Chapter 3: Breaking Fate
On the passenger ship, a tense silence hung in the air. The only sound was the occasional, muffled sob of a terrified passenger.
Everyone sat frozen—hostages under the control of the notorious Alvida Pirates. The scene resembled a bank robbery from an old action movie.
Alvida swaggered across the deck, swinging her massive iron mace with smug satisfaction. Her crew ran amok, looting food, wine, and jewelry to carry back to their ship. Everything was running like a well-oiled machine—this was just another routine plundering for them.
Alvida, in a disturbingly good mood, even had the leisure to entertain herself. She began interrogating hostages, demanding answers to the question she loved most:
"Who's the most beautiful woman in the world?"
One after another, the frightened passengers stammered out her name, rehearsed and robotic.
Her ugly laughter echoed across the deck.
Then—something shifted.
The air suddenly turned thick. Oppressive.
People began gasping for breath. Even Alvida, mid-laugh, stopped and instinctively turned toward the source of the pressure.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps echoed on the deck—each step landing like a hammer on their hearts. Every tap grew louder, closer… heavier.
Sweat dripped down Alvida's face. Her grip on her mace tightened.
Tap.
The sound stopped.
Then he appeared.
Straw hat. Red vest. Blue shorts. Sandals.
A medium build—around 175 cm. Skinny. His face? Completely average. And yet… somehow impossibly captivating. His plain features twisted into an allure that charmed all living beings.
He didn't need to look like an ikemen. He just was.
Women blushed. Men went stiff with awe. Nobody could meet his eyes. His presence was overwhelming, crushing their will without saying a word.
Alvida's face turned red—part attraction, part fear.
"Y-You… brat! Who the hell are you?!" she snapped, trying to hide her trembling voice behind forced anger.
Luffy turned toward her and blinked. Then frowned.
"…Ugly."
The word slipped out of his mouth before he could stop himself.
Compared to her 2D version, the real-life Alvida was a true 3D abomination.
The crowd held their breath.
Alvida's face drained of color.
"W-What did you just say?!"
But Luffy was already distracted. He looked around at the crowd, all mesmerized by his aura, and smirked.
The Freedom concept was truly terrifying. He had subconsciously set it to eliminate "low presence" and "underestimation." Coupled with a dash of Willpower, it felt stronger than Conqueror's Haki. No one dared look down on him—even though he looked like a kid recovering from malnourishment.
"Concepts really are scary…" he muttered.
His gaze swept the crowd, scanning. "Nami's not here… hmm. She must be on Alvida's ship stealing treasure."
Suddenly, a scream rang out:
"BE CAREFUL!!!"
A large iron mace came crashing toward his face, Alvida roaring in fury behind it.
"BRAT!! YOU DESERVE TO DIE!!!"
BANG.
The weapon slammed directly into Luffy's skull.
But…
There was no blood. No broken bones. No cracked skull.
Nothing.
He didn't even flinch.
He looked at her calmly and muttered, "So this is what 'free from injury' feels like… it's less painful than a mosquito bite."
Alvida's face turned pale.
She screamed and swung again. And again. And again.
Each time, her iron mace struck him with full force.
Each time, Luffy didn't react.
The crowd stared, mouths wide open. Their fear was slowly being replaced by awe.
The infamous Alvida—with a bounty of 5 million—was powerless against this mysterious young man.
Finally, Alvida stopped, panting.
She took a shaky step back, her eyes filled with horror.
"…Are you… a Devil Fruit user?" she asked, voice trembling.
Luffy didn't answer immediately. Just moments ago, he'd been experimenting with his Freedom ability and accidentally saw something deeper—her fate.
His concept could even shatter fate's chains. And so, he did just that.
He smiled.
Alvida blushed involuntarily—again—and in that moment, Luffy struck.
He delivered a slow, soft punch to her face.
It looked almost gentle.
But Alvida's eyes widened in horror. She couldn't dodge. Couldn't defend. Couldn't even react.
THUD.
Her face caved in.
Teeth flew.
Then her head.
Then her entire body.
SPLASH.
She was sent flying off the ship, crashing into the ocean like a sack of garbage.
Her fate had been broken.
The Slippery-Slip fruit would never reach her hands. From now on, she'd be nothing more than a failed side character—just like Coby.
Luffy blinked and smiled again.
He even saw where the fruit ended up. It was on a small island not far from here—a hidden stash where Alvida kept her treasures. She'd been planning to eat the fruit only if forced to. But now? She wouldn't get the chance.
As he turned, the remaining pirates were already tossing food, loot, and weapons aside in a panic. Faces pale, limbs trembling.
"RUN!!"
"HE TOOK DOWN ALVIDA—WE STAND NO CHANCE!!"
Like rats abandoning ship, they dove into the sea, trying to escape the monster in human skin.
Luffy chuckled. "Smart."
But he didn't bother chasing them.
He could already sense a Marine warship approaching in the distance. They'd be captured soon enough—even Alvida.
"My lord… thank you…"
The ship's captain approached, bowing low.
Luffy simply smiled.
It was a faint, casual smile—and it made half the women aboard shriek in adoration.
Before anyone could say another word…
Poof.
He vanished.
Elsewhere—Alvida's Hidden Lair
Gold. Jewelry. Berries.
Stacks upon stacks of treasure were piled high in a secret cave.
Luffy appeared in the middle of it all, stretching.
"Didn't expect her to be this rich…"
His eyes scanned the room—until they landed on a strange box tucked in the corner.
"There it is."
He opened it.
Inside sat a pink, spiral-shaped Devil Fruit. Hideous as expected.
With a casual flick, he tossed it into the air—and the black hole above his palm absorbed it.
[Shed]
Luffy grinned as the new concept settled into his soul.
"Interesting. Shed mediocrity… shed ugliness, shed poverty, shed bad luck… Damn, it's not even that much weaker than Freedom."
He loaded up the largest sack of treasure he could carry and slung it over his shoulder with ease.
"Now then… time to find Nami."
He had already spotted her earlier—sneaking around the enemy ship while he was 'fighting' Alvida.
Thanks to his freedom over space, getting to her was as easy as blinking, as long as he register her facial features.
Poof.
He vanished...