Chapter 61 Luffy Impersonates Mr. 0 to Subdue AgentsWith a few "plop" sounds, it was tossed in front of everyone like trash.
"This is a desert man-eating plant! It attacks anyone and any animal that passes by!"
Vivi explained, looking at the giant, still writhing plants on the ground with surprise.
"Now we have everything! Not only roasted bird meat, but we even have vegetables!"
Luffy grinned from ear to ear.
Sanji stepped forward, examining the man-eating plant from all sides: "Not bad. After washing and peeling it, the stems should be quite crunchy when stir-fried."
Vivi: "..."
Suddenly, she felt a little sorry for these desert monsters...
Seriously, did you guys come here to save Alabasta, or for a desert picnic and team building?!
At that moment, Zoro pointed at the camel that had also been rescued and was looking quite arrogant, asking, "Can this thing be eaten?"
Upon hearing this, the camel immediately flew into a rage, opening its massive jaws and spitting a thick wad of phlegm at Zoro.
Zoro's forehead veins bulged: (╬￣皿￣)
"Don't stop me! I'm going to chop it down! Tonight we're having roasted camel!"
"No!" Chopper came running back, panting, and blocked their way. "This friend saved my life!"
"Huh? Is that true?"
Everyone looked at Chopper strangely.
Chopper then told them everything about how he had fainted from heatstroke and was almost taken to the rebel base as dried venison.
"Thanks to the camel for saving me, otherwise I really don't know what terrible things would have happened to me. Hey? Why aren't you all moving?"
Chopper looked at the frozen group, puzzled.
"You…" Usopp's lips twitched violently as he asked helplessly, "You just said you were taken to the rebels' base?"
"Yeah, that whole truckload of crates was filled with weapons and ammunition, it scared me to death."
Chopper said, patting his chest with lingering fear.
Everyone turned to look at Vivi: "Are you sure Yubata is the rebels' headquarters?"
Vivi's face showed extreme embarrassment: "Maybe…probably…maybe…when I left Alabasta to infiltrate, that was definitely it…"
"How long have you been gone?"
"Less than two years, I think?"
Vivi said hesitantly.
Everyone's inner monologue screamed: ╯‵□)╯︵┻━┻!
"Anyway, let's go check out Yuba first. Maybe that Gatraia thing is just a temporary supply depot."
Luffy coughed twice, breaking the awkward silence.
The others could only nod. It was just like the old saying: Since we're already here… we should at least go and see…
·
At this moment, Usopp's gaze returned to the camel: "By the way, can you ride this camel?"
Sanji, grilling bird meat on the scorching rocks, agreed, "Yeah, it looks like two people could sit between those humps."
Zoro grinned, "Camels are indispensable for crossing the desert, after all."
"Yoshi, let me try it first!" Usopp said, trying to climb onto the camel's back.
But the camel was grumpy and turned around, biting Usopp on the head.
"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Why did you bite me, you bastard!"
Usopp rolled around on the ground, clutching his head.
"I'm a freedom-loving, tough-guy camel! Thank you for saving me in my time of need. Although I can carry people, I'm a staunch non-man-carrying patron!" Chopper solemnly translated the camel's "bold words" to the group.
After speaking, the camel gave Nami and Vivi a lewd look.
The group instantly exploded: (╬￣皿￣)!!
Thump! A cloud of dust rose.
The group immediately launched a brutal, mixed doubles beating at the lecherous camel.
"Damn it! Screw your 'no-carry-men' mentality!"
"Didn't you give Chopper a ride before, you bastard?"
The camel, bruised and battered, grinned, revealing its pearly white teeth: "That was our cross-species brotherhood!"
Everyone: *sigh*
"What a joke!"
"You bastard, you deserve a beating!"
Immediately, the group punched even harder, each blow landing squarely.
Nami smiled and waved at the camel: "Sorry, we have more convenient and comfortable transportation than camels, so we don't need to trouble you."
Camel (Chopper's translation): "Impossible! In this vast desert, what better means of transportation than me!"
The next second, it saw Luffy casually build a "Sunny Beach Floating Platform" with a built-in sunshade out of sand, floating steadily in the air.
Camel: "..."
Wow! These days, even being a camel gets you a competitor!
Zoro, grinning maliciously, stepped forward and placed two gleaming swords against the camel's neck: "Do you want to become roast meat, or do you want to obediently carry us?"
Camel: "..."
...
