Chapter 206: Body MutationIn the East Blue, within the Goa Kingdom, inside the peaceful Dadan Family home!Marcus lay tightly on a mattress, covered with a white cotton quilt, while Makino was by his side taking care of the heavily injured Marcus. However, Makino only had a superficial understanding of medicine and was not very proficient.She could only treat Marcus's severe external skin wounds to prevent the injuries from worsening; she had no way to deal with internal injuries.But before losing consciousness, Marcus had specifically instructed that they could not seek out other doctors. Only they could know about his presence here; no one else could find out.Yesterday, everyone still didn't understand why, but after seeing today's latest newspaper, everything became clear. Makino stayed here instead of returning to the bar to look after Marcus.Curly Dadan and the others were crude in their ways; there was no way they could care for the critically injured Marcus. Only the gentle Makinocould perform such a task.After carefully changing the medicine on Marcus's body, Makino finally breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead caused by nervousness.Glancing toward the door, she thought to herself, "Why hasn't Luffy returned yet? He's been gone so long, I hope he hasn't run into any danger"... Yesterday!Marcus had deliberately met Sengoku's palm strike head-on. In fact, he had a hidden motive; Sengokuhad used methods to create a kind of interference in the Void Realm, making it difficult for him to perform spatial teleportation.As someone who had died once, Marcus could maintain a calm attitude toward death, yet at the same time, he was exceptionally afraid of dying, especially in such an illogical manga world.It might seem contradictory, but upon careful thought, it was normal. Having finally lived a second life and obtained the things he hoped for, Marcuswas afraid of losing them.The power of the clash between Marcus and Sengoku shattered the space, allowing Marcus to sense the backup plan he had left behind. As for the crushed black stone, it contained powerful spatial energy; once erupted, it was enough for him to perform a fixed ultra-long-distance movement.The other end of that long-distance movement was Mt. Colubo in the Goa Kingdom. Before Marcus left years ago, he had specifically built an octagonal platform to serve as the other end of the spatial mark; this was the backup plan Marcus had left.Without this backup plan, Marcus would have 100% been caught there, and the consequence would have been death, or being tortured to death... "Makino! I'm back!"A shout came from outside, and as soon as the words fell, Luffy's figure came running in.Compared to the past, Luffy had grown a lot, both in face and body. That straw hat was still tied around his neck, and he was still reckless in his actions, with a face full of simple innocence.Makino quickly raised a finger in a shushing gesture, signaling Luffy to be quiet. "Marcus is still sleeping. Be quiet, don't wake him up."Luffy nodded and walked cautiously to Makino's side. Afraid of disturbing Marcus, he pulled a small glass bottle from his pocket and handed it to Makino.He said, "Makino, I found the stuff, but how do you use this?"Taking the glass bottle Luffy handed over, she held it before her eyes and gently shook the liquid inside, saying uncertainly, "I'm not sure either. Marcusfainted before he could say how to use it. It should be taken orally, right?""Come, Makino, give that to me."A soft voice sounded. The two quickly looked down. At some point, Marcus had woken up from his slumber and was looking at them with eyes slightly open.Luffy shouted happily, "Marcus, you're awake! I thought you'd be unconscious for a long time."Licking his dry lips, a slight smile appeared on Marcus's face as he said softly, "Luffy! Long time no see. You haven't changed much from before, and you still do things the same way—I was woken up by you instantly.""Hehe..." Luffy grinned, but not a hint of apology could be seen.At this moment, Marcus was severely injured and didn't even have the strength to move his hands. Only with Makino's help was he able to sit up from the mattress and lean against the pillow behind him.*Gulp, gulp...*Taking the glass bottle from Makino, he didn't hesitate and drank it all in one gulp, swallowing it gently.Immediately, Marcus felt a clear stream slide down his throat to his chest, turning into wisps of cool sensation that then dispersed in all directions, spreading throughout his body.This feeling was like drinking a mouthful of ice-cold water on a scorching summer day. The soreness throughout his body slowly diminished and finally vanished, replaced by a cool sensation that enveloped him, making one lose themselves in it.Phew!Shaking his head gently, Marcus took a deep breath and stepped out of that sensation; it was just an illusion. Although the medicinal effect of this liquid was strong, it hadn't reached that level. In truth, his internal injuries were extremely severe."Marcus, how do you feel?" Makino asked in a low voice."Yeah, I feel much better now, pfft..."Marcus had just said he was fine, but not even a second later, he suddenly spat out blood. His complexion, which had recovered slightly, turned pale once again."What's happening? Marcus, why are you spitting blood again? Is there something wrong with the medicine?" Makino asked urgently, her tone filled with confusion. He had just shown improvement, so why the sudden blood? Beside her, Luffy scratched his head with a bewildered look.Marcus waved his hand and said absentmindedly, "It's fine, it's not a problem with the medicine! It's just that my body seems..."He was thinking about what had just happened. There was no problem with the medicine; its effect was very strong. In a short time, Marcus could feel the soreness in his body decrease significantly.The reason he spat blood was that Marcus had used his ability. Just now, Marcus had secretly tried to use his power, and then he felt a stabbing pain from within, leading to the scene just now.*Pfft...*Another mouthful of blood was spat out. Makinowas startled, and even the thick-skulled Luffyrealized something was wrong.Marcus quickly waved his hand to stop Makino from supporting him. Wiping the blood from his mouth, he smiled at the two and said, "Don't worry, I'm fine. It's all under my control; there's no danger to my life."Hearing Marcus say this, a flash of suspicion appeared in Makino's eyes. She understood that Marcus was hiding something. But Makino didn't ask; since Marcus was hiding it, it seemed this matter wasn't suitable for them to know, and there was no need to ask more.Rising gently, Makino said softly, "You've been unconscious for a day and a night, you must be very hungry. I'll go prepare some food. You should rest well first."As soon as he heard about eating, Luffy immediately perked up. His eyes shone, and saliva was about to flow from his mouth. "Great! Makino's cooking is the best! I want roast meat, roast meat!"Saying this, Luffy also got up to follow Makino, but Marcus suddenly spoke to call him back.Holding his hat, Luffy asked with a face full of confusion, "Marcus, why are you calling me back? I'm going to eat Makino's delicious roast meat."Moving slightly to get closer to Luffy, he asked in a low voice, "Hey! Luffy, when I arrived here yesterday, did anything strange happen?""Something strange?..."Last night, Luffy was in the forest as usual, looking for some wild beasts to practice his ability. The promised date was coming soon, so he had to step up his training to increase his strength.But with his Rubber Fruit ability and years of hard training, Luffy's strength was already very high. There were no creatures on Mt. Colubo that could oppose him anymore.Just as Luffy was worrying about what to do, the bright sky gradually darkened. Countless black clouds gathered, and the sound of rumbling thunder echoed between heaven and earth.The sky was covered by black clouds, and soon, torrential rain fell from the horizon. Accompanied by rumbling thunder, bright flashes of lightning, like silvery snakes, roamed within the vast black clouds, occasionally peeking out.Feeling the fierce storm, Luffy was about to find a place to hide when—BOOM!