311
Luffy POV,
I ran through the sky of Jaya Island, thinking over things. I was pissed at the whole situation. Keeping my Observation high to the maximum level to find out any weeds that I missed.
Masked Deuce, Ace, and Sabo were also doing the same, trying to find any hidden enemies. While Sparky and Sanji stayed back in the ship in case we were attacked again.
Right after convincing Cricket about my theory on Jaya getting blasted sky-high. A problem popped up.
And it wasn't your average Monday problem either. Fuck no… It was a big one.
Some fucking Pacifistas attacked my crew. My Crew!
And that… that made me infuriated! This just crosses the line. "I'm so going to enjoy it when I eventually get my hands on that fat pig." I said out loud, thinking of Saint Camael.
I already knew his name. I had known about it for quite a while. The agent that he sent to blow up the Going Merry, sang like a bird after getting a bit of 'motivation' from me.
Of course 'motivation' meaning I tortured the shit and piss out of the man. Huh, good times.
I shook my head as I dropped down from the sky, and with my Nameless Naginata in my hand. I swung it forward, a sword slash sparking with red electricity came out, cutting down the already broken trees and rubble.
I clicked my tongue, I usually didn't get mad. Even while fighting my opponents, I made a note to keep my head cool.
But this… when it came to my crew. That shit became personal.
Johnny and Yosaku were hurt. They were hurt, pretty badly.
Even with Chopper's skills, and Law helping out, they had yet to wake up.
The former bounty-hunting duo looked like they were put through a grinder. Multiple, at least twenty or so, broken bones, and mass internal bleeding. Not to mention that later they found out Johnny had taken a pretty bad hit to the head, clogging some blood in his brain, while Yosaku literally got both of his kneecaps broken along with the rest of his legs.
Like fuck, they were fighting even with those kinds of injuries. I knew they were talented with Life Return, but fighting with those kinds of injuries. That… that was amazing.
It made me mad, just thinking, how hopeless my crewmates might have felt going against an enemy they considered as a Warlord.
I sighed, my hand shaking with fury, "I got off lucky this time." I muttered.
Good thing we had Law here, while Yosaku's injury was bad, Johnny's was worse. A head trauma could do many bad things for a fighter. Even in the One Piece world, that kind of injury was bad.
And while Chopper was capable of taking care of it. The little mink got a lot of help from Law. Making the eight to nine-hour operation last only half an hour and without any complications.
And not to mention Yosaku's operation. His bones were a mush before Chopper and Law worked on it.
That… that made my resolve to recruit Law even more.
We didn't even need to ask for him to help. The man just moved on his own and helped us. My guy was a literal lifesaver.
And while I wanted to offer him a spot in my crew I held off. Law, he was a broken man. Even while he did help us. He was most likely doing it to keep himself busy and not worry about his own crew.
I could kind of understand him, and that's why I didn't offer him an invitation.
Only three of his crewmates survived. His childhood friends that he grew up with. The other members of his crew were dead. And that… that kind of thing would break a man.
After helping with Johnny and Yosaku, Law had also gotten off the ship and went towards his fallen crewmates to give them a proper burial. The man looked like a husk of himself.
He just informed and requested that his three crewmates be taken care of for a short while, before he left.
"At least he trusts us with his remaining crewmates," I said, that was good progress in my books.
The wound was fresh and I knew better than to ask something selfish right now. I would wait until Bepo and the others wake up.
I sighed, Johnny and Yosaku weren't the only ones that were attacked. Coby's group were attacked as well.
But unlike Johnny and Yosaku, I was a bit less worried about my pink-haired, hero-complex pirate. Coby had shown time and time again that he could pull through tough situations.
Though, fighting a Pacifista would have still been hard on him. But somehow, he had managed.
The boy had hit a sudden growth spurt of sorts. He already looked like his canon self, but now, after the changes. He looked different, more muscular, taller and his aura had matured.
A small grin dawned on my face, "Coby might unlock Haki even before Gin." I mumbled.
Gin might be older and have more battle experience. But Coby… the boy was just built differently.
From what I heard from Hatchan, Coby had to regenerate his arms, chest and face back while fighting against the Pacifista. With how Hatchan said it, it seems that Coby hard-carried the whole fight alone.
That… I couldn't feel myself getting even more proud at his accomplishment.
At the same time, I shuddered thinking what might have happened if Johnny or Yosaku had faced that kind of attack. They couldn't regenerate like Coby…
But then something came to my mind.
They had potential with Life Return. And that might be a very good reason why they won against the Pacifista. Back in Alabasta, they were helping Chopper a lot. Maybe they were able to make some breakthroughs with the technique.
I knew for a fact that Life Return is more useful than it seems. Still, both of them being able to take down one of them was quite amazing.
If I remember correctly, didn't it take Law, Killer, and Kid to take one of them down? Though, they were more or less taking it lightly. But the Pacifistas were usually powerful enough to take down pirates and criminals below the hundred million mark. The fact that my crew was able to beat off not one, not two but three was quite amazing.
I shook my head. "No, they were fine…" I told myself. It was still hard to believe that the former bounty hunter duo came out of the confrontation alive. I couldn't be more proud of them.
It also made me think of what fruits should I give them. When I asked before they didn't point out anything yet. But maybe now they had some choices. If its one of the fruits we have then, it's good. If not, they would need to wait a bit. But I'll try my best to give them what they want.
312
Thinking about it, Coby really outdid himself, but it was expected.
Out of all the crewmates, he was the most dedicated to training. He was right behind the Monster Trio (Sanji, Zoro and Kuina) in terms of dedication, and while Gin was loyal…
Coby did his training to accomplish a goal. And a boy like that… I could see him winning against a Pacifista. And he did so. With that kind of power, if our bounties were active, he would easily reach a hundred million mark easily.
I smiled, and thanked my previous self for getting him onto my own crew.
Though, he wasn't alone in accomplishing great things today.
Usopp and Barto… they did amazing. When they were attacked, they handled it very easily.
Utilizing both of their fruit powers, they took down the Pacifista without taking any damage or doing any damage.
Basically, Barto distracted the robot with his barriers, while Usopp crawled up the bot's ass and turned it off after ripping out a few wires.
And that wasn't all, Usopp made a point to shrink it down and take it back to the ship. We… we could use that. Heck, I could even see the Revolutionary Army using that.
Though I wouldn't give the full body Pacifista to them. No, I just know for a fact that a certain future crewmate of mine would love that.
And there were still two other Pacifistas that I will gladly give to the Revolutionaries.
The one that Coby fought was in shambles, but the one that fought against Johnny and Yosaku was quite fine.
With a few scratches and some water damage, they were able to push it to the sea. I'm sure the R&D department of the Revolutionaries could figure something out.
I jumped up, with Geppo taking the high ground till I could see the full view of the island of Jaya from above. I whistled, "Wow, we really did destroy half of the island."
Heck, I was sure that the maps would need to be rewritten. The once luscious forest was now a big messed up landscape, with craters, rubble and large burn marks being common.
A lot had happened today. My fight with Aramaki, and then, later, Teach. And my crew's fight with the others. Fortunately, everyone got out safely.
It just made me glad, knowing that I was going the right way with their training. I could understand my own body, but when it came to others, I usually didn't push them too much as I knew motivation was a key factor in gaining strength in this world.
Motivation was part of one's will. I couldn't just force someone to do a thousand pushups and expect results. That would be fucking ridiculous.
