Enter Zoro! The man who will be the Greatest Swordsman in the World!
After sailing for almost two hours, the boat reached a small island called Shells Town, a place with two humongous blue cylinder-like buildings that towered over the rest.
"All right! We're here!" Luffy shouted as he jumps off the boat. "The navy base city!" Coby got off as well while Seth tight up a rope against the chord. "You're amazing Coby! You got us into the place!" Luffy yells to the chubby sailor.
"Of course I did!" Coby shout back at him, "It is important to have navigation skills to sail the sea! If you wander around at sea every time, you'll never become a pirate! You should at least find a navigator to join you!"
"All right, let's get something to eat!" The straw hat boy yells as he began to walk away.
"He did not listen!" Coby eyes' bloodshot out of his socket before he looks at the auburn boy, "Seth! Can you at least tell him something!?"
Seth just groan at him, "Don't even start, do you know what crew member he wants right now?" he looks at Coby with an annoyed look, "A musician."
"Musician!?" Coby's jaw drops, "H-How the hell are you still with him?!"
"Patience...And one good headbutt into a wall." Seth replied before following the Straw Hat captain. "Come on. I'll lose this moron if I don't have him on my sight."
After a while, the three of them had entered a tavern, sat down at a table, and ordered some food. After Coby stared blankly at Luffy gorging the food, he slowly picked at his food after losing his appetite. How can Seth eat calmly with this kind of manners was a big mystery for the pink-haired boy.
Luffy chomp down his food before burping out, "Ah! That hit the spot! "Well Coby, from here we go our separate ways here! You do your best to be a great Marine, alright?"
"I hope that you managed to make your dream come true," Seth said.
Coby began brushing away tears from his eyes. "I will! Thank you both so much! Luffy, Seth, you both have to become great pirates too!" Coby said to them. "Although we'll be enemies in the future." He muttered to himself.
"Say, I wonder if that Zoro guy is still being kept at that Marine base," Luffy says very loud. Suddenly everyone began to freak out at just the mention of Zoro's name. Everyone inside the tavern flipped their tables in fright and retreated to the opposite side of the tavern to put as much distance between themselves and that boy with the straw hat.
Coby leaned over to Luffy's side and whispered, "Looks like we can't just yell out the name 'Zoro.'" Luffy nodded in response. "I just saw a notice on the streets, there is someone called Lieutenant Morgan at the base," Coby said, in the effort to change the subject, but the crowd instantly flipped out at the mention of the Morgan guy and retreated to their corners in fright.
After walking out of that strange tavern, Luffy began laughing at remembering the events in there. "Hahahaha! What an interesting restaurant! I gotta go there again!"
Coby rubbed his chin in thought. "That's strange…I have a bad feeling about this!" he began to think, "I understand why they'd be scared after hearing Roronoa Zoro's name since he could escape at any time. But why would they be afraid of a Marine Lieutenant's name too?!"
"Well, he could've done something bad, right?" Luffy stated.
"Impossible! He's a marine, why would people be scared of a Marine!?"
"Coby," Seth spoke up, "Don't forget that evil comes in shapes and sizes, whether it is a pirate or a marine."
Coby was about to respond to that statement when he realized that they were in front of the navy base, "Wow…" Coby muttered.
"Yeah, it looks pretty ugly up close," Luffy says, eliciting a shocked look by Coby and a chuckle from Seth. Luffy motioned for Coby to go to the door. "Go ahead, Coby."
Coby shivered in fear. "B-But I'm not prepared yet…Besides, that incident at the restaurant got me thinking."
Luffy shrugged, "Suit yourself." He and Seth then hopped on top of the wall and slowly began pulling themselves upwards.
"O-Oi! You two!" Coby yells at them.
"You see him, Seth?" Luffy asks while looking around. He felt a tap on his shoulder and look to see his companion point far ahead. They hopped down to the floor and proceeded to jog down the way. "I just saw something over there! Come on!" Coby followed after them and hopped on top of the wall. "Oi, look at that person."
Right in the middle of the square was a man tied to a cross, he had a bandana on his head, wear a white shirt, three earrings were on his left ear, a green sash and black pants and boots.
When Coby took a peek, he immediately let go of the wall and fell to the ground. "Th…That black bandana and cloth around his waist. It…It's him! It's Roronoa Zoro!" Coby yelled to the two boys.
"So that's him, huh?" Luffy says with thought, "I could just untie him."
"But I don't think he will join the crew with just undoing the ropes." Seth comments.
That got Luffy thinking, placing a hand on his chin, "Hmmm, maybe your right."
"Why are you guys talking about that right now?! Do you two realized that if you free him, he could make a mess in the town and even kill you guys!" Coby shouts to them in fear as he jumps to the wall again.
