The silence of the alley snapped as the Muffliato Charm dissolved, plunging Ben back into the clamor of Loguetown. The air, only moments ago charged with the terrifying potential of Revolution, now felt merely brisk and salty. Monkey D. Dragon was gone, vanished like a ghost carried by his own self-made storm.
Ben stood alone, the weight of the secrets exchanged settling heavy on his shoulders. The knowledge of Imu, the true name of Luffy's fruit—it was enough to shatter the foundation of the world. Now, he had the Revolutionary Army's promise of the Haki manual at Whisky Peak, the next critical step in preparing the Straw Hats.
Time to get useful, Ben thought. His template knowledge was vast, but his supplies were not. The most efficient way to acquire necessary magical components and blueprints was always through the nearest, best-stocked government facility.
He made his way through the bustling market, his eyes sharp, scanning for anything useful—rare resins, specific metals, odd spices that might hide alchemical properties. He purchased a few oddities, paying with the gold he'd skimmed off Arlong's haul, then turned his attention to the target: the Marine Branch Base in Loguetown.
The base was a sturdy, gray stone fortress, its perimeter patrolled by stiff, uniformed Marines. Ben approached, blending effortlessly with the shadows, his presence dissolving against the background noise of the city. Once he was near the outer wall, he performed a subtle wave of his wand.
Disillusionment Charm
The world momentarily warped, and the space where Ben stood seemed to shimmer before snapping back into place. He was still physically present, but his form was now seamlessly integrated into the environment, appearing as nothing more than a faint, shifting distortion—like heat rising off the cobblestones. He was, to all casual observers, invisible.
He slipped past the main gate guards, who continued their monotonous pacing, oblivious.
Inside the base, it was a hive of organized mediocrity. Ben bypassed the noisy mess hall and the drab barracks, his path guided by instinct and the low thrumming of valuable magical signatures.
He finally reached the administrative wing, pushing open a heavy wooden door that led to the office of the base's Captain. The plaque on the door confirmed his target: Captain Smoker.
Smoker's office was surprisingly sparse for a Captain, dominated by an enormous, old-fashioned map table and a single, ugly portrait of an old Marine Admiral hanging slightly askew.
Ben quickly scanned the room. The objects that drew his attention were not the official papers, but the small, personal items—the things a man would protect. His eyes kept returning to the portrait.
He approached it, gently lifting the heavy frame. Behind it, nestled perfectly into the stonework, was a dull, gray steel locker.
"Alohomora," Ben whispered, touching the wand to the lock.
There was a soft, barely audible click, and the heavy steel door swung open.
Inside, Ben found a few critical treasures:
A Log Pose that would be valuable for navigating the unpredictable Grand Line.
A thick, well-worn instruction manual: The cover read, in crisp military lettering, "Six Powers: Basic Training and Application." The Rokushiki.
Ben smiled—a true victory. The Six Powers were the ultimate physical foundation, the closest thing in this world to structured martial arts training for the upper echelons of the World Government. Combined with Haki, they were devastating.
He quickly performed the duplication spell. "Geminio." A soft golden light enveloped the manual, and a moment later, an exact, perfect replica materialized beside the original. Ben carefully put the original manual and the replica of Log Pose which he made using transfiguration back inside, closing and relocking the vault with a muttered Colloportus charm before replacing the portrait. He only took the copy.
Next, he headed to the Marine treasury—a heavily reinforced vault deep in the basement. He used another unlocking spell, bypassing the physical locks and the pressure seals.
The treasury was filled with Bellies, gold coins, and chests of silver. Ben grinned. He pulled out the expansion pouch he'd given the crew, now empty in his hand, and muttered a charm to widen its opening.
"Accio Gold and Berries."
A torrent of currency, bright gold, and crisp Berries, rushed out of the vault and vanished into the magically enlarged pouch. It took him less than thirty seconds. He didn't take everything—just a generous, untraceable amount—then quietly locked the treasury back up.
The heist was complete. The Going Merry was now funded and equipped with the blueprints for the crew's next level of physical evolution.
Ben made his way out of the base, his Disillusionment Charm still holding, and headed toward the one place where he knew his Captain would be drawn: the Execution Platform.
As he approached the central plaza, the low murmur of the city exploded into chaos. There was a desperate, loud commotion—shouts, the clang of steel, and the barking commands of Marines.
Ben deactivated the charm, moving into the thick of the crowd.
The iconic platform, the place where the Pirate King, Gol D Roger, had met his end, was the epicenter of a furious, desperate brawl. Marines, pirates from Buggy's crew, and a few frantic onlookers were locked in combat.
On the execution stage, Luffy was tied and completely helpless, his arms bound tightly to the heavy wooden cross. Looming over him was Buggy the Clown, his face a mask of sadistic glee, his favorite razor-sharp cutlass raised high.
Buggy roared, the blade trembling in his hand. "Today, you die, Straw Hat!"
Below, Zoro and Sanji were cutting a swath through the surrounding pirates and Marines, frantic to reach the platform.
"MOVE, YOU IDIOTS!" Sanji screamed, his heel bursting into flame as he delivered a powerful Mouton Shot that sent a line of Marines sprawling.
Zoro met a flurry of Buggy's crew members with a flash of steel, his face grim. "Damn it, we're too late!"
Buggy asks. "Do you wanna say something before you die Muggiwara?"
