Usopp sprinted down the uneven path near the coast, the sea breeze whipping at his hair and the sound of angry shouts behind him growing louder by the second. His legs churned like pistons, arms flailing as if they might help him gain more speed.
"GYAAAAAAAH!! They're still chasing me!! Somebody help!!"
Behind him, three furious Fishmen bounded over the terrain with powerful strides, splashing through puddles and pushing aside branches with ease. Their gills flared with rage, and sharp teeth gleamed in the sun.
"You can't run forever, human coward!"
"We'll gut you like a tuna!"
"I didn't even fought any fishman! The one who beat Arlong is Zino! I was just there!!" Usopp wailed, glancing over his shoulder—only to nearly trip on a rock. He caught himself, stumbled forward, and kept going.
Just up ahead, a broad figure came into view near the shoreline—Hatchan, the six-armed octopus Fishman. He just won his fight against Don Krieg, and still rising up his limbs in celebration. Even the defeated Krieg is there, laying down, unconscious.
Hatchan stood tall, pulling down his arms, looking around in confusion.
"Huh? What's all the noise?"
The three pursuing Fishmen brightened upon spotting him. "Hatchan!! Over here!! Help us catch that guy!"
"Huh?" Hatchan blinked, still confused. He followed their pointing fingers until his eyes landed on the frantic Usopp, who was now skidding around a bush with a terrified shriek.
"That guy?" Hatchan scratched his head. "Doesn't look like a villager... What's going on?"
At the moment, Hatchan was still not aware of the arrival of Zino's group, nor did he know that Zino's group already clashed with his pirate's group, the Arlong pirates. After all, he has been busy looking for his pet sea king, Mohmoo.
"Hatchan, don't you know?" one of the Fishmen shouted breathlessly. "There's a group of humans who barged into the village and started fighting Arlong-sama's forces!"
"We were in the middle of dealing with them before we saw this one running off!" another added. "He's part of the group! Help us grab him first—explanations later!"
Hatchan's brows furrowed deeply, his playful demeanor darkening. "What!? Someone attacked Arlong-sama? Since when!? I was just out looking for Mohmoo!"
He clenched all six fists, eyes narrowing. "You! Curly-nosed human! You dared to attack Arlong-sama?!"
"W-Wait! This is all a big misunderst—AAAAAHHH!!" Usopp's plea was drowned by his own scream as Hatchan lunged forward.
Like a massive predator, Hatchan shot across the ground with startling speed, his six arms stretched wide like a net ready to ensnare prey. The ground trembled beneath his charge, and even the other three Fishmen had to pause to avoid getting bowled over.
Usopp darted to the side, dodging just in time as one of Hatchan's fists slammed into the ground where he'd just been. Dirt and pebbles exploded into the air.
"I'm too young to die like this!!" Usopp shrieked, scrambling through the brush. "Zino! Zoro! Anybody!!"
"Quit running and accept your punishment!" Hatchan yelled, swinging two arms downward.
Usopp barely avoided another grab, tumbling head over heels into a shallow ditch. Covered in leaves and panic, he tried to crawl backward, legs kicking wildly.
Hatchan loomed over him now, all six arms raised, ready to deliver a finishing blow. "You'll regret ever messing with Arlong-sama!"
But then—
"Hokoken!"
WHAM!!
A shadow plummeted from the sky like a falling meteor. A fist, wrapped in compressed air and sheer force, came down on Hatchan's skull with terrifying precision. The moment it struck—
BOOM!
The impact blasted a shockwave outward, cracking the earth beneath, sending a gust of wind rippling in all directions. Dirt and leaves flew. Hatchan's eyes rolled back as he was driven face-first into the ground, limbs splaying out beneath him. He didn't even twitch.
The trio of Fishmen chasing Usopp came to a skidding halt, their webbed feet dragging across the ground.
"W-What the hell was that!?"
Usopp, still scrambling backward in sheer panic, froze mid-scoot. He blinked once. Twice.
"Huh!?"
From the small crater where the octopus Fishman had landed, a calm figure rose, brushing dust off his coat.
Zino.
His expression was unreadable—calm, composed, but unmistakably dangerous. Smoke still curled faintly from his knuckles as he cracked his neck and exhaled.
"Took me a while to catch up," he said, rolling one shoulder. "You've got some serious lungs, Usopp. I heard you screaming from the village."
Usopp's jaw dropped as he scrambled to his feet, pointing at the fallen Hatchan. "Z-Zino! You just… you just one-shotted that octopus guy!!"
Zino gave a casual shrug, stepping out of the shallow crater. "He looked tired. Figured I'd help him lie down."
