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The setting sun cast a warm, golden glow over Foosha Village as Ann and Sabo sat on crates near the docks, their freshly earned bounty split neatly between them. Luffy, lounging lazily on a barrel nearby, had been unusually quiet since their return.
Ann leaned forward, suspicion flashing in her eyes. "Alright, spill it, Luffy. Where were you yesterday? You don't just vanish like that!"
Sabo chuckled, crossing his arms and leaning against the crate. "Yeah, seriously. We thought you'd gotten yourself lost or worse—eaten by some random beast."
Luffy smirked, his expression oozing mischief. "Me? Lost? Come on, you know I'd never let that happen."
"Then what?" Ann pressed, her curiosity flaring as she locked eyes with him. "You've been acting weird since you got back, and now you're being all mysterious."
He leaned forward slightly, his grin widening as his dark eyes glimmered with amusement.
"It's a secret," He teased, his voice dropping to a playful whisper.
Ann groaned, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Ugh, you're impossible! Seriously, what were you doing? Sleeping in a tree? Chasing birds? What could possibly be so secretive?"
Luffy tilted his head, studying her with a strange intensity. Then, to Ann's surprise, he smirked and leaned even closer, his tone dripping with charm. "Ann, you sound so worried. Were you... missing me?"
The heat rushed to her face as she instinctively leaned back, caught off guard.
"Wha—what? Missing you? In your dreams, Luffy!" She stammered, her cheeks flaming.
"Hmm," He mused, feigning deep thought. "You do think about me a lot, don't you? Don't worry, it's okay to admit it." His voice was smooth, laced with an odd confidence that left her flustered.
"Stop teasing me!" she snapped, her fists clenching as she glared at him. "You're such a jerk!"
Sabo burst out laughing, thoroughly entertained by the scene unfolding before him. "Wow, Ann, he's got you all worked up. Luffy, just tell her already before she explodes."
But Luffy was far from done. He leaned back against the barrel, a wicked grin curling his lips. "I don't know, Sabo. I kinda like this side of her. She's cute when she's mad."
Ann's jaw dropped, her face burning as she tried to form a retort. "Y-you—!"
Luffy cut her off with a chuckle, his tone taking on a teasing edge. "Relax, Ann. Maybe I'll tell you my secret someday. But only if you're really nice to me."
Sabo shook his head, amused but slightly bewildered. "Okay, who are you and what did you do with the Luffy we know?"
Ann, still red-faced, scowled and crossed her arms. "Whoever this is, I liked the old one better!"
Luffy only laughed, his gaze flickering to Ann with a mix of mischief and something darker—something cunning.
"Careful what you wish for, Ann," He murmured, his voice low enough that it sent a shiver down her spine.
Luffy's Thoughts
Unbeknownst to Ann and Sabo, Luffy's mind was elsewhere, replaying the events of the previous day.
Over a year ago, he had traveled to Swallow Island in the North Blue to meet Trafalgar Law, a young but promising surgeon and fighter destined to become one of the infamous Supernovas.
But in this timeline, Luffy had rewritten the script. Instead of leaving Law to fend for himself in the harsh seas, Luffy had recruited him into his crew early, seeing immense potential in the boy's tactical mind and skills.
"Law," Luffy had said back then, his voice steady but inviting, "Join my crew. You want to destroy Doflamingo, right? I'll make sure you get it."
Law, guarded and skeptical at first, had eventually agreed, impressed by Luffy's resolve and sheer charisma. Now, Law, along with his trusted crewmates Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin, had become a secret part of Luffy's growing fleet.
The day before, Luffy had met Law on Swallow Island, where they'd been training in secret.
"Captain," Law greeted him with his usual calm demeanor, though his golden eyes betrayed a hint of respect.
"Law!" Luffy grinned widely, throwing an arm around the shorter man's shoulder. "You ready for some serious training?"
Law raised an eyebrow. "You mean the kind of training where I somehow survive through sheer luck because you throw impossible challenges at me?"
"Exactly!" Luffy laughed, ignoring the sarcasm.
