Just as Lin Bei was about to make a move, Zoro stood up.
"Let me handle this. Even without my swords, I can beat him. If I'm joining you guys, I should at least offer a token of loyalty. I'll use him as mine."
Zoro was a man of honor, so Lin Bei couldn't steal his chance to shine.
Perfect timing, too—he'd just gotten used to his superpower: Lunar Gravity.
Covering the entire Marine base with gravitational force, he easily located Zoro's three swords. Before Zoro could charge Morgan empty-handed, Lin Bei pulled the swords to his side with gravity.
Zoro glanced at Lin Bei, his impression of him improving further.
After a quiet "thanks," he grabbed the three swords and took his stance.
This was his debut—he had to make it look good. Otherwise, wouldn't his earlier declaration about becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman seem like empty boasting?
Santoryu: Oni Giri!
Three Sword Style: Demon Slash!
The fight between Zoro and Morgan had no suspense at all. The so-called "Axe-Hand Morgan" was nothing more than a joke propped up by a bunch of bored people.
One slash.
Three bursts of blood bloomed across Morgan's chest, and he collapsed.
Luffy laughed heartily, as if to say he knew he hadn't picked the wrong guy.
Or maybe he was just thinking about the banquet they could throw now.
Lin Bei glanced at him and decided the second option was more likely.
Zoro sheathed his swords coolly, turned around, took the green bandana off his head, and tied it around his arm.
"Done. Got any good booze?"
"Of course~ But before that..."
Lin Bei waved his hand toward the Marine base building. One floor of the building suddenly burst open, and a large iron safe—along with a panicked girl—came flying out.
"Ehh-ehh-ehh-ehh!"
Thud!
The large iron safe landed in front of Lin Bei, and the girl fell to the ground. Even so, her hands refused to let go of the safe.
"Waaahhhh!"
She hugged the safe and wrapped herself around it, despite having already landed.
This is...?"
"The Marine base's vault. Should be full of military funds. We can't keep eating without paying."
Luffy nodded, then looked at the girl.
"So why was she in there… A thief!"
Nami stood up with an awkward smile."No, no, I was just cleaning."
Luffy nodded again. "I see! Then you can go. Lin Bei, let's start the banquet~"
Luffy didn't immediately invite Nami to join them. In truth, he didn't invite just anyone onto his ship.
The first requirement was that he liked the person.
The second was...the first again. Well, professional skills were nice to have.
In the original story, Nami only got invited after showing her navigation skills.
Zoro was stunned by Luffy's reaction and whispered to Lin Bei. "Does the captain trust people that easily?"
Lin Bei was still staring at Nami. Hearing this, he turned back and whispered to Zoro. "Although that's part of it, I think the Captain just purely wants to go have a banquet. Even though we just ate half an hour ago..."
Zoro clicked his tongue. What kind of captain had he signed up with?
With a wave of his hand, Lin Bei pushed Nami aside from a distance. He tapped lightly on the safe, and the iron door opened by itself.
This scene made Nami's eyes light up instantly.
"How did you do that?!"
Lin Bei glanced at Nami. With a gentle wave, everything inside Morgan's safe flew out on its own, floating behind Lin Bei.
"Want to learn?"
Nami nodded repeatedly. If she could learn this, wouldn't every safe in the world be like her own piggy bank? She could withdraw money anytime, anywhere.
"Become my disciple. Then I'll tell you."
Nami didn't hesitate. "Please accept me as your student, Master!"
It was just apprenticeship. Once she learned the skill, she could run away.
A sly glint flashed in Lin Bei's eyes. "To be my disciple, rule number one: no betrayal. Once you join, there's no leaving the school. Leaving means betrayal—and betrayal will be punished! Also, you'll be sailing with me. You sure about that?"
Nami still didn't hesitate. Betraying people? She'd been doing that since childhood. No one had ever managed to catch her.
As for sailing—she was a genius navigator, personally recruited by Arlong. She'd grown up on the sea.
"I'm sure!"
"Good. Then I accept you as my disciple."
Nami beamed. "Then, Master, hurry up and teach me that move you just used!"
Lin Bei waved a hand. "Not so fast. Who learns their master's ultimate technique on day one? You need to serve your master and attend to him. When I'm satisfied, then I'll teach you this secret art."
As the words left his mouth, both Zoro and Luffy's eyes went wide.
"Is that something you can learn?"
Lin Bei nodded calmly.
"Of course~" (Absolutely not.)
He lied as naturally as he breathed.
Nami bit her lip. With a skill like that, she could gather a hundred million Beli in no time.
Serving a master? She'd been doing degrading work her whole life. Compared to bowing to fish-men, serving a human didn't bother her at all. "Alright! I'll do whatever you ask, Master!"
"Good. Very spirited!"
Lin Bei raised an eyebrow. Even the "Cat Burglar" could be scammed so easily one day.
He wondered what her expression would be when she learned the truth.
But no matter—first get a genius navigator onto the ship.
Having met Nami, there was no way he was letting her go.
After defeating Marine Captain Morgan, Lin Bei and the others returned to the restaurant with the young waitress.
When the owner saw Lin Bei, she panicked.
"Didn't you leave? Why come back? Please listen to me—Morgan won't let you go!"
Then she saw Zoro.
Her eyes widened, a bold guess forming in her mind.
"You… did you really…"
Morgan's lingering terror kept her from saying his name out loud.
However, the little girl, innocent and straightforward, directly blurted out what Lin Bei and Luffy had done.
The owner froze—then covered her mouth, eyes reddening.
It felt like seeing someone who'd terrorized you get blasted away by a shotgun. A moment worth celebrating across the heavens.
When Lin Bei suggested holding a banquet, the owner immediately began preparing.
No food left after Luffy ate everything earlier? No problem—she'd go buy more.
Shops closed? She'd bang on their doors until they opened.
She even spread the news that Morgan had been defeated. Before long, the entire town was buzzing.
Crowds gathered at the restaurant to see what the people who defeated Morgan looked like.
And they saw:
A straw-hatted boy stretching his arms to snatch food from everyone around him.A green-haired swordsman drinking alcohol like water, no...breathing it like air.A handsome young man being fed by a cute girl.And a silent, chubby pink-haired boy.
"These kids beat Morgan?"
"Unbelievable…"