Chapter 1: Luffy Overboard?! The Relentless Devil's Diamond!
The Thousand Sunny pitched violently on the raging sea, its mast groaning under the weight of the turbulent storm. The sky was a suffocating black, broken only by jagged streaks of lightning that illuminated the chaos below. Hail pelted the deck like a relentless barrage, each chunk sharp and stinging. The crew was scattered across the ship, desperately trying to hold their ground.
"Man the sails! If we aren't careful, we're gonna be swept off course!" Nami bellowed, her voice barely cutting through the howling wind. She swung her Clima Takt, creating a brief burst of air to deflect an approaching cluster of icy projectiles. "I can't navigate if we're under constant attack!"
"Kind of busy right now!" Zoro shouted back, his swords flashing as he slashed through a swarm of miniature creatures crawling across the deck. The hail wasn't just falling anymore—it was alive. "What are these things, anyway? And why the hell are there so many?!"
"They're hail bugs," Robin said, her tone eerily calm as she formed hands from the ship's railings to crush a few of the wriggling attackers. "I've read about them, but I never thought I'd see them in person. They're quite fascinating! They only appear this deep into the Grand Line."
"Now's not the time for fun facts, Robin!" Nami snapped, her patience worn thin as she swatted another bug away.
"They're after me!" Usopp wailed, dodging an ice bug that leaped at his face. "Why are they always after me?! I don't taste good, I swear!" He bolted across the deck, Chopper hot on his heels and shouting, "Don't lead them this way! I'm too small for this!"
Sanji growled as he delivered a fiery kick to a cluster of bugs swarming near the ship's figurehead, sending them scattering into the storm. "Dammit! Where the hell is our idiot captain? He's supposed to be dealing with this mess!" His cigarette remained miraculously lit, glowing faintly despite the chaos around him, though his temper burned brighter. "Luffy! Get your ass over here before I throw you into the storm myself!"
"Man overboard!" Brook's voice rang out, his skeletal hand pointing toward the churning sea.
"What?!" Nami whipped around, her eyes widening in disbelief. There, in the storm-tossed waves, was Luffy—grinning sheepishly as he flailed to stay afloat.
"YOU MORON! HOW'D YOU FALL OFF THE SHIP?!" Nami screamed, her eyes sparking with frustration.
"I got it!" Jinbe's deep voice cut through the chaos, and without hesitation, he prepared to dive into the raging waters.
"No! We need you to man the helm!" Nami shouted, stopping him mid-motion. "If we lose control of the ship, we're done for!"
Above the fray, Franky's booming laughter echoed. "This is SUPER!" he cheered, even as he tightened the rigging, his mechanical arms working overtime to steady the sails.
"Well, someone's got to save him!" Zoro growled, shaking off another wave of hail bugs as he stepped forward. His grip tightened on his swords, his voice low and brimming with resolve. "Asura Sword-Drawing: Jest of the Dead!"
A burst of energy erupted from him, his swords slicing clean through the chaos. The force of the technique tore across the deck, leaving a jagged trail that carved dangerously close to Usopp and Chopper.
"AHHHHH!" Usopp shrieked, clutching Chopper as the slashes came to a halt just inches from their feet. "That's way too overkill! You're gonna take down the whole ship!"
Chopper fainted on the spot, his tiny body slumping against Usopp as the sniper scrambled to hold him up.
Meanwhile, Robin stepped forward, her calm demeanor unshaken. "Cuarenta Fleurs!" she called out, summoning a chain of arms that extended toward Luffy in the water. Just as her creation began to take form, a swarm of hail bugs descended upon her, snapping and clawing at her with icy ferocity.
Robin flinched, her concentration breaking under the onslaught. But before the bugs could overwhelm her, Sanji appeared in a blur of motion. His leg ignited in a fiery spiral as he delivered a series of devastating kicks.
"You filthy vermin, get away from my darling Robin!" Sanji snarled, his voice dripping with fury. "Diable Jambe!" His blazing strikes incinerated the swarm, sending charred shards of ice scattering into the storm.
Robin gave him a small nod of thanks, brushing off the remaining frost. "Impeccable timing, as always," she said with a faint smile.
