The trio, along Mayor Boodle, had made it to the town center. They settled down in an abandoned tavern, leaving the still unconscious Ritchie the Lion out by the corner. Luffy had dragged him through the town, not feeling comfortable leaving him next to the pet food store and ChouChou. With the Mayor's permission, Zoro was happily partaking in the sake still left behind the bar, Luffy sat next to him gnawing on some dried meats that were still safe to eat.
From his place Luffy observed as Nami recorded details about the losses the town suffered at the Buggy pirates. Specifics would be helpful, especially since he planned on calling that Smoker guy Garp had mentioned.
He hadn't originally planned on calling so soon, but with Orange town in the shape it was in they would need support to rebuild in a timely manner.
He was also pondering something deeper. Ever since he discovered the quirks hosted within his version of AFO, he had been spending his nights examining them. Before he bestowed anybody with any kind of power he wanted to ensure it was safe. The last thing he wanted is for someone he cared about to turn into a Nomu-like abomination.
By now he had a solid grasp on the basics. Each mote of light representing a quirk had its own kind of "weight" to it, and when in contact with others he can innately sense the "weight limit" that that person's body can carry.
If they went beyond that limit…
Well, Luffy had no intention of finding out any time soon. Or at all if he could help it.
Killing was one thing, but human experimentation was a line he was never willing to cross.
The pre-merge Luffy held no strong opinion on the matter one way or the other. His main philosophy was to beat the opponent, and if they were bad guys, to break their will to fight back.
Midoriya never really wanted to kill, but during the final war with All for One even he had come to understand that some threats needed to be put down. If that mad man had been left alive then millions of people would have been left in danger.
Together, this new Luffy didn't really want to kill, but if the situation was dire enough to call for it he wouldn't hesitate, nor would he lose any sleep about it.
So for now, he thought it would be safe to bestow his burgeoning crew of heroes with quirks if they wanted them. That would be a conversation for private though, this ability needed to stay between him and those he trusts.
For now, it was time to plan for the takedown of a certain clown.
A chair scraped lightly against the tavern floor.
Mayor Boodle rose slowly, one hand resting on the table as if grounding himself. His eyes moved between the three of them, lingering just a moment longer on Luffy.
"…I've been away from the others too long," he said. "The people in the hills… they won't know what's happening here."
Nami looked up from her notes, brow furrowing slightly. "They've been hiding this whole time, right?"
Boodle nodded. "They only come down in small groups when it's safe. Food runs, mostly. The rest…" His gaze drifted toward the broken windows. "…they're waiting. Hoping something changes."
Zoro took another drink, setting the cup down with a soft thud. "…Then go tell them it already has."
Boodle blinked.
Luffy swallowed the last of the dried meat in his hand and leaned back slightly, arms stretching behind his head.
"Yeah," he said casually. "Let them know they can come back soon."
Nami shot him a look. "Don't say that like it's already done."
Luffy grinned. "It is."
Zoro smirked into his cup.
Boodle looked between them again, trying to judge the character of the three travelers.These three people who had walked into a ruined town, dropped trained pirates without effort… and treated it like it was just another step.
"…You're serious," he said quietly.
Nami closed her notebook with a soft snap.
"We're not just going to chase them out," she said. "We're ending this."
She tapped the notebook lightly.
"And once we do, we're calling in support."
Boodle frowned slightly. "Support?"
Luffy leaned forward now, resting his elbows on the table. "There's a Marine in Loguetown," he said. "His name is Smoker, and he's clean."
Zoro raised a brow slightly but didn't interrupt.
Luffy continued, tone still light, but deliberate.
"He's strong too. Strong enough that even if more pirates show up, this place won't just get walked over again."
Nami nodded. "We'll give him a full report. Damage, losses, everything. If the Marines are going to do their job properly, we'll make sure they have no excuse not to."
Boodle's hands tightened slightly at his sides.
"…And you trust them?" he asked carefully. It was a fair question. There was no shortage of corrupt marines.
The room went quiet for a moment before he responded.
"Not all of them," he said honestly.
Images flickered in his mind. Corrupt officers, blind obedience, systems that protected those in power instead of people.
Then…
Koby, running until he could barely stand.
Garp, laughing as he forced strength into those willing to fight for something real.
"…But some of them are worth trusting," Luffy finished. "And the ones that aren't?"
His grin sharpened just a little.
"We deal with them too."
Zoro let out a quiet chuckle. "Simple."
Nami sighed. "…troublesome, but simple."
Boodle exhaled slowly. Some of the tension left his shoulders. Not all of it, that wouldn't happen until peace returned to his town. But it was enough.
"…I see," he murmured.
He straightened slightly, posture firmer now.
"…Very well."
His gaze moved to the doorway, toward the distant hills beyond the broken town.
"I'll go inform the others," he said. "They deserve to know what's coming."
He hesitated, looking back one last time at the lifelines that had just wandered into his town.
"…And what's ending."
Luffy gave him a small nod.
"Yeah."
Boodle gave a final, respectful dip of his head—then turned and made his way out of the tavern, footsteps steady despite the weight of everything he carried.
