Inside Rika and Lijia's family-run eatery…
"Meat! More meat!" That was Luffy, of course.
"Got any sake?" Zoro added, sitting down roughly.
"…Excuse me, do you even have money?" asked Rokuro, who—despite his shinobi heritage—still carried the common sense of a 21st-century adult.
"Luffy, how long were you starving for?" Zoro asked, watching Luffy devour an entire roast pig.
"Nine days," Luffy said casually, his cheeks packed like a squirrel.
Zoro froze. Nine days? And now he was eating enough for nine people?
Zoro turned to his own plate—only to realize Luffy had stolen food off it. "Hey! You damn rubber thief!"
"Zoro-brother! Here, take my rice ball!" Little Rika ran over, offering a fresh onigiri with both hands.
Zoro blinked, touched. "Thanks, Rika. I'm… full."
Rokuro watched this wholesome moment and muttered, "Man, people in One Piece are high-quality. Everyone recovers like they've got shōnen healing factors."
But as he watched Rika's cheerful face, he suddenly fumed, "Damn it! Zoro, you're a lolicon with no sense of direction!"
Zoro looked up mid-bite. "The hell did you just say?"
"Didn't you become a bounty hunter because you couldn't find your way home?" Rokuro raised an eyebrow.
Zoro snapped back, "That's called traveling!"
The restaurant echoed with laughter.
Meanwhile, word of Monka's defeat spread through Shells Town like wildfire.
"You—you really beat Captain Monka?" Coby's jaw dropped as the trio sat feasting.
Rokuro ruffled his pink hair. "Still want to be a marine after all this?"
Coby's eyes were conflicted. "I… I still want to be a righteous marine. But I'm confused. Everything feels upside-down."
Before Rokuro could respond, a loud voice cut through the tension.
"THERE'S A PARTY!"
Rika's mother, Lijia, had teamed up with the townspeople to prepare a grand banquet. The tables were piled with roasted meats, seafood platters, and steaming dumplings.
"Please let us see you off," Lijia said, bowing deeply. "We have nothing to offer except our gratitude."
Luffy laughed. "Now this is what being a pirate's all about!"
Rokuro sighed but smiled. "Luffy's got no money sense. These villagers are broke… but fine. I'll cover it from the bounty exchange."
He raised his cup toward Zoro. "Welcome to the Straw Hat Pirates."
Zoro grunted. "With a captain like this? You sure we're pirates?"
Rokuro grinned. "Give it time. We're definitely something."
Zoro frowned. "And where's the rest of this so-called 'crew'?"
Rokuro coughed. "…Just us three for now."
"And the ship?"
Rokuro pointed proudly toward the docks.
Zoro followed his gaze. A small wooden boat sat there. Cramped. Open-decked. The Navy insignia still half-visible on the hull.
"You've got to be kidding me," Zoro deadpanned.
He took a long swig of sake, then sniffed. "Why does this smell like… fish bait?"
Rokuro turned pale. "You didn't just drink from the barrel with my fishing line in it, did you?"
"YOU—!!"
Zoro's swords flew out like a blur. "One-sword style: Death to Idiots!"
Rokuro leapt through the air. "Zoro-dono! I'm sorry! But you know I can't resist fishing!"
Their comedic chase was interrupted by a loud declaration from Luffy.
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy! The man who's going to be King of the Pirates!"
The next day at noon…
"Goodbye, Coby. We're heading for the Grand Line." Luffy grinned, casually picking his teeth.
Coby's eyes welled up. "Do we have to say goodbye? Are we not friends anymore?"
Coby, used to loneliness and ridicule, had finally found friends in these strange pirates.
A group of navy officers arrived, led by the town's vice-captain. Having suffered under Monka's reign, they were grateful but wary.
The officer approached solemnly. "Luffy. Monkey D. Luffy… technically, you have no flag, no bounty, and no ship worth mentioning. But you call yourself a pirate."
Luffy beamed. "Yep!"
The officer sighed. "Even so, you helped us. This town owes you a debt. But pirates and marines are enemies by nature. I must ask you to leave."
Rokuro understood. "We were planning to. Come on, Luffy."
But Luffy had a parting shot to fire.
He pointed at Coby. "This guy used to be a servant on Alvida's ship! For two whole years! Even after she made him mop her back hair! What a loser!"
"Stop it! STOP IT!" Coby shrieked, fists pounding against Luffy's chest. "You're ruining my chance!"
The marine officer paused. Coby was showing backbone.
Then, surprisingly, he stepped forward and saluted.
"Coby. I'm authorizing your enlistment. Anyone with the courage to punch a pirate in front of the Navy… is worth giving a chance."
Rokuro smiled faintly. "Nice play, Luffy."
As the crew loaded up their "luxury dinghy," Rokuro left behind 500 million Beli to cover the banquet and medical supplies. With no navigator like Nami yet, the road ahead would be tough.
At the docks, Lijia and Rika approached one last time.
"Big brother!" Rika handed over a rice ball. "I made this one too!"
"We'll never forget your kindness," Lijia added, bowing low.
Zoro accepted the rice ball silently. He bit into it—deliberately savoring the taste—then turned away with a grunt.
Rokuro saw his ears redden. "Haha! Zoro, are you blushing?"
"Shut it, you directionally challenged ninja!"
"I'm not the one who got lost inside a straight hallway!"
As they argued, the Navy lieutenant approached Rokuro with a grim look.
"The sea chart's missing. But this card was left behind."
Rokuro read the note: a skull-faced clown and the words:
"Thanks for the map. I'll use it well. –Buggy"
Rokuro's face darkened.
"Buggy the Clown. Former apprentice on the Pirate King's ship, partner of Red-Haired Shanks… and a certified lunatic. Great."
He sighed and sat in the center of the boat, unfolding his fishing rod.
"At least I can fish now. Finally, peace—"
"Hmph, boring," Zoro muttered, reclining against the hull.
"Take care, Luffy!" Coby waved tearfully from the port.
Luffy turned and grinned at his crew. "Next stop—Buggy the Clown!"
Both Rokuro and Zoro froze.
"You don't even know where that is!" they shouted in unison.