Chapter 4 Pirate HunterChapter 4: Pirate HunterAfter saying this, Luke followed Luffy's steps. Speaking too much would lead to mistakes, which made Nami even more curious about Luke.Koby, walking ahead, seemed very worried, while Luffy was very casual, calmly walking towards the Marine Base with his hands in his pockets.Soon, the group arrived in front of the Marine Base.The large brass-green iron gate was emblazoned with the two large characters for Marine.Luffy put his hands on his hips: "Yosh, this must be the place!"Since the gate was locked, everyone followed Luffyand peered over the wall to observe the situation inside.In the Marine's training ground, a man was tied to a wooden post.With a black bandana and a green haramaki, it was undoubtedly the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro.This was Luke's first time seeing Zoro, and he was even more excited than Luffy.Luffy smiled: "We can easily let him go if we just untie the ropes, right?"Koby on the side tried his best to stop him; he was still very afraid of Zoro, believing the rumors wholeheartedly and thinking Zoro was a great villain."Don't worry, I'm very strong."Luffy's words made Koby feel like this guy was beyond saving.Zoro also noticed the group.Zoro said in a domineering tone: "Hey, you guys, you're in the way. Get lost!"Nami, who had just climbed up, saw Zoro's fierce gaze and was so scared she almost fell, but Lukegrabbed her."Thanks!" Nami's chest heaved. If she had fallen, she would definitely need several days to recover.Why did she have to suffer with these guys of unknown origin? Nami felt very emotional.She had thought about running away, but her curiosity about Luke compelled her to stay.Luke's actions just now significantly increased Nami's favorability towards him.But regarding Zoro, Nami had strong opinions; his fierce gaze was simply too terrifying."If we make this guy a companion, a few lives won't be enough. Let's leave quickly."Nami was frightened by Zoro's eyes.While they were talking, a small ladder appeared next to Nami.A petite figure climbed up the ladder.The little girl had twin pigtails and large, adorable eyes. She made a shushing gesture to the group.This little girl was Rika. Zoro, to protect Rika, was willing to be captured by Helmeppo. And to spite the Marine, he also refused to eat or drink. To repay this big brother, Rika risked danger, ran to the Marine Base, and personally made rice balls for Zoro to eat.Rika looked left and right, found no Marines nearby, then threw down a rope and slid in.Nami on the side turned pale with fright: "It's dangerous! Luke, quickly go save that child."Luke motioned for Nami to calm down and just watch quietly.Looking at the rope, Luke felt an urge. He decided to appraise it to see what he could get out of it.Luke placed his hand on the hemp rope and activated his skill, Appraisal of All Things.A golden light flashed, and the appraisal was complete."Ding! Appraisal successful. Hemp rope has evolved into a Novice Demon Binding Rope, capable of binding novice creatures!"With a thought, the Novice Demon Binding Ropeflew into Luke's hand.Nami and Luffy on the side stared in astonishment.Luffy's eyes lit up: "Wah-ho-ho, Luke, how can this rope fly!"An impatient Luffy accidentally touched the Demon Binding Rope, triggering its enemy-detection mechanism.Before Luffy could react, he was hog-tied by the Demon Binding Rope."Nani, I seem to be unable to move. What a magical rope."What a clueless guy.Luke snapped his fingers, and the Demon Binding Rope automatically untied itself, flying back into Luke's hand.Having an additional attack tool significantly increased Luke's combat power.In the training ground, Rika brought the rice balls to Zoro.Rika happily said: "You must be hungry, I brought rice balls."The tsundere Zoro said in a cold tone: "Brat, do you want to die? Get lost!"Rika took out the rice balls on her own: "Big brother, you haven't eaten anything, right? Here!"Two large rice balls were presented."I'm not hungry!" Zoro said."But…""I said no! Be careful or I'll hit you!"Just then, Luke jumped down and came before Zoro.Luke picked up a rice ball and directly shoved it into Zoro's mouth."You'll only have strength if you eat enough."This simple and crude method left Zoro helpless.He wanted to spit it out, but his stomach rumbled. Having not eaten for many days, he had no resistance to food anymore.Zoro began to chew the rice ball heartily, then swallowed it."And this!"Luke took out the rum he had bought in town, knowing Zoro liked it, so he specifically bought a bottle for him.Zoro made no attempt to hide his love for alcohol."Give me the alcohol."Luke opened the bottle cap, and the strong liquor flowed down Zoro's throat, making him feel an unprecedented exhilaration."Thank you!"His attitude towards Luke also improved.After all, he was a future companion; they needed to cultivate their relationship.Just then, the iron gate in the distance opened.Helmeppo, the son of Marine Captain Axe-Hand Morgan, the boss of this Marine Base, walked over with two Marine subordinates.Helmeppo said mockingly: "I didn't expect you to be in such good spirits, Roronoa Zoro."Luke was just about to talk to Zoro about his ideals and recruit him.He happened to have the Demon Binding Rope in hand. Without waiting for Helmeppo to speak further, Luke directly threw out the Novice Demon Binding Rope.The rope came with an enemy-locking function.Under Helmeppo's astonished gaze, the rope quickly flew to his side, trapping him and the two Marineguards beside him together."What is this… I'm trapped, quickly let me go!" Helmeppo shouted loudly.Luke snapped his fingers, and the Demon Binding Rope directly bound Helmeppo's mouth, preventing him from speaking. The world finally became quiet.Luffy, peering over the wall, showed a happy smile. It seemed he had recruited a powerful companion.Luke looked at Zoro: "What is your dream?"A bottle of alcohol deepened the bond between Luke and Zoro.Zoro glanced at Helmeppo, who was tied up not far away."To become the World's Greatest Swordsman!"Zoro said with full confidence. He was also curious as to why Helmeppo was tied up by the rope.Luke sized up Zoro: "You're not quite there yet!""I will be, sooner or later.""You have the potential to become a great swordsman, but if you stay in the East Blue, your strength will be hard-pressed to improve further. Don't you want to see the outside world?" Lukeasked."Leave the East Blue? Are you referring to heading to the Grand Line?"Zoro was also very smart, understanding immediately, except for his sense of direction."There's the World's Greatest Swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk, who can cut dozens of warships with a single strike and cleave mountains with just his sword aura. Don't you yearn to cross swords with such a strong individual?"Cutting a mountain with a single sword was not an exaggeration; many strong individuals could easily do it.Hearing something related to swords, Zoro also became serious.
Chapter 5: Power PillsChapter 5 Power Pill"Hawkeye Mihawk, Flower Sword Vista, Dark King Rayleigh, Fujitora Issho—those guys are all top-tier powerhouses. If you die here, you won't get to meet them."Zoro had heard of the people Luke mentioned, knew of their strength, and yearned to fight them.A strong fighting spirit erupted within Zoro, giving him the idea of heading to the Grand Line."The Grand Line, huh..."Zoro murmured, his eyes gradually becoming firm and clear."Are you going?"Seeing that the time was ripe, Luke asked Zoro."Since there are so many powerhouses on the Grand Line, I must go there."Zoro made up his mind, filled with a longing for the Grand Line.Just then, Luffy came roaring over."Haha, you're going to the Grand Line too? Come with me!"Luffy's laughter was highly infectious, but to Zoro, he seemed like an idiot."Who's that guy?" Zoro asked, puzzled.Luke smiled slightly: "My Captain, Luffy. Let me formally introduce us, we are pirates, and we are recruiting companions to go to the Grand Linetogether.""My Captain is determined to become the Pirate King, and I believe he can do it," Luke added."Pirate King... what a naive idea, quite interesting."Zoro looked at Luffy's innocent smiling face and found him somewhat unreliable."This kind of guy can actually be your Captain?" Zoro asked."Don't let his constant smiling fool you; he just doesn't care much about ordinary things. He's actually very smart."Luffy might seem unreliable, but he actually has high emotional intelligence; to describe him with an idiom, he's 'great wisdom appearing foolish'.But to many onlookers, he might just seem like an idiot, when in fact, learning to appreciate others isn't difficult.While the group was talking, a group of patrolling Marines rushed in.These Marines all held muskets, their muzzles aimed at everyone."Helmeppo-sama!"The Marines were shocked to see Helmeppo tied up there.If Colonel Morgan found out about this, they would be in serious trouble.Two Marines came up to Helmeppo, trying to untie the Demon Binding Rope wrapped around him, but no matter how hard they pulled, they couldn't undo it."What's wrong with this rope? It won't untie."Helmeppo pointed at Luke, signaling the Marines to have Luke untie it.The Marines' guns were aimed at Luke."Untie the rope, quickly!"Luke stood there calmly, showing no intention of untying the rope."If you don't untie it, we'll shoot!" the Marinethreatened.Luke directly turned his back on the Marines and continued talking to Zoro."Do you want to join our pirate crew?" Luke asked calmly.Zoro's eyes widened as he said, "They're going to shoot! You're still interested in talking about this? Watch out behind you!"The Marines were also enraged by Luke's actions and immediately ordered to fire."Bang bang bang bang!"Several shots were fired."Watch out!" Zoro shouted.If it were an ordinary person, being hit by a musket would lead to death or severe disability; this was no joke.But the handsome man in front of him showed no fear at all.Luffy stood in front of Luke, spread his arms, and blocked all the bullets.The bullets hitting Luffy's body were like hitting rubber; this was the special effect after eating the Gum-Gum Fruit.The bullets could not cause