(What on earth is going on?!)
All the Marines were completely bewildered by this sudden chain of bizarre events. They gripped their weapons tightly, utterly at a loss for what to do.
Having lost the commander who issued their orders, these Marines—who knew nothing but blind obedience—were like a swarm of headless flies, posing absolutely no threat.
"This... Damn it! We can't let these wretched pirates escape!"
A few bolder Marines refused to just stand around waiting. Gritting their teeth, they raised their rifles and charged into the billowing dust.
However, before they could take more than a few steps, several sharp thorns suddenly erupted from the ground without warning, thrusting viciously toward the soldiers!
Shhhk! Shhhk! Shhhk!
The well-made standard-issue Marine boots were like paper before those sharp spikes. Amidst dripping blood and agonizing screams, the unlucky soldiers collapsed to the ground, clutching their bleeding soles, completely stripped of their fighting capacity.
"Gasp—"
At the sight of this, the remaining Marines gasped in unison. With the warning example right before their eyes, none of them dared to pursue any further, terrified of suffering the same fate.
Only when the dust completely settled did the Marine soldiers cautiously approach to investigate. To their shock, a bottomless, massive crater had appeared in what was once flat ground.
As for the three detestable pirates who had nearly bluffed them, they had long since vanished without a trace.
With the help of Miss Merry Christmas's Mole-Mole Fruit ability, a sprawling network of tunnels now ran beneath Navarone. This particular tunnel was incredibly spacious; even two people walking side-by-side wouldn't feel cramped at all.
It was hard to believe she had just dug this out moments ago. And according to this "Mole Auntie," it was only because the terrain of the G-8 Marine Base was on the harder side—otherwise, she could have dug even faster...
Truly fitting of the treasures of this ocean; Devil Fruit abilities were simply miraculous, no matter which type they belonged to.
Sprinting all the way through the tunnel, the group finally reached a safe spot. Under the bright, clear moonlight, Sanji and the others who had escaped the Marine encirclement officially met up with the "rescue squad" that had come for them.
"Robin! It's so good to see you again!"
Beholding that familiar, stunningly beautiful face with its faint smile, Nami and Chopper threw themselves excitedly into Robin's flower-scented embrace. Just moments ago, they genuinely thought they were about to be captured by the Marines.
"Robin-chan~ It's been so long! Did you miss me?"
Sanji wanted to dive in for a hug of love as well, but just as he was about to leap forward, his eyes suddenly locked onto another beautiful, unfamiliar woman.
Her plump, rose-colored lips were as passionate as fire, and her wavy, blue afro exuded a wild beauty. Beneath her black-and-white striped prison uniform, her curvaceous, smoking-hot figure was fully on display.
Without a doubt, this was a beauty capable of bringing a certain lovestruck cook to his knees—and indeed, he did exactly that...
"Pleasure to meet you, beautiful lady."
Sliding in front of Miss Doublefinger in what he considered a highly dashing manner, Sanji took her small hand and dropped to one knee. Feeling her slender, elegant fingers, he spoke passionately:
"On this pitch-black night, your beauty is like a ray of sunshine illuminating my heart. Ah~ could this be a fateful encounter?"
(Those hands, if I recall correctly, just impaled the soles of several Marines... I hope none of them had athlete's foot...)
Watching the love-struck cook prepare to kiss Paula's hand, Robin thought to herself, though she was "kind" enough not to utter a word of warning.
A line of black lines appeared on Miss Doublefinger's forehead. If she weren't mindful of their current situation and the fact that Sanji was Miss All Sunday's current crewmate, the Thorn Woman would have loved nothing more than to drive a spiked finger straight through this curly-browed pervert's skull!
Forcing down the urge, Paula snapped her hand back and turned her gaze to the orange-haired navigator beside her.
"It's you..." Nami's expression turned a bit uneasy.
"Oh, we meet again, little acrobat girl." Paula smiled faintly, her crimson tongue lightly licking her plump, sexy lips. This casually seductive gesture caused Sanji to let out an excited wolf howl.
