The mission was complete. The heist is successful without any casualties or anyone discovered, and somehow, I'd managed to survive Nami's... negotiations without completely losing my dignity.
Though watching Sanji still lying on the ground in a state of romantic shock made me question whether any of us had dignity left to lose.
'At least the Seastone is secured, the intelligence documents and the money are fantastic bonuses.'
"So," I said, adjusting my cloak and trying to ignore the way Nami was still glancing at me with that calculating gleam in her eyes, "what are you two planning to do now?"
Sanji finally managed to pick himself up from the ground, though his expression still carried that peculiar mixture of heartbreak and admiration that suggested his brain was still processing what he'd witnessed.
"I'm going to look around Loguetown for more food ingredients," he announced, straightening his tie with the mechanical precision of someone trying to regain his composure.
"We'll need proper provisions for the Grand Line, and this is our last chance to get specialty supplies from the East Blue."
'Good. At least someone's brain is still functioning normally after... whatever that was.'
Nami stretched her arms and removed some of the telltale signs of her Marine uniform, putting them in a bag of stolen money at her feet, and lifted it to her shoulder.
"I'm going to shop around, because of our errands, I didn't get the chance to," she declared with the satisfied tone of someone who'd just acquired the means to indulge every materialistic impulse she'd ever had.
'Of course she is. A woman with newly acquired wealth and access to the largest market town in the East Blue. This is either going to be a shopping spree for the ages or a complete financial disaster.'
Then she looked directly at me, and I felt those alarm bells start ringing again.
"Want to come with me, Hachiman? I could use someone with good... judgment... to help me pick out the right items," she asked, her voice carrying that same sly undertone that had gotten me into trouble during our 'negotiation.'
'Danger. Abort. Retreat immediately.'
Before I could formulate a diplomatic refusal, Sanji stepped forward with the enthusiasm of a man volunteering for a suicide mission.
"Nami-san! I would be honored to accompany you on your shopping expedition!" he declared, his romantic fervor overriding any practical considerations about what shopping with Nami might actually entail.
Nami's response was immediate and devastating.
"No," she said flatly, not even bothering to look at him. "I don't need you following me around and making a scene every time we pass a dress shop."
'Ouch. That was brutal even by her standards.'
Sanji's expression crumpled like a castle built from playing cards, but Nami had already dismissed him from her attention and was focusing on me with that predatory smile that made my survival instincts scream warnings.
"I'm going to check on the Going Merry," I said quickly, seizing the opportunity to escape whatever psychological trap she was setting. "Pay the rest of the money to the shipwrights and take a tour until the upgrade is complete."
'Strategic withdrawal. Sometimes the better part of valor is knowing what battles you fight.'
Something flickered across Nami's expression—disappointment, maybe? But it passed so quickly that I might have imagined it.
'Don't read into it, Hachiman. She's probably just disappointed that she won't have access to your abilities for whatever shopping adventure she had planned.'
"We should all meet again at the execution plaza, as Luffy most likely will be there." I continued, grateful to be back on practical ground. "But be careful of the Marines. They know we're on the island, and they'll be looking for us."
Both Nami and Sanji nodded at my words, their expressions growing more serious as the reality of our situation reasserted itself.
'Good. Back to business. No more romantic comedy nonsense or psychological warfare disguised as financial negotiations.'
We parted ways at the alley's mouth, Nami heading toward the main shopping district with her bag of money, Sanji moving toward the market area with his list of provisions, and me making my way back toward the dry docks where the Going Merry was being upgraded.
The streets of Loguetown bustled with the kind of chaotic energy that comes from being a major trading hub.
Merchants hawking their wares, sailors looking for supplies, and the ever-present undercurrent of people trying not to look like they were up to something illegal. A perfect environment for pirates trying to blend in, as long as we don't do anything to draw unnecessary attention.
'Just another day in paradise. Though I have to admit, after two years of treasure hunting solo, having crew members to worry about adds a completely different layer of stress to everything.'
The dry dock area was still active when I arrived, with shipwrights swarming over the Going Merry's hull like industrious ants.
The reinforced hull was looking more and more complete, new rigging stretched between upgraded yards of the masts, and I could see a lot of the new mounting points where our new cannons would be installed.
The whipstaff had been completely replaced with a proper ship's wheel, and the overall impression was of a vessel that could handle serious ocean navigation rather than just coastal sailing.
'Impressive work. Seven million Berri well spent, assuming we survive long enough to actually use these improvements.'
I scanned the area with practiced paranoia, looking for anyone who seemed to be paying too much attention to our ship or to me. A few dockworkers glanced my way, but their attention seemed more curious than hostile.
