Bai Ye smiled faintly.
"Well then, Zoro—let me show you just how naïve you really are."
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "You… what do you mean?"
"Let's analyze this," Bai Ye said calmly. "Helmeppo's goal. He told you that if you took the tavern girl's punishment and survived a month, you'd both walk free. Sounds fair enough, right?"
Zoro grunted.
"But think a little deeper," Bai Ye continued, voice patient but cutting. "Forget whether he'll keep his promise—let's talk about the logic underneath it. Tell me, can any normal person survive a full month tied up without food or water?"
"Quit preaching. I'll—"
"—succeed, right?" Bai Ye interrupted lightly. "Sure, you'd last. But that's not what he believes. From the moment he made that deal, Helmeppo's only goal was one thing."
Zoro's face darkened. "…He wanted me dead from the start."
"Bingo." Bai Ye clapped once, the corners of his mouth lifting. "And after you're gone, guess who his next targets will be?"
Zoro's pupils shrank. His anger rose like heat from a forge. "That bastard… he'd go after them again?"
"When you can even ask that question," Bai Ye said quietly, stroking little Rika's hair, "you already know the answer. The moment you set down your swords, you lost the right to protect anyone."
He sighed. "Compromising with scum—honestly, that's just stupid."
Back in his old world, Bai Ye had never understood this scene. Helmeppo hadn't even taken real hostages, yet Zoro had surrendered his freedom, trusting the word of a spoiled tyrant's son. It was absurd.
He turned to Luffy suddenly. "Hey, Captain, what would you do if someone tried to threaten you like that?"
Luffy blinked, then grinned, throwing a fist. "I'd punch them all into the sky!"
Bai Ye laughed. Classic Luffy. No hesitation—just fists and faith.
Zoro frowned. "And if they came after your friends afterward?"
Luffy tilted his head, digging a finger in his nose. "Then I'd beat them again. If you don't hit them, will they just stop?"
Zoro fell silent. He thought of Helmeppo's smug grin, his cruelty, his sense of untouchable power. The answer was obvious.
The pirate hunter looked at this carefree boy—and realized that under that straw hat was a clarity sharper than his own blades. He clenched his jaw. He's right. I've been acting like a fool.
He longed to feel his swords again.
"You seem to get it now," Bai Ye said lightly. "So how about we make a new deal?"
Zoro looked up. "You called him 'captain.' That makes you pirates. You're recruiting me?"
Finally noticed, Bai Ye thought wryly, motioning for Luffy to step forward.
"Let me introduce you. This is Monkey D. Luffy, my captain."
He adjusted his robe, smiling. "I'm Bai Ye, his crewmate. We formed our crew a few days ago and we're looking for partners to sail to the Grand Line. Simple offer: we break you out, you join us."
Luffy threw his hands up with his usual grin. "That's right! Zoro, be my crewmate!"
Zoro muttered, "So you really are pirates…"
Bai Ye pressed on. "Sure are. But right now, you're the Marines' prisoner. Who else but pirates could help you? And if you fight to escape, they'll label you one anyway."
The words hit home. In the original timeline, Zoro had rejected Luffy's offer—refusing to call himself a villain. But back then, he'd still believed he'd survive the month. Now he knew better.
He sighed. "Guess worrying about being a villain doesn't matter anymore."
He raised his head, eyes hard. "Luffy, Bai Ye—I've got a goal I can't die before reaching. Better to live as a pirate than die here."
Luffy beamed. "Awesome! You're my crewmate now!"
He clapped Bai Ye's shoulder. "You're really good at this, Bai Ye! From now on, you recruit everyone!"
"Please don't assign me jobs on a whim, Captain," Bai Ye said dryly.
But Zoro's deep voice cut through the banter. "Just so we're clear. I have my own ambition, and I'll see it through no matter what."
He lifted his chin. "I'll become the greatest swordsman in the world. If any of you get in the way of that, you'll cut your own bellies to apologize."
His gaze burned. Saving him was one thing—but nothing would stop his dream.
"The world's greatest swordsman?" Luffy grinned, eyes shining. "Sounds perfect! A future Pirate King needs the strongest crew!"
Bai Ye smirked. "Exactly, Zoro. I forgot to mention—our captain here plans to become the Pirate King. His ambition's not any smaller than yours."
Zoro blinked, surprised. The boy who'd seemed all laughter and nonsense was aiming for the top of the world? He turned to Bai Ye. "So that's why you follow him?"
Bai Ye shrugged. "Something like that."
Or maybe because he's literally fate's favorite child.
Zoro exhaled slowly. "Fine then. I'll get on your ship… and be a villain."
"No need for that word," Bai Ye chuckled, patting his shoulder. "Once you're aboard, you'll see we're nothing like the others."
Then he lifted Rika into Zoro's line of sight. "Now, how about this little girl who risked her neck to bring you food? You're gonna make her cry by refusing it?"
"Enough talking. I'll eat. Just untie me."
"Not so fast. She insisted on feeding you herself. Come on, open up—'ahh~'."
"Bai Ye, you bastard!!!"
"Don't be shy—"
"I swear, I'm going to cut you down!!!"
The plaza rang with laughter, curses, and one very flustered swordsman.
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