Looking once more at the place he had always called home, he gave it one last look before turning away with a smile. "Let's go!" the teenager shouted, diving headfirst into the water. Before the two of them started swimming, Luffy grabbed the enormous beast and asked, "Hey, you're a sea monster, so you must have been all over the East Blue, right?"
The beast nodded its head.
"How about this? You go ahead and I'll swim beside you. Take us to the nearest island, and when I can't swim anymore, I'll lean on your head until I can swim again!" the boy explained. "Does that sound good?"
With one last movement of his large head, the two set off for the next island, swimming side by side.
"MEAT!".
The scream echoed throughout the town, drawing everyone's attention to the port. The scene was so astonishing that most of the inhabitants could only stare in amazement. A boy, no more than sixteen years old, was riding on some kind of sea monster!
"MEAT! GIVE ME MEAT!" Luffy shouted. As if possessed, he leaped off Levi's head and began swimming toward the pier at speeds that, while not as fast as a fish-man's, were definitely faster than most humans. After reaching the pier and getting off, the teenager turned back to the sea. "LEVI! STAY ON THE ISLAND AND LISTEN TO MY WHISTLE! I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I'LL BE HERE, SO GO HAVE SOME FUN! BUT DON'T GO TOO FAR! SEE YOU LATER, BUDDY!"
Turning around and looking back at the village, Luffy sighed. "I've already taken care of that... MEAT!" he shouted as he ran through the village looking for a restaurant. "SOMEONE GIVE ME SOME MEAT! IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE EATEN! I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG!"
Moving faster than most eyes could perceive, Luffy circled the streets until he finally found it. A bar. Stars flashed in the boy's eyes as he shot toward the establishment, so fast, in fact, that he couldn't stop before reaching the door.
Inside the bar, an eighteen-year-old was drinking peacefully, doing nothing. He wore a tight beige and white shirt that revealed the muscles he had developed over the years and dark green trousers. Around his stomach he wore a light green striped haramaki and on his left bicep he had a handkerchief tied, the same color as his trousers.
He had short, light green hair and tanned skin. The lighter tones of his skin and shirt contrasted with the dark black of his eyes and the gold of the three teardrop earrings that dangled from his left ear. Curiously, he carried three katanas tucked into his haramaki at his hip; the only one that stood out had a white hilt and a matching scabbard. It rested between the other two blades, and it was clear the young man valued this sword more than the other two, judging by the way he rested his hand on the pommel.
The teenager had been adrift ever since leaving home, supporting himself with his "work," so to speak. He'd originally left to pursue his dream and fulfill a promise to a dear friend: to become the world's greatest swordsman. However, shortly after leaving his village, Shimotsuki, he realized he couldn't find his way back and was practically lost. Though he'd never admit it.
Due to his circumstances, he turned to bounty hunting to survive while traveling the East Blue. However, even as a bounty hunter, money didn't matter much to him. Yes, it allowed him to buy food and a bed almost everywhere, but that didn't concern him. His true goal was to become stronger, so that one day he could challenge the man at the top of the ladder he was trying to climb... Dracule Mihawk, also known by his epithet, Hawkeye.
"MEAT!".
That was the last thing the bounty hunter heard before the saloon-like bar doors practically flew off their hinges. Drawing two swords, he began bracing for the worst as he turned to see what was causing the commotion.
"MEAT! GIVE ME MEAT! I'M STARVING!" Luffy yelled from the ground. He could smell it. Someone was cooking something, and that something smelled delicious. Getting up and running back to the counter to order some of the mouthwatering meat, Luffy didn't even see the green-haired swordsman wielding two razor-sharp blades. Before he could reach the counter, the taller boy blocked his path, stepping in front of him and forcing him to stop to avoid a collision.
"HEY! WHAT THE HELL! GET OUT OF MY WAY SO I CAN GET SOME OF THAT DELICIOUS MEAT!" Luffy yelled in the stranger's face.
"He didn't even flinch when he smashed those doors ," the verdet thought. Most would still be on the ground, hurting, but the boy didn't have a scratch. He eyed the boy in the straw hat critically. He was obviously no swordsman, but for some reason, the verdet couldn't help thinking it would be fun to fight him. He looked back at the broken doors and smiled smugly. It seemed he'd found a strong one. "Fight me," he demanded.
"NO! I JUST SAID GET OUT OF THE WAY SO I CAN EAT MEAT!" Luffy yelled before trying to dodge the idiot who was trying to stop him from eating. However, as soon as he tried to move, a sword was pointed at his throat.
The swordsman gripped his sword firmly, trying to hide his smile. "I said... Fight! With me!" he demanded once more.
Trying to calm himself before slicing the person in front of him in two, Luffy asked, "Why would I fight you? I'm hungry. Besides, I don't even know you. I have no reason to fight you right now. SO MOVE!"
"Well, if we're getting to know each other, my name is Roronoa Zoro. Besides, you don't seem like the type of person who carries around money, do you?" the older boy replied, seeing an opportunity.
"Yes. So what?" Luffy replied, not realizing why it mattered.
"Well, normally when you want to eat, you have to pay," Zoro replied, smiling smugly at the understanding on Luffy's face. The expression was very similar to that of someone who had just been told of the death of a loved one. "How about this? Fight me, and if you win, I'll buy you all the food you want. Deal?" the older boy suggested more than asked.
Luffy's expression changed so fast it could have turned the whole bar upside down: "Deal! Let's fight right now! I'm starving, damn it!" He turned toward the entrance he'd wrecked and ran out excitedly. He'd do anything for food right now.
Zoro could only smirk at the boy as he followed him out of the bar. It seemed his name wasn't yet famous enough to be widely known. However, many bounties had already fallen to his swords. Perhaps he should even be lenient with the boy. He didn't really know how strong the seemingly younger one was, but of one thing he was one hundred percent certain: he wouldn't pay a thing today.
The rest of the bar stared in stunned silence as the two left the establishment. What exactly had they just noticed?
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