Whoosh, whoosh.
A faint rustling sound suddenly echoed from the withered yellow grass in the distance.
"Who is there?!"
Chopper spun around in fear, trembling as he stared at the moving grass.
…
The sound faded.
Nothing appeared.
"Was it just the wind?"
Chopper let out a shaky breath, thinking he had imagined it, and carefully turned back to search for the path they came from.
"Watch out!"
Ding!!!!
Zoro suddenly flashed forward and swung his blade, blocking two incoming transparent cannonballs right in front of Chopper.
Bang! Bang!
The severed cannonballs flew into the distance behind them and exploded in mid air.
"Ah! Enemies!"
Chopper panicked and immediately transformed into his combat form, scanning the surroundings nervously.
"Where are they?!"
Zoro narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping the area with sharp focus.
"They are all around us, but they are invisible."
Swish!
As he spoke, Zoro slashed behind him.
Clang!
Yubashiri struck something solid, releasing a clear metallic sound.
"Got you."
A cold glint flashed in Zoro's eyes as his two swords moved together, one rising, one falling, forming a deadly cross slash.
Pfft!
In a space where nothing could be seen, bright red blood suddenly splashed into the air.
"Damn it, you actually hurt me?!"
A furious curse rang out, followed by Zoro being kicked backward.
"Zoro, are you alright?!"
Chopper rushed to his side in panic, keeping his guard high as he watched for the unseen enemies.
"This is bad…"
Zoro rose from the ground with a frown.
"There is more than one of them, probably two. Even my Observation Haki cannot lock onto their exact positions."
"The blood on the ground!"
Chopper suddenly pointed at the droplets appearing on the dirt ahead.
"Jump Reinforcement!"
At the same time, Chopper launched himself and kicked fiercely toward the bloodstained area.
"It is a trap!"
Zoro instantly sensed the danger and slashed behind Chopper with both swords.
"Damn it, you noticed!"
A frustrated voice sounded as Zoro's blade struck something solid and severed it completely.
Click.
A strange weapon fell to the ground.
"This is…"
Chopper stared in shock.
"A specially designed surgical blade?"
"Little raccoon, you really know a lot."
A muffled voice sounded from the darkness, followed by a sharp, unbearable stench filling the air.
"Who are you calling a raccoon?! Ah, no, this smell, it is anesthetic gas!"
Chopper shouted in alarm, but it was already too late.
Both of them had inhaled the gas.
"My head feels so dizzy…"
Chopper tried to escape the gas filled zone but stumbled after just a few steps.
Zoro held his breath instinctively, but the effects had already begun to slow his body and dull his reactions.
Pfft! Pfft!
Two thin wounds suddenly appeared on Zoro's chest.
Boom!
At the same time, Chopper was struck by a canon blast and sent flying.
"As expected, among your crew, only that monster is truly dangerous. The rest of you are just weaklings whose Berries rose because of him."
The muffled voice sneered with contempt.
"Absalom, do not get careless."
Another voice warned coldly.
"Hurry and capture them. We will use them to force Moriah to return."
Absalom laughed confidently.
"It is over for them already. They are finished. Huh?! Where did they go?!"
The two invisible figures froze as Zoro and Chopper vanished from where they had fallen.
"Where did they disappear to?!"
Two dark silhouettes suddenly appeared behind them.
"Disgusting cowards, who exactly do you think you are capturing?"
"Be defeated, ambushers."
Zoro held Wado Ichimonji between his teeth and raised his two swords with a cold smile.
"Three Sword Style, One Hundred Eight Pound Phoenix!"
Three powerful slashes erupted at once, converging into a blazing blue phoenix that ripped through the empty sky.
"Ahhh!!!"
A miserable scream rang out as a massive fat man wearing netted clothing was flung into the air.
It was Dr. Hogback, who had escaped earlier.
"Damn it!!"
He struggled wildly as the sword force carried him higher and higher.
"Absalom, save me!!"
Moments later, he crashed violently back to the ground.
…
"Cherry Blossom, Hoof Imprint!"
Chopper, enhancing his jumping power, smashed his hooves into another invisible figure.
Pfft!
Blood sprayed through the air as Absalom was finally forced into visibility and slammed hard into the ground near Dr. Hogback.
Absalom clutched the deep wound in his chest, staring at Zoro and Chopper in disbelief.
"This is impossible. How did you find us?!"
Zoro replied calmly,
"Look at your shoes."
Dr. Hogback followed his gaze in a daze.
Bloodstains were clearly visible.
"You stepped in blood and gave away your position."
Absalom gritted his teeth and glared at Chopper.
"Then how did you find me?!"
Chopper reverted to his small form and proudly tapped his blue nose.
"My sense of smell is incredibly sharp. I noticed the place where your scent suddenly vanished. That meant that was exactly where you were hiding."
Swish!
Zoro raised his blades again and locked onto them with killing intent.
"Do not even think about turning invisible again. My next slash will take your heads."
…
Dr. Hogback and Absalom exchanged bitter looks.
Their plan had failed completely.
They intended to kidnap Shirogai's companions to threaten him into trading for Moriah.
Instead, they had underestimated the crew and fallen straight into disaster.
"Woo, woo, woo…"
Two pale ghostly figures floated toward them from the shadows.
"Huh?!"
Both men lit up with relief.
Perona was finally awake.
"What is that thing?!"
Zoro frowned and slashed at the approaching ghosts.
Swish!
Even with Armament Haki, his blades passed cleanly through them as if cutting empty air.
"Hm?"
The ghosts drifted straight through Zoro and Chopper.
Both of them collapsed instantly to the ground, their spirits crushed.
"I wish I could become a raccoon so no one would misunderstand me…"
"My tone is so cold, I must make everyone uncomfortable…"
"Bolo, bolo, bolo…"
The grass parted.
A girl carrying a small red parasol stepped forward, her expression filled with disdain as she looked down on them.
"What trash. You lost to this level of opponents? How embarrassing."
---