It had been two days since Emma broke the news that I was somehow sailing through the actual Grand Line.
Two days since I'd accepted that my life was now officially an anime fever dream.
And just when I thought things couldn't get any weirder—
"SEA KING!! PORT SIDE!!"
The lookout's voice cut through the salty air like a gunshot.
Everyone on deck froze for half a second… and then panic exploded.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN PORT SIDE?!" Emma shouted, grabbing a rope.
"I MEAN IT'S BIG! REALLY BIG!" the lookout screamed back.
I spun toward the ocean, my stomach dropping at the sight of a colossal shape breaking the surface — all teeth, scales, and enough raw nightmare fuel to make a shark cry.
The Sea King's eyes glowed yellow as it let out a roar that rattled the ship.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" I yelled. "I didn't even get breakfast yet!"
The captain barked orders from the helm. "All hands! Full sail! Move, move, MOVE!"
The crew scrambled, pulling ropes, turning wheels, shouting over each other. Emma sprinted past me and kicked a crate open, tossing me a rope.
"Don't just stand there, tie something down!"
"Yeah, sure, I'll just—WHAT DO I TIE? EVERYTHING'S MOVING!"
The ship tilted hard as a massive wave slammed against it, sending me rolling across the deck. I crashed into a barrel and nearly went overboard before Emma grabbed me by the collar.
"Stay on your feet, rookie!"
"Trying! Not succeeding!"
The Sea King lunged again, jaws snapping just behind the stern. For one horrifying moment, I thought we were done for—until the captain yelled, "Hard starboard!" and the ship swerved sharply, riding a sudden gust of wind that pushed us just out of reach.
The creature roared again before sinking back into the depths, the water boiling with bubbles as it disappeared.
Everyone just stood there for a moment, gasping and drenched in seawater.
Emma collapsed next to me, breathing hard. "I hate Mondays."
I lay flat on my back, staring at the sky. "That… was Monday? I thought that was death."
The captain snorted as he walked past us, his coat dripping wet. "Welcome to the Grand Line, boy. Survive one of those, and you're officially a sailor."
"Yeah," I wheezed. "Can I officially quit now?"
Laughter broke out across the deck — loud, tired, but genuine. For a few minutes, it actually felt… good. Like we'd faced something insane together and somehow pulled through.
Then, as if the world decided we hadn't had enough surprises, a huge bird swooped down from the clouds and dropped a rolled-up newspaper onto the deck. It bounced once and hit me right in the face.
"Seriously?!" I groaned, picking it up. "You couldn't just… I dunno… not?"
Emma leaned over my shoulder, curious. "Oh hey, that's the new World Economic Times! Let's see what's going on in the world."
I unrolled it, scanning the front page—
And froze.
Right there, printed in big, bold letters above a familiar grinning face, was the headline:
"Straw Hat Luffy Defeats Arlong! First Bounty Issued — 30,000,000 Berries!"
My mouth went dry. "No way…"
Emma whistled. "Thirty million already? That's wild. Guy's making waves fast."
I just stared at the picture — Luffy, all smiles, holding his hat with that same carefree expression I'd seen a hundred times on-screen. Except this wasn't a show. This was real.
"This newspaper's dated last week," Emma said casually. "Guess we're about seven days behind the news."
"Right…" I muttered, still frozen. "So that means… he's already on the Grand Line."
Emma raised a brow. "You know him or something?"
I folded the paper quickly, forcing a laugh. "Uh, yeah, let's just say I've… heard of him."
Inside, though, my thoughts were racing.
Luffy.
The Straw Hats.
They were real. They were here.
And if the timeline lined up the way I thought it did… I was about to cross paths with them.
Three days later, after enough storms, bad food, and sleepless nights to make me question my life choices, we finally saw land.
"Land ho!" shouted the lookout.
I stumbled out onto the deck, hair a mess, eyes half-open. "If that's another mirage, I swear I'm jumping overboard."
Emma grinned at me. "Relax, city boy. That's no mirage. Welcome to Whiskey Peak."
I leaned over the railing, and my jaw dropped.
Massive cactus-shaped rock formations loomed over the island like silent giants, each one covered in tiny crosses that glittered in the sunlight. The port below buzzed with life — ships docked side by side, merchants unloading crates, and people laughing and waving from the pier. Music drifted through the salty air, cheerful and loud.
It looked like a party island.
And after a month of eating roasted seagull and sleeping on marshmallow sand, I was ready to kiss the ground.
As our ship approached the harbor, I noticed something strange near one of the docks. A small ship — with a lion-headed figurehead and a bright orange sail.
I blinked. Then blinked again.
No mistake. That was the Going Merry.
My heart nearly stopped. "No way. No freaking way…"
Emma followed my gaze. "Hm? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"More like a legend," I muttered under my breath.
The crew dropped anchor, and a few dockhands came running to secure the ropes. The smell of grilled meat and fresh bread filled the air, mixing with the tang of sea salt. People on the docks waved and shouted greetings.
Emma hopped down from the ship and turned back to me. "Come on, Noah! You've been staring at that ship for five minutes. Let's go check out the town."
I hesitated, still staring at the Going Merry. "Right… yeah. Town. Sure."
We made our way down the pier, the sound of boots clacking against wood blending with laughter and music. The streets were lined with taverns and inns, banners fluttering from every building. Musicians played upbeat tunes while townsfolk handed out mugs of ale to every sailor who walked by.
"They really roll out the red carpet here," I said, watching a group of locals shower a group of pirates with food and drinks.
Emma chuckled. "Whiskey Peak's famous for it. They welcome pirates, bounty hunters, travelers — anyone with a story to tell. The mayor's big on hospitality. Makes everyone feel at home."
"Yeah, but… isn't that suspicious?" I asked, eyeing a guy who was being force-fed meat by three cheerful waitresses.
She shrugged. "Suspicious or not, the food's good and the beds are clean. You can't ask for more on the Grand Line."
I couldn't argue with that. We wandered deeper into the town square, passing fountains shaped like barrels and street performers juggling knives. Everything about this place screamed "celebration," but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off — like everyone was a little too friendly.
Then I saw them.
At the far end of the plaza, sitting at a long table surrounded by cheering locals, were the Straw Hats.
Luffy was already stuffing his face with enough food to feed a small army. Zoro sat beside him, arms crossed, sake bottle in hand. Nami was laughing as villagers poured her a drink, while Usopp gestured wildly as he told an exaggerated story. Sanji was, of course, flirting with half the women at the table.
I froze in place. My brain short-circuited.
"Emma," I whispered, tugging her sleeve. "That's them. That's them!"
She blinked. "Them who?"
"The Straw Hats!" I hissed. "Luffy! Zoro! Nami! They're—never mind, just trust me."
Emma gave me a confused look, but before she could respond, a man in a purple coat and big grin approached us. "Welcome, travelers! New arrivals, huh? The mayor's throwing a feast for all visitors tonight. You should join in!"
Emma smiled politely. "Thank you. We'll be there."
As the man walked off, I leaned close and muttered, "Okay, this is officially insane. I'm standing twenty feet away from people who can punch Sea Kings and break swords with their bare hands."
Emma laughed. "You're acting like they're celebrities."
"Because they are!" I blurted, then coughed awkwardly. "I mean… they look like they could be."
She gave me a weird look but didn't press further. "Come on, newbie. Let's find somewhere to sit before you faint."
I followed her toward one of the taverns, but my eyes never left the Straw Hat table. Watching them laugh and eat like it was the most normal thing in the world… it hit me hard. This wasn't just some manga panel or anime episode.
This was real life.