"I only know that my name is Luffy."
Higuma stared at Luffy for a long moment, then suddenly laughed.
"Good. Good. Good."
He said it three times in a row.
"To think that in a tiny village like this, I'd run into someone from the D. clan."
"Looks like this trip wasn't a waste."
Luffy's guard shot up.
Higuma's attitude had changed.
From casual contempt… to seriousness.
No—not just seriousness.
There was greed in his eyes.
"Kid, come with me."
Higuma said.
"Where?"
"To my territory."
Higuma grinned.
"I'm very interested in you."
"With proper training, you might become a useful subordinate."
Luffy shook his head.
"I won't become a mountain bandit."
"That's not up to you."
Higuma waved his hand.
"Grab him!"
More than a dozen men immediately surrounded Luffy.
Luffy's eyes sharpened.
Run.
That was the only thought in his mind.
There was no way he could win head-on.
He had to run.
He spun around and bolted for the door.
"Trying to escape?"
One of the bandits blocked the exit, sneering as he reached out.
Luffy didn't slow down.
Just before colliding, he dropped his body low and slipped under the man's arm!
"What?!"
Before the bandit could react, Luffy had already dashed out of the tavern.
"After him!" Higuma roared.
They poured into the street.
Luffy sprinted through the village.
He was fast—at least twice as fast as three days ago.
But Higuma's men weren't weak either.
They were seasoned bandits, used to fighting and chasing. Strong, coordinated.
They split into three groups and flanked him from different directions.
Soon, Luffy found himself trapped in a narrow alley.
Men in front. Men behind.
"Go on, run. Why'd you stop?"
Higuma approached slowly, a smug smile on his face.
Luffy pressed his back against the wall, breathing hard.
His mind raced.
How do I get out?
Breaking through head-on was impossible.
So—
Suddenly, Luffy crouched and scooped up a handful of sand, flinging it forward!
"Ah! My eyes!"
The men in front were caught off guard, blinded.
Luffy seized the opening and charged.
But the men behind had already closed in.
A blade slashed toward his back!
Luffy sensed the danger.
He dove forward and rolled across the ground, barely avoiding the strike.
Before he could stand, another blade came down.
This time—
He couldn't dodge.
He raised his arm to block.
Clang!
The blade struck his forearm.
But the pain he expected never came.
Luffy looked down.
The edge of the sword had hit his arm… leaving only a faint white mark.
It hadn't even broken the skin.
"What?!"
The bandit holding the blade stared in disbelief.
The weapon wasn't legendary—but it was sharp enough.
How could it fail to cut a boy's arm?
Luffy froze for half a second—
Then I realized.
The Rubber Fruit.
His body was rubber.
Ordinary blades couldn't easily cut him.
"A Devil Fruit user?"
Higuma's voice came from behind.
He shoved his men aside and stepped forward, eyes blazing.
"Kid… you ate a Devil Fruit?"
Luffy didn't answer.
He slowly rose to his feet and took a fighting stance.
"Interesting. Very interesting."
Higuma licked his lips, gaze burning with desire.
A Devil Fruit user.
In a weak little village like this.
If he could capture this brat—
The value alone would be enormous.