A/N: I give thanks to those who read the previous chapter. I give special thanks to those who also reviewed; much appreciation to you. I will reveal something about myself: I am a horribly indolent person. Also, I'm sure that most would not want an introduction at this point; therefore I will reserve them for a time when they are absolutely needed. Please enjoy this new chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of its characters. I only claim my laptop, my mind, and my apathy.
Chapter Three
The crimson pool of blood reflected sunlight into the dazed boy's eyes. The initial shock of the green-haired swordsman's attack was starting to wear off in Luffy, who's usually quick reflexes allowed him to avoid damage. He was always accustomed to taking blunt hits because they had no effect on him, but he knew that sharpened edges that could pierce the skin were different. His grandfather's training had helped to increase his speed, but this would have been useful only in an ordinary circumstance. Of course, he had the time to react, but he felt that even if he dodged, the end result would have remained the same. Regaining his composure, the boy turned his body so that he could see behind himself.
He saw the man standing a few feet in front of him, straightening his legs after he had stated the name of his attack. Calm and composed, he had released the sword out of its sheath with smooth movement, almost as if he was one with the sword, as if the sword was just an extension of his arm. Luffy had seen plenty of men who came to his village boasting of their abilities, but he found that they did not contain even a tenth of this man's skills. The smell of fresh blood filled his nose, causing the black-haired adventurer to feel slightly nauseous.
Between Luffy and the swordsman lay another S.I., twitching as the red fluid leaked from the cut that ran down its torso. The glazed eyes made Luffy think that it was dead, but the low panting coming from the creature told him otherwise. It was for a brief moment, but when the man ran towards him, Luffy had noticed that the man seemed to have set his sights on something behind him. However, the rapid action did not leave him enough time to ponder this thought as he saw the glint off the sword. But at the climax of the attack, he felt the man move past him before the sword hit its target. The unexpected strike coming from nowhere startled Luffy, but at the same time it made him respect the swordsman.
The said person walked past both the boy and the S.I. to his previous spot and plopped right down, leaning back on the tree. Instead of holding it, his katana now laid next to him. Luffy approached him and shot the man a smile, which was met with disinterest.
"That was so cool! How did you move so fast?" The green-haired man grunted and replied to the inquiring boy.
"You shouldn't a judge a person's strength without first seeing them fight." Luffy smiled, realizing clearly that he had underestimated this person.
"You're right, my bad. I guess I shouldn't have thought you couldn't win against an S.I. I'm just so used to seeing people freak out when they see one that they can't even defend themselves…so when you were saying that stuff about getting away with it…"
"Yeah, I was talking to the S.I. that you failed to notice. When that other one howled, it was calling for its partner that was only a few yards away. Why don't you learn to follow your own advice? What was it…'it's dangerous if you don't know how to protect yourself?'" The boy pouted his lips and whined.
"I already said I was sorry. So I missed one S.I., at least you got it instead. Thanks for saving me, um…"
The man remained quiet, making Luffy believe that he was unwilling to reveal his name. Or maybe he was just shy? Before Luffy could think more about the subject, the man answered.
"Zoro. My name is Roronoa Zoro." With this the swordsman shut his eyes, as if attempting to go back to his dreams. Unfortunately, the now excited boy would not allow him to do as he hoped.
"Zoro, huh? That's a weird name. My name is Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm trying to be the world's greatest protector!" Zoro opened one eye to see the boy's face broken in a full expression of glee, as if he had just gotten a full bag of sweets delivered to him. Freaking, annoying kid is ruining the nap.
"Do you tell that to people every time you say your name?"
"Well, lately I have, but that's because I just started on my journey. Wait, what's wrong with telling people my dream?" Luffy gave Zoro a questioning look, seeing if the other would have a good reason that would contradict with his idea. The swordsman merely closed his eye and ignored him. "You know, you're pretty strong. Have you ever thought about becoming a protector?" With his eyes still closed, Zoro returned the question with one of his own.
