Chapter 1: Can I Not Transmigrate?
My name is Chen Yu, a mediocre yet super handsome guy from 21st-century Huaxia. If the facts weren't staring me in the face, I would never have believed I'd actually freaking transmigrate... "Kid."
"Wake up, kid."
A rough shout reached Chen Yu's ears. A moment later, Chen Yu's body twitched, and he frantically clutched his right leg.
"Dammit, kid, what the hell are you doing? Do you have any idea how much you scared me?"
Another familiar rough voice reached Chen Yu's ears, but this time Chen Yu was annoyed. He shot a glare toward the source of the sound and snapped, "You bastard, didn't you see I was in a car accident?"
Before he could finish, Chen Yu, still clutching his leg, suddenly froze. He realized the surroundings were not the place where that idiot driver had sent him flying.
Chen Yu: "???"
"Humph! It seems you've remembered what happened." A short old man stepped out from the white mist ahead, holding a massive Pencil nearly 1.2 meters long. The old man was half a head shorter than the Pencil.
Hmm... at most one meter tall, definitely no taller.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Chen Yu set aside his previous annoyance. Realizing he didn't feel any discomfort, he asked politely, "Elder, who might you be? And where is this place? Why am I here?"
In truth, Chen Yu was panicking. He remembered clearly walking on the road when a car suddenly veered out and crashed directly into his right leg.
He remembered his right leg being completely pressed against the front of the car, which meant it must have broken into at least three pieces; otherwise, it couldn't have bent into such an arc. Then came his outburst of cursing followed by the sensation of free-falling. He vaguely heard a piercing honk and the driver who hit him say, "Ah, I didn't see him," before quickly losing consciousness without feeling any pain.
"I am the World Consciousness of the Pirate King."
"You are quite lucky. You happen to be a Pirate King fan I randomly summoned from Earth."
"And next, I will arrange for you to enter the world of the Pirate King to begin your new life."
The short old man smoothed his long, white beard and spoke calmly.
But why did such a calm tone still sound so rough?
Chen Yu: "What the f**k???"
"Say that again?? What do you mean I'm lucky??" "I... &...^"
"I just won over ten million in the lottery yesterday, and I would've had several million after taxes. You just summoned me here like this?"
"I just graduated from university, I've kept myself clean, and I haven't even started enjoying life yet. You want me to switch to another world? The World Consciousness of the Pirate King??? Screw you!"
"Go back! Send me back right now!!!"
Where could be safer than Huaxia? An ordinary guy like me who hasn't even killed a chicken, going to the Pirate King world to be cannon fodder?? Chen Yu roared inwardly.
Although Chen Yu usually fantasized about transmigrating and having a harem, he was genuinely terrified now. He didn't know how to make salt or understand the history. Without a Golden Finger, who knew how many days he'd survive? Especially in the Pirate King world. Even though he was a fan, he had only watched the anime once, not very closely, and it hadn't even finished yet!
Seeing Chen Yu's frantic state, the old man didn't get angry. He gave him a meaningful look and said, "It's not impossible to send you back, but are you sure? I recall someone being hit by two cars. The first was okay, but the second was a cement truck that ran right over him."
"Tsk tsk tsk, that scene was quite spectacular!"
"Besides, I'm not sure if you could even come back to life if I sent you back. After all, you were completely crushed, scattered all over the ground!"
Chen Yu: "..."
"Twice? Who are you kidding! You think I'm..." Before he could finish, Chen Yu fell silent.
Twice? So that piercing honk and the reason his mind went blank before he even hit the ground was because... So, I can't go back. Chen Yu quickly adjusted his mindset. Moreover, this old man technically saved him. Now, there were only two paths: one was to follow the old man's wishes and enter the so-called Pirate King world; the other... well, better not mention it.
"Phew!" Chen Yu swept away his previous dejection, took a deep breath, and stood up.
Since there was only one path, why bother overthinking it! Based on a preliminary judgment, this old man must have paid a price to bring me here, and it probably wasn't a small one; otherwise, he wouldn't be wasting his breath prattling on with me.
Secondly, whether this old man is truly the World Consciousness of the Pirate King is debatable, but it's certain he has some real power. I just don't know if he'll be my Golden Finger.
Finally, no matter who this old man is, he has been negotiating with me from the start. That means he needs something from me.
Seeing Chen Yu suddenly look like a different person, the old man remained expressionless, as if everything was within his expectations. Chen Yu noted this but showed no outward sign. In his previous life, he didn't have many outstanding traits; his only strength was his powerful adaptability and ability to regulate his emotions.
Although Chen Yu's initial performance was a bit pathetic, any other person his age wouldn't necessarily have done better.
"What do I get for going to the Pirate King world?" Chen Yu puffed out his chest, narrowed his eyes, and looked down at the old man in a cold, grim tone.
"Kid, you're still a bit green. Put that act away." The old man waved his hand. Clearly, Chen Yu's plan had failed; the old man wasn't buying it. What Chen Yu didn't know was that the old man already knew exactly what kind of person he was the moment he summoned him.
"I won't waste any more words. Go to the Pirate King world and do whatever you want, as long as you have the ability."
"And, I will give you a Mera Mera no Mi, exactly the same as the original one. That is to say, there will be two Mera Mera no Mis in the Pirate King world. Don't ask about anything else, and I advise you not to waste your efforts."