'No obvious surveillance. Either the Marines are being subtle, or they're focused on other parts of the town.'
The head shipwright approached me with the satisfied expression of a craftsman proud of his work.
"She's coming along nicely," he said, gesturing toward the Going Merry. "Hull reinforcement is nearly complete, and all the other upgrades are finished. Should be ready within an hour or two."
I reached into my Dimensional Bag and withdrew the remaining 3.5 million Berri, counting it out with the mechanical precision that came from handling large sums of money during my treasure hunting career.
'The benefits of supernatural storage. No need to worry about carrying suspicious amounts of cash or having it stolen by pickpockets.'
"Good work," I said, handing over the payment. "We'll be back to collect her soon."
"Ho ho! Pleasure doing business," he said, pocketing the payment. "You'll want to take her out for a test run before heading into dangerous waters, but she handles like a dream now."
With the ship business handled, I found myself with time to kill and a town full of possibilities to explore. Not exactly my preferred situation—I'd rather be somewhere quiet where I could think—but Loguetown was supposed to be historically significant.
The town where Gold Roger was born and executed. The beginning and end of the Pirate King's story. There's something poetic about that, in a morbid sort of way.
The market areas were bustling with activity, vendors selling everything from exotic foods to useless trinkets. The crowd was a mixture of locals, sailors, and merchants, all conducting the business that kept the town's economy flowing.
'Reminds me of my early days in this world. When everything was new and terrifying, and I had no idea what I was doing.'
I'd been so focused on survival back then, on learning the skills I needed to stay alive in a world where Devil Fruit users and superhuman swordsmen were commonplace.
The loneliness had been crushing at times, but there had also been a strange freedom in having only myself to worry about.
'Now I have a crew to consider…'
To tell the truth, I was still trying to adapt to this new reality. Sometimes I still get weary of their antics, and others I feel it is not that bad.
'Well, I have gone a long way from that high school loner who was on a stranded island in the middle of a no-sailing region.'
I was walking when a shop caught my attention—a heavy wooden sign reading "Security Solutions" with a window display full of locks, safes, and lockboxes.
I became interested immediately, given our recent acquisition of valuable items, proper storage was becoming a priority.
'We can't keep everything in my Dimensional Bag forever. Eventually, the crew will need access to shared resources without going through me.'
The shop owner was a middle-aged man with the careful demeanor of someone who dealt with valuable items on a regular basis. His prices were steep but reasonable, and his merchandise looked well-crafted.
Well, outwardly at least, because of my skillset, all of their elaborate security looked useless to me, but of course, I can't think of that mentality.
"I need secure storage options," I told him, examining a safe that was roughly the size of a refrigerator. "Something that can handle a lot of cash and valuable items."
'Plus, whatever other treasures we acquire in the Grand Line.'
After some negotiation, I purchased the large safe, two lockers with multiple compartments, and a smaller safe for personal items. The shop owner wanted to arrange a delivery to the docks, but I declined the offer and put them in my Dimensional Bag, much to his astonishment.
Another shop caught my eye as I continued through the market—a clothing store specializing in what appeared to be 'professional' attire, catering to the more eccentric elements of Loguetown's population. Pirates, bounty hunters, and merchants who wanted to project an image of 'cool' and competence.
The selection was impressive, and I managed to find a new cloak and hat that matched my current style. But as I examined the merchandise, I remembered that I was missing something important.
'Fireproof protection. The last few fights have involved way too much fire for comfort.'
I spent the next hour searching through various shops, looking for anything that might provide protection against fire-based attacks. Armor shops, clothing stores, and even a few specialty dealers who claimed to have exotic materials.
But all I found was nothing. Either fireproof clothing doesn't exist in this world, or it's so rare that small-town merchants don't carry it.
Pearl's armor surfaced in my mind—Don Krieg's subordinate who could spew fire without harming himself. Pearl's armor and Krieg's armor were still in my Dimensional Bag, taken after our battle.
But I'd never managed to examine them closely after that because I was busy.
'Maybe it's time to change that.'
I found an armor shop with a knowledgeable-looking owner and withdrew a shield of Pearl's armor from my bag, keeping the rest hidden.
"I'm interested in understanding how this works," I said, showing him the piece. "The fire-resistance mechanism, specifically."
The shop owner's eyes lit up with professional interest as he examined the shield, turning it over in his hands and studying the construction.
"Fascinating work," he murmured, tracing the intricate patterns with his finger. "The craftsmanship is beyond anything I've seen in the East Blue, but…It would take time to dismantle the mechanism and understand the craftsmanship."
His expression shifted to something decidedly more mercenary.
