"Tom, are you an idiot?" Luffy asked Tom suddenly while eating meat.
Pfft!
Tom, who had been enjoying his meal, spat out his food unceremoniously all over Luffy's face.
"What nonsense are you talking? Among all of us, you're the least qualified to call anyone else stupid." Tom wiped his mouth and spoke with complete honesty to Luffy.
"If you weren't an idiot, how could you drink tea while eating snacks? You should use delicious meat juice instead. Your tongue is really strange." Luffy's words immediately made Tom feel utterly exasperated.
For heaven's sake, I can't even be bothered to waste words on this kid. Filling my stomach is more important right now.
Seeing Luffy acting so foolish, Tom decisively shut his mouth.
"Don't bother with such trivial matters. Speaking of which, you've raised the flag of the Pirate King. You must have gathered quite a crew by now, right? Where are the others?" Zoro, sitting on the other side, asked Luffy. Remembering how Tom had drawn the Marines' attention to save him, even while injured, he seemed like a pretty good partner. The others Luffy had found probably weren't bad either.
"Aren't all of us right here?" As soon as Luffy said this, Zoro was dumbfounded. He stared blankly at Tom and Luffy, who were both devouring food. "You mean to say... there's just the three of us?"
"Is that a problem?" Luffy, focused entirely on his meat, completely missed Zoro's astonished expression.
"What kind of pirate crew has only three people?" Zoro was speechless. As a former pirate hunter, he had never seen a pirate crew with only three members.
"What's wrong with three? Tom and I can each take on a hundred men. You're pretty strong too." Luffy didn't care one bit about the crew's headcount.
Zoro glanced at Tom, recalling his fierce determination during the fight. He really wasn't someone ordinary people could compare to. But something still felt very off. "What about the ship? Where's the pirate ship?"
Luffy pointed toward the restaurant window, signaling Zoro to look for himself.
Zoro walked to the window. Looking into the distance, he saw a lonely, pitifully small wooden boat docked at the port below. To make matters worse, a white dog was urinating on the post the boat was tied to. Zoro was utterly stunned.
"Heh... heh..." Zoro let out two helpless, dry laughs.
"Don't be so dissatisfied. Actually, I have a boat too." Tom remembered the small wooden boat he and Nami had arrived in, though he wasn't sure if it was still there.
"Where is your boat?" Zoro's eyes lit up. Maybe Tom's boat would be better.
"If it's still there, you should be able to see it from the window too." Tom took a sip of meat broth, finding it absolutely delicious, and licked his lips with satisfaction.
Zoro looked toward the port again. Sure enough, there was another small wooden boat sitting all by itself. However, Tom's boat appeared to be even smaller than Luffy's, sending Zoro into immediate despair.
It looks like Nami specifically left that boat for me.
Seeing Zoro's extremely dissatisfied expression, Tom knew the small boat he and Nami had used was still there. He spoke to Zoro with great sincerity. "Anyway, we're now a pirate crew with two ships. If you want, you can have my boat. You can use a boat all by yourself. That should address your concerns, right?"
"You idiot! We're in the same pirate crew! How can we split up?!" Zoro roared directly at Tom.
"Actually, you're just afraid of getting lost alone on the open sea, aren't you?" Tom bluntly exposed Zoro's real worry, immediately making Zoro want to draw his sword and cut this guy down.
"Don't worry. Someday, we'll have a ship this big!" Luffy, finally not eating for a moment, gestured wildly to show the ship's size, his face full of excitement.
"Ahahahaha!" Zoro laughed even more exaggeratedly, wearing an exaggerated expression as he said to Luffy, "Keep dreaming!"
"And we'll need a pirate flag too!" Luffy, shoving more meat into his mouth, had already entered a state of fantasy, completely lost in it.
"I think Mr. Luffy must have left his planning skills behind in his mother's womb." Seeing Zoro's helpless expression, Koby spoke up to comfort him.
"I actually acknowledged someone like this as my Captain..." At that moment, Zoro genuinely felt like the version of himself who had called Luffy "Captain" was a complete fool. The veins on his forehead were visibly bulging.
"Big brother, is it true you want to become the Pirate King? You're really so brave and awesome." Little Rika came over to Luffy, her big eyes full of innocence.
