Chapter 3

Disclaimer: This is my first fic, so I admit that I probably went overboard by having Luffy unlock Haki in the first chapter, but I don't plan to change that. Also, I just wanted to mention that characters with backstories that allow me to make them stronger than in canon will be stronger in this fic, for example: Crocodile, Arlong, Gecko Moria, etc. Characters who are already strong will be even stronger as well, for example: Big Mom, Kaido, etc. 

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East Blue 

Somewhere on the sea, six days away from Dawn Island 

At the speed his boat had been moving for six days, it was safe to say that Luffy was already far from home. During this time, aside from chatting with Chico when they stopped to rest, he spent his time training his body using a Sea Stone bracelet and refining and increasing his control and power over the three forms of Haki. 

With not much else to do, Luffy also took a look at the two manuals on Haki and Rokushiki that he had obtained with Shanks' help. Although they weren't of much use to him in the end, as he already had a solid idea of how to train Haki and Rokushiki, they would be quite useful for his future crew. 

The Haki manual seemed to have been personally written by Shanks and his crew, describing their own experiences and tips on how to train the three types of Haki, as well as discussing various applications useful outside of combat, especially involving Observation Haki. 

The Rokushiki manual described in detail, step by step, how to train and execute the Six Powers along with the Seventh Power: "Rokuogan." 

The Rokushiki techniques Luffy wanted to learn and master were: Soru, Geppo, Rankyaku, and Shigan. 

= Scene Break = 

Chico was pulling the boat at a steady pace while Luffy sat on his head, observing the vastness of the sea around them. 

Suddenly, in the distance, they spotted a large archipelago of islands scattered far apart. Deciding to stop to stretch his legs and resupply the boat, Luffy patted Chico's head and said "Buddy, let's stop at the next island to resupply." 

After docking at the city's port, attracting a lot of attention due to the Sea King pulling the boat, Luffy first untied Chico so he could go hunt or explore, and then he started walking towards the city center. 

What he didn't notice or didn't care about was that a few people were following him. 

Every part of the city looked like it had come straight out of an Old West tale. Walking down the dirt roads, surrounded by saloons, hardware stores, stables, and people dressed like they were in the Old West, Luffy, distracted, bumped into someone "Ow!" 

"Shishishi, sorry about that, I wasn't paying attention ", Luffy said as he extended a hand to the girl he had accidentally knocked over. 

"It's okay, I guess", the girl said, grabbing his hand and getting up. 

"I think this is yours", Luffy said, handing her a cracked pocket watch that she had dropped while getting up. 

"Oh, thanks a lot, I don't know what I'd do if I lost this." 

"No problem, no problem. By the way, my name's Luffy, and yours?" 

"Oh, nice to meet you, my name is Maria, and sorry to ask, but are you from one of the villages outside the city?" 

"No, I'm not. I just arrived on this island. By the way, could you tell me the name of this archipelago?" 

"The archipelago is called the Americas, and you're on Old-Town Island, but more importantly, you should leave as soon as possible before—", she responded, worried, before being interrupted by someone addressing her. 

"Little Maria, who's your friend? I've never seen his face around these parts", a tall, burly man dressed as a sheriff with a large, full mustache said with his hands on his waist, holding his belt. 

"Ahh, hi Sheriff Jerson, he's from—" 

"Hi, Mustache Man, my name is Monkey D. Luffy. I just arrived on the island", Luffy interrupted her, waving his hand. 

"...Sigh... so you're from out of town", he turned to Maria and said "Maria, you know the rules. If you get into trouble, I won't be able to save you this time." 

"I know, Sheriff, but don't worry, Luffy here is leaving soon, right?", she said, and then elbowed Luffy to prompt him to answer the question. 

"Yep, I just need to resupply my boat, and then I'll be off", Luffy confirmed. 

"That's right, and while he's on the island, I'll hide him at my place. They won't even notice he was here, so relax." 

"...Sigh... just be careful, okay?", Sheriff Jerson said before moving on. 

After the sheriff left, Maria turned to Luffy and said "Come on, you can hide at my place. Give me the money, and I'll buy the supplies you need, then you can leave." 

"Ohh, you were serious when you said you were going to hide me at your place?" 

"Of course, they can't know you're here." 

"But I want to explore the town, and I'm pretty strong, so it's no problem", Luffy said, pouting. 

"Just come on, quickly." 

Grumbling, Luffy followed her. When they reached Maria's house, a wooden cabin on the edge of town, she invited Luffy inside. 

The house was simple but cozy, with a wooden table, rustic chairs, and a fireplace. 

"Sit down, Luffy. I'll make some coffee and fix some snacks." 

Luffy sat at the table and looked around, noticing several photos of Maria, a few years younger, and who he assumed were her parents. 

Maria sat down after placing a plate full of sandwiches and a freshly brewed coffee pot on the table along with two cups. Luffy wasted no time and started devouring the sandwiches one after another. 

While eating, he looked at Maria and asked "So, what's going on on this island?" 

Maria sighed and began to explain. A few years ago, a gang of gunmen led by a man named Lampião invaded the town, looted all the residents, and overthrew the local government, taking control of the town and, by extension, the island. Since then, they've ruled with an iron fist, charging exorbitant fees and oppressing the residents. Those who opposed them eventually ended up as examples for the others. 

