Chapter 13 Clo"Gum-Gum Spear!" Luffy's feet came together like a sharp spear, thrusting fiercely towards Kuro.But it only struck an afterimage.Luffy frustratingly flipped himself upright: "Don't dodge! Let's fight head-on…"Not far away, Kuro sneered, "An ignorant little Pirate, trying to ruin my plan. I thought you'd be stronger, but you're nothing special.I want to ask you, you have no relation to anyone in this village, so as a Pirate, why meddle in such affairs?"Luffy stretched his wrists and said with a smile, "Because Meruem said if I stopped you, I'd get my own ship. Plus, there's a very interesting person in this village, and I can't let you kill him.""Are you bringing your subordinates to their deaths for such strange reasons?" Kuro pushed up his glasses, completely unable to understand.Luffy took a fighting stance: "Just for this, but I won't die.""Whether you die or not isn't up to you," Kurocharged towards Luffy."Whether I die or not is certainly up to me! Gum-Gum Whip!" Luffy extended his leg and swept it horizontally towards Kuro.Kuro lightly jumped, dodging the attack."It's not over yet! Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy's fist followed closely, but still hit an afterimage.Looking closely, Kuro stood on Luffy's extended arm, looking at him disdainfully."Is that all your speed? I'm so slow I'm going to fall asleep." Kuro stepped on Luffy's arm, covering the distance to Luffy's face in two steps, and slashed fiercely.Luffy tilted his head to dodge but couldn't avoid Kuro's subsequent kick, tumbling 360°, 720°, 1080° in the air, with a difficulty coefficient of 10.0, perfectly… ahem, falling to the ground.Meruem covered his face, finding it a bit unbearable to watch."He has too little combat experience, doesn't he? This Kuro is also much stronger than Buggy. Without a Devil Fruit, just pure physical strength. If he hadn't wasted these three years and had a little training, the Marine's Six Powers would probably be second nature to him."A rustling sound reached Meruem's ears. He turned his head and saw Nami emerge from the ship's cabin.She said annoyedly, "Isn't this a Pirate Crew? Why is it so poor?"Meruem felt a bit awkward hearing this and didn't know how to respond."Oh, why are you here? Did you steal their treasure? Let me see." Nami then noticed him sitting on the ship's railing.He spread his hands, indicating that he didn't seem to have any place on him to hide treasure, then said, "Didn't I ask you to stay with Kaya? Why did you come over?"Nami scrutinized him, then relaxed, "I lost sight of her for a moment; she should be heading this way too. But I haven't found her yet, so I was going to come up and do my old job, but I didn't expect this Pirate Crew to be so poor.""Actually…""Klahadore! If you want my assets, I'll give them all to you! So please, leave the village!" Kaya's voice interrupted Meruem.Kuro glanced at Kaya and said coldly, "Miss, are you misunderstanding something? Besides money, I also need stability. So, killing all of you and then obtaining your inheritance is the only way my plan can be called a success."Upon hearing this, Kaya bit her lip tightly, thinking of all the little moments with her butler over the past three years. She had long considered Kuro a father figure, but now the cruel reality lay before her, making her eyes red and tears stream down her face."Miss, since you are so sad, I will send you on your way. With your fingerprint, I will keep your inheritance safe for you." Kuro grinned menacingly as he charged towards Kaya.Clang!The Ten-Blade Cat Claws clashed with the black blade in Meruem's hand. He, who had just been sitting on the ship's railing, was already by Kaya's side.A fist flew past, and Kuro jumped back a few steps to steady himself, saying coldly, "Your speed is good…"Meruem smiled noncommittally, "Zoro, take Kayaand Nami to find Usopp. Luffy and I are enough here.""Oh, alright," Zoro replied, sheathing his three newly drawn swords. Then, full of confidence, he walked in the other direction where Usopp had gone.Meruem covered his face and said to Nami, who ran over, "Usopp went that way. Take Zoro, don't let him get lost."Nami nodded seriously, exchanged a few words with Kaya, and then led the two of them away.Luffy's fist sprang back, and he stood up.Kuro pushed his glasses again, "I was chased by the Marine three times in one week before. I will absolutely not let you ruin my three-year plan!""…Why don't you take off your glasses? It's too uncomfortable to watch. Also, being chased three times in a week, your Pirate Crew must have a traitor," Meruem couldn't help but retort.Kuro's expression froze. "…You little Pirates wouldn't understand the plight of big Pirates like us."Meruem remained silent, truly too exhausted to complain.Luffy, however, chimed in, "You're a Pirate who's afraid of fame? Your ambition is even less than Usopp's!""What do you know!" Kuro roared and charged, seeing Luffy compare him to that good-for-nothing."I'm the man who will become the Pirate King!" Luffy threw a punch, still hitting an afterimage. Then he swung his arm horizontally, striking Kuro, who had just reappeared, squarely in the face."He caught up so quickly. As expected of Main Force No. 1, this speed of progress is simply astonishing." Meruem sat on the ground, praising him in his heart.Kuro's body was embedded in the mountain from the impact. He silently walked out, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and looked at Luffy with a sinister gaze."Pirate King? You have no idea how vast the world of Pirates is, how strong those monsters are. Terrifying Pirates have repeatedly teetered on the brink of life and death. Let me make you a ghost under this one move." As Kuro spoke, his body began to sway as if it had lost its bones."Shakushi!"As soon as his voice fell, Kuro's figure completely vanished. Even Meruem had to use Observation Haki to track him."This speed… a 16 million bounty? Is the Marine's brain not quite right? But a skill that indiscriminately attacks both friend and foe, only someone like him would use it."Scratches continuously appeared on the mountain. The Black Cat Pirates, who had been knocked unconscious on the ground, were startled awake by the intense pain and screamed.Scratches continuously appeared on Luffy's body, blood splattering. But he seemed to feel no pain, roaring, "What do you take your comrades for?!"Upon hearing this, Meruem's expression froze, and he mumbled to himself, "Luffy… I hope one day you can save me too."Five bone-deep scratches appeared on Luffy's body, but he paid them no mind, reaching out to grab Kuroand wrapping his limbs around him like a snake."Damn it! Let me go!" Kuro couldn't understand why this little Pirate completely disregarded what should have been fatal injuries."No way, I finally caught you." Luffy swung his head fiercely backward."Gum-Gum Bell!" Using the elasticity, Luffy's head flew back at high speed, striking Kuro's head.Knocking him unconscious.
