Sea Calendar Year 1520 — the second year since Sandy had transmigrated into the world of pirates.
Far from Windmill Village, the now sturdier Sandy heard the familiar voice of the pheromone system echo in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for activating the System Shop.]
Surprised, Sandy opened the system panel.
Host: Sandy
Strength: 1200
Agility: 120
Stamina: 2100
Conqueror's Haki: Lv2 (Deters opponents and can be freely released. Instantly knocks out those with weak will.)
Pheromone Coins: 6000.1
Space Backpack: Blade (Sword), Alias: High Wind
System Shop:
Restart Doll (450)
TT (45)
Instant Noodles (8)
Eggs, Ham Sausage (2)…
Shave (100,000)
Life Return (100,000)
Moon Step (100,000)…
Nine Swords of Dugu (1,000,000)
Meteor Sword Technique (1,000,000)
I Have a Sword (100,000,000)…
Special Note: Except for daily necessities, other items cannot be used by others.
Looking at the dazzling array of items in the shop, Sandy couldn't help but get restless.
"Heh, System, I'm a decent guy. What the hell are you doing putting that kind of stuff in the shop?"
[The host's moral standards are irrelevant to the system. All item descriptions are subject to the system's interpretation.]
"Hehehe…" Sandy grinned. "That's interesting. But damn, aren't these things way too expensive? What even is that 'I Have a Sword'? A hundred million coins?! Who would be stupid enough to buy it?"
At this point, even though Luffy's overall attributes were still higher, Sandy believed fighting pirate crews would help him grow faster.
After all, the system clearly rewarded "flashy operations" during major events.
Before he could think further, Luffy came running up behind him.
"Hey! Sandy! You cheated again! You said no abilities—but you used one! This match doesn't count!"
Sandy shrugged, too lazy to argue. "Anyway, Luffy, we're setting sail tomorrow, right?"
Luffy's eyes lit up instantly. "Yeah! I've been waiting for this day! I'm definitely gonna be the Pirate King!"
Sandy laughed. "I can't wait to set sail either. Living like this every day… tsk tsk. Still, leaving here makes me a little sentimental."
Luffy sat on his usual rock, staring out at the endless sea. Sandy walked over and sat where Ace used to sit.
Facing the sea breeze, both of them couldn't help but dream — about the people they'd meet, the adventures ahead, and the dangers waiting across the vast ocean.
How could such a poetic moment not involve a drink?
Sandy pulled out a bottle of red wine he'd "borrowed" from the noble district and handed one to Luffy.
"Come on, a toast to our lives!"
Luffy grinned. "A toast to our lives, hehehe!"
He didn't even like drinking at first, but after Sandy's influence, he'd started to enjoy it. After all, what kind of pirate doesn't drink?
The next day, at Windmill Village port.
Two figures sat in a small boat — twice the size of the one Luffy had in the original story — with two empty barrels placed on deck.
Just in case of a storm, Sandy figured he could hide in one, just like Luffy did back then.
All their food was safely stored in Sandy's Space Backpack.
"Goodbye, everyone!" Luffy shouted cheerfully.
"Luffy! Sandy! Goodbye!"
"Have a safe journey!"
"Hey, hey, are you sure they'll be okay on that little boat?"
The villagers watched them drift away, whispering among themselves.
Moments later, both Luffy and Sandy noticed the water bubbling violently beneath their boat.
"Luffy," Sandy said calmly, "I heard this stinky fish has been terrorizing the coast. Since it's here, let's help the villagers get rid of it."
Luffy clenched his fist. "Yeah! I'm gonna punch it away! Come on, stinky fish!"
"Punch it? I'm cutting it down," Sandy retorted immediately.
The villagers panicked when they saw the two idiots playing rock-paper-scissors on the boat while a massive sea monster emerged behind them.
"Hey! What are those two doing?! Don't they see it?!"
"Luffy! Sandy! Behind you! It's the Sea king!"
"Run away, you fools!"
But Sandy only smirked. "Heh. I won."
"Space Field."
A flash of blinding white light erupted — and before anyone could react, the Lord of the Coast's head went flying through the air.
Sandy jumped up, grabbed the giant fish's body with one hand, and shouted, "Go, Pikachu!"
With a thunderous crash, the monster's body slammed into the coastline.
As the dust settled, the villagers stared in shock.
"S-Sugoi…"
"W-What kind of monster is he? He threw that thing with one hand!"
"I didn't even see it happen! It just— boom!"
Back on the boat, Luffy crossed his arms and muttered, "Hmph. What's so great about that? I could've thrown it too."
Sandy rolled his eyes. "Here, your chicken leg."
Luffy's mood flipped instantly. "My chicken leg! Sandy, you're the best!"
Soon, the small boat drifted away from Windmill Village, entering the vast, endless sea.
The horizon was an endless line of blue, and it was impossible to tell direction.
Sandy looked around nervously. "Uh, Luffy, if we keep drifting like this, where exactly are we going?"
Luffy grinned. "We'll reach our destination eventually!"
"...You're unbelievable," Sandy muttered. "Why don't you just say we'll drift straight to the Grand Line?"
Luffy's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Dream on!" Sandy snapped. "Don't you have any sense of danger? If a storm hits, who's drowning first — you or me?"
"Nani?! Storm?!" Luffy yelled. "Then what do we do?!"
"How the hell should I know?!" Sandy groaned. "Once we reach land, we need to find a navigator fast. Otherwise, we'll get lost before we even find the Grand Line."
Luffy nodded seriously. "You make a lot of sense. Let's find a navigator first."
Sandy leaned back, muttering, "We're just drifting without a clue…"
Luffy laughed. "Relax! We'll get there eventually!"
But after a while, both of them noticed something strange. The current beneath them was pulling faster and faster.
"Wait… we're falling into a whirlpool!" Sandy shouted.
"Ohhhh nooo!" Luffy screamed.
They paddled frantically, but the waves were too powerful.
A massive wave — dozens of meters high — towered over them.
"Luffy! Get in the barrel! The boat's done for!" Sandy yelled.
"What about you?!"
"I'm not some landlubber — I can swim! I'll find you later!"
"Okay!" Luffy shouted, jumping into a barrel just as the storm swallowed their tiny boat whole.