"Helmeppo!!!"
The moment he saw that two-faced bastard, Zoro ground the name out between his teeth.
His hands were bound. Even if he had the strength to kill Helmeppo, he couldn't use it. All he could do was shift his gaze to Luffy.
From Luffy's entrance alone, Zoro had clearly felt that terrifying, ferocious aura around him—something that made his heart tighten.
This guy's strength was far beyond anything Zoro could imagine.
In fact, Zoro was certain that even at his peak, he wouldn't be able to last a single exchange against him.
So these marines in front of them?
They didn't stand a chance.
They were just walking into their own graves.
"Why are you yelling? Hahaha. By tomorrow, you'll be a corpse…"
Helmeppo walked over with a smug grin, his voice dripping with malice.
"Not just you—your accomplices will die too!"
The marines behind him wore conflicted expressions.
But because they feared Helmeppo's father—the local tyrant who ruled this marine base, the ruler of Shells Town, Captain "Axe-Hand" Morgan—they gritted their teeth and raised their rifles, pointing them at the trio, Zoro included.
…
"See that? In this place, my dad is the emperor! And as his only son, I'm the sole heir to his throne!"
Helmeppo's triumphant laughter echoed through the square. He sneered at the three of them.
"You three little bugs actually dared to offend me. Go on—rot in hell!"
"Bastard…"
Nami was furious.
It was bad enough that back home, her village had been oppressed by corrupt marines in league with Arlong.
Now she came somewhere else—and it was the same rotten mess.
What was wrong with this world?
"Haha, regretting it now?"
Helmeppo looked at their blank expressions and laughed cruelly.
"You two—if you kneel down and beg me right now, I might let you live. How about it?"
As he spoke, he shot a jealous glance at Luffy, whose arm Nami was clinging to.
He had already decided: even if this guy knelt, he would still kill him.
As for that woman… she was quite pretty. After he killed the man, he could take her to his room to play with.
"Kneel to you?"
Nami glanced at him, her voice full of biting contempt.
"Who do you think you are? You're not worthy! You ugly piece of trash—you deserve to die!"
Knowing Luffy's strength, she didn't take Helmeppo seriously at all.
"What?! You filthy woman, you dare insult me?!"
Being called "ugly" to his face made Helmeppo shake with rage.
His eyes burned with hatred as he roared,
"Shoot! Kill them all and send them straight to hell!"
"Hey… the one going to hell should be you."
At that moment, Luffy finally spoke.
In the blink of an eye…
Everyone only felt a blur in front of their eyes.
Then, under Zoro's stunned gaze—
The once-arrogant Helmeppo was already in Luffy's hand, lifted off the ground by the throat with one arm. Luffy was still holding Nami with the other.
Nami: Sparkly eyes.
"Ugh—l-let go of me, you bastard!"
Helmeppo's face was red as he choked, his short legs kicking wildly in panic.
Both hands clawed at Luffy's wrist, trying desperately to break free.
But no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't move Luffy's fingers even an inch.
"What the—?!"
"When did he move? I didn't see anything!"
"Let go of Helmeppo, or we'll shoot!"
The dozen or so marines finally snapped out of it and aimed their rifles at Luffy.
But then—
"Get lost."
Luffy's eyes hardened.
Black-and-red lightning erupted from his body, an overwhelming pressure blasting outward in all directions!
In an instant, everyone except Nami, Zoro, and Helmeppo collapsed unconscious.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Bodies hit the ground one after another.
The sight made people's scalps go numb.
"What?!"
Zoro's eyes were stretched wide, almost popping out of their sockets.
He hadn't even seen Luffy lift a finger…
"What… what just happened?"
Nami, too, felt that terrifying aura up close for the first time. Her lips parted as she stared at Luffy, who was still holding her.
"Ahhh!!"
Helmeppo, on the brink of suffocation, stared at the scene in disbelief.
Luffy looked at him coldly, his eyes utterly devoid of emotion.
"You just insulted my woman, didn't you?"
"…He's standing up for me?"
In Luffy's arms, Nami's face flushed pink.
In all her years, Luffy was the first man who had ever given her such a powerful sense of safety.
Looking at his calm, murderous profile…
A visible light sparkled in her bright eyes.
And yet she couldn't help but grumble in her heart—
Since when am I "your woman"?
Still… the way he got angry for her like this—
It was unexpectedly, unbelievably handsome.
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T/N:
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