One Piece:I am King Luffy!

Ken walked awkwardly out of the newly-built villa, saying, "Don't get the wrong idea. I only kept Bellemere company because I didn't want her feeling lonely."

"Come on in. So, what kind of 'adventure' are you kids talking about?" Bellemere sighed.

"Hehe, Bellemere tried to do something naughty with Ken, and we caught her!" Nami taunted, swaggering into the living room and flopping onto the couch.

"Yes, yes. I just wanted to thank him, but he wasn't up to the task," Bellemere retorted, sipping from a wine glass.

"You're admitting it!" Uta exclaimed in disbelief, amazed by Bellemere's boldness.

"For safety's sake, we only toured the nearby islands, checking if anything was amiss," Nami reported.

"We're powered by a Sea King, so supplies aren't an issue. But if we run into pirates or are attacked, we still need to think through how to handle it…" Nami continued.

"That's true. Sailing isn't like traveling on land. Having a Sea King helps a lot, but some challenges are unavoidable," Bellemere agreed.

"Let Bellemere teach you what to do in those situations!" Bellemere said confidently.

Don't let her retirement fool you; even a former Marine like Bellemere could still impress these kids.

"When I was young…" Bellemere began, swirling her wine and launching into stories from her Marine days.

Every person's life could be read like an extraordinary book. What seemed ordinary to her was thrilling to her listeners.

She shared tales of fighting through storms, narrowly surviving on battlefields, and even once encountering a colossal sea monster that capsized a battleship.

Luffy listened intently, his knowledge of maritime adventure growing with each story.

The ocean was unlike the land, and aiming cannons on rolling waves made accurate shooting a challenge. Long-range shots from upwind could overshoot, while downwind shots would often drop into the water. The sweet spot for accuracy was about two hundred yards, but Bellemere estimated that with the strange, advanced tech of this world, they might reach around three hundred meters.

Luffy snapped himself out of his thoughts before his mind spiraled into a 'curse of knowledge' moment.

After telling stories all evening, Bellemere finally looked at the kids, who were dozing off on the couch with peaceful expressions. She smiled, carrying each one to their rooms.

With the house's expansion, there were plenty of rooms now, so no one had to share. Luffy and Uta each had their own rooms as well.

The next day, Nami was eager for more adventure.

"Bellemere, come help us out! Nami's navigation skills are really strong now!" Nami said, grabbing Bellemere's hand.

"Uh…"

"Don't worry, Luffy can just give you a raise! Hiring a professional Marine to guide us isn't cheap, you know," Nami grinned.

Bellemere reluctantly agreed, letting herself be dragged to the shore.

"Bellemere, heading out to sea with the kids?" Doctor Nakao asked.

"Yeah, I still worry about whether they're ready for the ocean," Bellemere replied, letting Nami lead her to the dock.

Some workers were going in and out of the ship, tools in hand, modifying the hull.

"What's going on?" Nami asked.

"For safety, I hired some workers to install safety locks," Luffy explained.

The locks were made of iron chains with loops that could be fastened around one's waist, allowing for free movement on the ship without the risk of being thrown overboard. For lighter use, there was also a rope-based harness option.

"Oh, that makes sense…"

Bellemere noticed a few orange trees on board, likely transplanted by Nami or Nojiko.

Once the workers finished, Nami shouted, "Set sail!"

The voice-controlled ship slowly moved forward.

The ship's speed was far beyond that of a typical sail-powered battleship.

"This Sea King can go even faster, I bet," Bellemere speculated.

"It's amazing. I used to dream of a huge sea creature pulling a ship… it feels surreal," Bellemere said, watching the giant shadow beneath the waves.

Chains hung tautly into the water, pulled so tight they looked almost eerie.

"Uta, have you ever seen a pirate ship cannon fight?" Nami asked Uta, who was recording the sea scenery with her camera.

"Of course!" Uta replied proudly, placing a hand on her chest. "On the Red Force, I often saw lowly pirates try to fire at us. Shanks would just block their cannonballs, making the whole ship shake, but I'd sleep soundly. It wasn't scary at all…"

Bellemere smiled. Uta was indeed protected by her crewmates like a princess… a pirate princess.

In Bellemere's memories, sea battles were anything but thrilling. Cannonballs would tear through ships, Marines would scramble to put out fires, and some would lose limbs, with blood and debris thrown skyward. It was a deadly dance, far from exciting.

Lighting a cigarette, Bellemere glanced over at Luffy, who sat near the edge of the ship. He looked powerful yet relaxed, leaning against the wall, his sword resting on his shoulder, dressed in a loose red shirt and black pants. His shirt was unbuttoned just enough to reveal a hint of his muscular chest, exuding an aura of cool nonchalance.

"What's Luffy doing?" Bellemere asked as she leaned over.

"Meditating."

Luffy's battles with Arlong had ended five months ago, but each time he reviewed them in his mind, he discovered new things to work on.

He wanted his combat to be decisive and lethal, eliminating enemies rather than just defeating them. Simply knocking them out wouldn't cut it; with their incredible resilience, they'd recover and fight again. Killing was the only way to end things definitively.

