The princess and her doggy savior

Leo and Luffy found themselves at the mercy of fate, thrown into the heart of the colosseum like a pair of mismatched gladiators. The roar of the crowd reverberated in my ears, like a stadium full of overexcited fans at a rock concert. I'm pretty sure my heart was in sync with the bass drum, pounding so hard I half-expected it to declare its independence and leap right out of my chest. Luffy and I exchanged a look, and if dogs could roll their eyes, he would have done it. Our thoughts seemed to be on the same wavelength: "We’re dead”

"Stay close,buddy," I whispered to Luffy, who was by my side, all four paws firmly planted on the sandy arena floor. This scene was very familiar; it was in no doubt a set up for an execution. You’re telling me I just got thrown into a isekai just to end up getting isekai’d again?

But as if being the main attraction in the world's weirdest circus wasn't enough, our spotlight was about to get even brighter. We were standing there, looking about as cool as two guys about to face a firing squad in a clown costume convention, when the unmistakable sound of horses and clinking armor reached our ears. The approaching danger hit us too late – we were grabbed, tied up like holiday presents, and thrown onto horseback. Hoods were pulled over our heads, and suddenly, it was like we were in a bad medieval-themed rollercoaster – blindfolded and on a wild ride.

The only thing missing was the loop-de-loop, but the ride did come to a screeching halt eventually. We were unceremoniously dumped on the ground, probably messing up whatever remained of my dignity. I'd say it felt like I'd been hit by a truck, but it was more like being thrown from one. As I groaned and tried to get my bearings, I realized that Luffy was probably the only one who looked graceful in this situation – he was more "Zen dog yoga pose" than "uncoordinated human ragdoll."

But our moment of grace was short-lived. A voice, sharp as a whip, sliced through the air. "Who are you, and why were you scheduled for execution?" I'd never been a big fan of pop quizzes, but I guess She was.

My voice sounded like I'd been marooned in the desert for a week, so I just nodded and gestured toward the hoods, hoping that was a universal sign for "can't talk, help." The voice seemed to get it and told us to hang tight. A few moments later, the hoods were yanked off, and we were face-to-face with a vision that nearly short-circuited my brain.

The princess.If she were any more stunning, I'd have probably forgotten how to blink. Luffy and I exchanged a look – if he could talk, he'd be saying, "Dude, don't drool." But before I could gather my wits or my vocabulary, I was hit with a punchline. "Princess Emilia, the most eligible bachelorette in the kingdom." If I were a cartoon character, my jaw would've hit the floor, but luckily, I managed to keep it hanging by a thread.

Before my brain could churn out anything coherent, I found myself bombarded with questions – Emilia was like a detective on a caffeine high, and I was the suspect who'd just walked into an interrogation room with "GUILTY" written on my forehead in neon lights.

I mustered a cough and cleared my throat, or at least attempted to. "Uh, Leo, that's me," I said, my voice cracking like a teenage boy's. "And this is Luffy." Luffy, ever the diplomat, gave a regal nod, as if saying, "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Highness."

Emilia seemed genuinely concerned, her eyes searching for something in mine. Maybe she was hoping to find some hidden message like "Send pizza reinforcements." I half-expected her to say, "You are the chosen one," but instead, she told us to take our time. How considerate, right? It's not like we were in a hurry to become gladiator pâté.

Then I noticed her furry sidekick, Luna. Luffy, being the four-legged socialite he was, didn't waste a second and started exchanging sniffs with Luna. In the dog world, that's like exchanging business cards. Meanwhile, I was desperately trying not to sound like a malfunctioning robot when I finally started spilling the beans about my life – from pizza deliveries to the heartbreak hotel, I didn't leave out a single detail. To be honest I was more confused than she was I mean Atleast she’s in her own world.

Emilia listened with a mix of curiosity and sympathy, and when I was done, she didn't give me that "you've just made the biggest mistake of your life" look. Instead, she looked intrigued, maybe even impressed – the princess dug my story. And to think, all those years of mastering Street fighter combos might finally pay off. Not that it had anything to do with my current situation, but hey, a guy can dream, right?

Emilia started unraveling her story, how she was chasing shadows to uncover the plot behind her family's assassination attempts. She was like a real-life murder manga with a crown, and I half-expected her to whip out a magnifying glass and Sherlock Holmes hat. She said something about a sinister conspiracy, and I Couldn’t help but think that this wasn’t too out of the ordinary, I mean all throughout history The royal family have been known to snake eachother one way or another.

As she talked, I realized we were all connected by this web of weirdness, like characters in a light novel that got turned into an anime adaptation. Emilia offered her hand, a symbol of unity and partnership, and I took it, shaking it like it was a magic eight ball and I was waiting for an answer to pop up.

"Let's solve this mystery together," she said, her eyes sparkling like she'd just cracked the Da Vinci code. I looked at her, then at Luffy, who had graduated from sniffing Luna's behind to looking downright inspired. And in that moment, I thought, "Well, Leo, you've been through worse than a medieval blindfolded rollercoaster. Let the adventure begin."