Two years later, in a desolate mountain south of the Goa Kingdom…
In the deep valley, seemingly bottomless, there was no eerie monkey cry, no piercing eagle call.
Only the sound of small, joyful footsteps—and a panicked saber-tooth tiger.
"Stop right there! Damn it!"
Luffy swung his fists, his small legs moving just as fast as two years ago. They pounded the ground with every step, then leapt high over countless rocks and gravel.
"Roar~!" The saber-tooth tiger let out a desperate roar, its former dominance over the forest gone. Its head was covered in blood, tail broken, and its deeply sunken belly looked like it could collapse at any moment.
Seeing the tiger trapped, Luffy slowed down. "I didn't expect you to still run this fast in such bad shape." The small, cute Luffy wiped dried blood from his face, his expression grim.
"Grrr~" The tiger dropped its front legs, lowered its head, and whined pitifully.
"Sorry…" Having seen countless similar situations, Luffy didn't hesitate. As the tiger bowed its head, he stepped forward and struck its skull with a single punch.
[Ding! Host killed a common beast. Gained 55 EXP.]
[Ding! Host EXP is full. Leveling up…]
[Ding! Host has leveled up. Current Level: 12.]
"System, allocate all free attribute points to Stamina as usual."
[Understood, Host.]
[Allocation complete. Current Attributes:**
Character: Monkey D. Luffy
Level: 12
EXP: 5/2000
HP: 22,505
Stamina: 225
Strength: 1,124
Agility: 1,113
Spirit: 1,952
"So weak…"
Luffy no longer felt the explosive surge of power he once did when leveling up. Before, every level doubled his attributes. Now, a level gave only a tenth—soon a twentieth, and even less.
On this island, nearly all the beasts Luffy could defeat were already dead. At this rate, leveling would slow dramatically.
What to do? He could set sail early to level faster, but if he left too soon, he might miss meeting his destined companions. The trade-off felt too great.
Oh well. No pressing enemies, no personal vendettas—his current strength was enough to survive in the East Blue. Best to return home first.
While Luffy pondered this, an unexpected group arrived at Windmill Town.
At the town's narrow port, a large pirate ship docked steadily.
Its prow was a red dragon's head, and the sails bore a massive skull. A red slash marked the skull's left eye.
The pirate crew arrived quietly, but the villagers were unprepared.
The first person to recognize the ship called out, and soon, many others noticed.
Chaos erupted. Doors and windows were closed tight. Villagers clutched anything that could serve as a weapon, on high alert.
If these pirates were benevolent, they could take some stored food and money without issue. But if greedy, the villagers would make sure they understood the seas were not for unchecked tyranny.
This was the best-practice plan derived from multiple pirate encounters.
However, today, Windmill Town's residents were about to learn something new—they were facing one of the few pirate crews that didn't oppress civilians: the Red-Haired Pirates.
"Alright, everyone, we've arrived. Let's go ashore and grab a drink."
Onboard, a red-haired youth wearing a straw hat spoke.
"Finally here! I want meat!"
"Hey… maybe think about dieting first."
"Let's go! Hope this village has enough liquor."
One by one, the crew disembarked, chatting and laughing, arms draped over shoulders.
"Who are you?" the village chief asked fearfully.
The crowd parted. The red-haired boy with the straw hat stepped forward.
"Don't worry, sir. We're not bad people—we're just travelers in need of supplies."
"We've prepared everything. Take whatever you need, but please leave as soon as you can," the chief said, pointing to the provisions.
"No need. Trust us. We're not saints, but we won't harm you or this village." Shanks adjusted his straw hat and spoke calmly.
Scanning the area, Shanks seemed to struggle to find his target. Bending to the chief again, he asked, "Sir, are you the village chief? Can you tell me where the tavern is? My crew needs food and drink. Don't worry—we'll pay in full, every Berry."
"Looking for the tavern?" a young voice suddenly interjected from behind the chief.
"Follow me," the youthful voice continued without pause.
"Don't worry, sir. I'll lead them to the tavern." Luffy's calm tone steadied the chief's nerves, and he stepped aside.
Yet none of Shanks' crew moved. They stared in disbelief at Luffy behind them.
A small child held a rope. The other end was tied to a tiger with half its head missing. The tiger's tail was tied to a snake's tail, whose head was fastened to a dead wolf.
One by one, fifteen wild beasts were strung together—each four to five times Luffy's size.
Yet this tiny child dragged the beasts effortlessly across the ground, wearing an unusual pair of tiger-head shoes.
"What are you standing there for? You're here to drink, aren't you? Keep up!" Luffy called impatiently.
"Heh… interesting," Shanks murmured, lowering his straw hat, then strode to follow Luffy.
"Hahaha… what a strange kid."
"Maybe it's a Devil Fruit that keeps him young. He looks older than his real age."
"Bah! If he can be your grandfather, that must make him my grandfather!"
"I am your grandfather!"
"Get lost!" "Get lost!"
The pirates exchanged playful taunts, as if they hadn't just been stunned themselves.
Perhaps this was what being a pirate truly meant: a strong heart, dependable power, and an unshakable longing for freedom.