"Hey, you!"
A voice yelled to the three leaning on the wall. They all looked to see that it was Zoro's voice calling to them. "Could you please…come over and untie me? I've been tied up for nine days and I'm exhausted." He panted exhaustingly, blood dripping from his mouth onto his plain white shirt.
"Look, he's smiling," Luffy says.
"I'll repay you. I could hunt down a fugitive and give you the rewards. I'm not lying. I'll keep my word." said Zoro.
Silence took over after he said those words before the auburn boy spoke up, "Leaving aside the great offer, you do know that you could have just said 'Beat it kids' right?" Seth said.
"...Tch! Never expect someone to figure out what I wanted to say." the green bandana scoffs out.
Suddenly, a ladder was placed right beside Coby, freaking him out. He and the two pirates turn to the side to see a small girl climbing it up. Looking at her strangely, she climbed up and shushed for them to be quiet. She then dropped down onto the small square terrain and quietly headed to where Zoro was tied up.
The green-haired swordsman looked at the young girl inquisitively. "Hey, what are you doing here?" He asked her while staring down at the girl intimidatingly. "Do you want to die or something? Get lost!"
Coby bit his lip in fright. "Luffy, Seth, go stop her! She could be killed!" Coby yelled at them.
Both pirates simply turn to him, "Why don't you do it, that's a marine job right there." That shut Coby off.
The girl, however, was unfazed by his glare and pulled out to big rice balls from her bag. "Umm, Mister, I made you some rice balls for you! You haven't eaten for a long time, right? This is the first time I made rice balls…"
"I'm not hungry! Go away!" Zoro yelled at the girl in the hopes that she would just get the message and leave before she got caught.
"But…" She mumbled.
"I don't want it! Leave me! I'll kill you if you don't go!" Zoro yelled back at her.
"Now, now Zoro," A voice spoke up, the two people turn around to see the gates opening and a blonde mushroom haired man in a purple suit walking in with two Marines at his side. "Don't pick on little kids or else I'll have to report to my father about it." the boy said.
"Some weirdo came," Luffy mumbled.
"He must be someone important in the Marines. Thank goodness the girl is safe now." Coby says, breathing out a sigh of relief.
"I don't know," Seth gaze hardened, "I have a bad feeling with this guy."
Zoro grunted as he saw the boy walking cockily over to him. "Tch…if it isn't the Lieutenant's bastard son…"
"Bastard? Don't get cocky! Remember your place here!" He then looked down at the little girl and patted her head. "Well hello, little girl. These rice balls look pretty tasty." He says as he snatched one from her hands, eliciting an angry yell from the girl. He ignored it and popped the rice ball into his mouth and immediately spit it out. "Blegh! Horrible! You put too much sugar inside! You're supposed to put salt in these things!"
"But…but I thought they'll taste better if they're sweet." She said to him.
"How could anyone eat something like this?!" he shouted before throwing the rice ball into the ground and began stomping on it.
"Ah! Stop it! Stop! He can't eat this anymore!" She continued screaming at him, begging for him to stop.
Coby watched shocked as he saw a member of the Marine faculty do something so horrible. "T-That's so cruel! That girl worked so hard to make them!"
Finally, the boy stopped stomping the rice ball into the dirt and smiled at the little girl. "Don't worry! The ants will eat them all up! Hehe."
The little girl began sniffling as tears fell from her eyes. "But…I…I cook hard to make them."
The boy rubbed his forehead. "Jeez, this is why I hate brats." He then proceeded to crouch down and point to the sign next to him. "It's all your fault, you know? Didn't you see what was written here? It says, 'Anyone who helps a prisoner will be charged with the same crime.' And it's signed by my daddy, Marine Lieutenant Morgan." Helmeppo crouched down to glare at the girl. "You know how scary my daddy can be, right?" The little girl didn't answer as she continued to cry. He then motioned to the Marine beside him, "Throw this brat out!"
"Huh?" The Marine replied in surprise.
The boy turned to the Marine angrily. "I'm telling you to throw her out of here! Are you trying to disobey me?! I'm telling my dad of this disobedience!"
"A-Aye, sir!" The Marine said. He then grabbed a hold of the girl, "I-I'm sorry." and chucked her over the wall.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!" The girl screams in fear as she was getting close to crash into the ground.
Luckily, Luffy quickly caught her before she could hit the ground. Coby ran up to her and softly gripped her shoulders. "Are you alright?" He asked the little girl, getting a small nod from her.
Seth became furious at this act before an idea pop in his head, he memorize the cocky boy's position before jumping off the wall and summon his lion arm, he made a circle around the low area, but not low enough. "Oy Luffy!" the straw hat boy looks at him and motion to come. Once he did, Seth whispered something in his ear making a grin on Luffy's face and began to nod rapidly.
