"HURRY! CAPTAIN MORGAN IS ARRIVING!"
A shout rang across the flattened clearing behind the twin towers. Nestled near the island's mountain edge stood a crescent-shaped wall of dull, unpainted concrete, ringed by towering wooden scaffolding with six floors stacked on top of each other. Dozens of men hammered rhythmically at a massive marble statue, every strike echoing off the rock face.
"B-but, Lieutenant! We're still bu—" A frail worker stepped forward, his ragged clothes swaying and his dust-caked face bowed low.
"CAPTAIN MORGAN SAID THAT THING HAD TO BE BUILT IN A WEEK!" the Marine snapped, shoving past him. A line of guards rolled in a massive iron cart, and one fired a musket shot straight into the air. The crack echoed off the cliffs, freezing the hammers in place. Dozens of hollow eyes turned toward the guards.
"B-but, Lieutenant, we're still polishing parts of the statue! Captain Morgan said if it isn't finished, we won't be fed for months!" the old man pleaded.
The Marine only grinned and tapped a heavy finger against the man's malnourished chest. "That's not my problem. It's your duty to build it."
"B-but son—"
"CALL ME LIEUTENANT!"
Heavy, rhythmic footsteps boomed behind them. The Marines instantly parted, falling into rigid lines as Morgan strode into view, his towering frame casting a long shadow across the dirt like a sword. His left arm was something extraordinary—the axe that had been perched above the rafters earlier was now fitted to him. Tubes dangled from it, and its metal exterior flashed with green light through the openings. The blade swung through the air as he walked. It was nearly as large as the Marine soldiers it passed, and its edge was sharpened so finely it could cut through stone.
"C-Captain!" the Lieutenant saluted sharply, his hand trembling as he pointed toward the scaffolding. "The prisoners claim the statue isn't finished yet!"
Morgan said nothing. His boots struck the earth like iron weights as he stepped toward the frame. Without a word, he gripped a primary support beam with his scarred hand and yanked. The scaffolding groaned as it skittered into the ground like a door kicked open. Screams erupted as workers scrambled for safety, some leaping from the lower planks while others clung frantically to the marble face and wooden floors.
"HELP THE CAPTAIN!" someone yelled. Other marines rushed to clear the debris while workers scrambled away. At last, the colossal statue stood fully exposed. Morgan studied it in dead silence, his cold gaze dragging over every sharp line, corner, and carved feature.
"What sector carved the face?" his low rumble echoed through the yard.
"Sector Seven, Captain," the old man answered, trembling.
"Give Sector Seven the confiscated goods," Morgan muttered, turning away. "Load the statue onto the cart." Before he reached the perimeter line, Commander Ripper stepped into his path, holding a dispatch clipboard.
"Captain Morgan! Headquarters has denied the request to delay next month's tribute. Vice Admiral Garp and his aide Bogart will be collecting it personally, along with the town's checking." Morgan snatched the paper from Ripper's hand. His eyes scanned the ink line by line. Thick, dark veins bulged at his temples like writhing roots. Without a word, he crushed the dispatch into a tight ball and hurled it into the air. Then he whipped his heavy axe-arm outward toward the forest.
The sheer kinetic force compressed the air against the blade, driving an invisible wave of pressure straight through the ball and into the treeline. Half a dozen massive trees were sheared cleanly in half, their trunks bursting apart before crashing into the brush. Marines and prisoners alike stared in paralyzed silence at the ordeal.
Morgan closed his eyes and let out a long, shuddering exhale. The bulging veins slowly receded back into his flesh, his face washed clean by the storm.
"Harvest the timber. We can still sell it," Morgan said quietly, walking back toward the garrison.
The guards and prisoners threw their weight against the marble statue as ropes began to snare it like several giant snakes. One by one, they slowly hoisted the giant figure onto the cart.
Ripper swallowed hard and stepped toward the old man, who stood watching the labor. Lowering his head, Ripper waited as the old man raised a calloused hand and pressed his warm palm to the young commander's forehead.
"How are you, former Commander Founer?" Ripper asked softly.
The old man offered a faint, weary smile. "Don't call me that, son. I'm long past my prime."
"Morgan's abusing his power. The men are sick of him," Ripper whispered, stepping closer.
