"You guys are pretty gutsy!"
"You know, if you weren't pirates, I might like you a bit..." Zoro's perspective on Luffy and Logan began to shift as he watched them take down Helmeppo one after another.
But he still couldn't shake off his deep-rooted reservations about pirates. It felt like a pig butcher who had spent years slaughtering pigs suddenly being asked by a pig to be its crew. Would the butcher agree?
However, this time, Zoro encountered a persistent "pig."
"I like you too! Join me as my crew!" Luffy invited Zoro once again, uninterrupted by Helmeppo's protests.
"I have my own path to follow! I'm not interested in becoming a pirate and being a villain!" Zoro firmly declined. "I've never strayed from my beliefs, and I won't in the future!"
"I don't care! I've already decided that you'll be my crew!" Luffy seemed innocuous.
Zoro felt a mix of confusion and frustration. "Hey! Stop deciding on your own...!"
"By the way, I heard you're skilled with Sword," Luffy calmly asked, seemingly oblivious to Zoro's exasperation.
"Yes, I truly would've shown you... if I hadn't been tied up," Zoro lamented.
"What about your sword?" Luffy inquired.
"That bastard took it!" Zoro gestured towards the grounded Helmeppo.
Recalling his sensei and Kuina, Zoro gritted his teeth. "That sword is as precious to me as life itself!"
"Oh! That's important!" Luffy's face lit up with a mischievous grin. "Alright, I'll help you retrieve the sword from that guy."
"Thank you. I'll remember this favor," Zoro acknowledged gratefully.
Zoro nodded, thankful that Luffy was helping with his sword situation.
Luffy grabbed Helmeppo from the ground and raised him up.
Crackling sounds filled the air as Helmeppo slowly regained consciousness amidst a burst of crisp, melodic applause.
"Hey, did you take Zoro's sword?" Luffy questioned.
"Huh...?" Helmeppo paused, then nodded groggily. "I did take it..."
"Great! Take me to where the sword is!" Without hesitation, Luffy sprinted towards the Marine Base, dragging Helmeppo along.
"Oh, and remember, if you want the sword, you have to be my crew!" Luffy shouted back at Zoro before dashing off.
Hearing this, Zoro was stunned for a moment before his features twisted in disbelief. "Hey!! That's so underhanded!"
"Since you agreed, I'm off!" Luffy yelled without looking back, disappearing into the distance with Helmeppo in tow.
"What?! Who agreed? Hey, wait!" Zoro shouted after Luffy, but it was futile.
"Is he really going to break into the Marine Base? Aren't you going to stop him?" Zoro turned to Logan, suddenly concerned.
"That's the Marine Base! Breaking in means certain death!" Zoro reminded urgently.
Logan grinned. "You seem to care a lot for your 'crew.'"
"Crew?" Zoro protested. "Hey! Don't label me like that! I can't be crews with pirates! If you don't stop him, you won't have a captain!"
"Ah, worried about your own captain, huh?" Logan chuckled, patting Zoro on the shoulder. "I get your worry. I'll go check it out."
Despite Luffy's strength, Logan thought it best to handle the matter of breaking into the Marine Base alone. Having him there would at least ensure Luffy's safety.
Soon, amidst Helmeppo's protests, the two vanished through the front gate.
"Huh? Luffy and Logan broke in?" Coby, seemingly taken aback, voiced his surprise.
Zoro nodded with a sigh, "Yeah, those two are causing a ruckus as usual..."
Upon witnessing Coby's actions, he promptly cautioned, "If you undo my restraints, you'll meet the same fate."
Struggling, Coby's countenance tightened as he persisted in untying the rope. Through gritted teeth, he uttered, "They've no grounds to detain you. I can't stand seeing the Marines act this way!"
"In the future... I must embody the dream of an honorable Marine, just as Luffy aspires to find One Piece!"
"What!? One Piece?... Are you serious!"
Zoro's expression twisted in disbelief.
Boom! ——
In that instant, a bullet swiftly pierced through Coby.
"What!—"
With a cry, Coby collapsed to the ground.
"How dare you defy Captain Morgan's orders and attempt to rescue the pirate hunter!"
Several Marine soldiers emerged from a nearby door, brandish their weapons at the three individuals left at the execution site.
"Ah! I've been shot?"
"I'm bleeding!"
"Am I going to die...?"
Coby lay on the ground, hands soaked in blood, wearing a look of utter despair.
"...You're still alive!"
Zoro was left speechless; this person seemed excessively timid.
Suddenly realizing something, he turned away, shouting to Coby, "Get up and escape with her!"
"Escape?"
"Captain Morgan is already aware of this situation. None of you should stay here!"
"Even this little girl!"
The Marines admonished.
"Big brother, let me untie the rope for you."
The young girl lacked a precise understanding of the danger; her only focus was on rescuing her older brother, ignorant of the risk involved.
"Stop! That's a serious offense!!"
A Marine soldier yelled, aiming the gun at the little girl.
Observing the girl's attempt, Zoro shouted, "No, they'll shoot!"
Nevertheless, the little girl showed no intention of halting; her small hand had already gripped the knot.
Ka Ka Ka Ka!
The distinct sound of the safety lock being released resonated.
The barrel of the gun was now directed at the little girl's back, a menacing black hole waiting.
"Ah! Give me the sword!"
Zoro, gripped by urgency, shouted at Coby.
Sword...
Sword...
In a state of confusion, Coby's thoughts raced. Subconsciously, he extended his hand and brushed against the scabbard of a fallen Marine soldier nearby.
Sword...
