The Going Merry glided into the harbor of Mock Town, its worn hull creaking as it nestled beside warped docks. The sky above had cleared, revealing a burning sun that cast long shadows across the ramshackle buildings clustered like squat vultures around the coast. The harbor was alive with the chaos of unregulated piracy. Rough-looking men shouted orders. Crates thudded onto docks. Drunken laughter spilled from every open window.
Sailors argued over stolen treasure while others brawled just for sport. Broken bottles littered the edges of the wharf. A scent of salt, sweat, and liquor hung thick in the air, coating the senses like a second skin.
Usopp gulped at the sight. "This place… doesn't look friendly." His eyes darted nervously from one aggressive-looking pirate to another, each appearing ready to pick a fight for no reason at all.
Nami crossed her arms tightly. "Stay sharp. We're not here to start trouble, but this island reeks of it." She glanced around with wary eyes, already calculating the fastest escape routes in case things went south.
Luffy, seemingly immune to the tension, grinned. "Let's go see what's here!" He hopped off the ship with a carefree bounce, landing lightly and waving to a confused group of dockworkers who stared at him as if he were insane.
Zoro and Nami followed him down the gangplank, Zoro stretching lazily with one hand on his sword. Sanji, Chopper, and Usopp stayed behind briefly to secure the ship. Robin, silent as usual, walked calmly with her arms folded. Her eyes swept over the alleyways and rooftops, mind quietly assessing danger points. "Crude place," she thought. "But places like this tend to reveal valuable truths."
The town pulsed with disorder. Brawls broke out in the streets without warning. Vendors peddled stolen goods next to booths selling maps and fake treasures. Loud music, the clink of tankards, and the occasional explosion made it feel more like a war zone than a port. A man was thrown from a second-story window and landed in a cart of melons, to the casual laughter of a nearby crowd.
They entered a dusty tavern near the heart of the town. The wooden sign above it hung by a single nail, swinging in the breeze. Inside, the air was thick with tobacco smoke and the scent of unwashed pirates. A fight erupted in one corner while someone was thrown through a table in another. Patrons barely noticed the Straw Hats enter, too engrossed in drinking, gambling, and yelling over one another.
Luffy plopped down at a table and shouted, "MEAT!"
Zoro, unbothered, ordered sake. Nami sat with her back to the wall, eyes narrowed. "This place is worse than Loguetown." Her hand never strayed far from her baton.
A few rough-looking pirates at the bar elbowed each other and sneered. "Hey… aren't those the ones who Bellamy humiliated?" one of them said loudly, eyes gleaming with malicious amusement.
Luffy ignored them, still smiling. Nami's jaw tensed, a vein twitching in her temple. Zoro took a slow sip of sake but said nothing, though his eye flicked briefly toward the hecklers.
The mocking continued. "Heard they're chasing some Sky Island fantasy. What a joke!" a burly pirate jeered, slapping his knee. "I bet they believe in fairies too!" Laughter erupted from nearby tables.
One pirate swaggered over and, with a smirk, dumped a mug of beer over Luffy's head. The golden liquid dripped down his face, soaking his vest and straw hat.
The bar went dead silent.
Luffy wiped his face with his sleeve. His smile didn't fade. He didn't move.
"Oi…" Zoro muttered, placing his sake down gently. "You're really testing my patience."
But Luffy held up a hand. "Not worth it." His voice was calm, deliberate. A storm held back by willpower.
The crowd murmured. A few raised eyebrows. Some looked impressed. Others confused. The pirate who spilled the drink blinked, suddenly unsure of himself.
Robin leaned toward Nami and whispered, "It's working. Their restraint unnerves them."
Even the bartender, a burly older man with a scarred jaw and grizzled beard, paused while cleaning a glass. He glanced toward Luffy with curious eyes, as if seeing something familiar in his poise.
At that moment, the tavern door creaked open. The floorboards groaned under a heavy step. A breeze carried the faint scent of rum and gunpowder into the room.
A deep voice spoke, slow and heavy. "People's dreams… never end."
Everyone turned.
There stood Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard, a grin splitting his shadowed face. He stepped into the room, boots thudding against the wooden floor with purpose. The tavern seemed to shrink under his presence.
He took a seat not far from the Straw Hats, his coat brushing against the floor. The room, so loud before, now seemed to hold its breath.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, eyes gleaming beneath the shadow of his hat. "It's a shame when fools laugh at what they don't understand. Dreams… that's the treasure of every man."
Luffy's smile vanished. Zoro straightened, his grip on his sword tightening. Nami's eyes narrowed to slits.
Something about this man—his words, his presence—set off an alarm in all of them.
To be continued...
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