Lei turned his head toward Zoro. "Join our captain's crew."
"He wants to be the king of the pirates."
"WHAT? P…PIRATE KING…?! YOU ARE JOKING, RIGHT?" Zoro blurted out, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"He's serious," Lei replied in a steady tone, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"I will not force you to become a pirate, however he's my friend and captain."
"THAT'S ENOUGH!!! THE TWO OF YOU WHO HAVE BETRAYED LIEUTENANT MORGAN.."
"DIE HERE!!!" A sharp voice cut through from the side. As Lei looked over, a squad of marines stood in formation, their rifle barrels aimed directly at them, fingers hovering on triggers.
I just gotta let Luffy do the work. Then Zoro would join.
He faced them squarely.
A loud command rang out. "FIRE!!"
Luffy, I'm trusting you on this one.
That… must be that narcissistic lieutenant.
Lei closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, Luffy had intercepted the bullets, his body stretching like rubber before snapping back, sending the projectiles bouncing harmlessly to the ground.
"Took you time," Lei said, looking at Luffy now standing in front of him.
"WHAT KIND OF HUMAN ARE YOU?" Zoro snapped, his eyes wide in disbelief at the impossible sight.
"Hehe… I am… the one who will become the pirate king," Luffy replied, twisting his head left to look at Zoro with a grin.
This is the moment.
Luffy moved over to Zoro. He held three katanas awkwardly in both hands. "Look which one is your treasured katana. I couldn't figure it out so I brought all three of them."
"All three belong to me because I use three katanas," Zoro said, eyeing Luffy steadily.
A marine's voice shouted. "Resisting the navy here will make you an outlaw!!"
Then another. "Or maybe you want to die here."
Zoro ignored the marines and looked at Luffy. "Are you the offspring of the devil… forget it… rather than die here… why don't I just accept your request and… become a pirate."
Luffy raised his hands in sheer happiness. "Yes! I have another companion now."
"Okay, hurry and get these ropes off me!"
I guess I did the job of Coby. That one
is good unconscious.
Luffy fumbled with the knots, struggling to untie them. As he tried, the marines charged forward, closing in on them.
Lei disappeared in a blur, reappearing at the edge of the empty field.
The marines came flying back, scattered across the ground. Zoro stood beside Luffy, his knees bent slightly, a katana gripped in his mouth, one in his left hand, and one in his right.
Zoro rolled his eyes sideways toward the remaining marines. "You move… I'll kill you."
As Zoro and Luffy repelled the marines, they overpowered them effortlessly, blades and fists flashing in coordinated chaos.
Luffy faced the captain of the marines, dodging every assault with elastic ease.
Zoro defeated the last marine standing and turned his gaze to the lieutenant. "Leave it to me! Captain!"
"THE CAPTAIN LOST!!!"
"CAPTAIN MORGAN'S DEFEATED!!!" The marines erupted in cheers, their voices echoing across the courtyard as the defeated lieutenant lay sprawled on the ground.
Zoro sheathed his katanas with a smooth motion, turning to glare at the celebrating marines. "Any of you still wanna capture us!?"
The marines glanced at each other in confusion, hesitating for a moment.
Then the shouts broke out.
"HOORAY!!"
"WE'RE FREE!!"
"MORGAN'S REIGN OF TERROR IS OVER!!"
"BANZAI FOR THE NAVY!!"
Lei appeared suddenly in front of Luffy and Zoro.
"Hmph! They're happy that we defeated their captain."
"That means he was ruling by fear," Lei said with a smile, looking at the jubilant crowd.
"Oi! Where were you?" Luffy asked with a wide grin.
"I was with ya all. Fighting these marines," Lei replied.
Suddenly, Zoro collapsed to the ground, his body giving out from exhaustion.