"I could make it worth your while to sell this to me," he continued, his voice taking on the eager tone of someone who'd spotted a potential windfall.
"Say, five hundred thousand Berri for the piece plus a good protective armor piece, and more if you have additional sections."
'Of course. Why solve my problem when he can acquire valuable materials for himself?'
"Not interested," I replied, reclaiming the shield and storing it back in my Dimensional Bag.
"Wait, wait!" the shop owner called as I turned to leave. "I could go as high as eight hundred thousand! Maybe even a million if the full set is available!"
'Greedy bastard. If I wanted to sell it, I could get ten times that amount from the right collector.'
I ignored his increasingly desperate offers and left the shop, his voice fading behind me as I rejoined the crowd.
'If understanding Pearl's armor requires dismantling it, I'd rather have Usopp do the work. He's got the mechanical skills, and I trust him more than some random merchant with Berri signs in his eyes.'
The afternoon sun was beginning to angle toward evening as I continued my tour of Loguetown.
The thought of fire protection kept nagging at me, especially considering the Grand Line's reputation for dangerous opponents with unusual abilities.
'Should I just make a firefighter's suit and change it into a cloak? But I don't know if it will be effective like this…'
I could only give up for now, as fire isn't even the biggest problem on this island, remembering certain details about Loguetown's most famous resident.
'Smoke. That's what I should be worried about.'
I examined the special bullets I'd been preparing—custom ammunition designed for a specific situation we might encounter.
The execution plaza was attracting crowds as I made my way in that direction, the agreed meeting time was approaching, and people were gathering with the kind of morbid curiosity that draws spectators to historical sites associated with death and violence.
The weather was changing as I approached the plaza, clouds gathering overhead with the ominous weight that suggested a storm might be approaching.
But it wasn't just the meteorological conditions that had my attention.
'Something's wrong. Too many people moving in the same direction, and their body language suggests excitement rather than casual sightseeing.'
The crowd was flowing toward the execution plaza like water seeking the lowest point, and the energy in the air felt charged with anticipation.
'This isn't normal tourist behavior. Something's happening.'
A cold dread began to settle in my stomach as I picked up my pace, pushing through the increasingly thick crowd. People were talking excitedly, but I couldn't make out individual words over the general din.
'Please tell me Luffy didn't do something monumentally stupid while we were separated.'
But even as I thought it, I knew that was exactly what had happened. Because this was Luffy we were talking about, and monumentally stupid decisions were practically his signature move.
I spotted the rest of the crew near the edge of the plaza—Nami with her arms full of shopping bags, Usopp carrying what looked like all the tools you could find in a middle-aged man's garage, Sanji loaded down with ingredients, and Zoro looking typically unburdened by material possessions.
'At least they made it here safely.'
We all looked at each other, and one question was on our minds.
"Where is he…?"
"He said he wanted to check out the execution platform..."
"So, he should be here, right…?"
We glanced around to see if we could find him. That's when I saw him.
Luffy was on the execution platform, bound in what looked like guillotine-style shackles, with a very familiar red-nosed pirate standing over him with a sword.
'Oh, for the love of...'
The crew's reaction was immediate and predictable. Nami went pale, Usopp started hyperventilating, Sanji's cigarette almost fell from his lips, and Zoro's mouth was wide open.
"WHY THE HELL IS HE ON THE EXECUTION STAND!?"
'Sh*t…'
A wave of panic and headache washed over the group as we processed the situation. Our captain, captured by a clown-themed pirate captain, is about to be publicly executed in the same spot where the previous Pirate King met his end.
The irony is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Which, coincidentally, is exactly what Buggy seems to be planning to do.
'Well, at least he's still alive. For now.'
Zoro was the first to snap into action mode.
"We have to help Luffy!" he shouted, his usual stoic demeanor cracking under the pressure of seeing his captain in mortal danger.
'Agreed. But charging in without a plan is exactly the kind of thinking that got us into this mess in the first place.'
I quickly took the shopping bags from Nami, Sanji, and Usopp, storing them in my Dimensional Bag.
"Nami, Usopp," I called, "Get to the Going Merry and bring her to the harbor! We'll need a quick escape route!"
'Assuming we survive long enough to need one.'
Both of them nodded and took off running without argument, understanding that this wasn't the time for discussion or hesitation.
I turned to follow Zoro and Sanji, who were already sprinting toward the execution platform with the desperate determination of people trying to prevent a disaster.
'Strategic assessment: one captured captain, dozens of hostile pirates, an unknown number of Marines who are definitely aware of the situation by now, and a crowd of civilians who could become casualties or hostages depending on how this plays out.'
In other words, a typical Tuesday for the Straw Hat Pirates.
