Chapter 54: Rinnegan Permanently Obtained, Fierce Battle in AlabastaThis guy, since setting sail, only thinks about killing pirates for bounties when he's starving.
With this half-hearted approach, he's actually earned the title of pirate hunter—it's absurd.
However, the fact that Baroque Works managed to cross Reverse Mountain to the East Blue to recruit Zoro shows that their infiltration capabilities are far more terrifying than imagined.
At least in terms of intelligence, they do have some skills, and Luffy feels he needs to recruit them.
[Host: Luffy (Monkey D. Luffy)]
[Currently Loaded Template: Six Paths of Pain - Uzumaki Nagato! Anti-rice Man]
[Equipment: Black Rod (Chakra Receiver), Six Paths of Pain]
[Talent Abilities: Rinnegan, Universal Pull, Almighty Push, Planetary Devastation... Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique, Uzumaki Bloodline]
[Countdown: 20 hours 34 minutes]
[Reproducibility: 100%]
Luffy squinted, looking at the system panel and muttering to himself:
"Time's running out. Looks like this cheat has an expiration date."
"MR. 2! Bon Clay! Where are you?"
Gurgle gurgle—
"Damn it, I'm starving!"
Luffy could barely hold his fishing rod, collapsing weakly onto the ship's railing.
Usopp beside him looked equally exhausted: "It's all because you stole all the rations!"
"I had no choice. To deal with Crocodile, I had to binge eat to build up my energy. It's not like you didn't steal any."
"What I ate wasn't even enough to fill your teeth! By the way, are there even any fish in this damn sea?"
"Whose fault is it? We didn't even have any decent bait. And you, you bastard, ate all the bait like snacks."
"Luffy-san, Usopp-san, any luck?"
Vivi approached, asking with concern.
"Quack quack quack!!!"
Suddenly, a pitiful duck-like quack came from the end of their fishing line.
Vivi peeked out and nearly fainted. Fastest was bound hand and foot, dangling in mid-air, struggling desperately, serving as live bait.
"Karu?!"
Vivi screamed.
"How about it? Not a bad idea, right?"
"Maybe we can catch a Sea King."
Vivi instantly exploded, veins throbbing on her forehead: (╬￣皿￣)!
"You two bastards... what are you doing to Karu?!"
Thump! Thump! Two muffled thuds, and large bumps instantly appeared on their heads.
In her rage, Vivi suddenly noticed the sea ahead had turned grayish-white, shrouded in a thick fog.
"What's that? It doesn't look like good weather."
Vivi frowned.
"Relax, it's just sauna weather," Nami said, emerging from the cabin. "It's just steam from an underwater volcanic eruption. At most, it'll feel like a sauna, not kill you."
The Going Merry was rushed into the steam, the strong sulfurous smell making everyone cough.
Luffy's fishing rod suddenly lurched, a smirk playing on his lips. "I knew it! The plot's inertia never fails me. It's taken the bait!"
"What?" Usopp felt the pull too. "Are there really fish that blind?"
When everyone emerged from the mist, they immediately saw that what was on the hook wasn't a fish, but a perverted middle-aged man dressed in a swan ballet costume and heavy makeup, clinging tightly to a fast-moving creature.
It was none other than Mr. 2 from Baroque Works!
The group stared at each other, the atmosphere becoming incredibly awkward. Mr. 2 suddenly shrieked, "Oh no! Why am I flying in the sky holding a duck?!"
Usopp looked completely bewildered: "This...this thing is human?"
"Doesn't look like it. Maybe a mutated siren."
Before he finished speaking, Bon Clay's hand slipped, and he fell into the sea with a splash.
"Maybe he's an idiot..."
"Yo, welcome to the Going Merry, Mr. 2!" Luffy leaned on the railing, grinning as he watched Bon Clay flounder in the water.
"What?!" Everyone exclaimed in shock. "This guy is Mr. 2?"
Bon Clay, bubbling and gasping for breath in the water, cried out, "Who are you? No! Help! I can't swim! I'm drowning!"
"Is this idiot really a high-ranking agent? Luffy, you're not mistaken, are you?"
Just then, the little girl Goldenweek emerged carrying a plate: "Ah! Mr. 2!"
Only then did everyone believe Luffy's lie.
"This is the enemy, let him drown," Zoro said, showing no sympathy as he watched Bon Clay sink to the bottom.
"Hey, that's too narrow-minded," Luffy waved his hand. "His ship's nearby. Even if we don't rescue him, pulling him up, finishing him off, and throwing him back would be perfect."
