Luffy adjusted the white bandage around his left wrist, lifting his arm just enough for everyone to see it clearly.
"From here on out," he said calmly, voice carrying quiet authority, "what's under this bandage matters more than faces, voices, or clothes. It's what separates us from the enemy."
The crew nodded in unison.
Luffy reached into his coat again, pulling out a small but heavy sack of coins and tossing it in a smooth arc toward Sanji. The cook caught it instinctively.
"Restock the kitchen. Whatever you need."
Sanji grinned. "Leave it to me, Captain."
"And the rest of you," Luffy continued, eyes sweeping across the crew, "stay sharp. Assume we're already being watched."
That sobered them immediately.
Moments later, they slipped off the Going Merry and moved inland, crossing a stretch of sun-baked sand before the town walls of Nanohana came fully into view. The heat hit them like a living thing—dry, oppressive, relentless. The air shimmered above the ground, and the scent of spices, sweat, and smoke drifted toward them.
Before entering, Nami and Usopp quickly handed hooded desert coats to Vivi and Karoo. The fabric was light but concealing, dull colors meant to blend into the crowd.
"Until we get proper clothes," Nami said quietly, "this should keep eyes off you."
They entered the city together—and immediately stood out.
Nanohana was alive. Merchants shouted prices, children ran between stalls, camels groaned under heavy loads, and the wind carried sand through narrow streets like a constant whisper. Compared to the locals in loose robes and headscarves, the Straw Hats looked like walking red flags.
They ducked into a half-ruined section of the market—collapsed stone walls, unused storage sheds, shadows thick enough to hide in for a while.
"This is bad," Nami muttered, peeking around the edge of a wall. "If we keep moving together, Crocodile's agents will spot us fast."
Luffy leaned against the stone, arms folded. "Yeah. But splitting blindly isn't smart either. I've got a bounty, Vivi's face is known, and Mr. 2 could be anywhere."
Sanji raised an eyebrow. "They don't know what I look like."
Usopp snapped his fingers. "He's right! And neither do they know Chopper!"
Luffy smiled faintly. He reached into his coat again and produced a much smaller bag of coins, handing it to Sanji.
"You and Chopper go buy disguises. For everyone except me."
That drew stares.
"You?" Nojiko asked. "No disguise?"
Luffy pushed off the wall, straightening his coat. "I'll walk openly. Let them focus on me while you work from the shadows."
Zoro studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Makes sense."
"Zoro," Luffy added, "you're in charge of everything except navigation."
Zoro frowned. "Why not navigation?"
Everyone stared at him.
"Because," Luffy replied flatly, "you can get lost on a straight road."
Zoro clicked his tongue and folded his arms. "Tch."
A few quiet laughs followed.
"We'll meet later," Luffy said, already turning away.
"How?" Nojiko called after him.
Luffy glanced back over his shoulder, grin sharp and knowing. "You'll know."
Then he vanished into the crowd.
---
Nanohana's marketplace swallowed him whole.
Luffy moved slowly, deliberately, letting eyes linger on him. Whispers followed. His coat, his posture, the unmistakable presence of someone dangerous—people noticed.
Good, he thought.
He stopped at a small food stall run by a hunched old man grilling skewers over low coals. The smell alone made Luffy's stomach rumble.
He picked one up, tossed a few berries onto the counter, and took a bite.
"…This is really good," Luffy said honestly.
The old man blinked, then smiled. "Thank you. Been a while since anyone said that."
"That's weird," Luffy replied, chewing. "With food like this?"
The man's smile faded. "Before the war talk, this place was always busy."
"War?" Luffy asked casually.
"Dance Powder," the man spat bitterly. "Stupid powder. Stupid people."
Luffy tilted his head. "Dance Powder?"
The man studied him, then sighed. "Artificial rain. Burn it, and it forces clouds to release water. But it steals rain from somewhere else."
Luffy's eyes sharpened. "So the rebels want the king to use it."
"And the king refuses," the man nodded. "Because he doesn't want to start another war. So they call him a traitor."
Luffy hummed thoughtfully. "And Crocodile?"
The man's voice dropped. "He saves people. Or so they say. That's why they trust him."
"But you don't."
"I've lived too long to trust a smiling warlord," the man said quietly.
Luffy smiled and tossed a larger pouch of money onto the counter.
"That's too much!" the man protested.
Luffy waved without turning back.
As he walked, he felt it—the weight of attention, the tightening net.
Only a matter of time.
He stopped abruptly, eyes fixing on a restaurant ahead.
A familiar presence brushed his senses.
Luffy smiled.
"So Shanks was right," he murmured. "…You're really here."
He stepped forward.
"…Ace."