One Piece: Absolute Domination; Reborn as Luffy

Chapter 24: Saving the World

Determined to start his feast, Luffy lit a fire, prepared his seasonings, and began roasting the birds.

"Hahahaha!" Luffy laughed in pure delight, watching as the birds seemingly obeyed his every command, one after another threading themselves onto the skewers he'd prepared. The young doctor, Aimee, stood in shock, wide-eyed as she witnessed this bizarre sight.

"What?" Aimee gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief. "Lord Luffy! Why are those birds skewering themselves on your sticks?"

But Luffy didn't respond. Soon, the once-adorable birds were all being roasted, filling the air with a savory aroma that made even Aimee's stomach growl. However, when she remembered these were the same birds that had been flitting around her just moments before, she swallowed hard and looked away, trying to forget them.

Luffy, however, paid no mind to her reservations and eagerly dug into his meal.

Gulp!

Gulp!

Gulp!

Yet, even after the feast, he shook his head. Still not enough. He craved even more roasted meat.

Just then, a new batch of large birds, as if drawn by some invisible force, began to flock toward him. Aimee watched in astonishment as nearly every bird within a three-hundred-meter radius swooped in, though they came in waves of a dozen or so at a time.

One by one, as they arrived, the birds flew directly onto his skewers, almost like a ritual of self-sacrifice. Aimee felt a pang of sadness and couldn't bear to watch, but Luffy only laughed louder, cheering for more.

"Bring it on!" he called out. "The more, the better!"

Then, suddenly, Luffy noticed a shadow in the nearby grass—a small deer. He concentrated, attempting to bring it under his control, and his Conqueror's Haki enveloped the creature.

With a small pop, a spark of power erupted in the deer's mind, and, obediently, it trotted toward him. Aimee assumed it was merely passing by until she saw it bow slightly in front of Luffy.

This was his first attempt to control a mammal, and it had worked. He felt he could manage just one, given the stronger resistance mammals had compared to birds.

Testing his control, he watched as the deer turned and ran straight into the wall of a nearby wooden hut with a loud thump, effectively sacrificing itself. Aimee's eyes widened in horror.

"What's going on, Lord Luffy?" she asked, trembling. "Why are they doing this? Why do they... want to die?"

It was beyond her understanding, but Luffy didn't answer. Soon, he prepared the deer for roasting, and its savory scent wafted into the air.

"Want to try some, Aimee?" he asked with a grin.

She shook her head, clearly uncomfortable. As a young woman, and especially one who adored animals, she couldn't bear to eat such creatures.

Deep down, Aimee wanted to ask Luffy to stop—it felt unbearably cruel. But she didn't dare.

Luffy, with his keen perception, sensed her hesitation. He smiled at her and said, "Aimee, I can tell you might think I'm being cruel. But think about it: these creatures exist for the benefit of humans. They are here to nourish us, to be part of the cycle of life."

He spoke in a calm, straightforward tone that struck a chord in her. Aimee was left speechless, only able to shake her head.

"Listen, Aimee," Luffy continued gently. "Take your time to understand. The world is full of purpose and cycles. Everything has its role, its mission, you could say."

Pausing, he added, "You are here to serve Hancock, I'm here to find the great treasure, and Rayleigh existed to help the Pirate King."

Aimee listened closely, nodding. Though she didn't fully understand, something about his words resonated.

"These animals," Luffy said, "they exist to nourish us. If I didn't eat them, they'd still end up as prey for something else. One way or another, it's their fate to be eaten."

Taking a sip of his drink, he continued, "And eating them now might even be the best outcome for them. Their nutrients become my energy, helping me heal and train so I can pursue my dream and, in the end, save this world."

His words struck her like lightning. Aimee stood there, eyes wide, her mind racing.

"Save the world?" she murmured, as though testing the phrase.

No one she knew had ever spoken so boldly. The most powerful person she had met was Her Majesty, the Empress, one of the Seven Warlords, a pirate known throughout the seas. But even Hancock had never spoken of saving the world. Not even the infamous Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, had claimed such a purpose.

But here stood a simple, seemingly unassuming young man who dared to say it.

Luffy laughed again, while Aimee, still captivated, couldn't help but see him in a new light.

In that moment, Luffy seemed like the most gallant man in the entire world.

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T/N:
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