Chapter 14: Xiluobu Village. EndLuffy stood up straight, swaying as if he was about to fall. Meruem appeared by his side and supported him."Well done, Captain. You worked hard.""Hehe, Meruem~ I'm strong, right?" Luffy's voice sounded weak."Very strong, but we don't have a doctor, so don't use that move next time.""We will have a doctor.""Indeed, there is that reindeer who ate the Civilian Fruit..." Meruem calmly hummed, thinking to himself, and said nothing more.A moment later, Zoro came over, carrying Jango, and Kaya helped Usopp, whose nose was broken.The look in Kaya's eyes as she looked at Usoppmade Meruem's eyelids twitch incessantly.Is Zoro not handsome enough? Luckily, Sanji isn't here yet; otherwise, he might go berserk if he saw this.Everyone sat on the small hill, and below, the Black Cat Pirates knelt in a large group. The Meowb brothers and Kuro lay unconscious on the ground, still not having woken up.Jango, however, was conscious."What do you say, kill them all? Or tie them up and hand them over to the Marine?" Meruem lit a cigarette and asked casually.Nami's expression turned a little ugly when she heard this.Zoro didn't answer, staring blankly to the side.Kaya and Usopp were whispering, and judging by Usopp's expression, he was probably bragging, as expected."Ah, are you asking me?" Luffy asked, biting into the meat Meruem gave him."...You are the Captain." Meruem finally got used to it and replied calmly.Luffy chewed on the meat, thought for a moment, and then shouted loudly, "All of you, get off this island! Don't ever come back here!"The Black Cat Pirate Crew were overjoyed to hear this and immediately turned and ran towards the Black Cat."Cough cough..." Meruem's figure appeared in front of them. Their steps halted, and they turned to look at Luffy, their eyes filled with pleading."B-Big Brother, your Captain said to let us go," Jango stammered."I didn't say I wouldn't let you go. Since you're out of money, this ship is now mine. I can't just watch you sail away with my ship, can I? I checked, and this ship is towing some smaller boats. If you squeeze in, there's enough room for you. I've already put food on board for you; no need to thank me.""B-Big Brother is right, thank you, Big Brother." Jango's facial expression management seemed to be failing, a bit distorted."You're welcome. One more thing, if you dare to come back here again, next time I won't be using the blunt side of my blade, alright?""We won't come back, never again. Big Brother, we're leaving.""Go on, be careful next time, don't just provoke people, alright?" Meruem waved goodbye.But no one paid him any attention; the Black Cat Crew headed towards the small boats with their heads down.As expected of a well-trained Pirate Crew, they disappeared from sight in just a moment.As for encountering the Marine and being completely wiped out upon sailing, that certainly had nothing to do with Meruem... "Meruem~ Aren't we getting a ship soon? Why are you stealing someone else's again?" Luffy asked with a look of disgust."...Just turn around and look at Nami's eyes, and you'll know why." Meruem shrugged indifferently.Luffy turned to look, and Nami's eyes had turned into "$" signs.He waved his hand in front of Nami's eyes a few times, but there was no reaction."Cough, Miss Kaya, I want to sell these two ships to you, and then use that money to build a fast sailboat for Luffy. The rest can just be cashed out. It doesn't need to be too big; ease of handling is important. After all, as you can see, there are only a few of us," Meruem said to Kaya, ignoring the others.Kaya covered her mouth in surprise: "Thanks to you, I was spared this time. Otherwise, the consequences would have been too terrible. How could I possibly accept money from you?""It was just a small effort, no need to worry about it so much. And our demands aren't low. If you feel grateful, just help us prepare a little more food," Meruem replied with a smile."But Luffy..." Kaya turned to look and found that the wounds under Luffy's torn clothes had already healed. She really didn't know what to say, so she just agreed... After waiting a few days, the delivery day finally arrived."This ship's name is the Going Merry. Now, I'll introduce you to how to use the running rigging. First, regarding how to use the mixed net to adjust sailing speed..." Merry, who looked like a lazy sheep, said to Luffy with a smile.Luffy was full of question marks, not knowing what he was talking about.Nami interrupted, "You should tell me how to operate the ship..."Kaya stood gently to the side, smiling, and said, "The supplies you need, the cashed-out Berries, and the treasure from the previous ship have already been placed in the ship's hold. Please count them."Ah... I almost forgot...Nami's ears perked up when she heard the word "treasure," and she rushed towards the ship's hold, muttering, "That's worth 5 million Berries.""Ah!" A high-pitched, excited sound came from the ship's hold. Meruem leaned against the cabin door, feeling like it was a sonic attack."Meruem... there are 60 million Berries here! 60 million!" Nami said excitedly.Meruem calmed his heart, which had been pounding from the scream, and calmly replied, "It seems Kayagave us this ship purely at cost. And judging by the supplies... she gifted us at least 10 million Berriesworth. What a rich woman.""I'm only 10 million Berries short... Finally... it's finally going to happen." Nami's eyes were a little red as she murmured to herself.Meruem's expression darkened, not knowing how to tell her the cruel reality.Whether it was 100 million, 500 million, or even 1 billion, Arlong would never let her go.Nami reached out and wiped her eyes, revealing a brilliant smile."Hmm... only 5 million Berries are yours; the rest are mine. We've already paid for your trip to the Grand Line, you know."Meruem's voice sounded very irritating.Nami was struck by lightning, holding the box and staring blankly at Meruem, biting her lip as if she was about to cry."...Yours, it's all yours, alright?" Meruem couldn't stand it and directly conceded defeat.Women are all actresses; hearing Meruem's words, her face immediately cleared up, and she almost buried herself in the pile of treasure... "Get out of the way!" A ball rolled down from the small hill.Looking closely, Usopp was lying on the ground covered in wounds, his backpack even larger than himself.He struggled to get up, glanced at Kaya, and said with great pride, "I'm going to sea to become a great warrior of the sea. Kaya, take care of yourself, and you all too. We'll meet again."Luffy looked puzzled, "Why?"Usopp felt his emotions were interrupted and said in annoyance, "What do you mean 'why'? You're too heartless. I'm a pirate now too; we'll definitely meet at sea."Zoro clicked his tongue, "What are you babbling about? Get on the ship already.""Huh?" This time it was Usopp who looked puzzled.Luffy said blankly, "Aren't we already comrades?"Usopp was silent for a while, then shouted excitedly, "I'm the Captain, right!"(꒪Д꒪)ノ"What nonsense! I'm the Captain!" Luffy's voice was exasperated... After a flurry of chaos, the Going Merry finally sailed further and further away."Miss Kaya, aren't you going to try to keep Usopp?""Merry, how can I hinder his dream? After being protected by him for so long, I should also grow up. I want to become a doctor so that when he returns, I can heal all his wounds.""Miss Kaya, you've grown up.""Yes, but we just parted, and I'm already missing him."
Chapter 15 Sea Restaurant Bharati"Cheers!""To the new ship and new crewmates!"The cold beer went down, and the gentle sea breeze on their faces made them feel involuntarily sleepy."We can go to the Grand Line now, right?!" Luffyasked happily."...You should at least find a chef and a doctor. Proper nutrition is essential for sea voyages, and what if someone gets sick without a Ship Doctor? Also, don't you need to find a navigator? I only promised to take you into the Grand Line; we'll part ways then," Nami said helplessly."Sick?" Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Meruem looked at her with four bewildered faces.[Now that I think about it, I've been in the Pirate King world for so long, and I don't think I've ever been sick... Am I not human anymore?!]Meruem only reacted after hearing Nami's words, thinking in horror.(꒪Д꒪)ノSeeing the four of them like this, Nami was fuming, pouting and not wanting to say anything more."We really do need to find more crewmates," Luffysaid seriously.The Captain had spoken, and everyone turned to look at him, ready to hear his opinion."We also need to find a musician!" Luffy's voice was full of confidence.Bang! Nami's fist made intimate contact with Luffy's head, and an unscientific-looking lump swelled up."Didn't we just talk about a chef and a Ship Doctor?!" Nami's voice was commanding, making people not dare to challenge her."But... doesn't Meruem know how to cook? Fine wine and music are the standard for pirates," Luffy's voice was full of a death wish."If I may interject... I only know how to cook, but I'm completely clueless about nutritional matching. And the taste is just passable," Meruem said, raising his hand.[Cooking is too tiring... You guys hurry up and find Sanji. Please.]Nami nodded and said, "Proper nutrition can not only prevent many illnesses but can even boost your combat power. Don't underestimate it."Luffy mumbled, and the others didn't bother with their unreliable Captain anymore... Boom!The violent sound of cannon fire woke everyone from their nap."What happened, what happened? Enemy attack?!" Usopp instantly found a hiding spot and asked loudly."Nothing, I just wanted to try the cannon, but I couldn't hit anything," Luffy said, fiddling with the cannon.Usopp walked out proudly and confidently, fiddling with it a few times.Boom!A distant landmass was blown apart."Usopp, you're amazing!" Luffy, ever the hype man, said sincerely."J-just a small thing," Usopp said, indicating he was just trying, who knew it would hit... "Damn pirates, get out here!" A roar sounded, and Meruem walked out of the room, yawned, and looked at the man in sunglasses below."Huh, aren't you... that guy?""A-Meruem? What are you doing here?! I'm Johnny, we met at a Marine Base before," Johnny's momentum faltered."Johnny, what are you doing here?" Zoro's figure appeared beside Meruem."Brother Zoro?! What are you doing here too?" Johnny took a step back, bracing himself."What's going on, what's going on? Is someone looking for trouble?" Luffy's voice was filled with excitement.Johnny finally saw someone he didn't recognize, pointed his sword, and roared, "Unknown little pirate, prepare to die!" With that, he swung his sword and charged at Luffy, making sure to stay far from Zoro and Meruem.Nami and Usopp hid in the room, peeking out.Luffy laughed excitedly, charged over, and knocked Johnny to the ground with one punch."L-lost by a little bit," Johnny's voice sounded as if it truly was an evenly matched fight, where he just happened to lose."...What are you doing? Isn't Yosaku with you? I remember you two were inseparable?" Zoro asked, squatting beside him.Johnny's eyes welled up with tears: "I don't know what happened to Yosaku, he's on the verge of dying, so we found a place to rest. I don't know why a cannonball flew from this pirate ship, making Yosaku's condition even worse, he... he won't make it..."Zoro glanced in Luffy's direction, and Luffycompletely avoided his gaze, awkwardly whistling.Everyone pulled Yosaku onto the ship.Luffy and Usopp, with serious expressions, bowed 90° and said, "We're sorry..."Meruem's eye twitched a bit. "He's not dead yet... He looks like he's sick, not like you guys blew him up."Luffy and Usopp both breathed a sigh of relief.Nami went forward to check him, then had Zorobring out a bucket of orange juice and poured it into Yosaku."This is scurvy, a problem with nutrient intake. Now you understand the importance of a chef who knows about nutritional matching, right?"Nami looked at the four with an "I told you so" expression.Four bewildered faces.Johnny, however, chimed in, "Thank you, Big Sis! Are you looking for a chef? Not far from here, there's a sea restaurant called Baratie. You'll definitely find the person you need there, though whether they'll want to come, I don't know.""Who's Big Sis?!" Women are indeed very sensitive about their age.Luffy said with a grin, "Then let's go there. It would be great if we could eat restaurant-quality food on the ship later.""If it's not delicious, I'm truly sorry," Meruem calmly interjected."Meruem... I'm sorry." To be fair, this Captain was really quick to admit his mistakes... "Brother Luffy! Brother Zoro! Brother Meruem! Brother Usopp! Brother Nami! That's the sea restaurant Baratie!" Johnny shouted excitedly, holding a telescope."...If it's between being called 'Brother' and 'Big Sis,' I still prefer 'Big Sis'," Nami said, covering her face with a helpless expression."Let's dock the ship here. There are Marines over there, so it's best not to invite trouble," Meruemsuggested.Even though he had just eaten not long ago, Luffylooked as if he hadn't eaten for days, staring excitedly in the direction of the restaurant. Hearing Meruem's words, he happily went to row out the small boat from the bottom of the ship's hold.Everyone headed towards Baratie. Meanwhile, Namilooked at a wanted poster she had taken from Johnny's hand, her expression fluctuating.Except for Meruem, everyone else was enthusiastically discussing what dishes to order later.But he looked at Nami's expression and sighed... Nami, upon arriving at the restaurant, seemed completely normal, her smile radiant and charming.The curly-browed Sanji looked at Nami, both his eyes turning into "heart" shapes."Beautiful lady, this is a special dessert I made for you. Please enjoy it~""What about mine?" Luffy's eyes were sparkling at the dessert."Ten thousand Berries, please pay first," Sanji's voice changed remarkably quickly."What about mine then..." Nami's voice was soft and sweet."Of course, it's free~"Meruem's eye twitched a bit. [Idiot, directionally challenged, coward, money-grubber, plus a pervert... I hope Chopper can cure you all later.]
