Big Brother Teaches You Some Skills! (3/5)

Kingdom of Goa, Mount Colbo

"Luffy! Are you planning to skip eating today, kid?"

A fierce, commanding female voice boomed across the mountainside.

Luffy turned around, digging into his nostrils with a cheeky grin. "I'm here~ So, what's on the menu today?"

Dadan, the towering bandit leader, was about to rattle off today's recipe when she suddenly froze, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Hey, Dadan, what's up with you?" Luffy waved his hand in front of her face, but she remained unresponsive.

Without waiting for an answer, Luffy shrugged and dashed into the house, "Doesn't matter! I'm starving~ I'll just help myself to the food!"

Just as he was about to step away, Dadan snapped out of her daze, grabbed Luffy by the neck, and yanked him back.

"You idiot! Look who's here!" she exclaimed, turning his head to face the unexpected visitor.

Luffy, ever the rubber man, let his neck twist unnaturally until his sleepy eyes finally focused. Suddenly, his expression lit up.

"Finn! You're back!"

With a joyful shout, Luffy lunged at Finn, embracing him like a bear cub.

Finn laughed, ruffling Luffy's hair. "Haha, my little brother! Surprised to see me?"

"Finn, you and Ace have been gone for a whole year! I wanted to go out to sea too, but Dadan kept saying I'm too young." Luffy's tone dipped with a hint of frustration.

Dadan, arms crossed, approached them. "So, you're back, huh?"

"Yes, Mama Dadan, did you miss me?" Finn teased, knowing the gruff woman's soft side.

Though Dadan rarely showed warmth, Finn had known her long enough to understand she had a heart of gold beneath that tough exterior.

"Miss you? Hmph! More like I missed the peace and quiet," she retorted, grabbing both Finn and Luffy by their collars. "Now get inside! You're both sharing Luffy's meal."

Once inside, Finn snapped his fingers, and the room was suddenly filled with goods and treasures.

"What the hell is this?!" Dadan jumped back, eyes wide in shock.

Finn chuckled. "Relax, Mama Dadan. It's my Devil Fruit ability. I can summon items from anywhere. These are gifts from my travels!"

"Whoa! Finn, you ate a Devil Fruit too?" Luffy asked, eyes sparkling.

"Duh! Didn't I just show you?" Finn replied, flicking Luffy on the forehead, a familiar gesture that made Luffy wince and grin at the same time.

"Finn," Dadan said, her voice unusually soft. "Are you planning to take Luffy away this time?"

Finn paused, glancing at Dadan's conflicted expression. Though she tried to sound indifferent, he could sense her reluctance. She had taken care of them for years, treating Luffy, Ace, and him like her own sons.

"Uh... Luffy," Finn began, "Grandpa wants to know if you'd consider becoming a Marine with me."

"No way!" Luffy shot back, crossing his arms defiantly. "My dream is to become the Pirate King! I'm not giving that up for anything!"

Finn sighed, shaking his head. He knew Luffy's resolve was unbreakable, especially after meeting Shanks, the man who had ignited that dream.

"Alright, alright," Finn relented. "I'll just tell Grandpa I couldn't convince you."

Dadan, with her usual grumpy expression, served them a hearty meal. "Eat up, boys. Can't have you starving before your next adventure."

As they ate, Dadan suddenly remembered something. "Oh, Finn, that girl Kuina has come looking for you several times. I told her you were off training to become a Marine."

"Kuina…" Finn's expression shifted, recalling the strong-willed girl from Shimotsuki Village. According to the original timeline, Kuina was supposed to die tragically in a freak accident, but Finn had vowed to change that fate.

Years ago, when he was still a kid, Finn had frequently visited Shimotsuki Village under the pretext of learning swordsmanship. There, he became close friends with Kuina and a certain green-haired swordsman-in-training, Zoro.

Finn had made a pact with them: he would be the referee for every duel between Kuina and Zoro, a promise that bound the trio in brotherhood.

On the night of their 2001st duel, after Zoro lost once again, Kuina had confided in Finn her fears of never becoming the world's greatest swordsman due to her being a girl.

In that emotional moment, Finn hugged Kuina and encouraged her, reigniting her fighting spirit.

The next day, Finn arrived early at the dojo, just in time to witness the moment Kuina would've fallen down the stairs. But this time, Finn intervened, catching her before she hit the ground.

Unfortunately, the impact knocked him unconscious for two days, but Kuina was unharmed.

When he finally woke up, he found Kuina watching over him, her eyes red from worry.

Since then, her gaze had softened whenever she looked at him—a silent acknowledgment of their bond.

"Oi! Did you mess things up with that girl, and now you're just running away?" Dadan barked, smacking Finn on the back of the head, breaking his train of thought.

"Ouch! No way, Mama Dadan! I'm not that kind of guy!" Finn laughed, waving his hands in defense. "She probably just missed me. I'll pay her a visit later."

"Finn, you're always chasing girls. It's boring," Luffy grumbled, shaking his head. "Ace, Sabo, and I never bothered with that. We were the Iron Brothers, remember?"

Finn smiled faintly, knowing that Sabo was still alive, despite what Luffy believed. But that truth could wait for another day.

"Alright, squirt," Finn said, turning serious. "After dinner, come outside. I've got some new skills to teach you. You'll need them if you really want to be King of the Pirates."

Luffy's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Really? Alright, let's go!"