—a thunderclap rang out, echoing through the entire world.Following that, a bolt of lightning illuminated the sky. A long streak of lightning struck down from the heavens like a sharp sword, as if to split the sky in two. The bright light flashed and vanished, illuminating both heaven and earth."Wow, what's happening? This looks so interesting!"The lightning struck the highest peak accurately. The front end didn't vanish into the ground but turned into terrifying silvery-white sparks that quickly dispersed into the void. The flickering silver light was like a shield covering the peak.Luffy suddenly remembered the things Marcus had instructed before he left. Stretching both arms, he grabbed two large trees and pulled back sharply. Releasing his feet, he flew toward the mountain peak.But when Luffy reached the peak, the high platform built on top was already shattered into pieces. Marcus was lying on the platform, his whole body surrounded by a silver light."And then, you know the rest. After telling me some things, you fainted," Luffy said, spreading his hands."So that's how it is!" Marcus looked up at Luffy and instructed, "Luffy, don't tell anyone about what happened that day. That's it, go find Makino and eat your roast meat."Luffy had been confused by Marcus's words earlier, but as soon as he heard the words 'roast meat', he immediately threw his confusion out of his mind and walked out with eyes shining for meat.But after Luffy left, a look of extreme excitement appeared on Marcus's face. It seemed this severe injury was worth it; after a great disaster comes great fortune. He hadn't expected that, while unconscious, he would actually integrate that Void Power into his body.The silvery-white light Luffy saw wasn't lightning, but a kind of power hidden in the void. Marcus had discovered this power before.That was when he first performed a teleportation. Marcus had been attacked by this power and almost died in the void. This power was also a type of spatial power, and Marcus could sense a familiar aura from it.But this power was too strong, much more Advanced than the one Marcus controlled. Marcushad tried to find ways to obtain it, but it was hard to encounter every time; it required opportunity.He had occasionally encountered it several times, but Marcus had never succeeded once. This power conflicted with the Devil Fruit Ability he had obtained, yet it was more Advanced, as if it didn't belong to this world.But perhaps this power was just too strong to tolerate the Devil Fruit Ability. Once he used his ability, this power would riot, and the resulting backlash was something even Marcus couldn't withstand.But being able to obtain this power was a great opportunity for Marcus. As long as he could master this power, Marcus's combat strength would surely increase significantly again. (To be continued.)
Chapter 207: Invitation, Becoming the First MateSwoosh!In the quiet Mt. Colubo, at a place where Luffy often trained, Marcus's figure flashed, and his long sword left a flash of sword light with a swish.He twirled his long sword with his right hand, then gripped it backhanded against his rear arm. A crack appeared on the giant, several-meter-high boulder. With a bang, the upper part of the boulder fell to the ground, kicking up countless clouds of dust."Whoa, Marcus! That's amazing!" Luffy, standing to the side, exclaimed as he saw Marcus strike.A trace of dejection flashed in his eyes. Even if he wanted to destroy such a large rock, it would take him two punches, yet Marcus had split it in two with a single light sword strike. He was still far behind him.Seeing the boulder split in two by a single sword strike, a trace of joy appeared on his face. With a backhand wave, he held the long sword horizontally in front of his chest and gently rubbed it.Compared to the previous space sword, the one currently in Marcus's hand had undergone subtle changes, different from the previous all-black appearance.Now, the black color of this space sword was lighter than before. The biggest change was at the tip; there was a silver-white stripe running right down the middle of the blade, from the hilt to the tip.After recuperating in Foosha Village for over a month, most of Marcus's injuries had healed. During the half-month he spent lying in bed, Marcus hadn't just been lying there idly; he had been secretly and continuously researching the Void Power within his body—this powerful force.After a month of day and night research, Marcuscould finally exert slight control over some of this power, though he had paid a significant price: he had been coughing up blood every day for the past month. Fortunately, his physical constitution was strong enough, or he wouldn't have been able to hold on.The gains were beyond Marcus's imagination. By fusing just a tiny bit of this power, both the offensive and defensive capabilities of his Devil Fruit Abilityhad increased significantly when he used it again.Just like with that sword strike, Marcus had only used a little force; he had relied entirely on the sharpness of the space sword to shred that boulder.Merely mastering a little bit of Void Power could increase his combat strength so much; if he could fully master this power, Marcus couldn't imagine how strong he would be.Feeling the strength of this power, Marcus had the illusion that the space control he obtained through his Devil Fruit Ability was just fake space power, and that this was the real thing...Perhaps at that time, he would be able to return to that place. Of course, this was just Marcus's speculation, but it wasn't without basis. The fact that he could have a Rebirth into this two-dimensional world suggested that the theories about parallel worlds circulating at the time were very likely correct.Whether it was this world or a parallel Universe, both were composed of space. This was essential. If he could truly control space, Marcus felt that he might actually be able to travel through the dimensional Universe.He was thinking too much. Marcus shook his head to banish the unnecessary thoughts from his mind. When he regained his focus, he happened to catch a faint trace of discouragement in Luffy's eyes.But who was Luffy? Confident and determined, that emotion in his eyes instantly vanished, and he returned to his simple, innocent self."Hey! Luffy," Marcus said, "Do you know what? I ran into Ace on the Grand Line."Luffy's eyes lit up, and he asked excitedly, "Really! How is he doing now?""Yeah! Ace is very strong now, much stronger than before. He's a Great Pirate on the Grand Line, famous throughout the Grand Line," Marcus nodded with a smile, summarizing briefly."A Great Pirate," Luffy clenched his fists, his face full of anticipation. "Ace has already become a Great Pirate. I need to set sail soon too. I must catch up to Ace. I am the man who will become the Pirate King!"Hearing Luffy's declaration, Marcus smiled and shook his head. Perhaps others would only mock it and move on, but having spent so long with Luffy...Marcus could sense something special about Luffy. He could make others trust him and make them willing to help him. Perhaps this was the reason Luffy could become the Pirate King."By the way," suddenly remembering something, Marcus asked, "Luffy, calculating the time, it shouldn't be long until the time you agreed upon with Ace. When are you setting sail to truly become a pirate?"Luffy replied, "Yeah, that's right. My agreement with Ace was to set sail when we turned seventeen. In three days, I'll be seventeen, and I'll set sail that day."Feeling a bit tired from standing, Marcus leaned back against the boulder that had been cut in two, somewhat surprised. "So you're setting sail in three days? With three days left, do you want me to help you prepare some sailing supplies?""What?!" Hearing Marcus's words, Luffy, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, darted in front of Marcus, his face full of surprise. "Marcus, you've been staying here all this time—aren't you going to set sail with me?"Marcus, who was rubbing his ear, was shocked upon hearing this. He said in confusion, "Luffy, when did I ever say I was going to set sail with you? I never said that. Besides, I've been staying here to recover from my injuries."Resting his chin in his hand, Luffy thought about it carefully. It seemed Marcus really hadn't said that. Just as Marcus breathed a sigh of relief, Luffy calmly said."Alright, you didn't say it before, but I've decided. Marcus, from now on, you are my First Mate, and I am the Captain."Marcus grabbed Luffy by the collar, saying angrily, "Luffy! I haven't even agreed yet; why are you being so certain?"Facing the angry Marcus, Luffy didn't care and still said calmly, "I am the Captain, and you are the First Mate. Of course, you have to listen to the Captain—that is, my orders.""I've already said, I didn't agree to be your First Mate!""You don't need to; I've already agreed for you. From now on, you are my First Mate.""Impossible. Even if I agreed, my strength should make me the Captain; how could I be a First Mate? I'm someone who wants to be a Captain!""No way. I'm the Captain. If you become the Captain, then what would I be? I don't want to be a First Mate!" Luffy hurriedly shook his head, one hundred percent disagreeing.Marcus grabbed Luffy's collar tightly and threw him forward with force. After staying for a year, Marcusunderstood one thing: don't argue with Luffy, otherwise, you'll be the one going crazy.With a loud bang, Luffy crashed directly into the pile of rubble, kicking up countless stones and thick clouds of dust as he flew to the side."Imprison!"With a soft shout, as if it were a royal decree, all the rubble was imprisoned in the Void Realm, then fell to the ground, making dull thuds."Cough, cough!" Several coughs rang out. The smoke slowly dissipated, and Luffy sat on the pile of rubble, holding his straw hat and fanning away the smoke on the side. This amount of power caused Luffy no damage at all.Looking at Luffy in front of him, Marcus actually calmed down. He sighed deeply and said in a low voice, "Luffy, after so many years on the Grand Line, I don't even know how many people I've offended. Some are already mortal enemies.""Most of them are famous powerhouses. When the time comes, I won't even be able to take care of myself. If I join you, I'll only bring more trouble. Luffy, you have great potential, but you also need time to grow.""Plus, after that incident with the Celestial Dragons, I have offended the World Government and the Celestial Dragons terribly. I'm sure that as soon as I appear in the New World, they will use all their