any damage to Luffy's body."Useless~~"Luffy shouted, bouncing all the bullets back.This scene shocked everyone, only Luke remained very calm.Luffy then said, "I'm Luffy, the man who will become the Pirate King! I'm very strong!""What do you say? Do you choose to be killed here, or do you choose to join us and fight against the Marines?" Luke asked Zoro again.Zoro grinned, feeling that things were getting interesting.He wasn't ready to die yet; his goal was to become the world's greatest swordsman."Are you a child of the devil? Forget it, rather than dying here, I might as well become a pirate!"Zoro smiled, deciding to join the Straw Hat Pirates."Wahahaha, that's great! You're willing to be our companion! Excellent, fantastic!"Luffy excitedly danced in place, and Luke also laughed happily.Zoro finally joined; Luke was very much looking forward to fighting alongside Zoro.Seeing Luffy's goofy appearance, Zoro loudly said, "Hey, if you understand, hurry up and untie my rope!"Seeing that their muskets were ineffective, the Marines immediately called Colonel Morgan with a Den Den Mushi."Colonel, someone is letting Pirate Hunter Zoro go, and they've tied up the young master! Please come and see!"Morgan, who was on the rooftop admiring his statue, heard the commotion and quickly rushed down.At this moment, Luke had just untied the ropes from Zoro.As a swordsman, Zoro's combat power was greatly reduced without a weapon.Zoro's weapons were placed in Helmeppo's room, but Luke was too lazy to go get them.Seeing that Rika still had some rice balls left, Luketook them."Rika, let me use your rice balls."Rika nodded obediently: "Mm."Luke used All Things Appraisal on the rice balls.A flash of light passed.[Ding! Appraisal successful. The rice ball has evolved into a Power Pill. Stamina restored, strength increased fivefold for ten minutes.]"Here, eat. I know you're hungry."Luke stuffed the rice ball into Zoro's mouth."Ugh~ You bastard!"Zoro resisted strongly, but Luke's hand was too fast. Without much chewing, the rice ball was stuffed into Zoro's stomach."You bastard, show me some respect, okay?"Zoro spoke halfway, then suddenly felt something was wrong with his body."My stamina... it seems to have recovered."Zoro looked at his body in shock; the hunger was gone, and he had energy again.And it wasn't just a little bit of energy; Zoro felt a primordial power erupt within him, a hot current surging through his entire body.It was visible that Zoro's muscles had become taut."Allow me to introduce myself. My profession is an Appraiser. I can appraise ordinary items into magical ones. You can feel the effects of this Power Pillyourself."Sometimes, just talking doesn't leave a deep impression. It's better to let them experience it firsthand to understand the role of this profession."I want a Power Pill too!"Seeing how miraculous the effect was, Luffydrooled, his foodie nature exploding.But Luke's All Things Appraisal was random; he didn't know what it would appraise.Taking another rice ball, Luke activated All Things Appraisal.[Ding! Appraisal successful. The rice ball has evolved into a Super Delicious Seafood Rice Ball. After eating, one feels refreshed and has a high probability of entering a state of emptiness.]With the Super Delicious Seafood Rice Ball in hand, its aroma instantly filled the entire training ground.Luffy didn't even think, opening his mouth and eating the seafood rice ball.Then, to everyone's astonishment, he fell asleep.Looking at the bubble on Luffy's nose, growing larger and smaller, Luke was helpless.
Chapter 6 Colonel MonkaChapter 6: Captain Morgan"You guys, making such a ruckus, do you not respect me, Captain Morgan?"Captain Morgan roared, holding his giant axe.Just a moment ago, Morgan had rushed over in a hurry.This made Morgan, who was observing his handsome statue, extremely angry.Someone dared to save people on his territory; they must be tired of living.Morgan looked closely: a Straw Hat, a handsome black-haired youth, and a blonde girl.In Morgan's opinion, the Straw Hat had the highest combat power among them.Morgan had seen Luffy block bullets just now.Morgan knew that the Straw Hat had eaten a Devil Fruit.But now, for some reason, this Straw Hat was asleep, which was a good time to attack.With this thought, Morgan waved his hand, ordering his Marines to attack with close-range swords.As the Marines were about to charge, Luke untied Zoro's ropes.Rather than untying them, it was more like Zorobroke free; Luke merely loosened them slightly.Having taken the Power Pill, Zoro's muscles bulged, and he burst the ropes open.Seeing so many Marines charging, Zoro let out a furious roar.He felt the power in his body had nowhere to be unleashed, and these Marines had conveniently delivered themselves.Then an interesting scene unfolded: Zoro, skilled with a sword, was fighting with his bare fists."Die, you scum!"After taking the Power Pill, Zoro's strength not only surged, but he also felt incredibly exhilarated.These guys were no match for Zoro; he quickly knocked them to the ground.Zoro stood there, panting heavily, his gaze like a wolf fixed on Captain Morgan.Morgan swallowed, Zoro's eyes were somewhat terrifying, and with the strength Zoro had just displayed, he might not be a match.Zoro grinned, slowly walking towards Morgan: "What, scared?"Morgan did not back down: "You should know the consequences of opposing the Marine, Pirate Hunter Zoro!"Morgan was a little scared inside, which was a sign of cowardice, but as the highest leader of the Marinein this town, fleeing in battle would mean he would have no future and would become a laughingstock if word got out.Zoro silently advanced towards Morgan, saying word by word: "I promised you I'd be a pirate. Since a fight with the Marine is inevitable, I might as well officially become a bad guy. But let me say this first: I will absolutely see my own ambition through to the end!""I'm going to be the world's greatest swordsman. If you prevent me from achieving this ambition, then you'll have to commit seppuku to apologize to me!" Zoro looked back at Luke.Luke smiled slightly: "The world's greatest swordsman, not bad. A Pirate King's companion should at least be like that.""Bold words. If that's the case, whether it's infamy or whatever, I will make my name known throughout the world!"Zoro's eyes were firm, exuding a powerful aura.Their conversation also angered Morgan.They still didn't put him in their eyes. During the battle, the two of them just chatted, completely ignoring him."Taste this axe!"Morgan's giant axe fell.Zoro picked up a common long sword from the ground and easily parried Morgan's attack."What!"Morgan was greatly surprised; his attack was not like those grunts, yet it was blocked.The two stood there, weapons in hand, facing each other.Morgan immediately gave orders to the other Marines: "What are you all staring at? Quickly deal with them."The Marines, under Morgan's pressure, attacked Zoro."You guys, you'd best not interfere in a true man's duel!"Luke threw Thor's Hammer, using the skill Spinning Hammer.Thor's Hammer carved a beautiful crescent arc, knocking all the Marines in its path flying.The hammer circled Morgan's head, spun once, and flew back into Luke's hand.Seeing the strength Luke displayed, Zoro smiled knowingly: "It seems you're not just a guy who can play with ropes.""Of course not. As a Pirate King's companion, how could I not have some strength?"Luke said, then gently tapped Luffy's head with Thor's Hammer."Time to wake up, Captain!"The sleep bubble on Luffy's nose instantly vanished, and a large bump appeared on his head."Ah~~ Ow, ow, ow! Huh, why do I have a bump on my head!"Luffy touched the bump on his head, very confused."You hit the wall when you were asleep just now," Luke added."Hit the wall? Ahahaha, my bad, I fell asleep just now." Luffy laughed, rubbing his head.Without the Marine grunts interfering, Zoro put strength into his long sword, knocking Morgan's giant axe away.Then a cold light flashed, cutting across Morgan's abdomen, knocking him to the ground.In just one exchange, Morgan was defeated, without even seeing Zoro's movements clearly.The Marines were incredibly shocked."Captain Morgan was defeated, it's unbelievable."Zoro said with a murderous look: "If anyone else wants to capture us, state your name!"The Marines looked at each other, then threw their weapons into the air."Hooray!""Great, we're free!""No longer under Morgan's control, long live the Marine!"Morgan's defeat made the Marines very happy, because they had been oppressed by Morgan for years.Morgan, that guy, not only oppressed the common people but also his own men, which resulted in no one caring when he fell."What the heck? They're all happy that the Captainwas defeated." Luffy was confused.Luke said: "They were just afraid of Morgan."Morgan was taken care of. Next...Luke looked back at the wall; Nami was gone.It was certain that Nami had taken advantage of everyone fighting to sneak into Morgan's mansion to steal things."Zoro, aren't your weapons still in the mansion? Go look for them quickly, or someone might steal them."Reminded by Luke, Zoro immediately ran towards the mansion to search for his swords.Among his three swords, one was his favorite, named wado ichimonji.That sword was Kuina's sword, and Zoro cherished it greatly; he absolutely couldn't lose it.Luke came to Helmeppo's room and just happened to see Nami rummaging for treasures.Nami had already packed her belongings and was preparing to jump out the window to escape.Three swords were peeking out of the package; they were undoubtedly Zoro's."Leaving already, little thieving cat?"Luke grabbed Nami's shoulder."Let go of me, I want to go back!"Nami, carrying a heavy package, couldn't break free from Luke's grasp.Just then, Zoro also ran over and saw his swords."These are my swords, what are you going to do with them?"Zoro came up to Nami and retrieved his three swords.With his three swords in hand, the Three-Sword Style swordsman Zoro was officially back.And in Nami's package, Luke found a parchment.The parchment was imprinted with the symbol of Buggy's pirate ship.Nami had wanted to find a map of the Grand Linehere, but she hadn't expected Buggy to have taken it.
