In the East Blue, lies Shells Town—a place where peace and tranquility seemed to reign. The streets bustled with people going about their day, while the air was filled with the lively chatter of townsfolk and the occasional creak of carts rolling by.
Shells Town, with its proximity to a naval branch base, boasted a quality of life far more stable than many other towns in the East Blue. After all, they never had to worry about pirate invasions.
Or so it appeared.
As the saying goes, if there are no external worries, there must be internal ones.
Three years ago, Shells Town was a true haven of happiness. But everything changed after the arrival of Captain Morgan, the so-called hero who had captured the infamous pirate "Black Cat" Kuro.
No one could have predicted that this "hero" would become a tyrant. Under Morgan's oppressive rule, the once-peaceful town was suffocating under an invisible, ominous shadow.
The fear and despair were palpable, and even the mighty pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro—a name whispered with awe and respect across the East Blue—had fallen here. His capture had become a hot topic in the nearby seas, spreading like wildfire among the locals.
Under the bright midday sun, a ship approached the port of Shells Town.
"Okay, this is it!" Red called out as he hopped onto the dock. His bright baseball cap shielded his eyes from the sunlight, and his voice carried a confident tone.
"Luffy, secure the ship at the port," he instructed, glancing over his shoulder at his companion.
Luffy, however, wore a pout, reluctantly holding the rope in his hands. "What? I'm the captain! Why do I have to do this kind of work?"
Red rolled his eyes at Luffy's complaint, then smirked. "With great power comes great responsibility. Ever heard of that?"
He crossed his arms and added, "It's because you're the captain that you need to work harder! Stop whining and get it done. Unless, of course, you don't want to find a third nakama?"
That immediately shut Luffy up. His eyes sparkled at the mention of a new crewmate.
"Fine! Fine! I'll do it!" he grumbled as he quickly tied the ship's rope around a wooden post, securing it in place. In just moments, Luffy was at Red's side, all complaints forgotten.
Looking up at the imposing Marine base in the distance, Luffy's expression didn't betray even an ounce of fear. Instead, his face lit up with excitement.
"Hey, Red, is that guy really as strong as you said?" Luffy asked, his voice brimming with anticipation. "The future world's greatest swordsman, teaming up with me, the future Pirate King—that's gonna be awesome!"
Red chuckled. "When have I ever lied to you? Come on, let's not keep our new nakama waiting too long!"
Luffy's enthusiasm was briefly overshadowed by the loud growl of his stomach. He sniffed the air, catching the tantalizing scent of food wafting from a nearby shop.
"Wait, wait, Red!" he whined. "That food smells so good! Let's eat first and then go find him!"
Red shot him a glare that could have stopped a Sea King in its tracks.
"You idiot! You're thinking about food at a time like this?!"
"Our future nakama is out there starving, and you want to eat first? Move it!"
Smack!
Red's palm landed squarely on the back of Luffy's neck, the sound echoing loudly.
"Hiss~ That hurts!" Luffy exclaimed, clutching his neck. He froze for a moment, his wide eyes fixed on Red. "Wait… your strength!?"
Luffy knew all about Red's unique circumstances and lack of combat ability. Normally, a blow like that wouldn't even register for someone with his Gomu Gomu no Mi powers. But now, his neck stung with a sharp, unfamiliar pain.
Red smirked, his confidence radiating. "You're not the only one who can get stronger, Luffy."
Without another word, Red turned and strode toward the Marine base, leaving Luffy standing there in stunned silence.
But it didn't take long for Luffy to snap out of it. A wide grin stretched across his face, and he chuckled.
"Shishishi! As expected of my first mate!"
Under the blazing sun, the boy with the straw hat dashed after the boy in the baseball cap.
. . .
. . .
Shells Town wasn't very large, so it didn't take long for Red and Luffy to cross the streets and arrive near the gates of Marine Branch 153.
The base was heavily guarded, with numerous Marines stationed at the main gate. Red, however, had a different plan. Without hesitation, he led Luffy toward the side of the base.
