Watching Luffy’s behavior, Karl felt countless complaints piling up in his mind.
The problem was that there were simply too many.
He honestly had no idea which one to start with.
Is this guy really the main character because he’s stupid?
Luffy spent a while thinking about the previous conversation, but judging by his expression, he failed to reach any meaningful conclusion.
Eventually, he gave up entirely and waved his hand.
“Whatever.
That doesn’t really have anything to do with me anyway.”
When he lifted his head again, however, he discovered that Karl had already turned around and was heading away from the beach.
The distance between them was quickly growing.
“Hey!
Where are you going?”
Luffy hurried after him.
Karl didn’t even look back.
“That’s none of your concern.”
“Can I come too?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want you to.”
“Ooooooh…”
Luffy stretched out the response dramatically.
Karl assumed that meant the conversation was finally over.
A few steps later, he glanced over his shoulder.
Sure enough, Luffy was still there.
About three meters behind him.
The instant their eyes met, Luffy immediately tilted his head upward and pretended to be deeply interested in the clouds drifting across the sky.
Karl said nothing.
That was some terrible acting.
Could he at least make an effort?
Speechless, Karl faced forward and continued walking.
The moment he did, Luffy resumed following him.
Thus began a completely ridiculous game.
Every time Karl looked back, Luffy would instantly stop and pretend he was doing something unrelated.
The second Karl turned away again, Luffy would continue trailing after him.
After repeating this routine seven or eight times, Karl felt veins twitching on his forehead.
“Seriously!
What is this?
Are we playing Red Light, Green Light?
I told you to stop following me!”
“Red Light, Green Light?”
Luffy tilted his head curiously.
“What’s that?
Is it food?”
Karl froze.
How had the conversation somehow arrived at food again?
Was there genuinely something wrong with this guy’s brain?
Could someone please save him?
“No, it’s not food.”
Karl sighed.
“And even if it was, it probably wouldn’t taste very good.”
Then he rubbed his temples.
“Can you please stop following me?”
“But I don’t know where else to go.”
Luffy’s answer was completely honest.
“You can return to the sea.”
“The sea?”
“Yeah.
Aren’t pirates supposed to travel around on ships?”
“My ship got destroyed.”
Karl’s eye twitched as he glanced toward the broken barrel resting on the beach.
Right.
Of course.
The protagonist was operating under completely different standards than normal people.
What sane person crossed the ocean inside a barrel?
That wasn’t sailing.
That was gambling with death.
“You don’t even have a ship anymore.”
Karl pointed toward the ocean.
“Just stay here for a few days.
Maybe another barrel will wash ashore.
Then you can leave.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
After a brief pause, Luffy raised a finger and pointed directly at Karl.
“Because of you.”
“Me?”
“I’ve already decided.”
A huge grin spread across Luffy’s face.
“I want you to join my pirate crew!”
Instantly, blue veins appeared across Karl’s forehead.
“Stop making decisions for other people!”
“I’m not joining your crew!”
His gaze shifted toward the shattered remains of the barrel.
“Actually, forget the crew part!
You don’t even have a ship!
You’re sailing around in a barrel!”
“Oh.”
Luffy nodded thoughtfully.
“You’re right.”
Then his eyes lit up.
“One barrel won’t be enough.”
“We’ll need two.”
He slapped Karl’s shoulder enthusiastically.
“Don’t worry!
I’ll find one for you too!”
Karl stared at him.
For several seconds.
Had anything he said actually entered Luffy’s brain?
Or was it simply going in one ear and straight out the other?
Feeling exhausted, Karl decided to stop arguing and resumed walking.
Two steps later, Luffy followed him again.
“I’m begging you.”
Karl’s voice sounded genuinely defeated.
“Can you stop following me?”
“Nope.”
Luffy smiled brightly.
“I already picked you as my crewmate.”
“You don’t even own a ship!”
Karl nearly exploded.
“You said barrels wash up here all the time.”
Luffy nodded with complete confidence.
“I’m lucky.”
“I’ll probably find two really soon.”
