Chapter 2
Executing the Mission and Joining the Crew
After Luffy's departure, Arthur and Zoro remained bound beneath the scorching sun. Its rays fell straight down, merciless, as though testing whatever patience remained in their battered bodies.
Arthur sighed in exhaustion.
'I was trying to gather what little strength I had left to use at the right moment, but it's useless… the fatigue and the relentless beatings have completely drained me.'
Although Arthur had been a killer in his previous world and had endured torture and countless battles, his body was no longer the same. In his former life, he had been thirty-seven years old. Here, time had rewound him to the body of an eighteen-year-old—weaker, less enduring, and far more susceptible to pain.
It only grew worse when he realized, from Zoro's earlier words, that he had been bound beneath this sun for days even before regaining full consciousness. That meant his body had endured prolonged torment without food or rest.
It was not long before Helmeppo returned, that infuriating smile plastered across his face. The beatings began again, without reason other than amusement and the feeding of his arrogance. Arthur endured the pain in silence, focusing all his will on not collapsing.
When Helmeppo finally finished, Arthur lifted his head with difficulty and looked at him, fury blazing in his eyes.
"Tell me… why am I bound here? And how long have I been in this state?"
Helmeppo burst into loud, mocking laughter.
"You bastard, don't tell me you forgot what you did. Fine, let me refresh your memory. Twenty-eight days ago, you appeared out of nowhere inside our base, unconscious. My father said you were a spy or an assassin sent to kill him, so you were beaten until you passed out.
Since that day, you've been tied up here. Honestly, I'm surprised you've endured all this torture without food."
Helmeppo gave a sickening smile, then let out one last laugh before leaving.
Arthur's eyes widened as he thought,
'So… my body arrived in this world twenty-eight days ago, and I remained unconscious the entire time. They thought I was a spy or assassin… they weren't entirely wrong. But what kind of idiot assassin attacks his target and then faints? If their leader had truly been my target, they wouldn't have even known I existed. All this because of that bastard… the Supreme King or whatever he calls himself. He sent me here without strength or health… as if he meant to have me perish.'
After some time, Luffy returned once more and called out confidently:
"Zoro! Arthur! Join my crew!"
Before Arthur could respond—
Dingnnng
A blue window appeared before his eyes:
|Your first mission in this world: The captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy, requests that you join his crew. Join him and sail the dangerous seas together.
Success Reward: 200 Fame Points + Gift.
Failure Penalty: Death.
Good luck.|
Arthur read the words on the System window calmly and with focus.
'So the System won't leave me alone… missions to complete, power to gain. I never intended to become a pirate, but… the success reward is tempting, and failure means death. This is not a mission I can afford to fail.'
Arthur sighed deeply and looked at Zoro, who was arguing with Luffy about joining.
Luffy said enthusiastically, "Fine! I'll go get your three swords, and then you'll join my crew. What about you, Arthur?"
Arthur looked at him and saw a strange sincerity in his eyes, an unshakable optimism. He smiled calmly.
"Alright… I'll join your crew, Luffy."
Luffy leapt into the air in joy.
"You're the second member of my crew!"
Arthur laughed lightly. "And the first is Zoro, right?"
"Of course! All I have to do is bring his swords!"
With his usual grin, Luffy dashed toward the Marine base.
"He's an optimistic boy… unbelievably lively," Arthur said with a chuckle, then turned to Zoro.
"Why don't you want to join his crew, Zoro? What's the problem?"
Zoro closed his eyes, as if memories had struck him all at once. After a few moments, he opened them and said:
"My goal isn't to become a pirate… my goal is to become the greatest swordsman in the world."
Arthur smiled gently.
"A dream and a goal must always come first. A person without a dream… has a life without meaning. But Zoro, dying needlessly is foolish.
Dying for your dream is something great, and I would never belittle it. But dying here out of stubbornness? That's a mistake. You're standing at a crossroads of life and death: either you live and continue chasing your dream, or you die, your name forgotten, and your dream disappearing with you.
Join Luffy. Be a pirate, but don't abandon your dream. The place doesn't change the goal—only the path."
Zoro opened his eyes and looked at Arthur differently—there was respect in that gaze.
"Go on."
But before Arthur could continue, someone jumped over the fence and approached them.
It was the pink-haired boy, trembling.
"You… you're part of Luffy's crew, right?"
Arthur nodded.
The boy smiled and began untying him.
"My name is Koby."
"I'm Arthur Narin. Why are you helping me? Are you a pirate too?"
