Confirming the Guess

At Makino's Bar, Luffy had still been sitting on a stool playing when he saw Ryan and the others enter. Just as he was about to greet them, Ryan grabbed him with one hand, lifted him up, and brought him before Shanks.

"This is the kid you meant?" Shanks carefully examined Luffy. He was thin and small, with a dazed look on his face. There did not seem to be anything special about him.

After all, Ryan had displayed incomparable talent when he was only eight years old, while this kid before him seemed utterly ordinary.

Yes, ordinary. That was Shanks's first impression of Luffy. Toss him into a crowd, and he would be nothing more than another passerby.

"Captain, are you sure? This kid is the chosen one?" Kid was not the only one; everyone was wondering the same thing.

"What's going on?" Luffy asked with a grin as he looked at the strange scene before him.

"Th-this... Captain Roger?"

The moment Shanks saw Luffy smile, he thought of Roger, the captain he admired most, because their smiles were truly far too alike.

"Maybe this kid really can do it!" Shanks could not help having that thought.

"Luffy, here, have some fruit." Ryan took out the Nika Fruit and placed it in Luffy's hand.

The moment he heard there was food, Luffy's eyes lit up. Eating was what he loved most, and eating delicious food was when he was happiest.

Luffy picked up the Nika Fruit and took a bite under everyone's watchful eyes.

"It tastes awful!"

"You liar! Big liar!"

Feeling cheated, Luffy desperately made retching motions, but it was useless. The Devil Fruit had already taken effect the moment he swallowed it.

Luffy's entire face now looked as bitter as a melon.

"I don't think I'll ever