The door creaked shut behind him.
For a moment, only the sound of the wind moving through the ruined town filled the space.
Zoro stretched his arms over his head. "So."
He glanced toward the street.
"We're really doing this now?"
Nami leaned back in her chair, eyes drifting toward the ceiling.
"…Buggy, his crew, those cannons…" she muttered. "This isn't going to be as clean as those grunts."
"Nope," he said.
He rolled his shoulders once, loose, relaxed.
"Probably not."
"You guys noticed it too, right?" he said. "The way they moved."
Zoro's eyes narrowed slightly. "…Yeah."
Nami tilted her head. "They were slow."
"Not just slow," Luffy said. "Untrained." He tapped his temple lightly. "No structure. No awareness of spacing. They swung wide, overcommitted, didn't recover. It looks like he's gathered a bunch of thugs and set them loose."
Zoro's smirk widened slowly.
"…So?"
"So, the only people we really need to worry about are the clown himself, and maybe whatever executives he has."
"Like the lion guy?" Nami questioned with a raised brow.
"Yeah like him."
Zoro just scoffed. "It's not like he was much of a challenge. Honestly this seems a bit too easy."
Luffy only got more serious in the face of the swordsman's dismissal. "Don't get cocky, Zoro."
The smirk that was forming on Zoro's face faded a bit at the tone.
"You're stronger than them for sure, but a cornered animal is dangerous. Don't let your confidence make you miss any tricks they may have."
Zoro nodded, still skeptical, but acknowledging that his captain had a point.
Luffy scratched the back of his head.
"while we're on the subject of strength," he said, "Something with my devil fruit has changed."
He paused, expression turning more serious.
"I can give people powers…"
Nami and Zoro were quiet for a second, before Nami squinted.
"I feel like that doesn't make sense, but I don't know enough about devil fruit to dispute it."
Luffy chuckled, but quickly returned to his serious demeanor. "I've been testing it. Carefully. It's safe, as long as I don't push too much at once."
Nami didn't respond immediately.
Her fingers tightened slightly against her arms.
"…And what happens if you do push too much?" she asked.
Luffy's expression didn't waver.
"…I don't," he said simply.
There was no bravado in it, just an absolute certainty.
"I won't give anyone something they can't handle."
Zoro studied him for a moment longer.
Then huffed lightly.
"…Not interested."
Nami blinked, looking over at him. "That was fast."
Zoro shrugged.
"My path's already set," he said. "I'm going to be the world's greatest swordsman. Any shortcut would be disrespectful to the title."
His hand rested more firmly on the hilt of his blade.
"I don't need anything extra. If I get stronger, it'll be because I earned it."
Luffy grinned.
"Yeah," he said. "Figured you'd say that."
Zoro smirked. "Good. Saves us time on the argument."
Nami looked between them, then down at her own hands.
She thought about the pirates earlier, and how easily she had read them.
How easily she had won.
Then…
Arlong.
The sheer difference in strength, and the helplessness she felt every time he loomed over her.
Her jaw tightened.
"…And these abilities," she said slowly, "they'd make me stronger?"
Luffy tilted his head.
"They'd help," he said. "But you'd still have to train. Same as anything else."
Nami exhaled quietly.
Her mind ran through everything. The risk, reward, and most importantly, the trust that had formed between them.
Then she looked up.
"…And you're sure it's safe?"
Luffy's confident gaze met her eyes, and with no trace of doubt or hesitation easily answered, "Yes."
Nami held his gaze for another second.
Then sighed.
"…Fine."
Zoro raised a brow.
Nami rolled her eyes. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not trying to play catch-up forever."
She looked back at Luffy.
"…If we're going up against really strong people… or worse…"
Her voice steadied.
"I'm not staying weak."
Silence settled over them for a brief moment before Luffy's grin came back in full force.
"Good," he said.
He stepped a little closer, eyes gleaming with something almost mischievous.
"Because I've got something that'll suit you perfectly."
Nami frowned slightly. "…That doesn't sound ominous at all."
Zoro smirked. "Just don't blow her up by accident, somebody has to steer the ship."
The girl whirled around with startling speed, teeth sharpening as she yelled back, "WHAT WAS THAT YOU MOSSY MUSCLE HEAD?!?!"
Said moss head just picked his ears like he couldn't hear her
Luffy just laughed.
"Don't worry," he said. "You'll like it."
Nami settled. She wasn't fully convinced, but she had decided to trust Luffy. If he was right, if this made her stronger…
Then there was a conversation about a certain fishy blue bastard in their near future.
"…You better be right," she muttered.
Luffy's grin didn't falter.
"Oh, I am."
The wind picked up slightly, rustling through the broken streets of Orange Town.
He placed a gentle, comforting hand on her head as he ruffled her orange hair.
She blushed slightly, but before she could protest, black and red tendrils unfurled from his hand and connected to her forehead. Before she could panic, a warm sensation, almost comforting sensation started to spread through her body..
In her confusion, all she could muster was a quiet, confused, "...Wha-?"