Farewell, Shells Town!

Raphael: <>

System: []

******

After Morgan's crushing defeat at the hands of Luffy, the Marines wasted no time. They quickly moved to arrest their fallen captain, along with Helmeppo and his lackeys. There was no hesitation this time—Morgan's reign of terror had come to an end, and the once-feared Marine Captain was now a prisoner, bound in chains alongside his son. Helmeppo, still nursing his injuries from earlier, whined and pleaded, but his cries fell on deaf ears. The people of Shells Town, and even the Marines who had served under Morgan's tyranny, felt no sympathy for the disgraced captain and his son.

As the Marines led Morgan, Helmeppo, and the lackeys away, the mood in the town shifted dramatically. The dark cloud that had loomed over Shells Town for years had finally lifted. People began to gather in the streets, their faces lighting up with joy and relief. A sense of freedom washed over them, and soon, plans for a spontaneous town-wide celebration were in full swing.

Luffy, standing near the square where he had faced Morgan, watched the Marines drag the tyrant away, a satisfied grin on his face. Around him, the townspeople were busy setting up tables, decorating the streets, and preparing food. The once-quiet and fearful town had come alive with laughter, cheers, and music.

Villagers approached Luffy, offering their thanks and praise. "You saved us from him! We're in your debt!" one man exclaimed, shaking Luffy's hand vigorously.

"You're a hero!" a woman said, her eyes shining with gratitude. "We were too afraid to stand up to him, but you showed us we didn't have to be."

Luffy, as always, played it off with a grin. "Nah, I'm not a hero. I'm just a guy doing whatever I want," he said casually, though the people of the town still looked at him with revered gazes. It was clear that his actions had inspired the entire town to stand up for their own freedom.

As the celebration kicked into full gear, food and drinks flowed freely. Rika's mother, who had nearly lost her daughter to Morgan's cruelty, worked alongside the other villagers to prepare a grand feast. She made sure that Luffy, the one who had saved Rika, was well taken care of. Rika, meanwhile, stuck close to Luffy, her eyes gleaming with admiration as she proudly told anyone who would listen about how he had defeated Morgan.

A short while later, Uta joined in the celebrations, having completed whatever task Luffy had entrusted to her. She walked up to him with a smirk, nudging his shoulder. "Looks like you managed to wrap things up without any problems."

"Yeah, it wasn't too bad," Luffy replied with a grin, taking a huge bite out of the food in front of him. "How about you? How did things go on your end?"

"With you attracting all the attention, my mission was smooth as butter," Uta said while stealing a piece of meat from Luffy's plate. "I gotta say though," Uta glanced around at the celebrating townspeople, the music, and the smiling faces, "You've certainly changed the mood around this place."

"They just needed a push," Luffy shrugged. "People can be strong when their desire for freedom outweighs their fear."

"Well said, boy," a new, feminine voice interrupted their conversation. Luffy and Uta turned to see a tall, slim woman with fair skin and short purple hair standing behind them. She wore black-framed sunglasses with red lenses and clothes that left little to the imagination.

'What the hell is Belo Betty doing here?!' Luffy thought as he stared at the woman in front of him. 'No, now is not the time to get surprised. I need to get away from here... away from the public's eyes. We can't be seen associating with her. We're not ready for that kind of attention yet.'

"Miss, let's talk somewhere else," Luffy said abruptly, grabbing Uta's arm and leading her away without waiting for a response. Belo Betty followed them, an amused smirk playing on her lips.

"Luffy, do you know her?" Uta asked, glancing back at the woman trailing behind them.

"Not personally," Luffy replied, continuing to walk until they were on a hill outside the town.

"Well, I think we are quite far away from the town, so are you ready to talk now?" Betty asked, folding her arms under her chest.

"Of course, we can talk, Belo Betty, commander of the East Army from the Revolutionary Army," Luffy said with a grin on his face.

Betty froze for a moment, clearly taken aback by Luffy's knowledge of her. But she quickly regained her composure, scrutinizing him from behind her sunglasses. Lighting a cigarette, she asked, "You know quite a lot about me, don't you? Even my bounty poster doesn't mention anything about me being a commander. Care to share how you know that?"

"Sorry, I can't tell you my sources," Luffy said, casually shrugging his shoulder. "But I'm not a threat to you or your cause. If you don't believe me, ask Big Bear. He can vouch for me."

"Oh, you know the big guy?" Betty raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Yeah, long story," Luffy replied, rubbing the back of his head. "So, what brings a Revolutionary Army commander to such a small island in the East Blue?"

"Before we get to that, let me congratulate you on freeing this town from that tyrant Morgan," Betty said, patting Luffy on the shoulder. "Honestly, I was here for that very same reason, but you achieved that result far more quickly and even reignited the fighting spirit of this town's people."

"Thanks for your praise, but just like I told the people of this town, I defeated Morgan because he and his son messed with me and my friend, nothing more, nothing less," Luffy said, once again dismissing the praise as he really didn't want to be paraded as a hero.

"Hero or not, what you did was impressive," Betty said, taking a drag from her cigarette. "You've got a natural talent for leadership. That's why I'm here to offer you both a place in the Revolutionary Army."

Upon hearing Betty's offer, Luffy and Uta exchanged a glance, but they already knew their answer.

"I appreciate the offer, but I have to decline," Luffy replied. "As I said, what happened here was just an accident and not a deliberate plan to save this town. Besides, right now, I just want to travel the seas and explore the mysteries of the world."

