One Piece:I am King Luffy!

"Come on, old man, is that really all you've got?" Luffy taunted, a smirk on his face as he dodged another half-hearted swing. "How slow can you be? So pathetic."

The soldier in front of him grew red with anger, sweat soaking through his clothes as he tossed aside his armor, trying to lighten his load to catch this infuriating child. But no matter how hard he tried, his fists couldn't seem to land a single hit on the kid.

"I'm already bored," Luffy said, stifling a yawn. "You're way too weak for me."

That was the final straw for the soldier, who threw himself forward, desperate to at least brush against Luffy with his fist.

Luffy, instead of dodging, reached out and caught the soldier's punch with ease. "With such a weak punch, you'll never hurt anyone," he said, gripping the man's wrist firmly before effortlessly tossing him to the ground.

As the soldier lay there, humiliated, he watched helplessly as Luffy strolled away, his cries fading as Luffy walked farther into the garden.

"Hmm... still not enough," Luffy muttered to himself. He felt he was close to unlocking something deep within himself—something powerful that could awaken in moments of extreme focus or danger. The only times he'd ever felt it were in fleeting moments, like when carrying Uta, when he could feel the world more intensely. But how to tap into it intentionally? The feeling was like the edge of a dream, just out of reach.

---

The next morning at nine, Uta finally stirred, stretching lazily as her stomach growled. She vaguely remembered falling asleep on Luffy's back the day before, but not much else. Looking around, she noticed her shoes, socks, and hair accessories had been carefully set aside, a small sign of Luffy's thoughtfulness.

As she fixed her hair, Uta stumbled out of the room, still groggy, and bumped into Beckman in the hallway.

"Well, good morning, Uta," he greeted, a knowing smile on his face. "There are some leftovers in the kitchen—go fill up."

"Where's Luffy?" Uta asked between yawns.

"Oh, him…" Beckman's expression turned slightly amused. "He's probably, ah… bonding with the soldiers."

Beckman had watched, amused but faintly horrified, as Luffy had spent the previous day taunting and sparring with every guard he could find. The kid was a natural, relentless in both strength and, more impressively, in the psychological torment he inflicted on the soldiers. It was a sight Beckman hadn't exactly enjoyed.

"We'll go see the king this afternoon," he added. "He's cleared his schedule to meet you."

Uta's eyes sparkled with excitement. "The king himself is going to teach me music?"

Beckman nodded. "We'll stay here as long as it takes for you to learn."

---

In the palace training yard, a dozen soldiers surrounded Luffy, each wielding a wooden staff. Luffy, shirtless and covered in sweat, grinned back at them, clutching his own staff and gasping for air. A small group of pirates looked on, enjoying the spectacle.

Luffy was starting to understand just how tough people in the world of pirates were. Even if he knocked them down, the soldiers would pick themselves up and rejoin the fight within moments, determined to wear him down. Luffy, on the other hand, was growing tired. He hadn't let a single hit land, dodging or blocking each attack to avoid the sting of their blows. But his stamina was finally waning.

"Not so cocky now, are you, brat?" one of the soldiers sneered, circling closer. "Surrounded by a dozen men, all ready to pummel you—how's it feel?"

Luffy, clutching his staff tighter, responded, "For grown-ups to gang up on a kid like this… you're really pathetic!"

The soldiers exchanged glances and chuckled, edging in. Each of them bore red welts from where Luffy had struck them, yet none had been seriously hurt. Their wooden staves might sting, but they were hardly lethal.

"We're just giving you the 'training' you asked for, Luffy," one of the soldiers taunted as they all closed in.

Two soldiers lunged forward, staves held high. Luffy deflected their blows, twisting his staff to disarm them before jabbing them in the throat. The two stumbled back, coughing, but another soldier was already closing in.

"Not… enough…" Luffy whispered to himself. His vision was blurring with exhaustion, and he was drenched in sweat. He could barely keep his footing, yet he forced himself to focus, ignoring his fatigue and pushing his mind into the elusive, heightened state he'd been seeking.

He tried to remember the fleeting moments of clarity he'd felt before. When Uta had leaned against him, he'd somehow sensed her presence with heightened precision, able to feel her heartbeat, almost as if he were mapping her form in his mind. Could he bring that heightened awareness out now, under pressure?

Closing his eyes, Luffy took a deep breath, trying to summon the feeling he'd had when those ants had crawled on him after he'd escaped Uta's dream world. The instinctive revulsion he'd felt, the sense of alarm that had exploded into action without thinking…

He felt something stir within him, like a spark catching in dry tinder. His breath slowed, his awareness expanded, and for a split second, he felt a powerful surge in his body.

White energy rippled from within him, coating his arm like an invisible shield.

Luffy's eyes snapped open. He didn't fully understand it, but his hand felt different—stronger, tougher.

As the next soldier brought his staff down, aiming to strike Luffy's, the boy blocked with his own weapon, but this time, something was different. With a flick of his wrist, he knocked the soldier's staff aside as if it weighed nothing.

The soldier staggered back, shocked by the unexpected strength behind Luffy's parry. This was something else—a str

ength that went beyond mere muscle.

"This… this is Armament Haki!"

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