Chapter 7 Leaving the town and buying applesChapter 7: Leaving the Town, Buying Apples"Buggy, the man known as the Immortal!"Koby had heard of Buggy.Buggy was quite famous in the East Blue.To go to the Grand Line, a map was essential, so they had to go to the Buggy Pirates to get a nautical chart.Returning to the town from the Marine Base.The residents, upon hearing that Morgan had been defeated, celebrated universally.They treated Luke and the others like heroes.At the restaurant, the beautiful proprietress prepared many dishes to entertain everyone.Luffy and Zoro, the two foodies, wolfed down their meals.Zoro, who had been hungry for many days, eating a lot was understandable, but Luffy, who had just eaten, ate even more than Zoro, his stomach distended like a ball.Thanks to the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit, otherwise, it felt like Luffy's stomach would explode."Why are you eating more than me!" Zorocomplained.Luffy didn't mind: "Because it's delicious, isn't it, Koby?"Koby rubbed his head, feeling very embarrassed: "Thank you very much for inviting me too!"The proprietress said gently: "It's nothing, because you saved this town."Zoro, full and satisfied, sat there looking content."So now, besides me, how many companions have you recruited? I remember you said you were gathering companions, since you declared you want to be the Pirate King, you must have gathered quite a few people, right!"Zoro had also gotten on the pirate ship, thinking the Straw Hat Pirates had many people.Luffy said calmly: "Just you and Luke."Zoro was shocked: "Nani, that means...""That's right, just the three of us." Luke raised his glass and took a sip."Just the three of us dare to call ourselves a pirate crew?" Zoro already had a bad feeling, wondering if joining the Straw Hat Pirates was too rash.Luffy continued to eat meat heartily: "What does it matter, we're so strong!""Where's the ship, the pirate ship?" Zoro continued to ask.Luffy picked up a fork, pointed to the dilapidated small boat outside, and said: "That's it."A stray dog, at this moment, even ran to the small boat and lifted its leg to pee.That boat was not even as big as the nearby fishing boats.Zoro leaned out the window, and after seeing that boat, he became very worried about the pirate crew.That boat, let alone going out to sea, would even capsize with one wave.Luffy, who was a cheerful optimist, said: "We'll soon get a ship this big."Luffy made a gesture, imagining how big their future pirate ship would be.Zoro burst out laughing, unable to tell if he was happy or thought it was absurd."How will we get it?" Zoro asked."First, we'll get a pirate flag."Immediately after, Luffy began to imagine what their future pirate ship would look like.Zoro covered his head in exasperation: "Do I really have to regard this guy as my Captain?""Big brother, where are you going next?" The well-behaved Rika asked.Luffy said boldly: "Needless to say, the Grand Line, of course."Nami drank her drink indifferently, thinking what Luffy said was simply a fantasy."The Grand Line is not a place for child's play; you only have three people now. Legend has it that the Pirate King Gol D. Roger obtained everything in this world, and it was in his last words that he said he left the unique great treasure on the Grand Line, so pirates are scrambling to go to the Grand Line. Now that place has become a terrible battlefield, even called the pirates' graveyard."The proprietress also said: "I heard that once you enter the Grand Line, no one can come back alive."The more they said this, the more excited Luffybecame, determined to get that great treasure.During their conversation, Luke got up and went into the town."Luke, where are you going?" Luffy asked."I'm going to buy a few bags of apples."Luke bought apples because he wanted to appraise them. If he was lucky, he might appraise a Devil Fruit. If not, there would be all sorts of strange things, it all depended on luck.Arriving at the fruit market, Luke saw bananas, oranges, dragon fruit, coconuts, apples, and so on.He walked around, bought a bag of all the fruits that looked like Devil Fruits, and went back to appraise them slowly.The All-Things Appraisal skill wasn't something that could be used casually; it consumed a lot of mental energy. The more powerful the item appraised, the more likely it was to make one sleepy.But it didn't matter, a good night's sleep would fix it.Carrying several bags of fruit, he returned to the restaurant.At this time, outside the restaurant, many people had gathered.It turned out that the Marines had arrived. Their reason for coming was simple: as Marines, they naturally could not allow pirates to stay in the town.However, Luke's group had helped the Marines get rid of the scoundrel Morgan, so they were also very polite to everyone."We all thank you very much for saving our base and town from the tyrant, but since we know you are pirates, for the honor of the Marine, we cannot stand by idly. Please leave this town immediately! At least to uphold justice, we will not report this to Marine Headquarters."Marines and pirates belonged to two different factions after all, so everyone was about to leave this town.Before leaving, Luffy and Koby put on a show to clear Koby of suspicion of being with pirates and successfully joined the Marine.On the small boat, Luffy, Luke, Zoro, and Namisqueezed together, setting sail.The people of the town, Koby, and even the Marines, came to see them off.The Marines stood in formation: "All salute!""Goodbye!" Luffy showed a happy smile, bidding farewell to the residents of the town.Watching the Straw Hat Pirates' ship depart, the Marine Lieutenant said: "Our salute just now violated Marine military law, therefore, all officers and soldiers are forbidden to eat for three days. Do you all understand!""Yes!"The Marines' reply was firm and powerful.On the pirate ship, the small boat sailed with the wind, and at this moment, Luffy was full of ambition.Zoro sat there, also having considerable expectations for the future.Nami looked at this small boat, feeling very unreliable.Only Luke was there, opening the fruit bags, concentrating on appraising the fruits."No more talking, let's get a Blazing Fire Fruit!"Luke used All-Things Appraisal on an apple."Ding! Appraisal successful. The apple has evolved into a Golden Apple. No special use!"Luke casually tossed the Golden Apple in his hand. Since it wasn't a Devil Fruit, Luke wasn't very interested.Nami, quick-eyed and quick-handed, caught the golden fruit, her eyes gleaming with golden light, looking at Luke as if she had seen a treasure."What kind of magical technique is this, to turn an apple into a golden apple!"Nami was somewhat in awe of Luke at this moment. As a 'Little Thief Cat', she was most interested in things like gold coins."I told you I'm an Appraiser. This is my ability. If you have anything interesting, you can come to me for appraisal."After Luke finished speaking, he picked up another apple and continued to appraise it."Ding! Appraisal successful. The apple has evolved into a ripe sweet apple!""Luffy, catch!"Luke threw the apple to Luffy.Luffy took a bite, finding it very sweet, and shouted loudly: "Towards the Grand Line, set sail!"It seemed that appraising a Devil Fruit was not that easy.If he accumulated enough quantity, he would eventually appraise one, perhaps even some strange things along the way.
