Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides

Bellamy approached Ryomen, his steps deliberate, a confident smirk tugging at his lips.

"Who's that?" Luffy asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"Looks like he's got business with you, Ryomen." Zoro remarked, eyeing the approaching pirate.

"Yeah…" Ryomen responded, his gaze steady as he studied Bellamy's approach.

"You're the guy with a sixty-million bounty, right?" Bellamy began, extending his hand with a crooked grin. "Bellamy. Fifty-five million."

Ryomen looked at the hand for a second before shaking it. "Ryomen." He replied, maintaining his cool.

Bellamy turned to the bartender with a casual wave. "Give me your most expensive drink—and whatever he wants."

"A lemon juice." Ryomen ordered calmly.

Bellamy chuckled as the bartender poured their drinks. "I heard my crew caused you some trouble earlier. Gotta make things right, so...how much do you want?" He leaned against the bar, his arrogance plain as day.

In the background, Sarquiss and the blonde woman exchanged uneasy glances, knowing they had been the ones to provoke Ryomen earlier.

"I don't need your money. Just apologize to my captain, and we'll call it even." Ryomen replied evenly, accepting the glass from the bartender.

Bellamy snorted, waving off the suggestion. "Apologize? That's not really my style, even if it's to someone on my level."

Ryomen's calm demeanor didn't waver. "Captain?" Bellamy repeated, suddenly more cautious. "Who's that supposed to be?"

Ryomen gestured toward Luffy, who was still standing beside him. "Him."

For a brief moment, Bellamy looked surprised, but his shock quickly twisted into disdain. "You're following him?" He sneered.

Just as Ryomen was about to take a sip from his glass, Bellamy's hand shot out, slamming his face into the bar, shattering it on impact.

"Hahaha! What a joke! Following someone weaker than you? You really are a coward!" Bellamy laughed, leaning back with his arms crossed.

"The hell do you think you're doing!?" Zoro barked, his hand already on his sword hilt as he stared daggers at Bellamy.

"Yeah! Do you want us to beat you into the ground!?" Luffy added, fists clenched in anger.

Ryomen slowly stood up, dusting off his clothes. "Relax, both of you." He said, his tone eerily calm. "We've got more important things to worry about."

"Oh?" Bellamy raised a brow, clearly amused. "And what's more important than this?"

Luffy's voice cut through the tense silence. "We're going to the Sky Island."

The entire bar fell silent for a moment before erupting into laughter. Every patron, pirate, and bystander in the room doubled over in amusement.

"Hahahaha! Sky Island? You're serious?" Bellamy chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye. "What kind of idiot believes in that old legend? You been living under a rock?"

Zoro and Ryomen exchanged glances but stayed quiet.

Bellamy shook his head with a disappointed sigh. "You know, new currents get discovered on the Grand Line all the time. One of those is the 'knock-up stream' where ships get flung into the air before crashing back down into the sea. Some fools saw that and decided, 'Oh, there must be a whole world up there!'" He grinned. "What a waste of time."

Bellamy leaned in close to Luffy. "I was gonna offer you a spot on my crew, but you're too busy chasing dreams like an idiot. The age of dreams is over! El Dorado? The Emerald City? The One Piece? All of it's just a fool's game! People die chasing after those fairy tales, and they call it 'dying for their dream'—but they're just losers."

Without warning, Bellamy smashed a bottle over Luffy's head, sending him to the ground.

"Luffy!" Ryomen shouted, his fists clenched as he glared at Bellamy with fury in his eyes.

Zoro stayed still, his expression cold but unmoved by the unfolding events.

"You think you can just decide who's a loser?" Ryomen's voice was low but deadly. "People who have the courage to die for their dreams…They're stronger than you'll ever be!" His words surprised those around him, including himself.

Bellamy's grin faltered for just a moment, but the rest of the tavern remained defiant, throwing drinks and insults at Ryomen, Zoro, and Luffy.

"Bellamy's right! Get out of town, dreamers!" Someone from the crowd shouted.

Sarquiss, regaining his composure, nudged Bellamy. "Hey, looks like everyone's ready for the show."

Bellamy smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Guess I'll give 'em what they want."

Just as Bellamy took a step toward them, Luffy got back on his feet, wiping the blood from his forehead. His voice cut through the noise, cold and resolute.