"Yeah, I am pretty awesome. But I'll become even more awesome in the future. Because I'm the man who will become the Pirate King." Luffy, chewing meat, grinned at Rika, his face full of confidence.
This guy can boast about being brave and awesome even in front of a little girl. I'm truly impressed!
Tom glanced at Luffy, who was talking to Rika, and grumbled internally.
Next, Zoro asked Luffy where they planned to go. Luffy immediately answered with enthusiasm, "Of course, we're heading for the Grand Line!"
"What?! You're talking nonsense again! There are only three of you, and you want to enter the Grand Line? That's just asking for death!" Koby, who was still bandaging the wound on Tom's back, was so startled by Luffy's words that his hand jerked, unfortunately brushing against the wound.
"Yowch!!"
Tom's back wound was accidentally touched by Koby, making him cry out in pain.
Koby hastily apologized to Tom, then continued speaking to Luffy, who looked utterly clueless. "Don't you know? The Grand Line is where countless vicious pirates from all over the world gather! If you rush into the Grand Line recklessly, you'll definitely be torn to pieces by those pirates!"
"Is the Grand Line really that scary?" Little Rika asked Koby, very confused.
Since Koby had stopped halfway through bandaging his back, Tom had no choice but to ask Rika to help him instead.
"Of course it is! In this world, there are two great seas. What divides these two seas is the Red Line. They say there's a town in the center of the Red Line. The sea route that goes around the world at a right angle through this town is called the Grand Line!" Koby, holding a juice cup, sat on a chair, his head bowed with a serious expression. He continued, "Legend says the Pirate King, Gold Roger, once possessed the whole world. And the place he chose to hide the world's greatest treasure, One Piece, was in the Grand Line. For that reason, countless pirates have swarmed into the Grand Line, engaging in brutal battles there."
"Now the Grand Line has become a terrifying battlefield. People call it the Graveyard of Pirates. No one knows how many pirates have lost their lives there." Koby's body trembled slightly, his somewhat chubby face showing a hint of fear. He was clearly genuinely worried for Luffy and the others.
"I've heard from customers before that no one who enters the Grand Line ever comes back alive." The proprietress, wiping plates, also looked at Luffy and the others with concern.
"But if One Piece is in the Grand Line, then we have no choice but to go." Luffy said this carefreely and lightly.
"There's no way around it. We can only head there. I have no objections." Zoro fully agreed with Luffy's stance.
Seeing Luffy and Zoro's resolute attitude, Koby could only hope Tom would talk some sense into them. He rushed over to Tom, excitedly grabbed his hand, and shook it vigorously. "Mr. Tom! Please talk to them properly! No matter what, going to the Grand Line now is just too dangerous!"
Koby's sudden charge and shaking made Tom's back wound tragically get bumped by Rika again, making his lips quiver with pain.
What sin did I commit in a past life? I was keeping quiet and low-key, and now my wound's been bumped twice in a row.
Tom straightened up and said to the anxious Koby, "Anyway, you're not coming with us. Why are you so worked up?"
"E-Even though I'm not going... I can still worry, can't I?!" Koby shouted excitedly at Tom. "Is that not allowed? Can't I worry about you guys?!"
"You should be worrying about yourself." Tom's words made Koby pause, not understanding immediately.
"He's right." Zoro gently tapped the still-confused Koby on the head with the hilt of his sword. "Even though you were a slave, the fact is you stayed on Alvida's pirate ship for two years. Don't underestimate the Navy's intelligence-gathering abilities. If they find out, you can forget about joining the Navy."
Hearing Zoro, Koby slowly hung his head, utterly dejected. "I've never had a close friend since I was little, let alone someone who would risk their life for me. It's really because I have no backbone! I'm a coward!"
"Mr. Luffy, even though we haven't known each other long, can a useless person like me... be considered your friend?" When Koby asked this, his voice was extremely low, even quieter than Rika's breathing. He sounded completely lacking in confidence, yet his gaze toward Luffy and the others held a thread of expectation.
"Sure! Even though we have to part ways, we'll always be friends!" Luffy grinned widely at Koby.
Hearing Luffy's words, Koby's eyes, which had looked somewhat dim behind his thick glasses, immediately brightened. The corners of his eyes grew moist, and he nearly cried on the spot.
