I'd Set Sail Even Without a Devil Fruit

"Check every household. We can enter the village in half an hour at the earliest."

Shanks spread out a rough map of the area around Windmill Village and drew a line across North Harbor with his right hand.

"The Red-Hair Pirates will attack the blockade ships from the sea and create an opening. Beckman will take people to set fire to the east shore, making them think Su Hang escaped by water."

Su Hang put on a dry coat.

"I'll take the mountain path."

"The Hunting Trail will be guarded too."

"The government just arrived. They don't know the terrain. As long as I get through the woods before the blockade team, they won't catch me."

Luffy blocked the tavern's back door.

"You can't go."

Su Hang raised his eyes.

"Move."

"You want to lure the pursuers away by yourself again."

"There aren't any rotten logs this time."

"And no one is watching over you."

"Dadan has to escort the villagers, and the Red-Hair Pirates have to hold back the Marines. No one can come with me."

Luffy spread his arms wide and refused to give even half a step.

"You always say I'm a kid, so you never tell me anything and make me hide. But when Higuma caught me, all of you came to save me. I don't want things to be like this anymore!"

"You're seven."

"Even a seven-year-old can see the enemy's bullets!"

"Seeing them doesn't mean you can stop them."

"Then I'll train!"

"Training starts with staying alive."

Su Hang walked up to Luffy and pressed a hand against the brim of his Straw Hat.

"Today, you nearly died at Higuma's hands, and you nearly died in the Lord of the Coast's jaws. There's no shame in admitting you're weak. Treating recklessness as courage is what gets the people protecting you killed."

Luffy glanced at Shanks's left shoulder, and his arms slowly fell.

"I don't want him to lose an arm for nothing."

"Then remember why you survived."

"What about you?"

"I'll remember too."

Su Hang picked up the short sword Benns had left on the table. Its blade was chipped in several places, and dried blood still stained the hilt.

He held the sword out to Luffy.

"Take it."

Luffy did not accept it.

"Is this compensation?"

"No."

"Then why give it to me?"

"When Higuma held a knife to you, all you knew how to do was ram the ship. If you get tied up again, you can use this to cut the rope."

"I don't want it."

"Afraid of a knife?"

"Of course not!"

"Then take it."

Luffy stared at the short sword. Suddenly, he grabbed the scabbard, drew the blade, and drove it into the tabletop with a backhanded thrust.

Thud!

"The sword belongs to Benns. I won't take an enemy's things as compensation."

"I told you, it isn't compensation."

"I still don't want it."

Luffy fastened the empty scabbard to his waist.

"I'll keep this."

Su Hang looked at him.

"What use is an empty scabbard?"

"As a promise."

"What promise?"

"When I can beat you without a Devil Fruit, I'll give the scabbard back. Then you'll pull out this sword, and we'll fight seriously."

Su Hang pulled the short sword from the table and flicked the blade with a finger.

"This piece of junk won't last until then."

"Then find a better one."

"You sure know how to assign me work."

"You already snatched the fruit. Finding a sword is nothing."

Su Hang tucked the short sword behind his waist.

"Fine. I'll wait for you to return the scabbard."

Luffy immediately broke into a grin.

"I'll definitely win!"

"You couldn't even beat Higuma today."

"I'll win someday!"

"When?"

"Soon!"

"Exactly when?"

Luffy was stumped. He counted on his fingers for a long while.

"I don't know. Anyway, it won't take too long."

Shanks picked up the Straw Hat beside him.

The brim was damp with seawater, and there was still a bullet graze across its front. With one hand, he brushed off the sand and placed it on Luffy's head.

"Luffy, I'll leave this hat with you for now."

Luffy held the brim.

"Shanks, are you leaving?"

"The Marines are already at our doorstep. If we stay for more drinks, Makino will complain that we smashed even more tables."

Makino was packing provisions in the kitchen. Hearing that, she looked back.

"Tables can be remade. Just don't die in the village."

Shanks smiled.

"Did you hear that? That's an eviction notice."

Luffy gripped the Straw Hat tightly.

"Will you come back?"

"When you become a great pirate, return the hat to me."

"I don't have a Devil Fruit."

"Who hands out permission to set sail?"

"No one."

"Then stop asking stupid questions."

Shanks crouched down until he was eye level with Luffy.

"Devil Fruit or not, you're still you. Where you want to go, who you want as your companions, what kind of person you want to become—it's all your choice."

Before Luffy's tears could fall, his mouth had already split into a grin.

