Orochimaru, looking dispirited, was carried away by Zoro. Orochimaru was too lazy to move, so he simply transformed into a snake and coiled around Zoro's neck. He didn't know how long he had slept before being woken up by two unfamiliar voices. He looked up through the window at the two of them... they looked a little familiar.
Isn't that Johnny, the legendary Sword God, and Joseph, the Sword Saint?
Orochimaru yawned and transformed back, but still leaned bonelessly against Zoro.
Zoro ignored the 'attachment' on him and walked out, listening to the sounds of fighting.
"What, aren't you Johnny?"
Johnny looked up at Zoro on the deck, with someone leaning against him... uh... who's that... never mind. "Big Brother Zoro, how are you on this pirate ship?"
"Isn't Joseph with you?" Zoro asked, a little confused.
Johnny hurriedly pulled Joseph up, crying as he spoke.
"Joseph was perfectly fine a few days ago, but suddenly his face turned pale and he fainted several times. I couldn't figure out why. His teeth fell out and he was spitting blood."
As he spoke, Johnny suddenly became enraged.
"When I took him to rest by the rocks... suddenly a cannonball shot from this ship... and the shattered rocks fell down."
Johnny covered his face, crying in pain.
Luffy and Usopp's mouths dropped open in horror, and they collectively bowed in apology.
"So... so sorry."
"If apologies worked, we wouldn't need the Marine, right... Big Brother... this guy isn't going to die, is he?" Johnny wiped his tears, at a loss.
Seeing Joseph in this state, Zoro casually picked up Orochimaru, who was leaning on him, and placed him next to the heavily injured Joseph.
"Do me a favor, thanks."
Orochimaru still looked listless, thinking of the experimental subjects that had already left. He glanced at Joseph, used his Chakra to heal the wounds caused by the cannonball, took out a bottle of orange juice from his backpack, and forced it into Joseph's mouth. Watching the liquid being gulped down, he wiped his hands, and then moved two meters away from Joseph, without much explanation. He still vividly remembered Johnny's spit.
"Alright, just rest for a bit and you'll be fine."
Johnny bowed solemnly, extremely grateful.
At this moment, Nami also walked over.
"This is scurvy, isn't it? If it's not too late, he'll be fine in a few days."
"Really?! Big Sister!" Johnny's spit sprayed all over Nami's face, and Orochimaru silently took another step back.
Nami frowned and pushed Johnny away. "Don't call me that. A long time ago, this was a desperate disease that accompanied sea voyages. Because old ships wouldn't carry fresh vegetables and fruits that couldn't be preserved for long, people would get this disease if they didn't eat fruits and vegetables for a long time."
Not long after, Joseph miraculously revived, full of energy. After showing off for a while, he collapsed from exhaustion and fainted.
Everyone gathered with solemn expressions for a meeting.
Nami: "This is a lesson."
Zoro: "Indeed, there's such a hidden danger during long voyages."
Usopp: "Does that mean we have to consider nutritional balance for long journeys with the limited ingredients on the ship?"
Nami rested her face on her hand, recording something. "Come to think of it, this is also an essential skill."
Luffy gnawed on bread. "Emmmm... it's a chef for the sea, right? Let's go find a chef for the sea."
"Soga, that way we can eat delicious food on the ship!" Usopp was a little excited.
"A ship doctor is also needed," Orochimaru said, leaning by the window.
"? Huh? Why? Can't Orochimaru do it?" Luffy asked, confused.
"I can only treat injuries, not illnesses. I should say I'm not good at treating these kinds of sea-related illnesses. If you ask me to treat it, I'll just replace whatever is broken," Orochimaru thought, realizing he should start cloning backup organs.
"Don't say such terrifying things with a calm face!" The group roared.
"Well... let's find a chef first, then consider the ship doctor," Luffy said, gnawing on his bread indifferently.
Johnny maintained his posture. "I have a recommended place, and rumors of the Hawkeye man Big Brother has been looking for are also circulating there. The heading is northeast by north, the target is the sea restaurant Baratie."
