Chapter 2 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Statue and the SwordsmanThe boat drifted toward the docks of Shells Town, the sun reflecting off the pristine white buildings of the Marine Base. I sat on the railing, my white hair catching the light like spun silver. Luffy was currently trying to eat a piece of the Sea Beast meat I'd pulled from the Infinite Ring, while Coby was shaking like a leaf."Silver! This meat is still warm!" Luffy cheered, his mouth full. "Your ring is a magic treasure!""It's just a thought, Luffy," I said, sliding my circular sunglasses up my nose. "In this world, if you can imagine it, you can make it real. That's the true power of a King."Coby looked at me, his eyes wide behind his glasses. "Silver-san... you talk like someone who has seen the whole world. But you're so young! And that punch... you didn't even use a devil fruit move, you just... hit it.""Strength is the foundation, Coby," I replied, looking toward the giant Marine cross in the center of town. "Everything else—the lasers, the ice—that's just the flair. Now, let's go find this 'Demon' Zoro."We found him. Roronoa Zoro was tied to a cross in the middle of the execution grounds, his body battered by the sun, yet his spirit felt like a sharpened blade. I could see the 'narrative' of his strength through my blue eyes. He was a beast waiting to be unleashed."Hey! You're in the way!" a snotty voice rang out.Helmeppo, the bowl-cut son of Captain Morgan, strutted into the yard with two guards. He looked at Zoro with a sneer, then turned his gaze toward me and Luffy. "Who are you peasants? This is a restricted area! Guards! Kick them out!"Luffy ignored him, walking straight up to Zoro. "Hey! Join my crew! I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!"Zoro let out a dry, raspy laugh. "A pirate? You've got to be kidding. I have my own dream to fulfill."Helmeppo turned red. "Ignore me, will you?! Guards! Execute them for trespassing! Ready... Aim!"A squad of ten Marines lined up, their rifles pointed directly at my chest and Luffy's head."Silver! Look out!" Coby screamed, diving for cover.Luffy didn't move. I didn't move. I simply stepped in front of my Captain, crossing my arms over my black jacket."FIRE!"BANG! BANG! BANG!Ten lead bullets streaked through the air. Helmeppo grinned, expecting a bloodbath. Instead, a series of metallic clinks echoed through the yard. The bullets didn't pierce me; they flattened against my chest as if I were made of solid diamond. They fell to the dirt, deformed and useless."What... what kind of monster are you?!" Helmeppo shrieked, falling onto his backside. "The bullets... they just stopped?!""I'm Monkey D. Silver," I said, my voice cold and calm. I reached out and caught one of the falling flattened bullets mid-air, crushing it into dust between my thumb and forefinger. "And I think your father needs a lesson in leadership."I looked at Zoro. The swordsman was staring at me, his eyes wide. He had seen many things, but a man who took a firing squad point-blank without a scratch was something else entirely."Hey, Zoro," I said, walking toward him. "If I get your swords back, you're in, right?""If you can do that... then sure," Zoro muttered. "I'd rather be a pirate than die in this hole."Captain 'Axe-Hand' Morgan was standing on the balcony of his tower, watching as I approached. He was a mountain of a man, his right arm replaced by a massive, blood-stained axe."You! The brat with the white hair!" Morgan roared. "I am the Great Captain Morgan! My word is law! Die!"He swung the massive axe down toward my skull. I didn't dodge. I didn't even raise my hand to block. I let the edge of the axe slam directly into the top of my head.SHATTER!The axe didn't cut me. Instead, the heavy steel blade snapped in half, the shards flying in every direction. Morgan stared at the broken handle in his hand, his brain failing to process what had just happened."My turn," I said.I didn't use heat vision. I didn't use frost. I simply delivered a flick of my finger to Morgan's forehead.BOOM!The air pressure from the flick sent the giant Marine flying backward, crashing through three stone walls before landing unconscious in the street below. The entire Marine base went silent."Captain... was defeated by a flick?!" a Marine whispered, dropping his rifle."Peace has returned to Shells Town," I announced, turning back toward the yard.I found Zoro's three swords in Morgan's office and tossed them down to the courtyard. Luffy was already untying the swordsman, grinning like a madman."ZORO! YOU'RE MY SECOND CREWMATE!" Luffy shouted.Zoro caught his blades, a dark smirk forming on his face. He looked at me, then at Luffy. "A Captain who's made of rubber, and a crewmate who's made of... whatever the hell you are. This is going to be an interesting journey.""Welcome to the crew, Zoro," I said, sliding my ring onto my finger. "I've got some Sea Beast steak waiting for you in the boat. You look like you need the protein."As we walked toward the docks, the townspeople began to cheer. Coby stayed behind to join the Marines, his dream finally in sight. But as we set sail, I looked at the horizon. The World Government would soon hear of a "Silver-Haired Monster" in the East Blue."Silver! Where to next?!" Luffy asked, standing on the prow of our small boat."There's a girl named Nami in Orange Town," I said, my Silver Age intuition whispering to me. "She's a great navigator. And I think she's currently being chased by a clown.""A CLOWN?!" Luffy's eyes sparkled. "I LOVE CLOWNS!"I laughed, the sun fueling my cells. The Monkey D. family had just become the most dangerous group in the ocean.