Before Robin could fully regain her footing, Franky came barreling across the deck, his heavy footsteps reverberating through the storm. His metal arm swung in a wide arc, smashing through another wave of hail bugs attempting to swarm Robin.
"Don't worry, Robin! I've got your back!" Franky shouted, flashing her a confident grin despite the hail battering his shiny frame. "Nobody messes with my crew! Strong Right!" His mechanical fist launched forward, scattering the remaining bugs with a resounding crash.
"NOBODY IS HOLDING THE RIGGING!" Nami's voice cut through the chaos like a lightning bolt, her tone laced with panic. The sails were flailing wildly in the wind, threatening to tear apart under the storm's fury.
"I'll do it!" Brook called out, leaping into the air. He reached for the loose rigging, but instead of anchoring it, his bony frame began flailing helplessly as the wind tossed him about.
"Yohohoho! I forgot!" Brook laughed, flopping around like a ragdoll. "I don't have any muscle to weigh me down!"
Jinbe, glancing back from the helm, sighed heavily. "Stay steady, Nami. I'll handle him." With a powerful step, he abandoned the helm and surged across the slippery deck. Grabbing hold of Brook's trailing coat, he yanked the skeleton down with one hand while expertly tying the rigging with the other.
Meanwhile, Sanji paused on the deck, his sharp gaze locking onto Luffy's struggling form in the waves. With a determined growl, he made his decision.
"Keep things steady up here! I'm going after the idiot!" Sanji shouted, tossing his jacket aside. Without hesitation, he dove into the raging sea.
"Jinbe!" Nami screamed, her knuckles white as she fought against the spinning wheel of the helm. The storm's violent winds wrenched it out of control, throwing her off balance. "Get back here! The ship's gonna capsize if we don't steer—AH!"
The wheel spun wildly, yanking her forward and slamming her against the edge of the console. She fell to her knees, clutching her side and gasping from the impact. Rainwater drenched her face as she looked up, desperation etched into her features.
Through the chaos of the storm, Nami's sharp eyes caught sight of Usopp and Chopper, who were still darting around the deck like headless chickens, swatting at the relentless hail bugs.
"YOU TWO!" Nami's voice erupted over the howling winds, cutting through the cacophony. Both of them skidded to a halt mid-sprint, freezing in place as her words pierced the storm. "GET YOUR ASSES OVER HERE! I NEED HELP!"
Usopp and Chopper exchanged a wide-eyed glance, the panic mirrored on their faces. Then, with a determined nod, they sprang into action.
"Right! Guard Point!" Chopper shouted. In an instant, his body ballooned into a massive, fluffy sphere of fur. The sudden transformation knocked Usopp off his feet, sending him sprawling onto the deck beneath Chopper's bulk.
"ACK! Chopper, you're crushing me!" Usopp yelled, his muffled voice barely audible from under the fluff.
"Oops! Sorry!" Chopper quickly shifted forms again. "Kung Fu Point!" His body morphed into a smaller, muscular frame, lifting Usopp effortlessly with one arm.
With his free hand, Chopper delivered swift, precise strikes to the hail bugs swarming around them, sending shards of ice scattering across the deck. "Hang on, Usopp! I'll handle the bugs while we get to Nami!"
Usopp flailed wildly, dangling awkwardly from Chopper's grip. "Can you not carry me like a sack of potatoes?!" he protested, his voice a mix of indignation and panic.
"We don't have time to argue!" Chopper snapped, his tone resolute as he powered forward, swatting away another wave of hail bugs with precise strikes. His determination was unwavering as he closed the distance to Nami, ignoring Usopp's continued flailing.
Meanwhile, a loud splash came from the side of the ship as Sanji broke the surface of the water, gasping for air. Rain and waves pelted his face, but his grip on Luffy was firm.
Dragging the soaked captain toward the ship's edge, Sanji coughed and spat out seawater, his temper boiling over. "You idiot!" he snapped, gripping Luffy by the shoulders and shaking him. "How the hell did you end up in the water?! Explain yourself!"