When he fought Arlong, he used Haki-imbued bullets to take down several Fish-Man officers before engaging in close combat with his sword. His King's Blade cut through opponents, but he often sensed a slight resistance against their tough flesh.

While he had to stay focused in battle, without overreaching for more attacks, he still managed to land critical blows. Most Fish-Men bore numerous injuries rather than fatal wounds. It was only those he chased to the ship or into the sea that he truly killed.

Real battles were different from training.

Luffy was pleased that there was still room for him to grow.

With everyone on board, Nami directed the Sea King to venture a bit further from the coast.

Bellemere inspected the ship, offering advice on things Nami, as a rookie sailor, might overlook.

"Take down the Marine flag. Use something else or go without," Bellemere advised.

"Our ship doesn't have cannons, and if pirates spot the Marine symbol, they might see it as a threat. In case of an attack, we'd be at a disadvantage…"

"With a different flag, pirates might mistake us for a civilian or merchant ship. Typically, they'll fire a warning shot, then board to plunder. It's a scenario that Luffy can handle more easily."

"So, we need a new symbol. What should we use?" Uta asked, excited.

"Luffy's a good artist," Nami said, smiling.

"Alright," Luffy replied, sketching out a design of a straw hat atop an orange tree.

With their new flag raised, the ship glided through the sea.

"It's been so long since I sailed. This breeze feels incredible," Bellemere said, savoring the gentle wind.

Watching Bellemere and Uta with their hair flowing, Nami thought they looked beautiful and glanced at her own short hair.

"Bellemere, I want to grow my hair long too!" Nami declared.

"Sure, I'll teach you how to braid it when it grows out," Uta laughed.

"Uta has so much hair; she can style it in lots of ways," Nami said enviously.

Uta took off her headset, and her silky hair flowed down to her waist.

"Wow, that's amazing!"

"Alright, Nami. A navigator should keep an eye on the helm and look out for storms…" Bellemere patted her shoulder.

"Moo-moo knows to avoid danger on his own," Nami replied with a grin.

At that moment, the ship tilted violently.

Bellemere's instincts kicked in as she grabbed the girls' hands, quickly fastening safety harnesses on them.

"What's happening, Bellemere?" Nami asked, alarmed.

The Sea King, Moo-moo, surfaced, bellowing in pain—a dragon-like creature had bitten into one of his flippers.

Because Moo-moo was pulling the ship, he couldn't defend himself and was caught off guard by another giant sea beast.

Luffy grabbed his sword and dashed to the bow.

The attacker resembled a Plesiosaur, with horns on its head adorned with a pirate insignia.

This beast, too, was tamed.

A shabby-looking pirate ship was perched on the sea dragon's back, where a pirate stood at the bow, laughing at them.

"Didn't expect you to know how to tame Sea Kings, too! But your Sea King is no match for my dragon. This ship is mine now!" the pirate bellowed.

"A ship like this is worthy of a true Pirate General!"

"A sea dragon!" Bellemere exclaimed, gripping the railing tightly.

The ship rocked as the two sea beasts clashed. Though the dragon had a longer neck, Moo-moo was much larger overall.

"Get it, Moo-moo! Fight back!"

Sword in hand, Luffy jumped onto Moo-moo's back

Only "Moo Moo" held onto the chain.

"You pesky creature!"

Luffy gripped his sword, his gaze hardening as a wave of invisible energy burst toward the Sea Dragon.

The fierce Sea Dragon trembled and immediately loosened its hold.

"Moo Moo, fight back for me!"

With his sword drawn, Luffy leapt down, landing on the sea cow's back.

Following his command, Moo Moo submerged once more, allowing the ship to settle on the water's surface. Extending its clawed hand, it seized the Sea Dragon's head, and with a furious gleam, Moo Moo opened its jaw filled with sharp teeth, clamping down on the dragon's neck.

Blood splattered.

Its grip tightened on the Sea Dragon's neck, refusing to let it retract its head.

In a clash where size equals strength, these two terrifying beasts fought viciously. Moo Moo quickly overpowered the Sea Dragon, which was nearly half its size, and it had an advantage—arms that could act as formidable claws.

The waves tossed the ship, making it sway in the water.

Luffy dashed across Moo Moo's back, swiftly closing in on the Sea Dragon. With a thrust, he drove his sword into the back of the dragon's neck, leaving a trail of fire.

"You're finished!"

The pirate on the ship, apparently well adapted to the tumultuous environment, maintained his balance as he retaliated against Luffy.

The armor on his back, which appeared like a cape, was actually an external exoskeleton. The contraption spread open, revealing crab-like pincers equipped with blades and even cannons embedded within.

He looked like a crab-man hybrid from afar.

"Cinder Flame!"

Luffy swung his sword, unleashing a fiery, sweeping slash that sent embers scattering. The technique was typically a punch but could be adapted for a sword.

The scorching blade wind cut through the air, instantly slicing the pirate cleanly in two.

Luffy landed on the pirate ship.

There were more than twenty men on board.

"General Strong-Sack… General Strong-

Sack has been defeated!"

The pirates clung to one another in terror, staring at the young boy in disbelief.

"D-Don't panic, he's just one kid!"

A flash of his blade passed, and silence fell over the ship.

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