A whirlpool separated Bai Yun and Luffy.
Destiny led Luffy to meet Coby.
Meanwhile, Bai Yun became neighbors with Zoro.
What an unfathomable destiny.
Appearing almost simultaneously with Helmeppo, Luffy and Coby's heads popped up over the base wall.
He shouted Bai Yun's name, drowning out Helmeppo's words, making it sound like...
"I am... Bai Yun's... son."
Therefore, Bai Yun stated:
"I don't have a son with a butt chin like yours; my chin is perfectly normal."
Luffy's sudden appearance completely flustered Helmeppo. Furthermore, Luffy ignored the Colonel's son entirely and swaggered right into the Marine base.
Seeing Luffy enter, Coby could only follow... "Hahaha, Bai Yun, you look quite pathetic. Those ropes clearly look easy to break."
Rushing over to Bai Yun and Zoro, Luffy's single comment subtly mocked both of them.
Bai Yun: No! Just one person.
"Yeah, they are pretty easy to break."
Bai Yun replied, then immediately dropped the act, stepping away from the wooden cross stake.
"They really are easy to break."
Bai Yun repeated, and both he and Luffy smiled as they looked at Zoro.
Zoro felt greatly offended.
"He... he broke free!!"
"You're trying to escape!!"
Seeing Bai Yun casually break free from the ropes, Helmeppo exclaimed in shock, a string of snot hanging from his nose.
"What do you mean, 'I'm trying to escape'?"
"First, tell me what crime I've committed?"
Bai Yun retorted, momentarily silencing Helmeppo. But remembering his "powerful" father, Helmeppo immediately regained his confidence.
"I thought there was treasure in that barrel, but it was just some guy like you!"
"You made me happy for nothing! That's the crime!"
"I am the son of a Marine Colonel."
Bai Yun nodded, thinking the World Government was truly hopeless. If a mere Marine Colonel wielded such authority, meeting an Admiral would be terrifying.
"Oh."
"Oh!!?"
Regarding the fact that he was the son of a Marine Colonel, Bai Yun simply said, "Oh."
Helmeppo, however, was astonished. Just "Oh"?
"Luffy, this fellow here is Roronoa Zoro!"
Bai Yun introduced Zoro on his behalf.
"I know. Coby and I were just looking for him."
"And this is Coby, a cowardly guy who will change."
Luffy introduced Coby to Bai Yun.
"Oh~ Hello, I'm Bai Yun. Nice to meet you."
It was their first meeting, discounting any previous screen time.
"Hello! Hello!"
Coby was very reserved, but he secretly sized up the companion who was acting wildly alongside Luffy.
"Luffy, are you looking for Zoro for the same reason I think you are?"
Bai Yun asked.
Luffy tapped his straw hat. "Hahaha, it's exactly what you're thinking, Bai Yun."
"What are you two talking about in riddles?!"
Zoro couldn't stand it. "Do you think this is a marketplace? Chatting here! The Marines will swarm us soon!"
"We are pirates."
"We are currently looking for crewmates to sail with."
Bai Yun and Luffy replied in perfect sync, one sentence each.
"Pirates? I can't believe you'd willingly stoop so low as to become villains..."
Zoro grinned. He was all too familiar with pirates.
"What's the big deal? This is my own choice."
Luffy didn't care what others thought; this was his decision. Bai Yun, meanwhile, simply scoffed.
"Good guys? Bad guys?"
"Brother Zoro, how do you judge who is good and who is bad?"
"Pirates are bad guys?"
"Are those few paltry Marines and the Colonel's son over there the good guys?"
"In this world, being good or bad isn't decided just by saying so."
Zoro's expression froze, but he maintained his unapproachable demeanor.
"You certainly have a silver tongue!"
"And you're just as annoying as before."
"Things that make sense sometimes sound a little annoying," Bai Yun replied with a changed smile. Just as he was about to continue, Helmeppo interrupted him from the side.
"Pi— Pirates!!"
"You're pirates!!"
"Quick, quick, quick! Protect..."
Helmeppo, terrified upon learning Luffy and Bai Yun's identities, immediately tried to hide behind the two soldiers.
"Bang!"
Instantly, a bullet whizzed past his cheek.
"When the adults are talking, the son should shut up. You said it yourself, you're the Marine Colonel's son."
Before he could react, Helmeppo collapsed, having fainted from fright.
"You two, go call Morgan here."
Bai Yun ordered the two Marine soldiers. Anyone watching would have thought he was the Marine officer.
The two soldiers hadn't even seen how Bai Yun fired the gun. Knowing they couldn't afford to offend him, they immediately ran off.
Bai Yun lowered his hand, and the gun transformed back into a bracelet. The little girl stared curiously at the silver bracelet on his wrist.
"Let's continue."
But Zoro spoke first.
"Stop talking!"
"I won't become a pirate. I have my own things to do, and I certainly won't become a bad guy like a pirate."
"But you've already been labeled a bad guy," Luffy said, folding his arms.
"I don't care what others say!"
"I've never regretted anything that violates my oath, and I never will."
"Is your vow to become the world's greatest swordsman?"
Bai Yun suddenly interjected, causing Zoro to lose his composure.
"I heard you use swords. Isn't that the ultimate goal for all swordsmen?"
Zoro was speechless. It seemed true; every swordsman desired the title of the world's greatest.
"Does that conflict with becoming a pirate?"
"Exactly."
Luffy agreed that the point was valid.
"Just agree. The saying goes, 'A trio makes a team.'"
"The three of us make a perfect team."
Bai Yun said.
Zoro fell silent.
...
A/N: The journey continues! If you're eager to read far ahead and support this story, consider joining the Eternal Phoenix community. You can find me on Patreon by searching for "Eternal_Phoenix".
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