"You know something. I've been hearing rumors that Commander Shamus was beaten by some teenager!"

"I've been hearing that rumor, too. You think it's true?"

"Hehe, looks like rumors of my exploits are getting around fast," thought Yume. "I'll be famous in no time. But enough of that. I've got to find the guy I'm looking for. This is the third island I've checked so far."

Suddenly there was a scream for help and several people ran from down the street of the café Yume was eating at.

"I wonder what's going on?"

"Alright you little worms! Hand over all your valuables! Don't hold out on us!"

"Uh oh! Sound's like there's some action going on!"

Yume left his tip on the table and ran off in the direction of the danger. He stopped to see a bunch of civilians being mugged by a group of seven pirates.

"Haha! Now that he marines on this island have been defeated, no one can stop us!" said a pirate with a big hat and a twirly mustache.

"I've got to do something!"

Yume then charged at the pirates head on. He punched one of the pirates between the eyes, the kicked him in the temple. The fall of one of their comrades caught the attention of the rest of the crew.

"Alright then," said Yume out loud. "Six pirates, all armed and dangerous, ready to fight me. I really need to learn to think things through."

"Get him!" called one of the pirates.

The nearest pirate stabbed at Yume, who parried the blade. He then kicked the pirate in the wrist, disarming him. He then dispatched the pirate with an elbow to the throat.

Then a gun was fired. A bullet whizzed right past Yume's face.

"Che, the brat moved at the last second," said the pirate wearing the gigantic hat.

"ARE YOU INSANE! THAT COULD'VE TAKEN MY HEAD OFF!"

"Boys, I'll handle this brat," said the big-hat pirate.

"I'm guessing that you're their captain."

"Indeed I am. My name is 'Big Top' Yakusha, captain of the Big Top pirates. And I have a bounty of 7,700,000 Beli on my head!"

"Hm, 7,700,000 Beli? That's pretty damn impressive. I'm just estimating here, but beating Commander Shamus would probably give me a bounty of… six or seven million Beli."

"You expect me to believe that YOU defeated the marine commander on this island?" asked Yakusha, drawing out a rapier. "KEEP DREAMING KID!"

The mustached pirated charged at Yume. However the teen ducked under his blade. But Yume had moved right into a trap. His face met with the pirate's foot, sending him tumbling backwards a few feet.

"Give up kid! You don't stand a chance against me," Yakusha said as he watched Yume get to his feet. He was about to charge at Yume again but he suddenly fell over, with kunai sticking out of his back.

"Kunai?" wondered Yume. "That's the weapon used by-"

He was cut off by a person in a all black clothing jumping down. He had a black mask covering his face from the nose down. Around his neck was a red scarf. He had short, wavy, black hair. Tied to a sash around his waist was a sheathed katana.

"That's Shadow Master Tomoshibi!" said one of the pirates in a panicked voice. "One of the best bounty hunters in the East Blue! Said to be the second coming of Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro!"

"Ah, 7,700,000 Beli, that out to get me a couple meal tickets," said the black-clad man.

"You're Shadow Master Tomoshibi," said Yume calmly, in stark contrast to the crowd of screaming pirates in a panicked flee. "You're the one I've been looking for. You have something that belongs to me."

"Oh, a just what might that be?" replied Tomoshibi, just as serious as Yume.

"Your devotion and loyalty," Yume responded, suddenly sounding fun and chipper.

"What?" asked Tomoshibi, completely clueless as to what this kid was asking him.

"It's simple, really. I want you to be the second mate on my pirate crew."

"No," was Tomoshibi's blatant reply.

"You could at least hear me out!"

"It doesn't matter, I'm a bounty hunter, not a pirate. Pirates run from me, not try to recruit me. And if you're a pirate, you're my enemy. What's your name, boy?"

"My name is Shinji D. Yume, future Third Pirate King. I don't have a bounty yet, but it should be released in a couple days."

"Well, Yume, you're wasting my time. Get lost."

"I'll recruit you, even if it means by force!" Yume said, charging at Tomoshibi.

The bounty hunter effortlessly dodged Yume's punch and delivered a punch of his own to Yume's gut. Tomoshibi then spun around and kicked the teenager in the jaw. As Yume was dizzy from the blow to his jaw, Tomoshibi finished his combo with an open-palm strike to the chest, sending Yume flying away about three meters.

"Impressive," said Yume, whiping some blood from his chin. "You're as strong as the rumors say."

This time, Tomoshibi went on the offensive. He threw three shuriken at Yume, all of which the teen dodged easily. However, the shuriken were a distraction, for the bounty hunter to get up close to Yume. The teenager ducked under a kick and punched Tomoshibi in the stomach. Yume used the moment he reeled over in pain to deliver an uppercut to the jaw. With the rest of his body open, Yume could deliver an assault of about twenty punches to Tomoshibi, but before he could land the finished blow, the bounty hunter jumped back.

Though his face was mostly covered, one could tell that Tomoshibi was fatigued from Yume's onslaught.

"Your power exceeds your years," said Tomoshibi, wiping sweat from his brow. "But I have yet to get serious."

The bounty hunter then unsheathed his katana. Then, in the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Yume and knocked him down. He then held his katana to Yume's throat.

"Looks like I win this fight," he said, resheathing his katana. "But you were good exercise. If you can defeat me in battle when we next meet, I'll consider joining your crew. Bye bye."

As his new rival left the scene, Yume thought to himself, "Five or six more crew members, then you, then the Grand Line, then One Piece. Those are my priorities right now. We'll meet again Shadow Master Tomoshibi. And when we do, I WILL make you my first mate!"

END CHAPTER

Not bad, eh? And so ends the first story arc of One Piece: Dawn of a New Era, but there will be still more action, more comedy, and more…One Piece! So get ready for the next chapter: Surprise! The Gambling Boy!

I'm gonna be KING of the pirates!