If history hadn't changed, then what would happen next—
"Bang!"
The tavern door was kicked open violently.
A tall, broad man with a brutish face strode in.
He wore tattered mountain bandit clothes, a sword hanging at his waist, a smug grin plastered across his face.
More than a dozen similarly dressed underlings followed behind him.
"Oi, boss! Bring the booze!"
The man swaggered up to the bar and plopped down right beside Luffy.
Luffy's heart began pounding wildly.
Higuma.
It really was him.
"What're you staring at, brat?"
Higuma noticed Luffy's gaze and shot him a vicious glare.
Luffy lowered his head and said nothing.
His mind raced.
In the original story, Higuma would humiliate Shanks here. Luffy would get angry and rush forward, only to be captured and taken out to sea, nearly eaten by the Lord of the Coast.
Shanks would appear and save him—but lose an arm in the process.
But now, Shanks had already left.
If events unfolded the same way—
Who would save him?
Luffy clenched his fists.
No. He couldn't just sit there and wait.
He had to save himself.
"Oi, boss, where's the drink?"
Higuma knocked impatiently on the counter.
Makino came out from the kitchen. When she saw Higuma and his men, her expression changed slightly—but she still forced a polite smile.
"Coming right up."
She set several bottles on the counter.
Higuma grabbed one and chugged it straight from the bottle.
After finishing, he wiped his mouth and looked at Makino.
"Say, does this village usually get pirates?"
Makino's heart tightened.
"N-no."
"Is that so?"
Higuma narrowed his eyes.
"I heard the Red-Haired Pirates stayed here a few days ago."
Luffy's heart skipped.
So he was here because of Shanks.
Makino maintained her composure.
"They were just passing through. Had a drink and left."
"Heh."
Higuma sneered.
"Red-Haired Shanks… that's a big name."
"A pirate with a bounty over a hundred million."
"Never thought he'd visit a tiny village like this."
He turned to Luffy.
"Kid. Have you seen Red-Hair before?"
Luffy looked up at him.
"Yes."
"Oh?"
Higuma leaned forward, interested.
"What kind of man is he?"
Luffy thought for a moment.
"A good man."
"A good man?"
Higuma burst out laughing.
"A pirate? Good? That's hilarious!"
His underlings laughed along with him.
Luffy didn't.
He simply stared at Higuma quietly.
After laughing for a while, Higuma suddenly stopped. His eyes turned cold.
"Listen up, brat. Pirates are trash."
"Especially that Red-Haired Shanks."
"I heard he gave up his own arm to save some snot-nosed kid?"
"Stupid to the core!"
Luffy's fists tightened further.
His nails dug into his palms until blood seeped out.
But he didn't move.
Because he knew—
If he acted now, he had no chance of winning.
Higuma had an eight-million-berry bounty. He wasn't weak.
And Luffy, even after three days of training, still wasn't strong enough.
"What? Not happy?"
Higuma noticed Luffy's clenched fists and sneered.
"So what if you're not?"
"A brat like you—I could slap ten of you to death."
Luffy remained silent.
He was waiting.
Waiting for an opportunity.
[Emergency mission triggered: Defuse the crisis.]
[Objective: Escape safely without exposing excessive strength.]
[Reward: Observation Haki seed growth +10%.]
[Failure penalty: None (but may result in severe consequences).]
The system notification sounded in his mind.