Chapter 16 I'll Go with YouLeader Krieg, led by Gin the Ogre, entered Baratie. After a commotion, Sanji placed food and water in front of them."He's a good guy, Meruem. Let's get him to join our Pirate Crew," Luffy finally decided on his choice.Meruem nodded, indicating he had no objections.Then, as Meruem remembered, Krieg, full from eating and drinking, started causing trouble.Nami, standing nearby, clutched the bounty poster in her hand. Taking advantage of no one paying attention, she quietly slipped away.Meruem's gaze sharpened. He pulled Usopp, who was hiding nearby, and said, "Nami and I need to go to Cocoyasi Village first. When you're done here, have Johnny and the others bring you over."Usopp looked bewildered and urgently asked, "What Cocoyasi Village? What's going on? It looks really dangerous here! Aren't you going to help Luffy?"There was no reply; the Meruem in front of him was just an afterimage. He had already vanished."These two are even more cowardly than me... They ran off as soon as the fight started..." Usoppmuttered to himself, feeling his position was challenged. "I'm sorry... I really don't want to see you all die. If I get the chance, I'll return the Going Merryto you," Nami said to herself, leaning on the railing of the Going Merry and looking in the direction of Baratie. Her eyes looked very sad.She didn't notice Meruem on the mast watching her with pity.The ship sailed straight. Nami sat on the deck, hugging her shins and burying her head in her knees, faintly sobbing. A small boat appeared on the route. Two candles burned on the small boat, flickering in the sea breeze but never extinguishing.A man with short black hair, a short beard, and eyes as sharp as an eagle's stood up and launched a slash towards the Going Merry.The huge sword energy split the sea. Nami's expression turned to despair, and she murmured, "Is this retribution for betraying Luffy and the others? Nojiko, I can't keep my promise... I'm sorry...""Sun Breathing, Seventh Form, Solar Thrust!" Meruem used this move to neutralize the sword energy and said gently, "How can our navigator go home to visit relatives without a bodyguard? Look how dangerous the sea is."After speaking, he jumped onto Dracule Mihawk's coffin boat and said with a smile, "You want to destroy someone else's ship without a word. That habit of yours isn't very friendly."Mihawk looked at Meruem in front of him, sharp light gleaming in his eyes. He reached behind him and took out his black blade night, replying, "I didn't expect to find a swordsman to relieve my boredom. This trip was truly worth it."Meruem scratched his head. "...If you're so bored, why don't you get a job?"Mihawk didn't understand, but he didn't care. He swept his sword horizontally towards Meruem."Tsk, really... troublesome." Meruem blocked with his sword, using the force to spin. "Sun Breathing, Sixth Form, Scorching Bone Sun!"Flames spun towards Mihawk. A curve appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he unleashed a slash in the opposite direction of Meruem's spin.The sword energy and flames canceled each other out. Meruem frowned at this, tightening his grip on his black blade. He flicked his wrist and slashed towards Mihawk.Mihawk's smile grew wider, and his Night slashed out mercilessly.Clang, clang, clang... The speed of their swords grew faster and faster, gradually only showing afterimages. The sounds couldn't even match the visuals. Splashes of water erupted around the coffin boat. Both of them, with unspoken understanding, caused no damage to the coffin boat. The candles on the coffin boat still burned despite such violent fluctuations.Clang!The two supported themselves with their swords, breathing heavily, standing on opposite sides of the coffin boat. One more step back and they would fall into the sea.Mihawk took a deep breath and laughed loudly, "Excellent! Let's go again!"Meruem casually twirled his sword, then sheathed it. "No, not coming. Next time, let's find a different location. It's not comfortable fighting with restrictions."Seeing him like this, Mihawk had no choice but to put Night on his back. "It's a deal. Next time, let's find a spacious place and fight to our heart's content."Meruem said perfunctorily, "Okay. Oh, by the way, there's a green-haired Three-Sword Style user over there who's my partner. He's still a seedling, so don't you dare break him. He's going to be the World's Greatest Swordsman someday."Mihawk's eyes showed even greater delight. "Then I must go see him.""Go on, go on. Be careful, and don't mention my existence to them," Meruem waved his hand casually, pushed off with his legs, and jumped back onto the Going Merry.Mihawk slightly adjusted his course. The coffin boat passed by the Going Merry. He saw Meruem sitting by the railing, and with a serious expression, he waved.Meruem politely responded, then remembered something and shouted, "Don't tell anyone about me, or I won't fight you next time!"Mihawk's expression froze, and he didn't respond."Give me a reaction if you heard me..." Meruempouted, displeased."...Meruem, thank you," Nami's voice sounded a little awkward."You're welcome, we're all family," Meruem replied casually.Nami stood awkwardly beside Meruem. "...You don't blame me, do you? I stole your ship and treasure.""It's only right to take some Berries when going home to visit relatives. Next time, remember to tell the Captain.""You... you have no idea what you're about to face. This enemy isn't human at all, but the Fish-Man Race."Meruem scratched his head. "Hmm... how should I put this? Since it's a Fishman, it's a bit hard to take a bite."Nami's excited expression froze. She was so choked up she couldn't speak, stomped her foot angrily, and walked towards the cabin, fuming."Wait a minute, I'm not finished... Don't you still need 10 million Berries?"Nami stopped and said coldly, "What? You have it?"[What kind of question is that... Should I have it or not? Oh, a savior!] Meruem originally didn't know how to reply. He suddenly sensed a Pirate Crewship, pointed his finger, and said, "You steer over there. If we rob them, we'll have it."Nami looked in that direction. A ship with a swan figurehead and a Pirate Crew flag with a profile skull and heart emblem. She took a deep breath, then controlled the rudder and headed towards it.[Thank you! Whoever you are, I promise I won't take everything this time. I'll definitely leave you some.] Meruem sighed in relief, deeply feeling that girls were simply too difficult to deal with.Wasn't it Nami's fault? Why did it feel like it was his fault?The Pirate Crew on the other side seemed to have also spotted the Going Merry. Both sides rapidly approached each other, both looking determined to win.Meruem sat in Luffy's exclusive spot, feeling the sea breeze.[I promise to only take 10 million Berries from you. If you only have that much, please don't blame me, benefactor!]
