女海賊亞爾麗塔攻擊了一艘客船，正在收刮財物的時候，卻從一個大酒桶裡面蹦出一個男孩，這個男孩全身像橡膠一樣，把海賊們整得哇哇叫，他就是立志要成為海賊王的鲁夫。鲁夫遇到了被海賊強迫在船上打雜的男生克比，膽小的克比被鲁夫的勇氣所感動，自己也鼓起了勇氣反抗亞爾麗塔，最後兩個人終於趁亂駕小船離開了客船。

鲁夫和克比為了找到索隆，來到了海軍所在的小島。見到了索隆之後，他們發現索隆並不像傳說中的那麼兇狠，反倒是海軍統領蒙卡父子的行為比較蠻橫無理，他們愚弄島上的居民、濫殺無辜，還把無罪的索隆抓起來。於是鲁夫決定要讓索隆當他的同伴，並且說服索隆跟他一起離開，結果卻受到蒙卡父子的追殺。

Luffy convinces Zoro to join his crew, but they must first defeat Captain Morgan. After freeing the island from Morgan's oppressive rule, Coby is accepted as a marine while the other two continue on their journey.

Out on the sea, Luffy almost loses his hat and reflects on his past, and how a pirate named Shanks influenced him. Afterwards, Luffy meets Nami, and Buggy the Clown's men.

In order to save herself and steal a map to the Grand Line, Nami tricks Luffy into allowing her to turn him over to Buggy.

Mohji and Richie show up for revenge after Buggy's humiliating defeat in the previous episode, and Luffy meets a small dog guarding his master's store, even though he knows that he is long dead.

Enraged by the actions of Buggy's crew, the city's mayor rushes to fight Buggy himself, but the Straw Hat Pirates come to his rescue. Zoro fights Cabaji, despite still being wounded from his previous encounter with Buggy, while Luffy faces the clown pirate himself and Nami searches for the map to the Grand Line.

Buggy's link to Shanks is revealed, and when he rips the straw hat Shanks gave Luffy, his rage knows no bounds. Who will win in this clash between Devil Fruit users?