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On the first morning after receiving his new ship, Luka found himself walking through the quiet alleys of Water Seven, heading towards the main market. He carried only a small bag, and his mind was preoccupied with something simple… but important to him.
Since his first months of sailing, he had developed a strange habit he hadn't expected. He discovered that traveling—especially when flying alone over the sea—passed at a painfully slow pace. No battles, no sounds, no one speaking… just an endless sky.
And in that long emptiness, he glanced at the books he had found on the ship he stole from Log Town years ago, and thus acquired the habit of reading during his journeys.
For this reason, he was now walking between shops looking for a respectable bookstore, buying enough books for his next trip. Novels, sailors' memoirs, maps, even scientific books. Anything to keep his mind occupied when there was nothing to do but watch the horizon.
He stopped in front of a glass window of a spacious shop, stacked with books up to the ceiling, and smiled lightly.
"Alright…" he muttered as he pushed the door open.
The small bell above the door rang softly as Luka entered the bookstore, the sound mingling with the smell of old paper, ink, and leather—a mix he always associated with long voyages.
The bookstore was more spacious than it appeared from the outside; towering wooden shelves stretched along the walls, narrow aisles intersected like a silent maze, while warm lamp light scattered like golden patches over the books.
Luka moved slowly among the shelves, his hand brushing over the titles.
He stopped in front of the history section, where the shelves were filled with massive volumes bearing titles about ancient emperors, wars of the Grand Line kingdoms, and even the documented biographies of the most famous pirates and sailors.
He reached out and pulled a heavy book:
History of the Ancient Kingdoms of the Grand Line.
He flipped through the pages quickly, reading a line here and a word there.
"Useful," he muttered.
He moved on to another book:
Legends of the Men Who Shook the Seas.
He skimmed it, seeing in the index some names he knew and others he had never heard of—pirates, rebels, naval men… even inventors who shaped the world's course.
He smiled faintly. "Good."
Then a collection of small books with a single title on the cover caught his attention:
Heroes Unknown.
He opened one, finding stories about men who weren't famous but had changed the fate of entire islands.
He nodded in admiration. "This will be fun."
While choosing the last piece, the bookstore owner—a thin elderly man with thick glasses and a soft voice—approached him.
He said with a smile:
"It seems you're the type who doesn't read for pleasure alone… but to understand the world."
Luka responded with a small smile:
"Perhaps."
The old man gently handed him one last book:
Tales of Men Who Made the Age.
He added:
"This is one of our best… it reveals strange secrets about people who shifted the balance of history."
Luka took it without hesitation.
He gathered his books—nine in total—and placed them on the counter, paying without bargaining.
When he stepped out the door, he carried the heavy bag on his shoulder, feeling its weight… but comfortably.
"This is enough for two months," he said softly.
Luka carried the heavy bag, making his way through the narrow alleys of Water Seven, his mind occupied with the books he would read during his upcoming voyage. With every step, a sense of anticipation grew in his heart, that strange mixture of excitement and calm that always preceded adventure.
When he finally reached the dock, his new ship stood upright before him, its dark wood gleaming under the first rays of the sun, and the large sail with the name LUKA in black swaying lightly in the breeze. Luka smiled faintly, as if welcoming an old friend, and could not help but admire it once again, with the same feeling he had when he first saw it.
He leapt onto the ship, placed the bag in the cabin, and cast one last glance at the sleeping city behind him, then grabbed the helm with his hands. He pushed the ship into the waters, where the waves danced around it, and the sound of the wind rose between the two sails.
As soon as he moved away slightly, he flew his ship into the sky to reach his other ship filled with gold, controlling both and heading toward his destination.
---
The ship slowly rose into the sky, the water city shrinking behind him until it became a blue dot amid the sea. The air was crisp, and the breeze passed through the massive sail bearing his name—LUKA—as if announcing a new chapter in his journey.
Luka sat at the helm, his eyes following the vast sea below.
In the cabin, the bag containing his books rested in a corner, waiting for the first moment of free time to be opened.
Two full days passed as he crossed the azure sky, alternating between reading, light training, and observing the sea. Every time he emerged from the cabin, he could not help but smile slightly at the sight of his second ship—filled with gold—hovering beside him, obedient to his control.
But…
On the third day, he began feeling something uncomfortable.
The further he traveled northeast, the more he noticed scattered shipwrecks on the sea. Some burned, others split in half, as if something sharp and massive had cut them in a single strike.