"Thank you... really. I've learned something from all of you. A person should live for their beliefs." Koby looked at Luffy, Zoro, and Tom. He remembered how Luffy, determined to become the Pirate King, was already prepared to sacrifice his life for it. How Zoro, to become the world's greatest swordsman, endured three weeks without food just to survive. How Tom had staked his life to set sail with Luffy.
They all had their own convictions, their own unwavering determination that ordinary people couldn't shake. That's why they could keep getting stronger. This made Koby realize he couldn't remain as cowardly as before.
"You're absolutely right. That's why we've decided to head for the Grand Line." Luffy said to Koby. Zoro added, "Exactly."
What made Tom speechless was that Koby, resonating with Luffy's words just now, replied foolishly, "Ah, yeah."
"No, that's not it! I think you guys going to the Grand Line now is way too risky!" Koby quickly realized he'd gone in a circle and nearly been persuaded by Luffy.
"Listen, Koby. If you really want to join the Navy, you have to change. If you're all fantasy without putting in actual effort, then you'll stay like this for the rest of your life." Tom felt he should encourage Koby. For some reason, seeing the lack of confidence in Koby now reminded him of his own past self, who hadn't dared to pursue his dreams.
Hearing Tom, Koby's expression became somewhat uplifted.
"Tom is absolutely right! That's why I have to eat lots of meat every day! If I just thought about eating meat but never actually ate it, I'd have starved to death long ago." Luffy's offhand comment made Tom's face darken. He barely restrained himself from giving this guy a good beating.
Just then, the restaurant door opened, and a group of Marines walked in.
"We heard you're pirates. Is that true?" A Marine Lieutenant Commander with a square face came up to Luffy and asked.
"Yep! We just found another crewmate! Now we're about to do what pirates do!" Luffy answered very honestly.
"Even though you caused quite a disturbance at the Marine base, the fact is you saved us and this town. For that, we are grateful. But once we know you are pirates, in the name of the Navy, we cannot turn a blind eye!" The Lieutenant Commander pulled his naval cap down slightly, his face serious as he addressed them. "Please leave this place immediately. Out of principle, we will not report this to headquarters."
"Hey, Marine! What kind of talk is that?! You were under Morgan's control, scared half to death of him! If it weren't for them, who knows what would have happened to you now!"
"They're this town's saviors!"
The surrounding townspeople, hearing the Marines' words, became indignant, yelling at the Marines. They had suffered plenty under Captain Morgan and Helmeppo, and now they were finally free. For the Marines to treat Luffy and the others, who had helped liberate them, like this—how could they not be angry?
"Well then, we'll be going. Thanks for the meal, ma'am. The food here was really delicious." Luffy stood up from his chair. He didn't seem bothered by the Marines' attitude at all, even smiling and thanking the proprietress.
Seeing Luffy get ready to leave, Tom and Zoro, of course, followed. However, the Marines couldn't help but show fear when they saw Tom.
After all, the one who had beaten them the hardest and caused them the most pain back at the base was Tom.
"Are you with them?" The Lieutenant Commander asked Koby, who was watching Luffy and the others leave.
"Huh? I..." Koby was flustered by the Lieutenant Commander's sudden question and didn't know how to answer for a moment.
"Even though we have to part ways, we'll always be friends!"
Koby remembered Luffy's words from not long ago, how Zoro had also been worried for him, and Tom's final words of encouragement, all still ringing in his ears. His heart was tangled and pained. Luffy and the others hadn't even gone far yet, and now he was being forced to deny his friendship with them. The feeling was truly agonizing.
"I... I am NOT with them!" Koby's eyes reddened behind his glasses. Biting his lip, he spoke the words against his will, enunciating each one.
"Wait, please!" The Lieutenant Commander clearly didn't believe Koby and called out to stop Luffy's group.
"Is it true? He's really not with you?" the Lieutenant Commander asked Luffy.
"I know what this guy used to do." Luffy turned around and pointed at Koby.
"Mr. Luffy..." Koby's heart sank. No way... is he going to talk about my past?
"I forget where it was... there was this really obese female pirate. I think her name was something like Yaltata..." Luffy used his hands to gesture the female pirate's size for the Marines.
"You fool. That's the female pirate Alvida. You got the name wrong." Tom promptly corrected Luffy's mistake.
