"Good sword!" Hawkeye originally didn't plan to pay attention to Orochimaru, because there were no powerful figures in the East Blue. As Orochimaru spat out a sword, he was a bit surprised. A Devil Fruit User? He carefully examined the sword and found it to be a rare good sword. Did that mean the other party was also a good swordsman?
Orochimaru stood opposite Hawkeye, his expression solemn. Then a blur flashed, and the Kusanagi Sword clashed with the Black Blade, emitting a crisp sound. The surrounding crowd could feel the biting aftershocks.
Everyone came out to watch the confrontation. Compared to Hawkeye, Orochimaru's swordsmanship could be described as magnificent. Zoro, supported by Joseph, returned to the going merry, looking at Luffy.
"Orochimaru also knows swordsmanship?"
Luffy scratched his head, shook it, then nodded. "He should, I guess. I only know he has a sword, but I've never seen him use it." When Luffy was on the mountain, everyone used physical combat. He rarely saw Orochimaru use a sword; Orochimaru practiced swordsmanship by himself, and Luffy seldom saw it.
Everyone watched Orochimaru fighting Hawkeye. His swordsmanship was interspersed with various Ninjutsu and ninja tools, dazzling the onlookers. Then, the two simultaneously stopped. Orochimaru knew he couldn't defeat Hawkeye right now, and Hawkeye also felt that Orochimaru wasn't a pure swordsman, so continuing the fight was meaningless (actually, the author can't write fight scenes, ORZ please forgive the foolish author).
But in the eyes of others, it was incredible that Orochimaru could fight Hawkeye, one of the Shichibukai, to a draw.
Nami was shocked. "Luffy, where did you find Orochimaru? How could such a powerful person join your Pirate Crew?"
Everyone else was curious, only Luffy pouted. "I'm strong too! Haven't I told you? Orochimaru is my younger brother!"
"Eh!!!! No way!" Everyone looked back and forth between the two in shock. Impossible, absolutely impossible (꒪ Д ꒪) ﾉ
Returning to the going merry, Orochimaru received a collection of ambiguous, even sympathetic, gazes.
Usopp leaned over. "Orochimaru... are you really Luffy's brother?"
Orochimaru was silent... again wanting to punch the system that ran away, but he still nodded.
The straw hat Pirate Crew made a ruckus. Sanji leaned against the railing, smoking and watching them, his eyes a little envious.
Orochimaru nudged Luffy. "We're leaving. Aren't you going to invite your cook?"
Luffy invited Sanji again, but Sanji still refused for Zeff's sake. Zeff and the other cooks came forward, saying he had been fired and told him to leave quickly.
Sanji still refused adamantly, saying he would rather die there... Orochimaru thought for a moment... suddenly remembering a meme... Sanji's so-called dream... Orochimaru spoke up, "Bunny-eared girls..."
Sanji's ears twitched... "I absolutely won't."
"Mermaid Princess."
Sanji's cigarette fell, his eyes vacant.
"I know news of the Clear-Clear Fruit."
˗ ˋ ˏ ᰔ ᩚ ˎ ˊ ˗ Sanji turned around sharply. "Captain Luffy, please take care of me."
The cooks of the Sea Restaurant Baratie collectively covered their foreheads... he's beyond saving.
Although Krieg was gone, Sanji's heart had already wavered after seeing Zoro and Hawkeye's battle. Before, he felt that leaving like this would be unfair to Zeff, who raised him, but now! Clear-Clear Fruit, here I come!!! Cough cough, just kidding, Sanji still wanted to find the All Blue... Receiving Zeff's blessing, Sanji solemnly kowtowed and bid farewell to Baratie, joining the Straw Hat Pirates.
On the going merry, a group of people gathered together.
"Are we going to just barge in, or just barge in?" The group was rubbing their fists, especially Usopp... Orochimaru was a little strange; this wasn't very Usopp.
Then he understood, Usopp thought that with him there, he had nothing to fear?
"I won't participate in Arlong's fight. That's your fight. This is a special situation. Unless absolutely necessary, I won't interfere with your battles. That would only hinder your growth."
After speaking, he dragged Zoro by his collar back to the room for treatment. Before, he had only roughly treated the surface; now, it was time for deeper treatment. Leaving hidden injuries would not be good.
Watching Orochimaru leave, Usopp lay on the ground. "Ah... Captain... I've caught a disease that prevents me from going ashore."
Nami, who had objectively analyzed the situation of herself and Cocoyasi Village, suddenly had an epiphany. She didn't think Arlong was someone who would keep his promises. Would he really let Cocoyasi Village go just for money? Nami decided to trick Arlong.
"We'll do this and this... and that and that." Nami seemed to have broken, letting out a sinister laugh. Everyone felt like they had seen Orochimaru 2.0. Only Sanji was there, shouting like an idiot, "Even a bad Nami-chan is so cute!"
With Orochimaru present, the group wouldn't go hungry because Luffy ate all the food. After defeating Mohmoo, they successfully landed in Cocoyasi Village and met Nami's sister, Nojiko.
The group went to the tangerine grove and, guided by Nami, dug up the hidden money.
Seeing the blood-stained, fragmented money, Nojiko couldn't help but cover her mouth and cry softly. Everyone else's faces were also grim. Sanji's hand trembled as he lit a cigarette, and Usopp stopped his fear, his eyes filled only with determination.
"Hey... mina... don't make those faces. It's all in the past, isn't it? We'll defeat Arlong together, won't we?" Nami forced a smile. Although she knew Orochimaru was there to back them up, the shadows of so many years still made her afraid.
Taking a deep breath, everyone put all the money into a box, which Orochimaru collected. Then, they put many IOUs inside the box. Everyone spent a night writing various nonsensical IOUs with different reasons, and then they re-covered the box.
Alright, now it was time to watch Nami act.
Nami, who had returned to the Arlong Pirate Crew, stood before Arlong.
"Does our agreement about the one hundred million still count?"
"Ahahaha... Of course... my Navigator, if you hand over the money tomorrow, I'll spare the people of Cocoyasi."
Nami turned and left, her fists clenched.
Sure enough, not long after Nami returned, Captain Nezumi came ashore with the Marine, saying he was there to confiscate a thief's money, blurting out that it was as much as one hundred million Berries.
"How did you know it was one hundred million?" Although Nami had a premonition, she was still angry at Arlong's deception.
As the tangerine grove was dug up, only one hundred million in IOUs were found inside.
"Does Marine-sama want to help me pay off my debts? I'm truly grateful." Nami smiled at these people, suppressing her anger.
Captain Nezumi, exasperated, ordered his men to continue searching. The tangerine grove was dug up in disarray, and the items inside the house were smashed to pieces. Orochimaru chose the best angle to photograph the mess.
Watching the Marine leave, Nami seized the time difference to go find Arlong.
If she hadn't met Luffy, her money would have truly been stolen. Thinking of that despair, Nami walked towards Arlong with anger on her face.
"The Marine you secretly colluded with came to steal my money! You said you would never break your promise about money, even if you died!!" Nami grabbed Arlong's collar and roared, "Why!!"
"When did I break my promise?" Arlong didn't move.
"Don't play dumb! You colluded with the Marine!"
Arlong lifted Nami. "When did I break my promise, tell me? Oh, your money was stolen, how unfortunate. But a promise is a promise. If you can't present one hundred million Berries to me, I can't return the Village to you." A group of Fishman laughed heartily.
Nami broke free from Arlong and left.