Back to Zoro and the mushroom head, "You truly are a stubborn one. Aren't you Roronoa Zoro?" the mushroom head said in a smug tone.
"That's right," Zoro says as he glared back at him. "I'm going to survive a whole month, then leave as our agreement. And you better not back out of your part."
"I wouldn't dream of it Zoro! I am a man of my word! Ha!" he says with a laugh.
*STARE*
His laugh died in his throat as he suddenly felt a chill run up his spine. The other marines also felt that intense presence as they began to rub their arms as if they were cold. Huh, that's weird; why they felt cold when it was warm and sunny?
('Holy shit...what is this?') Even Zoro felt that presence, although he couldn't anything as his arms were tied together. With his instincts, he searches around the area to know where it was coming from, and when he looked to where those three boys were hanging by, he was shocked to see the auburn boy, the one who calls him out from his bluff, glaring at the marines, but it wasn't any kind of glare…
It was a predator's glare.
('That kid…Is doing this?') Zoro asked himself in surprise.
"Hey, you!" The marine boy finally found where the stare was coming from and screamed. "Who are you?! What's with that look?! This is a marine base!"
Seth didn't say a word, only made a smile, "Hey! Fungus head!" he shouts at the boy whose jaw fell.
"Fungus?!" he screams out of anger.
Seth points his finger at him, "You're wide open!" Just then, a perfect cylinder of stone shot out of the wall and went straight into the cocky marine's jewels. He just stood there for a few moments before his face slowly twisted into one of pain as his eyes crossed before rolling back in his head as his mouth slowly fell open, yet no sound came out. He was trembling and sweating profusely as the pain finally reached his brain before he slowly fell forward at an agonizing pace and hit the ground with a thud.
"Ha! Right between Mama and Papa!" Seth howls while laughing as Luffy managed to climb up in time to see the expression on the marine's face. It was so priceless, he couldn't stop laughing as well.
"HELMEPPO SIR!" the two marines shout in shock as they pick the boy called Helmeppo and ran out of the place.
Zoro, on the other hand, was laughing like there was no tomorrow, he just witnessed the bastard's son get hit right where his family heirlooms were, and the reaction was priceless as well. He stopped laughing, but had a smirk, as two footsteps stop in front of him. He looks up to see Luffy and Seth standing up.
"Heh…You two made my day with that stunt," he says as they both shared a laugh. "So who are you, kids?"
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy." the straw boy says and points at his friend, "And this is Lionel D. Seth, you can call him Seth for short."
Seth looked at Luffy with a deadpanned expression, "Why those he has to call me by my first name already? He hasn't even joined the crew."
"Crew?" Zoro perk up at those words, "So you two are pirates? You gave up on life and became a crook?"
Luffy turned to stare right into Zoro's eyes. "It's my dream! There's nothing wrong with being a pirate!"
"Hm? Don't tell me you're gonna set me free and force me to join you." Zoro smirked.
"I haven't made up mind yet. Since everyone thinks you're a bad guy and stuff." Luffy chuckled, touching his beloved straw hat.
"A bad guy, huh? It doesn't matter to me. I'll never join you because I have something that I need to take care of! I could survive even if you don't help me! I just need to stay alive for one month. That bastard kid promised me that he would let me go afterward. I'm gonna do everything I can to stay alive and fulfill my dreams" Zoro valiantly told the two.
Luffy and Seth look at him with silenced before the straw hat boy broke it, "Really? If I were you I think I would starve to death in a week." He smiled.
"That's why we're different. Go find someone else to join you." Zoro muttered.
Luffy stared at him until he turned away to leave. He stared over at Seth who still hadn't moved. "You comin'?" He asked him.
"...Nah, I'll accompany him for a while. Maybe try to convince him." the auburn boy tells Luffy who, nodded and smiled back and proceeded to leave until…
"Hold on!" Zoro said. Luffy turned to look back at Zoro. "That…can you pick it up for me?" He asked, motioning to the crushed rice ball on the ground.
Luffy crouched down and picked it up. "You want to eat this? But the rice ball is all muddy. Then again, I guess you can't be too picky about food when you're hungry…" He muttered to himself.
"Shut up! Just give it to me. Let me eat all of it!" Zoro said, opening his mouth for the rice ball. Luffy then shoved the dirty rice ball into his mouth and watched him try to chew and swallow it without throwing up.
"Oi, do you want to kill yourself?" Luffy asked Zoro.
Zoro coughed in response and swallowed one last time. "Tell that little girl…"
Luffy tilted his head. "Tell her what?"
