"Luffy, is it really good to run toward them while marines are chasing us?" Zoro asked while running with Luffy and holding Usopp on his back. Usopp had a big bump on his chin.
A few minutes ago,
Inside the restaurant, Ace was eating his food while Zoro and Usopp were sticking close to him but not talking with each other. Zoro and Usopp pretended not to know anything about him while Ace didn't care.
But suddenly, a voice rang from behind.
"I guess you don't have a problem with eating in the public. So, why is Portgas D. Ace hanging out with the member of the Straw Hat Pirates?"
Hearing this voice, Ace turned to the side. Usopp had a frightened look on his face while Zoro had already touched the hilt of his swords.
"Wait, you two are Luffy's Nakama? Hahaha! I didn't expect to meet his Nakama so soon. Can you take me to him?" Ace instantly held their shoulders with excitement all over his face and asked.
"Take you? Portgas D. Ace, you are going down." Smoker released the smoke from his body as he gripped the stick in his hand.
Gomu-Gomu no- Compressed Rocket!
Bang!
Suddenly, a rubbery head struck Smoker on his back and sent him crashing to Ace who wasn't also prepared for that. When both of them crashed through the walls, Luffy raised both of his hands in excitement with his eyes closed.
"Restaurant!"
Bang!
His fist struck Usopp on his chin. Usopp fell to the ground unconscious. Luffy looked at his side and his eyes widened with surprise.
"Zoro, Usopp, how did you get here so fast?"
"We were waiting for you, you idiot." Zoro shouted at Luffy.
"Ohh…" Luffy slowly shifted his head to the restaurant owner and held a fork and spoon.
"Food! Food! Food!"
Zoro slapped his forehead but he didn't stop Luffy from eating. He had seen that strike. Even if it wasn't going to kill them, it should injure them. It wasn't normal Rocket after all.
The Compresed Rocket has much more power and Zoro knew this. But, he was still unsettled about the marine and Ace.
"Luffy, you need to eat fast. There are marines in this town. We need to escape as soon as possible." Zoro urged Luffy who was already gobbling everything he could.
"Straw Hat!"
Suddenly, a roar came from those broken walls. Smoker rushed in front of Luffy who was eating very fast.
Zoro instantly held the hilt of his sword. Luffy looked at him and recognized him. Suddenly, he spits out all of that food.
'Damn it! My attacks don't work on them until I learn Haki.'
Luffy stretched his arm and stopped Zoro from taking out his sword. He instantly put all of the food in his mouth and bowed in front of the restaurant owner.
"Thank you for the meal!"
The next moment, Zoro carried unconscious Usopp on his shoulder while Luffy carried a pile of food in his mouth and two pirates ran away without paying the bills.
"Don't you dare run, straw hat!" Smoker shouted and chased after Luffy and Zoro.
"Luffy, wait!" Another voice rang from the restaurant and Ace chased after them as well.
"Eat and run?" The restaurant owner stared at them leaving with his eyes wide open.
......
A few minutes later,
Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp were running away from the marines. Smoker was still behind thanks to Zoro leading the way.
"Luffy, is it really good to run toward them while marines are chasing us?"
"Of course, it is. We have Liam and Sanji." Luffy smiled as he answered.
After a while, Zoro, Luffy, and Usopp appeared in front of smoker.
"How did you get in front of us so fast?" Zoro looked at smoker with shock and asked.
"Zoro, I am never going to ask you to lead." Even though Luffy was bad at the direction, he wasn't that bad when he knows the path. Even he felt disturbed by Zoro's ability to appear in front of Smoker while running away from him.
"You think this is my fault?" Zoro turned around and shouted.
"I am not going to let you escape anymore."
"White Chase"
Smoker instantly turned his hands into smoke and shot them toward Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji.
"Fire Fist!"
Boom!
"It seems you haven't changed, Luffy." Suddenly, Ace landed in front of smoker and spoke with a grin on his face.
"Is that you, Ace?" Luffy instantly recognized the voice as he asked with disbelief.
