Chapter 14: The Straw Hat Pirates are officially established!

The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm, pleasant light over the grounds of the 153rd Navy Branch Base. The breeze was gentle, the air was fresh, and the day seemed almost idyllic—except for the strange gathering taking place in the middle of the open space.

Akane, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami stood together, having just looted Captain Morgan's treasury. The remnants of Zoro's former crucifixion had been discreetly dismantled by the now-liberated navy soldiers, who had also filled in the hole in the wall left by Akane's earlier display of power.

Zoro and Akane both grinned at the sight of the cleaned-up area, but Nami was less than pleased, her arms crossed and a look of frustration on her face.

"Seriously? Why did we have to give so much money to the navy?" she grumbled. "Don't they get enough from the World Government already? That was 5 million berries!!! And you didn't even offer it to me!!!"

Her irritation was clear, and she muttered her discontent under her breath, though it was loud enough for Akane to hear.

Akane turned to her with a calm smile. "It's just 5 million berries, Nami. No need to stress over it."

"Just 5 million berries?" Nami repeated, incredulous.

"Look at us," Akane continued. "With a team like ours, we can easily make hundreds of millions wherever we go. Besides, the lieutenant here is a native of Shells Town. I trust he'll use the money wisely for the people."

He looked around at the now-busy navy soldiers with a satisfied expression. "Don't you think it's worth spending a little to bring some comfort to the residents of Shells Town?"

Nami pouted, crossing her arms tighter. "I don't think so! 5 million berries could've been put to much better use!"

But as she watched Akane's back, her irritation faded into something more complex. Despite herself, she was surprised by this crew—especially by Akane. 

'Pirates giving away money? What kind of strange people have I gotten mixed up with?'

...

"Alright, now that we've got our crew together, it's time for a proper introduction," Akane announced, bringing the group to the center of the open space. He wasn't about to let Luffy and Zoro start brawling just yet. First, he needed to get everyone on the same page.

Luffy, ever the enthusiastic leader, immediately raised his hand in agreement. "Introduce ourselves? Great idea! I'll go first!"

Akane smiled, knowing this was the response he was aiming for. "As the leader of our crew, Luffy, you should definitely start us off!"

"Hehe, no problem!" Luffy grinned, proudly adjusting his straw hat as he stepped forward.

"My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and my dream is to become the freest Pirate King in the world!" he declared confidently. "I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit, so I'm a rubber man. My body can stretch and bend just like rubber!"

To demonstrate, Luffy grabbed his own mouth and stretched it out to an absurd length, grinning widely at the stunned faces of Zoro and Nami.

Zoro was the first to snap out of his shock, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Wait a minute! If your power is just turning your body into rubber, then what was that insane speed you showed before? It was like you teleported!"

Zoro, still relatively inexperienced in the grand scheme of the world, struggled to grasp what he had witnessed. Luffy, however, shrugged it off nonchalantly.

"Oh, that? It's one of the six special fighting techniques called the Navy Six Styles that Akane taught me. The move I used is called Shave. It lets me move at super high speeds!"

Akane interrupted with a chuckle. "Correction, Luffy—it's not something I invented. The Navy Six Styles are common combat techniques in the navy. I just happen to know a little about them."

He smiled at Zoro, sensing the swordsman's curiosity. "After all, I'm a trainer."

"Trainer?" Zoro repeated, finally seizing the opportunity to ask what had been on his mind. "What exactly does that mean?"

"That's a long story," Akane replied with a grin. "But I suppose it's my turn to introduce myself."

He took a step forward, his tone more relaxed. "As you all know, I'm the vice-captain of this pirate crew. I don't have any grand dreams—just going with the flow and seeing where life takes me. But I am a trainer."

He paused for effect, letting the title sink in. "A trainer's role is to help others grow stronger, sometimes even granting them incredible abilities. Like this..."

Akane raised his hand, and the primal energy within him surged. Behind him, rocks materialized out of thin air, floating for a moment before he let them crumble to the ground, where they quickly vanished.

"See? Trainers can grant all kinds of amazing powers," Akane explained, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "But of course, it takes time and effort to unlock that potential."

Nami, her eyes wide with surprise, couldn't help but interject. "How is that even possible? Is it some kind of Devil Fruit ability?"

"Not exactly," Akane replied, his smile mysterious. "But you can think of it that way for now. Under my guidance, even someone like you, Nami, who isn't particularly skilled in combat, can become a top-tier fighter capable of taking on any opponent."

Nami blinked in disbelief, pointing to herself. "You're saying I could get powers like that?"

