Chapter 55 – The Devil Fruit of Fate
At the bustling harbor of Marineford, headquarters of the Navy, Vice Admiral Garp stood tall aboard the warship Blue Dragon, flanked by his vice-captain Bogard and a calm-faced young man—Tachibana Kyūjō.
Thanks to Garp's unrelenting pestering, Kyūjō didn't waste any time. With a firm command, he ordered his crew to sail at full speed.
The skies were clear, the winds were favorable, and the sails caught them just right.
(When the angle of the sails matches the wind correctly, even sailing against it can be incredibly swift.)
In just two and a half days, the warship broke through the waters of the Grand Line and reached the East Blue.
No delays.
They headed straight for a small, quiet village by the sea—Foosha Village.
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Inside the local bar, a cheerful celebration was underway.
A rowdy group of pirates laughed heartily, meat in hand and mugs of alcohol raised high. The atmosphere was festive and carefree.
This wasn't just any pirate crew. These were the Red-Haired Pirates—the same infamous crew that once shook the Grand Line.
Among them sat a tall, laid-back man with messy red hair and three claw-like scars under his left eye. On his head rested a straw hat that had seen countless journeys.
He turned to the beautiful woman behind the bar and smiled.
"Hey, Makino, my lovely lady—how about another glass of rum for me?"
The woman named Makino chuckled softly, used to this man's carefree antics.
And beside him—sat a boy. No older than seven or eight. Bright eyes, bandaids on his face, and a fire in his heart.
This boy was Monkey D. Luffy.
"Shanks! I'm not scared of getting hurt!" Luffy shouted, clinging to the man's arm. "Take me with you next time! I really want to become a pirate!"
Shanks glanced down at him with a stern expression and raised voice.
"Don't talk nonsense! You literally stabbed yourself with a knife! Of course it hurts, you idiot!"
"Don't ever pull a stupid stunt like that again, Luffy!"
He exhaled sharply and added, "And besides... you can't even swim. What kind of pirate can't handle the sea?"
His tone was teasing, but firm.
Luffy wasn't about to back down.
"Who cares if I can't swim?! I'm still gonna be a pirate!"
"I don't need permission! Every real man has the right to sail! I just need to avoid falling in!"
"And anyway—my punches are like pistols!"
He waved his tiny fists in the air like a child imitating a fighter. The entire bar erupted into laughter.
Everyone except Shanks, who rested his chin in one hand and just watched the boy like he was watching a street performance.
The rest of the crew, however, clearly enjoyed Luffy's antics.
"Captain, this kid's got guts. Why don't we let him on board?" one crew member laughed.
"Yeah, I like him! He eats like me!" Lucky Roux grinned as he tore into a giant pork leg.
Shanks rolled his eyes.
"Clever?" he thought. That kid's a moron...
Still, the corners of his lips curled upward in amusement.
"If Luffy wants on the ship, sure," Shanks grinned. "Anyone wanna give up their spot for him?"
The crew burst into even louder laughter.
Not a single soul took the idea seriously.
"You're still too young, Luffy," Shanks said, sipping his rum. "Try again in ten years."
"Hmph! I'm not a kid!" Luffy protested.
But he still accepted the juice Shanks handed him, and drank it happily with a big smile.
Shanks clutched his stomach and laughed out loud.
"You still think you're not a kid? What kind of pirate drinks juice?!"
Laughter echoed again. Luffy pouted, set the cup down with a thump, and turned away in frustration.
Then, a calm voice cut through the noise.
It came from Benn Beckman, Shanks' right-hand man, who had been leaning back and smoking quietly.
"Luffy. You need to understand what our captain's really trying to say."
"Being a pirate can be fun. But Shanks knows how dangerous the sea really is."
"He's not trying to crush your dream—he's trying to protect you from something you're not ready for."
But Luffy shook his head and shouted louder.
"No! Shanks is just making fun of me!"
And as if on cue, Shanks casually teased him again about not being able to swim.
Makino quickly stepped in to ease the tension.
"Luffy, what do you want to eat today?"
The boy's eyes lit up instantly.
"White gem rice, please!" he chirped, hopping into his seat like nothing had happened.
Shanks grinned.
"You sure eat and drink a lot for someone who doesn't pay."
Luffy answered without hesitation.
"One day, I'll become a pirate and find treasure. Then I'll pay for everything!"
The pirates burst into laughter again. But no one mocked his dream.
No one tried to stop him.
Then, as Luffy finished eating, he reached out for a strange-looking fruit on the table...
Its swirling patterns and odd color made it stand out.
Just as he bit into it—!
BANG!
The bar door swung open, slammed by a powerful kick from outside!
A group of rough-looking men barged in, led by a scar-faced man with a thin mustache and a large sword.
It was Higuma the Mountain Bandit—a local menace.
He stepped forward with an arrogant sneer and barked, "Oi. You lot pirates?"
"You've got guts coming into my territory."
Shanks looked up, unbothered. "We're just having a few drinks. No trouble intended, friend."
Higuma scoffed and marched up to the bar.
"Makino, bring out all your booze. My men drink for free today."
Makino bowed politely. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Higuma... but we're out of stock."
Shanks, still smiling, grabbed a fresh bottle of rum and held it out.
"Why don't we share this one instead?"
But Higuma slapped it away violently, smashing it into Shanks' face.
The bottle shattered, the rum splattered across the floor.
The bar fell silent.
Meanwhile, Luffy—who had just bitten into the strange fruit—swallowed instinctively out of shock.
The Devil Fruit was now inside him.
Higuma sneered, puffed up like a rooster in front of hens.
"You lowlife pirates think you can buy me off with a drink?"
"My bounty is eight million Beli! I've killed fifty-six pirates like you!"
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