"And why would I become a protector? What would be my motivation?" Luffy blinked, surprised at the questions. Was it not obvious why anyone would want to be a protector?
"What do you mean? Don't you want to help people? Wouldn't it be good to protect the world?" Zoro just grunted, unconvinced by the boy's logic.
"Is that all? I don't know about you, kid, but that sort of thing doesn't concern me."
"But you get to go on adventures and travel across the world! I mean, I think it'd be fun seeing things that you've never seen before. And it feels nice when you get to guard people from the S.I." Luffy saw that his words did not reach the still man. Suddenly, he came up with another idea. "Hey, I know! Why don't you come with me? I'm looking for nakama who'll join me!"
Zoro snapped his eyes open, aggravated that the kid wouldn't give him peace. "Good for you, but I have zero interest in following someone who introduced himself five minutes ago. And I don't care much about watching out for an idiot with a dream that's ten times his own size."
Was his goal in life really that ridiculous? Luffy frowned at the insult and retorted back. "There's nothing wrong with dreaming big; that's what makes life so interesting…" Luffy paused for a moment, thinking about the swordsman's comment. "If you didn't want to watch out for me, why did you stop that S.I. when it was about to attack?"
An awkward silence hung in the air, neither of the two wanting to submit to the other. Both felt the other was too obstinate without realizing their own determination. Unable to come up with a comeback, Zoro simply closed his eyes once more and murmured almost inaudibly. "I don't need to justify my actions to you." Before Luffy had time to reply, a young girl who had been walking towards the two arguing men made her presence known. He saw that she was carrying a cloth with two, perfectly round rice balls as if they were special to her. Most people would say that rice balls emit no aroma, but Luffy should not be compared to normal people. His stomach reminded him of its want for a meal, but he remained in his spot, curious to know about the girl.
Hesitating as she got closer, she flashed a smile to Luffy before going over to where Zoro lay on the ground. Disturbed one too many times, Zoro refused to open his eyes again when he spoke to her. "What do you want, kid?"
"Um…onii-chan, I brought you some onigiri that I made today! I figured that you'll be hungry because you're out here all the time, so I decided to make you some food…"
With a hint of anger in his calm tone, Zoro cut the girl off before she was done. "Get out of here. Don't you know how dangerous it is in these woods? Go back home and leave me alone, I'm not hungry."
The girl seemed hurt by the reprimand. "That's not true! You don't really eat out here, so there's no way that you're not hungry! And I'll be careful when I'm in the woods, so can you at least try them?" Proud of herself, the girl went on. "It's my first time making rice balls, so I wanted you to have them."
"I already told you, I don't want them. Now leave me alone."
"…Okay, but I'll leave these here." The girl placed the rice balls next to the katana, keeping them within the swordsman's reach. Walking past Luffy, she smiled again, but her eyes seemed to plead to him, as if she wanted him to talk to the other man. She continued on her way until Luffy lost sight of her in the trees. He turned and saw the food still on the ground tempting him, but he forced himself to look away.
"You shouldn't be so stubborn; you were too harsh to that girl. It looked like she really worked hard to make those for you. If I was in your position, I would've eaten them already."
"That's why we're different. I'm not as impulsive as you are, now kindly go away so I can go back to sleep." Zoro stopped talking, and Luffy understood that it was useless to argue any further. Shaking his head, the adventurer grabbed the two S.I.s and started to head in the direction the little girl had gone. He knew if he freed the creatures, they would simply cause mischief elsewhere. Better go drop them off at a base. His stomach rumbled, demanding that it be filled without a single second to lose. Luffy hurried along as soon as he found the path leading to town.
Stopping by the largest building, Luffy went in and quickly handed the S.I. over to the marine guard. He only waited long enough to get his reward before rushing out the exit, unwilling to stay longer than necessary. Before he left, he noticed a large, bronze statue of a man with an axe connected to his right arm and a strangely shaped jaw. Somebody loves himself a little too much.
