A fated separation, followed by a fated reunion.
Luffy and Bai Yun, two pirates, reunited at a Marine base, essentially all thanks to Zoro.
With such a connection, they had to invite him to join their crew right away.
He won't join?
Who cares! If he won't join willingly, we'll make him... Seeing Zoro's silence, Bai Yun had no choice but to pull out his ultimate move.
"Your swords were taken, weren't they?"
"Luffy will go get your swords back for you."
"But if you want your swords..."
"You have to become our nakama!" x2
Luffy and Bai Yun said the last sentence in unison.
"You guys are too despicable!"
Zoro roared in anger, baring his teeth, but Luffy paid him no mind. After Bai Yun told him the swords were in Helmeppo's bedroom, Luffy immediately set off to find Zoro's swords.
"Coby, take this little girl out. Things are about to get R-rated."
"Little girl, don't worry, we'll rescue this green-haired big brother from the evil Marines."
As Luffy went to find the swords, Bai Yun had Coby take the little girl away.
Coby didn't refuse, or rather, he didn't dare to refuse.
The little girl, hearing that Bai Yun would rescue Zoro, was very excited, pumping her fist and cheering Bai Yun on.
Then, the two of them slipped out of the Marine base.
Bai Yun looked back at Zoro, still with a polite smile.
Zoro ignored him, but Bai Yun kept getting closer.
Zoro instantly bristled, "What are you doing?!"
"Nothing, just seeing if there's anything different about your left eye," Bai Yun replied, knowing that those who understood, understood.
"Are you sick?"
"I don't know, maybe."
"My body, it's too weak."
Bai Yun answered.
"..."
Zoro was utterly speechless. Who was asking about that?
"Hmph!"
"So, who exactly are you? What exactly do you want? Why are you inviting a pirate hunter to become a pirate?"
Exhaling, Zoro composed himself and stared at Bai Yun, asking.
"What do we want to do?"
"That's a question."
"We're pirates, you already know that."
"My name is Bai Yun. The straw hat guy just now is my nakama, you could say my younger brother, named Luffy."
"He's also the captain of our pirate crew."
"Don't let his carefree demeanor fool you; his strength is actually quite impressive."
"Anyone with a dream is amazing."
"Just like you want to become the world's greatest swordsman."
"Luffy's dream is... to become the Pirate King!"
"To be precise, becoming the Pirate King is only the first step of his dream."
Bai Yun said to Zoro with a smile, like a salesman, and a very skilled one at that.
"Pirate King?"
"There are so many pirates in this world; becoming the Pirate King isn't something you can just talk about."
Zoro himself had been a pirate hunter. There were countless pirates on the sea, impossible to catch them all. To surpass all pirates and become the Pirate King, how could it be easy?
"Isn't that the same as your dream, Zoro, to become the world's greatest swordsman?"
"There are many strong people in the world, and quite a few who use swords."
"But you still harbor that dream, don't you?"
"What kind of dream is easily achievable?"
"You don't believe in Luffy's perseverance, or whether he can stick to it?"
"Let me put it this way: Luffy himself said that this is his ideal, his choice, and he won't hesitate to give his life for it."
"I believe he can succeed. If you don't believe him, Zoro, why not come aboard and see? If you're disappointed, you can always leave."
Bai Yun patted Zoro's shoulder, a sincere smile on his face.
"Hmph, you talk too much, it's annoying."
"What about you then? You support Luffy so much, what's your dream?"
Zoro asked. The fact that he asked this probably meant he had already agreed to join the crew. Being a pirate didn't really conflict with his goal of becoming the world's greatest swordsman.
"Heh heh, my dream, huh..."
"Maybe I just want to go to the docks for some fries. Trust me, if there aren't any, you'll regret not going to the docks for some fries."
When speaking of his dream, Bai Yun paused for a moment, then continued.
"?"
A question mark appeared above Zoro's head. What in the world was he talking about?! Just as Bai Yun put away his joke and was about to speak seriously...
A huge crash sounded. On the Marine building to the left, the upper half of a stone statue fell from the top, smashing onto the ground and breaking into pieces.
Then, they heard, "Kill him!!!" These three words echoed throughout the entire Marine base.
Bai Yun smiled. He knew this was Luffy's doing. It seemed Captain Morgan's statue was destined to shatter!
Morgan turned his head and coincidentally met Bai Yun's gaze, his eyes filled with a desire to devour Bai Yun.
"Prison break! Escape!"
"Damn you! This is blasphemy against me!"
He snatched a long spear from a nearby soldier and, holding it with one hand, fired a shot at Bai Yun and Zoro.
In slow motion.
The bullet, carrying a wave of heat, came hurtling towards them.
Zoro panicked. He couldn't die like this; he still had things to do! His vow!
He still carried Kuina's strength; he couldn't die like this!
"Save me!"
"Alrighty!"