Luffy's punch carried terrifying power.
After sending Kambaccino flying, it smashed him straight into a distant iceberg, embedding his body deep inside it.
A mouthful of blood sprayed out.
His eyes rolled back—and he lost consciousness on the spot.
Soon after, his body slid down the ice and landed heavily on a floating ice floe below.
"It's over…"
Seeing his big brother defeated, Brindy knew there was no longer any chance of victory.
There was no way he could defeat monsters like these.
Arubelu didn't look any better either.
The moment she had seen that gigantic water dragon earlier, she already understood—
this battle was lost.
"Controlling seawater… commanding lightning…"
She gave a bitter smile.
"So this is the power of a ninja…"
They had truly kicked an iron plate this time.
A pirate crew with a total bounty exceeding one billion Beli—
was never something the Achino family could afford to provoke.
At the very least, the few of them were completely outmatched.
As for their father…
Could he really defeat these people?
For the first time, deep worry appeared in Arubelu's eyes.
"Damn it… I never imagined your strength would be this terrifying."
Brindy gritted his teeth. "We miscalculated—completely."
They had lost.
Utterly and decisively.
From start to finish, they hadn't managed to inflict any meaningful damage on the Straw Hat Pirates—
instead, they'd been toyed with the entire time.
"Now it's your turn," Sanji said coldly.
"Don't celebrate too early," Brindy sneered.
"Our Achino family is powerful not because of us—"
"But because our father is truly strong!"
"Just wait. My father will give you a proper welcome."
"He'll steal your pirate flag—"
"And kill every last one of you to exchange for bounty money!"
The moment he finished speaking, Brindy suddenly leapt backward.
Pulling climbing tools from his pocket, he landed at the edge of the iceberg and began scaling it rapidly—
clearly heading toward Robin's position.
"Bastard—stop right there!" Sanji cursed.
He instinctively tried to chase after him, but the iceberg was far too steep.
Without climbing equipment, it was impossible to ascend vertically.
"Luffy," Jin suddenly spoke.
"You remember what you said, right?"
"Yeah." Luffy adjusted his straw hat.
"They attacked us first—so we fight back."
"Jin, go do what you want to do."
If someone bullied his crew, they had to hit back.
The Straw Hats never swallowed losses for nothing.
"Very reasonable."
Jin's lips curled upward.
Being understood so easily by Luffy felt strangely good.
Maybe this was exactly where Luffy's charm lay.
"Damn it… damn it! If I get another chance, I'll make you regret this!"
Brindy snarled as he reached the top.
Then he spotted Robin and Merry standing nearby.
A vicious grin spread across his face.
"In that case… I'll collect some interest first."
Robin calmly turned her head to look at him.
Her expression didn't change at all—
because she saw someone standing right behind him.
Merry even stuck out her tongue at him.
"Bleeeh~"
"You're not afraid of me?! You—"
Before Brindy could finish, he suddenly felt a hand rest on his shoulder.
Cold sweat instantly poured down his face.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Jin's calm voice sounded like a devil's whisper in his ears.
"Bastard! Don't think I'll give up that easily!"
Brindy roared and raised his right hand, preparing to strike Jin with his climbing tool.
But Jin didn't give him the chance.
The instant his arm lifted—
Jin struck.
"Lightning Release · Lightning Attraction!"
"AAAAH!!"
Violent lightning burst from Jin's hand, engulfing Brindy's entire body.
Smoke rose instantly as his eyes rolled white.
What shocked everyone most was—
the lightning affected only Brindy.
Robin and the others standing nearby weren't touched at all.
It perfectly displayed Jin's terrifying chakra control.
After casually tossing Brindy onto the ground, Jin turned toward Arubelu and gave her a very friendly smile.
"I assume… you two won't try anything foolish now, right?"
Large beads of sweat rolled down Arubelu's face as she nodded stiffly.
Both her older brothers had been defeated.
Her third brother was probably no match either.
Now, all they could rely on was their father.
"Good." Jin nodded.
"I like obedient hostages."
"What are you planning to do?"
Robin asked curiously as Jin walked over.
"They attacked us," Jin replied.
"So naturally, we need to collect some interest."
He glanced at Arubelu.
"Tell me—how much money does the Achino family have?"
Arubelu pressed her lips together and remained silent.
"Looks like I'll have to—"
"About six or seven hundred million Beli."
"Lilu?!"
Arubelu stared at her sister in disbelief.
She hadn't expected her to give up such vital information so easily.
"Sister," Lilu said bitterly,
"if we don't tell the truth… do you think they'll let us live?"
"They're pirates."
Arubelu fell silent.
Yes.
They were pirates.