His stomach continued to bark at him, so Luffy ran straight for the nearest restaurant and ordered the largest meal ever ordered in town. The other customers stared with unadulterated incredulity as the food continuously entered the never ending hole. Some began contemplating whether the boy actually had a stomach. All things come to an end, especially the amount of Luffy's food, but he was able to walk outside satisfied. Even though his meal was humongous, Luffy found that he still had over half of his money left over. Maybe it wasn't so bad for him to receive money for the S.I. I kill. At least a method of making money existed for him.
"Hey! Mugiwara onii-chan!!" Luffy spun around and saw a girl waving at him, an excited look on her face. "You should have told me you wanted to come to town! I would have waited for you!"
"Hey! You're the girl I saw in the woods earlier. My name's Luffy. What's your name?"
"I'm Rika! It's nice to meet you!" Luffy remembered the onigiri she had made.
"So, do you know a lot about Zoro?"
The townspeople around the two grew quiet at the mention of the swordsman's name. Luffy saw a couple shoot looks of irritation at him, but the majority seemed terrified. Wanting to talk without everybody staring, Rika grabbed Luffy's hand and brought him behind her house. Once their privacy was assured, she continued the conversation.
"Sorry about that. Everybody in this town is afraid of Zoro onii-chan, so just saying his name makes them tense. But everybody only thinks he's evil because they don't know him."
Interested by those words, Luffy wanted to hear more from Rika. "Why do you say that?"
"Well, most people are afraid because they say he's surrounded by a terrifying aura and because of the rumors that spread before he came. But I know that he isn't really a bad person. Once, I was separated while playing in the woods with my friends, but Zoro onii-chan protected me from an S.I. that attacked me…."
Luffy nodded as the girl related her story to him. So he wasn't the only one Zoro had saved. But that means he wasn't telling the truth when he said he didn't care about protecting people. Perhaps he thought differently about the world, too. Luffy came out of his thoughts when he heard Rika sigh sadly. "I wish he would take better care of himself, though. I wasn't lying when I said that he doesn't eat a lot out there. He realizes that the adults feel uncomfortable whenever he's around, so he tries to avoid coming into town. But that means he doesn't really get to eat a good meal…so I was hoping he would eat those onigiris I made."
"Don't worry, Rika-chan. I'll go back and make sure he's okay. Then you don't have to worry about getting in trouble for going into the woods again." Rika was amazed at the older boy's ability to understand what was on her mind. Seeing him smiling at her, she smiled back, knowing that he would hold true to his word.
"Thank you, Mugiwara onii-chan. I know if you talk to him he'll realize that he doesn't have to be alone all the time." Rika heard her mother calling for her inside the house, probably to get her to complete a chore. "I gotta go, onii-chan. Good luck!" Luffy waved to her, waiting until she had gone through the back door. Hearing the lock clicked into place, the boy went back to the main street. The civilians had already forgotten about him, too occupied with their own mundane routines for the shock to remain for too long in their thoughts. The black-haired boy walked at a measured pace, trying to sort the information he had just obtained. So Zoro isn't as bad as he first shows himself to be; he just didn't seem conversational, but maybe it was because he was taciturn. There certainly were not any negative consequences from asking him again to join. Keeping this thought in mind, the optimistic boy hummed to himself as he tried to return to the place where the swordsman lay resting, unaware of a figure trailing in the shadows behind him.
A scrawny, young teenager burst straight into the captain's office in the Marines building. His face was the color of a beet, his breaths coming out in short bursts because he had run from the middle of town. Somehow, his blond, bowl cut managed to stay intact despite the wind that must have blown through his hair. "Daddy, I think I found out where Roronoa Zoro is hiding!"
A stream of gray vapor rose into the air as the man in the swivel chair blew out secondhand smoke from his mouth. Keeping his back to his son, the man answered with a single word. "Oh?"