And those that knew anything about training would easily be able to tell that it was pointless. Bodyweight exercise after a certain volume just becomes cardio. Well, unless you take the Goku route and do Gravity training.
"Huh, wonder where's Fujitora…?" I mumbled, looking around the island from anything suspicious. Gravity training would really help me in the long run.
While I was able to keep up with Ace and Sabo with my Gear Fourth Lion Man. I was nowhere near the Wano-level original Luffy.
I had speed and raw strength. But if my calculations were right. Then Katakuri would still be a challenge because of his Advanced Observation Haki. Heck, there was a chance that he might even beat me.
I had speed and I also had the Gomu Gomu no Black Mamba move under my belt. But if I were to face a fully fresh Katakuri, I knew he wouldn't give me a chance to attack. I had a few ideas on what Advanced Observation Haki is.
And if I was right, then the moment I even think about pulling out my attack, Katakuri would move in and attack me.
Sure, I was more destructive and had Advanced Armament Haki but he had speed and Advanced Observation Haki. If the fight stretched out for a long while, there would be no mistake, I was confident in myself in winning.
But in a one on one, if the match was quick, then I had a fifty-fifty chance of winning.
I really needed to bring my speed up. Good thing Sanji was almost catching up to my speed with his fruit's ability. And if I'm right, it wouldn't be long before he could give me a challenge in speed.
Even in the original, Sanji was a speed demon. Blitzing from one point to another where even seasoned fighters were left wondering what happened.
But that would take a long while. But what about after that? Gravity training was still optimal if I wanted to get strong and make my crew stronger.
"I should really try to recruit Fujitora to my crew." I mumbled. With my reputation, that should be possible if I pursue him before the Marines.
Currently, he is a bounty hunter from what I gathered, so he still wasn't recruited yet. But he was on the other part of the Grand Line and doing that in the nick of time would be quite tough. But oh well.
Franky should be able to make something.
For now, training under Sparky's Slow ability should suffice. Even though I'm gaining diminishing returns from the training. I could still squeeze out a few gains.
A small smile tugged on my lips as I wondered of various ways to train my crew. I was still running through the air, trying to find anything on the enemy.
Usopp had informed me of the Door-Door fruit user. And if I'm not wrong, it should be Blueno. But that wasn't all. The Pacifistas all had Germa Invisibility Watches on them. So, I also had to look out for invisibility tech. After having the invisibility device for a while now, I could spot them out with some difficulty. Still, it wasn't perfect.
I also messed something up, which in my defense I didn't know that would happen.
While fighting, Sabo wasn't wearing his mask, so I'm pretty sure that Saint Camael knows that I work with someone from the Revolutionary Army. And by extension, the World Government knows that as well.
"I really should have forced my brother to wear his mask." I mumbled. Still, it wasn't all bad.
Now that I was an official Warlord, the World Government couldn't willy-nilly kick me out of the pact. Fuck no.
The most they can do is threaten me. And if they do, I can also bring up the fact that Saint Camael had not only attacked me with Aramaki and Shiryu, he also sent artificial Kuma-clones after me.
I mean he did try to kill me and my crew just before a big war, that should be something.
If not, then I would have to lie about Sabo being there at the right time and was giving me a hand because I was Dragon's kid. Nothing more.
Though, I'm not sure that would work either, as Sabo did wear similar clothes even while wearing his plague mask.
"Tch, I'll have to think of something…" I grumbled.
There was also a slim chance that Saint Camael might not rat me out to the World Government to save his own skin. And if that was the case I couldn't bring up this incident either.
With all things considered, that would have been the optimal choice. Though who knows what might happen.
With my crew being a Warlord's crew and with us facing off against a pirate who was a former Whitebeard pirate. I'm pretty sure the Marines and World Government already knows this by now.
So, I'm kind of surprised that they didn't call me right away. Though, they might still not know that the fight is finished.
Anyway, speaking of masks. While Sabo didn't wear his, one person did. It was Robin.
My sister was paranoid. Which, in all things considered, was a good thing. From the point of leaving Alabasta till now, she hadn't removed her mask while being on the deck. Only removing it when necessary.
And because of that I was confident that the World Government didn't know about her yet. But still with Blueno having his Door-Door Fruit, anything could happen.
I also had cautioned everyone in the crew to be careful of what they say or do. I also put Sanji on guard, as while me, Sparky, Ace, Sabo and Masked Deuce were scouting out the area. Sanji was the only conscious member that knew Haki, so he was on guard in case we were spied on again. That was one of the reasons why I was pissed and paranoid about everything.
I sighed. I also had to call in a favor from Morgan to observe how the Marines and World Government sees the situation. And how they acted.
My fight here in Jaya would cause quite the news. The official plan was hiding Ace and Sabo's involvement in taking down Teach and taking all the credit for myself.
I didn't like it. But that would have been a good publicity stunt. Me, a new Warlord, taking down a former Whitebeard pirate. That was the kind of news that Morgan would be dying to sell.
But if the World Government knows this, rather than seeing my praise in the next day's paper. I will see my bounty raise instead.
Fuck it. I was just overthinking things.
The Warlords were able to get away with multiple crimes. Heck, even Mihawk was buddy-buddies with Shanks, with them duking it out now and again. So I should be good… Right?
"Agh…" I groaned, I need a full-course meal after this.
I will also have to speed up going to Skypiea. That way I could throw off Blueno or any other spies that Saint Camael has on me.
Though the most problematic thing was that I lost most of the fruits due to Blueno's and the Pacifistas' involvement.
We only got two fruits, the mythical Griffin fruit, and the Teleportation fruit. The first one was thanks to Sparky, who literally killed Laffitte up near a pile of fruits. While the latter was thanks to Usopp who had a shrunk-down fruit basket in hand while fighting Van Augur.
Still, it was better than nothing I guess.
Suddenly the Nameless Naginata that was in my hand gave me a red spark of electricity, making me frown. The blade had yet to communicate with me after the fight… and I wasn't paying much attention to it.
But… my eyes widened. No, it couldn't be.
313
The next day,
The island of Jaya, once a haven of lush beauty and vibrant life, now lay ravaged and broken, a testament to the cataclysmic clash between the pirates.
The once majestic forest, once teeming with a symphony of bird calls and the rustling of leaves, now stood as a haunting silhouette of shattered trunks and splintered branches. The ground itself had been torn asunder, deep crevices and chasms splitting the earth in jagged lines, as if the island itself had cried out in agony.
Most maps that once guided travelers through the serene landscape of Jaya were now rendered useless, as the devastation had completely altered the terrain. Mountains that once stood tall and proud were now broken or flattened, and valleys had risen to meet the sky. The very landmarks that once served as beacons of direction were now lost in the chaos, a haunting reminder of the power that had reshaped the island.
Almost all the inhabitants of Jaya had fled, the pirates of Mock town, and the few locals that called the place home had mostly fled. Leaving behind only a few unfortunate souls who were either trapped or chose to weather the storm that had battered the island.
The few pirates that still were on the island chose to hide rather than show themselves, until the new Warlord leaves the island.
In the aftermath of the cataclysmic clash, Jaya stood as a scarred-but-not-defeated island. It bore the marks of the battle with pride.
A reminder of the titanic forces that had collided and the unfathomable power that had shaped its landmass.