With a thought, the world around Trafalgar Law warped and shifted. One moment, he was standing on Swallow Island, the breeze ruffling his coat, and the next, he found himself in an expansive, otherworldly chamber.
The room stretched infinitely in all directions, its walls glowing faintly with shifting holographic scenes of legendary warriors sparring. The air was thick with energy, almost vibrating with potential.
Law's sharp golden eyes darted around, his usual stoicism barely concealing his shock. "What the hell is this, Cap?"
Luffy stood casually nearby, arms crossed and a smirk plastered on his face. "Welcome to the Training Chamber."
Law's gaze narrowed as he turned to face Luffy. "And what exactly is this... 'Training Chamber'? You didn't mention anything like this when you recruited me."
Luffy shrugged, his tone light but evasive. "It's something I've had for a while. Just a little trick I picked up on my journey. Only my crew gets to use it."
Law's mind raced with questions, but he pushed them aside for now. Instead, he focused on the obvious. "What's the catch?"
"No catch," Luffy said, his grin widening. "Time works differently here. A day outside is equal to a year in here. You can train with anyone—legendary fighters from across the world—and come out way stronger without losing any time in the real world."
Law's brow furrowed as he processed this. "And you just happen to have access to something this convenient?"
"Yup," Luffy replied, his grin never faltering.
Law sighed, realizing he wasn't going to get a straight answer. "Why bring me here now?"
Luffy's tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious. "Because your fruit is amazing, but it burns through your stamina fast. You can't just rely on your Devil Fruit powers. You need a stronger body—endurance, martial skills, the works. That's why we're starting here."
Law tilted his head, intrigued despite himself. "And who do you suggest I train with?"
Luffy stepped aside, gesturing to a glowing panel that appeared in mid-air. "Pick someone who can help you build stamina and martial arts skills. Trust me, you'll need it."
The panel displayed a list of names, each accompanied by a brief description of their fighting style. Law studied the options carefully, his calculating mind analyzing every detail. After a moment, he selected a master of martial arts renowned for their focus on discipline and endurance.
"This one," Law said, pointing at the choice.
Luffy nodded, satisfied. "Good choice. You've got a year in here. Don't waste it."
Before Law could respond, the chamber around him morphed, reshaping itself to match his chosen trainer's environment. Luffy watched as the swordsman disappeared into the training simulation, the faint hum of energy filling the air.
As the room settled back into its default state, Luffy smirked to himself and went out.
----
Meanwhile, Luffy turned to Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin, who were waiting nearby.
"Alright, you three," Luffy said, clapping his hands together. "Time for your training."
Bepo, the polar bear mink, saluted enthusiastically. "Yes, Captain!"
Shachi and Penguin exchanged wary glances.
"Do we really have to?" Penguin asked, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah," Shachi added. "We're more... support types, you know?"
Luffy grinned wickedly. "Nope. If you're on my crew, you're getting stronger. No excuses!"
Luffy spent the next few hours training the three crewmates.
For Bepo, he focused on refining the mink's natural martial arts skills, helping him perfect a devastating spinning kick.
"Good, but faster!" Luffy shouted as Bepo spun through the air.
"I'm trying!" Bepo huffed, landing in a crouch.
For Shachi and Penguin, Luffy emphasized basic combat techniques and endurance training.
"Ten more laps around the field!" Luffy ordered.
Penguin groaned. "Captain, I think my legs are falling off..."
"They're still attached, so keep running!" Luffy yelled back, his grin never fading.
Despite their complaints, the trio improved significantly under Luffy's guidance, their trust in their captain growing with each passing hour.
Back to Reality
As Luffy's thoughts returned to the present, he realized Ann and Sabo were still watching him expectantly.
"What?" Luffy said, feigning innocence.
"You zoned out," Sabo said, smirking. "Thinking about something important?"
"Just about how awesome I am," Luffy replied, flashing his signature grin.
Ann groaned. "You're impossible, you know that?"
Luffy laughed, the sound carefree and infectious.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the trio made their way back to the village.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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