Chapter 8 Deadly Thunder and Dao IchimonjiChapter 8: Fatal Thunderclap wado ichimonjiThe small boat was still sailing on the sea, and Luffysuddenly sat there, staring blankly at the Straw Hatin his hand.This Straw Hat reminded him of his past with Shanks.Shanks is now a Four Emperors-level figure; even though he lost an arm, his combat power is still among the best.Speaking of Luffy, his father, Monkey D. Dragon, is the leader of the Revolutionary Army, and is listed by the Marine as the world's most dangerous man.His grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, is a Marine hero who has repeatedly refused the rank of Admiral and is a legendary figure from Roger's era.His brother is Ace, the commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' second division. Ace's father is Pirate King Roger.He also has another brother, Sabo, who is the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army.The one who gave him the hat was Red HairShanks, one of the Four Emperors. This hat was also once worn by Pirate King Roger.Then there's the Gum-Gum Fruit he ate, whose true name is the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Nika Form, a top-tier Devil Fruit.With all this, it would be unthinkable for him not to become the Pirate King. He has connections everywhere, controlling both the underworld and the legitimate world."I want to drink!" Zoro sighed, looking up at the sky.Luke noticed the three swords in Zoro's hand. If the Appraisal skill were used on them, it might have unexpected effects."Zoro, lend me a sword," Luke said.Although Zoro was a bit puzzled, he still handed the three swords to Luke.Of these three swords, two were relatively ordinary; only the wado ichimonji could be considered a fine sword, one of the 21 Great Grade Swords.The wado ichimonji, Zoro's first beloved sword with a white sheath, was a memento of his childhood friend Kuina. If not for Kuina's death, perhaps Zoro's determination to become a swordsman would not have been forged.The famous swords in Pirate King refer to weapons forged by renowned swordsmiths.Famous swords can be classified by strength: 12 Supreme Grade Swords; 21 Great Grade Swords; 50 Skillful Grade Swords; and countless other Skillful Swords.Luke only knew four of the 12 Supreme Grade Swords.The first is the Black Blade Yoru, the Black Blade Yoru is the sword of the world's greatest swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk.The second is the First Generation Kitetsu. Every sword in the Kitetsu series is an excellent famous sword, but without exception, they are all cursed swords. Kitetsu brings misfortune to its user, and swordsmen who cannot control it will meet their demise.It is currently uncertain who holds the First Generation Kitetsu. It is speculated that one of the Gorosei possesses it.The third is Murakumogiri. Murakumogiri is the giant naginata used by Whitebeard, belonging to the Supreme Grade Swords. This sword is extremely sturdy, capable of withstanding the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, transforming Whitebeard's seaquakes into shockwaves.The fourth is Ace.Ace is the sword of Pirate King Roger, and also the name of Roger's son.Its appearance is unremarkable, like a common pirate sword. Yet, it is a genuine Supreme Grade Sword, capable of enduring Roger's Haoshokucoating.With it, Roger's Divine Departure instantly killed Oden, and later clashed with Whitebeard's Murakumogiri to a draw. Ace also fought alongside Roger for decades, and was never forged into a permanent black blade until Roger's death.As for the 21 Great Grade Swords, Luke also knew a few.wado ichimonji, black blade Shuusui, Second Generation Kitetsu, Ame no Habakiri, and Enma.As for the 50 Skillful Grade Swords, the famous ones include Yukibashiri and Hoshu, which are Tashigi's swords.Luke took a deep breath, took Zoro's wado ichimonji, and placed it on his hand.He used the All-Things Appraisal skill.A purple light suddenly enveloped the blade."Ding! Appraisal successful. wado ichimonji has evolved into Fatal Thunderclap wado ichimonji. The blade is tougher and sharper. Attacks come with a lightning effect, linked to the user's Haki. Quality has evolved from Great Grade Swords (mid-tier) to Great Grade Swords (high-tier)."The current on the blade greatly surprised Zoro.The faint current disappeared after a while.So far, no one among them can use Haki, so the lightning cannot appear.Zoro took back his wado ichimonji, tried it casually, and felt it was much sharper than before."Luke, if my swords have any problems in the future, I'll come to you. It feels even sharper than after my master polished it!"Zoro was very satisfied with Luke's appraisal.Currently, the All-Things Appraisal can only be used once on any item.As for whether it can be used twice, it depends on the future development of the skill; perhaps there will be a second time.Suddenly, a large bird flew across the sky.Luffy saw the large bird and had an idea: "Let's eat that bird!""Huh!?" Zoro had a look of utter confusion.Nami looked at Luffy as if he were an idiot: "Are you sure? Birds fly in the sky."Luffy patted his chest and said, "Watch me! Gum-Gum Rocket!"Luffy stretched his arms, grabbed the ship's sail, and then, using the elasticity of his rubber arms, flew directly into the sky."I see," Zoro said calmly, sitting there.Immediately after, the famous scene occurred.Luffy's head got directly stuck in the large bird's mouth, and he couldn't move.The large bird, with Luffy's head in its beak, flew off into the distance.Seeing this, Nami's resolve was strengthened: she absolutely could not join this pirate crew.Luffy's shouts echoed in the sky: "Ah~~~ Help!""Idiot, what are you doing!"Zoro immediately started rowing the boat, heading in the direction the large bird was flying.While rowing, they encountered several pirates who had fallen into the water.The pirates, seeing a boat approach, shouted loudly.Zoro told them to climb aboard themselves.Three pirates climbed onto the boat, revealing their true colors, pulling out long swords and threatening everyone."Stop the boat! We are with the great Clown Buggy's crew. This boat is ours now."Luke, who was appraising an apple, looked up at the three men.He then threw the Demon Binding Rope, tying the three of them together.Picking up Thor's Hammer, he gave each of the three a large bump on the head, to make them recognize their current situation.Immediately after, these three pirates became very humble and started helping to row the boat.Zoro also sat leisurely nearby, watching these three guys."We didn't even realize you were the famous Pirate Hunter, Master Zoro! We are truly sorry!"The three pirates said obsequiously while rowing, with large bumps on their heads, looking very comical."It's all your fault for making me lose track of my companion. Just keep rowing forward," Zoro said fiercely.Luffy was now out of sight. As for where he went, it was undoubtedly Orange Town, the base of the Buggy Pirates.So Luke wasn't worried."By the way, who is that Buggy you just mentioned?" Zoro asked."Master, you don't know who Clown Buggy is? He's our captain, and a man who ate a certain Devil Fruit. In short, he's a very terrifying person."Hearing about the Buggy Pirates, Nami had already made up her mind to steal the Grand Line map that the Buggy Pirates had stolen from the Marine base.That map was very important to her.
Chapter 9 The Magic BrickChapter 9: The Magical BrickOrange Town was originally a peaceful town, but ever since Buggy arrived, the villagers, fearing Buggy, all fled.So the town looked deserted.Luke and Zoro stood on the shore of Orange Town, seeing no one.Looking back, Nami had disappeared again.Luke didn't care about Nami's sneaking off; as long as Arlong was ultimately dealt with, everything would proceed according to the main storyline.Nami was probably looking for a navigation chart at the Buggy Pirates' base by now.Just then, a huge explosion rang out in the town.The powerful blast destroyed dozens of houses."It's Captain Buggy's ultimate move, Buggy Ball!" said three of the pirate laborers."Take us to the Buggy Pirates," Luke said.Now Luke held Thor's Hammer and the Demon Binding Rope, so dealing with Buggy shouldn't be a problem.He also planned to see if there were any good items to appraise along the way.Walking down the streets of Orange Town, they found it empty.Only in the recently destroyed houses could they find some small items to appraise.Picking up a wooden board for appraisal, it evolved into a sturdy wooden board. Not needed, so he threw it away.Picking up a brick for appraisal."Ding! Appraisal successful. The brick has evolved into the Brick of Tracking and Might. When thrown, it can track targets and cause high damage!"He hadn't expected much from appraising a brick, but he didn't expect to get such a good item.Unlike Thor's Hammer's spinning flight, this brick could automatically lock onto enemies when thrown, guaranteeing a hit, which was a very rare attribute.Tucking the brick into his pocket, Luke and Zorowalked towards the Buggy Pirates.Passing by a shop, they saw a small white dog sitting quietly at the entrance, looking into the distance.Luke recognized this dog; its name was Chouchou.Chouchou's owner had died of illness three months ago, and Chouchou had been waiting for his owner ever since.This was a smart dog; it probably already knew its owner was dead. The reason it waited here was because this shop was left by its owner, and it liked the owner's Relics, so it intended to continue guarding it.This loyal little dog, resembling Sun Honglei, made Luke feel a bit out of character."Goodbye, Chouchou!"Luke waved to Chouchou and continued towards the Buggy Pirates; he needed to find Luffy quickly."Roar~~"A lion's roar suddenly rang out, making Chouchou's fur stand on end.The beast tamer Mochi rode in on a fierce lion."You guys, have you seen a guy with a Straw Hat?"Mochi looked furious."What happened, my cute beast tamer?" Lukeasked."That Straw Hat ignited Captain Buggy's BuggyBall, messing up our base! I must catch him myself!" Mochi cracked his whip, making a loud sound.Luke pointed in a random direction: "He ran that way~.""Ricki, chase him down!"Mochi believed Luke, riding his lion Ricki in the direction Luke indicated.Zoro stood with his arms crossed, watching Mochipass by.Just then, Luke suddenly pulled out the brick and threw it at Mochi, who was on the lion."Take this brick!"The brick, with its built-in tracking system, aimed precisely and quickly at Mochi's head.Mochi had just turned around when he saw a brick flying towards him.Unable to dodge in time, he was hit by the brick and knocked unconscious."Yes!"Luke clenched his fists, feeling proud of that throw.Zoro and the other three pirate laborers looked shocked.Especially Zoro, who had thought Luke would avoid this fight, but instead, he ambushed them, taking out the beast tamer with one brick."Haha, I didn't expect you to throw bricks!" Zoro's laugh was a bit peculiar.The beast tamer Mochi was knocked out, but his mount, the lion Ricki, was still active.The huge lion charged quickly, making the ground tremble slightly.Luke then flicked his wrist, and the beginner Demon Binding Rope flew out.The Demon Binding Rope flew to Ricki and tied up its four legs.Ricki, who was running, had its legs tied and fell face-first.It skidded for more than ten meters on the ground before stopping.Luke and Zoro came before the lion Ricki, examining the peculiar lion."Braised or steamed?" Luke asked."Such a big lion, let's just boil it. I haven't eaten lion meat before. Luffy should like it very much."Zoro drew his long sword, preparing to dismember Ricki.Seeing Zoro draw his sword, the lion Rickiimmediately cowered, its body trembling as if begging for mercy.Zoro saw the lion's appearance, thought for a moment, and then put his sword back."Forget it, I don't really feel like eating it," Zoro said haughtily.Luke smiled slightly, picked up Thor's Hammer, and aimed it at Ricki.Since this lion was an enemy, if they released it rashly, it would come back to attack them later.So Luke planned to give it a lightning strike, a lightning attack from Thor's Hammer.As for whether this lion could successfully pass the tribulation, that would depend on its fate; everything was left to chance.A bolt of lightning accurately struck the lion Ricki, electrocuting it black and making it smoke all over.Then Luke retracted the Demon Binding Rope. It seemed this fellow had successfully passed the tribulation and hadn't died, but it wouldn't be able to move for a while, essentially crippled. There was no need to worry about it coming back to attack them later.Then Luke went back to the beast tamer Mochi, picked up the brick he had just thrown, and hit Mochion the head two more times, ensuring he wouldn't die but would be half-dead.Luke had seen many TV shows; if you don't finish off your opponents properly, it's easy to get taken out yourself.After two more brick hits, Luke finally stopped, satisfied."You're a devil, aren't you!" Zoro, who was beside him, complained.Luke wagged his finger: "A man who isn't ruthless won't have a stable position."Zoro pondered Luke's words, and seeing the brick in Luke's hand, Zoro also felt a little scared.For some reason, Zoro even felt that Luke's brick could knock him out too. Was it just his imagination?In the Buggy Pirates, besides Buggy, there were two main fighters: the beast tamer Mochi, who had just been defeated, and the acrobat Cabaji.How to put it, these two were just for comedic effect, with their flashy fighting styles.Especially Cabaji, who would ride a unicycle into battle? That was practically fighting with a handicap."Wahaha, a unicycle, so fun!"While Luke was thinking, a burst of joyful laughter came over.He looked closely and saw Luffy speeding over on a unicycle.This unicycle, wasn't it Cabaji's? Could it be that Luffy had snatched it?"Luke, Zoro, you're here too!"Luffy, riding the unicycle, was very happy to see Luke and Zoro.
