[Chapter-opening Extra: Days on Kuja East Route - Bug Fix - "Follow Me"]
[Hancock hadn't actually expended much physical stamina, yet her skin was flushed with sweat, her pulse racing. With the snake venom taking hold of her body, she could only follow Jolyne's quiet commands, moving her limbs precisely as she was instructed. After a long moment, she finally steadying her frantic breathing. Hearing Jolyne's voice call out in the darkness, Hancock moved to follow. Though the venom had temporarily robbed her of her sight, her Kenbunshoku Haki allowed her to trace Jolyne's light footsteps with ease...]
〖Goa Kingdom - Windmill Village〗
A six-year-old boy wearing a small white T-shirt stamped with the Marine seagull emblem strolled cheerfully down the dirt path, humming a tune as he carried a wicker basket. Farmers returning from the fields, fishermen mending nets, and local shopkeepers all offered warm smiles as he passed by.
"Luffy! Out buying groceries again?" a middle-aged farmer called out, wiping sweat from his brow with a towel while resting his hoe against his shoulder.
The boy offered a toothy grin. "Yep!"
A woman holding a sack of fresh vegetables pulled out a crisp orange carrot, teasing him with a twinkle in her eye. "Luffy, how much does a carrot like this cost?"
The last time Luffy had been sent on an errand to buy carrots, he had handed over every last coin in his pocket, several hundred Berries, without asking for a single piece of change. The villagers who had sent him were left equal parts exasperated and amused when he returned empty-handed.
Luffy honestly couldn't understand why they had been mad. Something that tasted 'that' terrible had to be expensive, right? Who in their right mind would buy something so gross if it wasn't a rare luxury?
Fortunately, he was still a harmless six-year-old. Otherwise, someone would have tied the little brat to a post to teach him basic math.
"Luffy, don't let them trick you this time!" a passing elder chuckled, ruffling his messy black hair. "If you mess up again, you're not getting a sleepover at my place this week!"
A few neighboring women gathered around, fondly pinching his soft cheeks. Everyone in the village adored Vice Admiral Garp's little grandson.
Garp had never built an actual house for Luffy in Windmill Village. But in his old hometown, the legendary Marine's name was the ultimate passport, so the villagers naturally took turns raising the boy.
For the past few years, Luffy had lived a nomadic life across the village. One night he'd stay at Aunt Mari's, the next at Old Man George's, and the night after that at the Mayor's estate. Sometimes, if he played until dark or ate until he passed out, he'd simply curl up on a bench in Miss Makino's bar.
Makino treated him like family. She fed him endless meals for free, bought him new clothes when he outgrew his old ones, and looked after him like a loving older sister.
Even better, Luffy was a simple, carefree kid. No matter what trouble he got into, he forgot all about it by the next morning. He didn't find his lifestyle odd in the slightest; in fact, he considered it a massive win that his terrifying Grandpa wasn't around every few days to deliver an "Iron Fist of Love."
Combined with his bright eyes and adorable face, the boy was essentially the village mascot.
"I get it now!" Luffy pouted, puffing out his cheeks. "I won't get ripped off again!"
At the edge of the market, the local vendor leaned against his wooden stall, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he watched the boy approach with a grin.
Luffy held up his basket at the counter. "Groceries!"
Without needing to ask, the vendor expertly packed a balanced set of fresh meat, potatoes, and greens into the basket.
Luffy happily pulled a thick stack of Berries from his pocket and slapped them onto the wood. "Here!"
The vendor suppressed a smirk and reached for the money.
"That's way too much!" a sharp female voice shouted from behind.
The woman who had teased him earlier had followed him all the way to the stall. She stepped forward, snatched most of the bills right back out of the vendor's hand, and gave him a glare. "Give the boy his proper change!"
"I was just having a little fun with him..." the vendor muttered sheepishly, quickly counting out the remaining coins and handing them back to Luffy.
…
"See? I told you I wouldn't mess it up," Luffy declared proudly, sitting on a high stool in Makino's bar with his basket resting beside him.
Behind the counter, Makino wiped down a glass and sighed softly. "So your new strategy is just letting the neighbors do the math for you?"
