Reborn in one piece as a prince

Chapter 5: Meeting Luffy

Five Days Later

The luxury cruise ship Norma was calmly sailing through the waters of the East Blue. Wealthy passengers were celebrating, music playing in the lavish halls, while the crew worked hard to ensure a smooth journey.

In the lower deck of the ship, Leon was hiding in a storage room filled with crates. Despite the surrounding darkness and silence, he couldn't stop his thoughts from drifting. He sat against one of the crates, thinking about his decision to escape and the uncertain future ahead of him.

"Was running away the right choice?" he muttered softly. But he knew going back was not an option.

Suddenly, he felt an unusual disturbance in the ship. There was a strange noise, like the sound of something metallic colliding with the side of the ship, followed by loud screams. Leon's eyes snapped open as he stood up, straining to listen.

"Pirates!" a passenger's voice screamed.

2. The Arrival of Alvida's Pirates

On the ship's deck, chaos erupted. Alvida's pirates had boarded the ship after firing warning shots from their cannons. Alvida, wielding a massive club and exuding an intimidating presence, stood at the forefront of the attack.

"Listen up, you fools!" Alvida shouted. "This ship is now mine! All your belongings will belong to me. Anyone who objects will meet their end!"

The passengers, accustomed to their luxurious lives, were utterly unprepared to deal with such a threat. They cowered on the ground, trembling in fear of the pirates' wrath.

Meanwhile, Leon had emerged from his hiding spot after realizing the ship was in real danger. He moved cautiously through the corridors, trying to avoid the pirates. However, he stopped abruptly when he heard a confident voice addressing Alvida.

"Who's this idiot?" Leon muttered as he observed from a distance. He was astonished by the courage of this young man, but also curious about how he intended to handle the situation.

A boy wearing a straw hat, accompanied by another nervous young man, stood defiantly before Alvida.

"Impossible…" Leon whispered, staring at the boy in disbelief. "That's Monkey D. Luffy… This can't be real!"

When Alvida and her crew began attacking Luffy, Leon decided to intervene. He leaped gracefully like a lion from his hiding spot, landing directly in front of Alvida.

"And who are you now?" Alvida bellowed angrily.

Leon, in a calm yet commanding tone, replied, "I don't like chaos. If you want to take over this ship, you'll have to go through me first."

Alvida laughed mockingly. "And what are you going to do?"

In that instant, Leon didn't transform into his hybrid form. Instead, he unleashed a powerful blue flame from his hands. It was an intense blaze, but Leon controlled it masterfully to keep his true abilities a secret. He wanted everyone to think he had the Flame-Flame Fruit, not his actual power.

The Battle Begins

The fight started quickly. Leon used his fiery powers and swordsmanship to ignite the ground around him, creating walls of fire to distract the pirates. He moved swiftly, taking advantage of the element of surprise as everyone believed he was merely a Flame-Flame Fruit user.

With his fiery claws, Leon destroyed the pirates' weapons while maintaining the secrecy of his true ability. Meanwhile, Alvida attacked with her massive club, but Leon's speed made it impossible for her to land a hit. He dodged her strikes with ease, countering quickly and efficiently.

At one point, as he sprinted through the pirates, Leon let out a sharp roar—not a real roar, but a fiery attack from his mouth. Flames erupted, forcing everyone to retreat.

Luffy, who had been watching the fight closely, grinned with excitement.

"Wow! You're really strong!" he exclaimed.

Koby's Perspective

While Leon was hiding in the storage room of the Norma, Koby—a timid young boy serving as a cabin boy for Alvida's pirates—was busy carrying crates under strict and humiliating orders. Koby lived in constant fear, trying to stay out of Alvida's explosive temper.

When Alvida's pirates attacked the cruise ship, Koby was forced to follow them to the new vessel, continuing his role as a nervous servant. Like the other passengers, Koby believed his days were numbered after this raid.

But his life changed completely when he first saw Luffy.

The First Encounter Between Luffy and Koby

After Luffy made his way onto the deck, Koby sat in a corner, trembling as he silently watched the events unfold. When Luffy began challenging Alvida without fear, Koby couldn't help but look at him with a mix of awe and terror.

After defeating some of Alvida's men, Luffy noticed Koby sitting alone, shaking in the corner. He approached him with his usual cheerful smile.

Luffy: "Hey! What are you doing here?"

Koby, stammering nervously: "I… I'm just a servant. Please, don't hurt me!"

Luffy laughed. "I don't hurt innocent people! Do you want to help me get rid of these pirates?"