Chapter 17 Cocoa West Village"Little brother, are you in such a hurry? You rushed onto my ship alone. Are you coveting my beauty?" A soft, sweet voice sounded, and Meruem turned to look.He saw a burly woman with a full figure, a face covered in freckles, and heavy makeup standing to the side, a spiked club on her shoulder."This appearance... Alvida without the Sube Sube no Mi. Oh no, maybe I ate too much, my stomach is a bit unsettled." Meruem's eye twitched slightly as he replied indifferently, "Auntie, please don't sicken me, okay? Don't you have a mirror? If not, go look in the sea."The Arlong Pirates exclaimed, "Ah ah ah ah! The second audacious person has appeared!"A vein throbbed on Alvida's forehead as she roared, "I am the most beautiful woman in this sea area, and you dare call me auntie!" As she spoke, she raised her spiked club and swung it fiercely at Meruem.Meruem yawned, shifted his feet, and appeared behind Alvida, casually placing his blade next to Alvida's neck: "This is a robbery. Hand over 10 million Berries, or I'll turn you over to the Marine."The cold blade made Alvida's hairs stand on end, and she said fearfully, "Yes... quickly go get it!"10 million Berries in cash, scattered treasures, and a box containing a Devil Fruit.These items were laid out before Meruem. He picked up the Devil Fruit, considered it for a moment, then put it back: "You should quickly eat this fruit. Its power aside, at least your appearance can be saved." [One must be honest. If I say I'll rob 10 million, I'll only rob 10 million. I must be kind to my benefactors!]After speaking, he vanished from Alvida's Miss Double Finger.Alvida's expression was unpredictable. She swallowed the Devil Fruit in one gulp, then let out a seductive moan, her figure rapidly transforming, but Meruem had already gone far away... Meruem threw the 10 million Berries to Nami, silently watching her.Nami's expression looked extremely interesting. After a long while, a gentle voice sounded: "Thank you. Once we return to the village and resolve this matter, if you are willing, I will continue to be your navigator and take you wherever you wish to go."Meruem smiled: "You can tell the Captain directly then. I'm just a bodyguard accompanying you home to visit relatives."Nami didn't reply, turning and entering the ship's cabin.Meruem didn't mind, lying on the deck and starting to catch up on sleep... (ᇂ _ ᇂ |||)When he woke up, Nami was gone. The ship was docked on a deserted island, and Meruem found a letter with a bewildered expression."Thank you for accompanying me this far, and thank you for the money. Actually, I am an executive of the Arlong Pirates. I'm very sorry for deceiving you. Let's part ways here. - Nami"[Damn it, do you know who I fought yesterday?! That was Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman! Do you really think I couldn't defeat that idiot Arlong?! Also, what am I supposed to do now that you've abandoned me here?!]Meruem ranted wildly in his heart, raging in frustration. If he hadn't expended so much energy in his battle with Mihawk, he wouldn't have been unaware of her departure.Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, and a red light in his pupils flickered and vanished.[Marine... could it be Captain Nezumi's ship? Never mind, I'll follow and see.]Meruem laboriously started the Going Merry and followed far behind... After perhaps only 2 hours of travel, the Marine docked, and several small boats headed towards an island.Meruem steered the Going Merry from another direction, docking by the sea... Then Meruem swam over, boarded the Marine warship, and hid."Captain, this time we've gained 50 million Berries. It seems you're due for another promotion. Don't forget us old subordinates when you go to headquarters.""Hahahaha, well said, well said. That orange-haired woman is truly amazing; she actually managed to produce 100 million Berries.""But didn't she still earn it for you?""That's a good point. According to Arlong, that woman's money-making ability has also grown as she's gotten older. It shouldn't be long before she can do this again. When that happens, don't forget me at headquarters, that's what truly matters.""How could we forget you, Captain? No, how could we forget you, Commodore? When we've plundered this place, I'll definitely rush it to you at headquarters without delay. I hope you'll promote me then.""Hahaha, don't worry, you'll also come to headquarters in a few years. You need to find a good successor."... [It seems I'm in the right place. This should be Captain Nezumi. Nami must be very sad right now. She'll probably have to go back to her old ways. These people are so annoying.] Meruem pulled out a black cloth and skillfully covered half his face.Captain Nezumi lay comfortably on the sofa in his command room, sipping red wine, humming an unknown tune, the smoke from his cigar swirling.A knife slid from his shoulder and was placed next to his neck, a cold voice saying: "This is a robbery. Your bounty... ah, my apologies, force of habit. Hand over 200 million Berries, or your head will be gone."Captain Nezumi's body trembled, more pathetic than a Pirate, stammering, "Th-this... this brave man, isn't it a bit much to rob on a Marine warship...?"Meruem said nothing, but the blade moved closer to his neck. The cold edge even drew a tiny bit of blood."B-big brother! Let's talk things over! I... I really don't have 200 million here. Give me some time, and I'll go gather it for you, I promise I'll get it.""How much...?""I only have 10 million Berries here... Give me some time..."Swish!Captain Nezumi's ear fell onto the sofa. Just as he was about to scream, Meruem's cold voice came out."If you dare to scream, I don't know where I'll cut next."Captain Nezumi could only clamp his mouth shut, cold sweat beading on his forehead."I'll give you one more chance. If you're still not honest, I'll cut off your other ear."Captain Nezumi nodded, saying with difficulty, "B-big brother, I have 150 million Berries here. It's my fund for promotion. 50 million Berries were just received. I really don't have 200 million.""Have your soldiers move it to the door. Don't play any tricks; your neck should be as easy to cut as your ear."Captain Nezumi nodded, carefully pulling out a Den Den Mushi from his pocket. "Move all the money from the vault to my door, then stay far away from my command room.""Captain, wh-why is that?""Am I the Captain or are you the Captain! Do as I say!""Yes!"Click... The call ended, and Captain Nezumi stammered, "B-big brother, look.""Don't worry, as long as you don't play tricks, I'll take the money and leave.""Thank you, big brother!"Thump thump... "Captain, it's all set. Do you have any other orders?""Retreat.""Yes!"The footsteps faded into the distance, and CaptainNezumi said ingratiatingly, "B-big brother, what do you think?" As soon as he finished speaking, his neck received a heavy blow, and he lost consciousness.Meruem sheathed his sword, used Observation Haki to sense his surroundings, bundled the money boxes on the ground, and left the warship under the cover of night.[No, how can my money be taken by others? I still need to go to Arlong's place again.]
Chapter 18 Luffy is comingThe small boat docked, and under the starry sky, a person carrying a large package walked alone."It's so late… there's no one to ask for directions. How am I supposed to find Arlong's base?"Meruem's face held a hint of bewilderment. Although he wasn't a complete novice when it came to directions like Zoro, it was pitch black, and how could anyone find their way, especially in a place he was visiting for the first time?He headed in the direction of the Going Merry, planning to wait until daybreak.A faint sob echoed, startling Meruem, who immediately drew his sword and looked around warily. After all, if a ghost couldn't be cut, its terror level would be off the charts. And he was walking alone at night."No… why does that sound so familiar?" Meruemcocked his ear and listened carefully, realizing the sound was coming from the cliff beside him.He tightened his grip on the package, sheathed his sword, and stepped onto the nearly 90-degree cliff face. Newton would have to agree he couldn't explain this as Meruem scaled it in a few steps… Nami watched the sea in despair, sobbing softly. Suddenly, a figure climbed up from below the cliff, startling her and causing her to fall to the ground.Meruem knelt on one knee, and Nami lay on the ground. To be honest, this posture was a bit awkward.He immediately felt that he should have appeared at the bottom of the cliff, not here… but this time, he was going to take the initiative!"Why did you leave me on a deserted island! I don't know how to navigate!"Nami propped herself up, her eyes still red, glaring at him without speaking."This… damn it, no cheating. If we're talking, let's talk properly, let's be reasonable. What do you mean by looking at me like that?" Meruem sighed. If she wasn't replying, how could he continue? He reached for the package on his back and placed it in front of Nami."…Here's 150 million Berries. Don't be sad anymore. Luffy and the others should be arriving soon. When they do, they'll take care of the Arlong Pirates, and we'll give Arlong to you, alright?"Nami bit her lip and remained silent.Meruem truly had no other options, so he simply sat beside Nami.The silent atmosphere was a bit eerie."You can't beat Arlong," Nami's voice was remarkably calm."Don't worry, they're all trash. Come on, say 'save me' for me to hear."Nami fell silent again… Early the next morning, Johnny and Yosaku's ship appeared in sight. Meruemglanced at the sleeping Nami beside him, picked her up gently, jumped off the cliff in a few steps, and ran towards the sea.His movements were as gentle as if he were holding a piece of porcelain.When the ship drew a little closer, Meruem tipped his toes and jumped aboard."Meruem~ What are you doing in Cocoyasi Village?" Luffy had found the chef and was in a particularly good mood after several meals.Sanji, watching Meruem holding Nami, felt his foot twitch, wanting to kick him in the face, but they weren't familiar enough yet, so it wasn't convenient.Zoro had thick bandages wrapped around his chest and was sleeping soundly."You two actually ran off the moment the fight started, that's so disloyal!" Usopp's voice held a hint of indignation.Meruem gently laid Nami on the deck. Perhaps due to extreme mental exhaustion, she didn't wake up even then.He whispered, "Luffy, someone made your navigator cry. It's the Arlong Pirates stationed here. Her hand injury is also because of them."Luffy's expression instantly turned serious, and he clenched his fists tightly: "I'm going to beat up these Arlong Pirates, right now."Usopp's comical expression also vanished, and he quietly put on his goggles.Sanji lit a cigarette and took a puff.Zoro opened his eyes and struggled to get up.Meruem stepped forward and held him down: "He's just a small-time pirate. Zoro, you've just been seriously injured, so don't go. You three look after Nami. We'll be done very quickly. Let's go, Luffy.""Alright!" With that, he flipped over, jumped off the ship, and walked out first."