Chapter 10 JugglersChapter 10: The AcrobatsLuffy, that brute, snatched Cabaji's unicycle and started playing with it himself.Cabaji chased after him, fuming.It wasn't long before Luffy's unicycle skills reached their limit."Ah~~~ Ah~~~ It's going to crash!"Luffy crashed the unicycle into a wall, and its wheel was bent out of shape.Seeing his beloved unicycle in such a state, Cabaji's heart was in agony."Straw Hat, I'll kill you!"Cabaji, holding a long sword, walked menacingly towards Luffy."Ah haha, sorry, I broke your unicycle."Cabaji wasn't listening to any apologies; he only wanted to get rid of Luffy now."If it's a sword fight, I'll handle it!"Zoro drew wado ichimonji, blocking Cabaji's path.Cabaji saw Zoro and jumped back a few steps."Green hair, three samurai swords, Pirate Hunter Zoro?"Zoro snorted, "Now I'm a pirate too."Facing Zoro, who was recently gaining fame in the East Blue, Cabaji wasn't particularly afraid. He calmly said, "What an honor, Roronoa Zoro. As a swordsman, I actually have the chance to cut you down."Suddenly, Cabaji chanted a spell: "Acrobatics: Fire-Breathing Daddy!"It was like a circus act of breathing fire, far from the Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu.The sudden burst of flames hit Zoro, and then Cabajikicked Zoro, knocking him to the ground.At this moment, the animal tamer Mochi, who had been knocked out by a brick, woke up and saw himself completely bound."Save me, Cabaji!"Mochi cried out to Cabaji for help.Cabaji, however, ignored him and walked over to the lion, Ricki."A useless master, and a useless pet."As he spoke, Cabaji single-handedly lifted the unconscious lion, Ricki, and threw Ricki towards the animal tamer, Mochi.Mochi couldn't move, only able to watch his pet fall on top of him, and he fainted once again.Seeing this, Luke retracted his Demon Binding Rope.Cabaji's opponent was Zoro, and Luke didn't bother to get involved.Zoro stood up from the ground, wiping the dust from his face. A lot of his hair had been singed.Zoro was very angry. He wasn't concerned about how serious his own injuries were; it was simply because his opponent was a swordsman, yet used such acrobatic tricks.Seeing Zoro stand up, Cabaji continued his acrobatic attacks."Acrobatics: Steam Murder Case!"The strange skill name, having to shout it out with every move, left Luke baffled.Cabaji's sword spun rapidly in his hand, kicking up dust from the ground like a giant pinwheel.Good heavens, he just used Fire Style: Great Fireball, and now he's using Wind Style: Rasenshuriken. This guy couldn't have transmigrated from the next-door dimension, could he?Amidst the flying dust, Cabaji thrust his sword, which Zoro deftly caught.Next, Cabaji delivered another kick, striking Zoro in the abdomen and sending him flying.Luke and Luffy stood leisurely to the side, watching the battle. Out of trust for their companion, both of them, by unspoken agreement, did not intervene.Zoro had said earlier that he would deal with anyone who used a sword.Cabaji stood there confidently: "Roronoa Zoro, I've got him!"Cabaji roared and charged at Zoro.Zoro silently stood up. He had had enough of these acrobatic attacks; the anticipated swordsman duel had disappointed him too much."Annoying fellow!"Zoro wrapped his bandana around his head."You've had enough of your cheap tricks, haven't you? Let me show you the difference in our strength!"Seeing Zoro in this state, Luffy exclaimed, "So cool, Zoro, so cool!"Cabaji was also intimidated by Zoro's gaze: "Is this Roronoa Zoro? How dare he look down on me."Zoro stood there coolly: "My sword is aimed at the world's best. I can never lose to anyone who calls himself a swordsman."With a samurai sword clenched in his mouth, he unleashed his Three-Sword Style."You bastard, try my strongest acrobatics: Acrobatics: Divine Wind Hundred Spinning Top Theater!"Cabaji waved his hand, and dozens of spinning tops launched out.Zoro, with his Three-Sword Style, easily deflected these tops.One of the tops was bounced away and landed in Luke's hand.Just as he was wondering what to appraise, it came right to him.Luke used Universal Appraisal on the top in his hand."Ding! Appraisal successful. The top has evolved into Super Armored Battle Turtle Top. It can transform into an armored shield to defend against attacks."Looking at the top-shield in his hand, Luke was speechless for a moment. As expected of Universal Appraisal."What a cool shield, let me play with it, Luke!" Luffysaid excitedly."Here, take it."The shield, thrown into Luffy's hand, transformed back into the Armored Battle Turtle Top."How amazing, it turned into a top!" Luffy's eyes sparkled.Luke instructed, "If you shout 'Armored Battle Turtle, Transform!', it will turn into a shield.""I'll try! Armored Battle Turtle, Transform!"With Luffy's shout, the top transformed into a turtle shell shield."It's real! It turned into a shield!"Luffy kept transforming the top back and forth, getting addicted to it.On Zoro's side, he had no more patience to play around with Cabaji.Facing Cabaji's fierce attack, Zoro unleashed his skill, Onigiri.A ghost-like thrust, it swept past Cabaji.Cabaji hadn't even reacted before he was struck by the Onigiri.Blood gushed from Cabaji's chest; one hit, and it was over.This was the difference in their strength. Cabaji's numerous attacks were like mere tickles.For Zoro, he could make many mistakes, but for Cabaji, he only needed to make one mistake to lose.Cabaji was defeated. Both of the Buggy Pirates' main combat forces were lost, leaving only CaptainBuggy."Let's go, Luffy, stop playing."Luffy was still happily playing with the Armored Battle Turtle Top.Soon, the three arrived at the Buggy Pirates' base, which resembled a circus.Inside the base, many pirates were gathered, and Buggy sat in the middle chair, waiting for something.Beside Buggy stood Nami.Nami was not restrained; she was pretending to join the Buggy Pirates again to steal the Grand Linemap."Straw Hat, you dare to come back!"Seeing Luffy, Buggy was furious.Buggy, who was originally having a joyous feast, was in a very good mood.But unexpectedly, a Straw Hat fell from the sky and crashed onto his tent.Captain Buggy, who was proudly showing off his Buggy Ball, accidentally fumbled and ignited the Buggy Ball.Losing one cannonball was a small matter, but losing face was a big deal.Therefore, Buggy sent the animal tamer Mochi and Cabaji to capture Luffy.It seemed they had failed.