Speaking of the Mera Mera no Mi, the old man seemed to get more excited, muttering to himself.
Chen Yu didn't catch much, but one sentence was crystal clear: "Dammit, Oda knows jack shit about the Mera Mera no Mi; he's just a manga artist!!!"
Hearing this, Chen Yu became thoughtful, and his uneasy heart finally settled down.
"Send me over."
The Pencil in the old man's hand emitted a white light. With a wave toward Chen Yu, Chen Yu vanished from the spot.Chapter 2: Two Years
Feeling his mind go blank once more, Chen Yu shook his head quickly and slapped his cheeks hard with both hands, trying to wake himself up quickly.
The world of the Pirate King was never a safe place. Having recovered slightly, Chen Yu called out to the old man a few times. After receiving no response, he quickly surveyed his surroundings. He found himself in a dense forest, and nearby were two wooden beer barrels large enough to fit a person inside with room to spare.
Having initially scouted the area, Chen Yu spotted an unknown giant tree. Relying on instinct, he climbed up in a few nimble movements. Sitting on a branch and leaning against the trunk, he meticulously organized the information in his mind.
Original Host: Ducati Sak
Age: 16
Experience: Born into a pirate family in the East Blue, he underwent rigorous training from a young age. By the age of one, his physical fitness was already on par with an adult pirate. Not long ago, his parents and their pirate crew were wiped out by the East Blue overlord, Krieg... After reviewing the information in his mind, Chen Yu was speechless. It was currently the year 1519, and Krieg was aggressively recruiting to prepare for entering the Grand Line. Luffy would set sail in about two years. So, was he really about to play out a 'follow-the-ship' plotline? Meet Krieg, kill his enemies with his own hands, and then explore the path to becoming king with a group of chuunibyou teenagers???
Chen Yu hadn't decided which faction to join yet. As for going solo, he hadn't even considered it. To be a stubborn lone wolf in another world was just like lighting a lamp in a latrine—looking for death.
In fact, Chen Yu was more inclined to become a Marine. Although he'd be restricted by those 'pigs,' compared to being a pirate or joining the Revolutionary Army, being a Marine allowed one to grow stronger openly. Moreover, in the early stages, the Marines were the strongest; there was no doubt about that.
If he became a pirate, he would have to join the Straw Hat crew. They were the only ones worth entrusting himself to.
As for becoming a Revolutionary, Chen Yu was the most reluctant. It wasn't that he was biased against the Revolutionary Army, but anyone who had studied history knew that revolutionaries either succeeded or died for their cause. Although destiny favored Luffy, and the leader of the Revolutionary Army was Dragon—the protagonist's powerful father—it was exhausting. Just look at Koala, waiting alone in her room. Revolutionaries needed enlightenment and resolve; as a young virgin, he didn't want to remain chaste for another lifetime.
Since he was here, he needed a wife, right? He needed strength, right? At the very least, he couldn't let himself be bullied.
"!!!"
Speaking of strength, Chen Yu suddenly remembered he had a starter gift pack. He immediately stood up from the tree trunk and patted himself down. Hmm... a bit of a foolish, useless effort.
He even made himself feel speechless. If it were really on his person, how could he have not felt it this whole time?
After a brief moment of senile-like confusion, he summoned his brain back to action. He leaped down and ran to the place where he had seen the beer barrels. There had been a small wooden box there just now, clearly the same model as the one containing Shanks' 'protagonist fruit.'
"Creak~"
The sound of a box opening rang out, revealing an orange-red fruit with flame-like patterns and a very high-quality texture.
Heavy and succulent, it made Chen Yu salivate just looking at it.
Does it really taste like shit??
In his past life, he was very curious about how bad a Devil Fruit actually tasted, but he was also curious about what shit tasted like—he just never went through with trying it.
Now, Chen Yu held the Mera Mera no Mi in one hand and rubbed his chin with the other, contemplating whether or not to eat it.
"Ahem," Chen Yu cleared his throat.
The Mera Mera no Mi was actually incredibly powerful. Setting aside Logia intangibility, just the fire manipulation alone was a power countless chuunibyou teenagers dreamed of. Besides, fire should be used creatively. In his past life, he was truly speechless at how Ace used it. Why did the Mera Mera no Mi have to be used as a 'Fire Fist,' a technique that seemed none too bright?
Fire has no physical form. If you insist on using a Fire Fist to clash head-on with a magma fist, it'd be a miracle if you won.
While Ace's death was somewhat inexplicable—not ruling out that Oda did it to buff Luffy—the power of the Mera Mera no Mi was unquestionable.
In the world of the Pirate King, he wouldn't consider science too much (as it wouldn't hold up to scrutiny), but he could draw on many things from his past life.
Fire... for now, he wouldn't consider whether plasma existed in this world, but the laws of combustion should be roughly the same. If he ate the Mera Mera no Mi, he would develop it in two directions: temperature and fire types.
Chen Yu was rapidly organizing his thoughts.
The Mera Mera no Mi was, simply put, the ability to control and transform into fire. In his past life, fire—leaving everything else aside—could reach thousands of degrees just with acetylene and oxy-acetylene flames, some even reaching four or five thousand degrees. And what was the temperature of Akainu's magma? 1500°C? Or 1200°C?