Everyone: "...Are you a devil?"
A few minutes later, a drenched Bon Clay lay sprawled on the deck, panting heavily: "Oh, thank you so much! I was actually saved by complete strangers in the Marines... Wait? The Marines?"
Zoro immediately held a Wado Ichimonji to Bon Clay's neck: "That's right, the Marines are on a case. Congratulations, you're under arrest."
"What?!" Bon Clay was so shocked his makeup was ruined.
Then he saw Golden Week leisurely eating a croquette, and tears instantly welled up in his eyes: "Golden Week! Were you arrested too?"
Golden Week didn't even lift his eyelids: "Oh, I switched jobs."
Bon Clay: "Oh, so you switched jobs... What?! Switched jobs!?"
Luffy walked up to him, looking down at him: "Let me introduce myself again. I'm Rear Admiral Monkey D. Luffy from the Marine Headquarters. I'm going to Alabasta to deal with Crocodile, who's trying to usurp the throne. By the way, let me tell you a secret, my codename is also MR. 0!"
"What?!" Bon Clay's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "You're MR. 0?"
Just then, Luffy's eyes suddenly transformed into Rinnegan, then a flash of red light, and they reversed into crimson tomoe!
Uchiha Madara's Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan!
Luffy had perfected the Nagato template, figuring that since Madara's eyes could upgrade, he could downgrade them too. With a flurry of actions, he actually succeeded in reversing the transformation.
At that moment, Bon Clay's gaze was instantly captured by the eerie red tomoe, and he froze, muttering to himself, "Oh...you're Little Zero...that bastard Crocodile wants to steal your place..."
Luffy chuckled. This genjutsu that Madara used to control the Mizukage was indeed effective!
Although the Rinnegan has many powerful techniques, this Sharingan genjutsu is simply a divine skill for brainwashing.
He'd been waiting for Bon Clay, precisely to cripple this high-end fighter. After all, besides a few still on their way, Baroque Works didn't have many truly capable fighters. If they didn't turn this transvestite against them, things would get really messy.
"Is this really going to work, Luffy-kun?"
Vivi looked at Mr. 2, who was still grinning foolishly as he sailed away in a small boat, her face full of worry. "Are you sure he'll help us?"
"Absolutely!" The red light in Luffy's eyes faded. "This is a cross-dimensional attack! How can a mere Mr. 2 possibly withstand Madara's eye power?"
"Madara?" Vivi looked blank.
"But just to be on the safe side, let's make a mark. After all, that guy's Imitation Fruit is too overpowered." Nami was still worried and suggested everyone draw an "X" on their arms.
Luffy nodded; he was bored anyway.
Suddenly, Luffy's expression changed. A system notification exploded in his mind:
[Ding! The Nagato template trial card has expired]
[Perfection Rate: 100%]
[Random reward draw in progress... Congratulations on obtaining... the Rinnegan (Permanent Version)!]
"Holy crap!"
Luffy couldn't help but swear.
Everyone turned around in unison: "What's wrong? Did you get a cramp?"
Luffy took a deep breath, suppressing his inner elation: "Nothing, just remembered something happy!"
At this moment, his eyes felt a sharp pain, completely different from the feeling of loading the template; this was real physical modification.
Luffy rubbed his eyes; that abnormal dynamic vision not only returned, but felt even clearer.
The best part was, this time he didn't have to consume that ethereal chakra anymore, directly burning his lifespan!
It sounds terrifying, but he has Code's immortality! Isn't that basically an infinite mana bar?
While with the current mana bar cap, activating the complete Susanoo might be a bit difficult—like having infinite mana regeneration but only a 100-point cap, requiring 1000 mana for a powerful attack.
But this is already enough to make Luffy incredibly happy. From now on, casually tanking ammo and unleashing Shinra Tensei will be a piece of cake.
Suddenly, the Going Merry began to shake violently.
The sea behind the ship exploded, and a sea monster resembling a giant lucky cat emerged.
"What is that thing?!"
Everyone stared in astonishment at this adorable yet fierce sea cat.
Zoro's eyes gleamed greener than the sea cat's, and he charged forward, sword drawn: "Damn it! That's meat! That's meat we haven't seen for four days!!"
Sanji went berserk, grabbing a cleaver and charging in: "Don't let it get away! Extra for tonight! Sea monster sashimi, anyone?!"
Luffy, however, remained calm, ready to test his newly acquired permanent cheat: "Universal Pull!"