As we reached the edge of the plaza proper, Luffy's voice rang out clear and strong across the assembled crowd.
"I'M GOING TO BE THE PIRATE KING!!!!!!!" he declared, his words carrying the absolute conviction that had drawn all of us to follow him in the first place.
The crowd's reaction was immediate—gasps, shouts, and the kind of shocked silence that follows truly audacious statements. Everyone in the plaza was staring at the platform now, their attention completely captured by the drama unfolding above them.
Buggy's laughter echoed across the plaza, theatrical and cruel.
"What a grand final statement!" he called out, raising his sword dramatically. "Too bad no one will remember it after I separate your head from your shoulders!"
'Not if we have anything to say about it.'
Zoro tied his bandana and drew his swords as we approached the platform, the distinctive sound of steel being unsheathed cutting through the ambient noise of the crowd.
"THIS EXECUTION WON'T CONTINUE!!" he announced, his voice carrying across the plaza with the kind of threat that made people step back and take notice.
'And there goes our element of surprise. Though with Zoro, subtlety was never really an option anyway.'
The crowd's attention immediately shifted to us, and I could hear the whispered recognition spreading through the assembled spectators like wildfire.
"That's Roronoa Zoro! The pirate hunter!"
"But why is he with pirates now?"
"And that's... that's Dead-Eyes Hikigaya!"
"The Sorcerer!"
'Great. So much for maintaining a low profile.'
From the platform, Luffy spotted us, and his face lit up with that characteristic grin that somehow managed to be both relieved and completely unconcerned about his current predicament.
"Zoro! Sanji! Hachiman!" he called out, shouting at us cheerfully as if he weren't currently bound to an execution device.
The whispers in the crowd grew louder as people processed what they were seeing.
"Dead-Eyes is with the pirates, too?"
"I can't believe he became a pirate!"
"The Sorcerer... a pirate..."
'My reputation is officially shot, not like I cared anyway. And considering the circumstances, that's probably the least of my problems right now.'
Sanji looked genuinely offended as he listened to the crowd's reactions.
"Why is no one recognizing me?" he complained, his voice carrying that particular whine that suggested his ego was bruised.
Zoro, meanwhile, looked distinctly pleased with the recognition he was receiving.
"Heh, at least some people know quality when they see it," he said with obvious satisfaction.
'This is not the time for ego comparisons!'
"This isn't the time for that," I snapped, echoing my internal thoughts. "We're in a tough situation here."
Massive understatement.
We need to reach the platform, deal with Buggy and his crew, avoid getting shot by the Marines who are undoubtedly positioning themselves around the plaza, and escape to the harbor before the entire town turns into a war zone.
My mind was already working on the tactical problem, analyzing the layout of the plaza, the positions of the hostile forces, and the various routes we could take to reach our objective.
'The pirates are surrounding the platform, creating a defensive perimeter. They're heavily armed and positioned to prevent exactly what we're trying to do.'
'Meanwhile, I can see Marine shadows at the plaza entrances—they're waiting for the right moment to move in.'
We'll be fighting on two fronts simultaneously, with civilians in the crossfire and a ticking clock before Buggy decides to end Luffy's dramatic declaration with permanent consequences.
I could feel the weight of responsibility settling on my shoulders, the knowledge that people I, admittedly, cared about were depending on my ability to find a solution to an impossible situation.
'In the Manga, something happened that allowed them to escape safely. But I can't remember exactly if it was a lucky coincidence or help from someone powerful.'
'And even if I could, relying on plot armor is the kind of thinking that gets people killed in the real world.'
I need a plan. A real plan, not a hope and a prayer.
That's when Buggy's angry voice cut through my strategic planning, and I realized he was shouting at me specifically.
"How dare you, Dead-Eyes!" he roared, his painted face twisted with fury. "How dare you join Straw Hat's crew instead of mine!"
'Because I didn't want to be part of a circus…'
I ignored his tantrum and drew both the Barbossa sword and my pistol, feeling the power of the sword activate as an unusual route of escape was beginning to form in my mind.
A plan that would require precise timing, a bit of luck, and the kind of audacious thinking that would make Luffy proud.
'But first, we need to free our captain!'
Buggy's expression grew even more murderous at my apparent dismissal of his anger.
"Fine!" he snarled, raising his sword high above Luffy's exposed neck. "I'll kill your new captain as punishment for choosing the wrong crew!"
"Like hell you will."
The three of us charged toward the platform, moving with the coordinated desperation of people who refused to accept failure as an option.
SLASH! CLANG! THUD!
Zoro cut through the pirate defenders with the ruthless efficiency that had made him famous, his three-sword style carving a path through their ranks like a scythe through wheat.