"Ah, this is much more comfortable!"
Zoro and Sanji, relying on force, successfully seized control of the unexpectedly discovered camel.
Usopp, looking utterly dejected, glanced at Chopper, who was leisurely sitting on the camel's hump, and said, "Chopper, I remember you're a reindeer too, why don't you grow bigger and carry me?"
Chopper instantly bristled: "Go to hell!"
"Next time we meet, we'll be at the pinnacle of piracy."
Usopp looked at Luffy with a profound expression, mimicking Ace's tone when he said goodbye, "That's how he acted before he left."
Luffy rubbed his temples helplessly.
The reason Ace went to Yuba was because a bounty hunter named Scorpion spread false information that he had defeated Blackbeard, so Ace rushed off to investigate.
As a result, halfway there, Ace met the man disguised as Scorpion and his two sons, and then secretly left Luffy's crew to investigate the truth.
"Is it alright? We didn't manage to catch that guy Ace."
Zoro rode up from behind on his camel and asked.
Throughout the journey, although Luffy had been using playful tricks and underhanded tactics, Zoro could tell that given the chance, Luffy would never let Ace slip by and bring him onto the ship.
"He's gone, so be it. I didn't really expect to catch him with those little tricks anyway."
Luffy waved his hand helplessly.
"Vivi, Yuba should be almost here, right?"
Luffy turned to Vivi and asked.
However, Vivi's face was pale, her eyes filled with confusion: "Yuba, we should have arrived by now..."
"What?!"
Everyone looked at Vivi in surprise.
Vivi looked at the empty desert around her, explaining in disbelief, "Yuba was a vital transportation hub in Alabasta, built upon the oasis, but now..."
Looking around, all that remained was endless yellow sand and a few scattered, dilapidated ruins.
"How could it have turned out like this?"
Vivi felt utterly weak and slumped to the ground.
Everyone had come all this way, and not only were there truckloads of rebel soldiers nowhere to be seen, not even a passing ant.
Vivi sadly covered her face, overwhelmed by helplessness.
Just then, Golden Week handed Luffy a Den Den Mushi that was ringing incessantly.
"Hey, this is an order from that boss."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately gathered around.
The rain had fallen not long ago.
"The final operation is scheduled for noon two days from now. Is everything arranged?"
"Yes, nothing's been overlooked. The 150 Elders of Billions are already on standby in Narohara. I've also recalled that idiot Mr. 2. As for Mr. 3, since he was taken down by the Navy, I can only try to contact Golden Week. All high-ranking agents will assemble tonight at 8 PM at the Spider-Man Cafe."
"Hmm, well done."
...
"Assemble at the Spider-Man Cafe?"
Luffy stroked his chin, thoughtfully hanging up the phone.
"What should we do, Luffy?"
Nami turned to look at Luffy, waiting for him to make a decision.
"Is that even a question? Of course, we're going to join the fun!"
Luffy chuckled, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "After all this build-up, we're just waiting for their whole crew to gather. This is the perfect opportunity to wipe them all out!"
"You guys wait here patiently. I'm going to their gathering myself. From tonight onwards, Baroque Works will be under the Wang family's control."
"Wang?"
"Ahem, don't worry about the details. Anyway, don't worry, without the support of Baroque Works' henchmen, Crocodile is just a lone pirate."
Luffy comforted the heartbroken Vivi.
"Come with me!" Luffy grabbed Goldenweek, the sand beneath his feet instantly exploding, propelling him into the sky. He rode the sandstorm at incredible speed, leaving Nami and the others completely dumbfounded.
At this terrifying speed, they wouldn't need to endure two days of arduous travel to Yuba; they could probably make a round trip in an afternoon.
Nami clenched her fists, her face darkening, and gritted her teeth, saying, "Damn Luffy! He's only taking this slow ride because he wants to take advantage of us, right?"
Thinking of the time they'd spent nestled in Luffy's arms, a blush instantly spread across Nami and Vivi's faces.
"Hmph! We'll teach him a lesson when he gets back!"
...
In the heart of the desolate desert, a coffee shop with a pink sign welcomed a few special guests.
"I'm exhausted! My back and waist ache all over!"
Miss Merry Christmas, who looked like a giant groundhog, rushed into the café, followed by the taciturn, clumsy Mr. 4.
"It's all your fault, Mr. 4! You're so heavy, that's why I'm so tired!"
"I...sorry..." Mr. 4 spoke as slowly as if his voice was on half speed.
