[Chapter Size: 2119 Words.]
Third Person POV
Goa Kingdom, East Blue.
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A silence hung over the Foosha square as Luffy, now transformed and imposing, faced the old mayor, Makino, and other villagers. His gaze, once innocent and full of youthful energy, now exhibited a determination and fierceness that didn’t go unnoticed.
The villagers, in turn, looked at the man before them, processing the transformation Luffy had undergone since the last time they saw him. Surprise and shock painted the faces of those who knew the young and cheerful boy from Foosha. The square, once bustling with conversations about pirates and attacks on Goa, was now shrouded in a heavy silence, interrupted only by the subtle sound of waves breaking nearby.
Luffy kept his gaze fixed on the familiar faces of the village, awaiting their reaction to the man who had returned after so many changes. The silence persisted, as if each member of that community was processing Luffy’s metamorphosis and the implications of this new reality.
Despite the initial surprise at Luffy’s impressive transformation, the villagers didn’t see that change as abnormal or strange. Understanding Luffy’s peculiarity since his return to this world, where his physical features and appearance were different, they comprehended that the young man had manifested this specific desire.
Despite the radical transformation and the initially peculiar look that Luffy sported, the village people recognized the essence of Monkey D. Luffy, the boy who was born and raised among them. Even in the face of evident changes, familiarity persisted, and they saw beyond appearances, understanding that, deep down, that robust man was still the same Luffy they knew and loved.
Makino was the first to react to Luffy’s presence in the village, taken aback by the remarkable transformation of the boy. She stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed, before breaking the silence with a mix of surprise and joy:
“B-But what… Luffy?! Is that really you, Luffy?!” Makino exclaimed, unable to contain the perplexity in her voice, as she moved away from the crowd to find the boy who left a few weeks ago in pursuit of his dreams at sea.
Luffy smiled, and despite his imposing appearance, his expression was the same as always with those he cared about. He could feel all that affection and his own relationships with these people. He waved to Makino, confirming:
“Of course, it’s me, Makino! I’ve changed a bit!” He said with a smile.
“A bit?! You’re almost unrecognizable!” Woop Slap exclaimed, raising his cane.
Luffy approached Makino with a warm hug, momentarily ignoring Woop Slap’s incredulity. Makino, still processing the change in Luffy, responded to the hug with tears of joy in her eyes.
“I missed you so much, Luffy! What happened? Where have you been all this time?” Makino asked, pulling back a bit to get a better look at the young man’s face.
“Ah, Makino, the journey was amazing, you know? I had some rough times, met fantastic people. And look, now I’m married!” Luffy exclaimed, pointing to Yamato by his side. She just cast a calm glance; she didn’t make much fuss, after all, she enjoyed Luffy’s company and the incredible nights he provided. She ended up accepting the title of wife, especially when she began to feel that strange thing in her heart for the captain, even though sometimes she called him “my Toki.”
Makino, initially surprised by Luffy’s revelation about his marriage, ignored Luffy’s revelation and the mission to find a new monarch for Goa. She looked at Yamato with a friendly smile.
“You got married? That’s amazing, Luffy! Is it really true that you’re attacking the kingdom?”
Luffy scratched his head, trying to explain in a simple way. “Ah, it’s a long story. I came here to change things and find someone to be the new king or queen. But before that, I want to see how everyone here is doing!”
Makino, surprised by Luffy’s revelation about his marriage, ignored Luffy’s revelation and the mission to find a new monarch for Goa. She looked at Yamato with a friendly smile.
“What do you mean by finding a king or queen?!” Dadan exclaimed, expressing the confusion everyone felt.
Luffy, ignoring the tension in the air, replied casually: “The old king, I killed him.”
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“…”
“…”
The ensuing silence was almost palpable; all villagers swallowed hard, unable to believe what they had just heard. Meanwhile, Dadan and the other bandits, still processing the information, fell silent after Luffy confessed to killing the former king. The notion that the boy who used to be a troublemaker had become a “kingslayer” and spoke about it so casually left everyone dumbfounded.
Woop Slap, furious at Luffy’s revelation about killing the former king, raised his cane, glaring at him with eyes full of indignation. “YOU KILLED THE KING OF GOA!?” He shouted.
“Woop Slap, do you really think you can change things this way?” Luffy questioned, maintaining his casual tone despite the tension in the air. He smiled at the man, while Makino, for the first time, put a hand to her stunned mouth.
“Kid, have you lost your mind? How dare you kill the king of Goa? And what will Garp say when he finds out? You’re defying the Navy and justice!” Woop Slap responded with evident fury in his voice, referring to Luffy’s grandfather, Vice-Admiral Garp.
Unfazed, Luffy retorted, “The Navy and justice never cared about the common people here. I came to change that and give Goa a fresh start! I still remember how the people of that town looked at the rest of the island; they even killed by burning the entire dump when I, Lucy, Ace, and Sabo were together, before Sabo’s tragedy.”
Woop Slap’s eyes sparked with anger. “You have no idea what you’re doing, kid. Garp won’t let this slide.”
Luffy, still smiling, replied, “Then let me talk to Garp when he arrives. I have things to discuss with him too.”
“Luffy… you shouldn’t anger your grandfather like this,” Makino tried to warn the young man.
“Don’t worry about it, Makino. I’ll deal with the old man when he gets here.”
“Dadan! Did you teach Luffy to be like this over the past few years?” Woop Slap asked the woman because this Luffy was much more ruthless than he remembered, and he wasn’t even afraid of Garp, which was very strange.