This wasn't a children's game—it was life and death.
If pirates lost, they'd be killed and turned in for money.
Now that they were the ones who lost—
why would pirates show mercy?
She let out a quiet sigh.
'Please… don't come, my love…'
She didn't know if she would survive this—
but at least she hoped her husband would.
"I didn't expect you to be so straightforward," Jin said, slightly surprised as he looked at Lilu.
Her decisiveness didn't match her age at all.
"If I didn't say it, would you spare us?" Lilu asked calmly.
"What do you think?"
"Then the answer is obvious."
She shook her head.
"I just hope that, for the sake of the money… you won't kill us right away."
"I'm not interested in bullying children," Jin said flatly.
"As long as you cooperate, I won't make things difficult."
Since Lilu was still standing here unharmed, it meant Merry hadn't attacked her.
Jin didn't know why Merry chose not to—
but if Merry spared her, he would respect that choice.
"Still…" Jin continued,
"for a bounty-hunter family, only six or seven hundred million Beli is less than I expected."
"It's not that easy," Lilu replied.
"Catching pirates with bounties is hard. And we still have to support the family."
"Being able to save that much already took years."
Jin nodded.
He could tell she wasn't lying.
At that moment, Franky returned—dragging an unconscious man behind him.
"I'm back!"
He tossed Hawkru onto the ground and complained,
"This guy even tried fake surrender. What kind of stupid tactic is that?"
Honestly, if anyone other than him had been facing that sneak attack—
they might really have been injured.
That slash had gone straight for the abdomen.
If he weren't iron, he'd have been cut open.
"Hawkru too…"
"Franky, you're amazing!" Merry praised.
"Ha! I'm SUPER this week!"
"SUPER!!"
Being praised by such a cute little girl made Franky beam with joy.
His blood practically boiled with excitement.
"Alright, time to move," Jin said.
"Move where?"
"To the bounty hunters' base, of course."
Jin glanced at Arubelu.
"That twin said their father is very strong."
"If we want what we're owed, we'll have to face him."
He paused briefly, then added,
"And this has Luffy's approval."
"If their leader isn't defeated," Franky grinned,
"then this isn't really over."
"Six or seven hundred million, huh? That's a lot."
Arubelu opened her mouth as if to speak—
then simply sighed and stood up, following behind Jin.
"What about them?" Merry pointed at the three defeated men.
"Not taking them along?"
"No need."
Jin replied calmly.
"Let them fend for themselves."
They were unconscious and near death.
If they survived, that would be their fate.
Jin picked Merry up.
Robin naturally stepped closer, signaling him to take her down as well.
Jin wrapped an arm around her waist and leapt down from the iceberg.
Franky followed, grabbing one person in each hand and jumping down too.
Before leaving, Arubelu glanced back at her fallen family members.
'At least… they weren't executed on the spot.'
She could only hope they'd survive.
Once back aboard the Thousand Sunny—
"Oi, Franky, you bastard!" Sanji shouted.
"How can you treat a lady so roughly?!"
Franky: ???
Sanji immediately turned, holding Arubelu's hand dramatically.
"Beautiful lady, are you hurt~?"
Arubelu: ...
What kind of pirate crew is this…?
"Why bring them back?" Usopp asked.
Nami shoved him aside and walked up to Jin eagerly.
"Isn't it obvious?" she said excitedly.
"They're going to lead us, right?"
Jin nodded.
"That little girl said their family has at least six or seven hundred million Beli."
"As long as we defeat their father, that money becomes our compensation for emotional damages."
"So much money?!"
Nami instantly exploded with excitement.
"That's like one and a half Jin-bounties!"
"Jin, you're way too reliable!"
Jin smiled, then looked at Luffy.
"What do you think, Luffy?"
"I'll be the one to punch him flying," Luffy said seriously.
"I hate people like that."
Trying to steal pirate flags and kill his companions—
that was unforgivable.
"Got it," Jin nodded.
"Then I won't interfere."
"Set sail! Let's go collect our emotional damage fees!" Nami shouted.
"Yeah!!"
"…Huh?"
Merry suddenly blinked.
"Why haven't we seen Zoro?"
Only now did everyone realize—
Zoro was gone.
"…Eh?"
"…EH?!"
Meanwhile—
on a vast icy plain far away—
Zoro frowned as he looked around.
"Where the hell did everyone go?"
"Seriously… how can so many people disappear at once?"
"Figures. Without me, nothing works."
He shook his head, then noticed a strange building not far away.
On it were written large words:
ACHINO FAMILY
"…Huh."
The lost swordsman had, by pure miracle—
arrived at the enemy base before everyone else.
"Guess I'll go take a look."
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