Chapter 23: Luffy Sets Sail
Time flies like an arrow. Ten years passed in the blink of an eye.
Sea Circle Calendar 1520 — the year Luffy finally left home.
Foosha Village, East Blue — a perfect sunny day.
The entire village crowded the shoreline.
"Oi, Luffy! That boat's way too small! It'll sink in five minutes! Want to borrow one of ours?"
The villagers teased.
"No way! I'm starting exactly like this!"
Luffy grinned, then muttered to himself:
"Saboo went first… Ace second… Even though I'm last, I'm not losing to them! Wait for me, Ace! I'll catch up soon!"
"Luffy, what are you mumbling about? Yelling to yourself like a lunatic!"
"Nothing! Just challenging Ace! I'm off! See ya, everyone!"
He untied the tiny dinghy and paddled away without looking back.
"Who's Ace?"
"No idea!"
The villagers shrugged. The mayor and Makino watched the little boat disappear.
"Luffy's really gone… The village is gonna be quiet now."
"Good riddance! That brat caused chaos every single day! And he actually became a pirate? Still bragging about becoming Pirate King? What a disgrace!"
The mayor grumbled, but his tone was pure fond exasperation.
Out on the water, Luffy gazed at the flocks of seagulls overhead.
"Perfect weather! Best day ever to set sail!"
He hadn't gone far when the sea exploded behind him.
The Lord of the Coast surfaced, half its body towering over the tiny boat.
The villagers onshore gasped.
Luffy just smirked.
"I've been waiting, you big bastard! Try this—ten years in the making!"
"Gum-Gum… PISTOL!"
(THIS PUNCH CARRIES TEN YEARS OF TRAINING! CAN YOU HANDLE IT?!)
His fist slammed into the sea king's head.
BOOM!
Blood sprayed. The monster that had terrorized Foosha for years collapsed, half-dead.
The shore erupted in cheers. The Dadan Family watched secretly from the trees.
"Luffy took it down in one hit!"
"He's gotten so much stronger!"
Luffy shook out his arm, smug.
"Scared now, huh, fish-face?
Next—crew! I want ten people! Luo Lin's definitely one—he promised! Heh heh, wonder where he is now… We'll run into him for sure!
Then a pirate flag! Gotta design one soon!
No other problems!
FULL SPEED AHEAD!! I'm gonna be Pirate King! HAHAHA!"
…
Meanwhile, somewhere in the first half of the Grand Line, on a nameless little island.
Luo Lin (now 30) stood at the island's highest point, silently staring at the horizon.
Suddenly two soft hands reached from behind and playfully pinched his ears.
"Dear Luo Lin~ What are you thinking about this time? Where are we wandering next?"
Only one person dared touch his ears like that.
They'd been on this island for months.
"Ow ow ow! Robin baby, not the ears! And no random wandering this time!"
"Really?"
"Cross my heart!"
"Then tell me—why won't you take me to the New World? We've explored almost the entire first half!"
Robin pouted (not really angry, just curious).
Over the past decade, Luo Lin had dragged her back and forth across five of the seven initial routes. They found several Poneglyphs—decent haul!
The only route they hadn't touched was the one Luffy would take, and they still hadn't been to Skypeia (Luo Lin forgot exactly where the Knock Up Stream was).
But the calendar said 1520—Luffy should be sailing any day now.
Luo Lin wanted to follow the Chosen One to Skypeia. Otherwise he would've robbed Enel's Rumble-Rumble Fruit years ago.
"Ahem! I told you—the New World is too dangerous without a proper crew. And… don't you want to see the sky island? A real island floating in the sky!"
He wasn't skipping the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, no way.
"Of course I do! But does it really exist like the books say?"
"100%! Rayleigh-san told me. Roger went there himself and left important Poneglyph info!"
Sorry Rayleigh-san, taking the blame for me again!
"Okay! I believe you! But how do we get up? And the crew?"
"In a few days we're heading to Alabasta! Crew and sky island—both coming soon!"
"Ohh!"
Robin didn't understand, but she trusted him unconditionally.
The happiest thing in the last ten years? Two years into their voyage, 20-year-old Robin finally became his completely. And he kept "eating" her again and again—now they were basically an old married couple.
No kids yet, no wedding yet, but that was fine.
He wasn't made of stone—raising his childhood sweetheart into a beauty sleeping beside him every night? Holding back until she was 20+ was already saint-level restraint!
Ear-pinching became Robin's exclusive privilege afterward—just gentle tugs, pure couple flirting.