"Same here," Uta added. "I love my freedom too much to work under anyone."

Betty sighed in disappointment. "Well, that's a shame. You two would've made excellent additions to our ranks." She reached into her pocket and handed Luffy a small piece of paper. "Here's my Den Den Mushi number. If you ever change your mind or find yourself in a similar situation, give me a call."

"Sure, I'll keep it in mind," Luffy said, accepting the paper. 

"Well then, it was great meeting you two, but I have to leave now. I've got other places to be," Betty said with a wave, walking away and disappearing into the distance.

Once she was gone, Uta let out a sigh. "Luffy, it hasn't even been a month since we started our journey, and we're already running into big shots from the Grand Line."

Luffy chuckled, draping an arm over her shoulder. "Get used to it. I've got a feeling this is going to be a regular thing."

With that, the two of them headed back to town, bickering playfully as they rejoined the celebration which lasted well into the night.

******

The next afternoon, as the sun hung high in the sky, Luffy and Uta stood on their boat, making the final preparations to set sail once more.

Earlier that morning, while they enjoyed breakfast at Rika's mother's tavern, a group of Marines led by Ripper, the temporary base commander, had approached them with a request. Though they were grateful for Luffy and Uta's help in freeing the town from Morgan's tyranny, they had politely asked them to leave the town as soon as possible.

"You understand, don't you?" Ripper said, standing awkwardly in front of their table. "Word will spread that Morgan's been defeated, and it won't be long before other Marine officers arrive to investigate. We don't want any trouble, especially with higher-ups. They may not look kindly on what's happened here, even if it was justified."

Luffy, unfazed as always, had simply grinned while shoveling more food into his mouth. "Yeah, I get it. Don't worry, we were planning to leave soon anyway."

Ripper, visibly relieved, had bowed slightly. "Thank you. The townspeople will always remember what you've done. And, as a gesture of our gratitude, we'll keep your names out of the official report."

By the afternoon, they were back on their boat, ready to head out on their next adventure. Some townspeople had gathered to load crates of fruits and supplies as a parting gift, prepared by Rika's mother, and others as a show of their gratitude.

One of the townsmen loading the crates looked at Luffy, who was humming to himself and clearly excited about the journey ahead. "You're taking this pretty well," the man remarked, raising an eyebrow. "Most people wouldn't be so chill after being asked to leave a town they just saved."

Luffy shrugged, still grinning. "It's not like we were planning to stay forever. Besides, there's so much more to see out there!"

Uta, who was adjusting the sails, chuckled, shaking her head. "Don't think about it too much. There are very few things that bother this guy."

Just then, a familiar small voice called out from the docks. "Big brother Luffy! Big sister Uta!"

They both turned to see Rika running toward them, her little arms waving excitedly. Behind her, more townspeople were gathering to say their goodbyes.

"Wait!" Rika called, finally reaching the edge of the dock, out of breath but smiling brightly. "I just wanted to say thank you… again. And… and I made something for you!" She held out a small charm, handmade from seashells, tied together with a simple string. "For good luck on your journey."

Luffy knelt down and took the charm with his usual wide grin. "Thanks, Rika! I'll keep this safe," he said, immediately tying it around his neck.

Uta smiled and ruffled the girl's hair. "Take care of your mom, okay?"

"I will!" Rika nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with emotion. "I promise! And when I get older, I'll be strong like you!"

Luffy and Uta shared a fond look before stepping back onto their boat.

"Alright, let's go!" Luffy shouted, pushing the boat off the dock.

As the boat drifted away from the shore, the townspeople waved and cheered, their voices carrying across the water. Rika stood at the very edge of the dock, waving with both hands, watching as her heroes sailed off into the horizon.

As Shells Town disappeared from view, Luffy and Uta shared a glance.

"It was a fun little adventure, huh?" Luffy said, smiling at her.

"Yeah," Uta grinned back. "Unexpected, but definitely fun."

Luffy leaned back, stretching his arms. "So, Uta, how about showing me the spoils from your mission?"

Uta's grin widened into something more mischievous. "Oh, I thought you'd never ask," she said with a teasing tone. "Come on, follow me." She led Luffy into the cabin of their boat, where she had stashed everything she'd acquired.

Inside, Luffy's eyes widened as he saw the haul: a pile of treasure, three Den Den Mushis, two sets of Marine uniforms, and a giant map of East Blue.

"Well done, Uta," Luffy said, sounding genuinely impressed. "You got quite the haul from Shells Town's Marine base."

"Thanks," Uta replied with a proud grin. "I had to make a few trips between the base and the boat, but it was definitely worth it."

"You're right," Luffy agreed, placing the treasure into his inventory, except for the map of East Blue, which he kept out for immediate use.

'Raphael, analyze the Den Den Mushi and integrate one of them with my smartphone,' Luffy instructed mentally.

<Notice: Understood. The process of analyzing and integrating Den Mushi with your smartphone has begun. Estimated time for completion - one week.>

Nodding to himself, Luffy spread the large map of East Blue on the table, looking at the various islands marked on it. "So, Uta, what do you think?" he asked, glancing at her. "Where should we go next?"

Uta leaned over, staring intently at the map for a moment. Her finger traced over a few locations before settling on a specific island. "I think we should go here," she said, tapping a spot. "It's the closest to where we are now."

"Are you sure?" Luffy asked, peering at the map.

"Yep," Uta nodded with confidence.

"Alright then," Luffy grinned, rolling up the map. "Let's set sail for Orange Town!"

To be continued...