"Hey! How's Paula doing lately? The café is deserted, not a soul in sight!"
At that moment, an elegant, sophisticated woman wearing a headscarf walked out of the café, smiling and greeting Miss Christmas: "Long time no see! Welcome, Miss Christmas."
"And you, Mr. 4, we've booked the whole place for you today! Here, your orange tea."
This proprietress was none other than Miss Twofinger—Paula, the high-ranking agent partnered with Mr. 1.
Just then, another commotion erupted outside the shop.
"One, two, take this! Spin and jump with my eyes closed!"
MR.2 Bon Clay, dressed in his signature ballet outfit, spun into the café like a top with two henchmen.
"Goodnight everyone, I'm late!" Bon Clay bowed exaggeratedly to Paula.
"Thank you, but... are you a little out of your mind?" Paula retorted, speechless.
"I'm not stupid, I'm a professional dancer! Please give me a takoyaki, thank you... oh wait, I mean a takoyaki sundae. You two can go back now."
MR.2 turned to his henchmen behind him and said, "Remember to practice your dance moves when you get back, don't slack off!"
"Yes, sir!" the henchmen responded in unison, mimicking their boss's ballet steps as they left the café.
"You're so annoying! My back is killing me. Seriously, what are we even here for? Stop nagging!" Miss Christmas complained irritably.
"Oh, right! Right! Right!" Mr. 2 leaned close to Paula with a gossipy look. "I heard that mysterious Mr. 1's partner is coming too! I wonder who he is. I've never even seen him in person. I'm so excited!"
Paula smiled and nodded, her eyes playful. "It is something to look forward to."
As time passed, the desert night deepened, and the clock on the wall slowly struck eight o'clock.
The café door opened again.
Mr. 5 and his partner, Valentine, appeared in the café.
Almost simultaneously, a tall, stern-faced man walked in—Mr. 1.
Mr. 1 was carrying two unconscious pirates like chickens—the two underlings Bon Clay had sent back earlier.
"Wait, what happened to you guys? Why are you back again?!"
Feng Kelei looked at his two unconscious underlings and questioned them loudly.
Before his henchmen were even awake, Mr. 1 pointed at the two men and coldly said, "What? So they're your acquaintances. I saw them doing ballet in the desert, behaving extremely strangely. Annoyed, I brought them back. Don't worry, they should still be breathing; they're not dead. Although you seem to have a good relationship, as assassins, it's best not to have these pointless sentiments."
Mr. 2 instantly bristled, roaring as he charged at Mr. 1, "Damn it! They're my lovely subordinates!"
"One, two! Take this! Transvestite Kick!"
Fond Clay shouted the shameful name of the move as he kicked wildly at Mr. 1.
Although it seemed unreliable, Fond Clay's skills were indeed remarkable. After a few rounds, he actually kicked Mr. 1 flying.
However, Paula intervened in time, reaching out to stop Mr. 1 from retaliating.
"That's enough, Mr. 1."
"Don't stop me! Two fingers, I'm going to kill this freak!" Mr. 1's face was ashen, his killing intent palpable.
"Don't be angry, everyone. It's exactly eight o'clock now. All the agents who were supposed to be here have arrived, and a document has just been delivered to this Spider-Man Cafe."
"We need to head to that dream city, Rain City, immediately. That mysterious man we've always called the BOSS but has never shown himself is waiting for us there."
Upon hearing this, everyone stopped what they were doing, their eyes fixed on Pola.
Suddenly, a mocking voice came from the ceiling: "To avoid making your journey too arduous, I decided to come see you in person."
Mr. 2, Mr. 5, and Valentine looked up sharply, their eyes wide with surprise: "Mr. 0!!"
With a "thud," Luffy, carrying Goldenweek, descended slowly from the sky, grinning mischievously, and landed steadily on the cafe table.
"MR. 0?"
MR. 1 Daz Bones stared blankly at Luffy, who was floating down from the sky. "Are you guys fucking kidding me?"
Unlike the other members who hadn't seen Crocodile's true face, MR. 1 had only decided to abandon his assassin job and join Baroque Works after learning that the person recruiting him was the legendary Shichibukai Crocodile.
"What a joke! MR. 0 is a legendary figure, how could he possibly be a brat like you!"
MR. 1 glared at Luffy, feeling his intelligence had been insulted like never before.
However, MR. 2 and MR. 5 wouldn't stand for it.