Dadan, looking at Woop Slap and Luffy, was also perplexed by the situation. She frowned and crossed her arms, trying to process the information. “Woop Slap, I don’t know what’s going on here. This isn’t the Luffy we know. He has changed a lot since he left,” Dadan said, her expression reflecting the confusion hanging over her.
“I… I know he has always been impulsive and stubborn, but this is too much. Attacking a kingdom? Talking about killing kings?” Woop Slap murmured, still incredulous at Luffy’s revelations.
“It’s not just you who doesn’t understand. I’m lost in this mess too. But we have to deal with it the best we can. Luffy is going to be Luffy, whether we understand it or not,” Dadan replied, her eyes narrowing as she observed the boy who now bore the responsibility for his actions.
Meanwhile, Luffy continued to smile, unconcerned about the conversation in front of him.
“Anyway, it’s good to see all of you!” Luffy looked fondly at all the villagers.
As the residents of Foosha processed the revelations and surprises brought by Luffy, a common feeling still transpired: the joy of seeing him again. Despite the drastic changes and surprising actions, Luffy’s essence was still recognizable to many.
“It’s strange… but, for some reason, I still feel happy to see him after a few weeks. It seems like he has matured, even if he has become a bit more reckless,” commented one resident, trying to find a balance between disbelief and nostalgia.
Another agreed, adding, “Luffy has always been the one to defy expectations, but now… he’s on another level. He seems stronger, more determined, and at the same time, more unpredictable.”
Makino, beside Luffy, perceived the complexity of emotions in the village. “Well, even though he has changed, I think Luffy’s essence is still there. He continues to bring a smile to everyone’s face, no matter what happens.” She opened a caring smile, as she always did with the boy who grew up in her bar.
While conversations continued, Luffy couldn’t help but notice the mix of emotions on those familiar faces. He was aware that his actions had caused a significant impact, but his determination to change Goa and offer a new beginning remained unshakable.
“Let’s all go to the square and start the party!” Luffy suggested, ignoring the unspoken questions hanging in the air. The village, slowly, began to adapt to the presence of its notorious prodigal troublemaker, while emotions unfolded amid expectation and surprise.
While Luffy led the way, the atmosphere had already become much more relaxed.
Villager 1: “Luffy, almost a month has passed since you left! What have you been doing all this time?”
Luffy, with his characteristic smile, replied: “Ah, it’s been a few incredible weeks! I explored new islands, fought pirates, and even faced some Navy members.”
Villager 2: “But… what about these tattoos? You didn’t have those before.”
Luffy, pointing to his tattoos, explained: “Ah, these? I got them during my adventures. They’re pretty cool, aren’t they?!”
Villager 1: “And this woman by your side, Luffy. Is she really your wife? Who is she? How did you meet?”
Luffy, excited, replied: “This is Yamato! We met shortly after I left; she’s amazing! We’ve faced many challenges together.”
One of the bandits who saw Luffy with his wings on the mountain asked: “And those wings on your back? Did you turn into an angel, Luffy?”
Luffy laughed and explained: “No, no, they’re just some abilities I gained. Flying is quite useful, especially when I need to get somewhere quickly!”
Villager 4: “We heard about your exploits in the newspaper! They say you attacked two Navy bases and defeated three naval commanders! Is that really true, Luffy?”
Luffy, laughing: “Haha, yeah, it was more or less like that! We encountered some really corrupt ones, and I decided to interfere here and there. And, of course, defeating those famous pirates was fun too!”
Villager 2: “And this bounty now? 50 million! You’re famous, Luffy!”
Luffy chuckled. “Did you see it?! Hahahaha.”
Villager 12: “Of course, you represent our village!”
Woop Slap, with a serious and irritated expression: “Luffy, you’re embarrassing our village! Attacking the Navy, notorious pirates, and now a king? This isn’t what we teach here in Foosha! You should be out there pursuing your dream, not causing trouble and staining the name of this place!”
Villager 15, curious: “But Mr. Woop Slap, you’ve been keeping all the news about Luffy as if it were a trophy…”
Woop Slap, getting nervous: “That’s not true!”
Makino cute laughed while commenting: “It’s true, Luffy, he’s always keeping an eye on the newspapers for news about you. Fufufufu.”
Woop Slap, even more irritated: “Don’t say those things!”
Luffy, still smiling, tried to calm the mayor:
Luffy: “Hey, mayor, I’m not trying to embarrass anyone! I’m just doing what I think is right. But relax, I’ll sort everything out and make the village proud again!”
The mayor crossed his arms, discontent with the explanation, while the other villagers continued with their lively questions, and Luffy cheerfully answered them all.
Despite the evident changes, Luffy remained open and approachable, sharing his experiences and adventures with those who had known him since childhood. The village, gradually, began to accept the new Luffy who had returned home.
Yamato, who was beside Luffy, noticed the Black Pearl approaching the coast even before Luffy mentioned it. Her eyes watched the ship attentively, curious to see the crew and how the reception in the village would be.
Luffy, realizing Yamato’s attention on the ship, smiled and pointed in its direction.
Luffy: “Ah, everyone, look at this! My ship, the fearsome Black Pearl, is arriving! And with my crew! Let’s welcome them!”
The villagers turned to look in the indicated direction, curious to see who Luffy’s companions were and how their arrival in the village would unfold. The ship approached with the skull and straw hat flag waving, a familiar symbol to everyone who knew the Straw Hat crew.
“That darn kid became a true pirate in a matter of weeks, distancing himself from the village. Garp won’t be happy with this!” grumbled Woop Slap, expressing his irritation at Luffy’s impressive transformation.
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