Reborn as Luffy The Pirate King's Return

The narrow alley buzzed with tension as Luffy squared his shoulders and faced the formidable Marine Captain Smoker. Behind him, his father, Dragon, remained silent, his piercing gaze observing the confrontation. The humid Loguetown air was thick with anticipation, and the scent of the sea mixed with the faint aroma of burning tobacco from Smoker's cigars.

Luffy cracked his knuckles, the grin on his face unwavering. "Guess this is goodbye for now, old man," he said over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off Smoker.

Dragon nodded, his expression unreadable. "You have a long journey ahead, Luffy. Show me how strong you've become."

Luffy's eyes gleamed with determination. "Yeah. And I'll get even stronger. You'll see."

With that, Dragon turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Luffy alone with the Marine captain. Smoker exhaled, a cloud of white smoke billowing from his mouth as he took a firm stance.

"Monkey D. Luffy," Smoker muttered, rolling his shoulders. "Thirty million already. You're a real troublemaker."

Luffy tilted his head. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

Smoker's fists clenched as streams of white smoke coiled around his arms. "You're not leaving Loguetown. Your journey ends here."

Luffy shifted his weight slightly, feeling the ground beneath him. "Yeah? Let's see about that."

In an instant, Smoker surged forward, his body dissolving into thick white smoke. His arm extended unnaturally, aiming to grab Luffy's torso and slam him into the ground.

But Luffy was ready.

Using Observation Haki, he sensed the movement before it happened. His body twisted just enough to avoid Smoker's grasp, and in a blur, he vanished from sight, reappearing mid-air above the Marine Captain.

"Shave!" Luffy called out as he executed the Marine Six Style's Soru, a technique that allowed for extreme bursts of speed. He extended his leg, bringing it down toward Smoker's shoulder with immense force.

"Rankyaku!" Luffy followed up with a swift blade of compressed air, cutting through the smoke.

Smoker barely had time to react before the force of Luffy's kick sent him skidding back. The Marine captain gritted his teeth, reforming from the impact as his smog-like arms expanded.

"You're fast," Smoker admitted. "But you still can't touch me."

Luffy grinned. "Oh yeah? Let's test that theory."

Coating his fists with Armament Haki, his knuckles darkened. Luffy dashed forward, his movement barely visible to the normal eye. He launched a flurry of punches, each infused with Haki, colliding with Smoker's smoke-infused body. For the first time, Smoker felt the impact as his body staggered under the strikes.

"What?!" Smoker's eyes widened. "You can hit me?!"

Luffy chuckled. "Yup. Haki's pretty useful, huh?"

Smoker growled and launched a counterattack. "White Blow!" His smoke-covered fist rocketed toward Luffy, but the pirate dodged effortlessly, flipping backward onto a rooftop.

The battle raged through the streets of Loguetown, civilians fleeing as the two warriors clashed. Luffy's mastery of Marine Six Styles allowed him to evade Smoker's attacks while his Haki-infused strikes steadily pushed the Marine back.

Finally, Luffy skidded to a halt, breathing slightly heavier. Smoker, too, was winded, his mind racing as he processed the battle.

"This kid… he's no ordinary pirate," Smoker muttered under his breath.

Luffy exhaled and cracked his neck. "That was fun, but I've got places to be."

Just then, the sound of marching boots echoed down the alley. Dozens of Marine soldiers rushed in, led by none other than Tashigi, her sword drawn.

Luffy sighed, shaking his head. "More of you? Man, this is getting annoying."

Tashigi pointed her blade at Luffy. "You're under arrest, Straw Hat!"

Luffy simply smirked. "I don't think so."

As the Marines surrounded him, the air around Luffy shifted. His expression darkened, and his presence became overwhelming. A deep, intense pressure pulsed through the alley, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

Smoker's eyes narrowed. "This… no way…"

Luffy's voice was calm but firm. "You guys should just stay down."

With that, a shockwave burst outward.

A surge of Conqueror's Haki exploded from Luffy's body, washing over the entire Marine force like a tidal wave. One by one, the soldiers collapsed, their eyes rolling back as they lost consciousness. Tashigi gritted her teeth, struggling to stay on her feet, but the sheer force of Luffy's will was too much. She, too, crumpled to the ground.

Smoker remained standing, his teeth clenched in frustration. "Conqueror's Haki…"

Luffy rolled his shoulders. "You guys aren't ready for the Grand Line. Time for me to go."

Without another word, he turned and began walking toward the harbor, leaving behind a stunned Smoker and an unconscious Marine squad.

His ship—and his crew—were waiting.