"Zoro. Ryomen. Do not...fight them."

Zoro silently nodded, and Ryomen glanced at Luffy, briefly surprised by his calmness. He quickly masked it, though, reminding himself of something important.

'You trust me when it counts, so I'll do the same.' Ryomen thought with renewed determination.

The three stood firm as Bellamy's crew continued to pummel them—punches, kicks, and thrown bottles raining down. Their bodies were covered in cuts and bruises, but they remained rooted in place. Blood trickled from their wounds, but not one of them moved.

Bellamy, standing before them, sneered as he approached. "On top of being weak, you don't even have pride. Your heads are full of nothing but dreams." He mocked, dripping with disdain.

He stepped closer, water dribbling from his lips before he spat at them. "Never seen cowards like this before." His grin widened as he turned to his men. "Get these losers outta here! They're stinking up the place!"

Bellamy's lackeys rushed to comply. Zoro was kicked hard in the face, crashing into tables behind them. Luffy's face was slammed into a window, shards of glass cutting his skin, and Ryomen took a brutal punch to the chest from Sarquiss, the floor beneath him splintering as he collapsed.

Within moments, the trio was hurled out of the tavern like garbage.

Ryomen groaned, pushing himself up from the dirt outside, eyes blazing. "Damn bastards." He wiped the blood from his mouth.

"Sky islands exist." A deep voice suddenly cut through the haze of pain.

Ryomen turned, eyes narrowing. It was the man who had left the tavern earlier, the one who'd been watching from the shadows.

"Zehahaha! These cherry pies are the best!" The man bellowed, smacking his belly in satisfaction.

Ryomen raised an eyebrow. "Great. Just what we need." He muttered under his breath.

The man noticed their gaze and sauntered over. "What's with the faces? You three won that fight." He grinned widely.

"You sure made Bellamy look like a fool with that comeback. Zehahaha!"

Zoro and Luffy had managed to get to their feet, silently observing the strange newcomer. Ryomen remained cautious, eyes still fixed on him.

The man's tone suddenly shifted, growing serious. "That 'new age' Bellamy and his boys were bragging about? Total crap." He paused, a dark laugh bubbling up.

"The age of pirate dreams is over!? Zehaha! People's dreams...They never end!" His voice rang out, drawing stares from passersby.

The bold declaration hung in the air, brimming with conviction. For a moment, the trio stood in silence.

"Let 'em laugh. If you're aiming for the top...fists aren't always what prove your strength!" He exclaimed, his laughter once again erupting in the quiet street.

Ryomen muttered under his breath, "He's getting weirder by the minute."

Zoro rolled his shoulders, sighing.

"Let's go. No point sticking around."

Ryomen nodded, ready to leave. But Luffy stood still, his eyes fixed on the stranger, a rare intensity behind them.

The man didn't seem to mind. With a broad smile, he took a step back. "Well, I won't keep ya. You've got somewhere to be, right? I hope you make it...to Sky Island." He tossed a final glance at Luffy, then turned, walking away with the same carefree swagger.

Luffy finally began moving, heading in the opposite direction. As they walked away, Ryomen glanced at Zoro.

"Those guys…Do you think the sick man…?"

Zoro nodded sharply. "Yeah. Probably."

Ryomen sighed, considering the implication.

"So, should we make a run for it?" He asked, eyes on Luffy.

Luffy didn't hesitate. "Yeah, most likely."

…

"Hey Luffy…why didn't you fight them?" Ryomen asked suddenly as they walked quickly toward the ship.

Luffy yawned. "There was no reason to." He replied simply, surprising Ryomen. "Why'd you get angry when he said following your dream is for losers?"

Ryomen remained silent for a moment, caught off guard. "I don't know. I just didn't like him belittling our crew."

The three continued walking, cautiously glancing around to make sure they weren't being followed.

"Luffy! Zoro! Ryomen!" Usopp shouted, spotting them approaching the ship. His eyes widened as he saw their battered state.

"You guys are wounded! What happened!?" He asked frantically.

"Ahhh! Call a doctor!" Chopper yelled, spinning in circles in a panic.

"That's you!" Usopp corrected, exasperated.

…

Inside the ship, as Chopper treated their wounds, Usopp bombarded them with questions.

"So, what did you fight? A giant monster?" He asked eagerly.

