Law formulated a plan of action in his head as they talked. He looked at Penguin and thought of his role. "I can let Penguin swap places with the mayor. Then, just tie him up so the mayor can't harm his body."
Penguin nodded and grinned. "You better tie this body up. Measly ropes can't hold me much longer," he said proudly.
Caribou smiled wickedly. "I can suf— ahem, knock your body unconscious. Kehihihi!"
Ikari laughed at his antics. "Now that the plan is settled. Caribou and I will attract the scum leader and his co-leader. Bepo can join Coribou and steal lots of valuables. While Law and Penguin make sure that the rebellion goes smoothly. On the other hand, Shachi will guard the ship."
"Why resort to that petty tactic? We can easily slaughter those sinners," asked Caribou. "My ability can render them useless and deploy a bottomless swamp."
"That's just wasting a lot of time. We have resources. The townspeople can easily take arms and help us kill the pirates without lifting a finger. They'll do it themselves and has a sense of achievement than us becoming heroes." Law interjected.
"Yes." Ikari patted Law's shoulder. "We work smart, not hard. And it is honestly a good plan. We can have your plan as a backup if this doesn't go smoothly as planned."
Bepo fidgeted a bit. "So, we'll be sending them to their deaths? Those pirates have much more experience in wielding a weapon..."
Shachi shook his head. "You're naive as always. We're not saints, we are pirates. Hm. Have moral kind of pirates."
"I feel like we are a revolutionary army all of a sudden." Penguin mused.
"It's settled then, no more questions?" Ikari glanced around and saw them not raising a hand. "Then, we commence the operation!"
Ikari and the others leaped to the cliff. "We'll separate ways. Good luck and finish your missions accordingly."
Law and Penguin nodded as they left for the town. They traversed the woods northwest of the cliff and reached the town a few minutes later.
"Try not to alert the patrolling pirates." reminded Law and walked towards the mayor's building. "The target is up top. Should we enter the building or climb to the mayor's office?"
Penguin scratched his chin. "We should enter like a normal person. Haha. This is my first-time occupying another person's body. What do you think will happen, Law?"
Law opened the door of the building and entered. "I don't know. I never tried swapping myself. Theoretically, it should be like changing the body's personality. Your body will behave like how the mayor will act."
They continued making their way to the mayor's office in silence. A fidgeting Penguin could be seen. "I'm nervous. How do I act like the mayor? Damn it. Shachi should have been in my place, that bastard."
Law raised a clenched fist. "Proceed with caution. We don't know what's inside. Maybe the pirates monitor the mayor... Picture a charismatic leader. Make the citizens fight for their homes, their kids, riches, and families. That will make them energetic enough to ignore any problems."
Penguin nodded and committed his words to his mind. "Improvise, yes, improvise... That's easier fucking said than done."
Law ignored his grievances and slowly opened the door. "Pandora's naked..." he noticed a man so bald that his forehead reached his back. "Room!"
Eooong!
A light blue dome enveloped the room, the drunken man still hasn't realized his situation. "Amputate! Shambles!"
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Penguin's body was cleanly cut, straight as an arrow. "Personality Transplant Surgery!"
Ba-dump!
Law flicked his index finger to the right and thumb to the left, he switched Penguin's personality with the mayor's. His crewmate's body was reassembled and bounded.
"You didn't have to switch my legs and arms with your shambles!" an aggrieved mayor voiced his horror. "Thankfully you didn't proceed to defile my body."
"Mes!"
Ba-dump! Ba-dump!
Law held Penguin's heart and hid it in his pocket. "This is just our assurance. Your body will handle the pain from squishing the heart."
"You did not need to go that far!!!" Penguin now turned 'mayor' yelled at Law's face. "We could just tie him up, knock him out, or whatever suits your taste! But that's just overboard."
"You do understand the word assurance, correct?" Law looked straight into his eyes. "I cannot afford to fail his orders."
"Tch— you don't have to obey his words by the letter!" Penguin was beyond frustrated now. "I don't know why you would go that far, but that's my fucking heart!"
"Do you not trust me?" Law asked in a low voice.
