**Marine Branch 153, Goa Kingdom – East Blue**
**The morning after the roof talk**
The sun had barely cleared the horizon when the summons came.
A junior ensign knocked on the barracks door at 05:15 sharp—polite but urgent. "Instructor Hina requests the provisional squad in her office. Immediately."
Luffy was already awake, sitting cross-legged on his bunk eating the last of yesterday's meat buns. Usopp jolted upright, bandana askew. Nami groaned from under her blanket. Sanji lit a cigarette before his feet even hit the floor. Zoro grunted something unintelligible. Koby scrambled to fold his sheets perfectly.
They arrived in Hina's office in various states of readiness—Luffy barefoot and hat crooked, Usopp still rubbing sleep from his eyes, Nami tying her hair back as she walked.
Hina stood behind her desk, arms crossed, cigarette already lit. A red-sealed envelope lay in the center of the blotter like a warning.
"Close the door."
Koby did.
Hina gestured to the chairs.
"Sit."
They sat—six mismatched recruits facing one iron-willed instructor.
She tapped ash into the tray.
"East Blue Command has reviewed your Cocoyasi report. Arlong's capture. Zero civilian fatalities. Minimal collateral damage. The villagers' statements corroborate everything."
She paused.
A slow smoke ring drifted upward.
"You exceeded expectations. Again."
Luffy grinned.
"Thanks, Instructor Hina!"
She ignored him.
"The brass has decided you're no longer East Blue rookies. Effective immediately, Provisional Squad 153-Alpha is transferred."
She slid the red envelope forward.
"Loguetown first. Then Reverse Mountain. Then Paradise."
The room went still.
Nami's eyes widened fractionally.
Zoro's lips curved—just a hint.
Koby swallowed audibly.
Usopp's voice cracked.
"P-Paradise? As in… the Grand Line?"
Hina nodded once.
"Special evaluation unit. You'll assist in preliminary patrols and support larger operations. Report to Loguetown Marine Base within seven days. From there, you'll receive further orders at Reverse Mountain."
She looked at each of them in turn.
"This isn't a reward. It's a test. The Grand Line doesn't care about East Blue heroics. It will chew you up and spit you out if you're not ready."
Luffy leaned forward.
"But it's where the strongest guys are, right? And the biggest adventures? And probably the biggest meat?"
Hina exhaled slowly.
"Among other things."
Sanji's eyes suddenly sparkled—literally.
"Paradise… beautiful islands… exotic ingredients… and surely countless beautiful ladies waiting for a gentleman chef to sweep them off their feet~ ♥"
He spun once in his chair, hearts floating around his head, nose already trickling a thin line of blood.
"Mellorineeee~ The Grand Line is truly paradise in every sense~!"
Nami pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Focus, idiot."
Zoro snorted.
"He's gonna pass out before we even leave the dock."
Usopp stared at Sanji in horror.
"Is… is he okay?"
Koby whispered.
"It's just how he is."
Hina's eyebrow twitched.
"Contain yourself, Black Leg. Or I'll assign you to galley duty for the entire voyage."
Sanji froze mid-spin, hearts fading.
"Understood, ma'am," he said, suddenly serious—though a dreamy smile lingered.
Hina tapped the envelope.
"Departure in 48 hours. Larger transport ship will arrive tomorrow evening. Use the time to prepare. Pack light. The Grand Line doesn't tolerate excess baggage—physical or mental."
She stood.
"Dismissed."
They filed out—Sanji still humming dreamily about "exquisite Grand Line ladies," Usopp muttering "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die," Luffy bouncing like he'd just been told about a meat festival.
In the hallway, Luffy clapped Usopp on the back.
"Grand Line! Isn't it awesome?"
Usopp wheezed.
"Awesome? I'm gonna puke just thinking about Reverse Mountain!"
Nami glanced back at Hina's closed door.
"She didn't say it was optional."
Zoro smirked.
"Wouldn't matter. Luffy'd drag us anyway."
Luffy laughed.
"Yup!"
Sanji lit another cigarette, eyes still sparkling.
"I need to stock the galley. Special ingredients. Gourmet bentos for the beautiful ensigns we'll meet~ ♥"
Nami sighed.
"We're not running a dating service."
Sanji clutched his heart.
"But Nami-swan~ You wound me!"
