Stop Dreamin'!

In a devastated town square filled with rubble and damaged buildings, shocked onlookers discuss the chaos. “The executioner Roshio. Was killed here...” “W... What happened here...I” “Even the guys who saw the whole thing have no idea what exactly happened. So who the hell really knows...I” “Beats me.” “Were they firing cannons in the middle of town or what!I” “This looks more like a warzone...” A large “どよ どよ” sound effect echoes. A man with his back turned thinks, “It’s that Straw Hat. Was fighting Bellamy...” “But if there’s two things we know for certain...” The street is lined with signs like “BLACK MAM”, “BAR”, and “FOR RENT”.

Luffy stands with arms crossed, glaring forward. Behind him looms a large grinning face. “Some sort of devil fruit ability...” “オオオオ.” “And that ‘Bellamy the Hyena,’ definitely has.” “どよ どよ”. “Heh...” “You the one with a head worth 30 milI” “The one called Straw-Hat LuffyI” Large impact effects “ドドドド” shake the ground. Luffy’s serious expression and stance dominate the panel.

At a bar counter, a girl in a striped shirt asks, “Isn’t that the same name as the pirate who rented out that hotel earlierI” Bellamy sits drinking, “BellamyI” Luffy turns, “HuhI” “Seems like he’s got business with you.” In the crowded bar, voices react: “Seriously...I” “Did you hear thatI 30 million for that kid with the straw-hat...” “Who, himI” “どよ どよ”. Luffy points and declares, “Alright... Give me the most expensive bottle you have.” A large man shouts, “And a drink of my choice for my lil’ friend here.” Luffy adds, “Whoa, I’m meetin’ all the huge dudes today.”

Inside a dimly lit, run-down bar, several patrons complain about the shabby atmosphere. "Looks like they only serve cheap rum here." "Ugh, what's with this shopI Reeks in here..." "Look, it's the same guys from earlier." "SeriouslyI No empty seats...I" "I'm surprised people can even drink in this place." A group of rough-looking men, including one with a skull belt and striped pants, stand prominently near the entrance. In a close-up panel, three men react sharply with "!I" and "!" as tension rises. Below, a hand grips a large knife while another figure watches from the counter. "What's with that knife...I" "...That must be him. 'Big Knife Sarquiss.'"

The tall blond man in the skull belt and striped pants lounges arrogantly in a chair while his crew takes over seats. "What a bunch of dense retards." "The least you could do is offer us your seats..." Other crew members stand behind him. In smaller panels, the group settles in. "Who cares, let's just drink..." A hand pours a drink as another offers a glass. "Enjoy your drinks." "Here." The blond man licks his lips with a grin. "Heh..."

At the bar counter, a woman with long hair accepts a drink. "Oh, thanks!" "Drink up." The blond man leans in with a smirk. "Tell me about it..." "Bellamy loves to play around..." In the next panel, Monkey D. Luffy sits happily with a large mug. "So you're a pretty nice guy, after all." "Haha." Luffy raises the mug and drinks deeply. "HmI" Suddenly the scene erupts as someone shouts "LUFFY!" and a shocked voice cries "WHAT!I"

A massive impact shatters the scene as Luffy is violently struck, sending debris and motion lines flying. "!!!I" In the aftermath, a spiky-haired man stares in shock with a "I" above his head. The blond man bursts into laughter. "YOU'RE A RIOT, BELLAMY!" "HAHAHA HAHAHA!" A panicked voice screams "AHHHH! He's done it now!" as the bar erupts into chaos around the fallen figure.

Zoro clashes fiercely with a muscular blond man, their weapons locked as the blond snarls, "UNDERLING...I" and "AND WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOIN'...". A close-up shows Zoro's intense glare as he growls, "A QUESTION YOU SHOULD ANSWER..." and the blond replies, "THAT'S...". In the background, Luffy lies on the ground with a small "ooo..." bubble. Nami shouts from the side, "Stay quiet! This fight's already been forced on us! We still haven't learned a thing! Z-zoro, wait!". The blond laughs mockingly, "So you can still get up, can youI Hahaha!" as Zoro responds with a quiet "Oh..." while Nami watches anxiously.

Luffy wipes his face with his arm and declares, "YOU BETTER BE PREPARED..." as a small "wipe" effect appears. In the bustling bar, Bellamy's crew erupts in cheers: "AHAHAHA! FIGHT! FIGHT!" and "OHHH!I THOSE TWO ARE GONNA FIGHT BELLAMY!". Nami yells desperately, "LUFFY! WAIT!". Bellamy leans in with a wild grin, "C'mon, let me see what ya got...!" and laughs, "HAHAHA! This ain't no fight, it's a test!" while Luffy stares him down with a serious expression.