power to capture me.""This whirlpool is too big. You don't have the strength to get involved yet. Perhaps after you've adventured on the Grand Line for a few years and your strength has grown, you'll be able to participate in this matter."Although what Marcus said sounded a bit harsh, it was a fact. If he appeared on the Grand Line, then whether it was the Marines, pirates, the World Government, or the powers secretly controlled by the Celestial Dragons, they would all come after him.The people they would send would be at least at the level of a Marine Vice Admiral; otherwise, it would be useless against him. With Luffy's current strength, he would have absolutely no power to fight back if he encountered any of them.There was one more thing Marcus didn't say: the Void Power within his body conflicted with his Devil Fruit Ability. Through his control of the Void Power, Marcus could only use some simple abilities; once he exceeded that, he would suffer a backlash.It could be said that Marcus's abilities were practically useless! As long as he could slowly master the Void Power within his body, Marcus's strength would definitely increase rapidly, and he would truly stand at the Peak. But for now, he couldn't."Originally, I wanted to find ten crewmates, but now that Marcus has already joined me, should I continue to look for ten crewmates, or nine? But I've already thought it out: a musician, a cook, a Navigator...""Luffy!" Unknown to when—perhaps it was while Marcus was speaking—he had already put the straw hat on his head and was counting with his hands one by one, very distressed. Luffy was struggling to choose between nine crewmates or ten.Meanwhile, Marcus's heart was in turmoil. He had thought that by speaking so seriously, he could make Luffy give up the idea of him joining.Unexpectedly, Luffy looked completely unconcerned and was instead agonizing over choosing nine or ten crewmates. Was he truly thick-skinned, or was he just not taking these things seriously?"Alright, I've decided! I'm still going to find ten crewmates!" Luffy shouted. In the end, he decided to find ten crewmates, and Luffy had already thought out the position for each one.He looked at Marcus and asked with a smile, "Marcus, how about it? Be my First Mate, and we'll find One Piece together."Hearing Luffy ask again, Marcus didn't know why he suddenly wanted to laugh out loud. But in the end, he lowered his head and shook it. He didn't laugh; instead, he looked at the ground and remained silent.The silence between the two made the jungle fall into a strange atmosphere, as if something was brewing in the jungle.After a long while, Marcus slowly raised his head and looked at Luffy with a serious face. The two of them just stared at each other."Luffy, I'll only ask one thing: are you sure you want to invite me to join you and become your First Mate?"Luffy chuckled, reached up to his hat, grabbed the top of it, and said with rare seriousness, "I am the man who will become the Pirate King!""Alright! Pirate King!" (To be continued.)
Chapter 208: Tragic voyage!Three days, for someone about to embark on a long sea voyage, is a bit short, as many things are needed.However, during those three days, it was actually Mark who was busy, while Luffy just sat quietly beside him. Although Luffy constantly clamored about wanting to go to sea and become a pirate, to be the Pirate King.But Luffy knew nothing about sailing; never mind navigation skills, he wasn't even clear on the most basic things related to sailing. So Mark had to do everything, regretting immensely in his heart why he had agreed in a moment of impulse.Under Mark's three days of intense preparation, Luffy and Mark finally set sail!Makino asked worriedly, "Hey, Luffy, is it really okay for you and Mark to go in such a small boat?"Luffy spread his arms, looking at the small boat beneath his feet, and said, "It's fine, this is enough. Let's start like this. From here, I will walk the path to becoming the Pirate King."Seeing Luffy say this, the villagers on the dock laughed and advised with concern, "Luffy, this small boat is too small for you and Mark. Why don't you two go back on that other ship instead?"Mark pulled in the rope, stood up, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, with me here, this small boat is more than enough. We two will be fine. That other ship, consider it my gift to the village, as a token of my appreciation for everyone's care all this time."On the other side of the dock, a medium-sized three-masted sailing ship was anchored. With a sixty-meter hull and a spacious deck over ten meters wide, it had six levels from the bottom to the top, enough to accommodate over 100 people living at sea.Most importantly, while this ship appeared to be a civilian vessel, it was actually built to warship specifications, much sturdier than ordinary ships, and equipped with over twenty cannons.For a pirate crew of only two, this ship could be called luxurious, even miraculously so, to exaggerate.Mark had bought this ship through the underground world, and due to time constraints, he had paid double the price.However, that scoundrel Luffy had given it to the villagers with just one sentence, along with all the supplies on board. Mark's heart was bleeding, yet he had to smile through his tears.Looking at the small boat beneath his feet, barely big enough for one person to lie down, and then at the sixty-meter giant ship next to it, Mark suddenly felt his future was bleak.Luffy turned around, raised his hands, and shouted to the sea ahead, "Sabo, watch me! I'm going to sea too! Sabo was the first, Ace was the second, and Mark and I are the third, but I won't lose to you guys. Wait for me, Ace!"Hearing Luffy's confident declaration, Mark also looked towards the vast sea ahead. "Grand Line, I, Mark, am coming back. But this time, I won't be as a Marine. From Marine to pirate, I suppose it will shock quite a few people, won't it? Grand Line, wait for my arrival!"Thump thump... The village chief, with his arms crossed over his chest, stomped his foot forcefully and said angrily, "You two are the village's disgrace, becoming pirates! Especially you, Mark! How can you do this to Garp?"Mark and Luffy both ignored the village chief's words. They had heard him say it countless times during the three days of preparation."Everyone, we're off!""Goodbye!"On the small boat, Luffy rowed the oars, and Markstood at the stern, waving his hand to bid farewell to everyone."Mark, why am I the captain but I have to row, and you're the vice-captain but you don't have to do anything?" Luffy pouted, complaining.Turning around, Mark looked down at Luffy and said angrily, "You have the nerve to say that? What did you do yesterday? If you hadn't given away the ship, would we be rowing in a small boat? This is all your fault, so of course, the rowing falls to you."Luffy lowered his head, knowing he was in the wrong, and mumbled, "Didn't you look happy earlier and say it was fine? Why did you suddenly change your expression?"Bang!Mark immediately punched him down.It would have been better if Luffy hadn't said anything; his words only made Mark angrier. His heart was bleeding, but he still had to smile and say it was fine. Was it easy for him to just want a better ship to go to sea?With a push of his hands, Luffy climbed up from the bottom of the boat. "Mark, you ruined my barbecue! I'm going to punch you down!""Gum-Gum... Pistol!"Mark dodged sideways, narrowly avoiding Luffy's punch, then struck Luffy's chest with an open palm, forcing him back.One move wasn't enough, so Luffy spun around with a whip kick. With his rubber fruit ability, his leg rapidly extended, aiming for Mark's exposed waist.On the dock, Makino watched Mark and Luffy fiercely fighting on the distant small boat. The two-meter-long boat violently swayed under their power, as if it could capsize at any moment."They're fighting on such a small boat, aren't they afraid it will capsize? They're both Devil Fruit users!" Makino asked worriedly, hands on her hips, with a hint of helplessness in her tone.The village chief didn't speak, but his eyes showed a trace of concern as he stared intently at Luffy and Mark.Mark's right hand, like an eagle's claw, swiftly and accurately grabbed Luffy's wrists, pressing them tightly against his chest, rendering him immobile.Just as Luffy struggled, Mark suddenly became serious and whispered, "Luffy, don't move. Something's coming from below.""Something? Below?" Luffy stopped struggling, looking at the calm sea surface, utterly confused.Splash splash... The calm sea surface began to ripple, waves crashed against the small boat, making it shake violently. The sea swelled, and a colossal object appeared in the small boat's path.More ferocious waves struck, and the small boat, battered by the waves, seemed about to capsize at any moment. It was a giant sea beast, dozens of meters long, like a snake, its massive body obscuring the sun."Hey! Luffy, are you going to deal with this fish, or should I?" Mark had already released Luffy by then, speaking calmly.Luffy stepped forward: "I'll do it. I have to settle accounts with him for what happened back then."Pressing down on his straw hat, Luffy couldn't help but recall the scene where Shanks saved him. "Lord of the Coast, you've picked the wrong opponent. Let me show you the moves I've trained for ten years!""Gum-Gum... Pistol!"His arm, stretched backward, rapidly recoiled, greatly increasing the power and speed of his punch, enhancing his attack strength.The massive Lord of the Coast, seeing the once tiny ant daring to attack him, let out a low growl, opening its blood-red maw and charging towards him.Bang!Its massive body was sent flying by Luffy's punch, crashing heavily onto the sea surface, sending up waves several meters high.Looking at the giant floating corpse on the sea, Marksmiled faintly. Compared to back then, Luffy's move had increased in both speed and power by several folds."You know how powerful I am now, dead fish!" Luffy raised his fist, a slight smirk on his lips.Behind him, Mark lay half-reclined on the boat, waving his hand and saying, "Hey! Luffy, never mind that fish. Let's hurry up and set off. We can't waste time here.""Mhm," Luffy mumbled in response, then turned and shouted, "I will be the Pirate King!"