"Yeah, I saw this stupid looking boy with a straw hat mention his name out in public. Everybody knows its taboo to say it, but he sure was dumb enough. A girl tried to go to a place where they wouldn't be heard, but…"
"Get to the point." The boy shivered slightly at the sound of his father's threatening voice. Even though he was his father's son, he was not safe from the intimidating personality.
"Well, I think the kid was going back to see Zoro, so if one of our men followed him, I'm sure we'll find out where Zoro is."
Thick fingers flicked the cigar to remove hot ash on a silver tray before they placed it back into its position on the metal jaw. "Roronoa Zoro, swordsman, foreigner, demon. He thinks he can come into my town and cause a stir, does he? Because of him, everybody in this town is scared to death…so much that I'm getting less tribute than before." Once again, a cloud transferred from the mouth into the air. "I think it's time that Roronoa Zoro departed from this town, permanently." The boy heard his father chuckle and smiled to himself. At least he's now on his father's good side. "Go give the description to a scout and send him after the boy. Make sure he reports back immediately as soon as he finds Zoro's location."
"Yes, daddy. You there, soldier!" Although the other marines were much more advanced in age and experience, the teenager gave orders with a spoiled arrogance. Being the son of Captain "Axe-hand" Morgan, he had always ridden on his father's fame and cruelty, and people yielded because they were afraid of taking on the captain's wrath. "Go look for a boy wearing a red vest and blue shorts. He has a large scar under his left eye and a goofy-looking straw hat on his head. Make sure you don't lose sight of him, and report back when you find the demon, Roronoa Zoro!"
The lean, slight marine the boy had addressed saluted him, but hidden behind the dark eyes were mixed feelings of contempt and pity. To think that the group that's supposed to watch this town is actually one of the reasons for its ruin. But he knew that it was impossible to stand up to a man of Morgan's stature, so the soldier swallowed his pride. "Yes, Helmeppo-san. I shall do as you command." Although his target must have been at the edge of town at the moment, the legs of the scout were trained to surpass the average speed of a human. Helmeppo grinned maliciously as he watched the man sprint off; Morgan continued to smoke his cigar, inwardly impatient for the arrival of the scout's report.
Zoro felt the boy approaching him and had to suppress a groan. Why was this kid here again? It was futile for him to believe that once the strange boy had left he would finally have peace. Yet, he was not as annoyed as he thought he would be. Used to people avoiding his company, the stoic swordsman was unaccustomed to talking to someone more than once. Well, that girl he saved did the same thing, but she eventually became discouraged and left him, too. Luffy stopped next to the supposedly sleeping form and poked his leg with the edge of his sandals.
"Hey Zoro, you awake?"
"No, of course not. You're stealth is just too perfected for me to notice you." The sarcasm failed to reach Luffy, who still smiled at Zoro's response. "Why'd you come back, anyway?"
"I decided that I want you to join me in my adventure." Luffy ignored the swordsman scoffing at his declaration. "Aren't you tired of just staying in these woods? Why don't you just come and feel the fresh air? We can meet new people and learn about so many things."
"I already told you, kid. I don't care about people or the world. I just want to be left alone."
"I know you're lying." Zoro finally opened his eyes and stared with a hint of surprise at Luffy. "I talked to Rika, and she told me about how you saved her from an S.I. That's two people you've helped, and I'm sure you probably helped more in the past. So why do you act so indifferent whenever I try to talk to you about it?"
Unable to find the words to express himself, the green-haired man remained silent. The black-haired boy confused him; a few hours before, the two had been arguing with each other, unwilling to give in. Now he stood in front of him, demanding that he join him and reproaching him at the same time. But what did he know? They barely knew each other, and here Luffy was trying to figure everything about him. "So what gives you the right to pry into my life? Why are you so special that you have to force me to reveal my motives?"
"Because I know that you're not being your true self! Why don't you just let loose and have fun with life? You don't have to force yourself to do something you don't want to do!"