The sea cat, which had only been passing by hoping for a meal, was horrified to find itself uncontrollably flying towards the Going Merry.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Vivi, wielding a mop, gave each of them a hard whack, instantly leaving large bumps on the back of their heads.
"No!" Vivi roared.
"Why? Vivi-chan~"
Sanji watched the sea cat fly away, his heart bleeding.
"You can't eat it! In Alabasta, sea cats are sacred symbols; eating them will bring retribution!"
"How could this be..."
Chopper bounced around, looking completely bewildered: "Wow! The sea has all sorts of monsters!"
Usopp, suppressed by Vivi, stood on the cannon to get his revenge, boasting: "Pfft, this is nothing. I wouldn't even give a second glance to these little kittens. Back in the Calm Belt, when I was fighting Sea Kings hand-to-hand..."
Chopper: "Σ(っ°Д°;)っ Chopper!! Sea Kings!?"
Usopp made an exaggerated gesture: "The really big ones! That—big!!"
Chopper's eyes turned into searchlights: Blink! Blink!
"Seeing sea cats means we're not far from Alabasta. Everyone, bear with it, we'll have plenty to eat when we get ashore."
Vivi comforted these starving, reincarnated guys.
Suddenly, Zoro pointed to the back of the ship: "Hey, those ships over there, don't they look familiar?"
Usopp raised his binoculars and was startled: "Holy crap, they're all ships with the Baroque Works logo!"
"Are the Million Elders starting to assemble?"
Vivi's face darkened. "This number... it feels like all the ships that were chasing us before are here."
Luffy's lips curled into a wicked smile: "Isn't this the delivery guys?"
Soon, dozens of large ships surrounded the Going Merry.
However, the next second, the scene changed drastically.
Those Million Elders, their eyes glowing red, suddenly knelt on the deck, shouting at Luffy:
"Yes, Your Highness!"
The scene was spectacular, like a pilgrimage.
Luffy nodded in satisfaction. It seemed the effects of Geass were permanently guaranteed.
Lelouch's power was truly domineering; unless it was removed by special means, these people would be his lifelong loyal fans.
Luffy waved his hand, ordering the group to move all the ship's provisions over, then sent them to Alabasta as undercover agents to gather intelligence.
Luffy's ambitions in Alabasta weren't limited to Crocodile.
His targets also included his adopted brother, Portgas D. Ace, and the future Yonko… Blackbeard Teach!
Regarding Sengoku's plan to use Ace as bait, Luffy hadn't said anything outwardly, but he was secretly plotting something.
Garp had been incredibly kind to him along the way; it would be too inhuman for Luffy to just watch Ace go to his death.
Of course, this was absolutely because of his kind heart, and definitely not for the purpose of poaching members from the Navy later!
Thinking this, Luffy felt like he was the very embodiment of righteousness.
As for the Whitebeard Pirates, Luffy didn't have a bad impression of them, but since they were aiming to become Yonko, their hands must be stained with blood.
If he were on the opposite side, Luffy would fight without hesitation. But Whitebeard's willingness to do anything for his family was truly admirable.
Therefore, to lure out Whitebeard, sacrificing Ace wasn't necessarily necessary.
The best way to prevent the tragedy of the Marineford War was to get ahead of Blackbeard and "capture" Ace. This would protect him and increase Luffy's influence within the Navy—killing two birds with one stone.
Although the current Luffy was much stronger than the original, he still felt a little intimidated by the monsters in the New World with maxed-out Armament and Observation Haki.
After all, his Haki was only at a beginner level; he could barely handle Logia-type physical entities.
Picking up the seafood fried rice Sanji had made, Luffy pondered as he ate: How exactly should I tie up Ace?
A bustling port city—a sea of rapeseed flowers.
But now, it was a living hell.
Countless pirates wielding machetes were engaged in a frenzied "zero-dollar shopping spree," committing arson, murder, looting, and all sorts of atrocities.
Not far away, several leisurely figures strolled over, a stark contrast to the panicked refugees fleeing around them.
The young man at the head wore a straw hat and a conspicuous "Justice" cloak, his epaulets gleaming in the sunlight—Marine Commodore!
"Vivi, is your country's security this bad? They're already starting self-organized robberies?"
Usopp, hiding behind Zoro, peeked out and complained.
Vivi watched this scene, her heart aching: "This is all Crocodile's doing. The Kingdom's army is too busy quelling internal strife to deal with these opportunistic pirates."
Luffy rubbed his nose and gestured to Zoro and Sanji beside him: "Alright, stop watching, let's get to work!"