It was roughly around that temperature. One could only say the Magma Fruit had a higher floor than the Mera Mera no Mi, but its ceiling couldn't compare at all!
Having made up his mind, Chen Yu prepared to shove the Mera Mera no Mi into his mouth. A four-to-five-thousand-degree flame? Even magma would be turned to ash! If he could even create Marco's Undying Fire... let's see who still thinks the Mera Mera no Mi is something even a dog wouldn't eat! It's clearly that manga artist Oda who knows nothing about the Pirate King, and nothing about the Mera Mera no Mi!
"It's because the Mera Mera no Mi is too powerful that I'm eating it, okay!! It's definitely not because I'm curious about what shit tastes like!" After talking to himself, he began to taste it carefully.
After chewing and swallowing slowly, Chen Yu fell into deep thought.
The texture was decent—crunchy and juicy. However, the internet said the texture of poop should be pasty and sticky. It didn't match. Bad review!
As for the taste, a peculiar fishy smell rushed to his head. It was bitter and a bit astringent, as if every ingredient and flavor he disliked in his past life had been mashed together.
"Truly disgusting," Chen Yu remarked flatly before stuffing the last bite, stem and all, into his mouth and swallowing it whole.
"Boom!!"
Flames suddenly erupted from Chen Yu's body. It was a strange sensation, as if he had grown a new organ that he could manipulate at any time.
He felt no abnormality; it was as if he himself were the fire.
Thus, Chen Yu closed his right hand, and a ball of fire wrapped around his fist, burning larger and larger.
Suddenly, Chen Yu narrowed his eyes, stepped forward with his left foot, bent his knees slightly, and unified his waist and stance. His foot drove his hip, his hip supported his waist, and his waist carried his arm as he threw a punch.
"Fire Fist!!!"
A loud roar echoed through the forest, followed immediately by an impossibly large pillar of fire that plowed through the ground. A section of the forest vanished in an instant.
"Huff... huff..."
Chen Yu's breathing was a bit ragged.
In that moment, he realized he had misjudged Ace. The power of the Fire Fist was actually quite good, and its range was wide.
Most importantly, it was cool!!!
Talking about power was too shallow. How could a cultivator like him be so shallow? Being cool is a lifelong pursuit!!
Chen Yu's face was flushed with excitement, looking like a young girl who had just been revitalized.
Using the Devil Fruit Ability for the first time felt truly amazing. This one punch was already close to Ace's level in the anime. However, his stamina needed improvement. He couldn't be a 'three-second man,' could he? He couldn't let two or three Fire Fists leave him wilted.
Although his current physical fitness was already strong, it depended on who he was being compared to. Regarding monster-tier physiques like Ace and Luffy, Chen Yu could only say he would catch up. After all, his own body still had a lot of room for growth; he did have some natural talent, after all.
Having initially experienced his fruit ability, Chen Yu had formed a preliminary assessment of his current and future strength.
At this moment, his expression suddenly turned serious. As if speaking to himself and to the past, he said, "From today on, I am only Chen Yu, and Krieg will surely die." After finishing, Chen Yu exhaled a deep breath of turbid air and gazed resolutely toward the horizon of the sea, lost in thought for a long time.
Chen Yu, who had been standing there like a stone for over ten minutes, began to move. In less than an instant, his entire body transformed into fire, and he flew toward the depths of the forest in a flash. One could tell he was a novice driver; his flight was very clumsy. And so, Chen Yu plunged into this forest for two years...Chapter 3 straw hat = Idiot?
Two years passed in the blink of an eye.
The depths of the original dense forest had been transformed into a wide, open clearing. Although it now appeared vibrant and overgrown with weeds, one could still easily discern from the minor details that a large-scale fire had once occurred here.
"Gurgle~~"
A loud sound of stomach churning drifted across the open clearing, carrying deep into the forest and echoing through the trees.
Even his digestive system was so vigorous and powerful; one could only imagine how staggering this person's physical fitness was.
"Thud, thud."
A succession of footsteps echoed. A man nearly two meters tall, clad in animal skins, appeared with a three-meter-long giant bear slung over his shoulder. As he walked, his muscles bulged, powerful and defined as if carved by a knife and axe, drawing the eye.
His messy long hair fluttered in the wind, and combined with his healthy wheat-colored skin, an overwhelming sense of wildness struck the heart.
"Sigh, two years in the blink of an eye," a helpless sigh escaped Chen Yu's mouth.
These two years had truly gone by fast.
During these two years, I focused on improving my physical fitness; I only did some preliminary development on the Mera Mera no Mi.
It couldn't be helped; Devil Fruit Ability depends on the user's stamina. If the physical foundation isn't strong enough, it simply can't withstand the reckless use of techniques.
Chen Yu knew this couldn't be rushed, so for two years, he had been training his body like a madman—swinging logs, weighted squats, handstand push-ups, and so on. Combining the training techniques of Zoro and his past life's military drills, he developed a training method suited for himself.
Fortunately, his physical talent was quite impressive. His strength had skyrocketed over these two years, and he had yet to hit a bottleneck.
Aside from physical tempering, there was the preliminary development of the fruit. Outside of daily training, he would blast fire like a maniac. The flame temperature had risen from the initial two hundred degrees to nearly seven hundred degrees now.