Zoro smiled and took this opportunity. "That would mean that I don't have to join you. I don't want to force myself to do something I don't want to do, right?"
"You know that's not what I meant. What I'm saying is that you should at least try to enjoy yourself. I mean, what's holding you back?"
"…Nothing's holding me back. I think you're trying too hard, though I'll give you points for perseverance."
Luffy saw that Zoro would remain obstinate, no matter how much he tried to compel him to come with him. Seeing the katana still resting next to the swordsman, Luffy came up with another plan. "So you really like that sword, huh?"
Tenderly stroking the white saya, Zoro could feel the faint pulsation emitted by his prized possession. "Heh, it's more than just liking it, kid. This katana, Wadō Ichimonji, is the most important thing in my life, so much that I'd rather die than lose it." Luffy noticed that Zoro's voice become peaceful, different from the bored tone he had used whenever he answered his questions. But, he understood what Zoro felt about his sword; in a way, he had similar emotions whenever he thought about his hat.
"You know, I feel the same way with my hat." Taking it off of his head, the boy held it with one hand in front of his face. "To me, this hat is my treasure, but it doesn't have a name like your sword. I know, I'll give it a name! From now on you name is…boushi!" Zoro laughed at the absurdity of the nickname as Luffy hugged his new "boushi" with a smile.
"You just named your hat 'hat.'"
"So what? Is there something wrong with it?"
"No, nothing wrong at all. Just like how there's nothing wrong with your dream."
"Whatever, you're just making fun of me. So why is that sword so important to you? I mean, my hat's special to me because I received it from a very good friend."
Zoro frowned, but kept his eyes on the katana. He knew that his treasure had also come from someone who was special in his life. But…he was having trouble recalling exactly the reason why it was so. He remembered that this katana had once belonged to his friend, Kuina. But he could not put the precise details together to create a clear picture. Almost like a puzzle, the pieces were there, but they were incomplete, separated from each other. Luffy saw the man slowly raise his right hand and grab his head, as if he was having a headache.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Just felt a little dizzy."
Luffy shook his head and sighed. "Rika's probably right. You haven't been eating properly, have you? That's probably why you're not feeling good; why don't you just go to town and buy something to eat?"
"Not everybody has money to spend." Luffy paused before acknowledging the truth of the statement.
"So, do you like fighting with just one sword? Have you ever thought about fighting with two?"
Recovering, Zoro was curious to know why the boy had asked him such a question. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Well, I just figured that a person with be stronger if they used two swords instead of one. Then they would have double the power, right?"
"What kind of reasoning is that? Don't make fun of swordsmanship, kid. It takes skill to wield a sword; just because someone has an extra sword doesn't mean that he or she is capable of using it to its full capability."
"Oh, so you don't have the skills to carry around two swords?" Luffy smiled when he saw the green-haired man flare up. So Zoro could show emotions, he just had to be provoked.
"Who said I didn't have the skills? Are you looking down on me?" He picked up his katana, his aggression starting to show behind his normally composed nature.
"No, I was just asking a question." Luffy's innocent smile made Zoro concede defeat. "So if I get you another sword, will you come with me on my adventure?"
"Nice try, kid. But I'm not going to join you just because you get me another katana."
"Well, maybe you'll change your mind once I actually get it for you." Turning to leave, Luffy looked sharply at Zoro, who was starting to become amused. "Don't leave this place, okay? I'm gonna be mad if I come back and see that you're gone!" Zoro merely smirked with an expression that seemed to suggest that he would move to another location just to annoy the boy. Luffy glared at him, daring him to ignore his command. Once he was realized that the swordsman was joking, the black-haired boy turned to leave when Zoro called to him.