... On the calm sea, a small boat sailed slowly with a tiny sail."Mark! I'm so hungry!" On the small boat, Luffy leaned against the stern, head down, speaking weakly.At the bottom of the boat, Mark, with a cowboy hat covering his head to shield him from the sun, also spoke feebly, "You have the nerve to say that? If you hadn't eaten all the barbecue on the first day, would we be this hungry?"A flash of inspiration crossed Luffy's mind, and he suggested, "Why don't we find a place with a village and go to a restaurant there for barbecue? Hurry up and see where the nearest village is to us."Mark took the map placed beside him and said, "No need to look, I've already looked countless times. The nearest town is a three-day voyage from here. We'll probably starve to death on this boat before we even get there."Today was the third day of their voyage. Since Luffy had eaten all the food on the first day, they had been hungry for two days. Now, Mark felt that going to sea with Luffy was the biggest mistake he had ever made.After a while, not hearing Luffy's voice, Mark took off the hat on his head and sat up, only to see Luffy leaning against the boat's side, head down, staring intently at the sea below.He couldn't help but ask, "Luffy, what are you looking at? Is there something in the sea?"Luffy still had his head down and replied, "No, Mark, don't you think our small boat is going much faster?"Is that so! Mark turned his head, looked around, and pondered in confusion, "Why do I feel like this small boat isn't just speeding up, but the sea level seems to be dropping?""Yeah, Mark, why do I feel like you've gotten shorter?" Luffy turned his head back, asking in confusion.Before Luffy's words had even finished, Mark quickly grabbed the oar fixed to the boat's side, gripped it with both hands, and started rowing with all his might."Shorter my ass! We've fallen into a giant whirlpool! Hurry up and row, or if we get pulled in further, we're done for!"As he rowed, Mark urged him. Both of them were Devil Fruit users; if they were caught in a whirlpool, they would surely die.Luffy quickly reacted, stepped forward, grabbed another oar, sat at the bottom of the boat, and started rowing with all his might.Both of them possessed superhuman strength. Under their full-power rowing, the entire small boat seemed to have two small electric motors attached.They stopped moving backward, overcame the whirlpool's pull, and slowly rushed towards the outside of the whirlpool. At this speed, they had a good chance of escaping the whirlpool's attraction.Crack... crack... But the small boat beneath their butts was made of ordinary wood and couldn't withstand the immense tearing force. The side planks began to break, and even the sturdy bottom of the boat slowly developed cracks.Luffy turned his head, rowing the oars with all his might, "Mark, the small boat is about to be destroyed. What do we do now?""I know, let me think," Mark replied anxiously. He had noticed these situations from the beginning, but with only such a small boat and nothing else around, Mark couldn't think of a good solution for a moment.If it were before, Mark would have directly used his Devil Fruit ability to fly out with Luffy, or had Chase Wind carry them out, but now none of those options were available."No choice, this is the only way. Our lives are in fate's hands," Mark mumbled, looking at the two large wooden barrels on the small boat."Mark, what did you think of...?"Before Luffy could finish speaking, Mark directly grabbed him, opened the lid of the wooden barrel above, and stuffed Luffy inside. To be safe, he also placed a spatial barrier at the opening.And at this moment, the small boat had reached its limit, its bottom already covered with countless cracks. With a quick movement, Mark quickly drillinto another large wooden barrel.Bang! (To be continued.)
Chapter 209: Reunion, KobyIn the East Blue, over a calm stretch of sea, a large wooden barrel was slowly drifting.In the sky, a tired seagull swooped down and landed on the barrel. A series of thumping sounds came from inside, scaring the seagull into immediate flight.With a bang, the barrel burst open, sending countless fragments flying out to float on the sea surface. A figure leaped out of the barrel—it was Marcus!With a light step, his toes touched the water, creating subtle ripples. He pivoted and leaped into the air, landing steadily on a larger piece of broken wood.He glanced around. All that surrounded him was the boundless sea; he couldn't even spot a small island or a single reef.Marcus patted his head and said, frustrated, "There's nothing around here. Now I don't even know where I am. There's no barrel nearby, and I've lost contact with Luffy. This is a terrible start to the journey."Marcus wasn't worried about Luffy's safety. The idiot was inside the barrel, protected by his own spatial barrier, as long as Luffy didn't open the large barrel himself.Floating on the sea like that, it was impossible for it to break. However, the East Blue was vast, and finding him would be quite troublesome."Losing the Captain right after setting sail is quite miserable," Marcus muttered helplessly while looking at the vast ocean.Using the sun high in the sky, Marcus determined his direction. Following the approximate map location in his mind, he controlled the wooden fragment beneath his feet and headed east. There was a busy town there, which was also a Marine base.Driven by his Devil Fruit Ability, Marcus's speed was incredibly fast. The wooden board under his feet cut a white wake, moving several times faster than the small boat he had before.Traveling at such speed, Marcus didn't even know how far he had gone, yet he still hadn't seen an island. Using his ability this much, Marcus felt the dormant Void Power within his body seemed about to awaken.His eyes narrowed slightly. A small black dot appeared in his vision. As the distance closed, he saw it was a small reef island, but it was still hundreds of meters long and had quite a few trees—enough for him to build a small boat.Once decided, Marcus suddenly accelerated. Before long, he reached the reef island and landed gently on the beach with a light leap.It was difficult for creatures other than birds to survive on such a small island, as it was simply too tiny to sustain life.But after only a few steps,Marcus realized something was wrong. The scent of food, very fragrant, and the smell of alcohol were drifting through the air.Observation Haki!After sensing the area, Marcus heard the breathing sounds of no fewer than dozens of people on the other side of the island, along with the fluttering of a flag. He mused, "It seems there's a group of people passing by who happened to stop here for rest. I wonder if they are Marines, pirates, or just a regular passing ship."After thinking it over, Marcus decided not to go across. Whether the people opposite were Marines or pirates, they were all enemies. It was better to avoid trouble. He would build a small boat, leave, and find a place to look for news of Luffy.He walked a short distance until he reached the base of a cliff dozens of meters high. With a light leap, Marcus directly ascended over ten meters. After several jumps in the air, he easily reached the top.A glance around showed that this was the only reef island in the surrounding waters, which were otherwise calm. Standing here, the entire island was visible.On the other side of the reef island, a Pirate Crewwas resting, gathered in small groups around various roasted meats. A regular pirate ship was anchored on the beach.However, after seeing the pirate ship, Marcus lost interest in this group of pirates. The ship was painted pink, its figurehead was a swan's head, and it was decorated with many red hearts.It was clearly a female Pirate Crew. Stealing this kind of pirate ship wouldn't be very meaningful to sail. The pirates below didn't know it, but their pirate ship had just saved their lives."I should deal with this bird first. I haven't eaten in two days," Marcus said, looking at the seabird in his hand, his mouth already watering.He had casually grabbed this bird from a nest while climbing the cliff, and he also got a few eggs—enough for a satisfying meal.Half an hour later!Marcus sat by the fire, roasting the bird. Under the heat of the flames, the moisture in the meat evaporated, the fat melted, and it slowly turned a golden-yellow color.He gently tore off a piece and tasted it. "Hmm, not bad. I didn't expect the meat of this bird to be so good. I've never eaten it before."In just a few bites, Marcus