Chapter 10: Roronoa Zoro!
East Blue, the waters surrounding Yotsuba Island — Shells Town.
A peaceful, tranquil atmosphere drifted over the town. The streets bustled with activity, people coming and going in a steady flow.
As a town backed by a Marine branch base, Shells Town enjoyed a level of stability far beyond that of many other cities in the East Blue.
After all, they never had to worry about pirate invasions.
But was everything really as perfect as it appeared on the surface?
As the saying goes—when there are no external threats, internal troubles are sure to arise.
Three years ago, Shells Town truly had been a place filled with happiness.
But ever since the Marine officer who captured the infamous pirate "Black Cat" Kuro—Colonel Morgan—was transferred here to take command, a layer of dark clouds had inexplicably shrouded the town.
No one could have imagined that the so-called great hero, Colonel Morgan, would turn out to be a violent dictator.
His countless brutal policies had already plunged this once peaceful town into chaos.
Even the East Blue's famous pirate hunter, Roronoa Zoro, had fallen here.
This incident had become a hot topic of gossip across the nearby seas.
...
...
"OK, this is the place!"
"Luffy, secure the ship at the harbor."
Under the brilliant sunlight, Red was the first to step off the ship after arriving at Shells Town's port, pointing commands at a clearly unwilling Luffy.
Luffy puffed out his cheeks, looping the rope again and again around a wooden post at the dock.
"Seriously, I'm the captain! Why do I have to do this kind of work?"
Ignoring Luffy's complaints, Red gazed steadily toward the rear of Shells Town while speaking calmly.
"Ever heard the saying: with great power comes great responsibility?"
"Because you're the captain, you're the one who has to do more."
"Instead of whining, hurry up and work! Don't you want to find our third crewmate anymore?!"
"Haa~ haa~ I got it!"
The moment Red mentioned a new companion, Luffy immediately dropped his grumbling. He swiftly tied off the rope and leapt over to Red's side in one bound.
Facing the massive Marine base ahead, this pirate showed not the slightest fear—only excitement and anticipation shone in his eyes.
"Hey, Red—are you sure that guy's really as amazing as you say?"
"The future world's greatest swordsman teaming up with me, the future Pirate King—this is just… so awesome!"
"Heh, when have I ever lied to you?" Red chuckled. "Let's go. We shouldn't keep our future partner waiting."
"Huh? But I'm starving right now! That shop over there smells so good—how about we eat first?"
Luffy rubbed his growling stomach and sniffed the air eagerly.
In response, Red rolled his eyes hard.
"You idiot! At a time like this, you're still thinking about food?!"
"Hurry up! Our future partner is starving too!"
Smack!
Red raised his palm and smacked Luffy on the back of the neck with a crisp sound.
"Gah—ouch! That hurts, Red!" Luffy clutched his reddened neck, then suddenly froze."Wait—Red, that strength!?"
Luffy had long known about Red's lack of combat ability and his special constitution.
By all logic, Red shouldn't have been capable of making a Gum-Gum Fruit user feel pain.
Yet the burning sensation at the back of his neck left him genuinely astonished.
"Heh heh!" Red grinned smugly. "You're not the only one who gets stronger, Luffy!"
"Alright, small talk's over. Time for business."
With that, Red stepped forward and strode straight toward the Marine base.
Luffy stared blankly at his retreating figure—then suddenly burst into a wide, toothy grin.
"As expected of the vice-captain I chose!"
Under the blazing sun, a straw-hatted boy chased after a boy in a baseball cap.
...
...
Shells Town wasn't very large.
Before long, Red and Luffy crossed the town and arrived near Marine Branch 153.
With many Marines stationed at the front gate, the two of them casually made their way to the side of the base instead.
Perhaps all the funding had been squandered—because the surrounding wall was barely over two meters high.
With a light hop, both Red and Luffy climbed onto the wall and peeked inside.
Behind the wall, in the open yard, stood a strangely placed wooden cross over a man's height tall.
This was the place Colonel Morgan used to punish those who defied him.
And bound to that cross was a man wearing a green bandana, a green belly wrap, and three earrings hanging from one ear.
The man with the most guts in the world of pirates—
Roronoa Zoro!!!
"Hm?!"
Even in such a miserable state, Zoro instantly sensed something amiss and cast his gaze toward the wall.
He spotted the two heads peeking over the top.
"Eh? Red, I think he noticed us."
"Of course he did. If the man I chose didn't have this much awareness, he wouldn't be worthy of becoming our third member!"
Luffy and Red spoke in perfect sync.
In the next instant, both planted their hands on the wall and flipped straight into the Marine base.
As Red examined the man who had once been his favorite pirate character, he asked casually:
"So, what do you think, Captain?"
"Are you satisfied with the partner I picked?"
"Hehe, I trust your judgment!"
Luffy laughed foolishly, eyeing the ropes binding Zoro.
"So now we just untie him and bring him with us, right?"
"...That might not work."
Red shook his head and walked toward Zoro with Luffy at his side.
"The officer in charge of this base is a complete bastard."
"If we just let him go like this, the townspeople are going to suffer."
"So the best solution is simple—beat the Marine captain to a pulp!"
"Got it! Sounds good!" Luffy swung his arms like it was the easiest thing in the world.
Their unrestrained attitude—and the way they kept closing in—finally pushed Zoro past his limit.
"Hey! You two—this isn't a place you can just wander into!"
"If you don't want to die, leave now!"
His voice carried deliberate menace, trying to keep outsiders from getting dragged into his trouble.
But who was Luffy, really?
Without the slightest hesitation, he rejected Zoro outright.
"Leave? No way!"
Luffy pouted, then laughed for no reason at all.
"Red says you're going to be the future world's greatest swordsman!"
"A guy that awesome absolutely has to be my partner!"
"World's greatest swordsman…? Partner…?"
Zoro's expression wavered as he looked at the two men standing before him, confusion surfacing in his eyes.
They spoke of his dream so easily—it made them seem far from ordinary.
"Who… are you two?"
"I'm Luffy, a pirate," Luffy replied casually, reaching out to untie the ropes.
Seeing this, Zoro barked furiously:
"Hey! Don't touch the rope!"
But Luffy ignored him completely and undid the rope binding Zoro's right wrist.
"Hehe, I'm not listening!"
"Once I untie you, you have to become my partner!"
"Damn you!""I'll never run with pirates!"
As Luffy moved to loosen the other side, Zoro quickly tried to stop him with his newly freed hand.
He had made a deal with Colonel Morgan's son: endure a month like this, and both he and the innocent little girl would be set free.
He had already endured nine days—he couldn't let outsiders ruin everything now.
But at that moment, Red suddenly spoke:
"Do you really think that Marine captain's son will keep his promise?!"
Red's words struck like force itself, freezing Zoro in place.
He continued calmly:
"Don't be stupid, Zoro."
"He's just playing you. No one can survive a month without food or water—and even if you could, you'd be nothing but a toy in his hands when it's over."
"You've already guessed this, haven't you?"
"..."
Zoro fell silent.
Of course he had considered it.
But unwilling to turn against the Marines, he had chosen to cling to the promise.
Red's words, however, tore mercilessly through his faith in Marine justice.
Only after Luffy finished untying all the ropes did Zoro straighten up and fix his gaze on Red.
"Then you… who are you?"
"Me?"
Red relaxed, smiling faintly as he answered:
"My name is Red."
"I'm the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates."
"And I'm also… a rookie Trainer."
(End of Chapter)