Law stood amidst the serene beauty of the island of Jaya, his heart heavy with grief as he surveyed the landscape. The lush forest, once teeming with life, now bore the scars of the cataclysmic clash of pirates that had brought devastation to the land. It was in this solemn and broken setting that Law found himself, facing a painful task that he knew must be done.
With a determined expression, Law reached for a shovel, its metal blade reflecting the filtered sunlight that managed to pierce through the canopy above. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the emotional burden ahead, and began to dig. The earth was soft, still tender from the cataclysm, making the task slightly easier, but every shovelful felt like a weight on his heart.
As Law dug, memories of his lost crewmates flooded his mind. They had been more than just comrades; they were family, a group of individuals who had shared dreams, laughter, and hardships. Their bond had been forged through countless battles, and now, their journey together had come to an end.
His hands worked with steady determination, the rhythmic clinking of the shovel against the earth echoing through the forest. The sound seemed to resonate with the heartbeat of the island itself, as if the land too mourned the loss of his crewmates.
Law could have used his abilities to make it quick. But some tasks were better done slowly.
The graves took shape, each one carefully measured and marked. Law's brow furrowed with a mix of sadness and reverence, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He knew that this act of burying his crewmates would not bring them back, but it was a solemn tribute, a way to honor their memory and the sacrifices they had made.
As the graves were completed, Law took a moment to stand back and survey his work. Each mound of freshly turned earth represented a life lost, a future unrealized. The stones that would mark their final resting places stood nearby, waiting to bear the names of those they had lost.
With a deep sense of solemnity, Law stepped forward and gently laid his crewmates to rest, one by one, within the sanctity of the graves he had dug. He murmured words of farewell, a private goodbye to each one of them, his voice tinged with sorrow and gratitude for the time they had shared.
While some of his crewmates had full bodies, others had their limbs missing. This was what Law managed to salvage from the sea. When the bounty hunter attacked his crew, he left the Polar Tang destroyed in the sea, and due to a devastating fight afterward.
It was quite hard to find some of their bodies. But a friendly Fishman named Hatchan had given him a hand in getting down to the sea and finding their bodies. And he was eternally grateful for that.
Once the task was done, Law stood before the graves, the weight of loss heavy upon his shoulders. But amidst the pain, he found strength in the memories of his crewmates. Their memories lived on in his heart, and he knew that they would forever be a part of him. They were not just his crewmates, but his family.
All of them had shared dreams and grand goals. But… A few drops of tears fell to the ground, as the young man silently mourned.
In the aftermath of the burial, the forest seemed to embrace Law, offering a quiet solace amidst the devastation. The wind whispered gently through the leaves, as if carrying the echoes of his farewell to his fallen comrades.
Law stood there for a long while, allowing himself to grieve and find solace in the presence of those he had lost. With renewed determination, he vowed to carry their legacy forward, to protect and fight in their honor.
All of them were doctors, all of them wanted to do better in the world. To help people, and… Law had his own goals but as their captain, he took it upon himself to carry their dreams as well.
Bepo, who was now by Law's side, sobbed in his wheelchair. The mink was too injured to move around without support. And Penguin and Shachi were still blinking in and out of consciousness.
But Law and Bepo weren't the only ones, a bit far away, Luffy stood leaning on a tree with his hat covering his eyes. Sparky who sat on the tree above him had a mournful expression on his face.
By their side Chopper and Hatchan wept because of Law's loss. The others of the Straw Hat pirates were also there, dawning the atmosphere of the island in sadness.
While none of them lost their crewmates today, they shivered just thinking of losing one of them. The crew might have been new, but the bonds they shared were quite important to them.
They all had dreams that united them to the road of the sea. But for most of the Straw Hats this was the first time seeing so many deaths, and maybe the possible end for another pirate crew.
While they might have not known Law for more than a day, everyone could feel the young man's emotions. And at the same time, the Straw Hats were also grateful for the help that the young man provided in helping take care of their injured. So when it came time to help them, they did whatever they could.
However, the only one that could help was Hatchan. Others were too injured or were unable to swim. Even Luffy wasn't fully healed enough to dive deep into the seas.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting its warm glow upon the graves, Law turned away from the solemn scene. With each step he took, the memory of his lost crewmates walked beside him, a guiding light through the darkness. And though they were gone, their presence remained, forever etched in the heart of Trafalgar Water D. Law, the captain who had dug their graves and vowed to carry their dreams with him on his journey.
————
A.N: A bit of sad Chapter for Law. 😢
314
The Going Merry was docked near the island of Jaya, a weathered ship with a sheep figurehead, that was coated with a metal frame all around.
A bit far from the ship, the sea king Momoo swam freely in the ocean. While the crew did their duties in and outside the ship.
The tropical climate brings warm temperatures and gentle sea breezes, with occasional squawks of seagulls. A stark contrast with the roaring sea of the previous day.
Nothing much happened the previous day after the fight was over. After searching around the island and finding nothing about the spies, the crew packed in for the day.
Almost all of the members of the pirate crew were exhausted either from the sea journey or from the fights. They would have usually held a party after such a battle.
But with Ace not being in the mood due to killing Teach, who he once saw as a friend and crewmate, and Law losing most of his own crewmates. The celebration never happened.
Not to mention there was always a hint of paranoia in the air due to the Door-Door fruit user and the Germa Invisibility tech. Though, it wasn't a complete loss. Luffy and most of the fighters slept in like logs after eating so the night passed without anything noteworthy.
Though, now that the morning had arrived, things started off slow. Mainly as Law took the time to find and bury the members of the crew with the help of the Straw Hats.
After that the Death Surgeon went back with Bepo to the medical room of the Going Merry, tending to his other two crewmates. Luffy had offered them to stay till they were able to walk, and finding no other ships that had capable medical equipment, the doctor reluctantly agreed.
Law was yet to fully trust the Warlord, but he was grateful for what the man did. And so he did anything he could do to help around.
Still, what surprised the Death Surgeon was the vitality of the crew. Even fights where they had sustained serious injuries, like the female swordswoman, or the one with a head injury, were almost back to full health and up and training.
That… just what kind of crew did the new Warlord gather? That kind of vitality was almost unheard of. And that's not to mention the gruesome training the pirates were doing.
They were pushing their bodies to the extreme. But unlike how he suspected it would hamper them, it didn't. That could only mean that their bodies were used to these extreme conditions.
And Law found that mind-boggling. The young doctor's fist clenched, his knuckles turning white. Maybe… maybe if he was like Luffy and trained his own crew they might have been alive. Maybe…
He shook his head. That kind of thinking would get him nowhere. He looked at his side, where Bepo had fallen asleep on his wheelchair. While Penguin and Shachi slept on their beds. He would also need to train them if he wanted them to get back into shape.
Though… a fear crawled up to him. What if they decide to leave the crew?
While Law wanted to continue his journey and get his vengeance on Doflamingo, he knew better than to force his will upon his crew. After what had happened there was a big chance that they might not continue their journey.
And it would be understandable, he did fail his crew. Most of his crewmates were dead because of his own weakness. If only… if only he was stronger.
Maybe then this tragedy could have been avoided. If he was stronger as a kid, maybe he could have saved Corazon as well. It was all because of his own weakness…
Law shook his head. Trying and failing to keep the self deprecating thoughts out of his way. They hurt, but they were true.