…Luffy, do you know where it is?" Meruem's voice seemed out of place.Luffy's momentum faltered, and he stood still.Meruem shook his head, fully activated his Observation Haki, and after a moment, said to Luffy, "Let's go, it's in that direction."…Boom!Luffy kicked open the gate of Arlong Park with a fierce blow, roaring, "Arlong! Get out here!"Arlong squinted at Luffy and said coldly, "Who's this small fry, daring to break my gate?"Luffy quickened his pace, walking straight towards Arlong. Arlong's subordinates sneered, stood up, and swung their weapons at Luffy.Luffy didn't dodge or evade. Sanji and Meruemappeared on his left and right, blocking the attacks."Don't disturb our Captain." Sanji casually kicked a subordinate away.Meruem's sword remained sheathed. He blocked with one hand, yawning repeatedly, as he hadn't slept all night, afraid that if he fell asleep, Namiwould disappear again.Luffy stood beside Arlong, his face filled with rage: "Was it you who made my navigator cry?!""Who's your navigator?""Nami!""She's not your navigator, she's mine!" Arlongsneered."Gum-Gum Pistol!" A powerful punch landed on Arlong's face, sending him flying sideways, crashing through a section of the wall."She's my navigator!"Luffy roared."Brother Arlong!" The Arlong Pirates clamored, rushing towards the three of them… Indeed, he hadn't miscounted. Usopp, who had been strutting proudly earlier, was now hiding by the gate Luffyhad just smashed, greeting them.But in this world full of superhumans, the advantage in numbers was too weak. The three of them were like playing a hack-and-slash game. In just a few moments, the subordinates were all knocked down, groaning helplessly… "It's too much for you to cause such a ruckus in our home!" Kuroobi, with a righteous expression, walked out of the house. He had hard fins on his forearms and was dressed in a karate gi."Exactly! So rude!" Hachi glared, looking very unhappy. He had eight arms, clearly an octopus."How can you stop people from seeking their own demise?" Chew, who looked like a triggerfish, said leisurely."Hissatsu: Firebird Star!"Flames erupted on Chew's face, leaving him scorched black. He looked at Usopp with fury.(ᇂ _ ᇂ |||)Usopp, hiding in the back, was steadily dishing out damage. However, in a moment of carelessness, a Firebird Star hit a cadre's face. Seeing the opponent's gaze, he turned and ran without hesitation."I'm going to kill you!" Chew chased after him… "You're so rude, I'm going to feed you to Moomoo!" Hachi shouted loudly."Dududu dududu~"The seawater parted, as if some colossal creature was about to emerge.
Chapter 19 I Have No Reason to Keep You AliveRoar!A monster with a bull's head and a fish's tail emerged from the sea. Luffy and the two others glanced at it, then watched it coldly.∑(O_O;)Moomoo was startled, sinking little by little, preparing to escape… "Moomoo, are you trying to run away?" Arlong's voice was bone-chilling. "If you run away, we won't be partners anymore. If we're not partners, you know what I'll do."Moomoo's body trembled violently, a fierce glint gradually appearing in its eyes, letting out an earth-shattering roar."Watch me!" Luffy was about to plant his foot into the ground when Meruem stopped him."Luffy, you focus on Arlong. I'll handle these other small fries.""Oh, alright." Luffy twisted his neck, stretched his limbs, and stared intently in Arlong's direction.Roar!Moomoo opened its massive mouth and charged towards the three of them."Mutton Shot!" Sanji propped himself on his hands, shooting out like a cannonball, his feet kicking hard into Moomoo's jaw.o(╥﹏╥)oMoomoo, heavily struck, sank into the sea crying, not stopping no matter how much Hachi called out… "Fish-Man Karate – Straight Punch!" Kuroobi stepped forward, and Sanji, unable to dodge, could only raise his arm to block. The fierce straight punch sent him flying, shattering a wall."Octopus Hachi Black Ink!" Hachi spat out a stream of ink directly at Luffy."Sun Breathing, Second Form, Sky Blue." Meruemdrew a graceful arc with his sword, blocking all the ink: "Didn't I say not to disturb our Captain?"Kuroobi bent his knees slightly, lunged forward, and struck at Meruem.Bang, Black Leg kicked the punch away. Sanji, his face covered in blood, lit a cigarette: "Your opponent is me.""I didn't expect you to still be able to get up after taking my straight punch." Kuroobi's mouth twisted into a cruel smile. He stretched slightly, producing a series of cracking sounds."I guess there's still a lot more. Especially at a certain restaurant." Sanji said with a smile.Kuroobi took a karate stance: "That was a Hundred Tile Punch that sent you flying just now. Next, I'll use a Thousand Tile Punch. There's no way you'll survive!"No sooner had he spoken than Sanji's Black Legwas already in front of him. "Neck Shot!" A kick landed hard on his neck, sending him tumbling to the ground."Shoulder Shot!" Sanji's attack followed closely, giving him no time to breathe. He bent his arm, blocking the blow."Upper Level Exploding Palm!" Kuroobi's other hand rushed towards Sanji. He tilted his head to dodge, rotated on one foot, "Back Shot!" and kicked Kuroobi in the back."Your speed is too slow." Sanji said calmly, falling back and propping himself on one hand. "Leg Shot!" "Chest Shot!"A series of attacks landed on Kuroobi's body, making him tremble: "You… you bastard, I'll kill you!"Sanji's expression remained unchanged. He spun his body and delivered a kick, "Mutton Shot!"Then he took a drag from his cigarette, tapping his toe on the ground: "With this much strength, isn't that a bit too much talk?""Kuroobi! You bastard, how dare you treat him like that! I'll kill you!" Hachi roared furiously. In just a moment, his partner had collapsed to the ground.All eight of his tentacles clutched swords, looking murderous.Meruem swung his sword, and a horizontal gash appeared on Hachi's abdomen."I've always wondered, when you kill people, do you not feel you're going too far? Yet when someone merely knocks out your comrade, you get so enraged. Is your life more precious? I've actually been struggling with this; I'm starting to want to kill all of you."Meruem's cold killing intent erupted, his fingers tapping repeatedly on the hilt of his sword. Sanji's face changed beside him; he looked at Meruem in surprise."Meruem… you…""Sanji, I apologize. We just became partners, and you're seeing this side of me. But these people invaded this island and killed Nami's important adoptive mother. I don't know how many times they made her cry. As Nami's partner, my killing intent is a bit hard to suppress."Sanji fell silent. The cigarette in his hand had burned down to the end, but he didn't discard it. After a long while, he spoke: "Since I decided to be a pirate, I've made my resolve."Meruem smiled calmly, gripped the hilt of his sword, and instantly flashed back. Hachi, still roaring, lay on the ground, eyes rolled back. Then Meruem calmly said: "No need for that. Let's leave it to Nami to decide. If it's too difficult for her, I don't mind taking action."Sanji lit another cigarette and replied: "I don't think Miss Nami will kill them."Meruem shrugged, noncommittal… Nami, who had woken up, had tears in her eyes. She must have run all the way to Arlong Park. Seeing the ruined Arlong Park and Arlong's crew lying scattered on the ground, her heart felt like it was boiling, and the long-standing gloom gradually gave way to light.Many villagers also surged forward, carrying various weapons, their faces filled with excitement."Nami, let me tell you, I just took care of an executive!" Usopp looked as if he was about to die, but that didn't stop him from showing off.Tears streamed down Nami's eyes. She tightly covered her mouth, afraid that if she opened it, a loud sob would escape."Miss Nami~" Sanji also noticed Nami's arrival and excitedly ran over."Gum-Gum Battle Axe!" A leg extended from Arlong Park's tower-like structure, snapping back down fiercely.Boom boom boomThe building continuously collapsed. Luffy stood on the rubble and also saw Nami.He grinned: "Nami! You are my partner! I've broken your cage for you!""Mhm!"The gloom in the sky finally disappeared, and warm sunlight shone upon the earth, and into the hearts of everyone in Cocoyasi Village.Excited cheers rose and fell. Meruem sat far to the side, watching the smiles on people's faces, a smile playing on his lips.Cigarette smoke rose from his fingertips… The joyful banquet had ended. Drunk people lay sprawled across the square.In the place where Arlong's crew was imprisoned, a dark figure appeared and pulled Arlong out.Thud.Arlong was thrown to the ground. He calmly said: "Come to kill me? Hypocritical human."Meruem squatted on the ground, smiling as he replied: "The person who killed your Captain wasn't Nami's adoptive mother, was it? You transfer your hatred for humans onto these innocent people. Yet you don't dare to seek trouble with the World Government or the Marine. Do you call me hypocritical?"Arlong remained silent."Actually, I still prefer being a robber. Every time I kill someone, it makes me uncomfortable. But now, as a member of the Straw Hat Crew, if Luffy is the sun, then I am the moon. He is responsible for illuminating this strange world, and I am responsible for cleaning up scum like you. You killed someone important to my partner, so I truly have no reason to let you live. Therefore…"No sooner had he spoken than Meruem plunged his sword into Arlong's heart, blocking all the words at his mouth.Fresh red blood covered Meruem's hand. He murmured to himself: "Those who deserve to die leave no last words."
