"Whoosh... BOOM!"
Two explosive sounds erupted in front of Yarukiman Mangrove Tree No. 27. Two streaks of yellow light, moving at speeds almost imperceptible to the naked eye, shot past each other from Jiang Lin and Kizaru. Both were users of the Glint-Glint Fruit, both capable of identical "Light-Speed Kick" techniques.
"They're the same!"
Kizaru tilted his head curiously at Jiang Lin, completely unfazed by the fact that his kick had just collapsed Mangrove Tree No. 27.
"Your speed is the same as mine."
Jiang Lin smirked playfully at Kizaru. He had always dreamed of having a Devil Fruit ability, and now that his wish had come true, of course, he had to show off a little.
"Oh dear, oh dear~ what a nuisance…"
Kizaru lightly shook his head, as if contemplating something.
"Forget it. Since you don't know where Sentomaru is, I'll be on my way."
After gently lowering his left foot, Kizaru turned around with his hands in his pockets and casually walked away without a second glance.
"Truly the laid-back admiral… Even after encountering someone with the same Devil Fruit, he doesn't bother looking deeper into it."
Jiang Lin let out a sigh of relief after Kizaru left. Although he now had the Glint-Glint Fruit, he had just obtained it. In terms of proficiency, he clearly couldn't compare to Kizaru.
Kizaru's retreat, to Jiang Lin, was a stroke of good luck.
"Don't you think Admiral Kizaru went too far? He didn't just break the mangrove tree—he sank an entire warship!"
From a higher vantage point, several navy soldiers looked down at the falling Yarukiman Mangrove in shock, murmuring complaints. What they didn't realize was that while Kizaru did destroy the tree, it was Jiang Lin who sank the warship.
Since the street had been deserted and the marines were stationed some distance away, none of them noticed what had happened—except for one man who had been watching from a rooftop from the very beginning: Scratchmen Apoo.
"Huh… That's a Navy Admiral? And who was that guy fighting him? Can he use Kizaru's ability? Interesting. I'll go greet Kizaru first… then I'll come back to have a little chat with you."
Grinning, Apoo crossed his arms and stared with intrigue at the street below.
As for Jiang Lin, after Kizaru departed, he immediately left the area. The place he urgently wanted to visit was Island No. 12, where Luffy was currently located.
In the jungle of Island No. 12, Luffy and his crew were making their way forward when a tall figure suddenly blocked their path. The newcomer had a round belly and bulky physique, which made Nami and the others instantly raise their weapons in alarm.
"Who are you?!"
Luffy stared wide-eyed in surprise at the figure before them.
"That's a Pacifista—one of the clones of Warlord Bartholomew Kuma."
Just as Luffy turned to his companions for answers, Jiang Lin's figure flashed into view. Raising a finger, he fired a dazzling beam of yellow light directly at the "Bartholomew Kuma" in front of them.
"Whoa… Is that a light beam?!"
Luffy and Chopper's eyes sparkled like stars. Their gazes toward Jiang Lin immediately changed.
"BOOM!"
A thunderous explosion, along with a thick cloud of dust, erupted in front of Jiang Lin. The Pacifista, struck by the blast, was blown away and slammed hard into the trunk of a massive tree.
"Is it taken care of?"
Nami curiously stepped forward. The sight of her slender, graceful figure nearly made Jiang Lin lose composure—after all, she was one of the most beautiful women in One Piece. Her swimsuit posters? Not many fans could resist those.
"Not yet… But I can finish it off!"
Jiang Lin saw this as a prime opportunity to show off in front of Luffy. Without waiting for the Pacifista to get up, he launched another attack. Blinding yellow light flared from his fingertip, targeting the enemy buried in the tree.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
Ear-splitting explosions erupted repeatedly in front of him. Jiang Lin's rapid, relentless assault left even Luffy staring wide-eyed in awe.
"I've decided—I want him in our crew."
Luffy declared seriously as he looked at Jiang Lin. His words stunned Nami, Sanji, and the others behind him.
"Eh…"
Hearing Luffy's offer, Jiang Lin grinned mid-battle. He knew he'd achieved his goal. Since he had reincarnated into the One Piece world, it was only natural that he would aim to become the Pirate King… Wait, no! To stand beside the Pirate King… Or actually, just become the Pirate King!
Even if he couldn't become Pirate King, being Luffy's right-hand man—someone like Silvers Rayleigh—was a pretty great option too.
In any case, joining Luffy's crew was a win-win move for Jiang Lin.
"Whoosh…"
"Whoosh…"
Flashes of light continued to streak across the sky above Sabaody Archipelago. Yellow and white beams danced rapidly between Jiang Lin and the Pacifista. If Jiang Lin weren't intentionally dragging things out for dramatic effect, the Pacifista would've already been a pile of scrap in just a few moves.
"Second Gear!"
Luffy braced his hands on the ground, activating Gear Second.
"I'll help you!"
Now enveloped in steam, Luffy charged to Jiang Lin's side.
"Three-Sword Style!"
"Diable Jambe!"
"Gomu Gomu—!"
Following Luffy's lead, Zoro and Sanji also rushed forward to join the battle.
"Six-Hundred-Pound Cannon!"
"Mutton Shot!"
"Jet Gatling!"
With their support, Jiang Lin—already dominating the fight—could now truly go all out. His movements grew even faster and more fluid.
"Yata no Kagami!" (Eightfold Mirror)
After a blur of light beams, Jiang Lin's figure suddenly appeared before the Pacifista. This time, his expression was completely serious. Now that Luffy and the others were involved, he couldn't keep playing around.
"Light-Speed Kick!"
Jiang Lin raised his left leg high, a dazzling yellow glow bursting from his foot. With one mighty strike, he kicked the Pacifista out of the Sabaody Archipelago entirely.
"WOW! This… This is light energy?!"
Luffy's eyes were practically overflowing with starry excitement. He eagerly stepped up to Jiang Lin, stretched out his right hand, and said enthusiastically:
"Yo! Join our crew!"
Seeing Luffy's outstretched hand, Jiang Lin didn't hesitate. He immediately extended his hand and shook it firmly.
"What's your name?"
"D. Jiang Lin."
Jiang Lin answered with a smile. He had always dreamed of having a "D." in his name—and now, he'd finally realized that dream.
"Really? I'm Monkey D. Luffy! Welcome aboard!"
Luffy beamed with joy. He probably never imagined that this man before him—who also carried the Will of D—would go on to change his life and the entire world of One Piece.