The group arrived in Loguetown without incident.
After leaving Momoo with the ship, Ryuuto and Nami took the Beri they'd acquired from the Arlong Pirates and headed into town, ready for a major shopping spree.
Loguetown wasn't particularly large, and it didn't take long for them to reach the town center. There, the two of them split up.
Nami made a beeline for the clothing stores, while Ryuuto began to wander along the main street.
Loguetown certainly lived up to its name as the Town of the Beginning and the End. The streets were bustling with people, a picture of prosperity.
"Huh, a weapon shop?"
Spotting a storefront with a hanging sign, Ryuuto's interest was piqued. He quickened his pace and went inside.
"Welcome!" the shopkeeper greeted enthusiastically as Ryuuto entered.
"Show me the best sword you have in the shop," Ryuuto said without preamble, slamming a heavy bag of Beri onto the counter.
"Of course, esteemed customer."
The shopkeeper glanced at the bag, which clearly held at least a few million Beri. He immediately rushed off with excitement to retrieve the shop's prize jewel—Yubashiri—and presented it to Ryuuto.
"My apologies for the wait, customer. This is the finest blade in our shop, Yubashiri! It is one of the 50 Ryo Wazamono Grade swords."
The shopkeeper handed Yubashiri to Ryuuto, his own eyes glued to the bag of Beri on the table.
The sword was simple in appearance, with a black lacquered scabbard and a hilt wrapped in white cloth.
Drawing the blade, Ryuuto gave it a few practice swings through the air. It was surprisingly light and nimble, yet it felt incredibly sharp.
"This sword is excellent! But I still need one more."
Ryuuto gestured for the owner to take the bag of Beri, then began looking around the rest of the store.
He walked over to a bamboo barrel filled with old, worn-out swords and, just as he expected, found a blade with a pure black scabbard and a hilt tightly wrapped in deep red rayskin.
"Sandai Kitetsu!"
Ryuuto picked up the Sandai Kitetsu and drew it from its sheath, revealing a blade patterned with a flame-like hamon that radiated a sinister, cursed aura.
"Perfect. I'll take this one too."
Sheathing the sword, Ryuuto turned to the shopkeeper.
"Of course, esteemed customer. The Beri you've provided is more than enough. However, I must warn you, that is a cursed sword. It brings misfortune and tragedy."
Out of gratitude for the large sum of money, the shopkeeper offered his word of caution.
Thanking the owner for the warning, Ryuuto left the shop with his two new swords.
He continued to stroll through the streets, sampling various local delicacies from the food stalls he passed. But soon, he heard a growing clamor coming from the public square.
"Moonwalk!"
Ryuuto kicked off the air, launching himself into the sky. Looking over, he saw Monkey D. Luffy on the execution platform, about to be beheaded by Buggy the Clown.
A massive crowd had gathered in the square, all watching the scene unfold, just as another crowd had watched in this very same spot as Roger met the final moment of his life years ago.
Landing on a nearby rooftop, Ryuuto settled in to observe.
"Luffy!"
Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp were sprinting toward the square from different side streets.
Zoro was the first to arrive. "Luffy!" he yelled, three swords hanging at his waist.
So, even though I've interfered with Luffy's timeline, he still ended up in Loguetown. I took the Yubashiri and Sandai Kitetsu that were meant for Zoro, but it seems he managed to acquire two other swords somewhere else.
"Zoro! Help me!" Luffy shouted anxiously upon seeing him, his eyes filled with a desperate will to live.
Zoro's heart pounded. Gripping the hilts of his three swords, he leaped into the crowd, charging toward the execution platform.
A moment later, Sanji and Usopp also burst into the square.
With a powerful leap, Sanji followed Zoro into the throng, racing toward Luffy.
"Men! Stop them!" Buggy commanded as he saw Zoro and Sanji closing in. He had Luffy right where he wanted him, just one swing away from finally getting his revenge. He couldn't let Luffy's crewmates interfere and ruin everything now.
As he spoke, Buggy raised his large blade, preparing to bring it down on Luffy's neck.
Below the platform, Zoro assumed his Three-Sword Style stance, rapidly cutting down the Buggy Pirates grunts blocking his path.
Sanji sent his own spinning kicks into the fray, launching one pirate after another into the air.
But soon, Alvida stood in their way.
Having eaten the Slip-Slip Fruit, Alvida had undergone a dramatic transformation, changing from a crude brute into a stunning beauty.
Moreover, the power of the Slip-Slip Fruit made her immune to all physical attacks. Alvida single-handedly blocked both Zoro and Sanji, their attacks sliding harmlessly off her skin, stopping them dead in their tracks.
"I'm the man who will become the King of the Pirates!" Luffy roared, his shout momentarily stunning Buggy and causing the crowd below to erupt.
At that moment, Ryuuto noticed the once-overcast sky above Loguetown begin to churn violently. The dark clouds were gathering at an alarming rate.
"Looks like Dragon is about to make his move."
Standing below, Ryuuto watched the scene and understood that Monkey D. Dragon must be in Loguetown.
If things played out as they should, a bolt of lightning would strike Luffy at any moment, saving him from the blade.
But suddenly, the situation changed. A thick plume of smoke billowed up from the square, swirling toward the execution platform at incredible speed. The instant it reached the platform, the smoke solidified into a white-haired man wearing a Marine "Justice" coat—it was Marine Captain Smoker.
"Get lost, pirate!"
Smoker swung his Seastone-tipped jitte, striking Buggy down with a heavy blow. He planted his left foot on Buggy's back and pointed the jitte in his right hand at him.
Struck by the weapon, Buggy didn't dare move. The Seastone tip was already draining his strength, leaving him weak and powerless.
"Arrest every last one of these pirates!" Smoker commanded the Marines now pouring out from the side streets, not even glancing at Luffy or Buggy.
"No pirate escapes from Loguetown," he declared, taking a deep drag from his cigar.
Marines swarmed into the square from every alley, rifles and swords in hand, completely surrounding the area.
They gradually closed their ranks, forming a tight circle around the Buggy Pirates and the Straw Hat Pirates.
The two pirate crews, who had been fighting moments before, instantly formed a temporary alliance, turning their weapons outward to face the encircling Marines.
Ryuuto noticed that the sky, once thick with storm clouds, had now completely cleared, revealing the long-hidden sun.
"What? Dragon backed off? He's not going to intervene?" Ryuuto muttered to himself in confusion.