Luffy, drenched and utterly unfazed, grinned sheepishly. "I don't know. I was just sitting in my spot, and then… I fell in," he said with a shrug, as if that made perfect sense.
Sanji's eye twitched violently. "Nami told you to move after you told her to head into the storm, you brain-dead captain!" He continued shaking Luffy with enough force to rattle his teeth.
"Sorry!" Luffy said, still smiling as though this was no big deal.
"Sorry doesn't cut it!" Sanji roared.
Suddenly, Luffy stopped mid-laugh, his expression shifting as his hands patted the top of his head, then his neck. Panic set in as his eyes widened. "My hat!" he gasped.
Sanji froze, a vein throbbing in his temple. "You've got to be kidding me…"
Ignoring him entirely, Luffy frantically scanned the churning waters. His gaze locked onto a familiar silhouette bobbing in the waves, rapidly being swept away. "There it is!" he exclaimed, determination lighting up his face.
Back on the ship, chaos was in full swing. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper wrestled with the helm, the wheel threatening to spin out of control. Jinbe and Brook fended off the endless hail bugs swarming the sails, while Robin and Franky battled their own relentless waves of the icy pests. Zoro, in his element, carved through them with deadly precision.
Nami glanced up and froze, her breath catching in her throat. A massive wave loomed on the horizon, its shadow swallowing the stormy sky. Her voice rang out like a thunderclap. "EVERYONE, HOLD ONTO SOMETHING! NOW!"
The crew turned, their faces pale as they saw the monstrous wave bearing down on them.
Out in the water, Luffy stretched his arm, his fingers closing around the brim of his precious hat. "Gotcha!" he said triumphantly, holding it close with a wide grin.
That grin faltered when he noticed Sanji's expression—a rare, unguarded look of sheer terror. "What's wrong?" Luffy asked, tilting his head.
Sanji's trembling finger pointed behind Luffy. "That," he whispered, his voice tight with dread.
Luffy turned, his eyes widening as he saw the colossal wave surging toward them.
"SHIT!" Sanji yelled.
The wave slammed into them with devastating force, sending the two of them hurtling under the water.
Back on the ship, the impact was no less severe. The wave crashed into the Thousand Sunny, swallowing the deck in a wall of water. For a brief moment, everything was chaos—the roar of the wave, the ship's creaking protests, and the crew's cries of alarm.
Then, everything went black.
…
The sound of gentle waves lapping against the shore was a stark contrast to the chaos just moments ago. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of palm trees, casting dappled patterns onto the sand.
Usopp groaned as he stirred awake, his surroundings slowly coming into focus. "Where…? Why am I up here?!" He squawked, realizing he was precariously perched on the top of a swaying palm tree. His legs kicked uselessly, and he clung to the trunk like his life depended on it. "HELP! I'M STUCK! SOMEBODY GET ME DOWN!"
Zoro, sprawled out on the beach below, groaned as he pushed himself up from the sand. He coughed, spitting out a mouthful of grit, only to freeze when he felt something clutching his arm.
Chopper was wrapped around him, trembling and coughing up sand. "I-I thought I was going to drown!" the reindeer cried, his grip tightening on Zoro.
"You're fine now, stop squeezing," Zoro muttered gruffly, though he didn't push Chopper away. He dusted himself off and scanned the beach, his sharp eyes taking in the scattered crew.
From the edge of the treeline, Jinbe emerged, brushing twigs and leaves off his shoulders. "Everyone accounted for?" he asked, his calm voice a stark contrast to the scene.
Franky stumbled out behind him, his hair tangled with seaweed. "SUPER rough landing!" he groaned, shaking off the foliage like a dog. He glanced around, spotting Usopp in the tree and giving a hearty laugh. "Yo, long nose! You're looking like a SUPER fruit up there!"
"THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" Usopp yelled, flailing his arms.
Meanwhile, Brook lay flat on the sand, his skeletal frame awkwardly sprawled beneath the combined weight of Nami and Robin, who were draped unceremoniously over him.
"Ladies, I appreciate the company," Brook wheezed, his voice cracking, "but I can't exactly breathe, yohohoho—though I don't have lungs!"