Zoro lowered his head. "The rice ball tasted very good. Thank you very much." Luffy beamed and agreed to tell the girl and ran over to the wall and hopped over it.
After he left, Seth seat down and cross his leg in front of Zoro and began to draw lines on the dirt in front of the man's feet. "Why are you still doing here?" Zoro asked while closing his eyes.
"Ever play 'X and Zeros'?" Seth asked as he finishes drawing, "Is a good game to kill boredom."
"...Shouldn't you follow your captain?" the hunter asked.
"He's a big boy. He can take care of himself." Seth wrote an 'X' on the upward left.
Zoro didn't say anything and for some reason, place his right foot on the down in the middle. "If you're here to make sure I don't die, I'll make your job easy because I won't."
"I know that," Seth marks on the right bottom, "People who have ambitions won't fall at anything…But you aren't making signs of progress by being tie-up like this."
Zoro placed his left foot on the upward left, "So, you think I should get out and become a crook and sail the seas like one?"
"Nah, been a pirate doesn't make you a crook entirely," Seth marks the center, "I mean, look at me, I could untie you now instead of playing with you here."
Zoro scoff, "You're are just trying to get on my good side so I join you two." he placed his feet on the middle right.
"Whenever you choose to join or not, is up to you," Seth marks on the last left side, "Although, if Luffy decides that he wants you to join, you are fuck."
"And why is that? Is he going to blackmail me into joining you guys?" Zoro says sarcastically.
"Don't jinx yourself, man," Seth replied.
Both Seth and Zoro continue to play for a bit longer until the auburn boy caught the smell of meat heading to his direction. Turning around, he saw Luffy jumping the wall and began walking to them.
"Yo! So, did he agree to join us, Seth?" Luffy asked the auburn-haired man.
"Mmmm, not exactly," Seth said.
"Ahhh, you suck Seth!" Luffy pouted.
"Like you could do better!" Seth yelled at him.
Zoro growled as he listened to the two of them talk about him as if he wasn't here. "Listen, I already told both of you that I don't wanna be a pirate!"
Luffy turned from arguing with the auburn boy and held out his hand. "I'm Luffy. If I loosen up the ropes, then you're going join me, okay?"
"I've told you already! I have things I need to do! Besides, I'm not going to be a bad guy like a pirate!" Zoro told Luffy.
Luffy frowned. "That's the difference? Besides, everyone already thinks you are a bad guy."
Zoro growled under his breath. "I don't care what they say about me! I haven't done one thing that I regretted in the past and it will be the same for the future! I won't become a pirate!"
Luffy continues staring at Zoro and nodded. "I don't care! You are going to join me!"
"Don't decide for yourself!" Zoro yelled at him.
"Hey, I heard that you use a katana, is that right?" Luffy asked the swordsman.
"Hrm…if I'm not being tied up, I could use a katana," Zoro replied.
"Is that so? And where is that katana?" Luffy asked, crossing his arms.
"That bastard kid took it. It's something that I treasure most…other than my life!" Zoro told him.
"Ohh? Treasure, huh? It must be something great!" Luffy exclaimed, pointing at the swordsman. "Okay! I'm gonna go to where the bastard kid is and get your katana back."
"What?!" Zoro shouted, surprised that this kid would still help him even after he refused to join his crew.
"But if you want me to return it to you, you'll have to join me!" Luffy yelled, laughing.
Zoro's mouth fell from his face, "THAT'S BLACKMAIL YOU BASTARD!"
Luffy turns to Seth, "Seth! You watch over here and make sure he doesn't die!" The auburn-haired nod as the straw hat captain ran off to look for Zoro's sword.
"…Does he plan to sneak into the base? What a fool!" Zoro muttered.
Seth chuckled, "Says the guy that foreshadowed his fate."
"Shut Up! How was I supposed to know he would blackmail me!" Zoro shouts with shark teeth, causing the auburn boy to laugh even harder.
After a while, Coby jumps the wall and ran at them. "H-Hey Seth!" he calls for the lion boy. "What are you doing?! Where's Luffy?!"
Seth point at the navy base, "He went to find Zoro's sword."
"What?! Luffy is inside the base? He's too hot-headed!" Coby gritted his teeth angrily and worked to quickly untie Zoro's bindings. "Quick! Help me get Zoro out!"
"Oi! If you help me, they are going to kill you!" Zoro yelled at him.
"You shouldn't be arrested! I heard what you did for that girl and that doesn't mean they should kill you! I can't stand those kinds of Marines…Seth, you were right. There are evil Marines out there, but I'm going to become a real Marine! Just like the way Luffy is determined to become the Pirate King!" Coby yelled boldly.
