One Piece: Legend of the Star Sea

"That woman pirate is a mean, fat, and ugly old hag. For the past two years, this guy has been stuck on her pirate ship!"

Luffy, unusually cheeky, poked at Koby's forehead with his finger in a mocking tone that made people bristle.

"It's true. I once heard this kid kissing up to that fat witch Alvida on her ship—said she was the most beautiful woman in the world! I laughed so hard I nearly passed out."

Alex walked over and joined Luffy, poking Koby's head from the other side. Koby's head bobbed side to side between the two of them.

Stop it! Please stop!

Koby's anger exploded. Especially when Alex exposed how he had been forced to flatter Alvida—he could no longer hold back.

"Please stop talking!" Koby roared in fury and punched both Luffy and Alex.

Everyone around was startled by Koby's sudden outburst.

Zoro, watching nearby, didn't seem angry. Instead, he looked relieved, clearly understanding that Luffy and Alex were provoking Koby on purpose.

"You actually hit me!"

Luffy retaliated with a heavy punch that sent Koby flying toward Alex.

"You little punk, we're pirates! And you dare raise your hand against us!"

Alex added another punch for good measure.

Bang! Whack! Pow!

"Brat!"

"Idiot!"

Luffy and Alex proceeded to beat Koby up right in front of everyone.

On top of a cupboard in the restaurant, a row of spotless, mirror-polished plates clearly reflected Koby being mercilessly beaten.

The Navy Lieutenant Commander, seeing the beatdown going too far, shouted, "Enough! You pirates—no fighting in town!"

"You two have taken this too far!"

Zoro stepped in and dragged Luffy and Alex away from the bruised and battered Koby.

Koby now lay on the ground, black and blue, looking utterly pitiful.

"I can see now that you're not with him. Leave immediately!"

The lieutenant commander barked at them.

They did it on purpose… They angered me on purpose to make me fight back!

Even after all that, I still had to rely on them. Have I really not changed at all? Am I still that useless?

Struggling with pain and doubt, Koby slowly stood up. Looking at the three retreating figures—Luffy, Alex, and Zoro—he clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and shouted to the officer with a crisp, formal bow:

"Please let me join the Navy! Even if I start with cleaning duty—I'm willing! Just let me serve!"

I did it—I actually said it out loud.

Koby's heart surged with emotion. For the first time, he realized that his dream was within reach.

"I object!"

A marine stepped forward, frowning. "Sorry, but I still can't fully trust you. We've had pirates try to infiltrate as spies before. We'll need to investigate your background first..."

Koby's face froze in despair. But he quickly challenged himself inwardly:

Is that all my belief in justice amounts to? So fragile, so easily shaken? Am I going to abandon my dream just because one person objected?

After a fierce inner struggle, Koby finally shouted what he had never dared tell anyone—his truest dream:

"I'm going to become a Navy Admiral someday!"

Silence fell instantly. Not even a whisper stirred. Even Rika stood frozen, staring at Koby with wide eyes.

Even the objecting marine was stunned into silence.

Some of the Navy personnel unknowingly began sweating just from hearing it.

An Admiral—for many in the Navy, that was a title too far to even imagine. But now, this 13- or 14-year-old boy was declaring it outright.

The Lieutenant Commander stared hard at Koby. Though his face was still bruised, his eyes were now different—no longer timid or hesitant, but full of unshakable determination.

"You'd better not underestimate what it takes. We've lost too many to pirates. But... I'll allow it. You may join."

"Yes, sir! Thank you!"

Koby felt like his blood was boiling. Even his voice sounded stronger.

Meanwhile, at the port, Luffy, Alex, and Zoro were preparing to set sail from Shells Town.

"That performance was awful. No wonder they saw through it,"

Zoro remarked to Luffy and Alex.

"I figured Koby would find a way,"

Luffy said cheerfully.

"Yeah, if he was really going to give up that easily, then we beat him up for nothing,"

Alex added. Then turned to Zoro:

"Use your sword to cut the rope tying the boat."

"Why don't you untie it yourself?"

Zoro asked, though he complied and slashed the rope.

"Because it was wet... like dog pee wet. You want me to touch that? I'm not an idiot."

As Alex said this, Zoro's face turned dark.

"What?! My sword just touched dog piss?!"

"You jerk! Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

Zoro grabbed Alex by the neck and shook him violently.

"Ahahaha! You two are hilarious!"

Luffy burst out laughing from the boat, holding his stomach as he watched them bicker.

After exchanging a couple of black eyes, they all boarded the small boat and set sail. Suddenly, they heard someone shout:

"Wait!"

"Koby?"

Luffy stood at the bow and looked toward shore.

"Thank you! I'll never forget what you've done for me!"

Koby gave them a perfect military salute as their boat drifted further out to sea.

"What kind of Navy guy thanks pirates?"

Zoro waved lazily from the boat. Alex, half-lying down, smirked and gave a subtle wave of his own.

"Exactly!"

Luffy grinned, waving both arms with joy.

"See you again someday, Koby!"

"All hands—salute!"

A thunderous command rang out behind Koby.

At the dock, a whole squad of Navy soldiers stood behind him, all saluting the departing pirates.

"Your friend has true guts,"

the Lieutenant Commander said to Koby—clear confirmation that he had seen through their act the whole time.

But in the end, he had still accepted Koby.

"Yes, sir."

Koby's tears finally fell—partly for himself, and partly for his friends.

"Everyone who saluted those pirates just violated Navy protocol. Your punishment—no meals for a week!"

The commander barked sternly.

Back on the small boat, Zoro asked Luffy:

"Why are you so dead set on being the Pirate King?"

"Probably because it tastes good,"

Alex said with a chuckle.

"I'm not doing it for food!"

Luffy took off his straw hat, gazed at it, and his voice softened:

"I once made a promise to a man... that I'd gather a strong crew, find the One Piece, and become the Pirate King."

He put the hat back on and looked at Zoro and Alex.

"Now I've got two crewmates. This straw hat is proof of my promise."

"HAHAHAHA!"

Luffy laughed heartily, one foot on the bow as he shouted into the wind:

"Set sail! Toward the Grand Line!"

As dusk approached, heavy clouds blanketed the sky. The sunset peeked through narrow gaps, casting ribbons of crimson light over the sea, shimmering like golden scales on the waves.

The last rays of sunlight warmed the small drifting boat on the open sea.

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