"What's wrong with that?" Luffy saw absolutely zero issue with accepting help. He neatly lined up his leftover coins along the polished wood counter. "Makino, I want a Justice Meal!"
Makino smiled, gathered up the coins, and turned toward the kitchen to prepare his favorite order.
In reality, the "Justice Meal" was just a thick slice of fresh bread, a sizzled beef steak, a bowl of hot vegetable soup, and a small plate of sliced fruit.
While Luffy threw himself into tearing the steak apart, Makino quietly slipped all his money back into his grocery basket. She leaned her hands behind her back, watching the little boy eat with a gentle smile. Watching him devour his food with such sheer, unadulterated joy always made her day feel a little brighter.
Suddenly, the quiet murmur inside the pub was interrupted by commotion out on the street. The few patrons sitting at the tables stood up, murmuring to one another as they hurried toward the door.
"Hmm? What's going on?" Luffy asked around a mouth full of steak, fork still in hand as he glanced curiously toward the entrance. "Is the circus in town?"
Makino untied her apron. "Keep eating. I'll go check."
She pushed open the wooden swing doors and looked out into the sunlight. Villagers were streaming down the main road, heading straight toward the docks.
Puzzled, Makino spotted a neighbor trotting past and called out, "Larry! What's happening?"
"A pirate ship just pulled into the harbor!" Larry shouted back without slowing down.
'Pirates...?'
Makino felt a pang of worry. She was just a bar owner, and running toward a potential threat wouldn't do any good, so she decided to lock up and stay inside to protect Luffy.
When she stepped back inside, Luffy looked up while chewing on a crust of bread. "Why's everyone running?"
Makino shook her head gently. "Apparently some pirates have docked at the harbor. Don't worry, we'll be safe here."
Vice Admiral Garp, Hero of the Marines, frequently stopped by his hometown while patrolling the East Blue. Almost no pirate crew in their right mind dared to cause trouble in Goa Kingdom. And those with the sheer arrogance to ignore Garp's terrifying reputation wouldn't be wasting their time idling in the "Weakest Sea", they'd already be braving the Grand Line to carve out a name for themselves.
Luffy swallowed his bread and tapped his chin. "Grandpa says all pirates are bad guys. He's always yelling at me to become a Marine..."
"Do you want to be a Marine?" Makino asked softly.
"I don't know..." Luffy frowned slightly, considering the question for what felt like the first time in his life. Whenever Grandpa was around, Luffy was usually too busy dodging fists to think about his future career choices.
Just remembering those drills made him shiver. "If I become a Marine, wouldn't I have to see Grandpa every single day? That sounds horrifying..."
Makino couldn't help but giggle.
…
Down at the harbor, the Village Chief stood at the head of a tense crowd, staring down the crew stepping off the newly anchored vessel.
"Pirates! You are not welcome in Windmill Village!" Chief Woodslap declared, brandishing his wooden cane.
The villagers behind him shouted in agreement, holding up pitchforks and heavy oars, trying their best to look intimidating.
Among the newcomers, a tall man with bright red hair wearing a faded straw hat scratched the back of his neck helplessly. "Ah man... they really don't like us, do they?"
Beside him, Lucky Roux took a massive bite out of a cooked chicken leg, his round face splitting into a wide grin. "Well, we 'are' pirates, Captain. It's pretty much in our job description to be hated!"
"Ah! You know, you're completely right!" Shanks clapped his hands together, as if he'd just stumbled upon a profound universal truth. "Ghahahaha!"
Yasopp, Benn Beckman, and the rest of the crew immediately erupted into boisterous laughter alongside their captain.
The villagers stood frozen, completely baffled.
'Are these guys really ruthless pirates? Why are they laughing like a bunch of idiots?!'
"They look like they're having a blast!" a squeaky childish voice remarked from right beside the Chief's knee.
Chief Woodslap looked down and nearly jumped out of his boots. "Luffy?! What are you doing out here?! Get back, it's dangerous!"
Luffy had a metal spoon hanging from his mouth, staring intently at the crew as they strolled back onto their ship.
The pirates clearly had no intention of raiding the village, but they didn't seem in any rush to pull up anchor either. Instead, they simply rolled out several barrels of liquor and started an impromptu party right on the main deck.
