Watching Usopp being dragged by Merry to find Chopper, Meiser couldn't help but burst out laughing. Only naive folks like Merry would believe such nonsense.
"I'm fine now, really, Merry," Usopp said with a pained expression.
"Oh? You recovered that quickly?" Little Merry looked surprised.
Hearing this, Meiser laughed even harder—what kind of medical miracle was this?
"Since we're already surrounded by enemies, there's nothing left to discuss. Prepare for battle," Nico Robin said.
"Luffy already said it—if they dare cause trouble, we'll knock them flying," Meiser added. "Consider that our permission to engage."
Running away with their tails between their legs wasn't an option now that the enemy had come knocking. Besides, they were short on funds—might as well fill the Straw Hat Pirates' petty cash with these guys' savings.
"Meiser, don't you dare hold back!" Nami declared.
Far from frightened, Nami's eyes sparkled with greed, the gleam so bright it made Meiser instinctively squint.
This money-grubbing Cat Burglar...
"Understood. I won't hold back," Meiser chuckled. "I'll strip them of every last treasure without mercy."
"You're uncharacteristically reliable today, Meiser!"
Watching their back-and-forth, Zoro clutched his head. "When will Nami ever curb her greed?"
"Idiot, what do you know?" Nami glared, hands on hips, adopting her Queen of Finance stance. "If I weren't like this, you'd all starve—believe it?"
Luffy's monstrous appetite aside, the others weren't exactly frugal either. Worst of all, despite being pirates, they refused to rob ordinary people!
A crew like theirs was probably one of a kind.
"But you can't just—"
"Zoro, you moron, have you forgotten the money you owe me from Loguetown?" Nami's aura intensified instantly.
"You said in Whisky Peak I didn't have to pay!" Zoro looked betrayed. "I only fought that booger guy because you said so!"
The memory of his sword slicing through nasal discharge made Zoro shudder.
"Heh, I only waived the interest."
Zoro: ???
"You... you devil," Zoro sputtered, face red as he pointed a trembling finger. "You're going to hell."
"Relax, I'm just messing with you."
Nami rolled her eyes—he was so easy to tease.
Zoro: ...
"Everyone, are you really going to fight them?" Kair asked excitedly.
"If they attack us, we'll retaliate, naturally."
"Then take us with you!"
"We've no interest in deadweight," Meiser said, eyeing the group dismissively. "You can barely stand—and you want to fight?"
Kair: ...
"It's not just because of your attacks, but also the high-speed movement of the pirate ship earlier. He's lucky to even be standing now," though he didn't complain—this time, they were clearly in the wrong.
"We didn't restrain you. If you have any ideas, act on them yourself," Franky said.
As he spoke, he walked to the ship's edge and glanced downward, but due to the darkness, he couldn't make out anything.
"Where are those Ferocious Penguins you mentioned?"
"Underwater," Stanson replied. "They're hard to spot from the ship. I only saw them after being knocked into the water."
"Those penguins are vicious. If I'd been any slower climbing back up, I might've died."
"Penguins capable of moving icebergs naturally possess considerable speed and strength," Meiser mused, stroking his chin. "For bounty hunters to tame such beasts is quite the feat."
"Let's head back to the ship first," Sanji suggested.
"Right."
Meiser picked up Merry and turned toward the bow.
"Hey, everyone, be careful," Stanson suddenly called out. "They have a special fish that can steal pirate flags."
"Got it."
Meiser replied without looking back.
After a wave, he and his crewmates returned to the pirate ship.
"Alright, everyone, get ready," Meiser grinned. "Tonight might be a sleepless one."
"Whoo!"
In the distance, atop a massive iceberg, several members of the Accino Family lay in wait, silently observing the two approaching pirate ships.
"That idiot Salchow, talking about flying pirate ships," Brindo grumbled. "They're clearly being carried by Water Dragons. Where's the flying—"
"Wait... Water Dragons?!"
Brindo suddenly realized, staring in disbelief. "Why are there two Water Dragons?"
"That must be the Ninja's doing," Campacino said, narrowing his eyes. "The darkness and distance probably kept Salchow from noticing what was beneath them."
"That's likely how the Straw Hat Pirates got here so fast."
Campacino rarely offered explanations, which made Brindo raise an eyebrow, while Arbell brightened. "Big brother, does this mean you approve of my husb—"
"I said no such thing," Campacino cut in.
Arbell: ...
The eldest daughter of the family now wore a crestfallen expression. She'd thought her brother had finally acknowledged her husband.
