"I'm heading out, Dadan. Look after the villagers for me."
"Take care of yourself, Luffy."
The port of Foosha Village, ten years after the Red-Haired Pirates had weighed anchor for the last time.
Luffy stood before a small skiff at the edge of the pier. Behind him gathered Dadan, Makino, the Mayor, and the rest of the villagers.
"I tried so hard to stop you, and yet you still insist on being a pirate... Luffy, you are a disgrace to this village!"
"Yeah, yeah~ Take care, everyone!"
"Give it a rest, Mayor. Why must you pick a fight on such a momentous day?"
"Quiet, Dadan! You're a former mountain bandit—stay out of this!"
"You both have high blood pressure, yet here you are shouting again."
"Makino-sis, keep an eye on these two old-timers for me, would you?"
"I will, Luffy. Don't worry about a thing and have a safe trip."
"By the way, Dadan... where are Dogra and Magura? Why don't I see them?"
"Oh, those two heard a huge school of fish was running nearby and took a boat out."
"They went fishing on the day of my maiden voyage?"
"They said they'd be back quickly... Ah, look, they're coming from over there."
Luffy looked in the direction Dadan pointed. A small ship, about ten meters long, was bobbing on the waves.
A burly, bearded man on the deck was waving enthusiastically at Luffy, while a shorter man wearing a bandana cupped his hands around his mouth to shout.
"Luffy~! We're coming!"
"Dogra! You guys always pick the worst timing... Hah, never mind."
"At least they're working harder at fishing than they ever did at banditry... Huh?"
From the distance, Luffy saw their boat begin to pitch violently.
The swaying grew more erratic, the intervals between the jolts sharpening with terrifying speed.
—KABOOM!
In a sudden explosion of brine, something colossal erupted from the depths surrounding Dogra and Magura's vessel.
"KYAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
"I-It's the Lord of the Coast!"
"GYAAAAAAH!!!"
It was the Sea King that had claimed Shanks's arm ten years ago—the Lord of the Coast.
Upon seeing the behemoth, Dogra and Magura let out blood-curdling screams. Panic surged through the crowd at the harbor.
"T-This is terrible! Those two are going to be eaten!"
"We haven't seen that monster in years...!"
"...It's been a while."
Luffy stared at the resurfaced Lord of the Coast.
Seeing the Sea King—with its elongated, crocodile-like snout and serpentine body—triggered a dormant memory in his mind.
Under a blood-red sky, surrounded by a sea of devouring flames, Luffy had once looked up into the heavens.
"Worororo... Your eyes are still full of life, Garp's grandson."
That entity had looked similar to this Sea King, but it had soared through the clouds, wreathed in flame.
Its body, covered in azure scales, possessed limbs with razor-sharp claws. Four curved horns sprouted from its head.
From its head down to its tail, a wild, black mane flickered like dark fire.
"It was worth the long journey to find you."
That form was unmistakably a dragon.
"Dadan, get the people away from here."
"Luffy! What do you... I see. Understood."
"Makino! Help me get the Mayor on my back!"
"O-Okay, Dadan!"
Seeing the look in Luffy's eyes, Dadan hoisted the Mayor onto her shoulders and sprinted away from the harbor, with Makino and the villagers close behind.
As the villagers fled, a shimmering golden aura flickered around Luffy's body for a split second before vanishing.
Suddenly, Luffy's body lifted off the ground. Defying gravity, he shot through the air toward Dogra and Magura's boat.
I looked for you everywhere, and yet you pop up on the day I set sail...
I suppose this is what they call destiny.
"You two, grab onto something tight!"
"L-Luffy?! We're holding on!"
"Save us! Please!"
"You oversized eel... you won't be leaving here in one piece!"
Luffy's lips curled into a smirk, his gaze sharpening into a predatory glare directed at the Sea King.
Armament: Hardening.
In an instant, Luffy's right hand was coated in a pitch-black, metallic sheen. He plunged toward the Sea King with terminal velocity.