"Hey kid." Luffy turned back around, but he saw that Zoro was looking over to the side. "Tell the girl, that the onigiri tasted good. Thank you for the food." The boy noticed the bare cloth that lay on the other side of the man, a few remaining rice adhering to it. Luffy beamed at the green-haired man before running back to town, leaving him to brood over his thoughts. The sun continued to shine its radiance, its luminance paralleling the mood Luffy had left behind.
Once he saw the boy stop walking, the scout memorized the area of the woods before rushing back to the marine office. Knocking on the door, the marine entered when he heard the gruff voice of his captain. He saluted before giving his report. "Sir, I have secured the coordinates of the location of Roronoa Zoro. Will the captain confirm the destination point?"
Helmeppo smiled to himself, happy that he had chosen a marine who was able to complete his task in quick time. Captain Morgan stood up and smashed the cigar into the silver ashtray, extinguishing the light in one snub. The scout remained in his position, unfazed by the sudden movement of the man. "Prepare the other soldiers for combat, and make sure they are ready. It's not easy to go hunt a demon, you know."
Eager to make his purchase, Luffy overlooked the group of marines that were heading to the place he had just departed. Oblivious to the danger the swordsman faced, he continued to run down the street, searching frantically for a weapons shop. In his pursuit, Luffy failed to look in front of him and eventually ran into another person. "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you okay?"
"Mugiwara onii-chan!"
"Rika!" Luffy saw that he had just bowled over the small girl, who was now on the ground. But she was unharmed, and she did not seem to hold a grudge.
"Did you see Zoro onii-chan?"
"Yeah! I managed to get through to him a little. Oh, and he ate both of the rice balls you made! He said they were good, and thank you for making them for him!" Rika immediately perked up at the good news with a smile.
"I'm so glad he ate them! I hope the sugar I added made it even tastier! Thank you, onii-chan!" Luffy grin showed his teeth, exhibiting the sheer joy in his body.
"Maybe you should go see him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind someone keeping him company while I'm gone. Just make sure to be careful, okay?"
"Okay! By the way, where are you going?"
"Oh, I need to find a place where they sell swords so I can buy a katana for Zoro. Hey, do you know a shop that sells katanas?"
"I think if you go past a few more stores down this street you'll get there. You should hurry, though. I think they usually close around this time because business hasn't been good lately."
"Thanks Rika! See ya later!" With this the boy dashed past the stores, hoping that he would make it to the shop before closing time. Rika watched Luffy for a minute before running towards the edge of town.
Sensing animosity from multiple places coming at him, Zoro opened his eyes. He saw that he was half surrounded by a group of marines, their captain standing in front of him with a smug look on his face. The boy next to him was annoying, though; his constant snickering and shifting of feet made Zoro want to send a punch towards his ugly face. Keeping his emotions hidden, the swordsman caught the captain's eyes. "What the hell do you guys want?"
Morgan simply returned the glare, unaffected by the younger man's rude speech. "So, you're Roronoa Zoro, the outcast demon swordsman. You should be proud of yourself for having so many rumors spread about you. It's funny; I hear that you don't go to town much, preferring to stay outside." The marine captain's face turned hard as his disgust for the green-haired man started to show. "But you're still intruding into my territory, affecting the way things run around here. I thought by leaving you alone, you would eventually leave and go back to wherever the hell you've come from. However, it's been about a month and you're still around. I think there's a problem with this situation, don't you Roronoa-san?"
Zoro didn't answer, his own contempt for the man rising. Helmeppo could not keep quiet any longer and screamed to his dad. "Kill him, daddy! Make him pay for interfering with our town!" The leaves of the trees rustled slightly as the boy hit the ground, felled by the punch. Morgan unclenched his fist, watching his son roll on the ground whimpering from the pain he felt on his face.
"Shut up! I was talking to Roronoa-san when you interrupted. Children should learn to respect their elders, especially when they're speaking." The boy sniffed back his tears and gave his father space, afraid that he would receive another beating if he stepped out of line again. "My apologies, Roronoa-san. Now where were we? Oh yes, you've been around here for too long, and I think it's about time for you to leave. Wouldn't want the townspeople to complain, now would we?" Seeing the swordsman pick himself up, the marine paused for a moment.