"Oh, so you know about that female pirate too." Luffy glanced at Tom and walked toward Koby.
If they find out I was once on a pirate ship, I'll never be able to join the Navy. Please... please don't say anymore.
Koby pressed his lips together, looking at Luffy and Tom. Thinking of the consequences if the truth came out, cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he screamed inwardly.
"That female pirate was a nasty, fat, ugly old hag. For two years, this guy stayed on her pirate ship." Luffy, acting very differently from usual, behaved very flippantly, poking Koby's head with his finger. His tone of voice was particularly annoying.
"It's true. I was on Alvida's crew once and personally heard this little guy butter up that fat woman. I remember he said she was the most beautiful woman in the world. I nearly died laughing at the time." Tom also walked over to Koby. He and Luffy stood on either side, poking Koby's head left and right, making it bob back and forth.
Stop talking! Really, stop talking!
Koby was completely enraged by Luffy and Tom's words. Especially Tom revealing how he was forced to flatter that fat woman Alvida made his anger boil over. He could no longer bear it and roared, "PLEASE STOP TALKING!"
Thump! Thump!
An enraged Koby punched both Luffy and Tom.
Everyone around was startled by Koby's sudden outburst.
Seeing Koby throw punches, Zoro didn't get angry. Instead, he looked relieved. He clearly understood that Luffy and Tom were deliberately provoking Koby.
"You dare hit me?!" Luffy punched Koby hard in the face, sending him flying toward Tom.
"You jerk! We're pirates! You dare lay a hand on us?!" Tom also threw a powerful punch at Koby.
Thump! Thump! Smack! Smack!
"You brat!"
"You bastard!"
In full view of everyone, Tom and Luffy gave Koby a thorough beating.
On the very top of a cabinet in the restaurant sat several plates the proprietress had polished until they shone like mirrors. Reflected clearly in those plates were the images of Koby being beaten by Luffy and Tom.
Seeing that Luffy and Tom showed no restraint while hitting Koby, the Lieutenant Commander urgently commanded, "Stop this at once! You pirates! I won't allow you to cause trouble in this town!"
"Enough! You two have gone too far!" Zoro grabbed both Tom and Luffy from behind and dragged them away from the now prone, motionless Koby.
Koby had been beaten until his face was bruised and swollen, a truly pitiful sight.
"I now understand you are not together. Please leave this place at once!" the Lieutenant Commander said loudly to Luffy's group.
They did it on purpose. They did it for me. They deliberately provoked me, forced me to act!
Even at the very end, I still needed their help. I haven't changed one bit. I'm truly useless!
Koby lay on the ground. Even though Luffy and Tom had beaten him painfully, the conviction in his heart grew even more firm.
If I don't seize this opportunity now, I'm truly finished!
Dragging his pain-wracked body, Koby slowly stood up. He glanced at the retreating backs of Luffy, Tom, and Zoro. Hardening his heart, he finally mustered his courage. He gave a very proper bow to the Lieutenant Commander and shouted, "Please let me join the Navy! Even as a cleaning crew, I'll be very happy! As long as I can be a Marine!"
I did it. I really said it.
At that moment, Koby's heart was incredibly excited. For the first time, he felt he could be so close to the dream he had yearned for so long.
"Lieutenant Commander, I object!" A Marine stepped forward and said to Koby, "Sorry, but I still can't fully trust you. There have been cases before of pirates infiltrating the Navy as spies. We must investigate your background first..."
Koby stared dumbly at the person opposing his joining the Navy, despair gradually spreading across his face. Then another thought struck him: Is my belief in the Navy just this weak? This insignificant? This fragile? Just because one person objects, I should give up the dream I've held for years?
Koby's mind filled with constant self-questioning. After a brief but intense struggle within himself, he finally shouted out loud the dream he had hidden deep in his heart for years, one he had never told anyone.
"I AM THE MAN WHO WILL BECOME A NAVAL ADMIRAL IN THE FUTURE!"
As soon as Koby's shout rang out, the entire place fell into silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Even little Rika stared dumbfounded at the determined Koby.
Even the person who had earlier opposed Koby's joining the Navy was completely stunned, unable to utter another word.
Some Marines, hearing Koby's words, found cold sweat unconsciously dripping from their foreheads.
