"See? That's the guy," Coby whispered mysteriously, nodding toward the courtyard below.
Three heads peeked over the top of the wall—Coby, Leo, and Luffy. Leo never thought he'd be the type to spy from a wall, but here he was, crouched beside Luffy like a character in one of his favorite anime scenes. His usual refined appearance didn't match the situation, but his enthusiasm got the better of him.
"It looks pretty intense down there, Nami. Don't you think so?" Leo said with a grin, looking at the woman beside him.
"Hey! Don't be so loud! He's looking this way!" Nami hissed through clenched teeth.
Her face showed a mix of annoyance and regret. She still didn't understand why she had followed these idiots to peek into a marine base. Perhaps it was curiosity about the so-called pirate hunter they mentioned—or maybe it was the fact that Leo had swiped all her money. Either way, she was stuck with them for now.
Down in the courtyard, a man was tied to a large wooden cross. He wore a green bandana, three earrings hung from one ear, and despite being bound tightly, he radiated an intense, wild aura. The air seemed to thicken with tension around him.
"His ropes look pretty weak. Luffy, why don't you go help him out?" Leo said casually, a sly smile creeping across his face.
Just earlier, Leo had struck a temporary deal with Nami: help guide them to the next island—where a certain long-nosed sniper named Usopp awaited—and he'd return her stolen treasure, along with an extra gift.
After much hesitation, Nami reluctantly agreed to tag along. Of course, it wasn't because she couldn't beat him. She just wanted to observe... for now.
"Put him down and invite him to join!" Luffy said, fired up by Leo's suggestion.
Nami's eyes widened in alarm. "What?! Are you serious? What if he just turns on us the moment he's free?"
But it was already too late—Luffy had leapt over the wall, ignoring all logic as usual. Leo grinned and followed, dragging a stunned Nami along with him.
"Don't worry! It's my pleasure," Leo said dramatically, patting Nami on the shoulder.
Who the hell asked for your help? Nami thought, utterly exasperated. These lunatics were going to get her killed.
As they landed, their footsteps echoed through the courtyard, drawing the attention of the man tied to the cross. Weak as he was, he lifted his head, his eyes sharp and menacing.
"Hey! Get away from me!" he snarled. "If you interfere, I'll kill you!"
Nami immediately recoiled, fear creeping into her features. "Let's just leave. This guy is too dangerous!"
"Liar!"
A new voice chimed in. A young girl with twin pigtails climbed down a nearby ladder, holding something in her small hands.
"You're lying! He's not a bad guy!" she declared defiantly. Then she pulled out two rice balls from her pockets and held them up to the man.
"I made these for you! You've been tied up so long… you must be starving!"
The man's expression didn't change. His voice was still rough, but his words hinted at something else.
"I'm not hungry. Take them and go before you get hurt."
His eyes, though fierce, were laced with concern.
Luffy's eyes lit up. "He's perfect. He's definitely the kind of person I want on my crew!"
"Oh? Someone turning down such a delicious rice ball?" Leo teased, snatching one of them playfully and sniffing it.
"If you care that much about protecting people, why not just get rid of the ones causing the problem?" Leo added, giving the man a meaningful glance.
"Hey! Give that back!" the little girl cried, eyes welling up. She was clearly devastated.
"Uh…" Leo looked from the rice ball to the girl, then to Nami's disapproving stare. "Okay, okay, here you go!"
He handed the rice ball back, flustered. Then, as a peace offering, he pulled out a lollipop from his coat and gave it to the girl.
"There. You happy now?"
The girl sniffled, then smiled brightly, her tears vanishing like magic. She took the candy with glee.
Watching this, the bound man's expression softened. He was moved, not just by the gesture, but by Leo's earlier comment.
Leo straightened his top hat and met the man's gaze. "Pirate hunter Zoro, right? Haven't you thought about just ending the threat directly? Why suffer like this for someone who won't change?"
Zoro looked thoughtful. After nine days without food or water, tied to a post like a criminal, he had plenty of time to think. He realized now that the so-called agreement he made was a farce. Colonel Monka's son had no intention of honoring their deal.
Bang!
The heavy wooden doors burst open.
A cocky man strutted in with a swagger that screamed arrogance. It was Monka's son, Helmeppo.
"Zoro! I saw you break our deal!" he shouted.
The little girl shrieked and hid behind the wooden stake.
"That's Monka's son!" Nami said, startled.
Leo stepped forward. "Need help?"
Zoro narrowed his eyes. "Put me down first, and we'll talk."
Leo, ignoring Zoro's hesitation, turned his gaze toward Helmeppo and smiled mysteriously.
"Let's find out who really broke the deal, shall we?"
His eyes flashed faintly pink.
Helmeppo, who had just opened his mouth to boast, suddenly stopped mid-sentence. His face slackened. Then, as if compelled, he began to speak.
"Ten days ago… I was messing around with some wolves, scaring people just for fun. Then this guy—Zoro—showed up and beat me down like a dog. He even killed the wolf I was riding!"
Luffy snorted with laughter.
"I was angry, so I threatened to hurt the little girl's family unless Zoro made a bet. I told him if he went a month without food, I'd let them all go."
"But…" Helmeppo hesitated, then continued, "I never planned to keep the deal. Once Zoro was weak enough, I was going to have him executed in front of the town."
Gasps spread across the group. Nami, Luffy, and even the little girl looked at him in disgust.
Leo's eyes faded back to normal. The magic had lifted.
Helmeppo blinked, suddenly aware of what he had just confessed. His face turned pale.
"What the… What did I just say…?"
Zoro chuckled lowly, though it came out more like a growl. "So that's how it is."
Leo turned to him. "Still want to be tied up?"
"No," Zoro said. "Cut me down."
With a smirk, Leo flicked his hand, and a small blade of magic slashed through the ropes. Zoro staggered forward, catching himself as he landed on his feet.
"Let me ask you something," Luffy said, stepping forward. "Wanna join my crew?"
Zoro looked at him, surprised.
"I'm gonna be King of the Pirates," Luffy grinned. "And I need strong guys like you!"
Zoro scoffed. "King of the Pirates? You've got guts, I'll give you that."
Then he turned to Leo. "And what about you? You a pirate too?"
Leo tipped his hat and grinned. "Let's just say I'm a magician… who likes to be where the fun is."
Zoro laughed. "You people are crazy."
He paused for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"…Alright. I'll join you. But if you ever get in my way—I'll cut you down."
"Deal!" Luffy shouted with a fist in the air.
Nami sighed. "What did I get myself into…"
The four of them turned to leave the courtyard, with Zoro trailing behind, his swords returned to his side. The little girl waved them off with a bright smile, lollipop in hand.
As the sun set over the Marine base, a new bond had formed—one forged not by logic, but by something stronger.