"He said, in the wind and rain, this little pain is nothing… wipe your tears, don't ask why…"
On the vast, endless ocean, a small boat drifted with the wind.
Melodic singing echoed across the deck.
Luffy wrung out his drenched clothes and pants, laying them across the deck to dry under the sun.
Last night, a merciless storm had battered him.
Alone, he had to manage both the sails and the rudder, with little experience.
After flailing about for a while, he barely prevented the boat from capsizing.
By the next morning, with the storm passed, Luffy entered the cabin to find Zoro buried under a pile of furniture.
It took him a while to pull Zoro out and toss him aside.
Then he set about cleaning the wardrobe, beds, and other furniture.
Only after finishing did Luffy notice he was still wet and in clothes soaked from the storm.
He stripped and washed them, reasoning that on this vast sea, no one would see, and Zoro was still unconscious—no telling when he would wake.
"Clothes are just clothes… who cares if I wear them?"
With that thought, Luffy stretched out on deck, basking in the sunlight.
Meanwhile, in the same ocean region, a large ship slowly advanced along a crossing path that would intersect with Luffy's small boat.
Onboard, a strange-haired pirate spoke to a burly companion, the latter's left hand resting on a wolf-tooth hammer taller than a person.
"Captain, after yesterday's storm, we lost six crew members," reported the small-haired pirate.
The captain stroked his chin. "Doesn't matter. We have over a hundred men. Anyone who can't last is nothing but trash!"
"Yes, Captain. Also, we lost supplies. What's left can barely last a week."
"Trash!"
He slapped the pirate aside, then called another crew member. "How far is the nearest island?"
"T-the nearest is Cocoa Cia Island, Captain, but it's very close to a Navy base, we shouldn't—ah!"
Before the pirate could finish, the captain kicked him aside.
"I don't need your advice!" he bellowed, then shouted to the lookout: "Watch carefully! Any passing ship, we intercept immediately!"
"Yes, Captain!"
The lookout obeyed without hesitation. Moments later, he shouted, "North by northeast thirty degrees! A small ship detected. At this speed, it will reach us in forty minutes!"
"Forty minutes? We can't wait! Full speed, intercept that ship!"
The captain's dozens of pirates shouted in response and immediately moved to increase the ship's speed.
Back on Luffy's small boat, still dizzy from the storm, he adopted a laissez-faire attitude. He adjusted the course to his previous angle and let fate take its course.
He lay on deck, naked, dozing peacefully under the sun.
Time passed.
"BANG!"
A massive impact jolted Luffy awake, followed by a cacophony of shouting.
Nearby, a large ship had approached, its rails crowded with pirates.
"Captain, seems no one is on that ship," a short pirate reported to a tall companion.
Luffy stood up and shouted in protest: "I-I'm not a person!"
Realizing he was naked, he scrambled to put on his already dried clothes, calmly dressing in front of over a hundred pirates.
Meanwhile, the ships were connected with planks.
The captain of the pirate ship and twenty or so men boarded Luffy's small boat, filling it to the brim.
One pirate carried Zoro to the deck and dumped him beside Luffy. He then ran to report:
"Captain, we found food and supplies in the cabin, and two possible survivors—a pair of children. Should we take them aboard?"
The captain glanced at Luffy and Zoro. "No need. They're too small to fight, can't do manual work, only waste food. Better I end them than leave them to starve."
He hoisted the massive wolf-tooth hammer and approached Luffy.
Nearby pirates laughed and watched; to them, this seemed mild compared to the captain's previous crimes.
Some on the ship, however, covered their eyes in disgust.
The captain laughed, leering at the children.
"I'm the captain of the Rampage Hammer Pirates. Today, I'll send you to hell. Any last words… ha ha ha ha!"
He swung the giant hammer toward Luffy's head.
"BANG!"
A loud impact echoed. Luffy, using one hand, blocked the full force of the hammer.
"You misspoke just now," Luffy said calmly.
"W-what?" The captain, realizing he had provoked someone far beyond him, stammered.
"I'm very skilled at chores," Luffy said, flashing a sunny smile.
Then, he vanished from the captain's view.
"Ah!"
"Ahhh!"
"Help—ah!"
A chorus of terrified screams erupted.
The captain watched in horror as pirates on his ship were pierced—some killed instantly, others writhing in pain.
Cold sweat drenched his clothes, and his throat tightened.
"Ding! Host killed a common pirate, gained 25 EXP."
"Ding! Host killed a common pirate, gained 28 EXP."
"Ding! Host killed a common pirate, gained 36 EXP."
The notifications kept coming, much to Luffy's delight.
Seeing the captain trembling, Luffy quipped:
"Not bad, Captain. How's my work on chores?"
"W-who… what are you?!" the captain screamed.
"I'm someone you'll never get in your life," Luffy replied, referencing his past-life wit.
He sprinted forward, leapt to a proper height, and with his small fingers, easily pierced the captain's chest, crushing his heart.
The Rampage Hammer Pirate captain, in his last moments, wondered what Luffy had meant—but it was too late.
"Ding! Host killed a common pirate, gained 625 EXP."
Luffy had officially transformed "ship chores" into lethal efficiency—and just from his first real encounter at sea, he had gained massive experience.
The path to becoming Pirate King had officially begun.