"They look like they're having so much fun..." Luffy muttered again, his eyes sparkling as he made a dash toward the gangplank.
Chief Woodslap grabbed the back of the boy's T-shirt, lifting him clear off the ground. "Makino! Take him back inside!" he yelled over his shoulder.
Makino hurried through the crowd, bowing apologetically to the Chief as she took Luffy's hand.
On the deck of the ship, Shanks adjusted his straw hat, his red hair flashing in the sea breeze. He caught sight of the villagers watching them warily from the pier, noticing the young woman leading the scruffy little boy back toward the village. A mild smile crossed his face.
"Pretty lady, Captain," Yasopp chuckled, leaning over the rail with his rifle slung across his back. "Maybe we should stick around this port for a few days?"
The rest of the crew instantly jeered. "Shut up, Yasopp! You're just homesick!"
"Who said anything about being homesick?!" Yasopp protested loudly. "A true warrior of the sea doesn't pine for home until he's made his name known across the five oceans!" He rubbed his nose proudly. "...Besides, my son would lose all respect for me."
Benn Beckman blinked, taking a slow drag from his cigarette. "You have a son?"
Yasopp looked equally shocked. "I never told you guys?!"
"WHEN WOULD YOU HAVE TOLD US?!" the crew roared in unison, dropping their drinks in disbelief before breaking into another wave of wild laughter.
Amid the noise, Shanks took a long swig of rum, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "The liquor in the East Blue isn't half bad. Staying a while might not be a bad idea..."
…
Over the next few days, Chief Woodslap was practically losing his hair.
The pirates hadn't looted a single house, which was a relief, but the problem was that the bastards had effectively set up camp at the harbor and showed zero intention of leaving.
Windmill Village was tucked away on the rural edge of the island. Even if they dispatched a messenger to the capital of the Goa Kingdom, there was no guarantee the royal guard would bother sending soldiers to deal with a crew that hadn't committed a crime.
As for the Navy... not every territory supported a local Marine base. World Government Allied Kingdoms had to fund branch maintenance out of their own pockets, and the nobles of Goa saw no reason to waste tax money protecting a backwater farming village.
So there was no Navy presence for miles.
If the pirates had burned the village down, it might have drawn a Marine warship from a neighboring island. But these pirates were absurdly well-behaved. They didn't steal, they didn't pick fights, and most of the time they just drank and sang on their ship. Occasionally a few crew members would come ashore, but they never even walked into the village proper.
Instead, right under the suspicious eyes of the armed villagers, they spent their days fishing off the pier, hunting game in the mountain forests, and swimming in the bay.
Then, the pirates pulled a multi-ton Sea Beast straight out of the ocean.
The villagers couldn't help staring at the massive carcass, their mouths watering. A creature that size could feed the entire settlement for a month.
"You want a piece?" Shanks sat atop the sea beast's head, tugging down the brim of his straw hat with a sharp grin. "Then trade me some 'treasure' for it!"
The villagers were thoroughly speechless.
'Why phrase it like a dramatic pirate line?! If you want to sell the meat, just ask for cash!'
In the end, the formal trade between the pirates and the village never actually happened, because the elders sent to negotiate ended up getting dragged right into the pirates' feast.
Before long, the locals were helping the crew butcher the beast, drinking their rum, and singing sea shanties late into the night. Chief Woodslap nearly suffered an aneurysm on the spot.
To make matters worse, while nobody was paying attention, that little brat Luffy had snuck out again and planted himself right in the middle of the party!
"Luffy! Get your rear back here!" the Chief roared at the crowd gathered around the smoking bonfire.
Luffy was sitting cross-legged next to Lucky Roux, stuffing his face with roasted meat until grease ran down his chin. He turned around, stuck his tongue out, and pulled his lower eyelid down. "No way! This meat is amazing! Makino, come try some!" he shouted, waving at Makino as she approached with a helpless smile.
The giant Sea Beast was picked entirely clean by midnight.
When the feast finally ended, the villagers seemed to snap out of a trance. Spotting their furious Chief standing near the tree line, they sheepishly scattered back to their homes one by one.
"That was awesome..." Luffy rubbed his swollen, round belly, leaning back against a barrel as he looked up at the black pirate flag fluttering against the night sky. "Shanks, what's the 'treasure' you guys were talking about earlier?"