"Glad to hear that!" Seth says.
"Wait! P-Pirate King?! You're joking, right?" Zoro yelled out.
"Hehehe I was a bit shocked when I first heard him, but he's serious! So, I wi-" before he could say anything more, Coby was pushed out of the way.
Seth was now in Coby's place when suddenly, blood spurted out from his right arm. "Ghr!" the auburn lion grasp his arm in pain.
"Seth!" the chubby boy went to his side worried.
"Don't worry! I heal fast!" Seth says as he places two fingers on his wounds and brutally took out the bullet from his arm. "Get him out of those rope!"
"What you two need is to get out!" Zoro shout at them, "I only have to stay ten more days like this-"
"More like ten minutes, you're getting execute either way!" Coby shouts at him.
"...What?! Executed!?"
Coby tries to untie the ropes, "Helmeppo never intended to honor your agreement," He explained. "He planned on killing you from the start, which made Luffy angry, so he just knocked him out!"
"What…He did that?" Zoro asked in shock that the straw hat boy did.
"Heh…That's something Luffy would do," Seth caught their attention as he wraps a bandage on his wound. "If you break a promise, he will answer back with force. He values promises as an oath." He looks at the green-haired, "On another note, that strike two on the 'I been played!'."
"Shut up!" the green bandana man yelled at him
"Now that the marines are mad they're dead set on catching Luffy!" Coby says as sweat form on his head, "Zoro…I'm not asking you to join his crew or anything, but Luffy and Seth are strong, just like you…If anyone can help them escape from here is you, just like they can help you escape!"
Before Zoro could answer, an angry voice yell out, "End of the line, brats!" the three of them turn around to see several marines. Behind them was a dark-skin man with a captain coat, a metal jaw, and an ax as a hand. "For the traitorous acts you've committed against me, I sentence you three to die where you stand!" the man raised his ax hand as the soldiers aim their guns at them.
('No, I can't fall now!') Zoro thought as memories return to him.
(Flashback)
"Let's vow to each other that someday, one of us will become the greatest swordsman! And we are going to fight for that title!
"Heh…You're a real idiot…Challenge accepted!"
(Flashback End)
('I promise that will become the greatest swordsman in the world! I won't die now!') Zoro thought before seeing Seth immediately in front of the firing range. "You!"
"Seth!" Coby yell in shock.
"The least I can do is body shield some of them!" the lion boy said as he crossed his arms in an 'X'.
"Fire!" the lieutenant shouted as bullets were shot.
Time went slowly as the bullets came close to the auburn boy whose blue-baby eyes began to change into crimson red. However, fate decided to throw in some luck as Luffy appears right in front of him and intercepted the bullets.
"WHAT?!"
"LUFFY! SETH!"
"STRAW HAT!"
The straw hat boy just smiled as the bullets hit him, and stretch his body backward before sending them back at the marines, some of them grazing them. "Hahaha! Bullets don't work on me!" Luffy laughs out.
"About time you show up, gummy man," Seth says with a smirk.
"HEY! I told you already, I'm a rubber man!" the captain shouts at him.
"What the hell are you?!" Zoro finally asks at the craziness here as Coby passes out on the ground. It was too much for the poor guy.
Luffy looked at him, "Me? I'm the one that'll become the King of the Pirates!" he then grabs three katanas, two were black and one was white. "Here, I found three swords, which one is yours?"
"All three of them are mine, I use Santoryu; Three swords style," Zoro answer him.
"Three words? Awesome!" Seth comment.
"Yeah!" Luffy looks at the marines, who were still in shock. "Listen up, I could give you this back, but you'll be label as a criminal for it. Then again, if you stay like this, you'll get killed."
"In other words, become a criminal or die," Seth says he stood next to Zoro.
A few seconds later, the pirate hunter smile, "You guys are the devil's son…Fine! I'll rather become a pirate than die here!"
Luffy bounce in joy, "Woohoo! I have another crew member!"
"Now get me out of here!" Zoro yells out.
"IF GUNS DON'T WORK, THEN CUT THEM!" they hear the marine lieutenant shout as several marines charge with swords in hands.
"Here, I'll make this quick." Seth summons his lion arm, surprising Zoro.
"You got some strange power right there," Zoro says as the boy uses his claw to cut the ropes on his wrists. "Give me my swords!" he says as Luffy gives them to him. In a blink of an eye, he unsheathed his sword, cut the remaining ropes, grab his other swords, and block all the marines swords that were about to slash them. Holding his third sword on his mouth.
"Wow…." Coby woke up from his daze and was amazed by how Zoro stop those weapons with little effort.