Koby shook his head quickly.
"No! I want to join the Marines. But Helmeppo… that bastard… said you'd be executed today. That's why Luffy-san came to save you. Luffy-san is a really good person."
'So he planned to kill us today… damn him. If I get the chance…'
Arthur's right arm was freed, but before Koby could untie the other, a gunshot echoed through the air.
Arthur sensed danger instantly; even after transmigrating, his killer instincts remained sharp and swift. His foot moved immediately—he kicked Koby in an attempt to save him—but the bullet struck Koby's shoulder and pierced through with ease.
Koby screamed in pain and fear.
Zoro opened his eyes at the sound of the gunshot and glared toward its source, discovering a massive man with a steel jaw and a huge axe in his hand.
Arthur's other arm was quickly freed, and he began releasing his legs.
At that moment, Luffy's voice rang out:
"Zoro, I brought what you asked for!"
Luffy held three swords behind his back as the axe-wielding man ordered his soldiers:
"Prepare to fire!"
The three heard the command, and Luffy rushed toward Arthur and the others.
But Luffy's speed was not faster than bullets.
"Fire!"
At that final moment, Arthur stepped in front of Zoro. He crossed his right arm over his left, positioned his left foot back and his right forward, and his dim black eyes began to gleam. His hands moved at astonishing speed, deflecting the bullets as they struck him without penetrating his body. He pressed his foot firmly into the ground and shouted in anger. The moment Luffy arrived, the bullets pierced his rubber body, but he was unaffected and rebounded them back at their enemies.
Arthur stared in astonishment.
"Man, is your body made of rubber?"
Luffy replied innocently,
"Yeah, I'm a rubber man. I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit."
Arthur's jaw nearly dropped from shock, while Luffy jumped happily.
"Did you eat a Fruit too? You're really strong! How did you block bullets with your bare hands?"
Arthur regained his composure, though he shook his palms in pain as blood began dripping heavily from them. Both Luffy and Zoro looked at Arthur's hands.
They saw that his palms were cracked and severely wounded beyond belief.
In that instant, even before Arthur spoke, Zoro understood. Arthur had blocked the bullets with his hands—moving them at high speed to deflect and redirect the shots, his palms acting like two curved pieces of iron that could not be penetrated.
"No, I don't have any Fruit. That's just from my training."
Everyone froze in shock; one defended himself with bare hands, the other with a rubber body. The battle had grown far stranger than they had imagined.
The axe-wielding man roared:
"I am Morgan! I'll kill you all, you wretched pirates!"
He ordered his soldiers to attack.
Luffy began untying Zoro. As the soldiers approached, Arthur pressed the ground forcefully with his left foot, then lifted his right and struck the wooden cross from behind at a precise point, shattering the restraints just as Zoro leapt forward to grab his swords and face the men alone.
He shouted:
"No one moves, or your next headquarters will be hell!"
Sweat poured from their foreheads in fear.
Zoro looked at Arthur with a smile, then at Luffy.
"I'll join you, but I have a goal: to become the strongest swordsman in the world. If you try to slow me down or interfere with my dream, I'll cut you down without hesitation."
Luffy smiled.
"That's exactly what I'd expect from the future vice-captain of the Pirate King."
Zoro moved with his swords, cutting the men down, while Luffy advanced toward Morgan.
Arthur remained behind without a direct opponent.
After a few minutes, a voice shouted:
"Stay back, you bastard! Stay away from my father, or I'll kill this damn brat!"
Everyone turned. Helmeppo was holding a pistol to Koby's head. Arthur sighed in satisfaction, picked up a sword lying on the ground, raised it, then assumed the stance of a cricket player. He struck the ground forcefully and launched the sword at incredible speed toward Helmeppo, piercing his head and killing him instantly.
Morgan was about to attack Luffy from behind, but Zoro stepped forward and felled him with a single slash.
Zoro looked at Arthur in astonishment, then closed his eyes from hunger, while Luffy continued watching Arthur silently.
Arthur carried Zoro on his back, preparing to leave.
Luffy stepped forward, ready for any further fight, while the Marine soldiers glared at them angrily—nearly fifty men.
"Get down, Arthur!"
Arthur obeyed instantly; he knew it was Luffy who had shouted. Luffy's long leg stretched out and slammed into all of them, knocking them unconscious at once.
Luffy smiled.
"Let's go!"
They carried Koby and left the Marine base safely, filled with pride and confidence after their victory.
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