"A pirate." Luffy replied casually. "But never mind, it's over."

Nami crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently. "Ryomen, you were supposed to keep them in check."

Ryomen's shoulders sagged, his head hanging low. "Sorry…" He muttered. "But...we need to leave. Now." His tone shifted to serious.

"Why?" Sanji asked, confused.

"Ryomen killed someone from a powerful crew." Zoro added with a smirk.

Ryomen's head dropped even lower, feeling the weight of his actions.

"What!?" Nami shouted, her voice so sharp it sent Usopp and Chopper scrambling for cover.

"Oh no, it's demon Nami!" Usopp mumbled as he ducked behind Chopper.

"Let's get out of here before she kills us!" Chopper whispered urgently.

They darted inside, leaving the others to deal with the chaos.

"Just why would you do that!?" Nami demanded, her fists clenched, glaring at Ryomen.

"That guy tried to kill Luffy with an explosive apple!" Ryomen blurted defensively.

"Explosive…apple?" Sanji repeated incredulously.

Nami stared at them, disbelief in her eyes. "You expect me to believe that!?" She swung her fist and clocked Ryomen on the head, knocking him to the floor.

"She killed him!!" Usopp and Chopper shouted from their hiding spots.

Nami gasped, realizing her mistake. "I'm sorry!" She apologized quickly.

"It's fine." Ryomen reassured her, rubbing the back of his head.

Zoro chimed in, leaning back in his chair. "He's telling the truth, Nami. That guy was handing out apples to people just to see who was lucky enough to survive."

Sanji raised an eyebrow. "You always get yourself into the weirdest situations, Luffy."

Luffy grinned but didn't offer any explanation.

Ryomen sighed, feeling a bit lighter. "He was looking down on Luffy. And I couldn't let him keep killing innocent people."

Nami placed a hand on her forehead, calming herself. "Alright, alright…It's done now. We can't change it. But did you at least find out how to get to Skypiea?"

Ryomen scratched the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. "Not exactly…"

Nami raised her fist again but caught herself, sighing in defeat.

Robin appeared on deck, dressed in a stylish cowboy-inspired outfit, catching Sanji's eye immediately.

"Robin-chan! You're back! What will it be? A bath or dinner?" Sanji asked, hearts in his eyes.

Ignoring Sanji's fawning, Nami turned to Robin. "Where'd you go?"

"Just shopping." Robin said calmly, showing off her new outfit. "And I found this." She held out a map of Jaya Island.

Luffy snatched it up with excitement. "Whoa! What's this?"

Usopp peered over his shoulder. "The town on the left is Mock Town, where we are now. And the X on the other side…what's that?"

"That's where Jaya's biggest weirdo lives." Robin explained casually. "He was chased out of town for talking about dreams. Seems like you have something in common, Luffy."

…

Not long after setting sail, the Straw Hats spotted a strange ship on the horizon, decorated with orangutan motifs.

Usopp squinted at it. "Oh great, another weirdo already."

"Yeah, but I don't think he's the one we're looking for." Luffy replied with a laugh.

A man with a microphone stepped forward on the orangutan ship. "Hey! You there! This isn't a place for idle chit-chat!"

Luffy tilted his head. "You look smart, what species are you?"

The man looked offended. "I'm human, fool!"

"Hey! Don't insult the boss!" His crew shouted in unison.

Ryomen rubbed his temples, exhausted from the day's chaos. "Please tell me this day is over."

The man straightened up in his chair. "Do you know who I am? I'll be the one to take Crocodile's place in the Warlords!"

Ryomen sighed. "Good for you, but can we pass? We're kind of in a hurry."

The man pointed at them. "This is my sea! You'll have to pay if you want to get by!"

Usopp scratched his head. "Wait, doesn't he sound just like that Masira guy?"

The man's eyes flared with anger. "Masira!? What did you do to my brother!?"

Luffy shrugged. "We kicked his butt."

"How dare you! I'll make you pay!" The man grabbed his microphone. "Havoc Sonar!"

As the ship began to shake from the soundwaves, Ryomen lifted his hand. "Dismantle."

The microphone shattered into pieces, silencing the orangutan man instantly. His jaw hung open in shock.

"Let's go." Ryomen said flatly, and Nami turned the ship back on course as the Merry sailed forward, leaving the bizarre scene behind.