CRACK! WHOMP! CRASH!
Sanji's leg techniques sent pirates flying with bone-crushing impact, his kicks delivered with the precision and power that came from years of combat experience.
BANG! BANG! BANG! CLANG! SLICE!
I provided covering fire with my pistol, targeting anyone with heavy weapons or anyone who looked like they might flank our advance, while using the Barbossa sword to parry attacks from pirates who got too close.
We were making progress, cutting through the defensive perimeter with the kind of violent efficiency that comes from having everything to lose and no time to waste.
But it wasn't enough. The platform was too far away, there were too many enemies, and Buggy's two officers, plus a supermodel-like woman holding an unsuitably huge mace, were moving to intercept us.
The woman and the officers stepped directly into our path, each of the two making a theatrical declaration, and the massive mace of the woman was pointing dramatically at me.
"Well, well," she said, her voice carrying that particular tone of someone who thought she held all the cards. "If it isn't Dead-Eyes Hikigaya. We meet agai—"
"""MOVE AWAY!!!"""
Without bothering to say anything else, I channeled Hamon through my sword and slashed it at her. Sanji and Zoro attacked the opponents in front of them.
'Hamon—Crushing Wave!'
The woman didn't bother intercepting it with her mace as she took the slash confidently, like she had a plan.
"My, my still rude as alwa—ARRRGG!!!"
WHOOOOOM!
But looks like the plan didn't work. The rippling energy wave struck her center mass and sent her flying backward through the crowd of pirates, her body tumbling through the air like a rag doll before crashing into a group of her shocked subordinates.
"EEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHH????!!!!"
Not only them, even the two officers blown away by Zoro and Sanji, and every one of the onlookers was totally shocked.
"IMPOSSIBLE!!!!"
"He Defeated Alvida-San With One Blow Like That!!!"
"Did Her Ability Not Work?!?!"
"And The Other Two Are Also Down!!"
'Sorry, we don't have time for reminiscing about previous encounters.'
I was already changing the ammunition in my pistol, loading the explosive Mini Bazooka Round while simultaneously tracking Buggy's movement on the platform above us.
"Zoro! Hachiman! Sanji! Nami! Usopp!"
From the execution platform, Luffy called out to us in sequence, his voice carrying across the plaza despite the chaos of combat surrounding us.
And then, with that impossibly wide smile that somehow managed to be both heartbreaking and infuriating, he added the words that made my blood run cold:
"Sorry! I'm going to die!"
"Wha—!!"
"You Idiot—!!"
Shock and horror washed through our group as we processed his casual acceptance of death, but my reaction was more complex than simple fear.
'LIKE HELL YOU ARE!!!!'
BANG!!!
My finger found the trigger as Buggy's sword began its descent toward Luffy's neck.
'Like hell I'll let you die like this. What about our promise, you bastard?!'
The bullet began its journey through the air, cutting through the chaos of the plaza with mechanical precision while my mind raced with desperate determination.
'What about our dreams? All of our dreams are on your shoulders now, you rubber-brained idiot. How dare you say you're going to die with a smile like that?!'
Time seemed to slow as I watched the bullet's flight, my entire focus narrowed to that single point where the projectile would meet the target.
'Surrendering to destiny?'
'Accepting your luck?'
I could see Buggy's sword at the start of its downward arc, the blade catching the light as it moved toward Luffy's exposed neck.
'To hell with all of that!'
The bullet was halfway to its target, traveling through the air and racing against the sword toward a collision that would either save my captain's life or be too late to matter.
I won't let you die!
The sword was finishing its deadly arc,
'You're not allowed to die until we see this journey to the end, until we all achieve our dreams.'
However, my bullet was still a bit away.
'If our destiny can only lead us to this…'
I gritted my teeth, my focus was pinpointed on the bullet as I used the ability of the Barbossa sword!
'Then tell destiny he is unemployed!'
WHOOOOOSH!!!!
The bullet suddenly sped up like it had gained a life and purpose!
'If the moody Lady Luck is sulking at us...'
Just before the sword reached Luffy's neck, the bullet reached the platform!
KABOOOOOM!!!!!
The bullet struck the execution platform with perfect precision, and the explosion that followed shattered the afternoon air with the sound of thunder and destruction.
'Then tell her to find a boyfriend!'
…
A/N: Yosh! That's it for now!
Thank you all for reading! Hope you enjoyed this one!
Feel free to leave a Comment guys! And Powerstones are much much welcomed!
Have a good day!
You also can check my Patre0n for extra Chapters.
https://www.patre0n.com/ColdColt
There are +13 Chapters there.