She rolled her eyes and kept walking.
Koby hurried to catch up.
"I… I need to study Grand Line weather patterns. And currents. And sea kings. And—"
Luffy slung an arm around him.
"We'll figure it out together."
Koby smiled—small, determined.
"Yeah."
---
The next 48 hours passed in a blur of preparation.
Luffy helped load supplies—mostly by stretching to reach high crates until Hina appeared and ordered him to use a ladder.
Zoro sharpened his swords obsessively—every blade gleaming like liquid moonlight by the time he finished.
Nami spent hours in the chart room, updating her personal log pose maps with every rumor and scrap of intel she could gather about Paradise's first stretch.
Koby buried himself in textbooks—Grand Line navigation, meteorology, basic survival.
Sanji turned the kitchen into a war zone of efficiency—packing crates of dried meats, spices, rice, pickled vegetables, and "emergency sweets for the lovely ladies we'll undoubtedly meet~" (complete with little heart-shaped notes he wrote himself).
Usopp hovered between panic and usefulness.
He built a small sniper's nest on the barracks roof—testing range, windage, pellet types—until Zoro dragged him down for laps ("You're too skinny for the Grand Line. Run until you puke—then run more").
When the female logistics officer delivered extra ammunition crates, Sanji appeared like he'd teleported—eyes hearts, cigarette forgotten, bowing dramatically.
"Beautiful goddess of supply lines~! Allow this humble chef to prepare you a special lunch! Anything your heart desires—seafood risotto? Tangerine sorbet? My soul~?!"
The officer blinked, blushed, stammered thanks, and fled.
Nami appeared behind Sanji, arms crossed.
"You're going to get us court-martialed before we leave."
Sanji sighed dreamily.
"Worth it for a smile like that~"
Usopp stared.
"This is my life now, isn't it?"
Luffy laughed.
"Yup!"
The last night arrived.
They gathered on the barracks roof one final time—same circle, same stars, same quiet.
No big speeches.
Just talk.
Usopp clutched his tangerine.
"I keep thinking about Kaya. The village. What if—"
Nami cut him off gently.
"You'll write. We'll write. And if anyone threatens them again… we'll come back."
Sanji exhaled smoke.
"I'll send care packages. Proper food. None of that Navy slop."
Zoro grunted.
"We'll get stronger. Then no one will touch East Blue again."
Koby looked up at the stars.
"I never thought I'd leave East Blue. Not really."
Luffy leaned back on his hands.
"The Grand Line's big. Dangerous. Full of jerks who think they're the strongest."
He grinned.
"But we're gonna show them what real strength looks like."
Usopp rolled the tangerine between his fingers.
"I'm terrified."
Luffy looked at him.
"Me too. A little."
Usopp blinked.
"You?"
"Yeah. But that's okay. Scared means it matters."
He sat up.
"We're gonna see everything. Protect everything. Eat everything."
Sanji chuckled.
"And meet every beautiful lady from Reverse Mountain to Sabaody~ ♥"
Nami groaned.
Zoro snorted.
Koby smiled.
Usopp laughed—shaky, real.
"Yeah… okay."
The stars wheeled overhead.
The harbor lights glittered below.
And somewhere beyond the horizon, the Grand Line waited—wild, unpredictable, alive.
Dawn came soft and gold.
The transport ship was larger—proper bunks, a real galley, deck space for training.
Hina stood on the pier as they boarded—arms crossed, sunglasses reflecting the sunrise.
No salute.
Just one smoke ring drifting upward.
"Don't die," she said.
A pause.
"And don't disgrace East Blue."
Luffy saluted—sloppy but sincere.
"We won't!"
Sanji bowed dramatically toward a female ensign on the dock.
"Farewell, beautiful guardian of the pier~! I'll return with tales and gourmet treats~!"
The ensign blushed and hurried away.
Nami dragged Sanji aboard by the collar.
The ship pulled away slowly.
The six of them stood at the stern rail—watching Branch 153 shrink.
Usopp gripped the railing hard.
Luffy slung an arm around his shoulders.
"Scared?"
Usopp nodded.
"Terrified."
Luffy's grin was bright.
"Good. Means it's gonna be fun."
The East Blue horizon fell away behind them.
Ahead—nothing but open sea.
And the promise of everything.
To be continued…