His endurance was top-notch; even that Teddy from my past life would have to show some respect.
His mastery of the fruit had reached a certain level. Like Luffy's Paramecia-type fruit, basic usage had become instinctual, and the stamina consumed was negligible.
The most important issue was the fruit's weakness—being a 'dry duck' who can't swim.
Based on the original work, several rules could be summarized:
1. This feeling of weakness for ability users can be mitigated and overcome.
2. The elementalization of Logia-types is very intelligent. Besides choosing to elementalize actively, it can also be triggered passively upon receiving a harmful blow.
This passive mechanism is on by default, but it can be turned off manually, meaning it is possible to get hit if one wishes.
3. In water, the ability is suppressed but can still be used.
(If readers have objections, refer to scenes like Luffy at the bottom of the sea in Arlong Park, on Sky Island, or while taming the Kraken underwater, as well as Aokiji freezing the sea and Oven boiling it. Their abilities worked just fine; they just became much weaker.)
4. Blackbeard's Dark-Dark Fruit, however, nullifies fruit abilities, which is similar to the effect of Sea Stone.
Over the past two years, Chen Yu had been constantly increasing his depth in the water and attempting to train submerged, using this to continuously break through his limits.
He had also become friends with the beasts on the island. After all, they helped him improve his physical techniques and made up for his lack of combat experience. He could only say he tried his best not to eat them—unless he couldn't help himself.
After a moment of sentimentality, Chen Yu quickly helped one of his "friends," a black bear, by shaving its fur, skinning it, and removing its tendons, before eating until his mouth was covered in grease.
Chen Yu felt quite helpless about this. Although he didn't have the habits of certain people, who could blame him when the white fur on this bear looked like a pair of suspenders?
Suddenly, the weather on the island changed abruptly. A waterspout appeared in the distance, carrying a large amount of water vapor as it swept toward the island.
The climate in the East Blue wasn't as demonic as the Grand Line, but then again, you could never be sure about these things.
Seeing the incoming tornado, an outrageous guess formed in Chen Yu's mind... "Aaaaaaah~~~~!" Suddenly, a muffled cry for help rang out, sounding like someone shouting from inside a sealed room, completely confirming his ridiculous suspicion.
Chen Yu looked up and saw a beer barrel flying toward him. He felt a wave of speechlessness... "Dammit, Old Man, if you didn't have a hand in this, I'll definitely chop your thing off and feed it to the dogs!!"
Before his words finished, Chen Yu shouted again: "Passionate Eel!!"
At the same time, Chen Yu extended his right hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together into a sword gesture. With his fingertips facing up, he hooked his fingers upward. Instantly, an exquisite fire dragon manifested, swirling around his two fingers in a figure-eight pattern.
Accompanying this was a row of fire pillars that suddenly erupted along the path the beer barrel was taking. The fire pillars were full of spirit, spiraling upward and directly blasting the wooden barrel apart.
Another enormous pillar of fire slammed into the tornado, knocking it off its original course.
However, Chen Yu didn't go too far. With a wave of his hand, he threw out a fire net, firmly catching the contents of the split beer barrel before tossing it to the side.
The fire net was inspired by the fire tunnel Ace created at Marineford right after breaking free from his handcuffs.
If the flames were made strong enough, they could support a person. Moreover, flames can be heated or cooled; for the current Chen Yu, precisely controlling temperatures within several hundred degrees wasn't difficult.
"Thud!"
The clatter of falling wood was heard. A young man with a straw hat hanging behind his head, large eyes, and a scar under one eye stood up shakily: "So dizzy, so dizzy, I feel sick..."
Chen Yu watched him for a moment, wanting to take a good look at the man he had followed for over ten years in his past life.
Chen Yu's gaze swept from top to bottom, finally focusing on Luffy's feet.
That's it, the Supreme Grade Sandals!!
It was clear that Chen Yu was envious from the bottom of his heart. After all, over the past two years, his clothes and shoes had long since rotted away.
Now, he only had a pair of genuine leather pants—no, to be precise, a genuine leather skirt—covering his 'little brother'.
Where else was there any coverage?
"Hey, kid with the straw hat!"
"This is my territory."
"Hand over your valuables and buy your life!"
Hearing this, Luffy shuddered. He then reached back to grab his straw hat and pulled it down onto his head, pressing his fingers down so the brim covered his eyes.
Chen Yu recognized this as Luffy's signature move when he was getting serious.
"Are you a pirate too?"
"Since you're ready to fight, then prepare to be sent flying by me!" Luffy said in a serious tone.
Chen Yu wasn't annoyed by these words; instead, he felt this was very 'Luffy.' Besides, this guy seemingly never actively killed anyone; he just sent them flying.
At this, the corners of Chen Yu's mouth curled up slightly: "Yo yo yo yo! Is this how you treat your savior?"
"Do you know who saved you and brought you ashore? Do you know what a great price I paid to rescue you from the far side of the sea??"
Immediately, Chen Yu turned his body slightly, secretly elementalizing his right hand. He then pulled a piece of fur to cover his right shoulder and casually smeared some bear blood nearby, clutching his right shoulder.
The blood dripped down, drop by drop. Tsk tsk tsk, it really looked painful!
Hearing this, Luffy's demeanor changed instantly: "Gomen nasai!! Your hand! Your hand!!"
