Chapter 8

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

(I've been grinding my works and updating as an apology gift for you readersHAHAHAHAH jk some are from my old draft and revised them)

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- Arrival Of A Rubbery Fellow

MC's POV:

Three years had passed since Ace, Sabo, and I formed our brotherly bond. We trained hard, dreamed big, and shared countless adventures. But today, our world was about to expand in a way none of us expected.

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It was another scorching day in the mountains. Sabo, Ace, and I were on our way back to Dadan's hideout after another successful day of scrounging and practicing our combat skills. We were discussing our plans for the future, a common topic among us.

"We'll need a strong ship," Sabo said, already planning the logistics of our pirate crew.

"And a strong crew," Ace added, his usual serious expression in place. "We can't conquer the Grand Line alone."

As we walked, a familiar high-pitched voice rang out from behind us. "Hey! Wait for me!"

We turned around to see a small boy with a straw hat running toward us. He was grinning from ear to ear, despite the dirt smeared across his face from falling over. It was Luffy, the kid who had been hanging around us for a while now.

Ace groaned. "Not him again."

Luffy finally caught up, panting slightly but still smiling. "I found you guys!"

Ace crossed his arms, glaring at the young boy. "What do you want, brat?"

Luffy stood tall, his eyes sparkling with determination. "I want to be a pirate! I'll be the Pirate King!"

Sabo chuckled, unable to resist the kid's enthusiasm. "Do you even know what that means?"

Luffy nodded furiously. "It means going on adventures and finding treasure!"

Ace scoffed. "It's not that simple, idiot. Pirates live dangerous lives. You could die."

Luffy's expression didn't falter. "I don't care! I'll still be the Pirate King!"

I couldn't help but smile at his stubbornness. "Well, that's a big dream, Luffy. But are you sure you're ready for it?"

Luffy puffed out his chest. "Of course! I'll prove it to you guys!"

Ace rolled his eyes. "As if. You're too weak."

Luffy's eyes narrowed. "I'll show you! Just watch!"

Sabo and I exchanged amused glances. This kid had spirit, that was for sure. But we knew Ace wasn't going to make it easy for him.

The three of us separated with sabo and headed to the mountain bandits/ Dadans Family "hideout"

As we reached the hideout, Luffy tried to stick close to us, clearly wanting to be part of our group. Dadan and the other bandits eyed him with suspicion, but they didn't turn him away. After all, he was just a kid, and not much of a threat.

Later, as we sat around eating, Luffy continued to talk about his dream of becoming the Pirate King. Ace, ever the skeptic, challenged him at every turn.

"You're all talk, kid," Ace said, stuffing his face with food. "You don't even have a crew."

Luffy grinned. "I'll have a crew! The best crew ever! And we'll find the One Piece!"

I chuckled. "You sure are confident."

Luffy nodded, then suddenly his face lit up as if he'd just remembered something. "Oh! I have a special power!"

We all looked at him curiously as he stood up and walked over to a nearby tree. "Gomu Gomu no... Pistol!" he shouted, stretching his arm out and punching the tree with incredible force.

Ace and Me stared, wide-eyed. "He's a Devil Fruit user," Ace muttered, clearly surprised.

Luffy turned back to us, beaming. "I'm a rubber man! I ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi!"

Ace smirked, trying to hide his shock. "So you're a freak, huh?"

Luffy laughed, seemingly unfazed by the comment. "Yeah! But being a freak is cool!"

I grinned. "You've got a point there."

That following I told sabo about what luffy showed us and he was amused/shocked about it.

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As days went on, it became clear that Luffy wasn't just some annoying kid tagging along.

'Well I already knew that as someone reincarnated but seeing him in real life as a kid I confirmed that luffy is very determined and had a big heart.' I thought

Even though Ace pretended not to care, I could see him slowly warming up to Luffy's persistent nature.

That evening, we sat around the campfire, Luffy still buzzing with energy. He looked at us with a serious expression, one we'd never seen on him before. "I want to be strong, like you guys," he said. "I want to protect my friends and make my dreams come true."

Ace glanced at him, then sighed. "You're not ready yet. But maybe one day, you can join us."

Luffy's face lit up. "Really?"

Sabo nodded, smiling. "Yeah, but you have to prove yourself first. We don't just let anyone in."

Luffy grinned widely. "I will! I'll show you guys!"

As the night went on, Luffy's infectious enthusiasm and unwavering determination began to win us over. Even Ace, who was usually the toughest nut to crack, seemed to soften around the kid. It was clear that Luffy was more than just a nuisance; he was someone special.

And as we sat there, under the starry sky, I felt a strange sense of excitement. Our little group was growing, and with it, our dreams were becoming more real. We were brothers, bound by a shared love for adventure and the sea.

Luffy might have been a handful, but he was our handful. And as I looked at him, I couldn't help but smile. This was just the beginning of our journey, and I couldn't wait to see where it would take us.

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