The three Fishmen took a nervous step back, eyes darting from Hatchan's unconscious body to the newcomer who'd just leveled him with a single attack.
One of them gulped audibly. "T-This guy… he's not normal."
Another whispered, "That wasn't a punch—that was a cannon blast!"
Without waiting for permission, the three turned in unison and bolted back toward the coast.
"W-We're out of here!!"
Zino didn't even bother chasing them. He stood still, letting them vanish into the trees and brush, his focus still partly on Hatchan's motionless form. Satisfied, he turned toward Usopp.
"You alright?"
Usopp nodded rapidly. "I-I mean, yeah! I wasn't scared or anything! Just using my patented tactical retreat!"
Zino gave him a dry stare. "Sure. Tactical screaming too?"
"Exactly!" Usopp grinned nervously, rubbing the back of his head.
At this time, Sanji approached steadily, wiping a smudge of dirt off his clothes as he neared the group. Just moments ago, he'd caught sight of Usopp in a desperate chase, pursued by relentless Fishmen. He had been ready to jump in and help, but then Zino's sudden, thunderous punch to Hatchan's head stopped the fight in its tracks.
"That was one hell of a punch," Sanji remarked, nodding toward Zino with a faint grin.
Zino turned, surprised but pleased to see Sanji. For a moment, his mind raced—he hadn't expected to meet the talented cook here. Then a warm smile spread across his face. "Oh, Sanji. Have you made your decision yet?"
Sanji's eyes gleamed with resolve. "Yes. I'm joining your crew."
"Alright! Welcome aboard!" Zino's grin widened, almost bursting with happiness. He then said, "Our ship will pass by the Baratie soon enough, so you can follow us from there. But… why did you come here?"
Before Sanji could reply, Zino's eyes caught the sight in the distance. As he scanned around, he found the place scattered with signs of recent combat—the cracked earth, broken branches, and lingering scents of bloods.
As he observed further, he noticed familiar shapes in the distance—a large figure lying on the shore, and another slumped against a jagged rock. Zino's eyes narrowed as he recognized these two people.
"Krieg!? And… Gin?" Zino's voice was a mixture of confusion and disbelief.
Further along the shoreline, he saw a massive form sprawled unconscious—the cow sea king, Mohmoo.
"What's going on here?" Zino asked, in confusion.
Sanji sighed deeply, rubbing the back of his neck before beginning to recount the chaotic chain of events that led to this scene. "It's a long story."
He started with how he and Gin had crossed paths on the sea. A reckless race, both eager to prove their strength and agility. Their competition soon spiraled into a clash—not just with each other but with Mohmoo, the giant sea king.
"We both ended up beating that big cow sea king unconscious," Sanji said wryly, shaking his head at the memory.
The story darkened as Krieg's name entered the tale. "I ended up fighting Gin, as he tried to release Don Krieg."
Sanji described how he forced Gin out of the Silent Orca, and that Krieg manage to release himself on his own.
"He came down and ruthless punched Gin, who resisted his command to kill me." Sanji said, glancing at the distance Gin.
Sanji also described how Hatchan, the octopus fishman suddenly came when he and Krieg were about to fight. How the octopus Fishman had exacted a fierce revenge for Mohmoo's injury.
"But in the end," Sanji finished, "Krieg was defeated. And all this mess…" He gestured around the battered place and the injured figures nearby.
Zino absorbed every word, his mind was calculating. "Sounds like things got out of hand."
Sanji nodded, sighing at the ever changing situation. However, what Zino's meaning of things got out of hand is different to what Sanji was thinking.
In Zino's mind, things unfolded differently from the story he knows. It really was the butterfly effect of his presence. Luffy was not here, Zino recruit all Luffy's supposed crews, many things already veered away from the original plot.
A thought struck Zino. 'Right. Where would Luffy be at the moment? Did he ever get a ship to sail out of Goat Island?'
...
On a small, uncharted island teeming with strange and rare animals, the atmosphere was unusually festive. Laughter echoed through the jungle canopy as fireworks cracked in the sky. A makeshift bonfire crackled in the center of a clearing, casting long shadows across the lively gathering.
Around it danced an unlikely group—pirates in mismatched clothes and circus-like makeup, a boy in a straw hat with a wide grin, a man perpetually stuck inside a chest, and dozens of colorful animals bouncing and frolicking nearby.
This bizarre celebration was the result of a series of even more bizarre events.
A few days earlier, Monkey D. Luffy had arrived on the island alone, drawn by the scent of adventure and a gut feeling that something interesting waited here. What he found instead was Gaimon—a green-haired man whose body had been trapped in a treasure chest for years—and a jungle filled with rare and curious animals that had long since become his friends.