Luffy was so anxious he held his head and ran around in circles.
Seeing Luffy's panicked little look, a plan suddenly formed in Chen Yu's mind, and his left eyebrow twitched slightly.
"You wanted to send your savior flying just now? You're the one who barged into my territory, right? I'm the one who saved you, right? And you still want to beat me up??" The drama king Chen Yu had successfully logged on.
He slightly controlled his micro-expressions, squeezing his eyes and letting the wind blow into them—and just like that, he had a pair of red eyes.
Seeing Chen Yu like this, Luffy bowed his head even lower: "Sumimasen!"
"Is it too much for me to ask you to hand over your valuables? Is it too much to ask for something in return for saving your life??" Chen Yu said with "heart-wrenching grief."
Because he hadn't blinked for a long time, tears actually came out.
Now Luffy was even more panicked, waving his arms in distress: "Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai!"
Seeing that the desired effect had been achieved, Chen Yu suddenly dropped the sorrow. His eyes turned fierce, and he landed a heavy downward punch on Luffy's head.
Although he knew Luffy likely wouldn't fight back, he still added: "I'm practically bleeding out, and you're still making such a racket!"
Luffy, pulling his head out of the ground, was perfectly fine. He didn't show any displeasure and continued to apologize. He even knelt on the ground, eyes wide and blinking.
He bit his lip hard, looking completely innocent and guilty.
"As expected, this is very Luffy," Chen Yu thought, not rushing to say anything, merely stroking his chin with his "remaining" hand.
Maybe joining Luffy's ship wouldn't be so bad!
At this thought, he looked up at Luffy, only to see that Luffy was currently stealthily stretching his hand toward the bear meat he had just roasted.
He couldn't help but curse: "Dammit, I haven't even settled the score from just now, and you dare to steal my meat??"
Chen Yu stomped his right foot, causing the ground to cave in instantly. He shot forward like a bullet, his left hand throwing another heavy punch at Luffy's head. This time, he really used force.
Luffy's head was sent flying, and his body was dragged along with it, his neck stretching out long.
"Crash, bang, thud!"
A series of crashing sounds echoed through the forest. Trees along the path were snapped in half. The massive vibration startled the birds and beasts, causing a sudden commotion in the forest.
Tiger: "Run! Run! That beast of a human is eating his friends again!"
Black Bear: "Tell me about it! My great-uncle is still over there sizzling and smelling delicious!!"
"---"
Although Chen Yu was just faking it and wasn't actually injured—and couldn't even really be said to have saved Luffy—
that didn't stop him from being genuinely angry!
And it didn't stop him from really punching Luffy!
Luffy, jumping out of the ruins, was even more panicked: All-powerful Circle of Friends, please tell me what I should do now?
Cold sweat poured down his face. Seeing this, Chen Yu's anger dissipated, but he still wanted Luffy to apologize!
"So, how are you going to compensate me?"
"I don't have any money!!" Luffy immediately put his hands on his hips and said righteously!
"No money?? Then strip off your hat and the clothes on your body and give them to me," Chen Yu said with a playful expression and a flat tone.
"Moshi? Dame dame!!" Luffy quickly covered his head with both hands, protectively guarding his straw hat.
"This hat is my most important treasure!!"
Chen Yu wasn't annoyed by this. It was within expectations; it would be strange if Luffy actually gave it up!
"You don't have this, you won't give that. What do you want then?? Huh?" Master of expression management Chen Yu put on a sour face again in the blink of an eye.
Luffy broke into a cold sweat, his whole body trembling.
Suddenly, a bright lightbulb appeared over Luffy's head.
Chen Yu: "---"
Emm~~ This is... very anime.
Luffy leaped up from the ground and smacked his right fist into his left palm: "I've decided! You're going to be my crewmate!!"
Hearing this, Chen Yu sucked in a breath of cold air!
Although this was one of his goals—after all, humans are like that; even if they've made up their minds, sometimes they just can't save face, or they always like to put themselves in the position of the victim.
But Luffy's move was truly smooth. Is the man who will be Pirate King always this smooth?
Seeing Luffy's cheerful and self-satisfied look, Chen Yu could guess what he was thinking with his eyes closed.
It was nothing more than: I'm so smart, I'm so clever.
This way, he wouldn't have to compensate Chen Yu, and he'd get a crewmate to boot.
Perhaps Luffy was impressed by the strength Chen Yu had just shown, or perhaps Luffy didn't care about strength at all when looking for crewmates.
But one thing was certain: Luffy hadn't doubted a single word Chen Yu said!
Chen Yu had a headache. Such a Captain is truly... wonderful!
He didn't respond to Luffy's words. Instead, he walked directly to Luffy and pulled off his Supreme Grade Sandals.
This was his ultimate goal.
Who wouldn't want a pair of Supreme Grade Sandals that never wear out or break?
Then, he happily put the sandals on his feet, ignoring Luffy's expression. He turned back toward the bear meat he hadn't finished, lost in thought.
"Hey! Do you agree with what I said or not???"
"Maa~! Let's just settle it then." Luffy, talking to himself, also walked toward Chen Yu—or more accurately, toward the bear meat beside Chen Yu.Chapter 4: Officially Joining
"Crackle, crackle~"
The sound of wood burning was exceptionally clear, creating a vivid atmosphere that filled the ears.