"Marines..." the old man murmured, looking up at the sky. "What a heavy title."
"It's an insult to everything you built here," Ripper hissed softly, a fist clenching at his side. "You made this branch what it was. And that tyrant took it all just because he captured some pirate in a cat suit!"
"Son, listen to me." The old man rested his palm gently on Ripper's shoulder, leaving a gray smear of soot on the pristine white uniform. "Power doesn't corrupt... but rather reveals who a man really is. His reign won't last forever. Someone greater will come along to tear that statue down, and when that day comes, you must be ready to lead what's left."
Ripper's eyes welled with emotion. He bowed deeply, then turned and ran into the crowd, his hands moving to help with the ropes.
Meanwhile, back at the base, Luffy formed his hands into a cylinder and held them to his eyes.
"Wow! So that's Roronoa Zoro!"
"Y-Yes! He is known as the Messenger of Death! He killed thousands of pirates, Marines, and even his own bounty hunters!" Koby murmured, his voice shaking at the sight.
"Then why is he sunbathing on the pole?"
"He is not sunbathing, you idiot!" Koby snapped, then quickly forced his voice back down. "He was captured by the Marines a month ago. Captain Alvida and the others from Alvida's crew said that he and Morgan fought to the death, but eventually he lost."
"Who is Morgan? Is he strong?"
"If you want a painful death, they say just go and fight Morgan!" Koby said, slowly adjusting his glasses. "Based on what I've read in Marine Almanac 1562, he is the third-strongest Marine Island Commander in East Blue right now! He defeated the former commander of this island, Commander Founer, who in his glory days was able to kill a giant Sea King that destroyed the harbor of the old shells town! Even the other commanders couldn't do that!"
"Wow! You're too bookish. It's annoying!"
"You're way too blunt!" Koby squeaked. A faint rustle of leaves cut him off. He whipped his head around, seeing only a patch of dense green foliage and a flash of red cloth near the base of the wall.
"Wha—" Before he could yelp, a loud scream shattered the silence from somewhere ahead. The two Marine guards on duty exchanged startled glances and bolted off to investigate. Taking advantage of the distraction, a shadow crested the courtyard wall. A small, dust-streaked face appeared first, followed by two thin arms clinging desperately to the stone edge. With a muffled grunt, a young girl hoisted herself over the rampart and dropped silently into the dirt.
Her sandals pounded against the earth in a fast, frantic rhythm. She ducked beneath the camera mounts, her movements sharp and precise, staying perfectly within the mechanical blind spots. High above, a brass camera pivoted on its gears, sweeping right.
One... two... go!
She bolted straight for the bound swordsman.
"Luffy, we have to stop her!" Koby hissed, tugging frantically at Luffy's vest. Luffy didn't budge. His eyes narrowed as he watched her move, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Nah. She's awesome!"
The soft crunch of footsteps on gravel awakened the slumbering swordsman. Zoro slowly lifted his heavy head, his bloodshot eyes adjusting to the blinding glare of the afternoon sun until the child emerged through his blurred vision.
"How many times... do I have to tell you..." Zoro rasped, his voice as parched and cracked as dry leather. "...get lost."
The girl didn't back away. Kneeling in the dust before the towering execution post, she unclasped a small, worn wicker basket and retrieved a single rice ball dusted generously with white sugar. With her other hand, she tugged back her hood, revealing her face to the scorching sun. Her small hands trembled, but her stance remained firm as she held the offering out.
"I made these for you!" she piped up, her smile cutting through the grim courtyard like a beam of light. "I thought you might be hungry... It's my first time making them, but I hope you like them!"
Zoro stared at the misshapen grains of the rice balls, his jaw tightening.
"I'm not hungry," he said, straining his voice to sound cold as iron. "Now beat it. Take that junk with you!"
The girl's bright smile withered instantly, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion and heartbreak. "B-but..."
"I SAID I DON'T WANT IT!" Zoro roared, the force of his voice making the ropes binding him groan. "GET OUT OF HERE!"
Tears welled in the child's eyes, and her arms began to shake.
BANG.