Inside the crowded bar, a long-haired man demands, "Do you know anything about it!I" while another shouts, "Barkeep! We want to go to a "Sky Island"!". Patrons react with shock: "!!!", sweat drops, and stunned faces. Luffy looks confused with a "I" bubble. Nami's earlier words echo as onlookers mutter, "What did she just say...I" and "Is she seriousI". The Straw Hats stand amid the tense crowd as the bar grows quiet with disbelief.

The entire bar explodes into roaring laughter. Patrons everywhere burst out laughing with massive sound effects: "AHAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHA!" on the left and "GAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHA!" on the right. A huge central Japanese SFX "どわははははは" dominates the page amid flying mugs, debris, and chaotic motion lines. Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and the crew stand surrounded by the jeering crowd as the tavern descends into wild, mocking hysteria.

Nami stares at the log pose in shock, sweat flying as she yells, "Our log pose is pointing straight up at the sky!" Sanji turns in confusion, asking, "W-what's the big ideaI" In the next panel a wild-haired man bursts into hysterical laughter, "HAHAHAHAHA! STOP! YER KILLIN' ME!" while another figure mutters, "SK... PFFT! SKY ISLAND, SHE SAID!" The crew reacts with stunned silence. A tall man with a scar and a long-haired man glare forward as the laughter continues. Nami flushes bright red, eyes wide, while the same wild man keeps cackling, "AHAHAHAHAHA!" Luffy and Sanji tumble on the floor in the background as the man roars, "LOG POSES SCREW UP ALL THE TIME!" The entire tavern erupts in mocking laughter around them.

Inside the tavern the wild-haired man lounges on a barrel, still laughing as he mocks, "Hahah! What ERA are you from...!I" Nami, Sanji, and Luffy stand listening while he continues, "About an island floating in the sky...!I You seriously believe in an old legend like thatI" He gestures dramatically, "Just where the hell did you hicks come fromI Whoo, boy. You sure surprised me." The man explains the knock-up stream phenomenon, noting ships are blasted skyward and that Grand Line currents are still being mapped. Luffy listens intently as the man concludes, "So they imagined a whole other world up in the clouds... What a bunch of simpletons!"

Bellamy leans in with a vicious grin, declaring, "But what a bunch of dreamin' fools you are... I came to test you to see if you were worthy of joining my crew for the coming new age... What a letdown..." The tavern erupts as he shouts about the City of Gold and the Emerald Capital, then snarls, "THE AGE OF PIRATES WHO DREAM IS OVER!" He continues, "That die after being jerked around some bullshit fantasy all their lives!" Luffy stands silently with a blank, serious expression while Bellamy finishes, "Fools whose eyes are clouded by the treasures of their dreams will never seize the real gains right below their noses! It's always the ones who most bravely navigate these rough waters in this age of sail."

Bellamy turns away laughing, "HAHAHAHA!" as he calls Luffy's dream "THE TRADE-MARK WORDS OF A LOSER!" and adds, "He was happy to have lived for his dream!" In a sudden rage he smashes the table and attacks, shouting, "I JUST CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF! When I see dreamin' idiots like you..." Luffy remains motionless with a calm, unreadable stare. Nami suddenly screams in alarm, "LUFFY!" while Sanji watches with narrowed eyes and a cigarette in his mouth.

Luffy stands spread-eagled on the wooden walkway as a massive black silhouette looms over him, laughing wildly. "AHAHAHAHAHA!" the figure roars. A speech bubble mocks, "Ha, what a weakling!" Another declares, "Weak, pathetic runts like you playing pirate," while a third retorts, "Just bring down the rep of us real pirates!" In the next panels Luffy is struck hard; his face twists in pain as a mug of rum flies through the air and shatters. Inside the crowded bar, patrons shout "GET THE HELL OUTTA THIS TOWN! GET OUT! GET OUT!" and "You're making the rum taste bad!" A scarred man with a bandana grins and says, "Heh heh... Get the hell out, you little maggots. It's just as Bellamy said!" while the room erupts in jeers and thrown objects.

A wild-eyed man with a stitched scar sticks out his tongue and laughs, "HAHAHA! HAHA... SURE, ONE SHOW COMING RRIIIIIGHT UP!" Nearby, Bellamy's crew reacts with "Hahaha... Hey, Bellamy! Seems like the folks here want a show!" as furniture crashes and a chandelier swings. Zoro appears in the background while Luffy, back to the reader, hears a voice urge, "Luffy! Zoro! Forget about the promise and just kick their asses!" In a close-up, Luffy sweats and grits his teeth, thinking, "TO THEIR JEERS...! DON'T RESPOND AT ALL," as impact lines and "!!I" emphasize his restraint.

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