He didn't dwell on it too much… but he made a mental note.
"War zone? Or just pirate conflict?"
That was all he said before continuing his journey.
His journey northeast was mostly calm, interrupted only by glimpses of wrecked ships on the sea surface. Some burned, some split in half, as if giant claws had shredded them. Luka recorded these observations in his mind without paying much attention… but he did not forget.
Before sunset on the fourth day, a familiar island appeared on the maps:
Nilva Island—one of the most famous rest stops before reaching the Sabaody Archipelago.
A lively island: small streets full of pirate taverns, a huge market selling everything from swords to exotic animals, and a harbor always containing dozens of ships no matter the season.
Luka landed his main ship on a quiet side beach near the harbor, while keeping his other ship—filled with gold—hovering high in the sky behind the clouds, hidden from view and fully under his mental control.
He disembarked slowly, stretching slightly after hours of flying.
"The last stop before Sabaody…" he muttered.
But before heading toward the market, he noticed something strange.
The island was busy as usual, but part of the harbor was noisier than usual.
Shouts…
Running…
Falling goods…
Doors slamming shut quickly.
Then he heard a distant explosion shaking some nearby wooden houses.
Luka didn't need to advance far to see the cause.
Above the main harbor, a massive ship with torn red sails had docked, bearing a flag with a claw piercing a skull.
Its crew strolled confidently through the alleys, opening barrels and pushing traders aside as if they owned the place.
And worst of all…
A tall man with messy hair and dark claws extending from his forearms was walking toward the center of the island, surrounded by his men.
Luka recognized this man from recently read wanted posters:
Marco the Cutter – Bounty 285 million Beli.
Pirates on the island whispered that he had made the island a temporary base for a few days… and anyone passing through its waters was forced to pay a "protection fee."
At first, Luka did not notice a group of men watching his ship from afar.
They wore similar clothes, with a simple emblem on their backs: a red-inked triple claw.
They spoke among themselves:
"A new ship… expensive design."
"The owner is young, doesn't look dangerous."
"The captain will take care of it."
But one of them said hesitantly:
"Remember what the captain said… don't touch anything before he sees it himself."
In a corner of the harbor, Marco the Cutter sat on a wooden crate, his back slightly hunched, staring at the ship without approaching.
He had no intention of stealing it… for now. He was just observing, evaluating, measuring the value of the ship and its owner.
Luka didn't notice at first… but when he returned from buying some light supplies, he found four men standing too close to his ship.
They didn't touch it, didn't climb on it… they just circled it quietly, as if studying it.
He approached them with steady steps.
One said with a fake smile:
"Beautiful ship… haven't seen one like it here in a while."
Luka did not reply. He only gave a brief glance.
Another added, trying to gauge his reaction:
"Looks new… you must have bought it recently. Must be expensive."
Suddenly, Luka heard a sound behind them:
Confident footsteps, a light metallic ring like swords clashing… but it wasn't swords, it was claws.
Marco was approaching.
His eyes moved between the ship and Luka, without a word.
He stopped at a close distance, then said calmly, not provocatively:
"This ship… isn't the kind used by beginners."
Luka answered in an ordinary tone:
"Nor is it for the curious."
Marco smiled lightly, as if he hadn't heard the insult.
Then he turned to his men and gestured them to step back, before returning his gaze to the ship.
He said in an utterly neutral tone:
"I advise you not to leave your ship alone on this island… some pirates here don't respect others' property."
Luka lifted his gaze to Marco, his voice carrying no hesitation as he said coldly:
"Don't worry… my ship is fine. Anyone who lays a hand on it… won't have a hand left at all."
A short silence followed, before he added more sarcastically:
"And besides, I don't see anyone on this island daring to touch it… even those with claws who don't know where to put them."
Marco's men froze in place, exchanging stunned looks. No one had dared to speak to their leader this way in years.
Marco himself did not change his expression, but a faint spark in his gaze went out—that cold calm before the storm.
He said in a low, emotionless voice… but one that any fool could hear as a threat:
"Is that what you think, boy?"
Luka didn't reply. He only smiled.
A small smile… but enough.
In a moment only the professionals saw, Marco raised his arm, and from his forearm claws, a cutting wave of air shot out. It wasn't just wind… it was a visible blade, sharp enough to slice an entire ship in half.
The attack rushed at Luka at lightning speed.