A sharp gunshot shattered the quiet. The rice ball burst into a spray of white grains and dirt. At the far end of the yard near the open iron gates stood a skinny youth among a squad of armed Marines. His purple velvet coat gleamed garishly under the harsh sun, and his slicked yellow hair blew in the breeze as he snorted with laughter. In his right hand, a flintlock pistol hissed with smoke.
"Uh-uh-uh! Not so fast, little rat!" Helmeppo drawled, sauntering forward. He kicked the wicker basket aside, scattering the remaining food. Raising his polished leather boot, he brought it down on the last unbroken rice ball and ground it into a black, muddy paste.
"How many times do I need to tell you that aiding a prisoner means you're guilty of the crimes he committed? Plus, you're directly trespassing on private property!" He pointed to a sign erected near the pole where Zoro was tied. The child started to weep as she tried to stop him with her arm.
"Really?" Helmeppo said, staring at the girl with an irritated sigh. He turned to a hulking Marine behind him. "Throw this peasant off the wall."
The Marine froze. "B-but sir... the drop is twenty feet—"
"JUST DO WHAT I SAY!" Helmeppo shrieked, stomping like a spoiled child.
The soldier flinched. Seizing the screaming child by her collar, he dragged her up the stone steps and hurled her blindly over the outer rampart.
"Luffy!" Koby gasped.
Before the child could hit the jagged branches of a nearby tree, a red blur flashed through the air. Luffy leapt, his rubber arm stretching thirty feet across the gap to catch her mid-fall. He landed lightly on the grass outside the perimeter, cradling her against his chest.
The girl—Rika—clutched her knees like an armadillo, gasping before breaking into heavy sobs.
"M-my rice balls..."
Koby sprinted over, checking the treeline. "We need to go. There are Marines everywhere near the main gate, and many more inside! Not to mention Morgan's there!"
Carrying Rika between them, they retreated into the shadow of a narrow alley near the edge of town. Rika clutched the hem of Luffy's vest, wiping away tears as she climbed down to the ground.
"Why were you trying to feed him?" Luffy asked quietly.
"Because he's not a monster," Rika whimpered. "Helmeppo brought out his father's warhound... a giant beast with spiked iron armor and eyes like fire. He let go of the chain just to watch people run." Her voice trembled. "I tripped in the street. The monster jumped right at my face... but then there was a sound like something being torn, and the beast just split in two!" She jolted in place, her hand flying upward as a wide smile flashed across her face.
"Zoro," Luffy murmured, his gaze darkening.
"Yes!" Rika cried. "Helmeppo screamed that Zoro destroyed Marine property. He keeps piling allegations and taxes onto my mother! He even said that if she could sell her body to the Marines, even that wouldn't be enough!"
"Disgusting," Koby muttered from the corner.
"...So Zoro gave up his swords. He let them chain him to the post for thirty days so Helmeppo wouldn't hurt us."
Luffy's jaw clenched. Blood roared in his ears. He turned back toward the fortress, winding his arm around a thick oak tree like an industrial spring, coiling his body to launch himself back over the ramparts—
Two arms wrapped around his chest from behind.
"Don't," Koby pleaded, digging his boots into the dirt.
Slowly, the fury in Luffy's eyes receded. He unraveled his arm with a quiet whistle of snapping rubber. Rika gasped and backed away, a shaking finger pointed at his chest.
"Y-You... you have a cursed fruit!"
Koby lunged forward and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Shh! It's okay, he's a friend!"
They left Rika safely near her mother's shop and stepped into the town center, where silent civilians moved under the watchful eyes of Marine patrols.
"A pirate hunter, huh?" Luffy rubbed his chin, looking up at the sky before cracking a wide grin. "I like him. I'm going to make him my crewmate."
Then the little girl walked toward them. "I am sorry... but I forgot who you are?"
"I'm Luffy! And I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!"
"I'm Koby," the boy offered, a small but resolute smile breaking across his face. "I... I'm going to be a brave Marine."
"My name's Rika!" the little girl cheered, bowing proudly. "And I'm going to make the absolute best rice balls in the whole world! Nice to meet you both!"
Luffy's laughter echoed through the alleyway. He turned his head, his gaze drifting upward toward the base's twin stone towers looming against the open sky. As his eyes swept over the massive fortress, a sharp, fearless grin stretched across his face.