After skipping episode 45's opening, they weren't greeted with a title card, but rather a calming scene on the Going Merry.
Nami was complaining to a seagull about the newspaper's rising price, saying that if the price rises again, she won't buy it.
"Hey, don't blame the messenger." Hizashi said.
"...They have seagulls that deliver them newspapers." Aizawa felt like that was strange.
"I'm pretty sure using snails as phones is stranger than using seagulls as paperboys." Toshinori reminded him.
"...God, what has our life become?"
As the seagull flew away, Usopp told her it's just a newspaper, working on his ammo. Nami believed that it will add up soon, but Usopp reminded her that she doesn't need to save up money anymore. Nami claimed that since she doesn't have the obligation to save up money for Arlong, she's doing it for herself.
"Well, I guess it's nice she's doing it for herself." Ochako smiled a bit.
Usopp told her to keep it down as he's working on his "Hissatsu Tabasco-Boshi" here.
Luffy tried to reach for a mikan from Nami's trees, but a kick caused Luffy to be sent flying into Usopp, which in turned caused Usopp's formula to splash over his eyes.
Usopp screamed in pain as the flame reached way above the Going Merry.
There was a mixture of two reactions: Laughter and wincing.
Luffy complained, wanting only one fruit, but Sanji told him that no one's allowed to touch Nami's grove, then he declared him as the 'security guard of love.' Nami simply gave him her thanks.
"Oh, she still has a piece of the orchard." Mina smiled widely.
"And it's a good way to combat scurvy." Iida nodded, remembering the beginnings of the Baratie arc.
Zoro simply thought that Nami was using Sanji like a tool.
Even though Luffy thought Sanji was being stingy, he's still in a good mood. Nami looked through the newspaper, seeing the world's in chaos right now, but soon a flyer came out. Everyone screamed, seeing what's on it.
The title card came up: "BOUNTY! Straw Hat Luffy Becomes World Famous!"
"Welp, I guess they've discovered the bounty." Hizashi playfully grinned.
In a Japanese stylized building bearing the kanji for Marines, several important looking Marine soldiers were having a meeting. The man in the striped suit was explaining why Luffy should have a high bounty.
Since Luffy have been quite active, defeating several famous pirates and Captain Morgan, he believed the bounty for his head should be 30000000 beri.
"Thirty million!?" Ochako's eyes seemed to almost pop out.
"That's crazy!" Denki gaped.
"I mean, he did a lot for someone who just started out." Izuku nodded, writing in his One Piece notebook.
He believed it should be wise to take care of them quickly, to 'puck this seed of evil before it takes root.'
The men agreed.
"Seed of evil? He defeated the bastard who took over villages for eight years!" Katsuki shouted.
Just outside the building, a large man looked over the many rows of soldiers. He told the weaklings to run away for they don't have room for them. This building is a fortress of peace during the Pirate Age. He told them that it's not a crime for the civilians to be weak, but they are the heart of Justice. They have to exterminate the evil out at sea in the name of absolute justice.
On the back of their long jackets was the kanji for justice.
A sour feeling boiled within their guts, listening to that man's speech and how it relates to the future heroes.
As kids who grew up loving heroes, it was disheartening to... kind of understand what he's saying, but not completely. A lot of them want to take down villain and protect the civilians, but it wasn't as harsh as the man have said it. Plus, seeing One Piece version of 'evil' was different.
Of course, most of the pirates in One Piece aren't saints, like Buggy blowing up a village, Kuro planning to kill an innocent girl, what Arlong have done, etc.
...But Luffy was the better pirate they've seen on the anime. Sure, he wasn't the perfect man, but he wasn't an absolute monster. In fact, he is a hero to Nami's island, and yet the Marines, who want to protect the civilians, are giving him a bounty, calling him a 'seed of evil.'
The teachers could easily see their disheartened expressions.
Aizawa let out a soft sigh. He had to remind them. "You know... vigilantism is illegal here-"
"But it's not fair!" Toru suddenly shouted. "Luffy saved Nami's island and Usopp's island and that town! I don't expect him to get praise, but..." She let out a huff, sinking deeper into her seat.
