"What did you do to Master Helmeppo?!"
The marine guard raised his rifle, aiming at Rokuro. His hands trembled slightly, but his voice held authority. Rokuro stood calmly, shielding the little girl—Rika—behind the unconscious Helmeppo.
"Calm down. He's not hurt—just… quiet. Let's wait for my captain to speak. I promise, I'm not here to cause trouble."
At the same moment, Luffy was already face-to-face with Zoro, still tied to the wooden post in the yard of the marine base. Zoro looked up, confused and annoyed.
"Hey! Don't you know who his father is? That guy's the son of Captain Morgan!"
Luffy, ever the simple soul, scratched his nose. "Not worried."
Rokuro nearly rolled his eyes. Of course he isn't. His dad's Dragon the Revolutionary, and his grandpa is Garp the Hero of the Marines. Who's Morgan compared to that?
Luffy beamed at Zoro and declared, "You seem strong! I want you to join my crew!"
Zoro's jaw practically dislocated from shock. "You serious?! I'm a pirate hunter, not some lowlife! Do you know what I've done?!"
"You're strong, that's enough," Luffy replied nonchalantly.
"You scoundrels have no morals! I'd never sail with you!"
But Luffy wasn't backing down. "I'm gonna untie you anyway. You're already my crewmate!"
"Don't just decide that on your own!" Zoro growled.
Luffy tilted his head. "You're a swordsman, right? Where's your sword?"
"They took it away," Zoro said, his voice low. "Those swords are my life."
"Then I'll get them back for you," Luffy grinned, touching the brim of his straw hat. "Join me once I do."
Zoro didn't answer directly, but something flickered in his eyes.
Luffy laughed and dashed toward the marine base. "Rokuro, Coby, Rika—stay put! Be right back!"
Rokuro sighed as he watched Luffy vanish over the wall. Where have I heard this before?
Nearby, Rika knelt beside Zoro, trying to feed him rice balls. Zoro blushed but accepted them.
"T-thanks… they're good."
Rokuro scoffed. Damn. This guy's got 'Loli Killer' vibes all over him.
Still using Helmeppo as a human shield, Rokuro addressed the two confused marines. "Take him back and tell Morgan what you want. Just don't come near the girl again."
With a casual flick, he tossed Helmeppo at them. The marines caught their unconscious superior, stunned but grateful not to be attacked.
Rokuro turned to Zoro.
"Untie me," Zoro demanded.
"Not happening."
"I'll split my bounties with you!"
"That's not the issue. Wait—how long have you been tied here?"
"Nine days," Zoro said grimly.
Rokuro gave him a look, then glanced down at his waist. "You're… holding up well. But you haven't joined yet, so I'm not obligated."
"You bastard! I'll cut you down!"
Rokuro ignored the threat, sitting atop the wall and casting his fishing line into the nearby gutter.
"…What the hell are you doing?"
"Fishing. Obviously."
Zoro stared. This crew is insane. A rubber idiot for a captain and a sewer fisherman with a bird on his head? Am I the clown here?
Then came the sound of falling stone.
"Did… did the statue fall?!"
Rokuro didn't react.
Zoro was horrified. "That straw hat idiot's going to get himself killed!"
"Relax," Rokuro replied, reeling in his line. "If Luffy dies now, the story ends. He's my captain—don't underestimate him."
Suddenly, the rod twitched. With practiced precision, Rokuro reeled in… a fish. From a sewer.
Zoro's brain short-circuited. "That's not normal."
Above, Rokuro's bird companion squawked repeatedly. "Mute! Mute!"
He smiled. "Good catch. Murkrow, protect Coby, would you?"
He sent the small Pokémon fluttering away. Despite its size, Murkrow puffed its chest and flew after Coby like a bodyguard.
Just then, heavy footsteps echoed across the courtyard. Marines poured from the base. At their front stood a tall, axe-armed man in a navy coat—Captain Axe-Hand Morgan.
"Shoot them both!" Morgan commanded coldly.
The soldiers raised their rifles. Zoro's eyes widened.
"Why am I a target?! I'm tied up! I'm not the intruder!"
But the soldiers didn't care.
Is this it? Zoro thought. Am I going to die here—without fulfilling my promise to Kuina?
"No!" he shouted, struggling against the ropes. "Don't let me die here! Straw hat! Sewer guy! Save me! I'll be a pirate!"
Rokuro's smirk widened. Finally.
He leapt between Zoro and the soldiers, flashing hand signs at blinding speed.
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
A high-pressure barrier of spiraling water erupted from his feet, enveloping him and Zoro just in time. The bullets slammed into the liquid shield, splashing harmlessly.
Zoro gaped in awe. "What the hell…? Is that… magic?"
As the water wall dispersed, Zoro's astonishment grew. Standing beside Rokuro now was a second Rokuro.
"Let me reintroduce myself!" said one.
"I'm Cool D. Rokuro, a reasonable fisherman with a love for peace."
The second one grinned. "And if peace doesn't work, I know a little… ninjutsu."
The clone flickered like water. Zoro blinked, stunned.
Morgan bellowed, "Fire again!"
The real Rokuro vanished into a shadow, dodging the attack. His clone took the hits, weakening until it splashed into a puddle.
But it had done its job.
Zoro's ropes had loosened.
"Not done yet…!"
Rokuro looked up just in time to see Luffy flying like a cannonball across the sky, three swords clutched under his arms.
With a thunderous crash, Luffy landed between the two groups. Dust exploded outward.
Zoro's eyes locked on the swords. His swords.
Luffy shouted, "Zoro! I got your stuff!"
Zoro stood. "You're insane… but thanks."
He took his swords, a fire lighting in his eyes.
From the marine ranks, chaos exploded.
Zoro sliced the incoming bullets mid-air with a single sweep of his sword. Luffy, grinning ear to ear, stretched his arms and punched five soldiers at once.
Rokuro joined the brawl with ninjutsu and misdirection, casting illusions that made the soldiers fire at shadows. Murkrow flapped in and pecked out a few helmets for good measure.
In moments, the marine formation was in shambles.
Morgan raised his axe. "You dare defy me?! I am justice!"
Zoro pointed a blade at him. "You're just a tyrant."
With a synchronized move, Luffy and Zoro charged forward—rubber and steel crashing down together.
Morgan collapsed.
The marine base fell silent.
Coby looked on in awe. "They… they beat Captain Morgan…"
Rika cheered. "Big brother Zoro did it!"
Rokuro gave a slow nod. This is it. This is the moment Zoro truly joined the crew.
And Zoro, wiping blood from his cheek, turned to Luffy.
"You really are crazy."
Luffy grinned, straw hat tilted forward. "So, you're joining?"
Zoro smirked. "Yeah. I guess I am."
Rokuro leaned on his fishing rod. "Finally. Welcome aboard."
Murkrow chirped: "Mute."