Chapter 6: The Unbroken Grin
The news cycle in Japan was relentless, but for the past year, it had been dominated by a single, blazing trail. Fire Fist Ace hadn't just climbed the Hero Rankings; he had sprinted up them. By the time he hit his second year as a Pro, he had broken into the Top 20, a feat that made him a permanent fixture on talk shows, billboards, and the glowing screens of Shibuya Crossing.
But to Luffy, Ace was still just the guy who snorted when he laughed and stole the last piece of meat at dinner.
Luffy was fourteen now, and Shizuoka had become his personal training ground. He was a constant, blurring presence around the town, a boy made of sunshine and kinetic energy. He didn't just walk to the store, he used his arms to slingshot himself over rooftops, landing with a signature thwack of rubber on tile and a laugh that seemed to echo through the streets.
"Morning, Luffy-kun!" the local baker called out, tossing a warm bun into the air.
Luffy didn't even slow down. He stretched his neck out a good six feet, caught the bun in his teeth, and gave a thumbs-up while mid-air. "Mornin'!" he muffled through the bread, his eyes crinkling into happy crescents.
Everyone knew him. He was the "Monkey Kid," the one who helped old ladies cross the street by stretching his arms into a makeshift railing, the one who stopped runaway bicycles by turning himself into a human net. He was a mascot of pure, unadulterated positivity. In a world where many heroes looked stoic or burdened by the weight of their duty, Luffy looked like he was having the time of his life.
In a quiet apartment, a young Izuku Midoriya sat in front of his computer, his pen flying across a notebook. He wasn't thinking about "spirits" or "freedom" in abstract terms, he was muttering to himself about physics. "If the rubber density remains constant even when elongated, the force of the retraction must be exponential. But how does he keep his balance? It's like he doesn't care about gravity."
Across town, Katsuki Bakugo kicked his desk as the same clip played. "Look at this idiot," he growled. "He's just bouncing around like a moron. You can't be a hero if you're laughing like a damn hyena all the time."
Since that day Ace brought Luffy in front of the press, Luffy's actions had brought a lot more attention with clips and press trying to speak to him. After all, he was the younger brother of a top 20 hero, and one who the hero himself once claimed to a reporter that Luffy would be stronger than him one day
But the public disagreed. The Association's data showed that while Ace was a pillar of strength, Luffy, even without a license, was becoming someone who raises the public's morale. People liked the kid who smiled. They liked the boy who didn't seem to have a single shadow in his heart.
Ace returned home for a short break, though "home" was now a place he visited between high-stakes missions and Association briefings. He walked through the front door of the Shizuoka house and was immediately tackled by a rubberized projectile.
"ACE! YOU'RE RANK 17!" Luffy screamed, his legs wrapped three times around Ace's waist.
"I know, I know," Ace grunted, though he was grinning as he ruffled Luffy's hair. "Get off me, you're getting salt all over my vest. I just got this cleaned."
They sat on the porch that evening, watching the fireflies dance over the tall grass. Mom was inside, humming a tune as she cleaned up after a massive celebratory dinner. For a moment, it felt like they were children again, before the capes and the cameras.
"The Association is pushing me, Luffy," Ace said, his voice dropping. He was looking at his hands, where a small, controlled flame flickered. "They want me to lead a task force. Something about a surge in underground activity. They're calling it the 'Rising Tide' of villainy. It's organized, and they're targeting guys who don't play by the Ministry's old rules."
Luffy was busy trying to balance a spoon on his nose. "Are you gonna beat them up?"
"I'm going to try," Ace said. "But Luffy, promise me something. If things get heavy, don't let it change you. Stay this way. Don't let the world turn you into some stiff who forgets how to laugh."
Luffy let the spoon fall. He looked at Ace, his usual grin replaced by a look of simple, honest determination. "Why would I stop laughing? Laughing is the best part! And if anyone tries to make me stop, I'll just punch 'em!"
Ace reached out and gripped Luffy's shoulder. "Just keep that in mind, brat."
The day of the "Hero Appreciation Day" in Tokyo arrived with a clear, blue-sky Sunday. The Association had gone all out, transforming the Ginza district into a massive festival grounds.
Luffy was backstage in the Association's mobile command center, vibrating with excitement. He was wearing a new red vest Mom had made for him, the straw hat hanging securely down his back.