finished the entire roasted bird. Anyone who had starved for two days would likely do the same."Ugh..." Leaning against a tree trunk, Marcus let out a soft burp and patted his stomach. "After two days of hunger, I'm finally full.""Bang! Bang!..."Hearing these sounds, Marcus's expression immediately turned serious. Having spent so much time in the Marine, Marcus was very familiar with this—cannonball explosions.He quickly stood up, rushed to the cliff edge, and looked over. It turned out that a passenger ship had passed by at some point and had just fallen into the pirates' hands. The pirate ship had already docked alongside it."Speak of the devil! With this passenger ship here, I won't need to build a small boat. I can just follow them until they reach the next town."After a few quick steps and a brief acceleration, Marcus jumped directly toward the sea. Just as he was about to hit the water, his speed rapidly decreased, and he landed steadily on the surface, running straight toward the passenger ship.At this moment, on the pirate ship, while all the pirates rushed onto the passenger ship to loot, a short figure with orange-red hair, wearing a black bandana and ordinary clothes,carrying a large bundle on their back, cautiously emerged from the cabin, constantly checking their surroundings for others."Whew..."After placing the bundle onto a nearby waiting dinghy, the figure immediately let out a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from their brow. Looking ahead, they were instantly shocked beyond belief, so terrified they couldn't even close their mouth."How is that possible? Someone is... running on the sea!"Marcus, who was running, felt someone watching him. He looked up and saw a female pirate from the nearby pirate ship standing there dumbfounded. Out of habit, he showed a faint smile.Looking at the passenger ship, which was over ten meters high, Marcus leaped lightly and flew onto the deck. Before Marcus could stabilize himself, several figures came smashing toward him.Instinctively, Marcus quickly struck them away. These figures were instantly sent flying in the opposite direction, disappearing into the horizon as streaks of light.On the deck, everyone was profoundly shocked to see Marcus suddenly fly up and casually send several pirates flying away with a single wave of his hand."Hey! Marcus, you're here too!" A familiar voice came from nearby.Marcus quickly turned around and saw Luffy right behind him, wearing a joyful smile. Standing next to him was a short, slightly chubby boy with an insubstantial build, pink hair, and round glasses.Seeing the scene before him, how could Marcus not understand where he was? He couldn't help but mutter, "No way, is it really such a coincidence? Luffystill ran into them. Does fate truly exist in this world?"Marcus glanced to the side and was immediately startled, involuntarily exclaiming, "Holy crap, who is that old, ugly fat woman?""What!"The surrounding pirates and Koby were shocked again. Alvida instantly felt the rage in her chest about to explode, and she swung the large iron mace she was holding directly toward Marcus.*Clang... Clang...* All the pirates, looking at the iron mace shattered into pieces on the ground, were too terrified to speak. This situation had surpassed their understanding.Crushing such a large iron mace with just a pair of ordinary hands—this level of strength was beyond the imagination of these ordinary people."Luffy, who exactly is your friend?" Koby asked tremblingly, gently tugging on Luffy's clothes.Hehe! Luffy introduced him with a smile, "He's my brother, and my First Mate! His strength is incredible, and of course, I'm very strong too."Looking at the iron fragments on the ground, Alvidacouldn't control the fear in her heart and slowly retreated. "Don't tell me... you're a Devil Fruit Usertoo?"Marcus smiled but didn't answer, instead asking in return, "Did you say something?"Suddenly, Alvida spun around, grabbed the unsuspecting Koby nearby, and raised the iron mace—now only a handle—in her hand."Don't come any closer! Both of you step back, or I'll kill this little brat."Seeing this, Marcus's expression instantly changed, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes. A pirate like this dared to take someone hostage to threaten him.Just as Marcus was about to act, Luffy stepped forward a few paces, restraining Marcus's movement, and said in a deep voice, "I advise you to let him go quickly.""Haha..." Alvida laughed a few times, saying disdainfully, "Brat, do you think I would let go of my life-saving card? Koby, who is the most beautiful person on this sea?"Facing the iron rod that could smash down on his head at any moment, Koby was trembling all over. Just as he was about to speak, he couldn't help but recall what Luffy had said to him earlier.He gritted his teeth, forcing down the fear in his heart. "You are the oldest and ugliest fat woman on this sea! I want to join the Marine! After I join, I will catch horrible pirates and arrest a villain like you!""Hahaha..." Hearing Koby's declaration, Luffy burst into laughter.A faint smile also appeared on Marcus's face. Here was another child with a strong sense of justice. Although he was a bit timid, the ability to overcome his own weakness made him extremely valuable."Koby, do you know what you're saying?""I know. I want to do what I want to do: join the Marine and capture pirates like you.""Don't worry, you won't get the chance now. Die, Koby!" Alvida cursed, bringing the iron rod in her hand smashing down hard toward Koby."Gomu Gomu no Pistol."Under Luffy's timely and powerful strike, Alvida was hit directly in the face and sent flying toward the sky until she vanished.Marcus walked over and said calmly, "Alright, Luffy, we need to go. Trouble has arrived.""Mhm," Luffy nodded lightly, turned around, and told the surrounding pirates, "Give Koby a small boat. He wants to join the Marine. Let him go immediately."Having witnessed Luffy's strength, these pirates were already terrified and quickly replied, "Y-yes... Yes..."*Whoosh whoosh... Bang bang...* A series of explosions rang out. The passenger ship suddenly began to rock violently, and Luffy and Koby nearly fell onto the deck, quickly grabbing hold of something nearby."Those are... Marines!" Koby exclaimed excitedly, looking at the three marine warships ahead.Marcus quickly ran toward the dinghy on the side, flipped it over, and said to Luffy, "The Marines are here. We need to go, Luffy.""That works out perfectly. You hurry up and go. Now is a good time to join the Marine. I'm a pirate, so I have to leave first," Luffy said, then leaped directly into the dinghy, ready to depart."Stop fooling around. In this situation, just make sure the Marines don't mistake you for a pirate and capture you."Below the ship, the figure from earlier was sitting in a dinghy, checking the bundle inside. Seeing the Marines arrive, they were about to set off.A dinghy carrying three figures dropped down, and the resulting splash startled the figure. (To be continued.)
Chapter 210: Showing AuthorityOn the calm sea, Luffy, Marcus, and Koby sat in a small boat, slowly sailing.On the dinghy, Marcus and Luffy recounted their respective experiences. Marcus felt a mix of helplessness and surprise regarding Luffy's journey, as if fate truly existed.Luffy slapped his knees and laughed loudly, "Haha... Marcus, you're right. You can only experience true fun out on the sea."At this moment, Koby asked from behind, "Luffy, where are you heading?" Luffy longed immensely for the rumored Grand Line."What!"Koby looked at Marcus with a surprised expression. The news Luffy mentioned was simply too astonishing. Throughout the East Blue, the Grand Line was rumored to be a Pirate's Graveyard, where anyone who entered would surely die. Yet, right in front of him sat a person who had lived and survived in the Grand Line.However, a moment of confusion flashed through Koby's mind. Logically, the Grand Line was a place you could enter but not leave—everyone knew this. So how did Marcus get out?Koby took a few steps forward, went up to Marcus, and excitedly asked, "Um... Marcus, could you tell me what the Grand Line is like?"Facing Koby's inquiry, Marcus said terrifyingly, "Just like I said, only the strong can survive there. If a weak person enters, they will be killed immediately, and they'll die horribly, won't they?"Bang! Koby was so terrified he immediately sat down on the ground, cold sweat beading on his forehead, looking at Marcus with utter fear. Seeing how timid Koby was, getting scared so easily, Luffycouldn't help but slap his leg and burst out laughing."Hahahaha..."Marcus also smiled. He had only been intentionally trying to scare Koby, but he hadn't expected Koby to be so timid. He said with a chuckle."Don't worry, Koby. The Grand Line isn't as terrifying as the legends say. Life there is the same as outside, it's just that for certain reasons, people rarely get the chance to leave.""Oh," Koby wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, immediately sighing in relief. He slowly sat up and said sheepishly, "It seems I really am quite timid.""No, Koby," sensing the despondency in Koby's heart, Marcus said seriously, "You are not timid. On the contrary, you are more outstanding than many people. Having strengths and weaknesses isn't scary; what's scary is refusing to face them."These words stirred up huge waves in Koby's heart. For years, everyone had called him timid, and no one had ever spoken to him like this before."Marcus!"Luffy turned his head and asked curiously, "Right, Koby, who exactly is that Pirate Hunter?""Are you asking about Zoro? I heard he's already been captured and taken to the Marine Base," Kobyreplied."What? So he's that weak?" Luffy immediately lost interest in the Pirate Hunter.Koby rushed forward a few steps, standing in front of Luffy, and said excitedly, "That's not it! That guy is as terrifying as a Demonic Beast."Suddenly, Koby realized something and asked in confusion, "Wait, Luffy, why are you asking about him?""If he's good, I want to ask him to be a crewmate," Luffy replied with a smile. "What do you think, Marcus?""Not bad. It's possible.""Alright, then let's head for the Marine Base.""Hey! Luffy, Marcus,What nonsense are you talking about again? That guy is as terrifying as a Demonic Beast!"