They were active on the seas again, so their bounties got new photos, but the amounts never changed (Luo Lin never killed Marines).
Hunters either died instantly or were admirals with no time to chase them. One admiral alone couldn't catch them anyway.
He'd secretly checked on Cocoyasi Village—Bell-mere was fine, Arlong collected his "fees" as scripted, and the whole Nami betrayal play went exactly as planned.
Too many stories to tell.
…
One week later — Alabasta
The country was half desert now, firmly under Crocodile's thumb.
After docking the Demon, the couple settled in and resumed their favorite activity: eating their way through the capital.
"Robin baby, we just wait here now. Won't be long!"
Luo Lin mumbled through a mouthful of spiced lamb.
"Wait for who?"
"Someone you kinda know—Luffy and his crew!"
"Ohhh, that little brother from the East Blue? The one you promised to join? …You were just humoring him, right?"
"Of course… I have dignity! Joining is impossible! But letting him pull our ship for free? Perfect! Heh heh!"
Still a child at heart.
Robin smiled—Luo Lin's personality never aged.
Meanwhile:
Luffy had recruited Zoro (newbie gift pack complete).
Usopp joined.
Sanji was about to.
Zoro vs Mihawk already happened (Luo Lin didn't bother watching—one-sided slaughter).
Usopp revealed Nami's "betrayal."
The crew headed to Cocoyasi Village.
After learning the truth from Bell-mere (who was exhausted from years of acting), Nami finally accepted their help.
Arlong remembered the terror of Luo Lin—one casual hit had knocked him unconscious years ago. The trauma never left.
When Colonel Nezumi stole Nami's savings, she snapped and agreed to fight.
Bell-mere secretly tailed them just in case, but Luffy crushed Arlong exactly as in canon.
Nami "robbed" everyone blind before leaving (classic).
The villagers pretended to be mad so she'd leave with a smile.
Bell-mere and Nojiko sighed in relief.
"Sorry everyone… We'll return the money Nami took!"
"No need! We all know she's a good girl! We left our wallets out on purpose—she looked so happy!"
Bell-mere felt even guiltier.
She and Luo Lin had molded Nami into a greedy little thief-cat for eight years.
Poor Nami—betrayed by her "mom" and "big brother" for the sake of plot.
Tragic. Someone start a GoFundMe.
…
While the Straw Hats rested in Loguetown before Reverse Mountain, Luffy's 30 million bounty posters were everywhere.
Luo Lin waved one excitedly.
"Robin baby, look! He's here!"
Robin leaned over.
"30 million on his first bounty—not bad for a rookie!"
Same goofy grin, just bigger.
"Still miles below us!"
"What's a 'Erha'?"
"Uh… a super cute animal!"
Robin let the weird slang slide—happens all the time.
"He'll reach Alabasta soon. But first—we've got business!"
He vaguely remembered Alabasta had a Poneglyph.
Only one man knew exactly where: Sir Crocodile.
And everyone in the country knew where to find Baroque Works' boss.
Luo Lin and Robin walked straight into the casino headquarters.
No one could stop them.
Finally they stood before Crocodile's throne-like chair.
A terrified minion stammered:
"B-Boss, sorry! We couldn't stop them!"
Crocodile sat with his back to them, full mafia boss aura.
"Bold, coming here. Ready to become banana food for my pets?"
Luo Lin wasn't having it.
"You? Not qualified."
BOOM!
Conqueror's Haki exploded.
Every minion dropped unconscious, eyes rolled back.
Crocodile froze, cold sweat dripping.
What the hell?! Conqueror's this strong in the first half?! Even in the New World only the top monsters have it!
He slowly turned.
"You're… Nico Robin?! And… Portgas D. Luo Lin?!"
His real target was the Poneglyph in the royal tomb—to find Pluton.
He needed Robin to read it.
He'd hunted them for years!
Two people worth 79M + 50M combined should be easy pickings—kill the guy, keep the girl.
Yet here they were, walking in like they owned the place.
And that Conqueror's Haki…
50 million beli my ass! 500 million wouldn't be enough!
"Oh? You know us? Saves time!"
Crocodile quickly regained composure—man tried to steal from Whitebeard, he's got guts.
"Obviously. So, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"You asked our purpose instead of attacking right away—smart!"
Luo Lin tilted his head toward Robin, who smiled fearlessly.
Crocodile's vein throbbed—he almost slashed the brat.
But Luo Lin continued:
"We're here… to offer cooperation!"
Crocodile blinked.
"Cooperation?"
"Yep! Did you think we came to a Shichibukai's base just to party?"
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