"Puff puff puff!"
A flurry of bullets slammed into Luffy's chest, forcing Zoro's breath to hitch. But the sight that followed was beyond anything he'd ever seen.
"Bullets… are useless?" Zoro muttered, his voice tight with disbelief.
Luffy's chest compressed like rubber before rebounding with an explosive twang! The bullets ricocheted, shooting back in random directions and sending marines sprawling.
Luffy turned with a toothy grin and gave a thumbs-up, his straw hat tilted slightly in the wind. "I'm a rubber man! I ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi! My name's Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm the man who's going to be King of the Pirates!"
Zoro blinked, his mouth half-open. "What kind of monster are you… again?"
Luffy sliced through Zoro's bindings with a sword, freeing him. "I found these in the armory. I didn't know which one was yours, so I brought all three!"
Zoro's eyes widened as Luffy tossed the swords to him. He caught each one with reverence. "These are mine. All of them. I'm a Santoryu swordsman—Three Sword Style."
After a moment of hesitation, Zoro drew one blade and rested it against his shoulder, his eyes burning with conviction. "Hmph… If I'm going to die here anyway, I'd rather take my chances out there. I'll join you. I'm just a pirate now."
He turned, lifting Wado Ichimonji gently to his mouth. "A bad reputation is still a reputation. I'll make the name Roronoa Zoro shake the heavens."
Elsewhere in the courtyard, marines murmured nervously among themselves.
"Did you see that? That guy… melted into water!"
"The other one… all the bullets bounced off his skin!"
Fear gripped the hearts of the lower-ranking marines as they watched Rokuro and Luffy casually defy physics.
The panic parted the crowd as a new figure emerged—broad-shouldered, steel-jawed, and dragging an axe nearly as large as himself. The air grew heavier.
Captain Axe-Hand Morgan stepped forward with a snarl. "Idiots. That's just the power of a Devil Fruit!"
Despite his arrogant tone, Morgan had indeed heard of the Akuma no Mi. But what he didn't know was that Rokuro didn't rely on a fruit at all.
"Cowards," Morgan growled, veins bulging on his forehead. "If muskets don't work, use your swords! Attack—or I'll kill you myself!"
Terrified, the marines raised their blades and charged forward.
Zoro took a deep breath, then bit down on his white sword's hilt. His eyes flashed with a beast-like gleam as he twisted his body.
Three arcs of silver light spun around him like a windmill, effortlessly knocking away seven or eight attacking marines. He didn't even break a sweat.
"Don't move. Or die," he said, his voice a deep growl.
The marines froze in place, overwhelmed by the sheer pressure Zoro exuded.
"I gave you my word I'd become a pirate," Zoro said through clenched teeth. "But listen, Captain. I've got my own goals. I won't let anyone—not even you—stand in the way of my dream. Got it?"
Luffy's grin widened. "A swordsman chasing his dream, huh? Sounds perfect for the future Pirate King. Right, Rokuro?"
Rokuro nodded. "Definitely more reliable than a talking bird."
At that moment, Rokuro finally realized why Zoro's voice had that beastly edge—it was the sword between his teeth causing that muffled hum.
Morgan shouted again. "What are you waiting for?! Kill them!"
His soldiers hesitated—but only for a second. When even Zoro's intimidation failed to stall their fear of Morgan, they raised their blades again.
Rokuro sighed and cracked his knuckles.
"Well, I didn't want to do this…"
He began weaving hand seals rapidly. "Katon: Yudane Tomato no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Stir-Fried Rotten Tomatoes!)"
"Let's finish this!" Zoro shouted, blades gleaming. "Santoryu: Tora Gari! (Three Sword Style: Tiger Hunt!)"
Luffy puffed his body like a balloon. "Gomu Gomu no Fusen!"
Despite having never fought together, the three attacked in perfect synchrony.
Rokuro inhaled deeply and expelled a massive sphere of flame that rolled across the ground like a fireball. Screams erupted as the heat washed over the marines.
"Hot! Hot! What is this?!"
"He's breathing fire!"
Weapons clattered to the ground. Many soldiers fled on instinct, unable to comprehend the kind of power these invaders possessed.
Rokuro smiled, satisfied. Fire Style: still undefeated.
Through the smoke, Rokuro's voice echoed. "Don't underestimate us, Axe-Man."
Morgan roared back. "I don't care who you are! I'm still the great Captain Morgan!"
As the smoke cleared, Morgan locked eyes with Rokuro. The ninja smirked, his eyes swirling red.
"Genjutsu: Kōsoku no Jutsu! (Illusion Art: Shackling Bind!)"
Morgan's pupils shrank as invisible spikes drove into his arms and legs. He froze, veins bulging, unable to move.
Rokuro staggered slightly. The chakra cost was intense—he had maybe two seconds before it wore off.
Zoro noticed Morgan's pause. "He's open!"
"Santoryu: Oni Giri! (Three Sword Style: Demon Slash!)" Zoro lunged forward, blades crossed in an X.
But Luffy was already flying past him. "He's mine too!"
"Gomu Gomu no… Gatling!"
The two attacks hit Morgan from opposite sides. His eyes rolled back as he collapsed like a felled tree.
A long silence followed.
Zoro sheathed his swords. "You're pretty good, ninja."
"His name's Rokuro," Luffy corrected with a pout. "He's not some magician. He's a ninja!"
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "This is what a ninja is like? Guess I've got a lot to learn."
Rokuro collapsed to his knees, gasping. "Monsters… both of you… I just wanted to fish…"
"I want to catch fish… I want to fish all day…"
Zoro chuckled. "Captain, should we leave before more chaos arrives?"
Luffy beamed. "Yeah! No point staying now that you're part of the crew! Let's eat!"
He stretched his arms out, wrapped both Zoro and Rokuro in rubber coils, and yanked them into the air like a slingshot.
"Gomu Gomu no… Retreat!"
As they flew off, the courtyard began to shift.
"Monka's down!"
"He lost!"
"We're… free?!"
Cheers erupted. The tyrant had fallen.
From the marine headquarters, a group of officers emerged, led by a stern-faced lieutenant who had earlier placed the bounty on Rokuro's head.
He stepped forward, glaring at the unconscious Morgan. "Colonel Morgan—no… Morgan, you are hereby under arrest."
Morgan stirred, opening his eyes weakly to the blue sky.
"…Black Cat Pirates… Kuro… I remember everything…"
Tears welled in his eyes.
"What… what have I done?"
The lieutenant's eyes widened. The cruel, arrogant Morgan was… crying?
"I'm sorry… my comrades… I was hypnotized… Zango… Crow…"
A murmur swept through the marines. Could it be true? Had their commander been under some kind of spell this entire time?
Because of Rokuro's Genjutsu, the hypnotic suggestion planted years ago by Zango of the Black Cat Pirates had been broken. Morgan's mind was now clear—though filled with regret.
"I was a good soldier once… wasn't I?"
No one answered.
But for the first time in years, the marines of Shells Town stood without fear.