Nami groaned as she slowly stirred, rubbing her head with a wince. "What… happened?" She blinked, eyes squinting as she took in her surroundings. Her gaze shifted down and she froze, realizing where she was. "And why am I on top of you?"
"Purely circumstantial, I assure you," Brook said, trying to sound dignified, though his voice came out a little strained. A trickle of blood ran from his nose as he lay there, flattened under Nami and Robin.
Robin, ever composed, gently pushed herself up and surveyed their surroundings. "It seems we've been washed ashore. The question is, where are we—and where are Luffy and Sanji?"
Jinbe stepped forward, his expression serious. "Let's hope the storm didn't separate us too far."
Zoro, still trying to shake Chopper off his arm with little success, scoffed. "Don't worry. A stupid storm's not enough to take out Luffy. Hopefully it's enough for blondie."
"Great," Nami muttered, brushing sand off her clothes with a grimace. "Now we're stranded on some random island with those two morons MIA. Just perfect."
"Ahhh! The Sunny!" Franky gasped, his eyes wide as he pointed behind them. The ship was stuck precariously atop a cliff, half-covered in debris and rubble.
The crew rushed toward the wrecked ship, their hearts sinking. Franky's face twisted in anguish as he took in the sight of the deck. Half of it was completely gone, torn away by the storm.
He glared at Zoro, fists clenched. "What the hell did you do?!"
Usopp, his voice shrill, yelled toward Zoro, "I told you that move was overkill!"
Zoro shrugged, folding his arms with his usual nonchalance. "Relax. Franky can fix it."
Franky wiped a mock tear from his eye, grinning widely as his usual bravado returned. "Of course I can! I'm the most super shipwright, after all! Luckily, it looks like the frame and the keel are still fine, it's just the deck." He then shot Zoro a sly smirk. "Though, karma's a real bitch, huh?"
Zoro's brow furrowed at the taunt, but then his eyes widened in alarm as he looked down at his arm. "Ah! My bandana!" he shouted, panic creeping into his voice.
Without another word, Zoro bolted off in search of his beloved bandana.
Nami sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "Usopp, go with him. We won't be able to find him if he goes off on his own."
"Why me?" Usopp grumbled, visibly frustrated.
"BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I SAID!" Nami snapped, her fist connecting with his head.
Usopp groaned but reluctantly turned to follow Zoro.
"Relax, Navmi. I'll handle the swordsman," Robin said, her tone as calm and collected as ever, as she walked after Zoro with grace.
Nami sighed, her frustration lingering as she looked over at Franky. "What do you need? We'll help however we can."
"Well, looks like there's plenty of lumber here on the island. Give me a day, and the Sunny will be as good as new. Hopefully, none of my tools got swept away," Franky said as he walked toward the ship, already scanning the damage.
"Alright, Usopp, Brook, help Franky with the repairs. Chopper, Jinbe, go look for water and food," Nami instructed, already taking charge.
"What about Luffy and Sanji?" Chopper asked, concern in his voice.
"This is all Luffy's fault in the first place!" Nami snapped. "When he shows up, I'm giving him a proper beating!"
A sudden memory of the storm flashed in Nami's mind—her eyes drifted to the log pose, securely hidden in her map room. As she picked it up, her expression grew tense. The needles on two of the compasses were spinning wildly.
"Figures. We're heading straight toward the Devil's Diamond," she muttered to herself, glancing at a map nearby.
"The Devil's Diamond… one of the most dangerous areas this deep in the Grand Line," Nami murmured, tracing her finger along the chart. "Only one pirate and his crew has made it out alive—Gol D. Roger." She paused, her gaze softening for a moment. "Even though I dream of mapping the entire world, crew safety comes first. I'll come back once Luffy's King of the Pirates. For now, Luffy absolutely cannot—"
"What're you looking at?" A voice interrupted, and Nami froze. She looked over her shoulder to find Luffy standing behind her, peering curiously at the log pose and the map.
Nami's heart skipped a beat. She shrieked and hastily tried to cover the map and log pose, her eyes wide with panic.
"What were you saying? I only caught the last part," Luffy said, grinning mischievously.