He didn't know what would happen next. But he promised himself one thing. He would be strong, next time he would be strong enough to help his crew. He wouldn't let himself fall into that kind of situation again. Never.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting an amber glow over the already devastated island of Jaya. Amidst the wreckage of the island, two formidable fighters stood facing each other.
"So you want to fight me, huh?" Ace asked, musing at the green-haired swordsman. "I was wondering when you would do that…"
Zoro grinned as he unsheathed his swords, a determined glint in his eyes. "I was waiting till you were at your strongest… and if I'm not wrong. Then you certainly did get strong."
Ace smirked, "Oh, but I'm not the only one am I?"
"Heh," Zoro put Yubashiri in his mouth, while in his hands were Akaiittou Nozarashi and Sandai Kitetsu. "But enough talking, my blades are itching to cut you up."
Ace unsheathed his own sword, Enma glinting black as he donned the blade with his own Haki and blue flames.
Seeing the flames Zoro perked up, even from this distance he could feel the heat of his flames. His own green flames came to life around his blades, dancing with an ominous glow as his blades glowed black due to his Haki.
Both fighters eyed each other for a second, before moving in at the same time. Both of them clashed right in between.
Causing a massive explosion of green flames against blue. The sparks of Haki lit up the battlefield as both users unleashed their Conqueror's Haki.
Both fighters clashed, and blows were exchanged. The air around them crackled with the intensity of their clash, as Zoro and Ace traded blows with incredible precision and skill. The island of Jaya quaked with the force of their strikes, the ground crumbling beneath their feet as the remnants of their previous battles bore witness to the training match.
Ace's blue flames clashed with Zoro's green flames, each display of power leaving behind a trail of scorch marks and shattered debris. The heat of the battle intensified, but there was a playful glimmer in Ace's eyes, as he was fully aware of the true purpose of this sparring match—to hone Zoro's skills.
As the fight progressed, Zoro found himself pushed to his limits. 'Even with my increase in strength after Shiryu, he's still ahead of me.' Zoro thought as he pushed forward.
Ace's mastery over fire was formidable, and he skillfully used it to his advantage, creating blazing walls of fire to corral Zoro and limit his movements. But Zoro was not one to back down. With determination etched on his face, he pushed through the flames, cutting through them, using his swords to part the fiery obstacles before him.
"I hope you are giving it your all, swordsman, 'cause I will only fight you once." Ace grinned.
Zoro snorted. "Oh, you are going to come back after I beat you. Flaming Tora-Giri!"
Ace just smiled, his whole body turning into blue flames as he cut through the attack, tackling Zoro up in the air before kicking him off.
Zoro found himself off the ground, but quickly steadied himself with Geppo before charging ahead with Soru.
The battle soon escalated as Zoro ran through the sky with impressive acrobatics clashing with the flame logia.
"Rengoku Oni Giri!"
"Hiken!"
Both attacks clashed, as a tsunami of green and blue flames fought for supremacy. But just as the green flames were about to overpower the blue ones, a figure came out of the flames and sent a drop kick to Zoro's gut.
The swordsman was caught off guard and found himself flying back while coughing up blood and saliva.
Ace followed suit, flying with the aid of his flames as the sky became a canvas for their breathtaking duel. They twisted and turned, clashing swords and fire in a spectacular aerial dance.
Despite Ace's superiority, Zoro refused to yield. The thrill of the fight fueled his determination, and he tapped into reserves of strength he never knew he had. The green flames surged with renewed intensity, as Zoro unleashed a flurry of attacks, each strike carrying the weight of his training and the will to grow stronger.
Ace grinned and matched Zoro blow for blow. Their Haki clashed during the fight, making the atmosphere more intense and heated.
Masked Deuce whistled seeing the fight from afar. "They are at it like cats and dogs… fire users and their short temper…" he said before looking at the other side, where Sanji was fighting against Sabo with the same intensity.
"Your crew is quite the try-hard one." He said, smiling at Sparky who was trying to better use his powers.
"Thanks." The six-armed monkey said, going back to his training. Trying to slow down a plethora of rocks and rubble. Trying to make them slower, trying to increase the time they remained slow. He had gone back to training with Masked Deuce, to make better use of his time.
Masked Deuce and Ace are going to part ways now that their jobs are finished. And because of that, Sparky wanted to learn as much as possible Even though their powers were not the same, they were similar enough.
315
While all of this was happening, Kuina was on the other side of the island not anywhere near the fights that were occurring. She seemed disinterested.
Kuina sat atop a large rock, her gaze fixed on the horizon as the sun cast a warm, golden glow over the landscape. The vast expanse of the ocean stretched out before her, its rhythmic waves crashing against the rocky shore below. The sea breeze gently tousled her dark hair, carrying with it the scent of salt and frost. It was a breathtaking view, but her thoughts were far from serene.
Her last fight still haunted her mind, the memory of defeat gnawing at her pride. Laffitte, the pirate, had outmatched her in speed and power. She might have been more skillful, but it didn't fill the gap and ultimately she lost.
She had been a skilled swordswoman, driven by her passion and determination to become the greatest. But that fateful battle had shattered her confidence, leaving her questioning her abilities and decisions.
"I should have been better," she muttered to herself, her voice barely audible above the sound of the crashing waves.
But that wasn't all, she was also feeling left behind. Zoro, had stepped up and became strong. He was already strong, and now the gap had increased. It made her wonder, doubt herself.
Kuina's fingers traced the hilt of her sword, Wado Ichimonji, a familiar comfort in her grasp. She had trained relentlessly, honing her techniques for years, but it seemed that no matter how hard she tried, she could not keep up with her crewmates' rapid progress. Doubt crept into her heart like a persistent shadow, whispering that maybe she was not cut out for this path after all.
The sun was high, casting elongated shadows on the rocky shore, Kuina's contemplation deepened. She looked back on her journey, the dreams she once held so dearly, and the unwavering belief that she could conquer any obstacle in her path. But now, she found herself adrift, lost in a sea of uncertainty.
"So, that's where you are?" Luffy said, making the swordswoman glance back at her captain.
"Is there anything you need, Captain?"
Luffy shook his head, his arms crossed, "Just wanted to take you out on a date."
"…" She then snapped her head at the young man, "What?"
Luffy burst out laughing, "Shishishi… God, that was hilarious," he said, grinning, "But sorry, no. I'm a married man, and I'm sure a certain someone would grill me if I did…" he winked.
"Huh, who?" Kuina asked, clearly clueless.
Luffy sweatdropped, 'Nami wasn't lying when she said Kuina is as thick as her ice when it comes to these sorts of things,' he thought, before shaking his head. "No, nothing. Anyway, I have some free time, want to spar?"
If it was any other time Kuina would have agreed, but now she wasn't certain, "Are you sure captain? I might not be able to give you a challenge…"
"Huh, what do you mean?" Luffy asked, playing clueless. "You have gotten plenty strong after your fight with the bird-man. Is something wrong?"
She hesitated for a moment, but Luffy pushed on.
"Hey, don't sweat it too much. Feeling down after a loss is totally normal, you know?"
She nodded, slapping both of her palms on her cheek. "You're right, captain." She was feeling down yes, but she could not deny the spark that still flickered deep within her. "I can't give up," she said, her voice determined and resolute. "I won't let doubt consume me."
"That's the spirit!" Luffy grinned, "Now, let's get to training!" he said, pumping his fist up in the air. 'Good thing I was able to get her out of her rut. Who knew being a Captain would be easy?'
