Shattering sky was a sight reserved for gods, or demons. Darkness split open like a torn wound above the ocean, spitting out a mass of raw, jagged energy. Down plummeted a figure, falling like a meteoric hammer toward the peaceful blue waters of the East Blue. Splintering timber exploded in every direction. A massive wooden galleon shuddered, its main deck buckling under the violent impact of a human missile. Wood shattered into a million jagged splinters, exploding outward in a deadly halo that sent pirates diving for cover. "What in the name of the seas was that?!" Alvida's voice was a harsh, grating shriek that cut through the groans of her injured crew. She stood near the stern, her massive, spiked iron mace gripped tightly in her meaty hands, her face twisted in absolute fury. "C-Coby!" Alvida barked, kicking the trembling pink-haired boy who cowered on the deck. "What did we hit? Is it a marine ship?" "I... I don't think so, Miss Alvida!" Coby stammered, his teeth chattering so hard he almost bit his tongue. Through the settling dust, a silhouette began to form. It was massive, easily towering over most of the pirates on board, radiating a presence that made the air feel freezing cold. As the smoke cleared, the figure of Kenpachi Zaraki stood revealed. His white captain's haori was torn and dirty, but the emblem of the Eleventh Division was still visible on his back. His rugged, scarred face was set in a deep frown as he looked down at his boots, which were embedded in the shattered remains of the deck. Spiky black hair, tipped with tiny brass bells that jingled softly despite the chaos, framed his face. "Tsk. Still alive," Kenpachi muttered, stretching his neck until it popped like snapping twigs. He reached up, checking his eyepatch. It was still intact, sealing away the vast majority of his spiritual pressure. "Hey! You! White-coat!" Alvida yelled, stepping forward. Pirates behind her cheered, emboldened by their captain's confidence. "Who do you think you are, breaking my beautiful ship? Do you know who I am?!" Kenpachi turned his head slowly, his single visible eye locking onto her. He looked her up and down, his gaze lingering on the spiked iron club in her hand. "A loud, ugly woman with a toy," he said flatly. Alvida's face went from pale to deep, congested purple. "Ugly?!" she screamed, her voice cracking. "I am Alvida of the Iron Mace! The most beautiful and terrifying pirate in these waters!" With a roar that shook the rigging, she charged. Planks creaked under her heavy steps as she swung the iron mace with all her might. It was a swing meant to pulverize, carrying enough force to shatter a stone wall. Kenpachi didn't move. He didn't draw his sword with a dramatic flourish. He simply waited until the iron spikes were inches from his face, and then, with a casual, flicking motion of his right wrist, he drew his chipped, notched katana. A sharp, metallic ring echoed across the deck. For a fraction of a second, a thin line of silver light cut through the air. Alvida's mace continued its trajectory, but the weight was suddenly gone. Splintered iron flew over Kenpachi's shoulder, the top portion of the weapon splashing harmlessly into the sea. Silence descended upon the ship like a suffocating blanket. Frozen in place, the pirates stopped cheering, their jaws hanging open as they stared at the broken weapon. Alvida stared at the stump of her weapon, her brain completely failing to process what had just occurred. "Is that it?" Kenpachi sighed, his voice dripping with profound boredom. He didn't even raise his spiritual pressure. The cut had been pure physical force, a simple movement of his arm. "My... my mace..." Alvida whispered, her voice trembling. "How... who are you?" "Zaraki Kenpachi," he grunted, sheathing his sword with a dull click. "And you're a waste of my time. I thought I'd find someone worth fighting in this place, but you're just another weakling." "P-Please..." Coby whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut as he curled into a tight ball. "Don't eat me..." "Eat you?" Kenpachi snorted, crossing his arms. "Why would I eat a scrawny runt like you? You don't even have enough meat on your bones to make a decent snack." A sudden, rhythmic thumping noise broke the tense silence. From the cargo hatch, a large, wooden barrel rolled out onto the deck. It bumped against a fallen mast, spinning slightly before stopping right at Kenpachi's feet. "What's this?" Kenpachi muttered, glaring down at the wooden container. "More