Sword!!
Ah~?
I can use a sword too!!
"Damn it! How dare you defy Captain Morgan's orders!"
"We can't even tolerate a little girl! Otherwise, Captain Morgan will have us killed."
"One final warning!"
...
This isn't good!
I need to save her!
Ignoring the pain from the gunshot, Coby's face displayed intense anxiety.
Breathe...Breathe...Yes, Master taught me.
Breath of Thunder!
"Stubborn, shoot!!——"
After two warnings, a Marine soldier clenched his teeth and commanded.
But in that very moment! !
Whoosh! —
A streak of blinding white light~~~
Like lightning breaching the barrier!
Bang bang bang bang bang!!!!
Several Marine soldiers lost consciousness before they could comprehend what had occurred...
Bang bang bang bang bang! ! ! !
Zoro stood in dumbfounded shock as the Marine soldiers collapsed to the ground! !
His gaping mouth nearly reached the floor.
After a while, he gazed at Coby in disbelief: "You... you're a formidable swordsman!"
Moments ago, he had regarded Coby as overly timid—
But in the blink of an eye, Coby revealed his true prowess!
Huh~
Coby panted heavily, sweat pouring down.
Yesterday, in the world of [Demon Slayer: Zenitsu], he had practiced the Breath of Thunder with Jigoro Kuwajima . Despite not yet mastering the fundamental technique, his current grasp of Thunder's Breath proved more than sufficient to handle a few Marine soldiers!
"Me?"
Coby winced as he approached, his face drained of color.
While using the sword to free Zoro, he explained, "Truth be told, I'm a useless fool! If I hadn't crossed paths with Logan and Luffy, I might have remained a slave to someone else forever. Having this kind of strength would've been even more unimaginable."
"Slave?" Zoro was puzzled.
Coby nodded, "Yes! Just yesterday, I was a handyman on Alvida's ship, trapped with no chance of escape. It was Logan and Luffy who rescued me."
Pirates saving lives...?
The notion struck a chord in Zoro's heart!
Over the years, he had encountered countless pirates, each more nefarious than the last. But a saving pirate...?
A concept he hadn't encountered before.
Is this really a reality?
"Why not utilize your incredible swordsmanship skills to escape?" Zoro couldn't fathom the lightning-fast lethal move Coby had just executed.
"You're so powerful, yet you're content being subservient to others. Even if you can't defeat Alvida, wouldn't finding an opportunity to flee be straightforward?"
"No. Didn't I just mention that? I began learning swordsmanship only after being rescued by Logan yesterday."
"What?!" Zoro's eyes widened. "you've just begun learning swordsmanship yesterday, and you've already at this level?!" Every move he made emitted sparks and lightning. What kind of uncanny talent was this?!
"No... You mean, you just started learning swordsmanship yesterday?" Zoro, feeling perplexed, asked again.
Coby nodded, affirming, "Yes! I learned it from a Manga book created by Logan."
"A Manga book?!" Zoro was incredulous. "What do you mean, Manga books, regarding swordsmanship!"
"Oh, right. I was as shocked as you are," Coby replied. "Logan is a manga artist who possesses the Manga-Manga Fruit. His drawn manga can be entered, and I acquired this swordsmanship from one of those worlds."
Upon hearing Coby's explanation, Zoro's breathing quickened.
Devil Fruit... Although he'd never seen one, he'd certainly heard of it!
If it's due to the Devil Fruit, then any sort of magic seems plausible.
"I see..." Coby glanced at Zoro and continued, "If you also wish to enter the Manga world to master swordsmanship, you could join their pirate crew. Logan is incredibly kind. He helped a destitute fellow like me; I'm sure he'd be willing to help you too."
Entering the Manga world to learn swordsmanship... Zoro was genuinely thrilled!
"Huh? What just happened here?" Logan's voice snapped Zoro out of his reverie.
Glancing at the extra Marine soldiers on the ground and the untied Zoro, Logan immediately grasped the situation.
Zoro gazed at Logan before him. This was the person who had transformed Coby into a formidable swordsman in just one day!
Then...
Luffy's exuberant voice cut in between Zoro and Logan.
"Hey! Take a look, which one's yours?" Luffy held out three Sword and inquired.
"The three Sword are all mine... I use a three-sword style," Zoro asserted, moving to claim the Sword.
However, Luffy, not allowing Zoro to take them unchallenged, grinned and stated, "It's settled. Take the Sword, and you're my crew!".
"No" Zoro reply
"Oh, in that case, let's set sail!"
Luffy nodded solemnly and tugged Logan away.
"Hey hey hey! My sword!" Zoro hurried to catch up and grabbed Luffy.
"What sword? Isn't this my plunder from the Marines?" Luffy stated seriously, glancing at Logan.
Logan nodded, raising his hand. "That's correct. It's your spoils. I bear witness!"
Zoro felt disheartened. But... it did seem to be true. He had lost his sword, which he should reclaim from the Marines. The sword in Luffy's possession was indeed seized from the Marines. What justification did Zoro have to demand its return?
As he watched the two depart, Zoro contemplated. Suddenly, he shouted, "Hey, Luffy! I heard you're aiming to become the King of the Pirates!"
"Huh? Who leaked that news?" Luffy turned, one hand picking his nose.
Unbelievable! Picking his nose and then touching my sword...?
"Cough... cough, Luffy, I meant..." Coby cautiously raised his hand, wearing an apologetic expression.
With Luffy's confirmation, Zoro assumed a stance.
"Hey, future King of the Pirates, let's have a fight!"
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