Meruem exhaled, then waved his hand, flicking the blood from his blade onto the ground.This time, the unpleasant feeling of killing was minimal; instead, he felt a sense of exhilaration as if a burden had been lifted.He hummed a tune and strolled leisurely back towards the village."Meruem, Arlong?" The cigarette butt glowed intermittently in the darkness."Hmm, he's dead. Are you here to stop me, Sanji?" Meruem's voice sounded quite cheerful."I was just worried you might want to kill them all, so I came to lend a hand," Sanji took a puff from his cigarette, the smoke obscuring his expression, making his voice impossible to read."Killing Arlong just now did give me a fleeting sense of satisfaction. From now on, I'll only kill those who make me feel this way. You don't have to worry about us being on opposite sides.""Hmm, good. You definitely didn't eat well at the banquet earlier, I'll go prepare some food for you," Sanji exhaled, his voice noticeably more relaxed this time."Alright!" Meruem grinned, took two steps forward, and slung an arm around Sanji's shoulder."Did you see Nami's sister today? The one named Nojiko."(￣▽￣)／"Both sisters are stunning beauties~ Let me tell you..."The rustling sounds faded into the night. The bright Moonlight illuminated the earth, quiet and still, as if nothing had happened... The Going Merry by the sea."Has Miss Nami not arrived yet?" Sanji looked around anxiously."Sanji~ Where did you run off to yesterday? I looked all night and found cantaloupe and ham," Luffy's expression looked quite displeased."Is Nami not coming?" Zoro's injuries were finally almost healed."Ugh... indeed, I don't see her anywhere yet," Usoppput on his scope and searched carefully.Meruem yawned as he walked out of the cabin, gave Sanji a thumbs up, and loudly declared, "Luffy~ Sanji made me cantaloupe and ham last night, it was superb!!"Luffy's resentment was almost palpable. He pouted at Sanji, his hands twitching with eagerness."Meruem, you?!" Sanji didn't even have time to look for Nami; he shifted his feet and dodged Luffy's pounce.The two chased each other around the ship.Meruem looked at the crowd seeing them off, and at the bickering Straw Hat Crew, and began to feel fortunate. It was truly good to be here... "Set sail!"Nami's voice came from afar."She's running over, what's she going to do...?" Usopp looked in the direction of the voice, a little shocked."Ugh... she said to set sail, so... everyone, let's set off!" Luffy grinned."Aye!"The Going Merry's anchor was pulled into the hull, the sails were unfurled, and the sea breeze filled them, carrying the ship swaying towards the vast ocean.There was a commotion on the shore. Nami weaved through the crowd, then dashed onto the Going Merry.Stepping onto the deck, she lifted her shirt, revealing an astonishingly slender waist... no, rather, a pile of wallets fell from her waist.Judging by the number, all the wallets on shore must have been there.Nami pulled out a Berries note, held it between her fingers, and said with a playful grin, "Take care, everyone! I'm off~"The commotion on shore gradually turned into shouts of 'take care', and their synchronized waving made it look quite poignant.Luffy: "Hahahahahaha, Nami, you're so interesting."Sanji: "Miss Nami~"Zoro: "Next time you go home to visit, remember to take us with you."Usopp: "You really are one of a kind..."Meruem smiled, saying nothing... "Meruem, you were the one who took Arlong, right? Is he...?" Nami's voice rang out."He's dead, you know. He was too ugly, I really didn't want him to live in this world and scare people.""I specifically went to the detention place today, and I really couldn't bring myself to make that decision. Thank you.""Ugh... I think I just said I killed him because he was ugly. Why are you thanking me?"Nami's words caught in her throat, anger surged in her heart, and her fists clenched, making a cracking sound.[Wasn't I trying to ease her guilt? Why do I feel like I'm about to get beaten up? This is so unreasonable.]∑(O_O;)Meruem felt a little uneasy, starting to consider whether to just take the beating or make a run for it.Nami took a few deep breaths and continued, "I left all the money you stole and all the money from Arlong Park for the village. This amount is enough to buy my freedom for life, so for the rest of my life, I will be the navigator of the Straw Hat Pirate Crew. But now we're out of money. Let's be a little thrifty until our next income."Meruem breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed he wouldn't be beaten after all. He reached for a bundle at his lower back and threw it to Nami."No need to be thrifty... there's still 30 million Berries here, which should be enough to last until we meet the next Pirate Crew."(ㅍ_ㅍ)Nami untied the bundle, looked at the neatly stacked Berries, and squinted at Meruem, her gaze seeming to want to strip him bare.(꒪Д꒪)ノMeruem was startled and took a step back, tightening his clothes and swallowing hard.However, it turned out he was just scaring himself. Nami looked him up and down, then picked up the bundle and walked away."Phew... that was terrifying. If she really came to take off my clothes, would I resist or not...?"Meruem muttered to himself, practically daydreaming... "Why did this newspaper go up in price again? If it goes up again next time, I'm not buying it!" Nami's voice sounded very indignant.(๑°⌓°๑)The newspaper-selling seagull, who was listening to her, looked bewildered and pretended not to understand.Usopp: "Didn't your saving plan end...? You don't need to be so stingy anymore, do you?"Nami opened the newspaper, read it carefully, and casually replied, "I have to buy this newspaper every day, and it adds up to a considerable sum. The second round of the saving plan has already begun; I don't want to be a poor Pirate."Usopp: "...Only poor Pirates would complain about the price of a newspaper."Bang.Nami punched Usopp hard, knocking him to the ground. With her internal conflict bonus, the power was truly terrifying.Then she reopened the newspaper, and not long after, let out a piercing scream.On the other side, Luffy, who was constantly attacking the oranges, and Sanji, who was defending Nami's orange trees, were both startled. They immediately flipped over and came to Nami's side."What's wrong? What's wrong?" Luffy asked urgently."Luffy... you've been given a bounty. The amount is... 30 million Berries." Nami's expression looked desperate.(*≧▽≦)"Hahahahaha, I'm a great Pirate now too~" Luffylaughed excitedly.Sanji and Zoro expressed their displeasure that they didn't have bounties.Usopp pointed at a back of a head in Luffy's bounty poster and said, "Look, I'm in the picture too!"Meruem walked out yawning: "You wholeheartedly help the Marine catch Pirates, and you still get a bounty. Luffy, your path as a Pirate is truly unique.""Right~ I also think I'm pretty amazing," Luffy didn't care at all and was still very happy."The problem is Luffy has a bounty! The highest in the East Blue before was Arlong, only 20 million Berries! Who knows how many strong individuals are eyeing Luffy's head! Do you even realize the seriousness of the situation?!" Nami transformed into a roaring emperor."Actually, I don't think strong individuals are that idle," Meruem replied, pinching his chin.Nami felt her fists itching, always wanting to smash something.