Chapter 11 Captain DuelChapter 11: Captain ShowdownSeeing Luffy return, Buggy immediately ordered his pirate crew to attack."Go get 'em, boys! Capture them!"The pirates swarmed forward."Gum-Gum… Gatling!"Luffy used his skill, sending all the charging pirate minions flying."I didn't expect you to have some skill, huh? I wanted to ask this earlier, but that Straw Hat on your head looks a bit like Shanks's." Buggy said, pointing at Luffy's Straw Hat.Luffy chuckled, pressing his Straw Hat: "This Straw Hat was given to me by Shanks. You know Shanks?"At the mention of Shanks, Buggy became furious.The two were originally apprentice crew members of the Roger Pirates, dreaming of one day becoming great pirates.Back when they were with the Roger Pirates, one day, Buggy swapped out the Chop-Chop Fruit from the spoils of war, intending to secretly sell it. That night, just as Buggy was about to admire the Fruit, which was worth 100 million Berries, Shankssuddenly appeared. Buggy could only hide the Fruit in his mouth, but unexpectedly, he accidentally swallowed it directly, and from then on, Buggybecame a Devil Fruit user.As everyone knows, eating a Devil Fruit grants powerful abilities, but at the same time, it makes one unable to swim. Some might think this is not a loss, but for Buggy, such a thing was unacceptable.After Buggy accidentally ate the Fruit and nearly drowned, Shanks once said, "What are you doing? Isn't swimming your strong suit?" From this, it seems swimming was Buggy's most 자랑스러운 ability.When your most proficient ability suddenly disappears, it's easy to imagine how much your self-confidence would be shattered. Furthermore, all the members of the Roger Pirates were non-Devil Fruitusers (except for Bullet in the movie), and after spending a long time together, Buggy would also feel that people who couldn't swim had no right to be pirates.Therefore, Buggy hated Shanks to the extreme."Go, Nami! What are you still watching there for?!"Buggy pointed at Nami, who had just joined his pirate crew.Nami replied, "Sorry, I still have something to do."After speaking, Nami directly slipped away.She joined the Buggy Pirates not for battle, but for the nautical charts within the pirate crew.Now that Luke and his group had arrived, it just happened to tie up Buggy, giving Nami an opportunity to escape."You fellow!"Watching Nami leave, Buggy was very angry but could do nothing.Luke looked at the famous pirate before him, Buggy.A big red nose, a large red mouth, a Captain Jackhat, blue hair, and oversized shoes.A contemporary of Shanks, while Shanks had become one of the Four Emperors, this guy was still just an ordinary pirate Captain."Forget it, I don't care. I'll take you all down first." Buggy decided to attack the group.On the way here, Luke had already chatted with everyone about Buggy and introduced the abilities of Buggy's Chop-Chop Fruit.Zoro and Luffy were very curious about this."Zoro, cut him!" Luffy commanded.Luffy really wanted to see the Chop-Chop Fruit's ability.After all, he had just set sail and hadn't seen many Devil Fruit users."I also want to see your ability, Chop-Chop. Is my slash really ineffective against you?!"Zoro drew his long sword and walked towards Buggy."Since you know my Fruit's ability, yet you still overestimate yourself and challenge me, let me show you my power."Buggy drew his long sword and attacked.Zoro did not dare to be careless and used his skill, Onigiri.A cold flash swept past, and Buggy did not dodge.In one encounter, Buggy was cut in half at the waist.The severed part did not bleed, and Buggy's upper body lay on the ground, letting out cackling laughter.Immediately after, his arm flew from the air, holding a long sword and stabbing towards Zoro."Watch out, Zoro!"Luke threw the Demon Binding Rope, binding Buggy's hand and pulling him in front of himself.Luke stepped on Buggy's hand with his foot, and Buggy screamed in pain.The Chop-Chop Fruit allows the user to freely dismember himself and control his limbs to move anywhere within a certain range."Sure enough, my slash had no effect," Zoromuttered."Once you possess Haki, dealing with Devil Fruitusers will be simple," Luke said."Haki?"At this moment, Zoro did not know what Haki was."It is a latent power possessed by all humans, an innate ability. When one manipulates these unseen feelings—spirit, bloodlust, fighting spirit—willpower can be transformed into a weapon. This powerful force is called Haki.Haki is divided into three types: Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and Haoshoku. Except for Haoshoku and the highest level of Observation Haki, ordinary people can obtain this power through training and continuously strengthen it. However, after reaching a certain limit, it can only advance further under extreme conditions in actual combat.Haoshoku and the highest level of Observation Hakiare both innate and cannot be acquired through training. The highest level of Observation Haki is even rarer than Haoshoku."Hearing Luke's explanation, Zoro nodded thoughtfully, his desire to train Haki stirring."Give me my hand back!"While Luke was not paying attention, Buggyretracted his arm and reconnected his body completely."Captain, I'll leave this guy to you!" Luke retrieved the Demon Binding Rope.The duel with Buggy was left to Luffy."No problem."Luffy clashed his fists together, full of fighting spirit.Luffy and Buggy's duel wasn't very exciting.It was a one-sided battle, with Buggy fighting tenaciously, relying on his Chop-Chop ability.At this time, Luke could not see any Haki on Buggy, and his fighting techniques were also very clumsy.Luke did not think Buggy was holding back; evidently, his current strength was simply like this.After several rounds, Luffy still wasn't serious and found it quite amusing.He let the two of them continue playing there and got up to go to the Buggy Pirates' rooms to see if there were any good items to appraise."Captain, I'm going to the Buggy Pirates' quarters to get some good stuff." Luke greeted Luffy before leaving."Okay, Luke, I want meat.""I'll see if their pirate crew has any meat. If they do, I'll bring it all out for you." Luke made an OK gesture.Buggy was enraged hearing their conversation: "You two are too presumptuous! You're treating my pirate crew like your home! You're not allowed in!"Buggy tried to stop Luke, but he was grabbed by Luffy's stretched-out rubber arm."Your opponent is me, hehe."Luffy landed a punch on Buggy's abdomen, making Buggy almost faint from pain.
Chapter 12 The Next IslandChapter 12: Next IslandWhile Luffy was fighting outside, Luke arrived at the Buggy Pirates' storeroom.It was piled high with treasures.Inside the storeroom, a pirate was threatening Nami.However, Nami subdued him with a honey trap, followed by a groin attack.In a safe, Nami found the Grand Line map.Buggy also wanted to go to the Grand Line; he didn't want to be stuck in the East Blue his whole life."I found it!" Nami was very happy."Can I have this?" Luke asked."You can have it. The map is yours; all the remaining treasures are mine."Nami packed two large bags of Buggy's treasures. One bag was estimated to be worth five million Berries, a considerable sum.With these treasures, Nami was one step closer to her goal of one hundred million Berries."No problem." Luke fully agreed. Money held little significance for him.Opening the Grand Line map, it was roughly drawn, but the routes were generally clear.A horizontal line in the middle, separating north and south, was the towering Red Line.A vertical line in the middle, separating east and west, was the Grand Line.On both sides of the Grand Line were the Calm Belt, so to enter the Grand Line, one had to go to Reverse Mountain.The Calm Belt contained countless Sea Kings, making it impossible for ships to pass. No one had attempted to enter the Grand Line from there; it was a suicidal act.Luke was very curious about what the Red Line truly was.Because simply crossing the Red Line would lead directly to the end of the Grand Line.So far, no one had been heard of directly crossing the Red Line; that would simply end the entire story.According to the route in One Piece, entering the Grand Line from Reverse Mountain, crossing the Red Line on the other side, entering the New World, and then circling around, actually leads to the back of Reverse Mountain.After securing the map, Luke walked outside.Luffy and Buggy's battle was nearing its end.With a roar from Luffy, a Gum-Gum Rocket sent Buggy flying, disappearing into the sky."Well done, Captain!" Luke applauded."Hehe, I'm very strong," Luffy said coolly, pulling down his Straw Hat."I got the Grand Line map. Nami found it."Luke threw the map to Luffy; he didn't want to take credit."The Grand Line map is finally in our hands! This is great! Thank you, Nami! So, you'll become our nakama too, right?" Luffy said.Nami put her hands on her hips and said, "Didn't I say I don't want to be a pirate's nakama?"Then, she changed her tone and added, "But never mind, it seems quite profitable to be with you guys. Let me make it clear, it's just a collaboration, remember that!"Nami, holding two large bags of treasure, was in a very joyful mood.In fact, subtly, Nami had already developed a good impression of everyone.Luffy showed his bright white teeth and nodded in agreement."Let's go, Zoro."Luke went to the sleeping Zoro and woke him up.It was truly admirable that while Luffy and Buggywere fighting, Zoro was so sleepy he just fell asleep, not even worrying about Luffy losing the battle."Is everything settled?" Zoro looked half-asleep."It's settled. Not only that, we have a sea chart, treasure, and a navigator!" Luke said."A navigator?"Zoro looked at Nami, and Nami stared back at Zoro. They both seemed to distrust each other."Let's go, it's time to head to the next destination, towards the Grand Line!" Luke said."Depart for the Grand Line!" Luffy was very excited.As everyone was in high spirits, a group of unknown villagers arrived.These villagers held various weapons, hoes, and clubs, their faces filled with anger."Who are you people?"Where did these villagers come from? During the fight with the Buggy Pirates, they were all hiding well, but now that the battle was over, they came out.Without guessing, Luke knew what Luffy would answer."We are pirates." Luffy said.Nami, standing nearby, almost fainted when she heard Luffy's answer.Zoro was directly amused by Luffy's answer; he couldn't tell if it was a bitter laugh or happiness, but he was just laughing loudly."Baka!" Nami yelled at Luffy.Luffy looked wronged: "It's true.""Pirates! How dare you destroy our town like this! Even children are unforgivable!"Clearly, these villagers were blind; they couldn't distinguish right from wrong."Let's get out of here!"Luke waved his hand and ran towards the sea."Haha, let's make a run for it!"Luffy also took off running.Nami, carrying two large bags of treasure, followed closely behind everyone.The villagers immediately pursued. Luke casually threw out the Demon Binding Rope, tripping them.All the villagers running in front stumbled and fell face-first.Everyone jogged along, reaching the seaside and boarding a ship without incident.Interestingly, Nami had stolen a ship from the Buggy Pirates. It was a small boat, but better than their previous dinghy.After tossing the treasure onto the pirate ship, Lukeand Nami rode the Buggy Pirates' ship, while Luffyand Zoro took their original small boat, heading towards the next destination.This way, there was much more space."Yosh! Let's go!" Luffy faced the sea, raising both hands."Just entering the Grand Line like this is too reckless."Nami put her hands on her hips, speaking sternly to everyone.Zoro lay there looking at the sky, and Luffy was eating an apple, clearly not bothered."That's right, we really need some meat."Luffy felt the apple in his mouth wasn't very tasty.As expected of Captain Luffy, his love for meat surpassed everything else."We also need some sake," Zoro added."What are you two talking about? The Grand Linewe want to go to is the most dangerous place in the world, and there are many other powerful pirates searching for the Great Treasure. Of course, they are riding powerful pirate ships."Nami's meaning was clear: their ship was too small and couldn't withstand big storms.They were lacking in both equipment and crew members."Indeed, we can't do without a cook and a musician."Luffy took out another apple and started eating."A musician?" Zoro burst out laughing again when he heard Luffy's words, defeated by his naivety.Nami also looked helpless: "Are you an idiot?"Then Nami picked up the sea chart: "A little further south, there's a small inhabited island. It would be great if we could get a decent ship there.""Yay, time for meat!" Luffy said excitedly."And sake, of course," Zoro said."You two!" Nami was truly speechless. Only Lukewas somewhat normal, which was a relief for her.The island Nami mentioned was Syrup Village, where Usopp lived.There, the Straw Hat Pirates could acquire their first good ship, the going merry.