A Naval Admiral... For many Marines, it was a distant, almost unreachable goal, something they didn't even dare mention. Yet here was this boy of thirteen or fourteen, directly stating he would become one in the future. How could it not be shocking?
The Lieutenant Commander stared fixedly at Koby. Though Koby's face was injured, the look in his eyes was distinctly different from before—no more timidity or hesitation. That unyielding, determined gaze moved him deeply. "We have lost too many comrades to pirates. Don't look down on the Navy. I grant you permission to join!"
"Yes, sir! Thank you!" The moment Koby received the Lieutenant Commander's approval to join the Navy, he felt his entire blood boil. He even felt his words carried more weight now.
While Koby was being accepted into the Navy, Tom and the others had reached the port, preparing to leave Shells Town.
"You guys acted really poorly. It's no surprise if you were seen through." Zoro said to Luffy and Tom beside him.
"I think Koby will definitely find a way somehow." Luffy said carefreely.
"True. If Koby gave up that easily, then we beat him up for nothing." Tom said this, then turned to Zoro. "Quick, use your sword to cut the rope tying the boat."
"Why don't you untie it?" Zoro asked, puzzled, but did as Tom said, cutting the rope with his sword.
"Because that rope is all wet. Looks like dog pee got on it. If I untied it with my hands, wouldn't I be an idiot?" As soon as Tom said this, Zoro's face changed. "What?! My sword touched dog pee?!"
"Hey, you bastard! Why didn't you tell me sooner? You're asking for a beating!" Zoro grabbed Tom, who was about to board the wooden boat, by the neck and began shaking him violently.
"Ahahahaha! You two are really something!" Luffy jumped onto the boat, holding his stomach and laughing heartily as he watched Tom and Zoro wrestling on the pier.
After Tom and Zoro had given each other matching black eyes and finally boarded the boat to leave, they heard Koby's voice. "Wait!"
"Koby?" Luffy stood at the bow, looking at Koby running toward them.
"Thank you! I'll never forget what you've done for me in this lifetime!" Koby gave a very proper military salute, shouting to Luffy and the others, who were moving farther and farther away on their small boat across the sea.
"What Navy says thank you to pirates?" Zoro, sitting in the boat, also waved to Koby on the shore. Tom lazily lay back in the boat, the corner of his mouth quirking up slightly as he secretly gave Koby a small wave.
"That's right!" Luffy grinned broadly, waving both arms energetically at Koby, saying happily, "See you again someday, Koby!"
"All personnel, salute!" A loud voice suddenly rang out behind Koby.
On the pier, a large group of Marines stood behind Koby, giving a military salute to Luffy and his departing crew.
"Your friends are truly loyal." The Lieutenant Commander's words to Koby implied that the poorly acted performance earlier by Luffy and Tom had been seen through. But even so, he had ultimately accepted Koby into the Navy.
"Yes..." At that moment, the tears finally streamed down in Koby's eyes—for himself, and for his friends.
"All personnel who just saluted pirates have violated naval regulations! As punishment, you are forbidden from eating for one week!" The Lieutenant Commander's face turned stern as he barked at the Marines.
On the small boat where Tom and the others were, Zoro asked Luffy, "Why are you so set on becoming the Pirate King?"
"Is it because the food is delicious there?" Tom said with a laugh.
"I don't want to become the Pirate King just for food!" Luffy, standing at the bow, took off his straw hat. Looking at it, a hint of reminiscence appeared in his eyes. "I made a promise to a man once. To gather a crew of strong comrades, find the one-of-a-kind treasure in the world, and become the Pirate King!"
Saying this, Luffy put the hat back on his head and turned to look at Tom and Zoro. "Now I've already found two comrades. This straw hat is the proof of my promise!"
"Ahahahaha!" Luffy laughed heartily. Planting one foot on the bow and facing the sea breeze, he shouted up at the sky, "We set sail! Onward to the Grand Line!"
As dusk approached, thick, heavy clouds lingered in the sky. The setting sun could only shoot out a few crimson rays through the gaps, reflected on the sea's surface, where occasional ripples of golden light appeared.
The last rays of the setting sun shone on a small wooden boat drifting slowly forward on the sea. The twilight sunlight felt warm...
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T/N :
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