Luffy shouts saying. " I gonna be the King of the Pirates!!"
Everyone was shocked hearing that.
Buggy says. "Well this is it for you rubber twerp." and brings his sword down.
Luffy looked down at his crewmates, with his usual wide grin momentarily and says "Sorry, everyone,"
Buggy let out a triumphant shriek and brought the blade down with crushing force toward Luffy's neck.
The air tore. Time seemed to crawl to a halt. The flash of the descending steel, the shouts freezing in the wind—
Then, the world shattered.
CRACK-BOOM!
A massive, blinding column of lightning plunged from the clear blue sky. It struck the execution platform with the deafening roar of a cannon, splintering the wood, sending smoke and debris scattering in all directions, and unleashing a shockwave that threw the nearby combatants to the ground.
The crowd screamed. Marines scattered. Buggy, utterly terrified, lay smoking in a heap of rubble.
When the smoke cleared, the impossible had happened. The heavy wooden cross was gone, the platform was pulverized—but Luffy stood in the center, perfectly unscathed. The lightning, which should have cooked him instantly, had merely charged his rubber body, leaving him alive and free.
Luffy picked up his straw hat, tilted it onto his head, and grinned that blinding, infuriating grin.
"I'm still alive," he stated simply, his voice carrying over the stunned silence.
The crowd stared, eyes wide, believing it to be a true Act of God—divine intervention saving the young pirate.
Zoro and Sanji, who had also been thrown back, recovered instantly. They rushed toward their Captain.
"You idiot!" Sanji roared, grabbing Luffy's shoulder and shaking him. "You absolute moron! Smiling when you were about to die! I should kick you myself!"
"Ah, Sorry Sanji," Luffy said happily,
Zoro grabbed the back of Luffy's vest, his face a mask of annoyance and relief. "We need to go, Luffy! The storm is about to hit! Get your rubber brain moving!"
It was at that moment, as the three were clustered in the smoking wreckage, that a new voice—calm, wry, and deeply familiar—cut through the chaotic din.
POP!
With the almost silent pop of displaced air, Ben appeared beside them, stepping out of thin air. He was completely dry, clean, and entirely composed, a stark contrast to the dust and grime surrounding the three pirates.
He gave them a casual wave. "Yo, guys. Miss me?"
The three erupted in startled yells.
"BEN!" Luffy shouted, his eyes sparkling with delight and shock.
"Where did you come from, you damn wizard?!" Sanji yelled, scrambling back slightly.
Zoro, ever the stoic, simply grunted, but his hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword, confused by the sudden appearance.
"Long story," Ben said, ignoring the chaos still swirling around the plaza and gesturing toward the sky. The clouds were darkening rapidly now, truly fulfilling the earlier warnings. "Right now, we need a quick exit. Place your hands on my shoulders."
They understood instantly. No one argued.
Luffy, still high on adrenaline, wrapped his arms around Ben's neck instead of his shoulder. Sanji and Zoro, their faces grim, placed their hands securely on the wizard's shoulders.
"Hold tight," Ben advised.
The world dissolved into a sickening rush of speed, sound, and color—the gut-wrenching experience of Apparition.
POP!
They landed hard on the deck of the Going Merry.
Zoro and Sanji immediately fell to their knees, clutching their stomachs and gasping for breath, their faces pale green.
"Ugh... what... was that...?" Sanji groaned, resting his head on the polished deck. "It feels like my internal organs just swapped places!"
"Never again," Zoro muttered, his hand still clamped over his stomach.
Luffy, however, sprang up, completely unaffected, his eyes shining with pure excitement. "Do it one more time, Ben! That was awesome!"
"We'll save the amusement park rides for later," Ben said, already moving toward the railing. "First, there's a welcome committee."
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, their nausea instantly overridden by the prospect of a fight, rushed to the railing.
A small, familiar group of pirates were attempting to climb aboard the Merry—it was Mohji the Beast Tamer and his giant lion, Richie.
"The clown's lackeys," Zoro sneered, drawing one of his swords.
"They're not even worth the effort," Sanji said, already lighting a cigarette.
In a swift, coordinated attack, the duo dispatched Mohji and Richie with ruthless efficiency, sending them tumbling back into the harbor water.
At the same moment, two figures burst onto the pier, running full tilt toward the ship: Nami and Usopp, soaked and panting.
They stared, dumbfounded, at the three boys already on the deck, completely dry, and the wreckage of Mohji's crew floating in the water.
"Luffy! Zoro! Sanji!" Nami gasped, utterly bewildered. "You told us you were going to the execution execution platform! How are you already here?"
Ben leaned on the railing, the wind catching his white hair, and gave them a simple, serene smile.
"Magic."
Nami and Usopp exchanged a look of pure, bewildered resignation.
"I'll tell you all the details afterwards," Ben said, the first heavy drops of rain beginning to splatter against the deck. "But the storm is about to truly pick up. Let's get on the ship and set sail!"
They hurried aboard, Nami rushing to the helm, Usopp scrambling up the mast to ready the sails. The Going Merry, guided by its magical enchantments and the fierce determination of its crew, pulled away from the dock, leaving the chaos and the inevitable fury of Captain Smoker behind.
They were free of Loguetown, heading straight for the swirling dangers of the Grand Line.
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Suggestions
A character who can create things like Momo Yayorozu or those who can help train Luffy and others more.