Night had fallen. In a small corner of a bar in Foosha Village, Luffy sat quietly by himself.
"Hi there, little guy!"
A young girl with short dark green hair gently placed a steaming bowl of porridge in front of him.
Luffy looked up. The girl's large eyes, delicate features, and warm smile gave off a refreshing, calming aura, like a soft breeze in the summer.
Her name was Makino, the daughter of the bar owner.
"Thank you, big sis," Luffy said.
Since arriving in this world, he hadn't eaten a single bite. Staring at the food before him, he didn't care whether it was too hot, he immediately started slurping it down hungrily.
"Haha, little guy, what's your name?" Makino asked, giggling at how ferociously he ate.
"Mm... I'm Luffy. Big sis, do you have any meat?" he asked after gulping down the last spoonful of porridge.
"Luffy, huh? I'm Makino. Wait just a bit, I'll go roast some meat for you," she said with a smile.
She was already preparing to take over the bar in a few years, and her emotional intelligence far exceeded that of others her age. The moment Luffy asked about meat, she had instinctively gone to prepare it.
But this time, Makino guessed wrong.
"Wait! Makino-san, I don't need meat yet!" Luffy quickly called out before she could disappear into the kitchen.
"I just wanted to ask, where does the meat served here usually come from?"
That's right. Luffy's real aim was to find out if there was a slaughterhouse or similar place in town. That way, he could safely gain experience without risking his life.
He might have a powerful future ahead, but right now, at just three years old, he wasn't that different from a regular toddler. His stats were slightly above average, but his high Mental Power couldn't be used offensively yet.
To be honest, if they actually fought, Makino might even beat him.
"Ah? The meat? Hunters from town usually go into the mountains and forests to hunt. They deliver fresh meat to the bar every morning," she answered, a bit puzzled.
"I see... I guess that's that, then."
Luffy slumped over the table in disappointment, feeling as though his soul had left his body.
"Anyway... you'll be staying at my house from now on," Makino said casually. "My dad already set up a room for you."
"Okay. Thanks, Makino-san."
Makino led him to the guest room. After saying goodnight, Luffy dove onto the bed and passed out in under ten seconds.
Even if his body was now digitized, some things were hardwired into his genes. Sleep being one of them.
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The next morning.
The sun had just barely peeked over the horizon. The moon still lingered faintly in the sky.
"Chief! Chief! Something's wrong!"
Makino frantically banged on the village chief's door.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming. What's the matter?"
The old man, who was used to waking early, opened the door, leaning on his cane.
"What's going on, little Makino?"
"Luffy... Luffy's gone!" she blurted out, breathless with panic.
"I went to check on him this morning to see if he'd slept well. But when I quietly opened the door, the bed was empty. He wasn't there. I searched the whole bar and nearby areas, but there's no sign of him!"
She clutched the chief's arm and shook it anxiously.
"Calm down, calm down, Makino," the old man said, trying to steady himself from all the shaking.
Makino slowly regained her composure.
"Don't worry, little Makino. Luffy might be young, but he's a clever kid. He'll be alright."
Though he spoke reassuringly, the concern in the chief's eyes betrayed his true feelings.
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An hour later, the sun was fully up, and the sky was clear.
Outside the village, a small figure could be seen struggling to drag something heavy as he trudged toward town.
It was Luffy.
The moment he entered the village, several people spotted him.
"Hey! Luffy's back!"
"Over here! Come quick! He's here!"
In no time, a crowd gathered around the tiny boy, completely blocking him from view.
"Make way, make way," Makino said as she helped the village chief push through the crowd.
When they reached the front, they saw Luffy with a boning knife tucked into his waistband, clutching a dead rabbit by its leg. The rabbit's belly had a deep slash in it, and its blood had long since dried.
"Luffy, what were you doing?" Makino asked, hurrying forward to check him over. Aside from being dirty, he didn't seem injured. She let out a breath of relief.
"Sorry, Makino-san. I didn't mean to make everyone worry," Luffy said, a little overwhelmed by the crowd.
"What were you trying to do?" the chief asked, his voice trembling as he stepped forward.
"I was craving meat," Luffy replied, his expression sincere. "But I knew you didn't have much at the bar… so I thought I'd go find some myself."
Of course, he didn't tell them the real reason.
"I also took some vegetables and this knife from the kitchen. I'm sorry," he said, pulling the boning knife from his waistband and handing it to Makino, handle first.
"It's alright, Luffy. As long as you're safe," Makino replied as she took the knife.
"Sorry to trouble everyone," she said to the villagers. "Thank you all for your help. I'll take Luffy back to clean him up now."
She grabbed his small hand, picked up the rabbit with the other, and bid farewell to the crowd before heading back toward the bar.
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As soon as they entered, before Makino could say anything, Luffy asked,
"Makino-san, can I keep that boning knife?"
Makino blinked in surprise. "Why do you want it?"
"I want to keep going into the forest to hunt," Luffy said plainly.
Makino crouched down, about to scold him, but Luffy quickly interrupted:
"I'm going to get strong enough to beat Grandpa! That way he won't have to work anymore. He can stay home all day and eat senbei. And one day, I'll become the strongest person in the world, so no one can force me to do things I don't want to do!"
Makino looked into his eyes. Though small, they burned with courage and determination.
She stayed silent for a moment, then stood up and walked to the back of the bar. A few minutes later, she returned with something in hand.
"Here," she said, handing Luffy a cross-body pouch containing a sturdy-looking dagger. "This used to belong to my dad when he went hunting. That kitchen knife was getting dull, this one suits you better."
"But!" she suddenly crouched down and pressed her hands against his cheeks, squishing them.
"You're smarter than most kids your age. Promise me this, Luffy!"
"Absolutely, absolutely do not let yourself get hurt. Okay?"
Her hands slowed but didn't release his cheeks, still gently pinching them.
"Mmmph, I got it, Makino-san…"
Once again, his small body left him open to this kind of bullying.
"Good. That's settled. I'll go cook something. You wait here."
"Okay!"
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