He could have easily dodged it… but he realized immediately that the line wouldn't pass through him alone; it would hit his new ship.
Luka braced himself steadily, bending with precision, moving his body flexibly, opening a narrow space between the attack and himself, redirecting the airwave to its side.
The wind hit the rear ship, causing it to shake slightly, but it didn't sustain a scratch. Luka stood in place, calm, watching how the attack dissipated without using any superpower.
Marco raised one eyebrow, the nonchalance in his eyes disappearing for the first time.
He said slowly, as if weighing the boy once more:
"So… you're not just a reckless beginner."
Luka raised his head, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Words were no longer useful; between him and Marco, it had become a direct confrontation.
With quick yet calm steps, Luka lunged at Marco, relying on his flexibility and speed. He tried a swift punch toward Marco's chest, but the tall man was faster, stepping back lightly, and simultaneously delivering a kick that pushed Luka backward.
Luka smiled, repeating the attack this time with a slanted strike, attempting to graze Marco's side. But Marco moved with unexpected fluidity, using his body weight to deflect every strike, barely raising his arm, as if merely toying with Luka's body and testing his abilities.
Luka quickly realized that relying on physical strength alone would not suffice, but it didn't discourage him; he continued attacking Marco, trying to land a hit.
Then suddenly, Marco exploited a single moment, stepping toward Luka with a swift move, and his claws shot out toward Luka's face, aiming to cut his head. Luka reacted instantly, ducking to evade the strike.
Seeing the way the claws emerged from his hands, Luka recognized his ability.
He had seen it when he watched the original display with a character named Eric from the navy, who had been an opponent of Luffy when Luffy tried to move that dragon-like creature to its habitat with the girl Abis.
Luka regained his balance lightly, leaping to the side. So far, he had not used any fruit power, nor resorted to any supernatural ability; all he had was his body, speed, and ordinary combat skill.
Marco smiled lightly, as if the fight were mere amusement, then said in a low but sharp voice:
"Alright… let's see how long you can hold out against me."
Luka returned to a combat stance, suppressing any anger, though it was not present.
At that moment, a wave of air burst from Marco's hand movement, barely testing Luka's response, but forcing him to jump to avoid a powerful shock that could have thrown him away. The ship behind him was no longer an obstacle, so he had no reason to defend it.
It became clear that fighting this way—with body alone—would not be enough to defeat Marco.
Luka paused for a moment, watching Marco's upcoming attacks.
He smiled faintly, raising his hands slightly, stopping part of the deadly airwave Marco was directing at him, as if it collided with an invisible wall. He didn't touch anything, and every movement was precise and calculated, providing him with distance and safety simply by evasion. The airwave dissipated as if it had never existed.
One of the observing pirates shouted from afar:
"What is this!… When the attacks get close to this kid, they vanish!… Could he have an ability like Captain Marco..!"
Everyone froze, their eyes widening in shock and fear. Even his strongest men could not understand the extent of Luka's control over the surroundings, or how he dealt with Marco's attacks as if they were mere breezes to play with.
Marco, who had smiled gently before, suddenly changed expression. That cold calm vanished, replaced by a sharp glare.
"So… this is what this boy was hiding…" he muttered in a low but sharp voice, clear to everyone around.
The fight was no longer just testing responses; it became a genuine attempt to kill Luka. Every strike from Marco's claws aimed to tear the body, and every gust sought to eliminate him completely.
Luka, calm and confident, used his mental manipulation to repel the attacks, redirecting every wave from his body, and sometimes from the ship behind him, without touching anything. His movements were smooth and natural, as if moving among the wind and debris was part of his own body.
He could only smirk to himself, "Hah, every one of my abilities feels like cheating, making battles ridiculously easy."
A pirate on the dock shouted: "He… he controls Captain Marco's attacks! This is impossible!"
With every strike, Luka moved confidently, avoiding certain death, making every step calculated. It was no longer merely physical combat but a full test of his abilities and the use of mental manipulation against a capable opponent.
Marco felt his anger multiply, and began attacking Luka relentlessly, every strike aimed to destroy everything around, trying to force Luka to make a single mistake… a mistake that could cost his life.
But Luka showed no sign of worry; he controlled the situation perfectly. Ships lifted into the sky, houses shook violently, and the ground under the pirates' feet quaked as if about to collapse.
At that moment, it was clear to everyone—even Marco himself—that Luka was no ordinary boy.