... In the small town near the sea where the Marine Base was located.The three of them—Marcus, Luffy, and Koby—were walking down the street. Their destination was the Marine Base at the center of the island. The Great Swordsman Zoro they were looking for was there, and Koby also planned to join the Marines.Koby followed behind Luffy, trying to persuade him, "Hey! Luffy, stop messing around! You actually want to recruit someone like that as a crewmate?"Luffy continued walking forward, saying carelessly, "I haven't decided yet. If he's a good person, I'll ask him to be our crewmate.""Of course he's a bad guy; that's why he was captured!" Koby retorted loudly and excitedly. In Koby's mind, the Marines represented absolute justice.Marcus, who was following behind, walked past the stopped Koby. "Koby, sometimes ears can deceive the heart. Only what you see with your own eyes is real."Stopping in front of a small stall, Marcus casually tossed out a Gold Coin and asked, "Excuse me, do you know where Zoro is?"Ah!The pedestrians on the side of the street, as well as the Stall Vendor in front of him, were so frightened that they quickly dodged away, pressing tightly against the wall. Marcus flashed a look of confusion but didn't ask further, walking straight ahead."It seems like you can't mention the name Zorohere."Luffy glanced around and continued walking forward. "Forget it, let's just go to the Marine Basefirst. Koby needs to join the Marines anyway."Koby said shyly, "Mhm, but I haven't prepared myself mentally yet, and I don't know if the Marines will accept me. But I heard there's a Captain Morganhere."Ah!The pedestrians on the street were once again terrified and scattered, dodging away, as if that name were a monstrous flood. Only Marcus seemed to understand something, a slight smile appearing on his lips, but he said nothing more.Looking at the gate marked with the Marineemblem, tears of excitement streamed down Koby's face. He wiped his eyes with his hand. "Luffy, Marcus, we're about to part ways. It's a pity our time together was so short."Not hearing Luffy's voice, Koby looked up and saw that Luffy was no longer beside him."No need to look, he's already climbed the wall."By the time Koby ran to the base of the wall, Marcuswas somehow already next to Luffy, looking inside. Koby looked behind him, then looked up again, his face full of shock.At this moment, Marcus and Luffy were attracted by the man tied to the cross in the courtyard.Green hair, a gray-white short cotton shirt and black trousers, a green Haramaki around his waist, black boots on his feet, and three earrings on his left ear representing the Three Sword Style. He also had a green bandana tied around his upper left arm, and, of course, that powerful aura."It seems this person is Roronoa Zoro, the famous Pirate Hunter. His aura is decent," Marcus said softly.The Pirate King's second male lead, a powerful Three Sword Style Swordsman, the second strongest fighter in the Straw Hat Pirates after Luffy, and a Swordsman with immense ambition.Anyone who had watched One Piece knew this man, who would eventually stand as the World's Number One Great Swordsman. Marcus was, of course, extremely familiar with him."Hey! Marcus, do you think if I just untie the ropes, I can free him and invite him to be our crewmate?" Luffy turned his head and asked.Marcus nodded. "Yes, I have no objection. It might just be troublesome getting such a proud person to willingly join us.""Hey, why are you two like this? If we let someone like that join us, we won't have enough lives!" Koby, who had somehow climbed up, quickly tried to stop them."Alright, since you agree too, Marcus, we'll ask him to be our crewmate." Luffy and Marcus completely ignored Koby's opinion."Hey! You guys! You're an eyesore! Get lost!"Koby was so startled he nearly fell off the wall, but Marcus quickly reached out and grabbed him, preventing him from falling.Just then, a Ladder appeared against the wall. Immediately afterward, a Little Girl climbed up. She first made a shushing gesture to the group, then, under the confused gaze of the three of them, she pulled out a rope and nimbly climbed down. Clearly, this wasn't the first time she had done something like this."Hey! Marcus, quickly stop that girl, or she might get killed!""Quiet down. Can't you see he's tied up? Even if he wanted to act, he couldn't. Let's just watch for now."Under Marcus's restraint, Koby stopped shouting and quietly watched the situation unfold, until that golden-haired Rich Young Master appeared, stomped on the Little Girl's Rice Ball, and then ordered the surrounding Marines to throw the Little Girl out.Luffy leaped into the air, accurately catching the thrown Little Girl, using his back to shield her from the heavy impact, and holding her tightly in his arms.After Koby checked that the Little Girl was unharmed, he immediately relaxed. When he looked behind him, Luffy and Marcus, who had been standing there, were both gone."I heard you're a bad guy," Luffy said, looking at Zorowho was resting with his eyes closed in front of him. "And you're tied up here for display. Are you really that strong?"While Luffy and Zoro were talking, Marcus didn't interrupt, merely listening quietly from the side. Marcus's expression only changed slightly when Zoro demanded Luffy pick up the dirt-covered Rice Ball and eat it.He slowly spoke, "Tell me, should I consider you a bad person? Yet what you just did for that Little Girldoesn't seem like a bad person's action. But if you're a good person, why do the Town Residents panic so much whenever they hear your name?"Zoro said arrogantly, "What does that have to do with you? I just do what I believe is right. Why should I care about your opinions?"Zoro had noticed Marcus a long time ago and was extremely cautious, because he felt a similar aura coming from Marcus. This person was a Swordsman, and a very powerful Swordsman at that.As for why he wasn't carrying a sword, Zoro found it strange. A sword was considered a second life to a Swordsman."Is that so?" Marcus shrugged slightly and said helplessly, "In that case, Luffy, let's go.""Mhm," Luffy nodded and followed behind Marcus. Luffy hadn't yet made up his mind to ask Zoro to become his crewmate."Hey, kid. The world is vast, far beyond your imagination. With your current strength, you don't deserve the title of Master Swordsman. Right now, you're still lacking something."Looking at the slowly drifting green hair in front of him, Zoro was completely shocked! (To be continued.)
Chapter 211: Inviting NamiIn a quiet, deserted alley in the town, Marcus leaned against the wall, while Luffy sat on a barrel and Koby sat on the steps, both quietly listening to the Little Girl recount what had happened."Helmeppo is always hitting and kicking the big brother; this is all my fault," the Little Girl said, standing and weeping."I see." Koby's tone was filled with disappointment. He had always believed that the Marines represented justice, but seeing it today, he realized that the Marines were vastly different from what he had imagined.Clang...Suddenly, a sound like a cup shattering on the ground rang out, mixed with arrogant laughter, coming from the bar behind them.Inside the bar, the idiot son of the Marine base ruler, Captain Morgan, was sitting in a chair with his legs propped up on a fruit platter on the table.As soon as Marcus and the others entered, they saw him speaking arrogantly with a punchable face: "I'm hungry. Serve us for free! Hey! Hurry up and bring some wine."Although the proprietress didn't want to do it, he was the son of Captain Morgan, who ruled the town. If she refused, she might face a fatal disaster, so she quickly brought out a bottle of red wine and poured him a glass.Meanwhile, Marcus's gaze was not on the idiot son, but was instead drawn to a girl drinking a beverage at a table nearby.Of course, this girl was very beautiful, but Marcuswasn't the type to be unable to walk once he saw a pretty girl. He kept his gaze on her because of her identity.Although her attire had changed significantly compared to yesterday, Marcus recognized her immediately as the female pirate who had secretly stolen the pirates' treasure yesterday; after all, that orange-red hair was quite rare.Needless to say, she was Nami, a clever female thief who never stole from ordinary people, only from vicious pirates, and a future Navigator.Swirling the red wine in his glass, the idiot son leaned back on his chair and said with a laugh: "Oh, right, right! It's been too boring