The group glared angrily at MR. 1, shouting, "This is clearly Mr. 0! MR. 1, are you trying to rebel?"
MR. 1 stared blankly at the confident group, a million curses running through his mind: What the hell? It's clearly you guys who've all gone mad and are trying to rebel!
However, what he didn't notice was that some of these people had eerie Mangekyou Sharingan symbols flashing in their eyes, while others emitted a red glow as if controlled by superpowers.
Adding to this, Goldenweek was standing next to Luffy, making a total of eight high-level agents present. Luffy's side had already taken control of half of them.
Driven by a herd mentality of majority rule, Mr. 4 and Miss Christmas, though confused, decisively sided with the majority, condemning Mr. 1: "That's wrong of you! How could you betray your boss?"
Mr. 1 was instantly speechless. His forehead veins throbbed with anger, and he roared at the crowd, "Are you all stupid! Our boss is Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
The crowd gasped in surprise: "Crocodile?"
"You're talking nonsense! It's the renowned Marine Supernova, Lord Monkey D. Luffy!"
Bon Clay retorted loudly, twisting his hips.
Mr. 4 and Christmas quickly considered the situation. Compared to the intimidating-sounding Seven Warlord, this so-called "Marine Supernova" didn't seem so bad. Should they wait and see?
Luffy, looking down at the crowd with an air of superiority, began his "Versailles" speech: "My grandfather is the Marine hero Garp, the kind who chases the Pirate King all over the world; my father is Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, the world's most notorious criminal; my sworn brother is Portgas D. Ace, the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates; this straw hat on my head is a keepsake given to me by the Yonko Shanks; my master is Pluton... um... I'll talk about that later, sorry, I slipped it off."
"Now, do you still doubt that I'm not Mr. 0?"
As Luffy spoke, his eyes suddenly sharpened, staring intently at Mr. 1.
Mr. 1 was internally screaming "WTF," his entire body trembling.
What kind of god-like ancestor is this?!
The three major powers of the pirate world—the Marines, the Revolutionary Army, and the pirates—are all his relatives?! This background is so powerful it could shatter your teeth!
After Luffy's explanation, Mr. 1 was instantly dumbfounded. To contradict Luffy again wouldn't be a question of courage; it would be sheer stupidity.
Besides, anyone with a modicum of common sense could see that following a young master with such top-tier resources was far more promising than following Crocodile, who only knew how to play in the sand!
Mr. 1, a shrewd and opportunistic man, immediately knelt before Luffy, his attitude a complete 180-degree turn: "It's all my fault for being blind; I'd never seen your true form before. I never imagined the legendary Mr. 0 was actually you, sir! To work under you is an honor beyond measure!"
The rest: ╯‵□)╯︵┻━┻!
"Your change of heart is too fast, isn't it?!"
Mr. 1 gave the others a disdainful look. Didn't you all betray me even before? What are you pretending to be?!
Mr. 1's partner, Miss Twofinger, held the newly arrived letter in her hand, unsure whether to read it or not, her toes practically digging into the ground in embarrassment.
Luffy flew to Twofinger, snatched the envelope, tore it to shreds, and said without hesitation, "That's right, I'm the one who sent you to Rain Country. We have only one goal! That is to take down that imposter Crocodile!"
Mr. 1's lips twitched violently upon hearing this, and he cautiously asked Luffy, "Um... Your Highness... oops! Mr. 0, have we received any strong support from above? After all, we're taking down a legendary Shichibukai; his strength is far beyond what we lowly minions can handle."
Luffy looked at Mr. 1 with disdain, as if he were a piece of trash: "Where's your confidence as a renowned assassin in the West Blue? You need to call for backup for a mere Crocodile?"
"See this big gourd behind me? We're all experts at playing with sand; does he think he can even touch me?"
Mr. 1 was speechless, already considering whether to switch sides. This master, while possessing an intimidating background, seemed rather dim-witted.
A ruthless pirate like Crocodile wouldn't care about your powerful connections. He'd simply kill you and bury you in the desert. The ocean is vast; even if the Navy turned the world upside down, they wouldn't find a deliberately hiding murderer.
Just then, a giant tortoise carrying a luxurious carriage appeared beside them, its steps heavy.
"That's Miss All Sunday's personal mount, Fat Turtle!"
Upon seeing this, everyone couldn't help but steal a glance at Luffy. There was no doubt that the previous phone call and letter were indeed fake.