Completely ignoring the infatuated curly-brow, the Thorn Woman looked down at Nami's petite feet and murmured maliciously, "Has the wound on your foot healed? It didn't leave a scar, did it?"
Nami knit her brows, instinctively taking a step back with her right foot. Then she took a deep breath, her gaze turning thoroughly provocative as she stared back at Miss Doublefinger.
"Oh? I take it you've forgotten what it feels like to be struck by lightning." Nami shot back mockingly. "Though I must say, that filthy prison uniform really suits you."
Paula's slender eyebrows shot up, a flash of irritation crossing her face. "Hmph, sharp-tongued little girl!"
"Right back at you, you afro-wearing hedgehog hag!"
The two women stood glaring at each other eye-to-eye, locking gazes so intensely that crackles of imaginary static electricity practically sparked between them.
Right next to the feuding duo, Chopper and Miss Merry Christmas were also sizing each other up. After staring for a long moment, the two Zoan Devil Fruit users cried out almost simultaneously.
"I remember now! You're that tanuki (penguin) from Alubarna!"
"Huh?!" Both froze at the same time, before baring their teeth and roaring in furious exasperation: "It's a mole (reindeer), you bastard!!"
"Huh?!" The two froze together once more, and then...
"Stop copying me!"
Watching this explosive scene with great amusement, Robin remained remarkably composed. Resting her chin in her hand, her lips curved into a beautiful arc.
"My, my. It seems your reunion isn't exactly a pleasant one."
Robin's voice was highly distinctive. It lacked the seductive allure of Paula's and the bright, energetic clarity of Nami's. Instead, her voice was like a gentle stream carrying early spring petals, blending an unshakeable composure with a subtle, undeniable charm. Its crisp, soothing tone felt as though it could moisten one's very soul, making people subconsciously fall under the sway of her words.
"We must hurry to the dock to meet up with the others right now. Once we escape this Marine base, you will all have plenty of time to catch up."
Hearing Robin's warning, Nami, Paula, and the others, despite still harboring deep grudges, were forced by the circumstances to settle down—even though they had once been bitter enemies who clashed fiercely in Alabasta.
(No wonder Sherlock insisted I come along. If it had been anyone else, these guys might have genuinely started infighting before we even got moving.)
Robin shook her head with a touch of helplessness. After all, aside from the Magician himself, she, Miss All Sunday, was probably the only one capable of keeping both Baroque Works and the Straw Hats in line at the same time.
(Of course, Luffy is an exception.) The charming archeologist's lips tilted up slightly. Let alone her, even Sherlock couldn't sway the will of that single-minded idiot.
But what could they do? That idiot was the captain.
Thinking of their Straw Hat captain, though... Wait, where is Luffy?!
Robin's expression shifted slightly as she suddenly realized she had overlooked a monumentally important detail!
"Mr. Cook, isn't Luffy with you?" Robin asked urgently, her voice tinged with an emotion rarely seen on her: anxiety.
In Sherlock's plan, Luffy was supposed to be behaving himself and following Nami's group.
"Luffy? Luffy went to chase after..."
Snapping back to reality, Sanji answered casually, but he cut himself off instantly. Looking utterly ridiculous, he opened and closed his mouth like a duck being choked, unable to squeeze out another syllable.
"Luffy..." Nami instinctively covered her mouth, while Chopper's eyes went wide as saucers, his furry little body trembling slightly.
"???"
Clueless to the situation, Paula and Miss Merry Christmas exchanged a bewildered look, completely failing to understand why the Straw Hats were suddenly so terrified.
(Seriously, where on earth did Luffy go???)
It was a terrifying proposition upon closer thought. Because based on Nami and the others' thorough understanding of their own ridiculous captain, once that absolute troublemaker slipped out of his crew's sight...
He was bound to cause an absolute catastrophe!
--
Support me & read more advance & fast update chapter on my pa-treon:
pat reon .c-om/windkaze