Whoosh—
The Chainsaw Devil and Blade Devil lunged forward. Blade Devil moved like lightning, crossing his arms in a vicious slash and closing the distance to the Nyaban Brothers in an instant.
In a panic, the two reacted instinctively: the hulking Buchi raised his claws to block, while the slimmer Siam leapt upward.
Clang—!
Steel clashed, sparks flying as claws met blade.
Buchi gritted his teeth, straining desperately to hold back the force pressing down on him. The blades ground against his claws with a terrible screech.
"Now, Siam! Do it!" he roared, knowing he could last only a few seconds at best.
Siam's eyes gleamed as he slashed down, claws arcing straight for Blade Devil's throat.
But someone was faster.
Blade Devil ignored the attack, not even bothering to dodge. By locking Siam's attention, he had trapped him in place.
Brrrzzzz—!
From below, the Chainsaw Devil erupted upward, his roaring saws hacking viciously into Buchi's bulky torso.
Shrrrk—!
"Urgh—!"
Blood sprayed in two crimson arcs as Buchi's chest split open under the brutal strike. His grip faltered.
Blade Devil tore his weapon free and swung at Siam, who was still airborne.
Clang!
Steel rang again as Siam barely parried, panic flashing in his eyes.
"Buchi!!!"
But there was no time to look back. Blade Devil's arms, heavy with crushing force, flung him away like a rag doll.
Twisting midair, Siam rolled, using his core strength to flip behind his opponent—only to hear the bone-rattling roar of chainsaws at his back.
The Chainsaw Devil had already closed in.
Eyes wide, Siam threw his claws backward in defense.
But at the last second, Chainsaw Devil feinted, twisting his body. His saws carved out a double arc, slashing from above and below.
"Aaaaahhh!!!"
Siam screamed as one arm was torn away in a spray of gore, the spinning teeth ripping flesh like paper.
Staggering in terror, he turned, only to find Blade Devil already upon him.
"W-wait!" Siam cried in horror.
Shkkt! Shkkt!
His plea was ignored. Twin blades pierced cleanly through his chest, sliding in as easily as slicing tofu.
Siam froze, eyes wide in disbelief as he looked down at the steel protruding from his body. Blood dripped steadily to the deck.
The battlefield fell silent, suffocating in its stillness.
Shiiing—
With a smooth pull, the blades withdrew. Siam's body crumpled lifelessly onto the blood-soaked planks.
From the first clash to the end, only a handful of breaths had passed. The Nyaban Brothers lay dead in a spreading pool of red, while the two monstrous revenants stood looming, their blades and saws dripping with gore.
"I told you," Reiner's calm voice broke the silence, "that laugh of theirs wasn't going to last long."
He strolled toward Nami, who sat frozen on the deck, trembling, her face pale with terror.
Reiner extended his hand toward her.
"I'm a pirate. This is a robbery."
"Here! It's all yours!" Nami stammered, clutching a bag of treasure with shaking hands. "Please... don't kill me!"
The infamous Nyaban Brothers, worth seven million Berries, had been slaughtered in seconds. The sight alone crushed any will she had to resist.
Her hands slick with sweat, she thrust the treasure forward. When Reiner didn't take it, she dropped it at his feet and pulled her arms back to her chest as quickly as she could.
Reiner chuckled. "Nah. I don't rob money—I rob people."
He kicked the treasure bag aside and exhaled smoke, dismissing the two revenants back into nothingness.
Sitting cross-legged, he asked casually, "You said your name was Nami, right? You know navigation?"
"...A little," she admitted softly. Seeing those terrifying monsters vanish was a relief, though her body was still shaking.
Reiner's tone grew warm, almost friendly. "We're pirates, heading for the Grand Line. You'll be our navigator."
Nami hesitated, her heart in turmoil. She couldn't refuse outright, but she thought of Cocoyasi Village, her home still under Arlong's brutal grip. She needed a hundred million Berries to buy her people's freedom. If she left now... they would never escape his tyranny.
Maybe I can agree for now... then slip away when I get the chance, she thought. There are only a few of them. They can't watch me all the time. I'll find a way out.
But before she could speak, Reiner cut her off.
"You're plotting something, aren't you? Pretend to agree, then wait for a chance to escape... maybe even trick us?"
Her pupils shrank. Shock flickered across her face.
Reiner smirked knowingly. He understood her perfectly—because he was the same type of person.
By then, Luffy and Zoro had finished dismantling the Black Cat Pirates and even dragged Zango back alive.
"Hey, Luffy," Reiner called, pointing at Nami. "I found us a navigator."
"Really!?" Luffy's eyes sparkled. "That's awesome! I'm Luffy—nice to meet you!"
"H-hi..." Nami stammered, looking every bit like a frightened lamb. She had seen firsthand how terrifying Luffy and Zoro's strength was, and Reiner... well, he commanded monsters out of nightmares.
There was no escape here.
"Oh, right!" Luffy said suddenly, holding up the battered Zango like a prize. "This guy says he was headed for Syrup Village. He's got some big secret to tell us."
Zango, bruised and swollen, forced a sheepish grin. Reiner remembered this one—hypnosis was his specialty.
Three years ago, Zango had hypnotized Morgan into believing he'd captured Captain Kuro, which earned Morgan a promotion while Kuro slipped away to Syrup Village, plotting to seize Kaya's family fortune.
"If you let me live, I promise you'll make a fortune," Zango said eagerly, rubbing his hands together.
"Go on," Reiner said, already knowing where this was headed.
Under their sharp gazes, Zango spilled everything: Kuro's plan to have Kaya hypnotized into signing her inheritance over to him, followed by her quiet assassination.
"In short," Zango concluded slyly, "you can work with Captain Kuro and split Kaya's wealth... or report him to the Navy and earn her gratitude. Either way, you win."
His weaselly grin only earned him a furious punch.
Thud!
"That bastard! Doing something so rotten!" Luffy shouted, knocking him out cold.
Reiner wasn't interested in the inheritance plot. What he wanted was Kuro's template. Treasure or no treasure, he wasn't about to miss out.
And besides, Kaya's family had a ship that would become their crew's first true vessel. Add Usopp into the mix—the man of desperate resolve, like some Greek god of last stands—and Syrup Village was shaping up to be a treasure trove.
With just one more day's journey to go, Reiner could hardly wait to farm Captain Kuro for loot.