But soon after Luffy's arrival, another group made landfall—the Clown Pirates, led by the flamboyant and explosive Buggy the Clown. Tensions sparked immediately, as the Clown Pirates searched for hidden treasure while Gaimon stood guard over his precious island and the animals he protected.
Misunderstandings turned into a brief scuffle. Luffy stepped in, defending both Gaimon and the animals. But things didn't escalate. Instead, after a few fists were thrown and a few insults exchanged, something strange happened—they all ended up sitting down and talking.
Gaimon's odd but warm-hearted nature softened the pirates' initial hostility. Luffy's carefree, good-natured personality had a way of disarming even the most unpredictable foes. Buggy, though proud and stubborn, could appreciate someone with guts.
Eventually, Buggy revealed his purpose for coming—he was following an old map that claimed there was hidden treasure buried on the island. Gaimon, having lived here for years, swore up and down there was no treasure left—he'd searched every nook and cranny.
But Buggy, not one to be easily discouraged, showed them the weathered map.
Luffy's eyes sparkled. "Treasure? I'm in!" he declared without hesitation.
Gaimon sighed but, intrigued, joined them on the hunt—mostly to make sure the pirates didn't wreck the island.
Following the map through dense forest, across narrow cliffs, and through a hidden cave, they finally found it—real treasure. A stash of gold, exotic weapons, and even a couple of Devil Fruits sat glittering inside an ancient, sealed cache.
That discovery had sparked the current celebration.
Buggy raised a bottle and let out a loud laugh. "Now *this* is a proper haul! Cheers to us!"
Nearby, Luffy stuffed his face with meat, juice dripping down his chin. Gaimon chuckled, surrounded by animals curled up in comfort. The Clown Pirates danced around in circles, shaking tambourines and blowing horns.
Buggy, half-drunk on victory, sauntered over to Luffy and jabbed a finger at his chest. "You've got spirit, kid. Why not join my crew? You and me—we'd shake the Grand Line to its core!"
Luffy stopped chewing and looked up. "Sure," he said, grinning. "But if I join—" He stood, placing a hand on his straw hat. "—I'm the captain."
A sudden silence swept the clearing.
What did you say?!" Buggy's face twitched violently, veins popping on his forehead. "You? Captain?! Hey, look at me, brat. I. Am. The. Captain!"
Luffy simply smiled, chewing a piece of meat with casual ease. "Alright. Then I'll be your captain, Captain Buggy."
"HUHH!?" Buggy's mouth gaped. He stumbled a step forward, absolutely baffled. "Are you making fun of me?! I just told you—I'M the ship's captain!"
"Yes," Luffy nodded earnestly. "You're the captain of the ship. And I'm your captain. Right?"
Buggy's eye twitched again. "W-What the hell does that even mean?! You saying you're better than me?!"
"Am I?" Luffy asked with a completely blank face.
Buggy pointed a shaky finger. "O-Of course you're—wait, NO! I'M BETTER THAN YOU!"
*Rumble!*
Luffy's stomach answered for him.
"Ahhh... I'm hungry," he said, ignoring the flustered clown. He turned to Gaimon. "Hey Boxer, got any food left?"
Gaimon blinked. "Uh, yeah. Here."
Luffy walked off, munching contentedly, leaving Buggy standing there, frozen mid-rant with his mouth half open.
"Oi! Don't just walk away when I'm arguing with you!" Buggy shouted, his voice cracking.
The rest of the Clown Pirates—and even Gaimon—burst out laughing at the absurd exchange. The rare animals nearby hooted and squeaked as if they understood the comedy too.
Buggy grumbled under his breath, sat down in frustration, and started chugging on some booze. "What a weirdo…"
That night, the party continued with fireworks, jungle fruit cocktails, and even a bizarre dance competition between Buggy and one of the island's monkeys. But eventually, the fire burned low, and the dawn crept in.
As the sun rose, the crew prepared to leave. The Clown Pirates loaded their loot onto the ship, while Gaimon stood at the shoreline, chest-body propped up by a few vines. The animals gathered around him, watching the departure with wide eyes.
Buggy gave a lazy wave. "Take care, Gaimon. You're a strange guy, but not half bad. If you ever want to join my crew, just say the word when we pass by again."
"I'll think about it," Gaimon called back with a chuckle.
Luffy stood beside Buggy, waving with both hands. "Thanks for everything, Gaimon! We'll definitely come back someday!"
"You better!" Gaimon laughed. "And don't let that clown boss you around, Luffy!"
Buggy scowled. "HEY!"
With a few final goodbyes, the ship set sail. The sails caught the morning wind, and the vessel began to glide smoothly away from the island. Gaimon and his animals watched from the cliffs as the ship shrank on the horizon.