"Absolutely," Akane answered without hesitation. "After all, I'm a trainer."

He emphasized the word once more, as if trying to plant the idea firmly in everyone's minds. In truth, Akane believed this might be the key to unlocking their potential and bringing them into the game world.

Before Nami could press him for more details, Akane clapped his hands. "Alright! The specifics are a bit complicated, so we'll let time answer your questions. For now, Zoro, you're up."

Zoro, who had been quietly processing everything, snapped out of his thoughts. "Uh, right."

Compared to the grand displays of Luffy and Akane, Zoro's introduction was straightforward and sincere. He repeated his usual statement about his dream of becoming the world's greatest swordsman, a goal he had no intention of compromising.

When Zoro finished, all eyes turned to Nami. She hesitated, feeling unexpectedly nervous under their gazes. But something about Akane's earlier actions—giving money to the townspeople—tugged at her, and she decided to be honest, at least to some degree.

"My name is Nami," she began, her voice steady. "I'm a thief who specializes in stealing from pirates. And just so we're clear, I'm not the expert navigator you're looking for. I just know a little about sailing."

Like Akane and Luffy, Nami kept some details to herself. She still wasn't sure what to make of this group, and if things went south, she needed an escape plan. Besides, the cash and treasures they had looted were too tempting to leave behind.

But even as she tried to downplay her skills, she noticed the confident look on Zoro's face, as if he had nothing to hide. It made her feel slightly out of place, but there was no turning back now.

With introductions out of the way, Akane turned back to Luffy, a satisfied smile on his face. "So, Luffy, what do you think? Didn't I tell you that Shells Town would be worth the stop? You've gained two excellent crew members, and you're one step closer to becoming the Pirate King."

Luffy's grin widened as he laughed heartily. "Hahaha! It's all thanks to you, Akane! I knew following your lead was the right choice!"

Akane chuckled along with him, then turned to a navy soldier who had been lingering nearby. "Hey, you there!"

The soldier flinched, clearly still shaken by Akane's earlier display of power. "Y-Yes, sir?"

"Relax, there's no need to be so nervous," Akane reassured him. "You have a camera here, right? Go grab it and take a picture of us."

The soldier blinked, confused. "A...picture? Here?"

"Of course!" Akane patted Luffy on the shoulder, a wide grin on his face. "Today marks the official formation of the Straw Hat Pirates! We need to capture this historic moment."

"Right, Luffy?" he added.

"That's right!" Luffy nodded enthusiastically, clapping his hands together. "As expected, Akane, you always think of everything!"

"Wait, hold on!" Nami suddenly interjected, her eyes wide with alarm. "You want us to take a picture? Here? At a naval base?"

"And why not?" Akane asked, still calm and collected.

Nami grabbed her hair in frustration. "Because it's a huge problem! You're pirates! How can pirates take a group photo in front of a naval base?!"

Akane's smile remained unfazed.

He glanced over his shoulder, seeing the navy soldier scurrying off to fetch the camera equipment. Patting Nami on the shoulder, he added, "Don't worry so much. This is a special occasion."

Nami watched in disbelief as Akane and Luffy began searching for the best spot to pose for the picture, their excitement building. Her own anxiety grew with each passing second.

'Pirates taking photos at a naval base?' she thought, incredulous. 'If this gets out, it'll be a huge insult to the Marines! They'll hunt us down for sure!'

The more she thought about it, the more she saw her life flashing before her eyes—constantly on the run, always looking over her shoulder. 

At that moment, she finally understood why Akane had called them a pirate crew.

Desperate for a sane voice in the madness, Nami turned to Zoro, hoping he would see reason. To her surprise, Zoro noticed her distress and nodded in acknowledgment.

"Don't worry, Nami," Zoro said, his tone surprisingly reliable. "I understand your concerns."

Nami's heart lifted slightly as she waited for him to speak up.

Then, under Nami's hopeful gaze, Zoro waved to Akane and Luffy. "Hey! Don't just think about yourselves! You should also take care of Nami!"

'That's right!' Nami thought, relief washing over her. 'Maybe Zoro's the normal one after all!'

But then Zoro continued, "Nami's a girl, after all. You can't just use warships and cannons as a backdrop! I think that flower bed over there would be perfect, especially with the Navy logo in the background!"

Nami's eye twitched. "Never mind. He's crazy too..."

She slumped in defeat as Akane and Luffy excitedly agreed with Zoro's suggestion, oblivious to the storm of emotions raging inside her.

'These guys...not a single one of them is normal!'