After all that commotion, the sky had grown dark.
Two people sat around the fire, staring at it intently.
One looked preoccupied, thinking: "I'll probably leave tomorrow to start a new life. How should I carry myself as I integrate into this world?"
Chen Yu felt that if he joined the Straw Hat Pirates, he would find it difficult to fit in. To this day, he still viewed this world from a God's perspective, which wasn't really his fault.
It's hard to develop feelings when joining a group that is both familiar and strange, especially while knowing exactly what will happen in the future!
The other was also looking preoccupied: "Is it done yet? Why isn't it done? Maybe I should take a bite while he's not looking?"
Chen Yu wasn't so heartless this time. This was already the third time they were roasting meat together, and every time Luffy tried to sneak a bite, he pretended not to notice, making Luffy think he hadn't been caught.
Seeing that the last pair of bear paws were almost done, he picked up the seasoning beside him.
This was the BBQ seasoning he had made himself over the past two years. In reality, it was just a few spicy plants from the island, dried, mixed with sea salt, and ground together.
Poisonous? No, no, no. His "brothers" ate it and were just fine.
After sprinkling the seasoning, he grilled it over the fire for a bit longer. Once he smelled the aroma of the spices, he tossed the perfectly cooked bear paw to Luffy.
This made Luffy incredibly excited. The first two times he had eaten it plain. He had wanted to ask for seasoning several times but hesitated, acting quite cautious.
Looking at Luffy like this, Chen Yu felt like laughing.
Luffy wasn't a meticulous person at all; he was more the "wise fool" type. But did he fear Chen Yu? Not necessarily. He was probably just embarrassed.
Chen Yu interrupted Luffy, whose eyes were glowing from the delicious taste.
"You just asked me to join your crew?"
"Give me a reason."
Although the beasts of this world were tasty and Sea Kings even better, the most important thing right now was to find a reliable faction; enjoyment could come later.
Hearing Chen Yu's question, Luffy uncharacteristically stopped eating and fell into deep thought.
It had to be said that while Luffy didn't have a devious bone in his body, he was never vague about the big things.
Chen Yu waited quietly for Luffy's answer.
"I want to be the Pirate King, but I can't do it alone. I need many strong and reliable comrades!"
"Join my crew!" Luffy took off the straw hat from his head, staring straight at the hat in his hands, before looking at Chen Yu with burning eyes and speaking seriously.
"That's a really serious answer," Chen Yu hadn't expected this at all.
He originally thought Luffy would just say willfully as usual, "I've already decided, blah blah blah."
Looking at how he invited others, one couldn't say Luffy wasn't serious, but he definitely wasn't as serious, formal, and solemn as he was this time!
"Alright! I'll join your crew for now. But let me be clear: if you or this ship fail to satisfy me in the future, I will leave without hesitation!" After a brief thought, Chen Yu stood up and spoke solemnly.
He wasn't sure if he could really fit in; he had been quite a loner in his previous life.
Then, he grew his hand back.
Upon hearing Chen Yu's agreement, Luffy leaped joyfully, ran to his side, and slapped Chen Yu rapidly: "See! Hahaha! I knew you'd say yes!"
"Ahahahahahahaha!"
"Hahahahaha—gah?" Mid-laugh, Luffy saw Chen Yu's hand grow back and immediately showed him what it meant to be dumbfounded.
Showing a reaction that could only be described as: "Sugoi!"
He didn't care if Chen Yu had tricked him; on the contrary, because Chen Yu's hand was "fine," he was actually very, very happy.
Although these scenes were within Chen Yu's expectations, seeing Luffy truly offering his sincerity made him, a young man from the 21st century, almost unable to handle it.
In his past life, let alone being treated with sincerity, Chen Yu was lucky if he wasn't being screwed over at a critical moment!
Perhaps this choice really is a good one!
Chen Yu's lips curled up slightly as he stood up and explained, "I am a Mera Mera no Mi user. Like you, I ate a Devil Fruit. Ordinary attacks can't hurt me at all."
---
After a few more words with Luffy, Chen Yu bid him farewell and went to pack his things on the island.
Meanwhile, Luffy sat cross-legged, swaying from side to side. You didn't even need to hear what he was babbling about to know he was truly happy!
That night, the roars of wild beasts echoed through the forest. One wondered if it was a distortion of humanity or a loss of morality.
---Chen Yu's current optimal combat flame temperature was nearly 800 degrees, but if he expended a large amount of physical and mental energy, he could burst out with even more terrifying temperatures.
He didn't actually have much to pack, besides his reluctance to leave his "brothers" and the gold in their dens.
Ships often wrecked here, so his "brothers" had collected some gold. Though it wasn't much, there was enough volume for Chen Yu to smelt it into a handy staff.
The remaining scraps were melted by Chen Yu into small gold bars for expenses.
A few days ago, his maximum temperature couldn't melt gold, but it seemed his strength had increased again, now exceeding a thousand degrees.
Chen Yu felt delighted. He slung the staff onto his back, hung the gold bars on his waist like a chain, and strolled leisurely, singing: "Gong xia mi, ni ai wa---"
Today is truly a good day.
Then he called Luffy over to help drag the huge raft he had built over the past two years.