Kuina copied him, "Yes! Let's do it!"
Luffy grinned as he took his nameless Naginata out from his back, dawning it with Haki, while Kuina unsheathed her own blade Wado Ichimonji.
"Ready when you are," Luffy said, giving her the first strike.
Kuina took a deep breath, the salty air filling her lungs with newfound determination. She may have lost that one battle, but she knew that the journey to greatness was filled with both triumphs and setbacks. It was a path of growth and learning, and she refused to let her setbacks define her.
"I have one question before we start…"
Luffy blinked, not expecting a question but nodded for her to continue.
"Why… why do you think Zoro surpassed me? I… I know it's selfish to ask, but I want to be the strongest swordsman, so please tell me why."
"…"
"…"
"I will have to be honest, I wasn't there for the fight, but… I can guess why." Luffy said, he looked her in the eyes, "You, my friend, are afraid to lose."
Kuina was a bit flabbergasted, not expecting that answer. "But this isn't the first time I have lost…"
Luffy nodded, "That might be true… but you see, do you know the one thing that sets Zoro apart from you, Sanji, and even Sparky?"
Kuina frowned but shook her head.
"He's had it worse than all of you in some regards," Luffy explained. "After getting beat by me, the famous 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro fought against Mihawk and lost. You, Sanji, Sparky, and even me, we all were stronger than him. The loss… do you remember that he promised me to never lose a fight…? Well, that kind of being at the bottom of the barrel will push your motivation to the next level. But that's not all.
"Zoro… for better or worse, he is reckless in some sense. Most fighters in most cases try to preserve themselves while fighting. But he doesn't… every fight he takes on. He goes with the intention to win. Which is called a winner's mindset, and when it comes to Haki, mindset is very important… it will lead you to making decisions that will push you further towards your goal or the grave." Luffy said, smiling. "And well, Zoro is just too stubborn to die."
Kuina didn't know what to say before she caught back a laugh, "So, I just have to be stubborn… Doing anything to win… hmm."
Luffy nodded, "Yes, doing anything."
"Oh, Nami… why are you wearing a swimming suit in here?" Kuina said with a frown looking over Luffy's shoulder.
Luffy snapped his neck back at supersonic speed, looking over his shoulder, "Where?!"
Kuina moved in, drawing her blade, "Sakura Hurricane!"
"Agh… you little!" Luffy was thrown back from the non-lethal strike and glared at the girl with an annoying expression. Why did he have to fall for the oldest trick in the book? "You will pay dearly for this." He said before pushing off the air, with his hands tightening around his blade.
Kuina grinned, "I'm going to win this!"
Luffy matched her grin, "Oh, we will see about that!"
— — — —
A/N: Kuina gets her wake up call.
While Zoro had lost to Mihawk pretty badly at the start of the series, Kuina didn't. That's the reason for Zoro's motivation. To beat Mihawk along with his other goal, being the world's strongest swordsman.
Kuina's motivation is similar, but only now did she get her wake-up call.
Also, I don't like the current media making Mery Sue out of female characters. (I'm looking at you Marvel MCU and Star Wars.) Everyone has weakness, and that makes us relatable.
Hmm… maybe that's why I like Sanji's character. (Women is this man's kryptonite and sun at the same time, lol)
Also, Sparky's powers are hard to powerscale due to his fruit. But with how easily he handled Laffitte, one can guess how powerful he is. But anyway, enjoy.
316
As the day was ending, the crew started gathering near the Going Merry.
Now that mock town was mostly vacant with only a few remaining. The crew and Cricket docked their respective ships in the Mock port.
Due to the fight many of the establishments were destroyed but there were still more than enough to entertain the whole crew.
There were many pirates who were worried that the new Warlord might harm them. But Luffy and the crew did none of that. Minding their own business and doing things on their own.
They even paid and tipped for the services they received. And due to their relaxed behavior, it didn't take long before the remaining pirates and bounty hunters of the Mock town to gather around, trying to get on their good side.
Many were just curious, while others actively wanted to join the crew. Joining a warlord's crew was quite the easy way to get out of the Marine's radar. But Luffy didn't see anyone noteworthy or with any powers that interested him, so he rejected all the offers.
Seeing Law's crew get killed so early had gave him a wake-up call. He couldn't just let untalented people join the crew. It would harm the crew both mentally and as a structure if one member or more of it's members were the die.
Death shakes up people. And he didn't want any of his friends to die. Personally, Luffy was a selfish guy but at the same time he wasn't some selfish emo jerk that only cared for his own gain.
A crew was like a family. When you constantly stay on the same ship, train together and face life-and-death challenges. It creates a bond that is very hard to ignore.
And Luffy wanted to honor that. It was just the right thing to do.
With what happened with Law, Luffy wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to quite piracy as well. The man was a broken piece of his previous self. So if he wanted, Luffy wouldn't force him to join.
Sometimes as a man you have to do things because that's right thing to do. And self-belief was quite important in the grand scheme of things.
While this was happening Masked Deuce and Ace were also preparing to take their leave and journey back to New World. The two Whitebeard pirates remained unseen in Mocktown as they didn't Luffy to get into more trouble with the World Government.
Other than eating, they mainly stayed on the opposite end of Jaya where the Going Merry was getting modified by Cricket and his crew.
Sabo on the other hand was back to wearing his plague mask and a different style of clothing.
If Saint Cameal didn't reveal Sabo or Ace's involvement then Luffy didn't want to market it either. Also, unlike Ace, Luffy wanted to bring Sabo to sky island for more than one reason.
In the dimly lit, rough-looking bar, the grizzled owner stood behind the scuffed oak counter, meticulously polishing a glass. The air smelt of booze and blood, while the atmosphere around the room was a bit energetic due to the customers that sat there.
"Another round my man!" Luffy said slamming the large mug on the counter.
The old bartender gave a tender smile, before taking the mug and refilling it.
"Thank you, old man!" Luffy said, "That's the freshest goat milk I have had in a long while…"
"You guys are weird." Law said, who he sat at a nearby table, "Who comes to a bar to order milk?"
"Us?" Sparky said, tipping his cowboy hat, "But ya wouldn't understand, partner… Yer just a li'l too green to grasp that." he waved him off as he finished his own glass of milk, "Them things come with age and experience, ya hear?"
Law really wanted to ask as to why the monkey was speaking with that kind of accent, today, but as nobody asked. He didn't either. Weird. But then again what was even weirder was getting called 'green' by a six-armed monkey.
"Just go with it, it's less bothersome this way," Zoro grunted, as if almost reading his mind. It was almost as if he had grown used to these kinds of antics. "Another round!" He barked, as he put his own mug down. "This stuff is good… we will have to take a few barrels, I wonder how protein shakes will taste like with this." He mumbled to himself.
"Sure…" Law said, wondering if this was the secret behind their strength and insane recovery. He then looked to his side where Kuina was reading a book and Anchor who on the same table observing different kind of rocks.
"Meals ready!" Sanji said as he came out with plates filled with food. As he placed the food on the table, the crew dug in. All the while Sanji thanked the old bartender for letting him use his kitchen, and exchanging some tips back and forth regarding how to cook the local dishes around here.