Karl clutched his head.
“I’m actually going insane…”
Then he suddenly stopped.
“What exactly do you like about me?”
He pointed at himself.
“Tell me, and I’ll change it immediately.”
To his surprise, Luffy actually paused to think.
After a moment, he gave his answer.
“You’re interesting.”
He pointed right back at Karl.
“So I’ve decided.”
“You’ll join my crew as…”
Luffy struck a dramatic pose.
Then froze.
“Uh…”
“Uh…”
His eyes suddenly brightened.
“A Mechanic!”
Karl’s jaw dropped.
“Stop assigning jobs to people!”
“And what kind of position is missionary anyway?!”
He pointed at himself in disbelief.
“Do I look like someone who goes around preaching?”
“And saying someone is interesting isn’t a hiring qualification!”
“That’s a completely ridiculous reason!”
Without realizing it, Karl had shouted every single thought in his head.
The moment he finished, embarrassment washed over him.
But when he looked at Luffy—
He realized none of it mattered.
Because Luffy hadn’t been listening.
At all.
The future Pirate King was currently counting on his fingers.
“Ten crewmates…”
“A missionary…”
“A cook…”
“A navigator…”
Then he snapped his fingers.
“Oh right!”
“We need a musician too!”
“Why are you already counting me as part of the crew?!”
Karl nearly exploded on the spot.
“Did you ever ask for my opinion?!”
“Huh?”
Luffy scratched his head.
“I thought you’d already agreed.”
“When did I ever agree?!”
Luffy thought for a moment.
Then he unleashed his ultimate move.
“If you don’t join…”
“I’ll just keep following you forever.”
“You…”
Karl nearly choked on his own frustration.
After several seconds, he finally surrendered.
“Fine.”
He waved his hand helplessly.
“Follow me if you want.”
Then he pointed dramatically toward Luffy.
“But listen carefully.”
“I am never joining your crew.”
His finger shifted toward the distant sea.
“Even if I starve to death on this island…”
“Even if I accidentally fall into the ocean and drown…”
“I will never board your ship!”
After a brief pause, he added,
“Or your barrel.”
Without realizing it, Karl had just planted an enormous flag.
The two continued walking.
After some time, Karl gradually calmed down.
Then a thought suddenly occurred to him.
Something about today’s behavior felt strange.
The old him would never have argued this much.
Nor would he have spent so much time participating in such absurd conversations.
Have I really been alone for too long?
Karl couldn’t help wondering.
After months of isolation, perhaps his mind had started changing without him noticing.
Curious, he glanced over his shoulder to see whether Luffy was still there.
Then his face changed immediately.
At some point, Luffy had picked up a brightly colored mushroom.
And now—
He was opening his mouth.
A mouth that stretched far wider than any normal human being should be capable of.
He was about to eat it.
“Wait!”
Karl’s expression changed dramatically.
“That’s poisonous, you idiot!”
He sprinted over and smacked the mushroom out of Luffy’s hand.
Unfortunately, Luffy’s reaction speed somehow managed to be even worse than expected.
His mouth continued moving anyway.
Instead of biting the mushroom—
He bit directly into his own fist.
Then he started chewing thoughtfully.
“Oh?”
Luffy blinked.
“This texture feels kind of familiar…”
Karl stared blankly.
Was this really the protagonist?
Could somebody explain something to him?
Wasn’t One Piece supposed to be a passionate adventure story?
How had it somehow become a comedy centered around an absolute idiot?
Suppressing the urge to scream at the heavens, Karl grabbed Luffy’s wrist and forcibly pulled the fist out of his mouth.
Then he turned around and started walking again.
At this point, similar scenes had already happened countless times throughout the morning.
A few moments later, Luffy’s weak voice drifted from behind him.
“I’m starving…”
Then came another complaint.
“I don’t think I can walk anymore…”
A dull thump followed immediately afterward.
Karl stopped in place.
His eyelid twitched uncontrollably.
You’ve really decided to attach yourself to me for life, haven’t you?