Zoro took his time and stretched his arms; remaining in a single position for an elongated amount of time cause one to become stiff, which was not recommended for a swordsman. Once he felt his muscles relax, he turned to the captain, who was beginning to lose patience. "I have to agree that I've been around here too long. But what are you going to do, throw me out? Cause I don't think this small number of men will be able to accomplish it."
"Oh, and I guess you think you'll be able to beat us with just your sword?" Morgan signaled to his men, who lifted their rifles on cue. Every single one was fixed on Zoro, but he continued to show indifference in spite of this fact. "The bullets will enter your body before you even get your sword out of its sheath, Roronoa-san."
"Wanna bet on it?" The normally emotionless face exhibited an expression of uncontrolled ferocity, causing the blood in the marines to freeze. Zoro's eyes flashed with demonic glee, a frightening sneer spreading across his mouth. Although the thoughts running through the minds of the marines varied, all of them focused on the same points: demon, unnatural, possessed. Morgan was the first to recover and saw the others hesitating.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? DAMNIT! FIRE!"
Jerked back into the present, the rifles fired simultaneously at their target. However, at the crucial moment the swordsman disappeared, and the marines on the opposite sides were hit with friendly fire. Screams ripped through the air as a fourth of the marines fell to the ground, clutching the area where the bullets had entered into their bodies. Before anybody could recover, Zoro began his attack, using a single slash against each marine who stood in front of his course. Realizing that guns were useless, the soldiers abandoned their artillery and chose to use their swords instead. The sharp edges descended near their opponent, the air filled with the hum of the blades. Like a dance, the swordsman dodged each strike that fell towards him, twisting his body just enough to avoid getting grazed. Each time he evaded an attack, Zoro retaliated with his own, his sword, almost an extension of his arm, giving a wound that would make the other go down, but not necessarily fatal.
Seeing a good number of their comrades covered with their own blood on the ground, the remaining marines became reluctant to attack. The "demon" stood in the middle of the fallen men gripping his katana, which was slightly scarlet around the edge. His cold smile caused some to shiver and others to look away. This man is not normal, they seemed to scream telepathically at each other. He turned towards the remainder, his eyes not as disturbing as before. It was almost as if he returned back to the cool, controlled man he was before the encounter.
"So, do you want to continue?" His voice was surprising nonchalant, making it difficult to believe that he had just took out a number of marines.
Morgan was enraged, his fury towards Zoro far too great to be contained in simple words. He had watched his men go down one at a time, almost like dominoes in a chain reaction. Interestingly enough, in his rampage Zoro managed to avoid targeting the captain and his son, as if he purposefully left them unharmed. Grinding his teeth, Morgan went through multiple scenarios in his head in order to find a way to stop the green-haired man. Yet, everything he came up with did not have any chance in overtaking him. He needed a wild card that would give him the advantage. As he thought this, he heard a tiny gasp behind him.
Zoro's eyes widened when he saw how close Rika was to the fight. Seeing the moment of weakness, Morgan ran over and grabbed the girl before Zoro had time to reach her. He kept her in a headlock and placed the axe connected to his right arm near her throat. "Don't move Roronoa, or the girl's head comes off." Zoro froze in his steps, unwilling to take any action that would cause Rika to be harmed. "That's right. Now drop the sword and sheath on the ground and step away." He saw that the swordsman wavered and pressed his weapon closer to skin. "I mean it, Roronoa. Let go of your weapon now, or I'll really cut her."