lately. Let's execute Zoro tomorrow. Everyone, wait and watch the show."Hearing this, Luffy was instantly enraged. This bastard actually intended to break his promise and execute Zoro, who had kept his end of the bargain. Luffy could not tolerate this.He rushed over and punched Helmeppo directly in the face, causing him to spit out the wine he had just drunk and slam hard into the wall.Luffy was about to strike again, but Koby quickly grabbed him from behind, saying anxiously: "Luffy, don't! Marcus, come quickly and help me hold Luffyback!""No," Marcus shook his head, disagreeing. "I actually agree with Luffy's actions. If Luffy hadn't struck first, I would have probably killed him by now."Ah! Everyone was shocked by Marcus's astonishing words. With such Killing Intent in his speech, who on earth was this person?Helmeppo clutched his painful left cheek, tears welling in his eyes, and asked fearfully: "What are you doing? Do you know who I am? I am Captain Morgan's son!""So what?" Luffy asked sternly. Marcus didn't reply, instead toying with the small black blade that had appeared in his hand at some point.Seeing this, Helmeppo was instantly terrified and fled outside with his two Marine bodyguards, not forgetting to threaten them: "Just you wait! I'll definitely call my dad to kill all of you!"Koby let go of Luffy and said fearfully: "It's over! It's over! Luffy, we've offended the Marines now. We should hurry up and run away!"Turning around, Luffy clenched his fists and said: "Marcus, I've decided. I want Zoro to be our crewmate."Marcus leaned against the door frame behind him and said with a smile: "Sure, but I can't go with you. I still have some things to take care of."Luffy said confidently: "Don't worry, I can bring Zoroback by myself." After saying this, Luffy ran straight out of the bar and headed toward the Marine base.Seeing Luffy run out, Koby quickly followed. When he reached the door, he suddenly realized something and turned back to ask: "Marcus, what other things do you have to do?""Luffy has found a crewmate. As the First Mate, I certainly can't fall behind; I need to find a crewmate too. Koby, you should go watch over Luffy first. I'm afraid he might do something outrageous when the time comes."Although he was puzzled, Koby nodded and chased after the distant Luffy.Seeing this group of people about to storm the Marine base, a smile appeared on Nami's face. She hadn't known how to break into the heavily guarded Marine base before.Now that the idiot was going to attract their attention and the Marine base would be in chaos, she would have an opportunity. Just as Nami was about to stand up and head to the Marine base as well...A figure walked over, gently took the chair opposite her, and sat down without any hesitation. Namilooked up, and a look of terror appeared on her face, though it vanished in an instant.Nami had a deep impression of Marcus, not just because he was the companion of that idiot. More importantly, yesterday, this man had actually run on the ocean and even smiled at her. Was that something a human could do?But regardless, having this person sitting opposite her made Nami feel involuntary fear and dread. Without thinking much, she was about to stand up and leave.Shock and fear surfaced on Nami's face. Her body actually wouldn't move. "It's him. It must be the person opposite me who did this."Seeing Nami's fearful face, Marcus couldn't help but laugh. "Beautiful, no need to be in such a rush to leave. I'm not some rampaging monster. Although I might not be earth-shatteringly handsome, I'm decent enough; I'm not that terrifying."Hearing Marcus's shameless self-praise, under normal circumstances, Nami would have retched in his face, but now she couldn't even open her mouth.Snap! Marcus lightly snapped his fingers.Huhu...Her body regained control. Nami quickly took a few deep breaths to steady her breathing, but her eyes remained fixed on Marcus, not daring to relax in the slightest."Relax. I already said I'm not some rampaging monster. I'm only looking for you because I want to ask you to do one thing." Marcus pressed his hand down, looking helpless. Was he really that scary?Although Marcus said this, Nami didn't lower her guard. The life she had led for years made her unable—and unwilling—to trust others, let alone a stranger like Marcus."Is that so? I remember we don't seem to know each other. I don't know what you want to ask me to do." After the earlier tension, Nami had calmed down and asked calmly.Marcus shook his finger and said with a smile: "That's not right. Yesterday, you used us to take care of those pirates and made a fortune. How can you say we don't know each other?""Hmph!" Nami snorted and said in her melodious voice: "Even without your help yesterday, I could have obtained that treasure. Actually, you were the ones who suddenly burst in, causing my plan to almost fail.""Uh..." Marcus was instantly speechless. They had indeed burst in suddenly, but something felt wrong. It felt like, the way she put it, they had transformed from helpers into saboteurs.Nami continued: "Because you suddenly burst in and almost made my plan fail, you need to compensate me for my losses. Ten million will do."Pfft!The juice he had just drunk was spat out immediately. He had become a debtor for no reason. Although ten million Berries meant nothing to him, he couldn't just end up in debt so inexplicably.Wiping the juice from his mouth, Marcus looked at the money-grubbing Nami and coughed lightly. "It's not impossible for me to compensate you ten million Berries.""Really?" Nami clasped her hands together, looking at Marcus with stars in her eyes. No! Not stars—it would be more accurate to say Berries in her eyes.Marcus nodded slightly and changed the subject: "As long as you agree to one thing, never mind ten million Berries—even one hundred million or one billion Berries, I can give you."Hearing Marcus say this, the excitement in Nami's eyes vanished, and she fell silent.Marcus didn't disturb Nami's thinking because he had plenty of time. He rested his chin on his hands and scrutinized Nami carefully.With her vibrant, orange hair like a tangerine, and wearing a V-neck, long-sleeved, blue-and-white striped T-shirt with light orange shorts underneath, Nami's perfect figure was fully displayed.Although Nami was only seventeen, her figure was top-tier. Everything that should be prominent was prominent, and everything that should be curvy was curvy. Especially the surging waves on her chest, which were at least a D-cup. Added to that was her angelic face; Nami could be called a world-class beauty, and even among the beauties Marcus had seen, she ranked among the best.At this moment, the thoughtful Nami exuded an indescribable aura, which only added to her beauty.Seeing Marcus staring at her, Nami instinctively shrank back and hugged her arms across her chest. Little did Nami know, this only added to her allure.It became awkward instantly. Marcus smiled sheepishly and quickly changed the subject: "So, what do you think of this deal? If you agree, I can give you one hundred million Berries immediately."One hundred million Berries was too important to Nami. Every day, she risked her life to steal money from those vicious pirates just to raise one hundred million Berries to fulfill that promise.Now, as long as she agreed, she could get one hundred million Berries. Nami found it hard to refuse this deal, but she was still somewhat wary.A stranger was offering one hundred million Berriesto have her do one thing. Nami had to be careful, so she asked: "First, tell me what you want me to do."Since the other party was asking, it meant that she had already agreed to the deal in her heart. He said: "We are pirates and we need a Navigator. I want you to take on this position."Bang!Nami stood up and slammed her hand on the table, very agitated. "No, I don't agree! The thing I hate most is pirates. I will absolutely never be a Navigator for pirates!"Marcus was taken aback, then a meaningful smile appeared on his face. He swirled the beverage in his cup, lowered his head, and said in a deep voice: "Are you sure you don't agree? One hundred million Berries should be very important to you, right?"Nami was instantly shocked, her mouth agape. After a long while, she asked hurriedly, her tone laced with slight fear: "Who on earth are you? What do you know? Why are you deliberately looking for me?""Hehe..." Marcus slowly raised his head. "My name is Marcus, a pirate. I'm only looking for you because I want you to be my Navigator. The rest is just my own deduction."He finished his drink, put down the cup, and under Nami's disbelieving gaze, slowly explained: "Judging from your behavior yesterday, you are already very familiar with stealing pirate treasure; you must have done it many times.""At such a young age, you risk your life to steal pirate treasure. There must be some reason behind it that forces you to do so, and it has to be related to money."Saying this, Marcus suddenly looked up and stared intently at the fearful, cold-sweating Nami. "Isn't that right, Nami?"Looking into Marcus's eyes, Nami felt as if everything about her had been seen through by him. In front of Marcus, she had no secrets at all. (To be continued.)