Nami's face flushed red with annoyance as she growled. Without thinking, she punched him hard on the head. "You're not allowed in here! You know that!"
Luffy rubbed the bump on his head, pouting exaggeratedly. "Hey! You didn't need to punch me!"
"Get out!" Nami shouted, her frustration finally boiling over.
Luffy tilted his head, brow furrowing in confusion. "Why? Don't you think we're as good as Roger?"
"Huh?" Nami blinked, thrown off by his sudden question.
Luffy grinned, completely unaware of Nami's growing exasperation. "Well, you were saying that only Roger made it through the Devil's Diamond, right? If I'm gonna be the next King of the Pirates, then we have to make it through too!"
Nami sighed deeply, leaning on her desk as she tried to remain calm. "Luffy, trust me on this. We can come back later. It's way too dangerous to head there right now. Right now, we need to focus on getting to Laugh Tale. We don't want anyone to beat us there."
Luffy cocked his head to the side, still not quite getting it. "Huh?"
"I couldn't have explained it more clearly," Nami said, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.
Luffy smiled at her, his usual optimism shining through. "No one will beat us there. I've got the world's best navigator on my crew, after all."
He stuck out his hand with a grin. "And she wants to map the entire world, right? So why wait?"
Nami blinked, taken aback by his unwavering confidence. She felt a warmth in her chest, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. She couldn't help but smile as she slapped his hand in agreement. "Right!"
…
"WHAT? Nami, I thought your job was to keep the crew safe at sea, not choose the most dangerous route!" Usopp exclaimed, his voice high with panic.
Robin, ever calm, tilted her head with a smile. "I'm not opposed. I too would like to see if there's any hidden knowledge in the Devil's Diamond."
Sanji's eyes practically sparkled as he grinned, his usual hearts floating around his head. "If Nami-swan and Robin-chwan want to go, then I'll go too!" He struck a dramatic pose, looking over at the two women with infatuated eyes. "Anything for my beautiful ladies!"
Zoro, still standing with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face, grunted, clearly unimpressed by the emotional display. "The sea doesn't scare me," he said in his usual gruff tone. "If this is the route we're taking, then I'm in. But I'm not going to hold your hands if things go sideways."
Franky gave a loud "SUPER!" and clapped his hands together, clearly energized by the thought of a challenge. "I'm always ready for an adventure! Devil's Diamond? No problem! I'll start working on reinforcements for the Sunny so we can go through that mess!" He struck a pose, his usual confident grin plastered on his face.
Usopp, on the other hand, was shaking his head in disbelief. "Are you guys out of your minds?" he cried, his voice rising in panic. "This isn't just a dangerous island—it's the Devil's Diamond! I'd rather take my chances with a giant sea king any day!"
"Usopp's right," Chopper chimed in, nervously tugging at his hat. "That place sounds really scary, but if everyone's going, I guess I'll go too. I'm a doctor, after all, and I can't just leave you guys to get hurt…" His voice trailed off, the thought of danger still weighing heavily on him.
Jinbe gave a quiet, serious nod, his expression unreadable. "If this is the path we take, then I'm with you all. But remember, the Devil's Diamond is no joke. We must be cautious."
Brook, ever the cheerful soul, stood up with a grin and a wink, his bony fingers strumming his violin. "Yohoho! If we're heading into the Devil's Diamond, then I'll be sure to serenade the sea with some tunes to keep our spirits high!" He posed dramatically, his thin frame swaying slightly in the wind. "A little danger never hurt a gentleman like me! I'm ready to face whatever comes—after all, I've already been dead once!"
He struck a pose with his arms outstretched, as if daring the island to challenge him. "So let's go, my friends! Adventure awaits!"
"YEAH!", cheers the crew, despite their initial doubts and fears, stood together, ready to face whatever dangers awaited them.
Nami then looks to them all, "Things will probably turn sour fast, the log pose is going crazy after all, so you all have to listen to everything I say."
She then turns to Luffy, "You especially, Captain."
Luffy grins widely, "No worries! Of course I'll listen to you!"
"That means no sitting on top of Sunny's head, until we've reached land, got it? We'll need you on the deck."