Chapter 13 Strengthening PillChapter 13: Strengthening PillAs they were about to land on Syrup Island, Luke's appraisal ability finally bore fruit.Luke had just finished eating a peach and was about to throw away the pit, but then he thought about it and casually appraised it.Unexpectedly, a golden light flashed."Ding! Appraisal successful. Peach pit has evolved into a Strengthening Pill. Consuming it will increase your Doriki by 500!"Doriki is a discarded concept.Assuming the average Marine soldier has a Doriki of 10, anything over 500 is considered superhuman.Only CP9 members had their Doriki tested.CP9 members' Doriki:Lucci: 4000 Doriki.Kaku: 2200 Doriki.Jabra: 2180 Doriki.Blueno: 820 Doriki.Waiper: 810 Doriki.Fukurou: 800 Doriki.Kalifa: 630 Doriki.Commander Spandam: 9 Doriki.Eating one Strengthening Pill was equivalent to fifty ordinary Marine soldiers.Luke swallowed the Strengthening Pill, and a warm current spread throughout his body.Luke felt his whole body trembling, all his cells being nourished, and a powerful force flowing through him.With one punch, a nearby wooden barrel was easily shattered.Luke let out a long breath: "That feels great."Although he hadn't appraised a Devil Fruit, this Strengthening Pill was still pretty good.If he ate eight Strengthening Pills, he would have the same Doriki as Rob Lucci.Doriki is only an appraisal of instantaneous power and doesn't represent the entirety of a person's strength, which is why it was discarded in One Piece."Luke, you seem to have gotten stronger."Luffy said in surprise."It seems so."Luke observed his body, which now had well-defined muscles.His previous single abdominal muscle had transformed into eight chiseled abs.Now, picking up Thor's Hammer was effortless.Finally, the ship arrived at Syrup Island, docking on the beach.The small island was beautiful, peaceful, and serene.Behind the beach was an upward stone slope, and behind the slope was a village.After several days of sailing, the feeling of solid ground underfoot was wonderful."That looks like the village over there."Nami said.Upon hearing about a village, Luffy's mouth watered: "Then there'll be meat, meat, meat! That village should have food, right?"Nami looked at Luffy with disdain: "Can you please mention meat less often?"Just as everyone was about to head to the village, Zoro sensed danger."Look out!"Many small stones shot down from the stone slope, and then many black flags with white skulls were raised.These were all orchestrated by Usopp and his subordinates.Immediately after, accompanied by a booming laugh, Usopp's figure appeared on the stone slope."Hahahahaha, I am Usopp, the leader of the great pirate crew that rules this village. People praise me, calling me Captain Usopp. If you intend to attack this village, I advise you to give up. Because my eighty million subordinates will not let you off."Seeing countless flags fluttering on the stone slope, Luffy was incredibly shocked: "Amazing!"Seeing Usopp so arrogant, Luke directly used his Spinning Hammer.Thor's Hammer cut a beautiful arc, smashing all the flags on the stone slope."Captain, is this impressive?"Luke asked."It is impressive, but he has eighty million subordinates."Luffy actually believed him; he clearly didn't understand what eighty million people meant, and there was no way this island could accommodate so many people.Luke looked at Usopp: "Didn't you say you had eighty million subordinates? Now put those flags back up."Usopp realized his lie had been exposed and was momentarily flustered.However, he immediately followed up by saying: "Eighty million subordinates might be a bit exaggerated, but I still have outstanding subordinates."As Usopp shouted, six flags swayed up and down."Are those three people?"Nami said."Ah! I've been found out!"Three children holding flags poked their heads out from the bushes, then ran away in fright.Without his support group, Usopp was also very flustered.Usopp pulled out his slingshot and aimed at everyone."My slingshot is much more powerful than a regular pistol. You just saw it, didn't you!"Usopp held the slingshot drawn but hesitated to release it.Luffy adjusted his Straw Hat and said coolly: "Once you draw your weapon, you have to be ready to stake your life."Seeing Luffy's intimidating demeanor, Usoppimmediately chickened out."Standing before you are real pirates."Luke pointed Thor's Hammer at Usopp.Usopp, seeing this, slipped on his feet in fright and rolled directly down the stone slope, landing face-first.Everyone burst into laughter at Usopp's appearance."Your father is Yasopp, right!"Luffy said."Yasopp is indeed my dad's name, but how do you know?"Usopp looked bewildered.With the connection to Yasopp, Usopp's attitude towards everyone did a complete one-eighty.At Usopp's enthusiastic invitation, everyone went to the village restaurant.Luffy finally got to eat the meat he had been craving.At the dinner table, Luffy and Usopp chatted about Yasopp and the Red Hair Pirates, and Usopplistened with great interest.While eating, Usopp suddenly got up and ran off, apologizing to everyone before disappearing without a trace.Only Luke knew he had gone to find Miss Kaya.He picked up the meat in his hand and casually performed an appraisal, resulting in a critical hit.After eating this piece of meat, Luke's Dorikiincreased by another hundred, bringing his current Doriki to six hundred.Six hundred Doriki, roughly equivalent to Kalifa, still required more effort. He needed to surpass Rob Lucci's four thousand Doriki first.A short while later, the three runaway subordinates of Usopp appeared before everyone.They held short wooden swords and asked menacingly: "Pirates, where have you taken our Captain Usopp?""We ate your Captain!"Zoro said in a scary tone.The three children were greatly shocked.Thus, after playing with the children for a while and clearing up the misunderstanding,the children led them to Miss Kaya's mansion, a place Usopp frequently visited.Luke didn't follow; instead, he went to a country road to wait for someone.This person, wearing orange sunglasses and moonwalking, was known in the underworld as MJ, the hypnotist Jango.This guy was good at hypnotism, but Luke mainly wanted to learn his moonwalk.Standing alone on the country road, leaning against the railing, he enjoyed the beautiful weather.A dandelion suddenly landed on Luke's hand. Lukeblew hard, and the dandelion seeds scattered with the wind.With the stem remaining in his hand, Luke appraised it."Ding! Appraisal successful. Dandelion stem has evolved into a Great Tonic Dandelion Stem. Consuming it will increase your Doriki by 100."Luke swallowed the dandelion stem, and his Dorikiincreased by another hundred, reaching seven hundred, making his body much stronger."When will a Devil Fruit appear?"Luke murmured.