Once you reach a certain level of strength, you can manifest the power known as Haki.
And thanks to my Devil Fruit, I can apply Haki in ways no one else can. I call it 'Qi-Gong'.
Among those techniques, the one I refined specifically to slaughter powerhouses and miserable reptiles like you... is 'Dragon-Slaying Qi-Gong'.
If meeting you truly is destiny...
His blackened fist pulled back, reflecting the morning sun, while the air around his hand distorted into a golden, spear-like aura.
Then let's settle the score right here!
"Dragon-Claw Spear Strike!"
—KRA-KOOM!
Just as Dogra and Magura's boat reached the shallows, Luffy buried his fist into the Sea King's face.
The resulting shockwave sent the boat skidding onto the sandy beach, burying Dogra and Magura face-first in the dunes.
"KYIIIIEEEEEEEEEEH!!!"
"Puh-hah! W-We're alive!"
"Thank you, Luffy!"
"It's not over yet. Get clear of the harbor!"
"R-Right!"
Seeing them escape, Luffy turned his attention back to the Lord of the Coast, which was writhing in agony on the shoreline.
The Sea King's face was horribly mangled and caved in. Luffy raised his right hand, palm open.
Golden energy coalesced in his palm, swirling into a dense, vibrating sphere.
That punch was for trying to eat me ten years ago.
But this... this is for Shanks's arm.
He fired the orb directly into the Sea King's maw.
—BOOM!
The Lord of the Coast's head was obliterated from its body in a spray of gore.
Its serpentine form gave one final, violent twitch before going still forever.
"Luffy... just how strong have you become?"
"Magura, I've been punching the cliffs of Mount Colbo for over a year."
"I should at least be able to do this much."
Addressing the stunned Magura, Luffy stepped onto his small skiff moored at the corner of the pier.
He weighed anchor, unfurled his sail, and shouted back to the shore.
"Roast that thing, smoke it—do whatever! Just make sure you eat it all!"
"I'm off!"
As Luffy's boat began to pull away, Dogra, Magura, and the villagers erupted into cheers, waving their hands frantically.
"It's a Sea King meat party today!"
"That Luffy! When did he get so monstrously powerful?!"
While the villagers rejoiced at the receding ship, Dadan stood among them, tears welling in her eyes.
"Are you all right, Dadan?"
"I'm fine, Makino... It's just, first Ann, and now Luffy... When did they grow up to be so dependable...?"
Dadan wept as she watched the dot on the horizon that was Luffy's sail.
The boy who had moved her to tears was currently rowing, lost in thought.
Regaining the memories of my past life, knowing this world came from a manga—none of that really matters.
It doesn't erase the seventeen years I've lived here.
The fact that I'm Grandpa's grandson, that Dadan raised me in place of my parents, and that I met Ann and became sworn siblings—none of that is a lie, even if it differs from the original story.
Shanks saving me was real too... though I probably shouldn't have said I'd become the Pirate King.
"I'm going to gather a crew and find a crew better than yours! I'll find the One Piece!"
"And then, I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!"
I babbled about freedom... but back then, I didn't realize that freedom comes with responsibility.
I have to find the One Piece anyway. If some lunatic finds it instead of me, the world might actually end.
By doing that, I'll naturally keep my promise to become the Pirate King. I also have to return this hat to Shanks.
I suppose cleaning up some pirates along the way will keep things interesting. If anything, I have too much on my plate.
Luffy took off the straw hat and held it in his hand.
Balancing the brim on the tip of his finger, he began to spin the hat casually.
If it's something I have to do anyway, I might as well enjoy it.
A brand new adventure.
Luffy placed the hat firmly back on his head and grabbed the oars.
My name is Monkey D. Luffy.
I'm the pirate who's going to live as freely as possible.
Thus, the reincarnator born with the name Monkey D. Luffy set out on his journey, guiding his small boat into the vast, unknown sea.