The group sailed their ship and arrived at the entrance of Baratie. "Wow~~ What a big fish~" The group excitedly looked at the restaurant on the sea.
Beep beep beep... At this moment, a Marine warship approached the going merry.
"A pirate ship I haven't seen before," a man in a suit wearing brass knuckle-like gloves walked out.
"We are Pirate Hunters," Joseph and Johnny told the man.
"Huh? I remember you two are a pair of bounty hunters who target small fry. Did you clumsy hunters finally get caught by pirates?" Hobody sneered, his mouth twisted.
Johnny angrily pulled out a stack of bounty posters from his Huai and threw them out. "You actually said that Pirate Hunters target small fry!"
Hobody ignored the two, putting his arm around the shoulder of the woman beside him. "I am Marine Headquarters Captain, Iron Fist Hobody. Pirates, state your names."
"I am... Luffy... My pirate flag was just made the day before yesterday... of..." Luffy's voice trailed off halfway, and he instantly shut up, looking at Orochimaru, who was emitting black smoke... dragging Usopp away.
"Huh?? Iron Fist! Iron Fist!" Orochimaru, who had been watching Nami emitting resentment towards Arlong's bounty poster, instantly released killing intent when he heard the man opposite him. Orochimaru's arm suddenly transformed into a thick python, which violently lashed out at the man. The snake's mouth bit the shoulder of the so-called Iron Fist, flinging the man away, and then the python's massive body slammed down onto the man's stomach. With a boom, it smashed through the warship's surface.
"Attack! Quick, attack! Ship doctor! Retreat!" The Marines on the warship moved in a panic, retreating while firing cannonballs at the going merry. Luffy used his body to block the cannonballs and was sent flying into Baratie along with them.
Orochimaru came to his senses, feeling a bit of an overreaction. He pretended as if nothing had happened. "Ah... Luffy flew away."
The others also came to their senses and rushed to Baratie. Learning that Luffy had to work there to pay for damages, they couldn't help but gloat, comfortably ordering a table full of dishes.
The group was boisterous, watching Zoro forcefully shove Luffy's booger-water into his mouth. Luffy screamed that he was dying and rolled on the floor. Usopp and Nami pounded the table, laughing until tears streamed down their faces. Orochimaru couldn't suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth and could only pretend to eat, using his other hand to tuck a lock of hair behind his ear, revealing his magatama earring and the side of his neck.
Sanji's eyes went wide at this sight. He handed the wine in his hand to a customer, telling him to pour it himself.
"Ah~ Sea~ Thank you for granting me this encounter today.
Love~ You may mock me for being unable to bear this pain.
As long as I'm with you~ Whether I become a pirate or a devil~ I am now fully resolved."
Sanji knelt on one knee, holding a rose... if only it wasn't directed at Orochimaru.
The group was stunned by these cringeworthy words, then their faces turned a little red as they tried hard to hold back.
"But it's truly too sad, that such a huge obstacle exists between us," Sanji said, clenching his fist and looking up at the sky with a look of indignation.
Not long after he finished speaking, everyone burst into uncontrollable laughter. Luffy rolled on the floor, kneeling and pounding the ground.
"Hahahahahahaha... Another one... hahahahaha."
Then Luffy grabbed Usopp's hand, his expression instantly changing to Sanji's.
"Ah~ Sea~ Thank you for granting me this encounter today... hahahaha..."
Orochimaru's face was gloomy, and black aura emanated from behind him.
Zeff appeared at this moment. "You're referring to me as the obstacle, aren't you... Sanji." Sanji instantly snapped out of his infatuated state.
Orochimaru stood up, his chair falling to the ground, his face extremely grim, his voice hoarse and cold. "No... His obstacle, isn't you... it's me." Then he turned around... "Luffy... Zoro... Usopp... Nami... Is it that funny?"
Luffy knew things were bad and quickly ran over, hugging Orochimaru with all four limbs.
"Gomen gomen... Don't be angry~" Luffy rubbed against Orochimaru's face, trying hard to act cute.