Although the sail was made of wood chips and vines, Chen Yu didn't plan on using the wind for power. Wouldn't using a low-temperature Fire Fist for acceleration be better?
Luffy didn't mind dragging the boat at all, but he kept eyeing Chen Yu's Gold Staff. His eyes were glowing so brightly along the way that Chen Yu could hardly keep his own eyes open. He quickly melted a section of the staff and turned it into a Gold Gauntlet, the kind where the fingers are exposed.
Only then did he play with his gauntlet contentedly.
On the raft, Chen Yu looked at a "Tiger" on board and fell into deep thought.
He remembered he had asked Luffy to hunt a deer. Deers weren't his "brothers"!
"E-hahahahaha"
"E-hahahahaha"
Luffy laughed uproariously, mistaking Chen Yu's shock for admiration of his strength.
However, Chen Yu didn't make a fuss. After all, this was the last "brother." Leaving it here all alone would be quite lonely.
He simply brought three large crates of his homemade dried meat and stepped onto the boat.
Amidst Luffy's star-eyed admiration, he blasted a Fire Fist at the sail.
A new journey has begun!!!
It's worth mentioning that Luffy also hauled those two human-sized beer barrels onto the boat. When asked why, he simply said, "They're my lifesavers."Chapter 5: When Coincidences Pile Up, Just Let Nature Take Its Course
"Awoo~"
"Awoo~"
The seagulls in the sky suddenly became agitated because a massive whirlpool had appeared in the waters ahead.
Beneath them was a huge raft, drifting aimlessly, seemingly completely unaware of the danger.
That's right, it was Chen Yu and Luffy.
Neither of these two idiots knew a thing about navigation!
"Hala heida~~"
Luffy was hanging off the side of the raft, staring at the sea with a look of utter despair.
Hearing this, Chen Yu hopped around in a fit of rage.
Why?
Of the meat they brought from the island, they had eaten the Tiger Brother on the first day, and the jerky was supposed to be rationed out slowly.
But that very night, Luffy had sneakily eaten most of it, and the next day, while Chen Yu was dozing off, he finished every last bit of the remaining jerky.
Chen Yu had been kept completely in the dark.
It wasn't until he woke up and wanted a piece of jerky to calm his nerves that he looked into the box. Good grief, there wasn't even a scrap left.
Even the box had been licked clean.
Seeing this scene, Chen Yu's hair stood on end, and his Devil Fruit Ability almost went out of control. He ended up burning half the raft, and even the sail was reduced to ash.
(╬￣dish￣)=○
I'm so damn pissed.
Before they set off, he had told Luffy to eat sparingly, as this journey would take at least three or four days. Seeing Luffy nod solemnly as if he had taken it to heart, Chen Yu had felt much more at ease, thinking he really understood.
Who would have thought! Who would have thought!
After burning the boat, he casually extinguished the fire, then immediately blasted Luffy with a Fire Fist, sending him flying far away.
Although the temperature wasn't very high, it was enough to leave Luffy with singed, frizzy hair.
He didn't need to worry about the flying Luffy; the boy simply stretched his arms and flew back on his own. However, upon landing, he crushed another third of the boat under his feet.
Then, sporting an afro and a wide grin, he waved his arms and said, "Wali! Wali na!"
Chen Yu:??(????Д??)?*??
It would have been better if he hadn't apologized; the moment he did, Chen Yu blew his top again. Truly, hanging out with straw hat means being pissed off nine times in three days!
He knew that physical blows were useless against Luffy now, and using fire was hard to calibrate.
In a moment of madness, Chen Yu stretched Luffy's arms and jammed them into the gaps of the raft, then kicked Luffy into the sea.
A moment later, he heard:
"Tasukete!!"
*Glug glug*
"Tasukete yo!"
*Glug glug*
In the water, Luffy was completely defenseless, bobbing up and down with the waves. Since his hands were stuck to the boat, he wouldn't sink, but he was tossed about, getting dunked by the waves and constantly swallowing water.
Watching Luffy from the side, Chen Yu let out a satisfied sigh: "Whew! That feels better. I finally found a way to deal with this kid."
Yes! This is all for the sake of this family, ha!?つ????つ
After this commotion, Chen Yu felt like he and Luffy had grown a bit closer.
Or perhaps, starving together made life feel more real.
He suddenly felt that even if he knew what was coming, it didn't really matter. He'd eat what he had to eat, drink what he had to drink, and give out the beatings that needed to be given!
His mood suddenly brightened up.
"Drink up, take big gulps!"
"Weren't you hungry? Today I'll let you drink your fill!"
What he knew beforehand were just events, but what they were experiencing together was called life. With his internal knot suddenly untied, Chen Yu's heart felt light. The invisible pressure that had been suffocating him finally lifted.
Chen Yu suddenly stood up, raising his clenched fists: "I've decided! In this world, I'm going to be the most willful, most free person!"
"I'm going to charge straight through!!"
"I want to take on ten at once!!!"
His eyes were more determined than ever, and his aura underwent a subtle change.
But then, reality hit him in the face!
"Damn it!! Why is there such a huge whirlpool!!!"
"I'm going to be willful for once today!"
"Not charging today! We'll try again tomorrow!! I said so!"
Chen Yu's eyes widened as he shouted in frustration.
He immediately hauled Luffy out of the water and punched him in the stomach.
