"Hey! How come you got hypnotized too, Luffy?!" Zoro complained, glaring at the captain, who just rolled his eyes.
But Luffy acted as if he hadn't heard anything and rushed straight toward the pirates.
He stopped just before colliding with them.
"Gum-Gum… Machine Gun!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Ughhhhhhhhhh—!"
The pirates were sent flying backward and crashed in a heap beside Jango.
[Fast forward — Luffy ran to the base of the Black Cat Pirates' ship, tore off the black cat figurehead from the bow, and prepared to use it as a weapon. Just as he was about to swing at Jango and the others, Jango hypnotized him, and Luffy collapsed into a deep sleep.]
From the ship emerged a pair of brothers — Sham and Buchi, the so-called trump cards of the crew.
"Go, Sham! Buchi! Kill the green-haired guy on the slope!" Jango ordered, pointing at Zoro.
"Uh… we don't wanna go up there!" the two whimpered, shrinking back at the sight of Zoro's glare.
"Stop talking nonsense and hurry up!"
"Wuwu, please don't… I'm scared!" They even shed tears as they spoke.
"Some 'ace' fighters you are — crying already?" Nami muttered with disgust.
"Stop messing around and get moving!" Jango snapped.
"Okay… okay… then… I'll do it," Sham said miserably, shuffling toward Zoro.
Zoro frowned.
"How am I supposed to start a fight with cowards? I don't have the habit of cutting down weaklings."
"He's pretending," Lock called from the side. "If he's the trump card of the guy with heart-shaped sunglasses, there's no way he's a coward."
Zoro still hesitated.
"He doesn't look like he's pretending… but since you said so, I'll trust your read."
He drew his sword and slashed at Sham—
Clang!
"How'd you figure it out? I acted so well, I even cried real tears!" Sham smirked, blocking with his cat-claw weapons.
"I didn't figure it out," Zoro said bluntly. "My partner did. Playing weak to lure me in — you're despicable."
If Lock hadn't spoken up, Zoro thought, he might have been caught off guard.
"Even if you've seen through me, can you beat me, bastard?" Sham snarled.
Shing!
With a single motion, Zoro sliced through Sham's claws and then slashed across his torso.
"Nani—?!" Sham's eyes widened as blood spurted.
Thud.
He fell in a heap.
"Heh," Zoro muttered. "Why would you think I couldn't beat you?"
Jango's jaw dropped. "Sham… Sham's dead?!"
Zoro turned his blade toward Buchi and Jango.
Buchi tensed, but before he could speak, a shadow appeared on the slope.
"Captain Kuro! Listen, I can explain—" Jango stammered.
Kuro pushed his glasses up with his palm, eyes glinting coldly.
"I was wondering why you were taking so long. The sun's already high, and you're still stuck here against a bunch of brats."
"That's because we were blocked by a few guys who appeared out of nowhere and—"
"Shut up."
"I already know. I just didn't expect you to be so weak. Five minutes. If you can't get into the village by then, I'll kill all of you myself."
Kuro adjusted his glasses again, expression sharp and impatient.
"Five minutes? …That should be enough," Jango muttered before turning to Buchi.
Jango began to hypnotize him. Buchi's body swelled, fat melting into huge, bulging muscles.
"Zoro, I'll leave that fat guy to you," Lock called out. "Luffy's out of commission, so I'll go handle the boss."
"Got it. But be careful — that guy doesn't look simple," Zoro warned, biting down on a sword.
Lock just chuckled.
"Don't worry, Zoro. Even if he's strong, I can take him down."
The two split, each heading toward their opponent.
"Butch, kill him!" Jango shouted.
Buchi leapt into the air, bringing both feet down.
"Cat Stampede!"
Zoro wasn't foolish enough to take the hit head-on — he leapt back just in time.
Boom!
The ground split from the impact, and even the cliff wall cracked.
Zoro's footing faltered, the unstable earth shifting beneath him.
Dust filled the air. Zoro stayed alert, watching for Buchi's next move.
Suddenly —
"Ha!"
Buchi appeared beside him, swinging a massive palm.
Zoro reacted instantly, blocking with his sword — but couldn't completely stop the blow.
Boom!
The force knocked him toward the cliff edge.
"Drink!"
Clang! Ding-ding-ding!
Zoro and Buchi traded rapid blows, claw against steel.
"Oh, so this is your limit?" Buchi sneered.
Zoro smirked — then kicked Buchi back, drew his third sword, and charged.
Whoosh! Snap!
Buchi's body jerked as a cross-shaped slash tore across him.
Thud.
He collapsed, motionless.
Zoro tossed his three swords into the air, spread his arms wide, and —
Clang!
—caught them perfectly in their scabbards.