Some of the students murmured among themselves, kind of agreeing with her.
Denki nervously rubbed the back of his head. "I mean, it's kind of good he has a bounty. He wants to be the Pirate King, so he has to be infamous."
"Besides, it's not like everyone is going to treat him like a villain." Toshinori said, slightly smiling.
In Usopp's village, Merry ran all the way to Kaya's room, showing her Luffy's bounty poster. Taking her glasses off, she smiled, noticing Usopp in the corner of Luffy's picture.
Kaya opened her window, and in her imagination, she pretends Usopp was on that tree branch. She's glad that Usopp is perusing his dream while she becomes a doctor. She knows that they'll meet up again one day.
As Toru's position loosen up a bit, Mina pretended to swoon, "Oh my, the maiden is still waiting for her pirate."
A few chuckled as Katsuki rolled his eyes.
"Come on, if that's not proof Kaya likes him, then I don't know what it." Mina grinned.
In a familiar looking marine base, Luffy's poster was posted up. With a broom in his hand, Coby smiled brightly, glad Luffy's moving on with his dream.
"It's Coby, and he's still in the marines!" Izuku smiled at the sight of him, feeling almost like a father seeing his son.
"Oh, and he's gotten taller." Ochako said.
"And he's doing the scrub work." Katsuki sighed.
"But he's still in the marines." Iida quickly added.
"Look, a marine who likes Luffy." Ojiro smiled lukewarmly to Toru.
Coby remembers his time with Luffy, but he reminded himself that they'll be enemies the next time they meet.
In the back, Helmeppo was sweeping the floors.
"What, they still kept him around!?" Katsuki shouted.
"Well, at least he's doing some work." Todoroki said, trying to see the positive in this.
In the holding cells, a marine soldier smugly showed the poster to Morgan, whose eyes widen at the sight.
"Ha! Fuck you!" Sero can't help but to shout at the man.
On a familiar cat shp, Kuro didn't say anything about the poster, lifting up his glasses.
At the Baratie, Luffy's poster was proudly shown as the cooks continued on cooking, remembering Luffy's time there.
Zeff looked out at sea, remembering Sanji's last moments here.
Jiro can't help but to smile as Ochako quietly said, "So much dad energy here."
Back on the Going Merry, Luffy happily laughed, showing off his poster. He was proud that he's wanted, especially with the amount on his head.
Usopp pointed out his back on the picture, believing he's also famous.
"As if everyone will hunt you down simply because of that." Katsuki rolled his eyes.
"I mean, that marine captain have mentioned Luffy has four 'accomplices.'" Todoroki said.
"Yeah, that would mean Usopp wold be slightly more 'hunted down' compared to the others." Denki shrugged.
"Poor Usopp..." Aoyama sighed.
Sanji was only able to notice the sniper on the poster when Usopp pointed it out. Sitting on the ground, Sanji pouted, saying that's just the back of his head. It doesn't count to him.
Jiro let out a laugh. "Oh my God, he is jealous."
Usopp teased him, saying he could have his own poster in the future.
As Usopp and Sanji danced around, Luffy happily proclaimed that they're going to the Grand Line, but Nami criticized them for not understanding the seriousness of the situation since that means they'll hunt for their heads now. She recognized that they can't lounge around in the East Blue anymore.
Meanwhile, Zoro was resting in the back, knowing that with a bounty like Luffy's, that means that even the marines and tough bounty hunters will be looking for them. They're in a whole new league now.
"Exactly." Iida nodded. "I'm glad there's some reasonable people here."
"Can you truly be reasonable for embracing death?" Tokoyami asked.
"...Please don't ruin this for me."
After the eyecatches, on a very beaten up ship, a newspaper seagull swooped down. In the cabin, it was revealed to be Captain Fullbody, drunk on cheap wine. He misses the good old days before he've met Sanji. Now he's been demoted onto this crappy ship.