The pirate hunter gives a cold stare, "Move and you die." he says, scaring the marines as the cry in fear. He looks at the two pirates, "There, I fought the navy, so I'm officially an outlaw. However, I want to make one thing clear."
"And that is?" Luffy asks.
"I may sail under your flag, but I'm going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman." he grips his swords more, "If you force me to abandon it or stand in the way of my dream, you're going to harakiri yourself."
Luffy grin at his words, "Greatest Swordsman in the world? Nice! The Pirate King needs only the best!"
"Heh…You're a cocky one."
"What are waiting for?! Kill them!" the blond lieutenant shouted with anger and annoyance.
"Zoro, duck!" Seth shouts as he grabs Luffy by the arm and began spinning around. The rubber man's leg stretch out and yelled, "Gum-Gum Whip!" Zoro ducks out of the way as the leg hits all the marines off him. Sending them crashing in front of Lieutenant Morgan.
"Lieutenant, we can't fight these guys!"
"Yeah, they're insane!"
"We couldn't even beat Zoro by himself!" The marines were now scared at the monstrous trio that beat them up.
The ax man had enough of this foolish behavior, "Listen up fools! All those that yell weakness will shoot themselves!" the marines were left in shock at what they hear. "I will not tolerate weakness in my domain! That's an order-"
*BAM*
He didn't finish talking as he blocks a fist with his ax, making him cough stagger backward. He became furious when he saw Luffy in front of him. "You low life scum…! How dare you defy me?! I'm Lieutenant Morgan-" he didn't finish when Seth came in rolling in the air and hit him square in the chest, sending him flying into a wall.
Seth bounces off him and lands next to Luffy, "This guy is seriously stupid if he thinks that we won't defy him." He says with a bored stare.
"Agreed, we are not marines!" Luffy shouts as the Morgan got off the wall and threw away his coat. "We are pirates, you dumb idiot!"
"You fucking turds! I'm FUCKING killing you both!" Morgan shout as he sprints at them. He raised his ax as Luffy and Seth evade the attack, which hits the ground and broke it.
Once they land in the ground, Seth began to spin-charge and Luffy stretched his leg back, "Gum-Gum Stamp!" he retracts his leg and hits the spinning form of Seth. Sending him directly at Morgan's face who snapback brutally. The lion boy bounces up in the air before he began to hit him multiple times while spinning. When he did it one more time, Luffy came in and punch him hard in the gut, making Morgan cough blood out.
"N-No way…"
"They are beating Captain Morgan…"
The soldiers began to watch in amazed as the terror of the base was being destroyed.
Luffy grabs Morgan by the shirt and slams him on the floor. "You bastard, you're ruining Coby's dream of becoming a Marine!" he began to punch him in the face hard.
"Here I come!" Seth yelled as he raised his leg into the air, "Wild Hammer!" Luffy moves away as Seth plant his feet in the chest of Morgan before jumping away from him.
"H-Hold it!"
Everyone turned around to see a shaking Helmeppo pointing a gun at Coby, who was also surprised by his appearance, "L-Listen up! I-If y-y-you both won't stop, I'll b-blast your friend's h-head!" The straw hat and the lion boy didn't say anything as they glare at him, although they didn't sense any resolve on the moron's words.
"Luffy! Seth!" They hear Coby yell, he swallows a bit before yelling, "You don't have to worry about me, don't stop!"
Luffy grin at his words and Seth crack a smirk, "Of course! Hey, fungus, Coby means it!" he began to stretch his arm.
"S-Stop! I-I will shoot him!" Helmeppo tries to threaten him, but his words were empty.
Luffy prepared to throw his fist. "Gum-Gum…"
Suddenly, Morgan appeared behind, with ax raised, "I sentence you to death!" he swings his weapon down.
"Dad! Finish him off!" Helmeppo cries in fear, but it was too late.
"Pistol!" Luffy sent his arm right at the oval headed man, knocking him out. Morgan ax was inches away from touching Luffy's straw hat.
In an instant, Morgan scream in absolute pain as several slashes of blood came out of him...and his ax hand got rip off his arm. Morgan's body fell to the ground with a 'thud', showing that behind the fallen captain were Zoro and Seth, the former with his swords out and the latter with his claws out.
"Nice one Zoro, Seth!" Luffy praised his crew.
"Anytime, Captain," they both said.
...
…
...
"T-The Lieutenant lost! Lieutenant Morgan has been defeated!" One of the Marines shouted. All of them couldn't believe it! Their Boos was down and out! His son as well! They raised their heads from the downed Morgan to the pirates that had defeated him.
"If you still want to arrest us, come and get us." Zoro dared the Marines, glaring at them akin to a demon's.
The marines look at each other before...
"We're free!"
"We are out of Morgan's control!"
