is going to be a challenge."
Mario looked around at the Straw Hats — a motley crew full of chaos, laughter, and loyalty. Somehow, he felt ready.
"I'm not just here to manage supplies," Mario said quietly. "I'm here to make sure we can keep sailing. To make sure your journey continues."
Luffy gave him a thumbs-up. "Welcome to the crew, Quartermaster Mario!"
The wind picked up, fluttering the sails of the Going Merry as the sun dipped toward the horizon.
For the first time, Mario felt like he wasn't just a fan living in the shadows of a story.
He was part of it.
But he also worried.
He had no powers.
No Devil Fruit. No swordsmanship. No haki.
In a world where strength meant survival, where every enemy seemed to wield unbelievable abilities, Mario's own body felt painfully ordinary. Vulnerable.
How could he protect them without power?
He loved them. Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Usopp — the Straw Hats were more than just pirates; they were family. And family deserved to be protected.
Determination flared in his eyes, sharper than the glint of any sword. If I can't fight, then I'll find another way.
As the Going Merry sailed onward, cutting through the endless blue, Mario found a quiet corner on deck and began to inspect his body. He flexed his fingers, feeling the strength in his hands, the steady beat of his heart.
No scars. No marks. No secret weapon hidden beneath his skin.
Just a normal man.
But maybe, just maybe, that wasn't the whole story.
I'll learn. I'll adapt. I'll become someone worthy of this crew.
Mario took a deep breath and looked out at the horizon.
Whatever comes next… I won't let them down. "We're here at the restaurant!!" Luffy yelled from the deck, his voice full of excitement and hunger.
Mario pushed open the cabin door and stepped outside, blinking against the bright sunlight.
Ahead of them, floating majestically on the calm blue sea, was the Baratie — the famous floating restaurant shaped like a giant fish. Its wooden hull gleamed in the sun, adorned with colorful flags fluttering in the sea breeze. The smell of sizzling food wafted across the water, teasing Mario's nose.
The Baratie looked almost unreal, like something straight out of a dream—or a crazy pirate tale. A place where chefs wielded knives like swords, and food was worth risking your life for.
Mario's heart pounded.
This is it. My first real step into their world.
Luffy was practically bouncing on the deck, his mouth watering. "Let's eat! Let's eat!"
Nami pulled Mario aside with a sharp look. "Remember, we're low on supplies, but we can't let Luffy spend all our money on meat."
"Don't worry, I got this…" Mario began, but before he could finish, his eyes caught movement on the horizon.
A Marine ship was approaching fast from the right side, cutting through the waves with purpose.
"Crap… I forgot about this guy," Mario muttered under his breath.
On the Marine ship's deck stood a dashing middle-aged man — Lieutenant Ironfist — dressed in a sharp, full-body navy suit that gleamed under the sun. His posture was rigid, his piercing eyes scanning the Going Merry like a hawk hunting prey.
"Hmm…" the lieutenant said aloud, voice carrying across the water. "I've never seen that pirate flag before… Who is your captain?"
Luffy stepped forward, chest puffed out. "That's me! Monkey D. Luffy! Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates!"
Lieutenant Ironfist's eyes narrowed. "Straw Hat Pirates…? You don't look familiar."
Nami's hand subtly moved to her weapon, eyes sharp and calculating.
Mario's heart raced.
This was no ordinary Marine patrol.
"This is going to get complicated," Mario whispered.
Luffy grinned confidently. "What's it to you, Lieutenant?"
Ironfist's gaze hardened. "I'm here to keep the seas safe — and strangers like you don't belong near the Baratie."
Mario clenched his fists, knowing that words alone wouldn't stop a Marine with that kind of presence.
"Wait," Lieutenant Ironfist said, narrowing his eyes. "I know you two. Johnny and Yosaku, right? I've seen you in the Marine office records. Aren't you just small-time bounty hunters?"
Johnny and Yosaku puffed out their chests, trying to act cool.
"Pffh! Brother," Johnny sneered, "I think this guy deserves a beating."
"Yeah! Let's show him what we're made of!" Yosaku added, cracking his knuckles.
Before anyone could stop them, both charged at Lieutenant Ironfist at the same time.
But in less than a second, they were both sprawled out on the ground, groaning and rubbing sore spots.
"We almost had him… close fight," Johnny wheezed.
"Both of you are kinda weak, aren't you?" Luffy said with a lazy grin as he and Zoro watched the two bounty hunters flop around.
"Darling, the drinks are getting warm—don't keep me waiting!" a woman's voice called out sharply from the Marine ship.
Lieutenant Ironfist gave a brief nod toward the ship. "Count yourself lucky—I'm off duty. But next time? You're going down."
With that, the Marine ship accelerated, slicing through the waves away from the Going Merry and the Baratie.
The others didn't notice, but Mario's eyes caught something. He looked down at the wanted posters Johnny had dropped in their scramble and saw that Nami was clutching one tightly to her chest.
Usopp's voice cracked the tense air. "GUYS! WE'RE IN DEEP SHIT! They're aiming a cannon at us!"
Zoro sprang into action immediately, drawing his swords and crouching low. His eyes sharpened as he prepared to cut the incoming cannonball mid-air if needed.
BOM!
The cannon fired—a thunderous boom echoed across the water.
"Leave this to me!" Luffy shouted.
In an instant, Luffy's body expanded like a giant balloon, his skin stretching and bouncing.
The massive cannonball slammed against Luffy's rubbery chest—boing—and bounced harmlessly off him.
The cannonball then flew forward, crashing straight into the Baratie's hull with a massive explosion.
Splinters of wood and smoke erupted around the restaurant as chaos erupted on the floating kitchen.
Everyone stood frozen for a moment — eyes wide, jaws slack — not just at Luffy's bizarre balloon-like body, but at where the cannonball had actually ended up.
The explosion still echoed across the sea, smoke rising from the side of the Baratie, chunks of splintered wood raining into the ocean.
"…What… just happened?" Usopp finally whispered, blinking.
"Luffy… bounced it back?" Johnny said, eyes filled with awe.
Yosaku nodded. "And hit the floating restaurant."
Zoro exhaled sharply through his nose. "Idiot."
Luffy stood proudly, arms on his hips. "See?! I told you I got it!"
"You hit the restaurant, you moron!" Nami shouted, stomping toward him. "Do you realize how expensive that place is?! We're supposed to buy food from them, not blow it up!"
Luffy scratched his head, still grinning. "Oops."
Mario sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. "This is gonna be a challenge…"
He looked at the rising smoke, then at the panicked chefs running across the upper deck of the Baratie, shouting and waving their arms.
"…A big challenge."
Before anyone could react, a massive voice roared from the Baratie:
"WHO THE HELL FIRED A CANNONBALL AT MY KITCHEN?!"
A tall man in a white chef's uniform and a chef's hat the size of a small boat stormed to the railing, veins bulging in his forehead. His cleaver glinted in the sunlight as he shouted again:
"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK TO PERFECT MY SEAFOOD STOCK?!"
Mario gulped. "And here comes the next problem…"
Nami groaned. "Great. We've pissed off the chef commander."
Zoro chuckled darkly. "This day just keeps getting better."
Luffy waved excitedly. "Hey! Sorry! We didn't mean to hit you!"
"YOU THINK 'SORRY' FIXES A HOLE IN MY WALL, STRAW HAT?!" the chef screamed back.
Usopp ducked behind the mast. "We're all gonna die. I don't want to get murdered by a chef!"