"I believe he well deserved it." Aizawa said with a shit eating grin.
He saw a soldier barged in, showing him the new wanted list. Fullbody is still annoyed by all of this, then he saw the poster, remembering Luffy. This gave him hope that he could escape his boring post, thinking Luffy will be easy to catch.
"He defeated Arlong. He could easily take you down." Mina scoffed.
Fullbody ordered his shabby troops to line up, telling them that they're setting off. When one of them asked where to, the captain doesn't really know, suggesting that sea restaurant.
The soldiers got excited at the mention of a restaurant, hoping Fullbody would be treating them. He was about to dismiss them until he saw the Going Merry pass by them with Luffy and Usopp as the first ones he've noticed.
"Well, that was convenient." Aizawa said.
"But I doubt he could capture them." Toshinori grinned.
He recognized them, forcing to turn around their ship as Luffy and Usopp mistook them as pirates using a scrapped military boat.
Fullbody was insulted that they've forgotten about him, which now allowed Luffy to recognize him as the 'Marine ossan.' He asked if he's in trouble and needs help.
"Oh, come one, he's not that old looking." Hizashi jokingly criticized.
"Well, at least he's nice to him." Momo said.
That only angered Fullbody more, believing it was destiny that brought him here. He've shown him his poster, but Luffy was proud at the sight of it with Usopp admiring the back of his head.
Since the poster had 'DEAD OR ALIVE' on it, Fullbody ordered his men to load the cannon.
The others on the Going Merry had noticed the commotion. Usopp ran away while Luffy prepares to bounce the cannonball back, but Zoro stopped him. He'll handle it as Usopp drags Luffy back.
"Oooooooooo... What is he going to do?" Toru excitedly asked.
"What else? Slice them." Sato shrugged.
Fullbody ordered his men to sink the Going Merry, but once the cannonball was sent their way, Zoro sliced the cannonball vertically, sending it to the water.
The students oohed and awed with Usopp and Luffy.
"He could cut metal all this time?" Kirishima's eyes sparkled in the moment.
Sanji noticed the noise and Zoro told the marines to not bug people trying to nap.
"Oh, like Mr. Aizawa?" Denki said, earning a glare from said teacher.
Fullbody demanded his men to continue on firing, but their cannon was all cracked up, causing it to explode, which Usopp and Luffy pointed out.
The marines' ship crashed into their's. Fullbody jumped onto their side with his men following behind.
The ex-captain punched Luffy's face, which cause Luffy to stretch out his neck and headbutt him right back.
His men were kicked right back onto his shabby ship. Fullbody screamed in terror, realizing that Sanji's here too.
Fullbody was in a panic as he and his men retreated into the ocean.
The students were able to let out a laugh.
Luffy complained that it's already over while Nami told them to be quiet since she still wants to read.
As they ready for their meal, we head over to a mystery island. People were on lookout until they saw Mihawk.
"Mihawk?!" Tokoyami nearly jumped in his seat as the students murmured among themselves.
"Why is he here?" Izuku asked the most important question here.
The men were frightened, asking why Mihawk was here. The greatest swordsman asked for their superior, and they lead him there.
Mihawk can't believe how causal he is as the minion yelled out for his boss. He was given a drink as the camera shown some familiar people.
"Shanks's crew?!" Kirishima shouted in shock as they finally landed their eyes on the man himself, Shanks.
"They know each other personally?" Izuku said in interest.
The man finally told Shanks that it was Hawk-eyes, just in time for the master swordsman to appear right behind him.
Shanks greeted him, asking if he wants to go for a match. Mihawk has no interest in challenging an one-armed man. Instead, he've shown him Luffy's poster, saying he've came across some interesting pirates and it reminded him of something Shanks told a long time ago... one of a small village and an amusing little kid.
Everyone's heads turned as the clouds disappeared.
Everyone leaded forward, waiting for Shanks's response.
A big grin appeared on the red haired man's face. "So you've come, Luffy!"
