Wealth. Fame. Power.
There was once a man who had conquered everything this vast world had to offer. His name was Gold Roger, the undisputed King of the Pirates.
He knelt on the wooden scaffolding, heavy iron cuffs biting into his wrists. Before him stood two executioners, their sharp blades crossing into an imposing 'X' over his neck. Below him, an ocean of people held their breath. The air was thick, heavy with the weight of history about to be written.
Instead of trembling, the Pirate King smiled.
"My treasure?" his voice boomed, echoing across the plaza and shattering the heavy silence. "If you want it, you can have it! Seek it out! I left everything this world has to offer... right there!"
SHING.
The blades fell. The King was dead.
For a split second, the world stood entirely still. And then—the crowd erupted. It was a deafening roar that shook the heavens. Men with fire in their eyes and pirate insignias tattooed on their skin cheered until their throats bled.
Gold Roger's final words didn't extinguish the flame of piracy; they poured oil onto it. On that day, the world was violently shoved into the Golden Age of Piracy.
One Year Later.Foosha Village, the East Blue.
The sea breeze blew from the east, carrying the salty scent of the ocean and the peaceful quiet of a small seaport village. But today, that peace was about to be broken.
A massive pirate ship had been anchored in the bay for nearly a year. Standing at the very peak of the ship's towering figurehead was a small boy.
His name was Monkey D. Luffy.
He wore a simple oversized t-shirt with the word "ANCHOR" printed across the chest, but his stance was completely rigid. In his left hand, he gripped a heavy, polished dagger. The blade glinted under the harsh afternoon sun.
"I've had enough!" Luffy's high-pitched voice rang out, trembling with raw determination. "I'm not joking around this time! I'm going to prove it to all of you!"
Below him, lounging on the deck of the ship, sat a man with messy red hair and a worn straw hat resting casually on his head. He looked up at the boy, a lazy, entertained smirk playing on his lips.
"Oh yeah?" the man chuckled, resting his chin on his hand. "Go for it, then. Let's see what you're gonna do this time, kid."
"He's probably just gonna do something funny again," another pirate laughed from the rigging, waving a bottle of rum.
Luffy's jaw clenched. They don't believe me. I'll show them! Without another word of hesitation, Luffy raised the dagger, gritted his teeth, and violently drove the tip of the blade straight into the flesh just beneath his left eye.
SQUELCH.
"GAAAAAAAH!" Luffy shrieked, tears instantly bursting from his eyes as blood spilled down his cheek.
The casual laughter on the deck vanished in a heartbeat. The pirates' eyes bulged out of their skulls in sheer panic.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU IDIOT?!" the red-haired man roared, leaping to his feet, his calm demeanor entirely shattered.
A short time later, the quiet village was overwhelmed by the raucous noise of the Partys Bar.
"A toast!" a pirate yelled, raising a massive wooden tankard of ale into the air. "To Luffy's sheer craziness, and to our own greatness! CHEERS!"
"CHEERS!"
The tavern was a chaotic mess of roaring laughter, clinking mugs, and spilling alcohol. In the corner, a pet monkey danced a jig on a barrel. A heavy-set pirate sat near the bar, aggressively chugging beer straight from an entire cask, while two other crewmates were practically at each other's throats.
"Let go, you idiot! That's my meat!" the first pirate barked, pulling on a massive roasted shank. "Shut your trap! I saw it first!" the second spat back. "Knock it off, both of you," a third sighed, taking a sip of his drink. "It's embarrassing to fight over food when you're drunk."
Sitting at the center of the bar was Luffy. A thick, white bandage was now tightly plastered over his left eye, already spotting with a drop of crimson.
"It... it didn't even hurt," Luffy sniffled, his voice cracking as tears threatened to spill from his remaining good eye.
The man in the straw hat—the captain of the crew, Red-Haired Shanks—leaned over the counter and glared at him. "You liar! You're practically bawling!"
"I am not!" Luffy yelled, slamming his small hands on the sticky wood of the bar. "I'm not afraid of pain! Take me out to sea with you next time, Shanks! I want to be a pirate too!"
Shanks snorted, picking up his glass of juice. "You? A pirate? Don't make me laugh. You know what your biggest weakness is, kid? You can't swim. You're a literal anchor. What kind of pirate can't swim?"
"I'll be fine as long as I don't fall off the ship!" Luffy argued, throwing a few clumsy but fierce jabs into the air. "Besides, my fighting is getting really good! I've been training every single day. My punch is as strong as a pistol firing!"
Shanks took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes half-closed. "A pistol, huh? ...Sure it is."
"DON'T USE THAT BORED TONE WITH ME!" Luffy screamed, his face turning red with frustration.
Behind them, the crew was forming a conga line, singing a rowdy sea shanty with the fat pirate leading the charge. A sniper wearing a headband with the name "Yasopp" written on it leaned over to Luffy, grinning widely.
"Come on, Luffy, don't look so down!" Yasopp laughed. "You gotta smile! Facing anything with a grin—that's the pirate way!"
"He's right!" another crewmate chimed in, leaning over Yasopp's shoulder. "A pirate's life is the greatest life there is! The sea is endless. You can sail to any island, fight any monster, and chase any adventure!"
"There's nothing in this world greater than true freedom!" a third added, raising his mug.
Luffy's eyes sparkled. The anger washed away, replaced by pure, unadulterated awe. Endless seas. True freedom. "Hey, knock it off," Shanks scolded his men, though he was smiling. "Stop filling the kid's head with dumb ideas."
"But Captain, it's the truth!" the fat pirate protested with a mouthful of food.
"Yeah, Boss!" Yasopp agreed. "Why don't we just take him with us next time? Just for one trip. It's not a big deal."
Luffy gasped, his face lighting up like a sunburst. "Yeah! See? Even your crew agrees!"
Shanks paused. He looked at Luffy, then looked at his expectant crew. He tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"Alright," Shanks said slowly. "I suppose we could take him along next time..."
Luffy's jaw dropped in excitement.
"...Just as long as one of you steps off the ship and lets him take your place," Shanks finished with a wicked grin.
Instantly, the crew turned their backs, suddenly incredibly interested in their drinks. "Welp, bottom's up!" Yasopp whistled, walking away. "Look at the time, gotta clean my boots!" another mumbled.
"HEY!" Luffy shrieked, betrayed by his so-called supporters. "I THOUGHT YOU GUYS WERE ON MY SIDE!"