Don Lil pursed her lips. Getting them to accept Arbell's husband wouldn't be easy. Even she wasn't particularly fond of the guy.
As the most doted-on youngest daughter, Lil's words carried weight in the family.
"Let's move, Campacino. No need to wait for Salchow," Brindo urged.
Luckily, they'd come out early—otherwise, these pirates might've slipped away.
"Patience. The Ferocious Penguins are already in motion. Let's test the waters first," Campacino said coldly.
"Understood!"
Meanwhile, aboard the Thousand Sunny, Franky stood at the bow, carefully surveying their surroundings.
The others gathered on the deck, squinting as they surveyed their surroundings.
"Hey everyone, are you hungry?" Sanji suddenly spoke up. "If you are, I can whip up some midnight snacks."
After all the commotion at this hour, they might indeed be feeling peckish.
"Let's save the meal for after this battle," Meiser said, narrowing his eyes as he gazed into the distance. "The enemy has arrived."
Even in the darkness, he could make out several figures standing on the distant iceberg. However, those figures disappeared almost instantly, as if afraid of being spotted.
"What?!"
"They're already here?"
"Where?"
"Merry wants to fight too!"
Merry pulled out her tiny hammer, eyes wide as she scanned the area with intense focus.
"On the iceberg, still some distance away..." Meiser said, before suddenly appearing beside Franky. He glanced at the water and added, "Since they're not attacking immediately... they might be planning to block us with the iceberg."
Right on cue, an enormous iceberg drifted toward them, obstructing the Water Dragon's path.
"Just as I thought..."
"I'll handle it!"
Zoro dashed forward instantly, unsheathing Wado Ichimonji in a single fluid slash.
"Whoosh!"
The powerful slash effortlessly cleaved the massive iceberg in two!
"BOOM!!"
The split iceberg slowly drifted apart, revealing a wide passage between them.
"Click~"
Landing lightly on the iceberg, Zoro calmly sheathed his sword as if he'd done nothing remarkable. He scanned the area but found no trace of anyone, prompting him to mutter in confusion.
"Meiser, I don't see anyone."
"Maybe they're hiding."
"Oh, got it."
Zoro nodded as he walked across the ice, saying nothing more.
"Dammit! They split the iceberg... they're strong," Don Hockera growled.
The third son of the family clenched his ice hockey stick, practically trembling with eagerness to fight.
"Patience, Hockera," Campacino said. "This is just the beginning."
"What about that Pirate Hunter on the iceberg?"
"Leave him. Once he's on the ice, he can't escape," Campacino replied. "Our priority is taking out the Straw Hat Pirates' Ninja first. If we don't eliminate him, we can't trap their ship."
Campacino's gaze locked onto Meiser standing at the bow, his mind racing to devise a plan to knock him into the sea with one decisive strike. Once a Devil Fruit Ability User fell into the water, they'd be as helpless as a lamb to slaughter.
"If we attack together, we can definitely send him overboard!!" Brindo declared confidently.
In his eyes, as long as he and his brother teamed up, they were absolutely invincible. Being twins born with special magnetic abilities, their combined strength was formidable.
Campacino nodded, then pulled out a Den Den Mushi to contact his subordinates. "How are the penguins coming along?"
"Ready to move at any time."
"Release them now."
"Yes, Lord Campacino!"
"Let's go, head to the iceberg near them first," Campacino said coldly. "When the Ferocious Penguins strike, we'll seize the chance to ambush!"
"Yes, boss!!"
The Ferocious Penguins were highly efficient, quickly transporting massive ice pillars.
Soon, these vicious creatures approached the Thousand Sunny from underwater and hurled the enormous ice pillars directly at it!
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
One after another, gigantic ice pillars shot up from beneath the water, nearly hitting the Thousand Sunny. If not for the two Water Dragons being under Meiser's control and dodging the attacks, the Keel might have been struck by the ice pillars.
"Bastards, where did these ice pillars come from?!" Sanji cursed.
Though the ship was unharmed, the inertia from the Water Dragons' movements made it hard to stay steady. Usopp was even sent rolling across the deck!
After stepping on the guy to stop him, Sanji continued, "Meiser, do you see where the enemies are?"
"I see them... Here they come!"
As Meiser's voice fell, two figures suddenly rushed down from a nearby iceberg, closing in on him at incredible speed.
"Die, pirates!" the two shouted, their eyes locked on Meiser.
The moment they neared the Thousand Sunny, one of them accelerated sharply, his eyes gleaming with malice as he threw a vicious punch!
"Got you!"