"Heavenly King, huh? That's a pretty cool title. Heh heh heh."
Luffy grinned from ear to ear, clearly delighted.
Becoming the Pirate King was his dream. And Lu En, the very first companion he'd found on this journey, not only believed in that dream—but even gave himself a title to match.
—"Detected increase in bond with trait host. Trait loading speed increased."
That familiar system notification blinked in front of Lu En's eyes. His gaze sparkled.
So it's true. Building bonds speeds up loading.
It was so… anime. But effective.
The loading bar on Superhuman Physique [Deep Purple] had jumped significantly. Even Sun God [Ultra Gold], which had barely budged before, had moved—if only slightly.
Lu En smirked.
Taking on the title of "Heavenly King" wasn't just for flair. It fit the world's aesthetic and his own background from Earth, yes—but it was also a test.
A test to see if his explanation could deepen the bond with Luffy.
And it worked.
Totally worth sounding a little over-the-top.
Lu En scanned the sky. No News Coo birds in sight.
But in the world of One Piece, they were always watching—and once the headlines dropped, he'd know if his name had made it onto the front page.
Especially with Conqueror's Haki involved… Morgans would absolutely bite.
Some readers joked that too many people in the New World had Conqueror's Haki, but if you actually counted? Fewer than twenty had confirmed it. And not all were active at the same time.
In truth, it was rare. And unmistakably a mark of kingship.
Those who awakened it could definitely master Armament and Observation Haki too. At the very least, Conqueror's users were Warlord-level by default.
An awakening in the East Blue? That was headline gold.
And now that Lu En had joined the protagonist's crew, backed by Luffy's Strong Connections [Special] trait, he didn't need to worry about retaliation or unwanted attention.
In fact, he welcomed it.
This world didn't reward humility. The true strong carved their names into history with blood and fire.
Look at Blackbeard. Hiding on Whitebeard's ship for decades had shrunk his ambition so much he nearly retired there—until fate dropped the Dark-Dark Fruit in his lap.
In the world of pirates, play the coward long enough, and you'll forget how to roar.
"Well, now that the big lady and her crew are down, let's go find a ship and get sailing again!"
Luffy looked around at the dozens of unconscious bodies on the deck, grinning widely.
SWOOSH! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions rocked the harbor. Cannonballs rained down from afar.
On the horizon, Navy warships were closing in fast.
"Oh great, Marines. Welp! We're pirates now, so time to run! Let's go, Lu En!"
"I'm on it," Lu En said calmly, lips curling into a faint smile.
As for Alvida's traits?
No thanks. Not interested in any ability that described her as "thicker than a wild boar."
"What a haul!"
Elsewhere, Nami let out a satisfied breath as she clutched a heavy sack of stolen treasure aboard a small skiff.
After emptying the Alvida Pirates' vault, she was already preparing to flee—especially now that the Navy was here.
WHOOSH! SPLASH!
Suddenly, a lifeboat launched from the merchant ship above, crashing into the sea with a spray of water.
"Eek!"
Nami raised her arms to shield herself, then peeked through wet lashes.
Two people were aboard the boat: a grinning boy in a straw hat, and… him.
Her eyes narrowed in surprise.
"You…!"
It was the man from the dance floor. The one who'd seemed too calm earlier.
"Looks like the little thief lady completed her mission," Lu En said with a smirk, eyeing her tight grip on the treasure bundle.
Nami instinctively hugged the bag closer.
"You know her?" Luffy asked.
"Met her once," Lu En replied smoothly.
"Well, no time for chitchat—Marines are on our tail!"
Luffy scrambled to adjust the sail.
"Until next time, Miss Thief. I'm Lu En."
Lu En offered one last glance, then turned their boat away from the warships. His Basic Navigation [White] trait kicked in, guiding them smoothly into the distance.
"…Lu En?"
Nami repeated the name quietly, watching them disappear beyond the waves.
Then she turned away as well, gripping her stolen fortune.
"Tch. The ocean's too big. No way we'll meet again."
"HAHAHA! That was amazing!"
Once they'd shaken the Marines, Luffy threw his head back in laughter.
"Oh right! That scary lady back there said something about a pirate hunter. You know who that is, Lu En?"
"I've heard of him," Lu En replied with a knowing grin.
"A powerful swordsman. People call him a beast wearing human skin."
"Whoa! Sounds strong!"
Luffy's eyes lit up.
"You interested in him?" Lu En asked, already knowing the answer.
With Koby—that annoying clown—removed from the equation, it was now up to Lu En to guide the narrative.
And honestly? He didn't mind.
"If I'm going to become the Pirate King, I need more strong crewmates. If that guy's good, I want to recruit him!"
Luffy flashed his signature toothy grin.
"Then let's go pay him a visit," Lu En said.
He pulled out a folded nautical chart.
"Last I heard, he's locked up in Shells Town."
He'd found the map back on the merchant ship, preparing for this exact moment.
"Alright! Let's set sail, Lu En!"
Luffy's enthusiasm was contagious.
Lu En's smile sharpened.
Roronoa Zoro.
The true backbone of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Let's see what kind of traits you've got hiding behind that sword.
Author's Note:
The bond with Luffy grows stronger, and a certain swordsman waits ahead. If you're enjoying the adventure so far, consider leaving a bookmark, a flower, or a comment—it keeps this story going strong!