Shanks drained his mug, letting out a satisfied laugh. "Treasure? Well, obviously, it's…"
"The thing every pirate hungers for most!" the entire crew shouted in unison, bursting into another round of laughter.
"Woah..." Luffy's eyes shone with pure wonder.
Just then, a slightly tipsy Yasopp leaned down. With his sharp sniper's vision, he caught sight of a small object slipping out from beneath Luffy's shirt collar. "Hey kid, what's that necklace?"
"This?" Luffy held up a small, intricately carved snake-shaped pendant. "Grandpa told me my dad gave it to me..." He scratched his head, thinking back. "...But a lady once told me a super pretty big sister gave it to me. After Grandpa brought me here, though, I never saw that lady again."
"Oho!" Yasopp and the crew chuckled warmly. "So somebody gave you a treasure of your own! You'd better hold onto that tight, kid!"
Luffy grinned wide. "Yeah!"
First Mate Benn Beckman took a drag from his cigarette, a soft smile on his face. "The Captain has a treasure just like that, you know."
"Huh? Shanks has a necklace too?" Luffy immediately leaned over to yank on Shanks's collar, only for Shanks to swat his hand away with an annoyed laugh.
"I don't wear necklaces!" Shanks unstrapped his straw hat, placing it over his heart with a grin. "It's this!"
Luffy pouted. "Isn't that just an old hat? I've seen tons of farmers wearing those."
Shanks laughed heartily. "And I've seen plenty of brass pendants just like yours!"
"Oh... yeah!" Luffy paused, realizing the logic was sound. He looked up curiously. "So who gave you your hat, Shanks?"
Shanks looked down at the woven straw in his hands, his expression softening into something quiet and reverent. "Someone I respect more than anyone in the world..."
"Captain! Captain!"
A crewmate came sprinting down the gangplank holding a fresh newspaper. "Big news just dropped from the News Coos!"
Shanks took the paper, while Beckman, Lucky Roux, and Yasopp all leaned over his shoulder to read the front page.
Within seconds, every single one of them broke into a grin.
"It's that kid again..."
"Hahaha! How does he keep landing on the front page?!"
Luffy squeezed his head between Beckman and Shanks. He couldn't read the words, so he just stared at the massive photographs printed on the paper. "Who are you guys looking at?"
"Someone incredible," Shanks said cheerfully, poking Luffy right on the nose. "A guy way more impressive than you!"
"Nu-uh!" Luffy protested loudly, flailing his arms. "I'm super strong! My Grandpa trains me every day!"
"Your grandpa?" Lucky Roux asked, tearing another chunk off a meat bone.
Luffy nodded proudly. "His name is... Uh, what was his name again? Whatever, he's a Marine! People call him the 'Hero' or something!"
'Hero...?'
The Red Hair Pirates went dead silent.
In every officer's mind, the exact same formidable figure immediately emerged, a giant of a Marine with broad shoulders and fists that could shatter mountains.
Then…
"WAHAHAHAHA!"
The whole crew erupted into hysterical laughter.
A split second later, the realization hit, and every single face collectively dropped into sheer horror.
Benn Beckman looked utterly lost for words. "...Luffy, what's your full name?"
Luffy grinned, pounding his chest. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy!"
"Monkey..."
The pirates exchanged pale glances.
Their Captain, Red-Haired Shanks, had particularly vivid memories of that legendary Marine. Back on the 'Oro Jackson', Vice Admiral Garp had hounded the Roger Pirates across every corner of the Grand Line.
Shanks winced, pulling a face. "You're that crazy old man's grandson?!" He let out a nervous laugh. "He trains you himself? Man... you really have it rough, kid!"
Surprisingly, Luffy didn't argue. His small face tightened, and he nodded with genuine, lingering terror. "Yeah..."
As for how a famous pirate crew like the Red Hair Pirates actually managed their daily finances, it was a question best left unasked.
It was much like wondering where the noble heroes of classic tales got the endless silver coins they casually tossed onto tavern tables. The moment you start digging into those mundane logistics, the magic evaporates, leaving only boring reality behind.
And where's the fun in that?
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 30 chapters on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/marvel6395