As they finished the food, Law finally asked the question that was bugging him. "Why did you guys bring me here…" he asked. Most of the Straw Hat crew weren't with them, they were on the Going Merry on the other side of Jaya Island, while they were currently in Mock Town. "Did you guys have something to discuss…"
Law would have liked to be on the Going Merry around his crewmates, but when Luffy had offered him a meal with some important things to discuss. He couldn't refuse it.
"What is so important that you have to discuss it here," Law asked, they were quite far from the Straw Hat ship was. So he wondered why they brought him here.
"Well, first, I wanted to taste the goat milk here, which Sanji recommended." Luffy said holding up a finger, "And second is because the old bartender here is also a chef, and requested us to come here for a meal."
The old bartender gave a shy nod. It seemed that the old man was a fan of the Fallen Hero.
317
"That's it?" Law asked, "Didn't you want to discuss something important…"
"Oh, that as well…" Luffy chuckled, before leaning forward on his table and looking right in Law's eyes, "Say, Tra-guy… what do you think of my crew…"
Law frowned, "…They are nice?" he said, "I mean you guys helped me and my crew quite a lot. And well… your crew is strong." He said looking over all of them, "All of you are strong. And at the same time, you guys have a bond… almost like my crew." he said the last part most to himself then Luffy.
Luffy looked at him, "Then why don't you join in?"
Law blinked, "I'm sorry… but what?!" he said, with a frown, "You want me to join your crew? But I'm sorry, I don't plan on disbanding my crew!"
Luffy held up his hand a playful smirk on his face, "Oh, is that how you will repay my favor."
Law frowned, but Luffy continued.
"Listen, what happened to your crew… was quite unfortunate. But at the same time, it should have made you realize that you and your remaining crewmates are weak in the grand scheme of things." Luffy said, "I don't much about your crew… but even before meeting you here, I have been keeping tabs on some of the pirates with rising bounties.
"Your crew had caught my attention. All of your crewmates were doctor, including you. You guys fight on the side, but your main role is helping people. An admiral goal, but you also need fighters."
"What are you trying to say," Law asked, still frowning. But he was thinking over what Luffy had said. None of it was wrong.
"I'm just saying… sooner or later you guys would have come across someone that would have trampled on your goals." Luffy stated.
He continued, "I'm not saying to disband your crew. You can be part of my grand fleet, you get to keep your own crew and at the same time fly our flag as your own." Luffy said, "You guys are small in numbers, for a while you guys can even journey with us, and learn the necessary skills to survive the grandline." He finished, "So what do you think?"
Law didn't say anything, just looked down. Not knowing what to say, what Luffy said was true and did have it's merits. But… still.
Luffy the spoke, "If you don't mind me asking… what are your goals?"
Law blinked, "Its something personal…" He could have said that he wanted to be the king of pirates. Wanted to one piece, and in some sense, he would have been right. But that wasn't his main goal. No, it was destroying a certain someone, learn the truth about the initial 'D'. And after that screw with the world government for what happened to his home town. But for all of that, he needed power, which he didn't have now.
"Well, I'm going to assume something," Luffy said, boldly, leaning on his table. "I'm going to assume that being the Pirate King isn't your main goal. Which in a way isn't wrong." He said, "Not all pirates have the same ambitions. So I'm just saying if you are willing to forsake your dreams for the Pirate King title, I can make you part of my crew."
Law scoffed, but Luffy ignored it.
"I can make you stronger, make your crew stronger. Teach you how to be strong. And stand among the best of the best." He then stretched his hands towards Zoro and Kuina, "Both of them want to be the best Swordsman in the world. Like them all of my crew have personal dreams and goals, some want revenge, some want power, some want to protect, but all of them… they are willing to put in the work and follow me. And because of that I help them and treat them as family."
Luffy then grinned at Law, "So tell me, are you willing to do the same?"
Law didn't speak for a while, going over what Luffy said. What he said was right in more than one way and the offer he made was tempting but, there was still some hesitance.
Luffy continued, "Listen, I'm willing to help people, no doubt there. But for my crewmates, I'm willing to go above and beyond." He said, looking at Anchor and nodding. "If you join my crew, I will put my best smith and builder to work in fixing your ship. So what do you say?"
"I… I can't make that decision on my own." Law said, "What you did was truly amazing. And if you kick us out of your ship, I won't hold any grudge… but still. I can't just put my trust one someone that I have met for a few days."
"Its not about that," Zoro grunted cutting into the conversation, "Believe me, you won't regret joining him. He might act childish from time to time, but when it matters, we can all feel safe knowing Luffy has our back."
Kuina and Sanji nodded, while Anchor just a small smile on his face. Unlike the others he joined the last and fully didn't trust Luffy yet, so he got what Law was feeling.
The rubber bastard had acted the same way back on Sakura Island and in Alabasta seeing no other way to fulfill his dream Anchor joined the crew. His new captain really had a way with words, he knew how to make people admire him with it alone.
Not with power or fear, but with words. And you usually don't find smooth talkers having power of their own. But his new captain was just different. That was the reason he wanted to join him.
Though unlike the others, he did make the condition that he would leave the crew if the crew ever did something wrong and unjust in his eyes. He followed the way of the marines since he was a child. And as a descendant of Popeye he admired people who were strong and had a morally correct compass.
So seeing Luffy who was at the same time on the wrong side, a pirate doing work that even marines were reluctant to do, made him impress. Even after he had been kicked out of the Marines, he had a moral sense of justice and always tried doing what was right.
And with his dreams and ambitions in mind, Anchor found that joining the Straw Hat pirates weren't that bad. And in a way, he was also able to find a friend that shared his strong sense of justice in the crew.
318
While Anchor was pondering on things, Law was asking Luffy about something.
"Let's say if I were to accept your offer," He started, "Would you help me kill… no destroy someone. Someone that's part of the Warlord?"
To Law it seemed that Luffy wouldn't go against the World Government. Even though he stated multiple times that he wanted to be the pirate king, Law doubted that statement. Mainly because he joined the ranks of the World Government. Maybe he was trying to use the Government for his own means, but he didn't care. What he cared for was something else.
"That can be sorted out." Luffy said, "Unless you are going after Jimbei or Boa Hancok, I wouldn't mind helping you deal with the others. Mihawk would a bit hard to but…"
"Mihawk is mine," Zoro said cutting him off before looking at Law, "I will be the one to defeat him."
Law got a bit tense feeling the swordsman intense stare and nodded, "He's not my target, Zoro-ya… my target is someone else."
Zoro nodded, "Good… we won't mind helping you getting your target either." He said, leaning back on his chair.
"Your going to scare the new guy, Mosshead." Sanji snorted, "Anyway, I do get your goal. My goal is to destroy someone as well. So unless it's completely unjustified we will help you."
"Well, buddy', how 'bout it?" Sparky said, tipping his cowboy hat. "Y'all fixin' to join the crew?"
"Guys, I think putting pressure on the kid wouldn't do us any good," Kuina stated coming off from her book.
But Law's brow twitched, "Kid? I'm at least sure I'm older then you."
Kuina glanced at him, and smirked, "Are you stronger then me though…" Law felt his brow twitched, as Kuina gave an amused look, "Exactly. You are kid until you learn haki." She said brushing off her hair a little bit of playfulness in her eyes. There was no heat behind her words.
Anchor sweatdropped at the scene, "I don't think that helped." He mumbled, "Anyway… if you have any questions about the crew just ask. I'm still new to the crew, but others are here since the crew started, so they would be able to give you your answers."