WTR-LABWhen You are in Pirates, You Can Sneak Into the Straw HatsCh. 21 / 7402.8%WebWeb+AI#21Rogue TownChapter 21 Rogue Town"Nami, I see an island. Is that our destination for this voyage?"Zoro shouted from the lookout.Nami picked up the telescope. "We've reached this island… It seems we're not far from the Grand Line. There's a very famous town on this island called Loguetown, also known as the Town of Beginnings and Endings. It's where the legendary Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was executed."Luffy murmured, "The Pirate King… the place where he was executed?""Yes, Luffy, shall we go?""Let's go!""Alright, Captain. Usopp! Port rudder 37 degrees."The Going Merry changed direction, heading towards Loguetown. The true legend was finally about to begin… A bustling town, with throngs of people. This must be the liveliest place in the entire East Blue.Luffy said, "I want to see the execution platform."Sanji said, "Then I'll go buy ingredients."Usopp said, "I'll go collect equipment."Zoro said, "I only have one sword left; I need to buy more."Nami smiled. "I can lend you money. Just pay me back double later."Meruem's eye twitched slightly. "Isn't everyone's money with you?"Nami glanced sideways at Meruem. "So, if I lend it to you and you pay me back double, what's unreasonable about that?""Hey, how much money did you guys give Nami to hold?" Meruem turned and asked.Luffy and the other three turned their faces away, whistling.(ᇂ_ᇂ|||)Meruem's face darkened, and he turned back to Nami. "…So, we only have 30 million Berries in total, is that right?""Not exactly. There's also the wallet I stole when we left that day. Added together, it might be around 50,000 Berries…" Nami replied calmly, her eyes gradually widening as she cowered next to Meruem.Upon hearing there were still 30 million Berries, Luffy and the other three's eyes lit up. They all extended their hands towards Meruem and Nami, their meaning clear."Nami… just divide it up. We won't need to resupply before reaching the Grand Line. Don't worry, with me here, we won't lack money." Meruem pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a slight headache.Nami's face was filled with struggle. After a long while, she still said reluctantly, "Alright…"She pulled everyone into a dark alley and slowly unzipped her backpack."Sanji, this is yours…""Usopp, Zoro…"If one didn't look at Nami, who seemed on the verge of tears, she was quite generous when handing out the money.The three took their money and left. Luffy extended his hand expectantly. Nami rummaged in her pocket and placed a string of coins in his hand.???Luffy looked at the coins in his hand, full of questions. "I'm the Captain, why are you only giving me so little…?""You always waste money; it would be a waste to give you too much," Nami said righteously."…I do not!"…After some haggling, Luffy happily ran off with enough money for one meal.Nami looked at Meruem with teary eyes, making him feel a massive headache.Meruem quickly waved his hand. "I don't need any. I'll earn my own money." With that, he vanished from the spot.Watching Meruem disappear, Nami's expression instantly returned to normal. She murmured, "This trick works well on Meruem. I'll do it again next time. I wonder how many more times it will work."One couldn't help but lament again: women, regardless of age, are natural actresses… [Was I tricked? The more I think about it, the more something feels off… The money I took out, everyone else got to use for expenses to buy what they wanted. But I'm penniless now. This seems a bit outrageous…]Meruem stood on the bustling commercial street, scratching his chin in thought."Little brother, we meet again." A soft, sweet voice, somewhat familiar, sounded beside Meruem.He turned to look. A seductive gaze, a slender waist that could be grasped in one hand, and long legs – the attractive woman was smiling at him.It was just that the spiked club behind her somewhat ruined the whole picture… Spiked club?!∑(O_O;)"Alvida?!" Meruem was shocked."It seems little brother hasn't forgotten me after all. Last time, you stole 10 million Berries from me. This time, I'll have to get it back with interest~" Her words were sharp, but her voice sounded like she was pouting.Facing the great benefactor who had helped him, Meruem smiled, and then… turned and ran.(꒪Д꒪)ノAlvida froze for a moment. Meruem was already almost out of her sight. She took the spiked club from her back and murmured, "Trying to run without paying me back? How could that be? Little brother~""Sube Sube no Mi, Smooth-Smooth Jet!"Alvida seemed to put on ice skates, chasing after Meruem in a flash… [Is the Sube Sube no Mi that useful? I should have stolen it and sold it. With so many rich women, this fruit would probably sell for an exorbitant price.] Meruem admitted that his heart had pounded a bit faster when Alvida, transformed into a sexy woman, looked at him. This pathetic, looks-obsessed world—if someone was good-looking, he wouldn't rob them.Then Meruem looked around, falling into self-doubt. "So where am I now…? I'm not Zoro, so how did I get lost?"He ran while thinking, and unknowingly, he had run out of town. Looking around… there wasn't a single soul in sight.No, there was someone. Not far away, a person in a green cloak, who must be human in broad daylight, was slowly walking. He ran over in a few strides."Hey, hey, big brother… or big sister, do you know how to get to Loguetown?"Getting closer, the man under the cloak had a red square tattoo on his face, no eyebrows, and looked sternly at the shouting Meruem.After Meruem clearly saw his face, he was shocked for a moment, but still said with a smile, "Big brother, do you know how to get to Loguetown?"[That pattern… it must be Monkey D. Dragon, Luffy's father… ]"I know. Let's go, I need to go there myself," Dragon's voice was very magnetic.Seeing that he wasn't in the mood for much conversation, Meruem also stopped talking and followed behind him with a smile."Your… sword is very good," Dragon's voice suddenly rang out.Meruem took it from his waist and looked left and right. [The top power in this world says my sword is good? Isn't it just something an old man gave me? What's so special about it?]"Big brother, do you know about this sword?""It seems you don't know yet, so I won't tell you. You'll find out eventually."(꒪Д꒪)ノMeruem's face was full of conflict. If he couldn't beat him, he would definitely punch him in the face right now. He grumbled inwardly, [People who only speak half-truths have no little JJ.]…The weather changed in an instant. It had just been clear skies, but after they walked for a while, dark clouds covered the sky.A storm was brewing…
Chapter 22: Rogue Town. End"That's Loguetown. I'll go ahead." As soon as Monkey D. Dragon finished speaking, he vanished from the spot."...I know you're here to see your son. After all these years, what have you been doing all this time?"Meruem grumbled while drawing the black blade from his waist. After this sword came into his possession, it turned completely black. If this were based on the One Piece setting instead of Demon Slayer, then...Could it be that the Armament Haki, which has been useless to him until now, is all concentrated in the sword?Thinking back now, on the battles he experienced with Luffy and the others—except for the fight with Hawkeye, which was very tough and showed almost no chance of victory (though it didn't seem like he would lose either)—the other battles indeed posed no challenge at all."So, am I currently at Shichibukai level? Meaning, I'm about as strong as Crocodile in Alabasta? I still feel like I'm incredibly weak..."Meruem mused as he leisurely walked towards Loguetown... "Sorry, I'm about to die," Luffy said with a smile.Clang!Boom!Buggy's blade was parried, and then a bolt of lightning struck the execution platform.Meruem's face was a bit darkened by the lightning. He stomped on the unconscious Buggy's face, annoyed, and said, "I knew I shouldn't have come to save you.""Meruem~ You came just in time!" Luffy, completely unconcerned that he had almost lost his life, happily linked his arm with Meruem's."Luffy! Meruem! You two men who hurt me are actually together! So, which one of you wants to be my man?" Alvida's voice rang out, full of seduction.(⊙...⊙) Luffy vigorously waved his hands: "No."Seeing her, Meruem couldn't help but recall her former appearance. He covered his face and waved his hand: "I don't want to either..."Sanji, who rushed over, looked as if struck by lightning and roared, "What did you two do to this beautiful lady?!"Zoro sheathed his sword: "Stop with the nonsense! Get out of town quickly, I see the Marine gathering."Luffy responded with a cheerful "Time to set sail!" and then was the first to run towards the Going Merry."Can you not be so thoughtless? You almost died! But was this lightning an act of God, or... you, Monkey D. Dragon?" Meruem followed behind the three, muttering to himself.The shouts of the Marine and the commotion of Buggy's Pirate Crew mixed together, while the pouring rain and rumbling thunder echoed their actions.The four of them ran, with a group of Marine in hot pursuit."Roronoa Zoro, I can't believe you're a Pirate! You dared to make a fool of me! I'm here to take back wado ichimonji!" Tashigi stood in their path, slowly drawing Shigure from her waist and assuming a starting stance."Is that all? This kind of strength against Zoro... you're asking for a beating. If it weren't for your face, Zoro wouldn't even bother to give you a few slashes, let alone let you try to steal his wado ichimonji." Meruem glanced over, noticing Tashigiwas full of openings, but she was indeed very pretty."You guys go first, I'll catch up right away." A slight curve formed on Zoro's lips as he drew only two swords."Bastard! What do you intend to do to this beautiful lady?" Sanji raised his leg, intending to kick Zoro's face.Luffy and Meruem silently linked their arms with his, one on each side, holding him up. Their steps didn't falter as they continued to run forward."Oh, someone else is blocking the way. Watch me, Gum-Gum Pistol!" Luffy swung his fist back, and it shot forward like a bullet, directly piercing through the body of the person in front.Looking closely, there was no blood. The person had short white hair combed back, two cigars in his mouth, and cigars hanging all over his body.Where Luffy's fist made contact with his body, it turned into a puff of smoke.The person in front was Marine Captain Smoker of Loguetown. His eyes narrowed, and his hands turned into smoke, coiling around Luffy.Seeing this, Sanji delivered a side kick, but felt no impact, merely dispersing a cloud of smoke."Can someone like you really be worth 30 million Berries? Has Headquarters gone mad?" Smokerraised his hand, took the Sea Stone jitte from his back, and swung it fiercely at Luffy.Clang! The sound of metal clashing rang out.The intense impact dispersed the smoke coiling around Luffy."You guys go first, I'll catch up in a bit," Meruem said calmly, having forced Smoker back a step."Okay! Meruem, hurry up, I can't hit this smoke bastard!" Luffy scrambled to his feet and dragged Sanji forward, running."You're stronger than Straw Hat, so why don't you have a bounty?" Smoker took a deep drag from his cigar, and amidst the swirling smoke, he said coldly.Meruem casually twirled his blade, then replied with a smile, "With my current strength, I'm still far from enough. Besides, Luffy and their future is very vast; I'm nowhere near their level.""You won't have a future! And if you do, it will be in prison, crying over your choices!"Smoker roared, his lower body turning into smoke as he circled Meruem several times, thick smoke enveloping Meruem."Even if I weren't here, their future wouldn't end here. Why don't you look behind you?" Meruemsheathed his sword, shrugged, and replied.Smoker turned his head and saw a figure completely hidden in a cloak smiling at him."Who are you?" Smoker, caught between two attackers, gripped his jitte tightly.The person in the cloak raised his head, revealing a face with a somewhat eerie tattoo. "The person the World Government wants most—don't you recognize me?""It's you! Why are you helping the Straw Hat Pirate Crew?!" Smoker's expression changed, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead."What reason is there to stop a man from setting sail? And even if I hadn't come, you wouldn't have been able to stop them. Don't you agree, young man?" Monkey D. Dragon directed his last sentence to Meruem, who was surrounded by smoke.Meruem remained noncommittal, spreading his hands to indicate he knew nothing.Monkey D. Dragon said no more, raising his palm and smiling as he said, "Storm!"The gale blew Meruem and Zoro towards the sea, while the Marine were blown back to the plaza.Meruem and Zoro performed a backflip in the air, landing steadily on the ground, a difficulty rating of 7.0, and continued to run.Monkey D. Dragon stood on the rooftop, muttering, "Luffy, take your companions and advance towards the peak. We will meet again someday."Meruem didn't look back, raising his hand to wave, a smile on his face as he headed towards the Going Merry."Meruem, do you know that old man from just now?" Zoro's voice held a hint of confusion."Not really. I just met him today. But you, that Marine lady was quite pretty. Why did you tease her? I didn't realize you were that kind of person. Pfft." Meruem immediately changed the subject.Zoro looked embarrassed, his face flushed, and he didn't reply.The Going Merry was in sight, and Nami and Usoppwere shouting loudly from the ship.Legend says, starting from today...