A jet of water poured out of Luffy's mouth.
Catching sight of the giant whirlpool out of the corner of his eye, Luffy jumped up, clutching his head and crying out: "We're doomed! We're doomed! We're doomed!"
Just as Chen Yu was planning to fly away with the boat, a long arm wrapped around him, stuffed him into a beer barrel, slammed the lid shut, and kicked the barrel—with Chen Yu inside—into the sea. It was a smooth, practiced motion.
Luffy likewise crawled into another barrel and rolled himself into the sea.
"I'm going to kill him!!! I'm definitely going to kill him!!!" Chen Yu screamed internally as he felt himself being sucked into the whirlpool.
Luffy was loyal enough to remember to take Chen Yu with him when he ran.
But why kick him into the sea?? Is there a fee for staying on the boat?
|?`w?)
|?`w?)
|?`w?)
---When Chen Yu woke up again, he quickly pressed his hands together: "Thank the heavens for your protection!!!"
Chen Yu pressed his ear against the side of the barrel, listening to the movement outside.
When he woke up, the barrel was standing upright, so he was sitting straight up inside it.
"Thanks to the kind soul who fished me out. I wish you a life that gets more and more exciting!" After a brief mutter, Chen Yu popped the lid of the barrel.
He had already checked that the surroundings were quiet.
Stepping out of the beer barrel, Chen Yu quietly surveyed his surroundings.
It clearly wasn't a pirate ship.
The blue and white floor tiles were cleaned until they shone, and a faint fragrance lingered in the air.
Based on this, who would disagree if I said this isn't a pirate ship?
Looking at his reflection in the floor, Chen Yu suddenly felt a surge of disgust.
His face was covered in soot, his hair was a mess, and he wasn't wearing any clothes—just a leather skirt that flapped around. In no time at all, Chen Yu had dressed himself up nicely in a high-end black suit he'd scavenged from the next room, and his black leather shoes were polished to a shine.
He swept his messy hair back, instantly achieving a heartthrob look.
"What a shame, I prefer dark blue suits. Sigh!"
After a bit of grumbling, Chen Yu headed for the upper floors, strolling leisurely, observing his surroundings, and eating the free food provided in the nearby rooms.
He also pocketed a few famous watches—only the silver ones, of course—and stuffed a few high-end cigars into his suit pocket.
Chen Yu couldn't help but marvel: "The people here are surprisingly nice, giving away clothes, food, and even watches!"
Why say they were given? Don't be ridiculous—look, is anyone coming to stop me?
No one!
That means this was all prepared for me. Otherwise, why is there no one around?
A certain someone shamelessly scavenged everywhere and even found a fair amount of gold, finally replacing the piece he'd cut off his staff!
?????.? Feeling great!
The further up he went, the louder the noise became.
So everyone is in the main hall. Then I must go and thank them in person, otherwise, it would be quite embarrassing to take so many things!
As soon as Chen Yu stepped into the hall, he saw a fat woman lording it over everyone.
\(￣︶￣*\))
Oh-wa-oh~
Oh-wa-oh~
"Ohayou!"
Just as Chen Yu was about to continue his greeting, a small-time thug stepped forward and pressed a blade against Chen Yu's neck.
He barked: "Oh-your-grandma's-leg! Lady Alvida, there's one that slipped through the cracks!"
Chen Yu was a master of facial expression management. While he might not be a 'Time Management Master' like Master Law, he had seen the world.
He'd seen this in movies in his past life!! This scene was his time to shine!
Though he was incredibly excited inside, Chen Yu's expression didn't change at all.
I'm excited, but I'm not telling you. Heh, just for fun!
---After being starving for so long, Chen Yu seemed to have unlocked something very advanced, as if... as if he had a screw loose!
Just as Chen Yu was about to start showing off, another lackey ran in to report:
"Lady Alvida! Koby seems to have found a helper, apparently a bounty hunter, who says he's going to arrest you!"
The fat woman's veins bulged on her forehead, her pupils contracted, and the corners of her eyes turned bloodshot as she said:
"Huh?"
"Koby?"
"Bounty hunter?"
"Let's go, everyone, let's have a look!"
A large crowd immediately surged out, leaving only the small thug next to Chen Yu to guard the captives.
"Damn it, I'm so annoyed! Even though I know what's happening, I'm still so annoyed!" Chen Yu cursed frantically in his heart.
Chen Yu, the master of facial expressions, suddenly turned his head toward the thug holding a knife to his neck. His eyes narrowed, and with a smile, he said chillingly:
"Kid, it might get a little hot in a moment, so bear with it. It's your first time dying, so you might be a bit uncomfortable, but you'll get used to it after it happens more often!"
Before the thug could react, Chen Yu extended his right index and middle fingers, pressed them against the man's chest, and made a pistol gesture: "Bang."
A Fire Gun shot out, piercing straight through the thug's chest. The wound was charred black, and the power was even greater than a bullet from a firearm.
The thug died before he could even process what Chen Yu had just said.
Chen Yu released everyone in the hall, and his expression became serious.
Having just killed someone, the shock was a bit much for him, so he needed to keep a straight face to adjust, otherwise his expression would crumble.
While giving himself a psychological pep talk, he couldn't help but complain:
"This is so cliché. You call this a coincidence?? The plot has started already!"