Chapter 14 The HypnotistChapter 14: The HypnotistOn a winding country path, a man in a blue suit glided along with a moonwalk.He wore red heart-shaped glasses and a round hat, none other than Jango of the Black Cat Pirates.Jango moonwalked past Luke."I heard you're Jango the Hypnotist; I'd like to see your hypnosis skills!"Luke said casually, leaning against the railing.Jango stopped gliding and looked at Luke with a hint of wariness: "How do you know I'm Jango the Hypnotist?""Because you're too famous.""I didn't expect my great name, Jango, to be known by so many people. In that case, I will show you my hypnosis."Jango took out his special pendulum circle for hypnosis; one end of the necklace was a circle made of an unknown material."Listen carefully, look closely at this circle. When I say '1, 2, Jango,' you will fall asleep."Jango swung the circular pendant back and forth in front of Luke.Luke stared intently at the circle. He had never seen a real hypnotist before and wanted to experience it firsthand."Ready? I'm starting. 1, 2, Jango."As soon as the words fell, Luke and Jango both simultaneously lay on the ground, asleep.Luke had a dream. He dreamt he grew wings and was fighting Akainu.After a fight with Akainu, with no clear victor, Lukewoke up.He looked around and found himself lying on the ground. Jango was nowhere to be seen.Nami stood beside him, hands on her hips: "I was wondering where you went. Turns out you were sleeping here.""Sorry, I fell asleep. Did you see a strange man moonwalking?"Nami pointed towards the sea and said: "That strange man went to Kaya's mansion, and then he went to the seaside.""Okay, I'll go to the seaside to check. There might be a fight. Call Luffy and Zoro to come over."Luke greeted Nami and ran towards the seaside."Hey, explain yourself! Why would there be a fight?"Luke ran farther and farther. Nami sighed, wondering why everyone in the Straw Hat Pirateswas so strange.Soon, Luke reached the seaside and saw a pensive Usopp, sitting on a rocky slope, lost in thought.Opposite the rocky slope was the vast, boundless sea.Luke's sudden appearance startled Usopp."Oh, it's Luke. What's up? Is there something wrong?" Usopp asked."I saw a strange man walking this way, so I came to check."Luke stood on the rocky slope and looked down.Sure enough, on the beach, Captain Kuro and Jangowere secretly plotting to seize Kaya's family fortune."That bastard butler."Usopp also saw Kuro and hated the guy to his core.Just before, Kuro had insulted Usopp's father in front of him, speaking ill of pirates, which infuriated Usopp."I'm proud of my dad who ventured out to sea in this era where pirates are on the move, risking his life. But that bastard trampled on my pride. I will never forgive him.""Shh, quiet down. Let's listen to what they're saying."Luke and Usopp crouched on the rocky slope, listening to the conversation between the two below.Kuro and Jango's conversation was clear: they were plotting to seize Kaya's family fortune and kill Kaya.Three years ago, Kuro found someone to impersonate him and take the death penalty, then changed his identity and came to this small island, humbling himself to become Kaya's butler.He endured for three years, building good relationships with the villagers, all with the aim of legally taking over Kaya's family property without committing a crime.The plan was simple: have the Pirate Crew storm Kaya's house tomorrow morning and kill Kaya.The Black Cat Pirates had been anchored nearby for almost a week.Before killing Kaya, Jango the Hypnotist would use his hypnosis to make Kaya write a will, bequeathing all her inheritance to Kuro.This way, Kuro could legally and legitimately acquire a massive fortune without committing a crime, living a life of luxury on this island.It must be said, the plan was good, but it was overheard by Luke and Usopp.Hearing that Miss Kaya was to be assassinated, Usopp couldn't stay calm. Kaya was his best friend."This doesn't look good," Luke said, looking at Usopp."It doesn't look good at all; they're serious. Speaking of Captain Kuro, he's the smartest among pirates, and it's said he's also the cruelest. He's been eyeing Kaya's family fortune for three years.""The village is going to be attacked, and Kaya is in danger. This is bad, very bad!"Usopp grew more and more terrified, clutching his head, at a loss.Just then, Luffy jumped down from a tree, laughing loudly."Haha, so you guys are here!"Luffy's voice was so loud that Kuro and Jango on the rocky slope below heard him.Usopp was shocked again: "Idiot! Be quiet! They'll hear us!"Luffy looked confused: "They? Who are 'they'?"Luke pointed to the two people below the rocky slope."Oh, it's that annoying butler," Luffy said, looking down.Usopp tried to pull Luffy down, but he wasn't as strong as Luffy."Idiot! That guy isn't a butler. His true identity is Kuro, that cunning and cruel Captain Kuro!" Usoppexplained."Captain Kuro?" Luffy had never heard of him."To summarize simply, this butler wants to kill Kayaand seize her family's fortune," Luke said."So he's a scoundrel,"Luffy stood on the rocky slope, angrily looking at Kuro."Hey, you're not allowed to attack Miss Kaya!" Luffyshouted furiously.Kuro looked at the three on the rocky slope with sharp, murderous eyes."Isn't that Usopp? You guys heard something, didn't you?!"Usopp immediately waved his hands and said: "No, no, what are you talking about? I just got here. Of course, I didn't hear anything."Kuro gave Jango a meaningful look, signaling for Jango to deal with the three on the hillside."No choice then."Jango once again took out his circular pendant and began to use his hypnosis on the three."You three, look closely at this circle."Luffy was curious about the circle, while Usoppthought it was a hidden weapon and was so scared he backed away a few steps, not daring to look directly.Luke covered his own eyes with one hand and Luffy's eyes with the other.Luffy, with his thick skull, would definitely look, so Luke stopped him in time."1, 2, Jango."After Jango finished his hypnotic chant, he collapsed beside Kuro, falling asleep himself.The three on the rocky slope were perfectly fine.Luffy pried open Luke's fingers and saw the sleeping Jango the Hypnotist."What the heck? Why did he fall asleep? What a strange guy."Luffy was a little disappointed; he had expected some surprise from that circular pendant.
Chapter 15 Captain CroweChapter 15: Captain Kuro"Get up, Jango! Haven't you gotten rid of that habit yet?"Captain Kuro was speechless, seeing Jango leaning on his back.Jango's hypnosis was the highest realm of hypnosis: hypnotizing both friend and foe.Luke and Luffy exchanged a glance, then slid down the stone slope.Luke clenched his fist, and Luffy also clenched his fist; both walked towards Captain Kuro in unison.The next step was simple: beat this guy up.In Captain Kuro's eyes, they were just two young men, too hot-headed, who needed a lesson.Unfortunately, Kuro didn't know their strength. The fact that he spent three years on this island for Kaya's family fortune showed he wasn't a particularly powerful person."Two wet-behind-the-ears brats, trying to stop my plan?" Kuro pushed his glasses up with his palm."Captain, leave this guy to me."Luke took out Thor's Hammer, enhanced to 700 Doriki. Luke wanted to test his current strength."Alright, beat up that annoying butler!" Luffystopped and watched from the side.Just then, Jango woke up."I wasn't hypnotized? Damn it!"Jango swung the circular pendant in his hand and threw it towards Luke.Luffy stretched out his rubber arm and caught Jango's flying ring."Hey, don't interfere with Luke's fight! Let me be your opponent!"Luffy pulled his hat down, looking at Jango with a face full of fighting spirit.Jango was also stunned. He was, at most, a support member; fighting was really not his forte.But the opponent had challenged him to a fight, and not going would make him seem cowardly, especially with Kuro watching from the side.Jango bit the bullet and went to fight Luffy."Gum-Gum Pistol!"With Luffy's shout, his arm flew out like a bullet.Jango, who hadn't reacted in time, was punched away and fell unconscious."Nani? Is he that weak?"Luffy scratched his head, feeling a bit incredulous.Luke chuckled: "Now it's my turn, Captain Kuro, bring out your weapon!"Jango lay motionless, and Kuro was furious, veins bulging on his forehead.He was angry that his crewmate was too weak; he couldn't even defeat these two brats.Kuro opened his briefcase and took out his weapon.These weapons could be worn on each fingertip, and by slashing past an enemy, they could easily cut off a head."You dare to disrupt my plan! I've endured for three years, and I will never allow my plan to be ruined, so you all must die here."Kuro flexed his fingers, the blades on them rubbing and creaking.Luke also flexed Thor's Hammer; with 700 Doriki, swinging the hammer was effortless."You spent three years here just for the property of a manor. Captain Kuro, do you have some misunderstanding about pirates?" Luke asked.Hearing Luke's contempt, Kuro became enraged.Kuro moved with the wind under his feet, using his unique skill, Silent Step.Creak! Creak!Kuro's feet scraped against the ground, making creaking sounds.This was clearly a noisy step, so why was it called Silent Step? Luke was puzzled.Kuro's body suddenly transformed into an afterimage, arriving in front of Luke at an extremely fast speed, then instantly disappearing and reappearing behind Luke.Kuro's sharp claws attacked from behind.Just as he was about to succeed, Luke placed Thor's Hammer behind him, blocking Kuro's confident strike.By the way, during his previous sea voyages, Lukehad appraised many good items.Among them were not only Strengthening Pills but also Agility Pills and Reaction Pills, which significantly enhanced his physical fitness, so it was not surprising that he could sense Kuro's attack."He blocked it!"Usopp exclaimed.Kuro was also surprised; this man, who looked handsome like a vase, actually possessed such strength. He had underestimated him.Luke showed a sly smile: "Captain Kuro, steel should conduct electricity, right?"Luke turned to look at Kuro.Kuro paused slightly. Steel indeed conducts electricity, but what was the point of asking that now?Just as Kuro was puzzled, Luke activated Thor's Hammer's lightning attack.A fierce current erupted from Thor's Hammer, passing through Captain Kuro's finger weapons and spreading throughout his body."Ah!"Kuro screamed, his whole body convulsing.The current lasted for five seconds, scorching Kuro's hair and causing black smoke to rise from his body.Kuro knelt on the ground, the violent current not having completely knocked him down.Kuro shakily stood up, his hands hanging down, his weapons scraping the ground."That was just a game. Now I'm going to give you special treatment, let you thoroughly taste terror, and then slowly deal with you.""That's more like it. The legendary Captain Kuroshouldn't be that weak." Luke said calmly, carrying Thor's Hammer.Kuro shouted: "Slicing!"It's strange that people here like to shout before using a skill, as if afraid others wouldn't know what their skill was.Using the Slicing skill, Kuro's body accelerated, like a four-wheel-drive racing car, moving along the walls, leaving cracks on the stone walls."Can you catch me?" Kuro said confidently.Indeed, it would be very difficult for Luke to hit such a fast-moving object with Thor's Hammer in his hand.Luke thought for a moment, took out the Tracking Brick of Strength he had previously appraised, and threw it towards Kuro."Go, Brick!"The brick, like a guided missile, precisely locked onto Captain Kuro.Kuro saw the flying brick, confidently moved his steps, and turned a corner to shake off the brick."Hmph, a child's trick!" Kuro laughed confidently.Luke kindly reminded him: "You'd best look behind you."Kuro looked back at the sound, and the brick had actually turned around and flown back, accurately smashing into Kuro's head.The brick shattered, and blood flowed down Kuro's head.Despite such an attack to the head, Kuro still did not fall.Luke felt a little pained; his only enemy-tracking weapon was gone.Although Kuro was not knocked down, his situation was not much better. He was very disoriented now, just pretending to be calm.Luke, holding Thor's Hammer, strode towards Kuro, ready to deliver the final blow.Just then, a shout came from the seaside."Don't harm our Captain!"At the seaside, the Black Cat Pirate Ship appeared.The pirates lurking nearby emerged."Hoo hoo, so many people!"The appearance of so many pirates made Luffy very excited.Luke's previous fight had made Luffy's blood boil, and he was just looking for a place to fight.Luke arrived in front of Kuro, and could hear Kuro's heavy breathing; his body was already very weak.