"I'm going to sea!"

"And then?"

"I'll find the greatest treasure in the world!"

"And after that?"

"I'll become the Pirate King!"

Su Hang took a sack of provisions from Makino.

"You don't become the Pirate King just by shouting it."

"Just wait. I'll get there first!"

"First learn how to read a heading. Don't drift back to Windmill Village the moment you leave."

"I know east, south, west, and north!"

"Which way is South Beach?"

Luffy raised his hand and pointed north.

The tavern fell silent for a moment.

Makino lifted a hand to her forehead.

"Luffy, that's North Cliff."

"I pointed the wrong way just now!"

"That's why you should learn navigation first."

Su Hang tied the provisions to his back, then took out a folded slip of paper and pressed it into Luffy's hand.

Several lines were written on it:

Seawater suppresses.

Seastone.

Haki can touch a Devil Fruit user's real body.

Stretched limbs can be grabbed in advance.

There is an opening when joints retract.

Luffy finished reading and abruptly looked up.

"Are these all your weaknesses?"

"These are the ones I've found so far."

"Why are you telling me?"

"You said you wanted to beat me."

"Aren't you afraid I'll really win?"

"Knowing my weaknesses doesn't mean you can reach me."

Su Hang bent down and tapped the paper.

"If I find more in the future, I'll add them. Don't use having your fruit stolen as an excuse. If you want to win, train until you can make use of these things."

Luffy folded the paper and tucked it inside the scabbard.

"You can't go back on your word."

"I'm only afraid you won't be able to catch up."

"I'll definitely catch up!"

Makino brought over another bag of dried rations. When she handed it to Su Hang, she did not let go.

"There are three forks on the mountain path. Take the left at the first one. Follow the stream at the second. Once you see a broken tree, don't keep going east. That way leads to a cliff."

"I remember."

"Your canteen is full. There's no seawater in it."

"Ordinary water suppresses Devil Fruit users too. Just don't let me soak my whole body in it."

"The medicine is in the side pouch."

"Got it."

Only then did Makino release the bag.

"Su Hang, come back alive."

"Once I lead all the pursuers away, you'll be safe."

"I mean you."

Su Hang looked at her, then tightened the provisions on his back.

"I'll live."

Hurried footsteps suddenly rang out beyond the tavern.

A villager rushed through the door. His sleeve had been torn by branches, and sweat covered his face.

"Makino, one of the people guarding the Hunting Trail is missing!"

"Who?"

"Hank, the one watching over the elderly group. He said he was going behind them to check some footprints. He hasn't returned for half an hour."

Su Hang immediately headed for the door.

"Where did he disappear?"

"At the fork behind the well."

"Take me there."

Luffy followed him out for two steps.

"I'm coming too!"

"Stay by Shanks's side."

"You just told me to train!"

"Training doesn't mean walking into an ambush."

Su Hang went behind the well and crouched down to inspect the muddy ground.

Among the messy straw-sandal prints were two deeper, square heel marks. The front of the soles bore fine horizontal grooves, and their edges were stained with the black waterproof grease unique to the port.

Shanks walked over.

"Standard Marine combat boots."

"Only one set of footprints went into the woods. None came back out."

"There was more than one infiltrator."

Su Hang followed the broken branches with his gaze toward the depths of the Hunting Trail.

A small patch of blood stained the grass, beside it were drag marks. Farther ahead, someone had deliberately swept the mud with branches.

When Makino hurried over, she was still carrying the food that had yet to be distributed.

"They've already entered the village?"

"Those who entered weren't ordinary Marines."

Su Hang picked up a copper button from the grass. A Marine seagull emblem was engraved on the front, while the back bore the same five-ring cross as Benns's metal plate.

Shanks took the button.

"People directly under the Five Elders have infiltrated the blockade force."

"They know Benns is alive."

Luffy clenched the sword sheath at his waist.

"Benns is still tied up in the warehouse!"

Everyone turned at once.

A plume of gray smoke rose from the warehouse to the north of the village.

That wasn't a fire.

It was the signal agreed upon by the Red-Hair Pirates for a missing prisoner.

Beckman leaped down from the roof, his expression grim as he landed.

"The warehouse guards were knocked out by sleeping gas. There's a drag trail from the back wall leading into the northern woods. The infiltrators brought a Seastone net. They came prepared."

Su Hang turned and sprinted toward the northern Hunting Trail.

"They took Benns to make him identify you in public."