"My parents were among the first to stand up to Lampião and his gang, only to be killed by Lampião in front of me. I only survived because Sheriff Jerson managed to convince Lampião not to kill me", she said, tears welling up in her eyes. 

"All I have left of them is this house and this pocket watch that belonged to my father, but it's beyond repair now after Lampião stepped on it." 

All this time, Luffy listened silently, his hat covering his eyes. Anyone who knew Luffy would have noticed that he was clearly angry. 

"And even after all that, you don't hesitate to risk yourself to help someone you barely know?" 

"Well, you seem like a nice guy, and besides, I wouldn't be able to look my parents in the eye if I spent the rest of my life with my head down, just taking orders from my oppressors", she said, wiping her tears and looking at Luffy with fire in her eyes. 

Luffy smiled inwardly, thinking 'Shishishi, the flame of freedom burns strong in this girl.' 

As they were talking, the door of the cabin was kicked open by a group of four armed men. They were Lampião's henchmen, dressed in leather outfits and cowboy hats, all with menacing expressions. 

"Brat, you've got some debts to settle with the boss", one of the men said, moving forward to drag her by the arm. 

Luffy quickly stepped in front of Maria, blocking the man's path. 

"Going somewhere, Cowboy?" 

"You're the one who docked at the port earlier, right? Just pay the island entry fee and stay out of this, and we won't have any problems with you." 

"Oh, well, then we're gonna have a problem because I didn't bring my wallet with me. It ruins my silhouette." 

The patience of the man closest to them seemed to run out as he drew a revolver and pointed it at Luffy's head, saying "Here's the deal, punk. If you don't want to start breathing through your forehead from now on, I suggest you stand aside and stay quiet." 

"Ooh, so scary, look how scared I am", Luffy said, raising his hand and pretending to tremble. He then smiled at the man and pressed his forehead against the revolver. 

"I'm a bit lost; could you perhaps tell me where your boss is?" 

"I'm tired of this crap", one of the men said, drawing a revolver. 

Realizing he'd have to ask more politely, Luffy quickly deflected the gun pointed at his forehead to the side with his left arm and hooked the man's arm. 

By reflex, the man fired the revolver, hitting a chair. Luffy then pulled the man's arm upwards, breaking his elbow and causing him to drop the gun. With another quick movement of his right arm, Luffy struck the man's throat with the area between his thumb and index finger. 

As the man fell to the ground, choking and gasping for air, Luffy quickly moved on to the next one, taking him down with a powerful and precise kick to the balls, knocking the man out instantly. 

The remaining two stood side by side, starting to aim their guns at him, but Luffy didn't give them the chance. He dashed forward, jumped, and delivered a flying kick that struck both men square in the face, sending them flying out of the house at a dizzying speed, crashing through the wall and only stopping after hitting some trees. 

After checking to see if they were conscious, Luffy walked over to the man he had kicked in the balls. 

He crouched down and started slapping the man's face to wake him up, and even after the man woke up, Luffy continued to slap him. 

"Ughhh, you son of a—" the man groaned in pain, no longer able to feel his legs. 

"Good morning, sunshine," Luffy said, finally stopping the slaps. 

"How about you tell me where your boss is?" 

"Ughhh, go to hell, I'm not telling you anything." 

"Hmmm, you know, have you ever heard of testicular torsion? It's when your testicle gets twisted. They say the pain is so sharp and intense, it's like having a hot knife plunged into you. And if it's not untwisted quickly, you'll have to amputate the testicle. So, wanna give it a try?" 

"Ughhh, no thanks, I'll pass. The boss is always at the saloon in the town square. Now leave me alone." 

"Sure, how about a little nap now?", without giving the man time to respond, Luffy landed a punch on his face, knocking him out cold. 

"Ehhh, sorry about the mess", Luffy said, glancing at the destruction he had caused. 

"Ehhh, it's fine, but you kinda didn't need to threaten the guy since everyone knows where Lampião usually hangs out", she said, picking up the chair that had been knocked over by the gunshot. 

"So my whole Batman performance was for nothing?" 

"Batman?" 

"Yeah, you know, the Dark Knight, the world's greatest detective, founding member of the Justice League", he said as if it were obvious. 

"Never heard of him." 

"Well, I'll tell you about him later, but for now, you go find Big Moustache and stay with him while I handle things with Lamparina." 

"But I want to help, and he has a lot of men. If you go alone, they'll kill you", Maria said, worried. 

"And a ten-year-old brat is going to make a huge difference? Look, if you really want to help, then stay safe with Big Moustache", Luffy said, raising his eyebrows. 

"Hey, I can help!", she said, puffing out her cheeks. 

Luffy just stared at her for a moment until she gave in "Fine, fine, but you'd better come back alive." 

"Don't worry, and I already told you, I'm pretty strong. After all, nothing less is expected from the man who will be the King of the Pirates", Luffy said, ruffling her hair. 

They then went their separate ways, Maria hurrying to get help from Sheriff Jerson, and Luffy heading off to confront Lampião. 

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(AN: 1,985 Words) 

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