He faltered at his query but quickly regained confidence. "You're the doctor, of course, Ikari will trust you. You're his little doc-doc right? I am not feeding your fucking ego! Give me the damn heart!"
Law grunted at his words. "Go fuck yourself! You unbearable bastard! I have the heart. You follow my orders. Got it?"
They looked at each other's eye sockets, unblinking, stuck in a battle of control. Never giving in to each other's demands. It felt like forever, until the elephant in the room croaked.
Penguin had his mind blown at the courage of the mayor or their arrogance. "Fuck! If you had just given the damn heart. Now, he ran away."
"Room!" Law brought his Kikoku down vertically. "Scan!" he saw a figure running and pointed his index finger upward motion. "Takt!" the figure that ran rapidly was lifted off the ground. Law flicked his index finger to the left and the body of Penguin appeared in front of them.
"What did you say again? I think my hearing had a little problem..." he looked over his shoulder and revealed a smirk. "Our little penguin ran away."
A scowl still hadn't left the mayor's face. "Okay. Okay. You can keep my fucking heart. But it better had no scratch, I tell ya!" Penguin warned.
Meanwhile, Bepo and Coribou pursued Ikari and Caribou. They arrived at the bottom of the stronghold of the enemy pirates. Ikari looked at Bepo and Coribou.
"You two stay here for a while. Once Law and Penguin had done their part. We'll immediately do our own thing." he glanced at the town far back. "They should have started to rally the townspeople. After the crowd thinned, I and Caribou will handle the two strongest pirates in their group."
Bepo nodded, Coribou listened but his face was facing the opposite side. "Is he always like that?" Bepo asked Caribou.
"You idiot! We are here!" Caribou smiled. "Yes, he's like that. Oi, not the other way. To your left... Left for fuck sake."
"Bro bro," Coribou answered still looking at the other end.
"Don't bother with him. He'll follow you." Ikari patted Bepo's shoulder. "He can handle himself, right?"
Coribou nodded. "I can handle them!"
Soon after, footsteps could be heard reaching near their hiding spot.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"That's a massive crowd!" Bepo exclaimed.
"Kehihihi! I didn't know that a rebellion would be this big..." Caribou gaped at the sea of maddening warcry.
"That's to be expected. A rat is always a rat. But a group of cornered rats can bring waves to a still lake." Ikari said sagely. "This will be your first time seeing one, but there will be another one... In the future."
Caribou glanced at Ikari and saw his furrowed brows. He could feel the seething rage within and tremble uncontrollably. 'Who the hell pissed the guy off? It couldn't be me, could it?'
Ikari calmed down a bit after noticing Law and Penguin approaching them. The spiritual energy that leaked out stopped. "You did a good job. Now, let's let them avenge themselves. Handle the lieutenants of the crew."
"Captain! They stopped before reaching the gate of the base." Bepo panicked.
"That was the plan. Let them out, they'll be at a disadvantage if the pirates engaged in their turf." Penguin justified the townspeople's actions.
"And whose idea was it again?" Law taunted but only got a scoff as the response.
Ikari ignored their banter and stared deeply at the presence inside the building. "They ignored the people. It looked like the plan will be carried out smoothly."
The gate opened and a bunch of pirates gathered outside armed to the teeth. A man led them, he had a buzz cut and scar across his face. He held a spear in his hands and stabbed the ground.
"What gave you the bravery to show up at our doorsteps with your tiny little weapons." He mocked. "You should be grateful that we left your little town alone! Now, go back to your pen like the little lambs you are! Hahaha!!!" a string of profanity and mockery burst out from their side.
"Y—you had the gall to say that to our face?"
"Murderer! My father died because of you scum!"
Screams and warcry resounded from their confrontation. Some hesitated, while others dared to run ahead. Like a domino, a fire started from a spark and lit the bonfire. Affected by the mood of the civilians, Ikari dashed onward to his prey.
His unquenchable rage couldn't be left alone as it will eat him from within. It needed to be unleashed and a maddening grin graced his lips.
"Let the blood flow as it is the only solution to control my thirst for vengeance."