"Yes! He's proud!" Kirishima gleefully shouted as the others let out relaxed sighs.
Shanks doesn't want Mihawk to leave right now...
"What?" Toru tilted her body in confusion.
...because they got to party right now.
"Oh!"
The students smiled among themselves, glad to see that Shanks is happy with all of this.
Even Luffy's home village was happy for Luffy's bounty, all except for the town mayor, who was angry that they're celebrating a villain from their own village.
"Well, normally that would be a strange thing to celebrate," Iida agreed.
"But it's Luffy. It's not like he's some random murderer." Sero said.
The mayor went to the bar, where Makino still works at. Makino is glad that Luffy looks happy, but the old man still complains about him being a pirate. Still, as Makino claims, it's his dream. She asked if he's worried.
Staring down at his drink, the mayor wondered if it's a dream... or fate?
"Fate?" Denki raised an eyebrow.
"Well, we don't know anything about Luffy's parents." Izuku suggested. "Maybe one of them is actually a famous pirate."
"That still raises questions on why Luffy doesn't seem to have relatives around, like when he got kidnapped by that bandit." Ochako said.
"It's not like pirating is a safe 'job,' and maybe they didn't know he wants to be a pirate." Jiro shrugged.
"Or maybe he's just an orphan who likes pirates." Sero added.
"The possibilities are endless." Aoyama sighed.
Back on the Going Merry, the crew looked at the map as Nami claimed they're getting very close to the Grand Line, and the only way there is through 'Reverse Mountain.'
"But isn't a reverse mountain just a deep hole?" Denki asked.
Zoro asked why they can't go straight there from the sea, but Sanji explained that, from Zeff, Reverse Mountain is the only way. When Usopp asked why, all Sanji knew was that it was very dangerous.
Nami was about to explain when Luffy interrupted, saying they should go head-on through the front since that's more interesting.
Nami simply got a headache from attempting to explain things to him so she didn't go any further on the explanation, but first, Luffy reminded them to stop at an island and buy some meat.
"It's always meat." Jiro noticed.
"Hey, meat is good." Kirishima nodded.
"Wait, why is Reverse Mountain the only way to the Grand Line?" Mina whined.
Nami pointed them to an island on the map. On that island is a famous city called 'Loguetown.' Zoro heard it's called "The Town of the Beginning and the End."
This is the town where Gold Roger, the Pirate King, was born and executed.
"So, it was the pirate king's prologue and epilogue." Izuku said, tapping his notebook.
"Oh my god, that was a pun?" Danki gaped.
"More of a clever wordplay, if you ask me." Toshinori said.
"I'm pretty sure they're kind of the same thing." Hizashi tried to correct.
Luffy's tone became a little more serious when he realized Loguetown's true significance. When Nami ask if he wanted to go, that tone still carried on as Luffy wants to see the place where Gold Roger, the man who owned One Piece, the man who had everything in the world, was born and died.
"Huh, Luffy's rarely serious like this." Momo said.
"Well, you got to give the pirate king some respect." Kirishima figured.
On a little raft, there he was; Buggy staring at Luffy's poster.
"Goddamn it! He's back?!" Katsuki complained.
"I mean... he's not that bad." Sero grinned.
On a heart-shaped boat, an attractive lady smiled at his poster.
"To Be Continued."
"Whoa, whoa, wait, who was that lady?" Mineta immediately turned his attention to the mystery woman. "And are we going to see her again?"
"Who knows?" Shoji shrugged.
"Though I could had sworn we've seen a similar ship before." Izuku mentioned.
Taking a page out of Todoroki's book, the green haired boy can't help but to think, ...Alvida's sister? ...Maybe?
Whatever the case, they have to move onto the next episode.
AN: So... I listened to some people's advice, and I decided to have an account on AO3, so 'Everyone Has Dreams' is there just in case FF actually decided to take this down for being a reaction fanfic (which I've heard that's what they're doing lately. Please correct me if I'm wrong). The fanfic is under the same username, so you can't really miss it.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter.