NANI! I'm already in the New World???"
Ren and the others covered their ears, watching Luffy from a safe distance. Once Luffy finished his frantic outburst, Ren stepped in front of him and asked, "Done being shocked? Thought about what you're going to do next?"
"I'm going back to the Sabaody Archipelago!" Luffy looked at Ren with fierce determination, stating his intent without a second's hesitation.
It was an answer that left everyone speechless, but then again, since it was Luffy, it was perfectly logical. After all, he's just an idiot.
Ren pressed a hand down on Luffy's head, deciding to help him remember exactly why his companions had been forced to flee in the first place.
• "Fist of Justice!"
• "Hand of God!"
• "Justice Headbutt!"
• "Explosive Hammer!"
• "Hand of God · V!"
After a thorough drubbing, Luffy finally managed to recall why he was in this predicament.
"Dammit! Why do your punches hurt so much!" Luffy yelled, his face full of indignation. Under Ren's relentless "Goalkeeper Fists," all he wanted to know was what kind of power could actually bypass his rubber body and cause him pain.
"Want to know?"
"Yes!" Luffy's gaze was so firm he looked ready to take an oath.
"Very well. Then your training officially begins now!"
"Yes, Teacher!"
Behind them, Hina and the others shouted in unison: "Why did you two suddenly reach an agreement?!"
But no one was there to answer them. Ren picked up an unremarkable wooden stick from the ground. Under the infusion of his Haki, the ordinary branch turned pitch black.
"That's it!" Luffy's eyes widened, looking at Ren with pure anticipation.
"This power is called Haki!"
Over the next few minutes, Ren explained the mechanics of Haki in detail. However, after seeing the vacant purity in Luffy's eyes, Ren gave up.
"I'm a fool for trying to explain it with words."
"Huh? What? Are you done talking?" Luffy continued to look at him innocently.
The next moment, the wooden stick in Ren's hand expanded infinitely in Luffy's vision.
Duang~~
"AH!! IT HURTS!"
Accompanied by Luffy's pig-slaughtering screams, a ten-month-long training regime commenced.
"Wait! I have to let my friends know first!" Luffy suddenly remembered his crew and decided he needed to set a new rendezvous time.
"That might be tricky," Ren noted, rubbing his chin. Without the Paramount War, if Luffy appeared in the public eye now, Uncle Kizaru would likely just arrest him immediately. But if he didn't make a public appearance, he couldn't get a message across.
"So, what do you plan to do?" Ren asked.
"Shishishi! I don't know!"
"Don't know? Then don't think! Let me 'educate' that rubber body of yours!"
The next day.
Luffy was covered in lumps. While he was resting under the shade of a tree, Hina walked over holding a Den Den Mushi.
"Luffy, we just received a 'package' for you."
"A package?" Luffy reached out for the strange box Hina held. Inside was a unique Den Den Mushi.
"What's this?"
Luffy picked up the receiver and woke the snail. Instantly, Nami's voice crackled through: "Usopp! Did you really turn into a giant fat pig?!"
On the other end, Usopp—who had failed to control his appetite and ballooned in size—shouted back: "What do you know! I'm increasing my defense! With this much fat, who can hurt me?!"
"Hey, hey, what is this thing?" Zoro's voice joined in.
Soon, the voices of Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Brook, and Franky followed. Finally, it was Luffy's turn.
"Everyone! It's so good to hear you're all safe!"
"Luffy?!"
"Hey! Where the hell are you right now!"
"Did Luffy send these Den Den Mushis to us?"
"Impossible, does Luffy even have the brains for that?"
"Yo-ho-ho-ho~"
Everyone talked at once, but after the initial joy, Luffy's tone turned serious.
"Everyone, I've decided. Let's meet again at the Sabaody Archipelago in one year."
The crew fell into a rare silence. The experience of being effortlessly crushed by Kizaru had taught them their own weakness. Since Luffy had set the meeting for a year later, he clearly wanted everyone to grow stronger so they could truly sail freely.
So, the Straw Hat crew made a promise: See you in one year.
Unlike the original story, however, they now had Den Den Mushis. The crew would often gather for a group call after a day of training to chat and share their progress.
Usopp was currently the fastest-improving member, mainly because he started from such a low baseline. Within two months, Usopp claimed he was a "muscular stud" who could punch out an elephant.
Luffy, grinning despite his bruised face, said: "I can use Observation and Armed Haki proficiently now, and I've awakened my Conqueror's Haki. But... 'The Deceiver' says there are advanced ways to use them. He's starting those lessons in two days."
When mentioning "The Deceiver," Luffy lowered his voice significantly. The last time he had called Ren that to his face, Law had to perform emergency surgery all night to save him. But as a master of "seeking death," Luffy refused to reform and still called Ren that in private.
Kuraigana Island (Hawkeye's Kingdom).
When Zoro learned that Luffy had mastered two types of Haki and awakened Conqueror's, he felt a sudden surge of urgency. Unlike the original, Zoro hadn't officially become Hawkeye's apprentice. Though staying there, he spent most of his time self-leveling, having only heard of Haki through Ren.
After two months, his progress was poor. Observation was spotty at best, and he had no lead on Armed Haki.
"I can't go on like this!" Zoro looked toward Hawkeye's castle. "They say you learn fastest through battle? I have a pretty good opponent right here!" His gaze turned resolute.
Meanwhile, Sanji's situation was even worse than Zoro's. He hadn't learned a lick of Haki and was being forced to wear dresses while enjoying "unrestrained freedom."
But at this moment, Sanji ripped the dress off, his gaze determined. "No matter what's coming, I won't run anymore!"
However, faced with dozens of pairs of giant "flaming red lips," Sanji's biological instincts took over, and he bolted. "Dammit! Don't let my strength surpass you bastards!"
Stimulated by Luffy's progress, even Usopp's training became diligent. Aside from tending his seeds, he spent every waking moment practicing Haki.
Back with Ren's group, as Luffy was talking on the phone, a small girl behind him was squinting, observing him intensely.
Body that grows at will... a laugh that brings joy every day... there's no mistake. This guy is...