The Thousand Sunny rocks gently as it cuts through calm seas, sunlight glinting off the waves. The crew is scattered across the deck—Nami counting berries with a suspicious smile, Usopp tinkering with something that may or may not explode, Sanji serving lunch while yelling at Zoro for breathing too loudly.

Luffy suddenly slams both hands on the figurehead, eyes sparkling. “HEY! I decided something!”

Everyone froze. Curious.

Zoro sighs. “That’s never good.”

“We need one more crewmate!” Luffy announces, grinning wide. “Someone strong. Like, really strong. Someone who can fight right next to me!”

Nami looks up sharply. “Luffy. We already have ten people. Do you know how expensive that is?”

Robin smiles calmly. “Another fighter would certainly draw attention from the World Government.”

“That’s the point!” Luffy laughs. “They’ve gotta be someone who doesn’t fight with swords like Zoro. And not a sniper like Usopp. Someone who can just—” He punches the air, his arm stretching absurdly far. “—BOOM! Right in front!”

Usopp gulps. “D-do they have to be scary…?”

Sanji lights a cigarette, exhaling slowly. “We already have Devil Fruit users, idiot-captain. You, Robin, Chopper, Brook—”

“Yeah, yeah,” Luffy interrupts, waving a hand. “But this one has to fight like me. Up close. No thinking. Just instinct.”

The deck grows quieter.

“They’ve got a Devil Fruit that lets them go all-out without holding back,” Luffy continues. “And they don’t care about fame or treasure. They just want freedom. Like us.”

“But,” he adds, suddenly serious—no grin, no laughter—“I won’t force it. If they don’t join, that’s fine. If you all say no…” He pauses, then smiles again. “I’ll just keep asking.”

Brook chuckles. “Yohoho~! A fearless soul with nothing to lose… how spine-tingling!”

Jinbe crosses his arms thoughtfully. “If this person can truly stand beside you in battle… that kind of ally could change the balance of the seas.”

Luffy looks out over the ocean, straw hat casting a shadow over his eyes. "They’re gonna be my friend,” he says simply. "I swear it!"