"Long live the Marines!" They all shouted, hugging their brethren in celebration of this momentous occasion and throwing their weapons into the air.
Luffy tilted his head in confusion. "What's going on? They seem to be happy that Morgan guy was defeated?" Luffy said confusingly.
"Isn't obvious?" Seth says with a deadpanned expression, "They were scared of him from the start."
"Morgan was using fear to control this base!" Coby yell, understanding why the marine didn't stop him.
Suddenly, Zoro's body gave up all his strength, he was about to fall, but Seth caught him in time. "Looks like the hunger finally caught up to you." he slung his arm on his shoulder.
"Come on! I know where we can take him!" Luffy shouted, sprinting off to a certain little girl's house. Follow by Coby and Seth, who was carrying a hungry Zoro.
A few minutes later, Zoro was awake and eating inside a small bar home, "Damn! I'm full, been without food for nine days would kill me for starvation!" he says as pats his belly, ignoring the stares of shock from the townspeople from outside.
"See? It would be impossible to survive a month without food!" Luffy says while stuffing food on his face.
"How the hell can you still eat more than me?" Zoro asked before he looked at Seth who was eating with calm. "And how can you eat while he does that?"
The lion boy just shrugged his shoulders, "I got used to it."
Coby rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly. "Sorry…even I ate quite a lot…"
"Don't worry! Keep eating, you saved our town after all!" The mother said happily.
The little girl walked up to Luffy. "You're so strong!"
"Yep! I'm strong! And I'll get stronger later on too!" Luffy replied. "And I have two members on my crew that are super strong!"
"Wait...you mean, I and this guy are the only members?!" Zoro asks in a surprised tone.
"This guy also has a name you know," Seth said with a death stare.
"Please tell me you at least have a ship," Zoro asked. Luffy and Seth point at the window where their small boat ties to the docks. "You're kidding me right?"
"Don't worry! We'll get a bigger boat!" Luffy said without a care of the world.
"And just how are you planning to do that?" Zoro asked.
The straw hat boy stood silent for a few minutes shrugging his shoulders, "We'll figure something out."
"...What did I put myself into?" Zoro asked to himself.
"The adventure of Monkey D. Luffy: Road to become the Pirate King," Seth answered before drinking his juice in one gulp.
"Oooooo, that sounds like an awesome story!" Luffy said in a childish tone.
Zoro slaps his forehead, "Could you at least tell me what's the plan now?" he says in annoyance.
"Easy! After we get a bigger boat, we are heading to the Grand Line!" Luffy stated.
At hearing the Grand Line, Coby spits out the juice from his mouth and nose before turning to him, "The Grand Line?! That's suicide! You are only three!"
"Well, we are going after One Piece. It is pretty obvious that we have to go there." Seth says.
"Why are you acting like this? You're not coming with us." Zoro reminds him.
"T-True! But I'm worried about you guys! Can't I be worried about…My friends?" he asks him.
"Hey now, I didn't mean that…" Zoro tries to defend himself as the former cabin boy looks at Luffy and Seth.
"Luffy, Seth…We haven't known each other for long…But, we're friends right?!" he asked them.
Luffy laughs out, "Shishishishi! Of course, no matter where we are or what side we're on, we'll be friends!"
"True, there is no crime that says that pirates can't have enemies as friends as well," Seth says with a smirk.
Coby stared at them with a happy look in his face. "I…I've never had friends before." He lowered his head. "I never had friends growing up…every time I would be picked on…no one would stand up for me. But, the three of you…taught me to live my dream! So…thank you very much!" Coby yelled, bowing to his new friends with tears in his eyes.
Zoro smirked at him. "Before you start worrying about us though, you'd better start worrying about yourself though."
"Huh? Why?" Coby asked.
"Even though you were just doing chores on a pirate ship, you're still a small pirate. Don't underestimate the Marine's ability to gather information. If they know your past, they won't let you join for sure!" Zoro said, tapping the handle of his sword on Coby's forehead.
Just then, like fate was written, some of the marines from the base walked in with serious looks in their faces. The top lieutenant stepped up and addressed Luffy, Seth, and Zoro. "Excuse me, gentlemen, but is it true that you're pirates?" he asked.
"Yep, it's true," Luffy answers as Seth and Zoro smash their faces on the table at the dense honesty.
The lieutenant tips his hat as them, "I see...We are grateful that you free us from Morgan's terror, however, as marines we still have our duty to capture all pirates. But, in light of your actions, we will not arrest you or inform marine headquarters about you and simply ask that you three leave." the marine said with a pang of look guilt.
The townsfolk erupted into an uproar. "Hey, Marines, what kind of bullshit is this?! They are our town's saviors!"