"The VIPs are all out there," Ace said, checking his reflection. He looked seasoned, his presence commanding. "Endeavor is here with his kid. And the Yaoyorozu family—they're one of the Association's biggest donors. We have to be on our best behavior, Luffy. No stretching your face at the sponsors."
"No promises!" Luffy chirped.
As they walked out into the cordoned-off VIP garden before the main stage event, the air changed. It was no longer the cheering crowd, it was the quiet, pressurized atmosphere of the elite.
Luffy immediately spotted a tall man with flames licking at his beard and eyes that looked like they could melt steel. Standing beside him was a boy about Luffy's age, with hair split perfectly down the middle—half white, half red. The boy looked like he wanted to be anywhere else on Earth.
"Endeavor," Ace said, his voice respectful but lacking the fear most heroes showed the Number Two.
"Ace," Endeavor rumbled, his gaze flicking to Luffy. "I see you brought the distraction."
Luffy didn't wait for an introduction. He walked right up to the split-haired boy. "Whoa! Your hair is awesome! Is it two different Quirks or just one?"
Shoto Todoroki blinked, taken aback by the sudden intrusion into his personal space. He looked at Luffy's wide, beaming smile and then at the hand Luffy had reached out. It was a blunt, honest energy Shoto wasn't used to in these circles.
"It's... complicated," Shoto said quietly.
"I'm Luffy! I'm made of rubber!" Luffy poked his own cheek, which stretched out and snapped back. "You look like you're bored. You want some of this meat? I swiped it from the catering table."
Luffy held out a skewered piece of beef he had hidden in his vest pocket. Before Shoto could respond, a girl with long black hair tied in a sophisticated ponytail approached them, followed by two very wealthy-looking adults.
"Luffy, please don't offer pocket-meat to the Todorokis," Momo Yaoyorozu said, her face flushing with a mix of embarrassment and amusement. She had met the Monkey brothers briefly at a previous charity event. "It's... not exactly proper etiquette."
"But it's good meat!" Luffy argued, already half-chewing another piece.
Ace sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Sorry about him. He doesn't really have an 'off' switch."
Momo smiled gently. "It's actually quite refreshing. Most people at these events spend the whole time talking about quirk-marriage and stock options. Luffy just seems... happy to be here."
For a few minutes, the three kids stood together—the son of the Number Two, the heiress of a billion-yen empire, and the rubber boy from the docks. To Momo and Shoto, Luffy was like a different species. He wasn't weighed down by expectations or legacy. He was just a boy in a straw hat who liked steak and his brother.
"Hey," Luffy said, looking at Shoto and Momo. "You guys are gonna be at UA in two years, right? I'll see you there! We're gonna be the best class ever!"
Shoto looked at the ground, a small, almost imperceptible shift in his expression. "Maybe."
"Not maybe! Definitely!" Luffy shouted, throwing an arm around both of their shoulders, much to the horror of the nearby photographers. "We're gonna have a blast!"
Ace watched them from a few feet away, talking to Endeavor about patrol routes, but his eyes kept drifting back to Luffy. He saw the way Luffy was already pulling people into his orbit, melting the ice around Shoto and making the composed Momo laugh.
He felt a wave of relief. This was what he wanted to protect. This specific, loud, messy joy.
The announcer's voice boomed over the speakers, signaling the start of the main event. "And now, please welcome to the stage... Fire Fist Ace and Monkey D. Luffy!"
"That's us!" Luffy yelled, giving Shoto and Momo a final wave before sprinting toward the stage.
He burst out into the sunlight, the roar of the thousands in the crowd hitting him like a physical wave. He was jumping, waving, and laughing, his voice captured by the microphones and sent out to the millions watching at home. He stood in the center of the platform, the sun shining down on him, his arm around Ace's shoulder.
He didn't see the figures in the distance, perched on the rooftops with long-range scopes. He didn't see the black-clad teams moving through the maintenance tunnels beneath the Ginza streets.
He just looked out at the world and smiled.
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Yo! This is my first novel so if you enjoy please comment, leave a review and drop some powerstones! Thanks :)
Also,
I dont think I will include Gear 4 into this. why? because i think luffy has too many gears, its quite hard to fit them all in, even in the actual manga where luffy hardly uses gear 4th anymore. also he doesnt have haki in this novel, gear 4 uses haki so that doesnt make sense. Also, i will introduce gear 5 early on so creating gear 4th would be less hype.