One Piece - A manga adaptation 2022

Chapter 2: They call him 'Straw hat Luffy'!

"Um are you okay? Are you hurt? After getting knocked around so much you must be-" "Hahahah! I'm fine, just a little surprised is all. My names Luffy! Where am I?" "This Island is the hideout of Iron Mace Alvida, the Lady Pirate. I'm Koby, her cabin boy." "I see.. well, none of that really matters to me." "Oh.." "You wouldn't happen to have a boat, would you? Mine got sucked into a giant whirlpool." "You got sucked into a giant WHIRLPOOL!?" "Yeah, it caught me by surprise!" "You're lucky to be alive! ..But if it's a dinghy you want, I have one.. sorta.." Koby takes Luffy further into the island, entering a forest, where on the forest floor stands a very shabby and poorly made boat. "What's this!? A coffin?" "I built it myself. It took me two years..." "Two years!? And you don't want it?" "I really don't need it anymore. I built it to escape from this place... But I don't have the courage to try it. I guess it's my fate to be a cabin boy for the rest of my life. But I once had a different dream." "Why don't you just escape?" "N-No way! Just thinking about what Alvida would do to me if she caught me makes my bladder weak..! I just can't risk it... I'll never forget that fateful day.. I just wanted to go fishing.. and I boarded a pirate ship by mistake. That was two years ago. In exchange for my life, I've been working as their cabin boy." "You're kinda clumsy and dumb. And your gutless too. You really are Worthless!" Luffy says with a laugh. "You don't have to be THAT frank.." Koby responds gloomily. "But you're right. I don't have the guts to float around at sea in a barrel like you.. Luffy, why did you go to sea anyway?" Luffy smiles big and replies "Well, ya see.. I'm gonna be THE KING OF THE PIRATES!!" "King of the Pirates!!? But.. you'd have to make the WHOLE WORLD kneel to you!!! Wealth, Fame, Power—You'de have to achieve it all!! Don't tell me you're after Gold Roger's lost treasure, the ONE PIECE!!? Do you want to die!? Every Pirate in the world is after that!" "And so am I." "But the odds against you are ASTRONOMICAL!? It's IMPOSSIBLE!! You want to be the king of the pirates in the golden age of piracy!? It'll never happen!! Hey! W-Why'd you hit me!?" "You were hysterical." Luffy says, holding out the fist he just used to punch Koby on the forehead. "Okay, I'm used to it. Heh heh heh.." "I'm not afraid to die, Koby!" "Huh!?" "I've set myself to become the king of the pirates.. And if I die trying.. then at least I tried!!" Luffy proclaims resolutely, grabbing the straw hat on his head. Koby looks at him with awe, 'What guts.. what determination!' "You're not even afraid to die?" "And I believe I'll succeed, too. Or am I just deluding myself..." Luffy mumbles to himself. 'I never looked at it like THAT before!!' Koby thinks. "Maybe.. I can be like that. If I'm willing to risk my life trying.." "Ha?" "Maybe it's possible! Do you think I can join THE NAVY!?" "The Navy!?" Luffy says in surprise. "We'll end up being enemies.. But I want to join the navy and fight the bad guys!! It's been my dream since I was a little kid!!" Koby shouts with tears welling up in his eyes. "Luffy! Do you think I can do it?" "How should I know?" Luffy deadpannes. "Well, I'm gonna do it!! What've I got to lose!? I don't wanna be a miserable cabin boy my whole life! Better to risk my life trying to achieve my dream! I'll join the Navy.. and then.. I'll capture ALVIDA!! Just then as Koby makes this promise Alvida comes storming through the trees and starts hacking away with her Mace, destroying Koby's boat. "WHO are you going to Capture, runt!" "AAAAAH My Boat!!" Koby cries. "You Little freak! Did you really think you could escape from me!? Is THAT the bounty hunter you hired? Well, he certainly isn't Roronoa Zoro.. So I'll give you ONE CHANCE to repent.. WHO is the FAIREST throughout all the seas? ANSWER ME!!" "Heh Heh heh.. Lady Alvida, you—" "Hey, Who's that tough looking old hag?" Luffy starts before Koby could finish and everyone's jaws drop, nobody has ever said that to Alvida before! "How Dare.." "No way!" the pirates exclaim. "Luffy!! Take it back! Throughout all the seas, Lady Alvida is.." Koby tries. "Lady Alvida is..." 'I'm gonna be King of the pirates.. And if I die trying.. then at least I tried!' "Lady Alvida is.. The UGLIEST OLD HAG of ALL!!" Koby shouts with all his might and courage, but that courage is short-lived as Alvida towers above him, shrouding him in her large shadow. Luffy however laughs at him. "You LITTLE--!!" Alvida screams. 'I said it and I won't take it back! No more cringing for me! From now on, I'll fight for my dreams!!' "EYAAAA! Luffy!!?" "Good for you, KOBY!" Luffy says getting ready for Alvida's attack. "It makes no difference to me..!!" She yells swinging her Mace at Luffy, hitting him straight on the head. But Luffy simply smirks. "That didn't hurt! Because I'm made of rubber!" "Impossible! No one survives my Iron Mace!!" "You've gotta be kidding me!" Alvida's Pirates yell as Luffy pulls back his arm "Gum-Gum.. PISTOL!" "What the-" But Alvida cannot finish her sentence as Luffy's arm stretches and punches her in the face so hard that she flies back a couple metres, landing hard on her back at the feet of her crew. "His arm stretched like Rubber..!?" "Captain!! He beat Lady Alvida! He's not human!!" They say. "Give Koby a Boat! He's gonna join the Navy!" Luffy says pointing a finger at Alvida's restless crew. "Y-Yessir.." "Luffy.." Koby cries as Luffy starts laughing. –

"You must have eaten the fruit of Gum.. Incredible!" Koby asks as they sail away from the island in the small boat gifted to them by Alvida's Pirates. "But Luffy, If you're going after the One Piece.. that means you'll have to enter the 'Grand Line'" "Yep!" "They call it the Pirates' Graveyard.." "That's why I'm assembling a Super Crew. That guy imprisoned at the Navy base.. what's his name?" "Roronoa Zoro!" "If he's a good guy, I'll let him join my crew!" Luffy says with a beaming smile. "Now you're talking crazy again! Never never never! That'll never happen! That guy's a demonic beast!" "How do YOU know!?" "NEVER!!"

And so the two young adventurers sail on towards the naval base and..destiny!