Luffy sighed and picked himself off of his chair. "Hmmm, well then, let's go. Thank you for the food, ma'am."
Seth bowed to the mother. "Thanks for having us, your food was really good, ma'am."
"You have my thanks…both of you," Zoro says, looking to both the mother and her daughter.
The three of them then headed off without even a goodbye or anything to Coby. The Marine officer took note of that and questioned it. "Hey, kid, aren't you with their group?"
Coby stared at the floor and gritted his teeth.
('No matter where we are or what side we're on, we'll be friends!')
"I'm not…I'm not…I'm not with them!" Coby yelled out.
The trio smiled at him as they began to walk away before the marine calls them, "Please hold on. Is he telling the truth?" The Marine officer asked at Luffy in particular.
The straw hat boy turns around and stared blankly at both him and Coby. He raised his finger to point at him. "I know what that guy used to do."
"L-Luffy?" Coby asked, shocked.
"I can't remember where but he used to be with this faaaaaaaat female pirate…I think her name was Albida or something." Luffy continued.
"Close, it was with a 'V'," Seth corrected.
"Stop… don't say anymore." Coby pleaded, if they discover his background, becoming a marine will be nothing more than a fairy tale!
"Right, thanks, Seth. Anyway, it was an ugly and fat female pirate. This guy spent two years there…"
"SHUT UP!" Coby yelled as he punched his friend in the face.
Luffy grinned as he felt the fist collide with his face. "You asked for it!" Luffy yelled as he punched Coby in the face. He then repeatedly continued throwing weak punches to Coby until the Marine officer put a stop to it.
"Both of you stop it! I won't allow this town to get into any more fights!" He yelled as Luffy stop and let Coby fall to the floor with a bruise, "Is obvious that he isn't your friend now! Please, leave this town immediately!"
Seth and Zoro grab Luffy, "Come on! Let's go before you go overboard!" the swordsman says as they leave the house.
Coby laid there on the floor as his friends left the town and gritted his teeth in anger...At himself, ('Why…Why did Luffy have to help me again?! Why am I so useless?! So weak?! So…Imbecile?!') He then slowly stood up and walked to the Marine officer and bowed. "Please let me join the Marine! Even if it's chores, I will still do them!"
One of the other officers then emerged from the crowd. "Captain! I'm against it! We cannot accept a person whose past is unclear to us!"
Coby gritted his teeth and yelled at the top of his lungs. "I AM A MAN WHOSE DREAM IS TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE MARINES!"
Everyone stared shocked at the young boy's outburst. The captain of the Marines continued to stare at Coby for a while. He then walked past the boy and muttered, "Don't think we don't know of your past as a pirate. You underestimate our power…but I will still allow you to join."
Coby stood firm even after he became elated from the captains' words. "Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!"
…
..
.
"Luffy, that was the worst possible act I have ever seen, period." Seth comment with a smile in his face.
"I have to agree, I know you were helping out, but that was terrible." Zoro threw his two cents.
"Hey! It worked, so there should be no compliment!" Luffy said as he unties the rope from the docks of the boat. "Anyway, is time for us to leave!"
"Nothing left behind, just like pirates," Zoro says.
"Ha, funny coming from the guy that said he'll never become a pirate." Seth laughs out, receiving a grunt from Zoro.
"L-L-Luffy!" voice yelled from behind them. They all turned to see that Coby was standing right behind them.
"Coby?" Luffy asked.
Coby raised his right hand and gave Luffy the proper Marine salute. "Thank you very much! I will never forget you three for the rest of my life!"
"A marine saluting a pirate? Now that's new." Zoro smirk as he got on the boat
"Hehe! Coby! We'll meet again someday! I'm sure of it!" Luffy yelled as he jumps in.
"For the time being, make sure you don't become a bad marine!" Seth yells as enters last and pushes the boat away from the dock.
"TEN-SHUN!"
Suddenly, standing next to Coby, the Marine officer appeared along with his subordinates, the sudden scream of order caused the other Marines to salute as well. The pink chubby boy was surprised to see them there. The Officer continued staring at the retreating boat as he told Coby, "You have great friends."
Tears of joy fell from Coby's sockets, "Thanks, sir!"
The Marine officer then sighed. "We just saluted pirates and have violated the Marine's codes! So! The punishment will be no food for a week!" He yelled to the other Marines.
"Yes, sir!" They yelled back.
"Well now, off to sail into the unknown!" Seth shouted before looking at me, "And we'll see YOU in the next chapter! Bye-Bye!"
Zoro raised an eyebrow, "Who are you talking too?"
"No one in particular." Seth shrugged.
Luffy stretched his arms high above his head in joy. "Yahoo! We're off! Grand line! Here we come!"