garbage rolling around?" Before he could kick the barrel into the ocean, the wood began to creak. Iron bands holding it together snapped with a sharp twang. "Yaaaaawn! What a great nap!" A loud, cheerful voice erupted from the wreckage. Out popped a young boy wearing a straw hat, a red vest, and blue shorts. Kenpachi stared at the kid. Luffy blinked, looking around at the ruined deck, the trembling pirates, and the giant, scarred man standing right in front of him. "Huh? Who are you?" Luffy asked, tilting his head. "Hey, kid," Kenpachi said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, low rumble. "You're loud. And you're in my way." "Ah, sorry!" Luffy said, not sounding sorry at all. He hopped out of the broken barrel, landing lightly on the deck. "I'm Luffy! I'm looking for a crew to go to the Grand Line!" Kenpachi's irritation flared. He didn't care about crews, and he certainly didn't care about some grinning brat. Without warning, Kenpachi pulled his fist back and threw a straight, blunt punch. *Whack!* His knuckles landed squarely on Luffy's face. But instead of his skull shattering, a bizarre sound echoed through the air. It sounded like a massive rubber band stretching to its absolute limit. Luffy's head flew backward, his neck stretching out several feet as his body remained rooted to the spot. His features distorted, absorbing the massive kinetic energy of Kenpachi's punch. Then, with a loud snap, his head bounced back to its original position. "Ouch! What was that for?!" Luffy yelled, rubbing his nose, though he didn't seem hurt at all. He laughed, a wide, carefree grin stretching across his face. "That was a super strong punch! You almost knocked my hat off!" Kenpachi froze. His single eye widened, staring at his own fist, then at the grinning boy. He could feel it—a faint, strange resonance. A slow, dangerous smile crept onto Kenpachi's face. Bells in his hair jingled softly as his head tilted. "Rubber..." he whispered. "You're made of rubber." "Yep!" Luffy said, pulling his cheek out to an absurd length. "I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit! I'm a rubber man!" "A rubber man..." Kenpachi repeated, his voice growing louder, more animated. Dull, heavy boredom that had weighed him down since his arrival vanished in an instant. "Hahaha!" Kenpachi laughed, a booming, wild sound that echoed across the ocean. "This is great! A body that doesn't break when you hit it! Let's see how much you can take before you split open!" He reached for the hilt of his katana, his fingers wrapping around the worn wrapping. A faint, golden hue of spiritual pressure—even suppressed as it was—began to leak from his body. "Whoa! You're really cool!" Luffy said, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "You've got that crazy aura! Hey, join my crew! We can fight all the time!" "Join your crew?" Kenpachi snorted, drawing his sword slowly. "I don't follow anyone, kid. I only care about finding a good fight. If you want me to join you, you'll have to beat me first!" "I don't want to fight my crewmates!" Luffy pouted, crossing his arms. "But if you want strong guys to fight, the Grand Line is full of them! There are monsters, giants, and guys who can cut whole islands in half!" Kenpachi stopped, his sword half-drawn. "Islands in half?" he repeated, his interest piqued. "You're not lying to me, are you?" "I never lie about adventure!" Luffy grinned, pointing toward the horizon. Before Kenpachi could reply, the ocean beside the ship erupted. A towering wall of water flooded over the deck as a massive, serpentine beast rose from the depths. "A big fish," Kenpachi murmured, his hand resting on his sword hilt. He didn't look terrified. He looked like a starving man who had just been offered a massive feast. "That's a Lord of the Coast!" Coby screamed, scrambling backward in absolute terror. "We're going to die! It's going to eat us all!" Luffy, however, didn't seem worried at all. He simply stood on the railing of the ship, the wind catching his straw hat as he looked out at the vast, open sea. This was a world of absolute freedom, where strength was the only law that truly mattered. And for a demon who had spent his entire life searching for a worthy opponent, it was paradise. Luffy points a finger toward the horizon and grins, 'If you want to fight guys who can cut mountains, join my crew!' as a massive Sea King suddenly rears its head from the waves behind them, its eyes locked on Kenpachi.

Chapter 1: A Demon Falls from Heaven