Chapter 25: First Encounter with Haki
On the Going Merry, Luo Lin lounged under the tangerine trees, plucked one, and took a bite.
"Mmm—still prefer the juice. Whatever, it's Nami's tree. Another one!"
Meanwhile, the Straw Hats were sprinting for the ship.
Luffy was running backward, staring at Ace vs Smoker.
"Whoa! Never thought I'd run into Ace here! Oh yeah—and Luo Lin! Wonder where that guy disappeared to—same as when we were kids!"
At a fork in the road, Nami's "Go left!" split them up again.
Some people just scatter the moment they start moving.
"Oh! Here they come!"
Luo Lin, napping under the tree, heard voices below.
"Hurry, load the luggage! We're setting sail!"
"Got it!"
"Raise the sails! Full speed ahead!"
Everyone froze.
"Wait…"
"Are we missing someone?"
"Seems like it."
"That idiot Luffy!"
Zoro gritted his teeth.
"HAHAHAHA! Never change!"
Pure chaos—just like their captain. Luo Lin couldn't hold back his laughter.
"Who's there?!"
Zoro drew his swords first. Sanji dropped into a fighting stance.
"Enemies?!"
Usopp and Chopper hugged each other in terror. Vivi panicked.
Only Nami recognized the voice—eyes wide, then pure joy.
"L-Luo—wait! Zoro, stop!"
She tried to shout, but Zoro was already charging.
Normally he wasn't this impulsive. When Robin first boarded, he didn't attack—she was a woman and not threatening.
But this guy? Male, sneaked aboard, radiating danger, and carrying a sword. Sword = swordsman = fight.
Zoro went straight for the kill.
Of course he never touched Luo Lin—one casual block sent him stumbling back.
Zoro prepared to strike again—BONK!
Nami's fist hammered the top of his head. A cartoonish lump popped up.
"I said WAIT! Were you even listening?!"
"Damn it, Nami! What the hell?! He's a wanted criminal! Devil's Guard—robs pirates for treasure! Definitely an enemy!"
As a former bounty hunter, Zoro knew every major wanted poster.
"No violence against Nami-swan, moss-head!"
Sanji, who had also been on guard, instantly turned on Zoro. The two started brawling.
Luo Lin laughed so hard he nearly fell off the railing.
Nami sighed helplessly, then broke into a huge smile and sprinted forward, tears in her eyes.
"LUO LIN!!"
She leaped—he caught her perfectly.
The entire crew went slack-jawed.
Sanji looked ready to commit murder.
"Aww, our little troublemaker grew up so big! Oof—"
Mid-sentence, Nami punched him in the gut.
Hard.
"Don't 'grew up' me! You and Robin-nee disappeared for TEN YEARS! TEN!! Do you know what I went through?! I thought you'd be back in a few months! When Arlong showed up I kept waiting for you to save us! You jerk!!"
She punched again.
Thud.
Nami froze.
Slowly pulled her fist back.
Tears exploded.
"OW OW OW! What the hell?! Your stomach is rock!! That hurt!!"
Luo Lin had secretly coated his abs in Armament Haki.
Heh. No free hits.
"Hehe, that's what you get for being rude! First thing you do is hit me?!"
"Stupid old man! You're still a jerk after all these years!"
She switched tactics—jumped behind him and locked in a sleeper hold.
"Explain! Where the hell were you? Why didn't you come back?!"
"Ow—took Robin traveling the Grand Line, hunting Poneglyphs."
"Oh… Where's Robin-nee?"
"Capital."
The others finally relaxed—he was Nami's childhood friend.
Zoro sheathed his blades, but his eyes still burned with fighting spirit.
Sanji was green with envy, wishing he were the one being strangled.
"Damn it… I wanna get choked by Nami-swan too…"
"Phew—not enemies. Thank god."
Usopp and Chopper wiped sweat.
After Nami let go, she introduced him properly.
"Sorry, guys. Hate to admit it, but this jerk really is my childhood big brother."
"The guy who owned that little villa near your house?"
Usopp remembered.
"Yep."
"So the 50-million-belly Devil's Guard is your brother?!"
Zoro's comment stunned everyone.
"50 million?! Luffy's only 30 million!"
"That means he's stronger than the captain?!"
Usopp gaped.
Nami rubbed her temples.
"Yes, Luo Lin's 50 million, Robin-nee's 79 million. I knew ages ago."
"So cool!"
Chopper's eyes sparkled.
"Enough! Let's sail! Navy will surround us any second!"
"Wait! Happy as I am for Nami's reunion, we're still missing Luffy!"
Usopp reminded them.
They all turned dark—gritting teeth.
Nami decided to leave the coast first, find a hidden cove, then search for their captain.
Luo Lin stayed quiet. Watching Nami competently command the crew gave him proud "my little cabbage grew up" feels.
He'd known her since she was a baby.
As they sailed along the coast, the shore suddenly erupted in noise.
Nami grabbed binoculars and spotted Luffy.
Luffy stretched his arm, latched onto the railing, and rocketed aboard.
BOOM!
He used Sanji and Chopper as landing pads.
Zoro facepalmed—embarrassing captain.
"You bastard! I'll kill you!"
Sanji grabbed Luffy's collar and shook him violently.
Luffy tilted his head, mumbled a half-hearted "sorry," then remembered Ace.
Everyone asked about Ace. Luffy bragged he'd never beaten him once—nothing to worry about.
Then:
"Oi, Luffy. Been sitting here forever—didn't see me?"
Luffy turned slowly, still chewing.
Eyes widened.
Then—pure explosive joy.
"LUO LIN!!! YOU'RE HERE!!! HAHAHA! TEN YEARS!!"
He lunged again.
Luo Lin blocked.
"Eat first!"
"Okay!"
Back to inhaling food.
The owner tried to mention the two guys Luffy just flattened.
Luo Lin waved him off—paid everything plus repairs.
Outside, Ace and Smoker crawled from the rubble.
"Which bastard—?!"
Ace stormed back in—saw Luffy eating—face instantly softened.
He opened his mouth—
Smoker slammed him into the floor again.
"Finally found you, Straw Hat!"
Luffy kept chewing, brain spinning.
Finally remembered.
"You again?!"
"Any last words?"
"Wait!"
Smoker actually paused.
Luffy swept every plate into his mouth, swallowed, and bolted.
"Thanks for the meal!! Bye-bye!!"
The restaurant went dead silent.
Smoker snapped out of it.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!!"
He and Ace chased.
Luo Lin paid, left repair money, and casually strolled after them.
Luffy sprinted with chipmunk cheeks.
Smoker turned to smoke.
Ace followed.
Luo Lin? Soru along the coast—already chilling on the Merry again.
Just as Smoker's White Fist was about to hit Luffy—
Hiken!
Ace's flame wall blocked it.
Quick brotherly chat—Ace told them to run, he'd hold Smoker off.
The Straw Hats booked it toward the ship!
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