Law sighed leaning back on his chair, well he did have a few questions. And so he started asking. About what their crew's main goal is, about why Luffy decided to join the Warlord, along with other mundane questions.
Luffy and the rest answered them honestly, but still kept a lot of information censored as Law still wasn't part of the crew.
"And lastly… who's the crew's Vice Capitan?" Law asked.
That brought all of the people in the room look at each other, before settling on Zoro and Sparky.
"Oi, don't bring me in that lot. I ain't Vice-cap material," Sparky was quick to deny, as he broke character, "And picking up after Luffy is kind of a habit now… I don't think I can manage the crew. I might be the first one to join, but I'm no leader. I work better from the sidelines. Like a ninja!" He said waving his six hands in karate chop motions.
"Or a cowboy?" Anchor said, getting a chuckle from the monkey.
Luffy smiled as he looked at Zoro, this was going on for quite long, but it seemed it was finally time.
"Well, Zoro, are you willing to be the Vice Captain of the Straw Hat pirates?" He asked.
Zoro looked at his Captain's eyes and smirked, "You sure about this Captain… even Coby joined before me."
Well, that wasn't technically not true, as Coby hadn't decided if would join piracy back then. But Luffy answered, "Coby's not Vice Capitan material. He still has lot to grow and well, I don't think he sees himself as the Vice Captain." He said.
"And technically, Coby wasn't part of the crew until we were in Baratie." Kuina added.
"Huh, takes me back," Sanji muttered, he then looked at Kuina, "Though, I'm surprised that you don't want the position as a Vice Captain?"
Kuina gave a shrug, "I might be a fighter, but I don't see myself as a leader." She said truthfully, "There is no shame in saying it, but… I don't think I would be able to handle the responsibility. So I do agree that Zoro is fit for the position." She said, before glancing at Sanji, "What about you?"
Sanji crossed his arms and hummed thoughtfully, "As much I would love to order Mosshead around, I'm good as it is. I have too much on my plate already. And with how much the crew eats, I don't think I can handle the responsibility." He said, before smirking at Zoro, "And besides currently Zoro might be strongest among us. Excluding Sparky… his powers are a bit too hard to figure out and so is his unpredictability… but my point still stands."
"Well, other than Sparky's he's the most reliable one." Anchor chimed in, giving his two bits, "Though he might need to cut off some of his nap time for that…"
Luffy grinned as he looked at Zoro. The swordsman in question was feeling a bit out of place.
"Well, Zoro congratulations… you are the new Vice Captain of the Straw Hat pirates."
"I… I will try my best." Zoro said as he coughed inside his fist, a bit shy from his usual casual demeanor.
"Shishishi… this calls for a celebration!" Luffy said.
"Wait, you mean to say that… you guys didn't decide the Vice Captain till now?" Law asked, "You guys are definitely weird…"
The others just looked at him and chuckled.
"Don't worry, you will get used to it." Zoro said, giving him a small grin. "Once you join."
"Hey! I never said I was joining…"
Zoro gave him a challenging smirk, "We'll see about that."
Luffy blinked, it seemed his new Vice Captain wanted the duty for himself. "Shishishi… well, isn't that good." Luffy said, "Anyway, as the new Vice Captain, Zoro please return to the ship and help the others with ship's modification work."
Sanji gave him captain a blank look, he was just shamelessly offloading his work onto the green haired swordsman. He almost felt pity for him. Almost. "Anyway… I think Law should go with him, we don't want him to get lost."
Zoro felt his brow twitch as he noticed what was happening, but he just snorted, and stood up from his chair. "Let's go Tra-guy…" he said as Law stood up following him, "You also use a sword huh, we will see how good you are with it."
"You are forgetting that I'm not in the crew, Zoro-ya." Law retorted as they exited the bar.
Zoro just grinned, "For now…"
Luffy threw his head back and laughed, "Shishishsi… Is that how I look when I recruit new guys?"
"Yes!" Sanji, Kuina, and Anchor gave him a flat answer, while just Sparky shook his head.
————
A/N: Three chapters baby. Now gimme yor powerstones!
For those of you who don't know. Even in the official One Piece, Zoro isn't the Vice Captain. He does fulfil the role. But he's not. Oda kind of retconed it. But anyway, we know who it is. And some of you were asking to clarify it, so why not.
In this story, Zoro is the Vice Captain.
319
After Zoro and Law left, Luffy and the group stayed in the bar for a while. Chatting and relaxing a bit. They might have fully recovered but they still wanted to relax a bit.
As all of them had a certain feeling that the journey up to the sky island would be anything but easy.
As the sun began to set over the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow upon the Jaya port, the chatter of the bustling port quieted down as the Numancia Flamingo. A large ship with sleek, ebony sails, glided gracefully into the harbor.
The ship was large, easily five times bigger than the Going Merry, and even larger then the ships used by Crickets and his diving crew. The ship's dark hull is adorned with intricate carvings. And the ship's bow boasted a figurehead of a flamingo, wings outstretched as if ready to take flight.
While most of the Jaya port were empty, those that were present were horrified seeing the ship. And they scattered from the Mock Town as far as possible. One was bad enough, now there was another Warlord. Luffy might have been lax, but Doflamingo was a different kind of pirate.
Luffy and the rest of the crew —that were present in Mock Town— could easily spot the large ship and had came out to greet the unwelcomed guest. There were only five of them, the rest of them were not here.
"Now, isn't that interesting…" Luffy mused. "I wonder why Doflamingo's coming here?"
"Do you think it's another attack sent by that World Noble?" Sanji asked, "It's getting pretty redundant if that's the case."
Almost every one of the crew that they were being targeted by a world noble, Luffy had also shared it with them before the fight with Blackbeard.
"Probably not. I can't see Doflamingo working for another world noble." Luffy said, "It's most likely a powerplay of sort… A fight shouldn't occur, but be on guard."
Sanji shrugged, "I have to go back and make dinner, hope this ends quick." He then looks at Luffy, "How strong is he?"
While Sanji had observation haki, only Luffy had the ability of knowing someone's true strength by measuring how strong their haki was. It wasn't fully accurate, but he could get a good estimate on it.
"He's stronger than you, but…" Luffy said, not finishing his sentence as he looked at his cook with curiosity, "Why, do you wanna fight him?"
"Sure…" Sanji shrugged, "I wouldn't mind kicking that bastard's face in…"
Luffy wasn't surprised at Sanji's Doflamingo. After the G-3 base incident, Luffy had revealed how some pirates sold slaves even under the marine's watchful eyes. And how Doflamingo was very much involved in that. So he could see why Sanji didn't like him very much. Mainly to do with many unfortunate women getting caught by them.
But what Luffy didn't know was that it was a bit more personal to Sanji.
Luffy raised an eyebrow, a bit amused, "You do know that he is a bit out of your league right?"
"Well, I wouldn't know, unless I tired… but if everything fails, you can save my ass and beat him up," Sanji said shrugging before he started stretching his legs. He then jabbed his thumb toward Kuina, "She already fought against a Warlord. So did Zoro… so I also want my own."
"Shishishi… haven't thought of that. But at least someone is keeping track of numbers. Sure go ahead… though if he pisses me off, I'm gonna step in and rip his head off."