A thin trickle of blood traveled down the blade as Rika started to sob. He had no other choice; he knew that if he surrendered now, death awaited him. But the girl's life was an unworthy sacrifice for him skirting away from death. Putting his katana back into its saya, Zoro threw it to the ground, wincing inwardly as he felt it land ungracefully on the dirt. Forgive me, Wadō. As your master, I know that you should be treated better. Once the sword was down, the remaining marines rushed forward to the unarmed man. Two grabbed his arms while the others started to release a volley of punches and kicks at the one who had hurt their comrades. Zoro remained motionless as the men continued to vent their anger on him, his body becoming battered from the endless assault.
Morgan sneered as he watched his men continue to beat their captive. Rika, who was still trapped in the arm, continued to sob, more likely from the fact that she was his weakness rather than from the position she was in. Turning to his son who now looked much happier, the captain called out. "Helmeppo, go get the rope we brought; I think it's time to make this a little interesting."
Luffy swung open the doors of the weapons store, trying to catch his breath after exerting more energy than was necessary. Looking up from his book, the manager took a single glance at his customer and went back to reading; the boy did not have the appearance of someone capable of wielding any weapon he sold. However, before he could submerge into the sea of words, Luffy yelled out to him, even though the man was only a few feet away. "Hey mister! Do you have any katanas for sale?"
The man looked at the barrel of swords that was located to the right of where the boy stood and wondered how he could miss it. Trying to humor the adolescent, the manager answered. "Yes, we sell katanas here. Is there a particular one that you are trying to find?" Luffy pondered the question because he knew that it was impossible for him to differentiate the katanas from each other. He raised his head to the manager, who had a soft smile on his face.
"I don't know about the different types of katanas, but don't you have any normal swords?" The seller stopped smiling, his composure becoming grave.
"Boy, there is no such thing as a 'normal' katana. Each blade is unique, its character depending on the person who forged it and the time it was created. Because of this, a true swordsman decides for himself which sword he wants to carry. You are not looking to purchase a katana for yourself, are you?
"Nope! I'm getting a sword for my friend!" In order to convince him to join me, he noted in his mind. The man was somber, unaffected by the lighthearted mood of the boy.
"Does your friend know how to properly use a sword? I have no intention of selling my products to someone who will dishonor them." Luffy was surprised at the man's behavior; his respect for the weapons he sold was almost admirable. But then again, Zoro had also referred to his katana in a similar manner. Some people must value their weapons as more than just tools.
"Don't worry about it. He's an expert when it comes to swords; it's almost as if he doesn't have to think about using his katana. I mean, I saw him use this technique where he attacked so quickly that I barely saw him coming. I didn't even see him pull out his katana from its sheath." It became quiet in the shop as Luffy waited for the manager to digest what he said to him. He knew that if the shop keeper saw Zoro, he would not be as doubtful as he was currently.
"How do I know that I can trust you?"
Luffy shook his head. "I don't care if you don't trust me. But I want you to trust in my friend's ability. He has the same appreciation for his swords as you do for your weapons." Satisfied with the answer, the man finally loosened up to peculiar newcomer.
"Well, because you have so much faith in your friend, I guess you deserve the right to buy something after all. I would not mind meeting him, though. He seems like an interesting young man." Setting his book on the counter, the man rose from his seat and walked past the boy, who began to follow him. He stopped near the back of the store and removed two, identical katanas that were hanging on the wall. "These katanas are not the same quality as grade swords, but I am sure that they will be effective. I believe that these katanas are suitable for use until your swordsman actually chooses his own swords."
"Thanks! So how much are they?" The manager smiled at the boy's bluntness. It was comical to see the rapid switch from solemnity to joviality.
"Katanas are expensive, young one. But I'll give you a special discount because you are the first customer to enter this store in a long time. Give me a hundred thousand beri and both of these katanas are yours." Luffy was not the best calculator of costs, so he had to rely on the man's judgment. Not that he cared much about money.
Once the currency was exchanged, Luffy grabbed a katana in each hand and walked back towards where he had left Zoro. Humming to himself again, the boy walked leisurely to the woods, ignorant of the struggle that took place between the marines and the lone swordsman.
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–대한민국짱–