213Zoro joinedChapter 212 Zhuo Luo JoinsOn the street, Mark couldn't help but smile, recalling how scared Nami had been earlier.Even after learning that Mark was a pirate, Nami still refused to agree, despite the offer of 100 million Beli. She left the bar early after a brief conversation.By the time Mark chased after her, Nami had already vanished from the street, nowhere to be seen. Finding no trace of her, Mark had no choice but to head towards the Marine base. He couldn't rest easy with the combination of the reckless Luffy and the timid and powerless Coby.His conversation with Nami had wasted a lot of time. Luffy should be confronting the Marines by now. He quickened his pace, rushing towards the Marine base.At this moment, in the Marine base's training ground, Luffy had already run off to cause chaos inside the base, while Coby, after struggling for a long time, still hadn't managed to untie himself and was now surrounded by a large number of Marines.Facing the dozens of Marine guns, the timid Coby trembled uncontrollably, and Zoro was also extremely nervous, though not out of fear, but because he couldn't afford to die yet."Hey! Coby, where did Luffy go? How could he just leave you alone, surrounded by Marines?"To Coby, this voice was a complete lifesaver. He turned his head and looked towards the wall. "Mark, you're finally here! Luffy went into the Marine base alone. Hurry and save him!""Oh," Mark responded softly, leaping down from the wall and casually walking towards Coby, as if the Marine soldiers weren't even there. With Luffy's strength, even the entire Marine base wouldn't be an issue; there was no need to worry at all."It seems like there's another one joining the coup with Straw Hat Kid," said a burly Marine Branch Captain behind the Marine soldiers, wearing a metal jaw and with a large axe embedded in his right arm.Zoro looked at Captain Morgan and said in a deep voice, "Let me say it again, I've always fought alone. I'm completely different from you, who bullies people by relying on the military."Mark stopped and muttered, "Coup? A mere Marine Branch Captain talking about a coup? Have Marine branches become so arrogant that they've reached this point?""Not only do they cruelly oppress the citizens under their jurisdiction and betray the original justice of the Marines, they are also self-righteous. It seems my internal cleanup of the Marines back then wasn't thorough enough."Mark's voice was so low that even Coby, who was closest, couldn't hear him. Morgan, however, thought he was being provoked and swung his right-hand axe, creating a whooshing sound."No matter who you are, in the face of my mighty power, you are all worthless. Die, you three traitors!" Morgan declared arrogantly."Prepare to fire!"Facing the ready guns, Coby was terrified, and Zoro was sweating nervously. Only Mark remained utterly calm, still looking nonchalant.Bang, bang… A series of gunshots rang out.Just then, a cry resounded from above, and a figure descended from the sky, blocking Coby and the bound Zoro. All the bullets hit Luffy, and the impact made him look like a porcupine."Luffy!""Straw Hat!""Ah!"With a flex of his body, all the bullets, without losing any force, ricocheted back towards the Marines, injuring several Marine soldiers in the front row."Hahaha…" Luffy laughed heartily, "Didn't I say I was strong?"Watching this miraculous scene,Zoro, sweating cold, asked in astonishment, "Who exactly are you?""I'm Monkey D. Luffy, a man who aims to become the King of the Pirates!"Zoro stammered, "What… You want to become the King of the Pirates? Do you know what that means?"Looking at Zoro, Luffy smiled, not understanding, and said, "The King of the Pirates is the King of the Pirates. Does it have any other meaning?""I was shocked when I heard it too, but Luffy is very serious. He's that kind of person. He said he wants to be the King of the Pirates and find the world's greatest treasure, meaning he wants to get the One... What? That's just what you think! I didn't agree at all, okay?!" Zoro struggled and loudly retorted."Since that's the case, then let's go, Luffy," Marksaid, making a move to leave, much to Coby's surprise.At that moment, Luffy also took the three swords from his back and threatened with a smile. Only Luffy could threaten someone while smiling so genuinely."You're willing to agree, right? If you fight alongside me now, you'll be a devil opposing the government. Or do you want to be killed by these Marines like this?"Hearing Luffy's threat, Zoro's lips curled slightly, and he said with a smile, "I think you're the real devil. But since things have come to this, then so be it. I'll agree... to be a pirate."Luffy shouted excitedly, "That's great! You're willing to be my nakama! That's great! Fantastic!""Why don't you hurry up and untie me?"Marines have a specialized method for tying up prisoners, and it's very difficult for someone unfamiliar with it to untie. Luffy struggled for a long time, but the rope only got tighter instead of loosening.The impatient Captain Morgan simultaneously gave an order, and over a dozen Marine soldiers drew their swords, slashing towards Luffy and the other two.Just as Mark was about to step in and deal with these Marines, he saw Zoro's movements, retracted his foot, and calmly watched the events unfold.Clang!Zoro cut his bonds, swiftly drew his three swords, crossed his arms behind his back, and blocked all the Marines behind him. This series of actions happened in an instant.Mark's eyes lit up. Although this level of strength was nothing to him, to be able to grow this much in a place like the East Blue showed that Zoro indeed had great talent in swordsmanship."Wow, that's so cool!" Luffy exclaimed, his eyes sparkling.Glancing at the blocked Marines behind him, Zoro said calmly, biting his sword, "Move again, and you'll die by my blade."After speaking, he ignored the Marines and looked directly at Luffy, "I agree. I'm willing to be a pirate. Since I'm opposing the Marines, I'm destined to be a member of the 'devils'. But remember my words: I must achieve my ambition.""Ambition?""I want to become the world's greatest swordsman. If you cause me to fail in achieving my ambition, then you'll have to commit seppuku to atone to me.""The world's greatest swordsman, that's not bad. As a companion to the King of the Pirates, you at least need a title. You'll have the title of the world's greatest swordsman, and I'll have the title of the King of the Pirates. Oh, right, Mark, what title do you want?" Luffy turned his head and asked Mark.Mark pondered, chin in hand, and mumbled, "I have many titles, but none of them are suitable anymore... Since that's the case, I'll use the 'God of Slaughter' that the world gave me."Zoro was startled. Only Luffy remained unconcerned. "God of Slaughter." To be called that by the world, how much blood must have stained his hands.The first time Zoro saw Mark, he could feel the aura of a strong person on him, as well as a similar presence. And from Mark's calm tone, he didn't seem like someone who would lie."Good! In that case, even if it means ill fame, I will make my name known throughout the world."Mark took a few steps forward, extended his hand towards the Marine soldiers, and said, "Alright, Luffy, let's quickly deal with them. We don't have time to waste here."With that, he waved his right hand. Zoro suddenly felt his arm lighten, and heard a thud. He looked back to see the dozen or so Marines behind him had been sent flying dozens of meters away, lying on the ground, unable to even stand up."What kind of move was that?" Zoro asked in astonishment.Luffy stretched his mouth and explained, "Mark, like me, is also a Devil Fruit user. And I'm a Rubber-Rubber Fruit user."Zoro had an epiphany. No wonder Luffy could stretch his arms earlier and wasn't afraid of bullets. He was a rubber man.Hearing Captain Morgan's command, Mark took a few steps forward and loudly declared, "As a Marine soldier, one upholds justice, not the orders of a superior.""What?!"Many Marine soldiers were shocked. A pirate telling them such words? Was this still a pirate? Morgan felt his authority greatly challenged. He touched the sharp blade of the axe on his right hand and said arrogantly, "A pirate, daring to lecture the Marines!"Just as Mark was about to teach this Marine Captain a lesson, to make him understand what a Marine should do, Luffy suddenly rushed out and attacked the Marines.In the weakest of the four seas, the East Blue, Captain Morgan's strength as a Marine Branch Captain wasn't particularly strong, at most equivalent to a Marine Headquarters Lieutenant. For Luffy, it was a piece of cake.However, as a Branch Captain, he still had some strength; one blow could cleave a crack in the ground. But his agility and speed were too poor, and Luffy quickly seized an opportunity, kicking him away with both feet.With another easy blow, Luffy directly sent Morgan flying to the ground. The surrounding Marines were already dumbfounded, let alone offering help.Grabbing Morgan by the collar, he punched him directly in the face, saying angrily, "What kind of rotten Marine! You ruined Coby's dream! Damn it!""Stop, Straw Hat Kid! Look over here!" Helmeppo pointed a gun at Coby, his legs trembling as he threatened, but Luffy didn't hear him at all. "I told you to stop, you idiot! Don't you see I have a hostage?!""Hey!" Zoro stared intently at Helmeppo, calling out in a low voice.Luffy finally reacted, seeing Helmeppo holding Coby hostage. Neither Luffy, Mark, nor Zoro were nervous. With such a stupid, spoiled brat, it would be very easy to rescue Coby. (To be continued.)