Kuina rolled her eyes, "Believe me, Crocodile wasn't even that much of a challenge… he's was just tricky with his logia abilities. Laffitte on the other hand was pure skills and brute strength…" she said, feeling a pang of disappointment that she lost against him. "So depending on your luck, Doflamingo might or might not be a challenge for you."
She said not knowing about Doflamingo's abilities.
Luffy hummed, he knew a bit about Doflamingo's abilities, "I know that Dolfamingo has the string string fruit, he can control strings with it and do much more stuff with it… and if I'm not wrong, he likes to fight dirty. Also, his strings can help him recover from even fatal wounds so you know the rule…"
Sanji smirked, "Always aim for the head. Then after he dies, attack him again so that they remain dead."
"Yup," Luffy said, as he chuckled darkly, "Shishishi…"
Anchor, Sparky and Kuina sweat-dropped at their antics.
"Still, though… is fighting another Warlord fine?" Anchor asked, "Wouldn't the Marines or World Government be try to stop a fight from happening like this?"
"I mean they should… but you don't see them here?" Luffy pointed out.
"Well, that's just plain logical, ain't it?" Sparky said, rubbing his chin, still in his Cowboy get up, "I also need to find me a Warlord to hunt…" he said in complete character.
Anchor didn't know what to say. His crew was pretty lax about seeing another Warlord. But then again with what he saw he honestly should have expected this.
"You know I feel like a bit out of place here… but shouldn't you guys be a little bit more worried about things?" Anchor asked.
"Well, you do have a point." Luffy then looked to his side, "Sparky turn invisible and take a good spot to snipe their heads off if they try anything funny. Sanji be ready to kick Mingo," He said, "And Kuina, be careful of Doflamingo's strings, freeze them or cut them. Don't let them stab into your body."
"You don't have to say twice…" Sanji gave a thumbs up.
"Sho' thing, boss!" Sparky gave him a three-armed salute before turning invisible, while Kuina just gave him a curt nod.
"What about me?" Anchor asked.
Luffy looked at him, "Just be careful of his strings… use your shield, just don't let them touch you." He then grinned, "Other than that, his crewmembers are also powerful so be prepared. This day might be fun after all, I'm all pumped up. Shishishi…"
Anchor just nodded, his shield was built from the best metal after he had merged with the power of Slip Slip fruit. Meaning his shield could negate very powerful attacks without getting damaged.
'Agh… I wanted to test myself out,' His nameless Naginata called out in frustration.
'Let's just give this one to Sanji,' Luffy replied telepathically to his weapon.
320
While Luffy was mostly carefree, he knew they were at a disadvantage here. There were only five of them. Most of the other members of his crew, were on the other side of Jaya, helping with the ship's modification.
In a way, it was good. If a battle did occur he could go all out and not worry about the weaker members of his crew too much. Anchor was a bit behind compared to the other main fights of his crew, but he was still exceptionally strong. He just lacked in the skill area, though he was quickly catching up to that as well.
Luffy didn't have much time to think as the large Flamingo-style ship docked near port, Doflamingo jumped down from the ships' figurehead, not even waiting for the gangplank to set up.
Along with Doflamingo, Trebol, Diamante, Gladius and Baby 5 also jumped down with him. While Lao G and Dellinger stayed on the ship ready to jump in if needed.
"Fufufufu… well if it isn't the new Warlord." Doflamingo said grinning ear to ear. "Heard you were around, so came to pay you a visit."
"Really?" Luffy said with a raised eyebrow, "Wasn't really expecting a social visit from you of all people. But meh." He rolled his shoulder.
"Oi oi… speak with some respect kid!" Trebol said. And Luffy had to say, that was by far the most disgusting man he ever saw.
"Wow, aren't you just ugly. I'm not sure that's a face even a mother could love." Sanji said. "And belive me, that's coming from me…"
"I have to agree on that one," Luffy added.
"Why you!!!"
Dolfimingo held up his hand stopping Trebol as he grinned, eying Luffy, Sanji, Anchor, and then remaining on Kuina.
"Well, aren't you beautiful…" Doflamingo said, "Are you the one that took down Crocodile?"
Luffy was a bit surprised, he didn't expect Doflamingo to know that. Only a few people back in Alabasta and the upper ranks of Marines knew about who took down Crocodile.
Kuina taking down Crocodile was a political play on Luffy's part. That way, the World Government would be more reliant on him and his crew.
How you might ask… well, the World Government would think that, they are getting more than one Warlord-level pirate by recruiting the Straw Hat pirates into their ranks.
"I'm surprised that you know that… but yes, I did take him down." Kuina answered, "Why? Do you doubt my capabilities?"
"Fufufu… of course not." The Warlord grinned, "Though, unlike that looser sand-bastard, you can't beat me. I'm much more stronger than him."
Kuina smiled, a glint in her eyes that wanted to prove him wrong. But Luffy interrupted it.
"Why are you here?" Luffy asked, "You usually don't leave Dresrosa… it must be something important for you to come here."
"Fufufufufu… You don't know why?" Doflamingo asked grinning ear to ear as he walked up to Luffy. The large pirate was ten feet easily dwarfing Luffy who was six feet tall.
"No? Should I?" Luffy walked forward as well. Keeping up his guard in case Mingo had his strings outstretched.
"Fufufufufu…" Dolflimigo expression then turned serious, "Last day, a ship of mine got missing on these waters… and I have hunch that it was you."
Sanji snorted, "We didn't do it." He said, "What was in there anyways?"
"Oh you know the usual. Gold, silver, and Slaves… Sex slaves if I'm being honest. Others don't sell that well." Diamante said, chuckling, "Kukuku…"
That managed to piss off almost all of the Straw Hats, especially Sanji. The cook was gritting his teeth and actively stopping himself from kicking the living shit out of them.
Back when he was at Germa Kingdom, her mother and all of the women that his father 'mated' with to carry his children were more or less slaves. Kidnapped and taken away from their homes. His mother was no different, so he had a very grudge with slave traders.
Luffy was the one to break the silence, "If I did take your ship, believe me Mingo… I would have put their heads on pikes and displayed them on the Jaya port so that you could see." He said, coldly, "As you can see there are no heads and no pikes, so you are assuming wrong."
"Fufufu… I really don't appreciate you calling me by that, boy." Dolfamingo said, unleashing his Conquer's haki. The intense pressure from the haki was so intense that it seemed like the air was vibrating.
The ground beneath Dolflamingo's feet cracked, as the surrounding seemed to shake as well as the environment around the warlord visibly distorted because of the immense power being unleashed.
Even Dolflamingo's own crewmates that were near him were having a hard time standing behind him.
But unlike what Doflamingo expected, Luffy and the rest of them just watched him with an unimpressed, almost bored look.
Luffy picked his nose with his pinky, "Are you done? Three out of ten, if you ask me."
Dolfamingo felt his brow twitch, even his crewmates were confused as to why they weren't affected by their captain's haki.
"I give it a solid four." Sanji said, "Threw some sand in my eyes, I almost had to blink"
"Three point five," Anchor said. "Because… well, that wasn't very impressive."
Kuina nodded and continued, "Two, only because I don't want him to feel too embarrassed."
With that, all four of them started clapping as if Dolfamingo gave a passable performance.
The Walord on the other hand was barely keeping himself from ripping into the Straw Hats.
"This… this level of disrespect." Terbol said, with anger, "Doffy, we have to do something…"
Dolfamingo's hands twitched as strings around it started moving, but right then…