Chapter 23: Towards the Grand Line.The heavy rain was mixed with thunder, the waves surged, and lightning streaked across the sky, like the light bestowed upon the world by a legendary god, illuminating the dark world."Look, the direction that lighthouse is pointing is the Grand Line we're heading to!" Nami excitedly pointed at a beam of light.Usopp was trembling all over. "Are we really going to sail in this weather...?"Sanji carried a wooden barrel out from the cabin and said with a smile, "Alright! Let's have a ceremony for entering the Grand Line."As he spoke, he placed one leg on the barrel: "For me to find the All Blue!"Luffy followed suit, placing his leg on the barrel and saying, "For me to become the Pirate King!"Zoro crossed his arms, his leg on the barrel: "For me to become the world's greatest swordsman!"Nami's smile was completely different from before, and she also put her leg up: "For me to draw a world map!"Usopp's body was still trembling as he shakily placed his leg on the barrel: "I... I... for me to become a brave warrior of the sea!"Everyone looked at Meruem with burning eyes, full of anticipation.Meruem smiled, placed his leg on the barrel, and said, "For me to have absolute freedom!""Shishishishi, let's go! Towards the Grand Line!" Luffy's excited shout even drowned out the thunder in the sky... [The heavy rain hasn't stopped, so that day's lightning shouldn't have been Monkey D. Dragon's doing. So... a chosen one? It should be safe to follow you...]Meruem sat in the cabin, sleepiness overcoming him, and he gradually drifted off to sleep.The cigarette butt in the ashtray on the table stubbornly burned, finally reaching its end, leaving only wisps of smoke... In the Calm Belt, they almost crashed into a mountain. After a chaotic scramble, the Straw Hat finally managed to cross into the Grand Line.Luffy sat in his exclusive seat, excitedly shouting, "This is the greatest ocean in the world! Let's go!"Zoro's ears twitched, a little unsure: "Did you guys hear something?"Nami cocked her head and listened, saying carelessly, "It's probably the sound of the wind... The terrain here is quite complex, so it's not strange for the wind to make any sound."Usopp took off his scope and looked, his face changing drastically: "Nami! There's a mountain ahead!"Nami looked at the map and said in disbelief, "How is that possible! This should be an endless expanse of sea!"Buzz... (((((;°Д°)))))"A whale!" Everyone's exclamations rang out.The Going Merry plunged down from the mountain, unable to stop, and crashed heavily into the whale's body, smashing Luffy's special seat to pieces."It doesn't seem to have noticed us yet... Let's quickly sneak away." Usopp's voice sounded like he was about to cry."Mm-hmm..." Nami's tears were already streaming down in fright."You'll pay for my special seat!" Luffy punched the whale's eye fiercely. The damage wasn't high, but the insult was extreme.━Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)━"Luffy, are you an idiot!" Zoro and Sanji's roars rang out. Usopp and Nami beside them felt like they were already lying on the ground foaming at the mouth.They felt their souls had floated out of their mouths.Meruem covered his face, indicating he was too exasperated to complain. Luffy being the Captainwas probably the most absurd thing about this Pirate Crew... If he wasn't the chosen one, these people would have died countless times, even with the Yomi Yomi no Mi, they'd all be dead.The whale opened its massive mouth, and seawater surged into it. The Going Merry had no way to struggle and slid towards the whale's mouth.Meruem reached out and hugged Nami, then jumped with force towards the nearby land. Luffygrabbed the whale's teeth and sprang out... It had a bit of a 'every man for himself in times of great disaster' feel.o(╥﹏╥)o"...Everyone." Nami slumped to the ground, crying helplessly.Meruem said calmly, "They're fine, don't cry.""Really, Meruem...? Then why did you save me?"[What kind of logical genius are you?]Meruem looked speechless: "Do you want to try being swallowed by a whale? I can take you into its belly for a trip.""No, thank you..." Nami stopped crying upon hearing that everyone was fine: "So what do we do now, go find them?""Let's wait, they should be out soon." Meruem found a comfortable stone and prepared to lie down for a while.Nami glared at him, but although they were companions, Nami always felt Meruem was a bit mysterious. Otherwise, she would definitely have beaten this lazy guy up first.Meruem suddenly opened his eyes, red light flickering in his pupils, startling Nami.Just as Nami was about to ask, Meruem got up and disappeared... "Ms. Wednesday, are you ready?""Mr.9, ready.""Then let's begin.""Okay, be careful.""Don't you think your conversation is a bit terrible?""Ah ah ah ah!" Ms. Wednesday and Mr.9 shrieked, stumbling forward, almost falling off the ship.Meruem grabbed one person with each hand and pressed them onto the ship."It's robbery time. Hand over all your valuables."The two stared blankly at Meruem, showing no reaction.Meruem pulled out a knife and held it to Mr.9's neck, repeating himself.Cold sweat poured down the two of them like a waterfall. They looked at Meruem in terror, fumbling around on their bodies, but couldn't pull anything out.Meruem's expression was like he had eaten... bah, like he had been... bah, anyway, he was very uncomfortable.It had been a long time since he had such a failed robbery experience. After recuperating for several days, it was really uncomfortable not to have some money on him. Last time in Loguetown, he didn't buy anything, and he had to bum cigarettes off Sanji, which made him very uncomfortable.Meruem reached out and thoroughly searched the two. Rocket launchers, baseball bats, a Log Pose, and a peacock feather-shaped chain that looked slightly valuable.He patted Mr.9's face with the back of his knife: "Next time, if you don't have money, don't wander around. If I catch you again without money, you're dead."As soon as he finished speaking, his figure disappeared."Mr.9, we... we didn't just see a ghost, did we?""Ms. Wednesday, in... in broad daylight, that shouldn't be right, and I've never heard of ghosts robbing people."...Nami watched Meruem, who had disappeared for a while and then reappeared, carrying two baseball bats and two rocket launchers on his back. This image was simply... she didn't know how to describe it, and her eye twitched as she asked, "What... what did you go and do?""Oh, I just went back to my old profession, didn't expect to run into some poor guys...""..." Nami couldn't understand at all and could only silently say 'awesome' in her heart.Boom, boom, boom!Loud, continuous crashing sounds came from the side of the mountain. After a long while, they finally stopped, and then the whale surfaced, its mouth open, and the Going Merry slowly sailed out from inside.