"Luffy, it's been a long time, hasn't it? Anyway, you guys should run. I will meet you later." Ace said as he kept a smile on his face. His body was releasing red flames.
"Wow! Did you eat devil fruit, Ace?" Luffy looked at those flames and asked.
"Yea, Flame Flame Fruit. Now, hurry up and leave!" Ace shouted.
"Ahh, yes!" Luffy nodded and turned around. Zoro quickly followed him. While running, he couldn't help but ask.
"Luffy, is he related to you?"
"Of course, that's my big brother, Ace." Luffy giggled when he replied.
"Your what?" Zoro showed a similar surprised expression when he heard that. But, he quickly calmed down and asked.
"It is not surprising that you have a brother but what is he doing here in the Grandline?"
"Ace is a pirate just like me. He is also trying to become the King of the Pirates." Luffy replied. He couldn't help but turn around as he said "I can't believe he would eat a devil fruit. I remember he used to make fun of me because I couldn't swim."
"Anyway Luffy, let's meet up with the group." Zoro said and led the way.
"Zoro wait! tell me where to go and I will lead." Luffy shouted from behind.
"Shut up and follow me." Poor Zoro couldn't help but blush upon hearing that.
Luffy had no choice but to wake up. After a moment, they eventually reached an empty place. They looked around and Luffy touched his head.
"I feel like we have been here before."
Suddenly, his eyes fell on the burned marks on the wall as he shouted.
"This is exactly the place where we met Smoker."
He instantly turned around and shouted, "Zoro, I am never going to let you lead again."
He rushed to him and picked up Usopp. He started swinging his body until Usopp finally woke up.
"L-Luffy…"
"It's me, Usopp. We need to get out of here. That smokey guy would find us soon. I don't know where others are and Zoro got us lost twice." Luffy continued to shake his body as he explained.
"L-L-l- Luffy stop it!" Usopp spoke in a miserable tone.
"Ahh, sorry!"
Thud!
When Luffy instantly let him go, Usopp's head struck the ground.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! That hurts. Can't you do anything without hurting others?" Usopp covered his head with a pitiful expression and shouted at Luffy.
"Sorry! Sorry!" Luffy let out of his usual apology tone but it wasn't helpful.
"Anyway Usopp, we need to leave. Marines would find us anytime soon. We need to find the group and leave this island immediately." Zoro spoke with a serious expression.
"Alright, follow me!" Usopp stood up and bravely ran away.
Zoro and Luffy quickly followed him.
"By the way, we met Luffy's brother while you were unconscious." Zoro decided to tell Usopp about Ace since Luffy didn't open this topic.
"What? Luffy, you have a brother?" Unlike Zoro, Usopp was so stunned that his jaw almost dropped.
"Yes! His name is Ace." Luffy giggled as he nodded his head.
"Wait, isn't that the same person who was looking for him?" Usopp turned his head at Zoro and asked.
Zoro nodded.
"Wow! I never expected your brother to be so powerful. Then again, you are also powerful so your brother should be even more powerful. That makes sense." Usopp muttered for a while as he finally came to a conclusion about Luffy's strength.
In his mind, he understood that it was genetics.
"By the way, I just remember something. Why did I get unconscious?" Usopp suddenly asked.
Hearing his words, Luffy and Zoro started sweating. It wasn't Zoro's fault but he didn't want to tell Usopp that it was Luffy. On the other hand, Luffy also didn't tell him because he struck very hard at that time.
"Umm… I think Ace or Smoker struck you when they fly away." Luffy cleared his throat and tried to lie in a very bland manner. His face was sweating which was enough to reveal his lie.
But, Usopp didn't find it at first. Suddenly, he remembered something. He instantly grabbed Luffy's collar and shouted.
"It's you, wasn't it? You were the one who struck Ace and Smoker from behind and then struck my chin when you raised your hand. Bastard, do you have any idea how painful was that?"
"Usopp, I apologize...." Luffy made a serious expression while apologizing which froze both of them for a moment. But he wasn't finished.
"For the next time."
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