Perhaps due to budget cuts or poor construction, the base's walls were surprisingly short—only about two meters high. With a simple leap, Red and Luffy easily climbed up, their heads popping over the top of the wall to survey the area inside.
Their eyes quickly locked onto a wooden cross, ominously standing in the open space behind the wall.
This cross, a tool of punishment used by Captain Morgan to torment dissenters, now bore the weight of a man bound tightly to it.
The man wore a green haramaki and a green bandana on his head, with three earrings dangling from his ears. Even in his current state, his presence was striking.
There was no mistaking it—it was none other than the legendary Roronoa Zoro.
"Hmm?"
Despite his miserable condition, Zoro's sharp instincts kicked in. His piercing gaze turned toward the fence, immediately noticing the two heads sticking over it.
"Uh, Red? I think he spotted us," Luffy whispered, grinning.
"Well, of course he did," Red replied matter-of-factly, smirking. "This is the man I've chosen. If he didn't notice us, he wouldn't be qualified to be our third crew member!"
Without another word, the two moved in perfect sync. They leapt down from the wall and landed inside the base with ease.
As they approached the infamous swordsman, Red glanced at Luffy and asked, "So, Captain, what do you think?"
Luffy's grin widened as he looked Zoro up and down. "I trust your judgment! He looks strong!"
Without skipping a beat, Luffy added, "Let's just untie him and take him with us!"
Red, however, shook his head as they closed the distance to Zoro. "It's not that simple."
"This Marine base is run by a complete tyrant. If we just take Zoro and leave, the townsfolk here will pay the price."
Red's lips curled into a determined smirk. "The best solution? We beat up the base's captain, too!"
Luffy's face lit up. "Sounds good to me! Let's do it!" he cheered, pumping his arms in excitement, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
Their carefree attitudes—and their steadily approaching footsteps—finally pushed Zoro to speak up.
"Hey! You two, this isn't a place you can just waltz into!" His voice was gruff, laced with irritation. "If you value your lives, you'd better get out of here now!"
Zoro's tone carried an edge, as if he were trying to scare them off.
But this was Luffy he was talking to.
"Get out of here? Nope, I don't want to!" Luffy replied casually, sticking out his tongue.
Instead, he grinned and said, "Red told me you're gonna be the world's greatest swordsman one day!"
"And a guy like that? He has to join my crew!"
Zoro's expression faltered for a brief moment. His brows furrowed as he stared at the two strangers now standing in front of him. He couldn't quite wrap his head around how casually they were talking about such grand dreams.
"Who… are you two?" he asked, his voice low.
Luffy grinned wider. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy, a pirate," he said plainly, stepping forward to begin untying Zoro's ropes.
"Hey! Don't touch that rope!" Zoro barked, his voice snapping with authority.
But Luffy wasn't listening. He worked quickly, undoing the bindings around Zoro's right wrist.
"Shishishi, I don't want to listen to you!" Luffy said cheekily. "Once I untie you, you're definitely gonna be my nakama!"
Zoro clenched his jaw. "Damn it, you idiot! I'm not joining any pirates!"
When Luffy moved to untie the rope on Zoro's left wrist, Zoro used his newly freed arm to stop him.
"Don't! I made a deal with that bastard's son," Zoro growled. "If I endure this for a month, they promised to let me and the girl go free!"
His voice was firm, but Red frowned.
"Do you seriously believe the son of a corrupt Marine officer would honor his word?" Red asked, his tone sharp and cutting.
Zoro froze.
Red stepped closer, his gaze locked on the swordsman. "Don't be stupid, Zoro. He's toying with you. No one can survive a month without food or water. Even if you somehow do, you'll be too weak to fight back. You'll be nothing but a pawn to them."
His words struck a nerve. Zoro's fist tightened, and his jaw clenched. Deep down, he knew Red was right.
Luffy, oblivious to the tension, finished untying the rest of the ropes. Zoro stood tall, rubbing his sore wrists, and turned to face Red.
"Who are you, really?" Zoro demanded, his tone heavy with suspicion.
Red's expression softened into a warm smile. "I'm Red, first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates and…" He adjusted his baseball cap with a confident smirk.
"…your new trainer!"