Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
XXX
At the edge of paradise lies the Sabaody Archipelago, an island of contrasts. On one side, order and peace reign, while the other is filled with chaos, with everything else scattered across its countless Groves.
In one such Grove, marked by a towering "20", a ship known far and wide for striking fear into many, the Perfume Yuda, was docked. The Kuja Pirates, led by Sandersonia and Marigold, waved farewell to two departing figures.
Tears welled in Hancock's eyes as she bid her sisters one final goodbye before joining Luffy. Together, they ventured deeper into the lawless zone, both cloaked to avoid attracting attention. They didn't want the Marines on their heels before reuniting with Luffy's crew.
"I'm so happy you've joined me, Hancock. This is going to be a blast!" Luffy exclaimed with excitement.
Luffy couldn't hide the wide grin on his face, showing Hancock just how excited he was to have her by his side. Despite his natural cluelessness when it came to romance—no matter how hard Ace had tried to teach him about it (and Ace really did try)—Luffy had learned a lot in the two years he spent with Hancock and Rayleigh. They had managed to get through to him about the different kinds of love, especially the romantic kind that Hancock felt for him.
It wasn't that Luffy had instantly fallen for Hancock, but over the time they spent together on the island, he had come to know her better and, in doing so, had developed feelings for her. Now, he was grateful for what they'd taught him. He was utterly smitten with her.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Hancock replied. "Even though I was a Warlord, I didn't travel to the New World often unless I was needed. Now I can go on adventures with you and see more of it."
As they walked deeper into the zone, they chatted casually, Luffy eagerly looking forward to reuniting with his crew and introducing them to Hancock. Four years had passed since he last saw them, and he could hardly wait.
"Quick, we need to get to Grove 46!"
"We can't miss it!"
"I can't believe Straw Hat Luffy is recruiting!"
"I'm joining for sure!"
A crowd of pirates rushed past Luffy and Hancock, shouting as they hurried along. The two exchanged confused looks. Recruiting? What did they mean? Luffy was standing right there!
"Someone is using my beloved's name to cause trouble... Unforgivable!" Hancock fumed, her fist clenched in fury. But her anger subsided as Luffy placed a hand on her shoulder, calming her.
"Easy, Hancock. Besides, this looks like it's going to be fun," Luffy said with a grin, his carefree attitude shining through. He followed the rushing pirates toward Grove 46, clearly intrigued. Hancock, though still displeased, sighed and calmed herself as she trailed behind him. She wasn't thrilled about someone using Luffy's name for no good, but she couldn't deny his enthusiasm was contagious.
Luffy was curious to see what was going on. Plus, knowing his crew, the chances of them also investigating the commotion were pretty high. It felt like killing two birds with one stone—figuring out the mystery and reuniting with his crew.
As they made their way to Grove 46, Luffy's excitement bubbled over, his grin growing wider with each step. He could hardly wait to see what awaited him.
XXX
In Grove 60, the Marines were in a frenzy, scrambling to follow orders. They had received word that the infamous Straw Hat Luffy was supposedly gathering a large group of pirates in Grove 46, and the rumors were flying.
"Could it really be the Straw Hat?"
"Dragon's son, no less."
"But why would he show up now?"
"Quiet down!" a commanding voice boomed over the murmuring, silencing all chatter in an instant. "All you need to do is follow orders. Now, get to Grove 46!"
"Yes, Sir!" the Marines shouted in unison, snapping to attention. They quickly moved into formation, obeying the officer standing before them. He was an imposing figure, built like a sumo wrestler with a scar running from his left eye to the corner of his mouth. His attire was distinctive—a shirt resembling a giant brown bib or apron emblazoned with the symbol for "heaven" on the front, and a large red and white rope draped across his body. His right fist and elbows were wrapped in bandages, and the kanji for "battle" was tattooed on his left shoulder. This was Sentomaru.
A massive two-edged axe, as tall and wide as he was, rested on his back, while two Pacifista units stood motionless behind him, waiting for orders.
Sentomaru wasn't convinced that these pirates were the real Straw Hats. It didn't fit their style to gather such a crowd, but as a Marine officer, it was his duty to bring justice to any pirates, real or not. Whether or not these were the genuine Straw Hats, there were still pirates assembling—and that was enough reason to act and move to capture them.
