The four aboard the Going Merry weren't truly united—they were simply bound by temporary, shared interests.

Luffy's goal was to recruit the other three as the founding members of the Straw Hat Pirates, then venture together into the Grand Line to pursue his dream.

But both Zoro and Nami had clearly refused him.

Zoro had set sail to challenge the world's greatest swordsman, Dracule "Hawk-Eye" Mihawk. He wasn't even interested in staying a bounty hunter for long—let alone becoming a pirate.

Besides his long-term goal of finding Mihawk, he had a short-term mission: to capture or kill Davy Jones.

He had watched Davy Jones' bounty rise from 25 million Berries to 50 million, and he knew that completing this job would give him breathing room to focus on gathering intel on Mihawk.

As for Nami, her rejection was deeply personal—rooted in her past.

Her childhood had been scarred by pirates. The nightmares they brought had never truly faded. The fact she hadn't already bashed Luffy over the head with a stick was, in her mind, a sign of great restraint.

Only Usopp was open to joining the crew.

His father, Yasopp, was a pirate—and even knew Luffy personally.

But Usopp had a condition: he would be the captain of the crew.

When it came to the position of captain, Luffy naturally wouldn't yield. And so, the would-be Straw Hats, still not quite a crew, sailed aboard the Going Merry, closing in on the Terror Ghost from behind.

"I'm going aboard," Zoro said as he tied his headband firmly in place—a signal that he was ready for battle.

Standing on the ship's railing, he studied the best spot to board the ghost ship.

Luffy sat cross-legged on the Merry's goat-head figurehead, pressing his straw hat down to keep the storm from blowing it away.

"Hey, Zoro," he called, "need a hand?"

"No," Zoro scoffed. "You're just going to use that as another excuse to make me join your pirate crew, aren't you?"

Over the journey, Zoro had seen Luffy's strength firsthand. He was certain this boy could be a comrade worth trusting.

If Luffy helped, capturing Davy Jones would certainly be easier.

Still, Zoro refused to give in so easily.

"Ehhh—" Luffy pouted, then suddenly clapped his hands together like he had an idea. "Alright! It's decided then! I'll help you get the bounty, and you'll become my crewmate!"

Zoro's face darkened with rage. "Hey! You don't get to decide that on your own!"

Luffy ignored him and turned to Nami and Usopp. "You two coming with us?"

"Don't ignore me!!" Zoro shouted behind him.

"I'm not going," Nami answered coldly, lowering her head and leaning against the railing.

Everyone was surprised.

Nami was usually obsessed with money—yet now, with a chance to split a 50-million-Berry bounty, she was acting completely indifferent?

Was she… scared?

They weren't entirely wrong.

Nami was afraid of Davy Jones—but not just because of his violent reputation. She also loathed his appearance.

Ever since seeing that bounty poster—his octopus-like head, his tentacles, his crab claws—she had been haunted by the resemblance to the Fish-Man Pirates that occupied her hometown, Cocoyasi Village.

Those Fish-Men had left scars that had never healed.

Luffy shrugged at Nami's refusal and looked to Usopp—only to see Usopp shaking his head frantically.

No way.

That nightmarish black ship had haunted his dreams, and now it was right in front of him. No chance he'd willingly step aboard.

Especially knowing the ship housed monsters like the Deep Sea Reaper Davy Jones, "Iron Mace" Alvida, "Clown" Buggy, and likely now the infamous schemer Kuro as well.

The Terror Ghost was a den of demons—and Usopp's long nose trembled at the mere thought of it.

He clutched his chest dramatically. "No can do. I've got a condition… If I board that black ship, I'll have a heart attack! Sorry, I'm out!"

Since both Nami and Usopp refused, Luffy didn't press them. He turned to the black ship ahead.

"Hey, Luffy!" Zoro called, still trying to protest. "I never agreed to let you—wait, why are you grabbing me?!"

Luffy, a Devil Fruit user who had eaten the Gomu Gomu no Mi—at least that's what he claimed—had a rubber-like body that could stretch at will.

He had extended his left arm like a rope, coiling it tightly around Zoro's waist. Then he grinned.

Zoro's stomach sank. He looked over to see that Luffy's right arm had already stretched far across the gap—wrapped around the mast of the black ship.

"Luffy… you're not thinking—"

"Zoro, let's goooo!"

With a cheerful shout, Luffy's arms retracted like a slingshot. The force launched the two into the air, and they soared over the sea, landing right onto the Terror Phantom's deck.

Thud!

Luffy landed perfectly on his feet.

Zoro, however, smashed face-first into the deck.

"Oops. Sorry, Zoro. Lost control a little."

"I'm going to kill you…"

Zoro, knowing the dangers aboard this ship, didn't waste time arguing. He got to his feet, cursing under his breath—just in time to come face to face with Davy Jones and his crew.

The rain was beginning to lighten.

"An impressive entrance…" Davy Jones said, drawing a long-stemmed pipe from his coat and beginning to pack it with tobacco. His storm-gray eyes narrowed.

"You remind me of two troublesome fools. If it were them arriving like this, I wouldn't be surprised."

He took a puff, as if lost in memory.

Alvida and Buggy both glanced at him, curious, but seeing the captain didn't intend to elaborate, they returned their focus to the two unexpected visitors.

Kuro remained disinterested.

He was still mentally replaying his earlier fight with Krieg—his claws had failed to pierce Krieg's armor, and the thought bothered him deeply.

If I had another chance—fully prepared—I could've killed him.

He was already planning several ways to kill Krieg in his head… But clearly, Krieg had already been defeated by the captain. There'd be no second chance.

Zoro now stood opposite the four foes. From Usopp's descriptions, he had expected Kuro to be present—so he wasn't surprised.

Shing!

He drew all three of his swords in a single fluid motion. The blades rang with anticipation.

He took his iconic Three-Sword Style stance—one blade gripped in each hand, the third held between his teeth. Just that posture was enough to make Alvida and Buggy shudder.

Zoro.

Roronoa Zoro.

It had to be him.

His stance was so iconic, they recognized him instantly.

And with that, they didn't need to guess why he was here.

A bounty hunter, this deep in their territory? The reason was obvious.

Kuro, too, snapped out of his thoughts. Adjusting his glasses, he muttered:

"Great. Another troublesome pest."

Only Davy Jones remained unfazed, still puffing his pipe.

"Davy Jones," Zoro said, his voice muffled slightly by the sword in his mouth, "I'm here to claim your bounty."

The bounty notice was clear—bringing Davy Jones in, dead or alive, to a Navy base would net 50 million Berries.

And if everything went smoothly, he could also claim the underground black market reward.

Clean and dirty money—a massive haul either way.

At those words, Davy Jones finally emerged from his memories. He studied Zoro's posture, then looked to the boy in the straw hat beside him.

Their eyes met.

Zoro frowned. He didn't mind being ignored—but knowing Luffy's usual personality, he worried the idiot might blurt out something like:

"Hey, Mr. Octopus! Wanna join my crew?"

But to his surprise—Luffy was dead silent.

Zoro turned—and was shocked to see a serious expression on Luffy's face, one he had never seen before.

"My name is Monkey D. Luffy," the boy said firmly to Davy Jones. "I'm the man who's going to become the King of the Pirates."

Zoro, who had heard this line countless times, didn't react. But Alvida, Buggy, even Kuro all stared in astonishment.

Did he know what he was saying?

Did he understand what it meant to become the Pirate King?

But Luffy hadn't said it for them.

His eyes remained locked on Davy Jones. His instincts—wild and animal-like—screamed at him:

This octopus-faced man… would be a future rival.

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