Zoro grinned, tossed the cloak he'd pilfered from the Marine base over his shoulder, tied on a green bandana, and, with a Wado Ichimonji dangling from his mouth, struck a powerful pose.
Sanji also straightened his tie and donned his Justice Cloak. They'd been too lazy to wear them, but since they were cosplaying as Marines, they might as well go all the way.
Looking at these reckless pirates, the newly promoted Marines rubbed their hands together excitedly.
"Boss, look! There's a cop over there!"
A henchman pointed at Luffy and the others, shouting at a burly man with a face full of scars.
"What? Cops? Where did the Marines come from in Alabasta?"
The pirate captain was stunned. The World Government had long ago withdrawn all the Marines from the area to avoid suspicion.
"Could it be that Smoker, the chain smoker?"
"Something's not right. He's not smoking a cigar. He's mistaken!"
"Who cares? Since we've run into him, let's not let him get away! Brothers, charge! Kill these idiots!"
The burly pirate captain swung his hand violently, and the rabble behind him immediately charged at Zoro and his crew, brandishing their junk and yelling.
"Three-Sword Style Secret Technique, Hawk Wave!"
Zoro's lips curled into a cold smile. He stomped his feet rapidly on the ground, his figure instantly vanishing from the spot in a blur.
"What?! What the hell? How did he just disappear into thin air?"
Before the henchmen could react, Zoro's green-haired figure had already reappeared behind them like a ghost.
Immediately afterward, blood splattered from the chests of over a dozen pirates almost simultaneously, collapsing to the ground in perfect unison before they could even scream.
"Heh, saw that? That's efficiency. Can you do that, you perverted cook?"
Zoro sheathed his sword, turning to Sanji with a smug grin.
Sanji didn't even bother to look at him, simply switching his cigarette to the other side and slowly raising his right leg.
If there's anyone in the Straw Hat crew, besides the overpowered Luffy, whose strength has undergone a radical transformation compared to the original story, it's definitely Sanji, who conquers the world on his own two feet.
It's important to understand that the Six Powers of the Navy—Shave, Tempest Kick, Moon Walk, and Paper Drawing—are all techniques that extremely demand explosive power and control in the legs. They're practically tailor-made for Sanji.
Not to mention, Sanji himself is the most perfect genetically modified product of Germa technology; in terms of physical potential, he's in no way inferior to Zoro.
In the original story, this unfortunate kid was sent to Kamabakka Kingdom, and for those two years he was busy running away and training his leg strength. Aside from learning the Moon Walk, which CP9 had already mastered, he almost lost his position as one of the top three fighters.
But now it's different. As a regular soldier within the Navy's organization, learning the Six Powers in this timeline is a piece of cake.
Especially Sanji, whose comprehension of the Six Powers is frighteningly high.
His toes tapped the ground repeatedly, and his entire body slashed into the enemy ranks like black lightning.
A sharp tearing sound filled the air as visible vacuum slashes roared out with his kicks.
In just a few breaths, the remaining twenty-odd pirates fell like wheat being harvested, scattering across the ground.
Warm blood splattered on the ground, some even staining the soles of Sanji's shoes. At that moment, he vaguely resembled the ruthless style of Red-Leg Zeff from years past.
Sanji casually tossed his hair, raising an eyebrow triumphantly at Zoro, as if to say: "That's called elegance."
"Stop right there! Nobody move!"
Just then, the pirate captain's hysterical roar broke the eye-to-eye exchange between the two.
Both turned sharply to look, only to see their once arrogant captain now alone, trembling as he held a short musket, its dark muzzle pressed firmly against Luffy's forehead.
"Don't move! Move another inch and I'll shoot him!"
The guy was clearly terrified; his voice trembled as he shouted, a classic case of bluster masking cowardice.
Zoro chuckled, crossed his arms, and casually sheathed all three swords, adopting a smug, almost mocking, stance.
Sanji pulled out a lighter, lit his cigarette with a "ding," took a deep drag, and his eyes were full of amusement.
Luffy, with a gun pointed at him, tilted his head, looking completely innocent: "Do I look like a pushover?"
"Shut up! Shut up!"
The pirate leader's finger was about to pull the trigger.
Boom!!
A terrifying force erupted instantly. Before the pirate leader could finish his threat, he was sent flying backward like he'd been hit head-on by a speeding train.
He arced through the air in a gruesome fashion, crashing into a distant wall; most of his bones were probably broken.
"The thing I hate most in this life is someone pointing a gun at my head. What if it goes off accidentally? It's so dangerous!"
Luffy clapped his hands nonchalantly, muttering to himself.