Koby, shocked: "Help? I… I'm too weak. I can't fight."

Luffy, smiling widely: "Weakness doesn't matter. What matters is having courage. What's your dream?"

Koby fell silent for a moment before whispering softly: "I… I want to join the Navy."

Luffy, with enthusiasm: "Then you have to start now! If you want to achieve your dream, don't be afraid! Do something!"

These words deeply affected Koby, though he was still afraid.

Victory Over Alvida

After a short but fierce battle, Leon and Luffy managed to defeat Alvida's crew.

Leon, feigning nonchalance as he looked at Luffy and Koby: "My name's Leon. Who are you?"

Luffy: "I'm Monkey D. Luffy. Nice to meet you! And this is Koby! He says he wants to join the Navy."

Leon gave Koby a scrutinizing look before saying, "You look scared. If you want to be in the Navy, you'll need more courage than this."

Koby, trying to defend himself: "I'm trying, but… Alvida is really strong."

Leon, with a faint smirk: "Everyone looks strong when you hesitate. Strength starts from within, not from the size of your enemy."

Though Leon's words were harsh, they left an impact on Koby.

The Bond Between Leon and Luffy

After the chaos settled and order was somewhat restored on the ship, Leon and Luffy sat together on a wooden crate on the deck, gazing at the sea under the sunlight. The waves calmed as the ship headed toward its next destination.

Luffy, smiling widely with his hands behind his head: "You were amazing in that fight! I've never seen anyone move that fast or roar like a lion before!"

Leon, wiping the sweat from his forehead: "And you weren't too bad yourself. I didn't think someone could stretch their arms like that. Your fruit is pretty strange."

Luffy laughed innocently: "Yeah! I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit! My whole body's rubber now. It makes me tricky to fight!"

Leon, with a faint smile: "Weird, but useful. You don't seem to be afraid of anything."

Luffy, with uncharacteristic seriousness: "I'm not afraid when it comes to my friends. I'll protect them no matter what. You were awesome, but why were you hiding on the ship? Are you running from something?"

Leon froze momentarily at the question. He didn't want to reveal his identity as a runaway prince, so he decided to hide the details:

"Something like that. Let's just say I'm looking for a fresh start. Nothing worth mentioning."

Luffy, without prying further: "Okay! If you're looking for a fresh start, join me! I'm gathering a strong crew, and I need someone like you."

Leon, hesitantly: "A crew? Why?"

Luffy, with enthusiasm: "Because I'm going to become the Pirate King!"

Leon was stunned for a moment. The idea of someone like Luffy inviting him to join his crew felt strange. But at the same time, he sensed something genuine in his words.

Leon: "The Pirate King? Do you even realize how hard that is? The world is full of powerful people, and the seas are teeming with monsters and other pirates."

Luffy, with a calm smile: "I know. But I don't care. As long as I'm having fun and protecting my friends, I'll achieve it."

Leon stared at Luffy in amazement. Despite his simple reasoning, there was something special about him.

"You… You're strange. It seems like you live your life with complete freedom, without rules or limits."

Luffy, laughing: "Of course! I'm a pirate. Freedom is everything to me."

Leon remained silent for a moment before looking out at the sea. "Freedom…" he muttered. "That's what I'm searching for, too."

The Formation of a Bond

Leon felt an odd sense of comfort around Luffy. Maybe it was because of his simplicity and honesty, or perhaps because he represented the opposite of everything Leon had been running from: authority, rules, and restrictions.

Luffy, in a cheerful tone: "So, what do you say? Will you join me?"

Leon looked at Luffy hesitantly, but he felt something urging him to agree. "Alright, but I have one condition."

Luffy, excitedly: "What is it?"

Leon: "I'm not telling you about my past. At least not now. Just consider me someone looking for adventure, and I'll be your first mate."

Luffy, grinning widely: "Deal! My friends are my friends, no matter their past!"

Leon felt at ease with Luffy's answer. He knew Luffy didn't care about appearances or the past but about the person in front

Additional details of the link between them

• Luffy's character versus Leon's character:

• Luffy is a spontaneous and simple personality, relying on his heart and instincts without complications.

• Leon is a more complex personality, used to overthinking and analyzing situations because of his background as a prince.

• This difference made Luffy seem like a "refreshing air breem" for Leon, who needed someone who reminds him of simplicity and freedom.

• Interaction between them:

• Luffy treats Leon as a companion from the first moment, without asking him about his past or judging him.

• For the first time, Leon feels that he can be an ordinary person, not a prince or a leader.