"You got it!" Luffy grinned, giving a thumbs-up.
As time passed, the sky grew increasingly ominous. Nami stood on the upper deck, Jinbe by her side, both watching the brewing storm.
"You sure about this?" Jinbe asked, his gaze fixed on Nami.
Nami smiled, her eyes scanning the darkening horizon. "Yeah, you know Luffy. Once his mind's made up, there's no changing it. I'll do whatever it takes to help everyone reach their dreams—including mine."
Jinbe gave her a knowing smile before turning his attention to the sky. "Right."
Suddenly, without warning, a massive wave surged from the depths. Nami and Jinbe grabbed onto the railing to steady themselves as the ship lurched.
"It's time," Nami murmured, determination in her voice.
She turned and shouted, "Everyone, get to your positions!" Her eyes caught sight of Luffy, perched casually on top of the figurehead of the Sunny. Her heart skipped a beat. "Luffy! What the hell are you doing up there? I told you not to sit there!"
Luffy, eyes wide with excitement, grinned. "So... cool!" he said, gazing out at the wild sea.
"Don't ignore me!" Nami shouted, hands on her hips. "Get down from there!"
Just then, the sky cracked open, and hail began to pelt down from above.
"Is this hail?" Zoro asked, holding out his hand.
"Yohoho! It's flying!" Brook laughed, his bony frame twirling.
"Super!" Franky grinned, as enthusiastic as ever.
Zoro's expression darkened. He squinted at the hail. "What the hell...?"
"What is it?" Chopper asked, voice trembling.
"The hail... it's alive!" Zoro growled, drawing his swords.
Everyone froze in shock. "What?!" they all gasped in unison.
"Stupid mosshead, hail can't be alive!" Sanji scoffed from behind.
Zoro's eyes never left the sky as he barked back, "Take a look for yourself, you stupid cook!"
Before anyone could react, the hail erupted into a swarm of vicious bugs, flitting through the air with alarming speed. Chaos instantly took hold as the ship came under attack. Usopp and Chopper scrambled, dodging the hail bugs with desperate agility. Nami swiftly drew her Clima Takt, prepared for battle, while the rest of the crew followed suit, weapons drawn and ready.
Luffy, still perched atop the figurehead, cheered with unrestrained joy. "This is awesome!"
Suddenly, a massive wave crashed into the front of the Sunny. Nami, in the middle of fending off the hail bugs, looked on in horror as the ship lurched forward.
"LUFFY!" she screamed, but her attention was quickly pulled back as a swarm of bugs collided with her.
"Man the sails! If we're not careful, we'll be swept off course!" Nami bellowed, her voice barely audible over the howling wind. With swift precision, she swung her Clima Takt, generating a burst of air that deflected a wave of icy projectiles. "I can't navigate if we're under constant attack!"
"Kind of busy right now!" Zoro yelled back, swinging his swords with force. "What are these things, anyway? And why are there so many?!"
"They're hail bugs," Robin said calmly, as if discussing the weather, her hands forming from the ship's railings to crush a few of the wriggling attackers. "I've read about them, but I never thought I'd see them in person. They only appear this deep into the Grand Line."
"Now's not the time for fun facts, Robin!" Nami snapped, swatting another bug away with a frustrated grunt.
The memory fades, snapping back to the present. Usopp crosses his arms, eyeing Nami. "You've given everyone jobs but yourself. What are you going to do?"
Nami spins around, her frustration boiling over. "I'm going to figure out where the hell we are!" she snaps.
Chopper and Usopp immediately squeak in fear, darting behind Jinbe for cover. "Scary…" they mutter in unison.
Nami huffs and stomps across the broken deck, her voice sharp. "I'll be in the map room. No one better bother me unless it's urgent!"
She flings open the door to the map room, slamming it shut behind her with such force that the ship creaks and groans in protest.
"Hey! Be careful!" Franky calls out from the deck, but Nami doesn't respond.
Once inside, Nami slumps against the door, her strength draining away. Her shoulders sag as a heavy sigh escapes her lips.
"I'm sorry, Luffy... I failed you," she whispers, her voice barely audible. "Luffy, Sanji... please be alright."