Arriving at the scene, Sentomaru was met with a large assembly of pirates gathered in front of a stone building. As he suspected, many were merely Straw Hat impostors—wannabes wearing the iconic hat to stir up trouble. However, there were a few notable and dangerous figures among the crowd, including the infamous brothers, Caribou and Coribou.
"PX-5, scan the pirates and check if Straw Hat Luffy is actually here," Sentomaru commanded the Pacifista unit at his side. Obeying his order, the machine's eyes glowed as it scanned the rowdy crowd, searching for their target.
"Straw Hat Luffy detected," the Pacifista reported, causing Sentomaru's eyes to widen in surprise. While shocked to hear it, he wasn't entirely caught off guard. The real Straw Hat Pirates had proven themselves exceptionally hard to get rid of in the past. If Luffy was truly here, he wasn't going to let him slip away this time.
Time to flush him out.
Sentomaru barked an order to the Marines to surround the group of pirates, and then he stepped forward, his mere presence causing panic to ripple through the crowd.
"Pirate scum! Listen up. You are all under arrest. Come quietly, and I won't have to drag you in the hard way," Sentomaru declared in a calm but commanding tone. His words quickly riled up some of the stronger, more arrogant pirates who readied themselves for a fight, confident they could take on the Marines.
Sentomaru's attention shifted to the Luffy imposter, who was barking orders, telling the gathered pirates to fight off the Marines. Typical Paradise pirates—overconfident and unaware of the true threat. Sentomaru knew most of these pirates wouldn't be a problem, though Caribou could potentially pose a challenge to his colleagues.
The clash between the pirates and marines erupted into chaos. Sentomaru moved calmly through the crowd, his Pacifista units following closely, mowing down pirates as they advanced. He was about to order the Pacifista to locate his true target when something bumped into his legs.
"Huh?" Sentomaru glanced down to find none other than the imposter Straw Hats, who had been crawling on the ground amidst the fighting, trying to avoid detection. Before he could react, the imposters quickly sprang to their feet, hoping to blend into the commotion.
The nearby pirates, oblivious to the farce, immediately took notice.
"Hey, look! Boss Luffy is making a move!"
"Finally! Now we get to see the power of a 400,000,000 pirate!"
"Go get 'em, Boss!"
Cheers and shouts of encouragement erupted from the crowd as the imposters stood awkwardly in front of Sentomaru. The impostor Luffy, clearly out of his depth, tried to maintain the charade. But Sentomaru simply stared at him with a deadpan expression, regarding the man like one might observe an insignificant bug.
"Why are they calling you Straw Hat?" Sentomaru asked, more to himself than expecting an answer. The pirates were more hopeless than he thought. But the imposter, oblivious, took it as an opportunity to launch into a boastful tirade.
"Don't you know who I am?! I'm the rookie who rampaged at Marineford! One of the Supernovas! Brother of Portgas D. Ace! Son of the Revolutionary Dragon! Grandson of the Marine Hero Garp! A pirate worth 400,000,000! Straw Hat L—"
"Straw Hat is nothing like you!" Sentomaru snapped, his patience finally exhausted. With a single swing of the broadside of his massive axe, he struck the imposter unconscious. The blow sent the man crumpling to the ground, much to the shock of the surrounding pirates. This fool had been an insult to the real Straw Hat Luffy, and Sentomaru wasn't about to tolerate any more of his nonsense.
"Hmph, looks like these pirates have been duped," Sentomaru muttered, casting a disdainful look over the crowd. "PX-5, who is this?" he demanded, gesturing toward the unconscious impostor.
The Pacifista's eyes glowed red as it scanned the fallen man. After a brief moment, the machine's monotone voice spoke: "'Three-Tongued' Demalo Black, bounty: 26,000,000."
The crowd of pirates erupted in anger at hearing the truth.
"Damn! I got tricked by a 26 million bounty fraud?!"
"Curses! What a waste!"
"So the rumors were true… Straw Hat Luffy really is dead."
"No," Sentomaru interrupted firmly. "You pirate scum might've been fooled, but I'm here for the real Straw Hat Luffy! PX-5, locate him!"
Obeying the command, the Pacifista scanned the crowd once more. In an instant, it raised its arm and fired a laser, the beam cutting through the air before striking its target. The impact caused a massive explosion, and smoke billowed out from the blast.
From the cloud of debris, two cloaked figures leaped gracefully, landing atop the stone building that Demalo Black had been using. As they landed, the shorter figure's cloak slipped off, revealing their face.
It was Monkey D. Luffy.
The pirates in the crowd hurriedly pulled out their wanted posters, comparing the features. Black hair, a wide grin, the scar beneath his eye, and, of course, the iconic straw hat—it truly was him. The real Straw Hat Luffy. He was alive!
"Straw Hat! It's been a while," Sentomaru called out as he stepped forward, gripping his axe tightly. His instincts told him this wasn't the same Luffy he had encountered two years ago. There was something different, something stronger.
Luffy looked down at him and pouted, almost childlike. "Oh, it's you from two years ago. Why'd you go and ruin our fun? We were just gonna sneak off like ninjas after watching for a bit," he said with a grin.
Sentomaru scoffed. "As if I'd let you just leave. I swore I'd catch you! And now I'm officially a Marine officer!"
Luffy chuckled. "That's pretty cool. Gramps would be proud to have another strong marine in the Marines. Shishishi."
Sentomaru, unamused by the casual exchange, tightened his grip on his axe. "I don't know why you're here, but I'll stop you right here and now! PX-5, attack!"
At his command, PX-5 launched itself forward, its mouth opening as it began charging a laser. But before the attack could be released, a sharp, swishing sound cut through the air, like an arrow flying through the wind. In an instant, the Pacifista's head turned to solid stone and fell to the ground with a loud thud.
The crowd gasped in shock, and even Sentomaru was momentarily stunned. His eyes locked onto the taller cloaked figure standing beside Luffy. Only one person had the power to turn living beings and objects to stone like that.
"Boa Hancock! Are you betraying the World Government?!" Sentomaru shouted, his voice laced with both surprise and anger.
Luffy, unfazed by the tension, turned to Hancock, who had just revealed her presence. "Why'd you do that?" he asked. "We could've easily escaped without showing them who you are."
An ethereal voice emerged from beneath the cloak as a slender arm extended, undoing the pin that held it in place. The cloak slipped off, revealing Boa Hancock in all her splendor. Both pirates and marines were left in awe, utterly captivated by her beauty.
"It would've happened anyway, Luffy. I'm having more fun this way," Hancock said with a teasing smile. Luffy just laughed, completely unfazed by the chaos she caused, while Sentomaru stood frozen, unsure of how to respond.
The crowd, however, was anything but silent.
"That's Boa Hancock!"
"The most beautiful woman in the world!"
"She's even more stunning in person!"
"She betrayed the World Government, but I'd forgive her in a heartbeat!"
Hancock, growing irritated by the attention of the more persistent admirers, raised her hand and formed a pink heart in the air. Sentomaru saw what was coming and shouted, "Marines, take cover!" But his warning came too late.
"Mero Mero Mero!" Hancock's pink heart beam shot forth, and in an instant, many of the pirates and marines were turned to stone, their adoration sealing their fate.
Luffy whistled in admiration of Hancock's handiwork and grinned. "Looks like it's time to meet up with the others," he said, adjusting his straw hat and turning to leave.
But before they could go, a voice rang out behind them.
"Straw Hat! Boa Hancock!" Sentomaru's voice boomed across the battlefield. He stood fuming, a Pacifista at his side. "I won't let you escape! And I'll be taking in the traitor Warlord!"
Hancock merely smirked, her expression condescending as she stared at the Marine. "Oh, you don't know, do you?" Her tone was mocking, and Sentomaru's confusion was evident. "As of recently, the Warlord system has been disbanded. I'm no longer under the Government's thumb. I've decided to travel with my Luffy, so everything is fair now."
"What?!" Sentomaru's shock was palpable. He had heard rumors that the Warlord system would possibly be abolished following the Reverie, which had yet to take place. But how could she know this already? His mind raced, realizing the gravity of the situation. He was unprepared, unaware of the Fleet Admiral's secret mission regarding the change, and with no recent contact with his uncle, Kizaru, he hadn't been informed of this critical update.
Now, facing Luffy and Hancock, Sentomaru realized just how difficult his task had become.
"Yes, so we'll be going now! Bye bye!" Luffy cheerfully waved, completely unfazed by the tension in the air.
Sentomaru, not about to let them escape, shouted, "PX-7, attack!" The Pacifista surged forward, ready to take on the couple standing on the building. But before it could launch its attack, Luffy vanished from his spot and reappeared in front of the machine in the blink of an eye. With lightning speed, Luffy landed a powerful punch that sent the Pacifista crashing into the ground, the sheer force of the blow leaving Sentomaru in stunned silence once again.
The shock rippled through Sentomaru as he realized what had just happened. There was no doubt—Luffy's punch had been infused with Armament Haki. This meant that for two years, Luffy hadn't just been recovering from his past wounds; he'd been training and growing exponentially stronger. He wasn't the same person who fought in the Marineford War. He was on a whole new level.
As Sentomaru processed this, the silence between them became heavy, stretching on for what felt like an eternity. Then Luffy, with a carefree grin, broke the tension. "See ya! It was fun seeing you!" he said, waving before disappearing from Sentomaru's sight completely.
Sentomaru frantically scanned the area for any sign of Luffy and Hancock, but they were gone, vanishing like ghosts. He clenched his teeth in frustration. Now, there was no choice but to make a report on what had just happened.
The real Straw Hat Luffy had returned—and he was far more formidable than ever.
XXX
Not far from the field, the two culprits were strolling away, chatting animatedly. "It's a shame we can't stay longer. I want to fight a bit more," Luffy complained, pouting with his arms behind his head and his lip jutting out. Hancock shook her head in response. "We're already the last ones to arrive. We can't afford any more delays." Luffy gazed up at the sky, lost in thought for a moment before his face broke into a nostalgic grin. "I can't wait to see them. I'm so excited."
"Luffy!" A voice called out. Luffy froze and turned toward a small hill slightly to his left. His grin widened at the sight of two familiar figures running toward them. One wore a green kimono with three swords at his hip, held in place by a red sash, and had green hair with a scar across his left eye. The other was dressed in a blue suit with a yellow shirt and blue tie, sporting a goatee and blonde hair.
"Zoro! Sanji!" Luffy exclaimed, bounding toward them and wrapping them in the biggest hug. "I missed you guys so much!"
Sanji chuckled, "Haha, this idiot."
"Ha, Luffy," Zoro added with a smile. The long-awaited reunion after their years of separation was finally happening. As Luffy hung off Sanji's shoulders, Sanji's attention was drawn to their unexpected guest. Before anyone could react, Sanji was suddenly turned to stone, startling Luffy and Zoro.
Zoro laughed at the sight of the petrified cook, while Luffy turned to Hancock in panic. "Hancock, why did you turn Sanji into stone?"
Hancock looked equally confused. "I didn't do anything. That's odd; they usually only turn to stone when I want them to." She pondered the strange occurrence.
"I wouldn't worry about it. Serves the pervert cook right."
Zoro commented then having quickly drawn his sword to block a kick aimed at him, grinned.
"What did you say, moss head?" Sanji roared back, now unstoned, "You moron!"
The two began their usual bickering while Luffy laughed heartily.
Onlookers watched in disbelief. Not only were "Straw Hat" Monkey D. Luffy and "Pirate Empress" Boa Hancock present, but also "Pirate Hunter" Roronoa Zoro and "Black Leg" Sanji. The presence of these top officers of the Straw Hat crew suggested that the infamous pirate crew might not be as gone as everyone had thought.
The joyful reunion was abruptly interrupted by the approach of a group of marines, signalling that Sentomaru had called in reinforcements.
"Shishishi, looks like we gotta run," Luffy laughed.
"Hmph, lucky moss head," Sanji taunted as they dashed off.
"Luck has nothing to do with it, dart brow," Zoro retorted.
The four of them began to run, but anyone watching could see they weren't exactly concerned about the marines chasing after them. Luffy pulled Hancock along as they went.
"Are they always like this?" Hancock asked, curious.
"Yep! It's funny. Shishishi," Luffy grinned.
Hancock smiled softly, watching them. Luffy's crew really was full of unique personalities.
"Oh, Luffy, you're number nine."
"Will you stop ranking everyone by when they arrive?"
"Sorry, number seven," Hancock teased.
Their escape was abruptly halted by a massive cut in the ground behind them. They turned to see the source. Standing atop a hill with his sword drawn was none other than "Dark King" Silvers Rayleigh.
Luffy stepped forward with a determined look. "Rayleigh! I'm going to do it! I'm going to become the Pirate King!" he declared, his face brimming with confidence.
Rayleigh had no doubt in his mind that Luffy would achieve that dream, especially after training for what amounted to four long years. Luffy was ready.
"Go on! Your crew is waiting for you at Grove 42! Show the world your dream!" Rayleigh encouraged.
With a nod, Luffy took off with his crew toward the meeting place. Rayleigh jumped down to the deep cut he had made in the ground, facing the marines who had halted on the other side.
"So, who's going to be first?" he asked, his sword gleaming.
XXX
All across the island, similar scenes played out, preventing the marines from advancing on the Straw Hats. In one area, massive beetles were wreaking havoc; in another, heavy rain was soaking the marines, ruining their gunpowder; and elsewhere, marines lay on the ground, overcome with inexplicable depression. Despite the chaos, Luffy's group was closing in on the Sunny, where their ship awaited.
"Oh! I see it! Sunny!" Luffy shouted, taking a final, excited leap to land beside the coated ship. He scanned the deck and saw all his crew, safe and sound, reunited at last. Tears welled up in his eyes. "Everyone!"
"Luffy!" The crew shouted back in excitement. Their captain and final member had returned.
Zoro, Sanji, and Hancock joined Luffy at his side.
"Took you idiots long enough," Nami scolded, though a smile tugged at her lips. "We need to get going before this bay gets flooded with even more marines."
Everyone boarded the Sunny, and Luffy's eyes immediately lit up when he saw Franky, now bigger and even more cyborg-like than before. "Whoa! Franky! You look awesome!"
"Not the time for that, Luffy!" Nami interrupted before they could get distracted. She was right, as cannonballs soon flew toward the Sunny—only to be destroyed by two figures that suddenly appeared between the marines and the ship. Moments later, the Perfume Yuda, Hancock's ship, sailed in front of the marines. Without waiting for them to react, the Kuja pirates attacked, leaving the marines confused as to why a Warlord's crew was siding with the Straw Hats.
"Now that's a surprise," Robin remarked, casting a glance at Hancock. "But then again, maybe not so much. If I may ask—what brings you here?" It was the question on everyone's mind, though no one had asked until now.
"It's simple," Hancock replied with a bashful smile. "I'm here to join my beloved."
"Beloved?!" The crew was collectively stunned.
"Right," Luffy said casually. "Hancock asked if she could join, and I thought it'd be fun."
Before anyone could respond, they were interrupted by a shout. "Sister!" Marigold called out from the Perfume Yuda. Hancock looked toward her younger sisters. There was no need for words. Over the past two years, they had grown strong and independent. She no longer needed to worry about them. The time to leave was now.
"Luffy, we should go," Hancock said, turning to the captain, who nodded in agreement.
"We've got a lot to catch up on, but first, everyone—" Luffy looked at each of his crew members, face to face. "Thank you. Thank you for following my selfish wish and waiting all these years. But now we're back together, and we're stronger than ever."
His crew roared in agreement, the bond between them as solid as ever.
"Nami, set sail!"
"Aye, Luffy!" Nami replied, quickly issuing orders as the crew sprang into action. The Sunny Go began to move, and the ship's coating inflated into a protective bubble around them.
"We're ready!" Nami shouted.
"Here we come—Fishman Island!" Luffy yelled with excitement as the ship sank beneath the waves, disappearing into the ocean's depths. The tranquillity of the sea returned to normal, marking the beginning of the Straw Hats' first step into the New World.