"If we just untie the rope, we can easily let him go," Luffy said after confirming the man tied to the post was indeed Zoro.
"Well, that should be fine."
Kaoru Tsubasa looked up at the bound swordsman and, with a faint grin, pulled a camera from his system space to snap a few pictures.
After all, this was one of the few rare "blackmail-worthy" moments in Zoro's life — it wasn't every day the Pirate Hunter was caught and tied up.
"You… stop saying stupid things!" Coby protested sharply. "If even someone as strong as him got captured, what chance do you two have?"
Coby had learned from Kaoru earlier that Zoro was arrested for protecting a young girl, not for committing any real crime. That truth had changed his impression of the man completely.
Still, the boy couldn't shake his anxiety — Kaoru Tsubasa wasn't just anyone. He was a pirate with a bounty of fifty-three billion berries. Even being near him made Coby nervous.
"Hey, you three!"
As Luffy and Kaoru talked, Zoro finally noticed them. He raised his head slightly, his voice cold and impatient.
"You're an eyesore. Get lost!"
"Ha, the great Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro… captured by the Navy?" Kaoru smirked. "I thought the man who said 'I'll become the world's greatest swordsman' would be a little stronger."
"What did you say?" Zoro snapped, glaring at him.
If not for that little girl, he would've cut down the Marine Captain himself. A mere officer wasn't worth his time — but protecting the innocent had cost him his freedom.
"The world's greatest swordsman, huh?" Luffy's grin widened. "That sounds perfect for the future Pirate King's crew!"
Kaoru rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling oddly awkward. Technically, he'd already defeated Dracule Mihawk — which meant he was currently the strongest swordsman alive. But there was no need to brag about that now.
Just then, a small wooden ladder appeared against the wall beside them. A little girl climbed up quietly, pressing a finger to her lips as she reached their level.
"Shh!" she whispered, scanning around for any Marine guards.
Seeing none, she tossed a rope down and quickly climbed over the wall into the execution yard.
Luffy tilted his head. "What's she doing?"
"Who knows?" Kaoru said casually, watching her with mild curiosity.
"Ah—! That's dangerous!" Coby's eyes widened. "Mr. Luffy, Mr. Kaoru! Stop her! She'll be killed!"
The two didn't move.
Kaoru stayed put because he already knew the little girl wouldn't be harmed. Luffy stayed because… well, he simply trusted that Zoro wouldn't hurt her.
For all his simplicity, Luffy had a good sense for people.
"What's wrong?" Zoro muttered as the girl approached him. He recognized her instantly — the same child who'd gotten him into this situation to begin with. He'd taken her punishment onto himself to spare her life.
"You must be hungry," she said softly, pulling two rice balls from her shirt. "I brought these for you."
"Kid, are you trying to get yourself killed?" Zoro barked. "Get out of here!"
He didn't even look at the rice balls. The last thing he wanted was for the Marines to catch her helping him. That would mean her death.
"Big brother, you haven't eaten, right? Here," she insisted, holding out the rice balls with both hands. "I made them myself. It's my first time, but I worked really hard!"
Zoro clenched his jaw. The sincerity in her voice hit him hard — but he couldn't let her get involved. "I'm not hungry," he said roughly, forcing the words out.
"Don't bully others."
A cold voice rang out. Three figures entered the execution yard — in the center was a young man with slicked-back blond hair and an arrogant smirk.
"Bellumeber…" Zoro's eyes narrowed.
The man sneered. "Didn't expect to see you still so lively, Roronoa Zoro."
In truth, Bellumeber, son of Captain Morgan, had never planned to honor his promise. From the start, he'd intended to find an excuse to execute Zoro for humiliating him.
Kaoru's eyes narrowed. "Hey, Luffy," he said, pointing lazily toward Bellumeber. "See that blond guy? If you want Zoro to join your crew, go knock him out."
"Huh?! Mr. Kaoru, you can't just—" Coby started, but Luffy was already winding up.
"Got it."
"Gomu Gomu no… PISTOL!"
His rubber arm shot forward, slamming directly into Bellumeber's face with a thunderous bang.
The arrogant Marine flew backward, crashing into the wall.
"What the—?!" the two guards beside him gawked. They'd just watched someone punch the son of Captain Morgan inside a Marine base.
Even Zoro was momentarily stunned. "They really just… did it."
Luffy grinned. "Heh-heh-heh. Your name's Roronoa Zoro, right? Come join my crew!"
"Ha? Who the hell are you?"
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy," he said proudly, "and I'm the man who'll become the Pirate King!"
The Marines froze. "The… Pirate King?! Are you insane?!"
Zoro blinked, caught off guard. "The Pirate King? That dream's even crazier than mine…"
If Kaoru had heard his thoughts, he would've told him bluntly that "crazy dreams" were what made the sea worth sailing.
"Alright," Zoro said after a pause. "I'll join you… if you can get my swords back."
He knew staying here meant certain death. Without his swords, he was helpless. And somehow, this rubber-brained kid made him feel… hopeful.
"Oh, that's all? Deal!" Luffy said immediately.
Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "Huh. That's faster than in the original timeline," he muttered under his breath.
"Where are your swords?" Luffy asked.
"Taken by that idiot Marine captain's son," Zoro replied.
Luffy grabbed the unconscious Bellumeber by the collar and dashed off.
"Hey! Wrong way!" Zoro called, pointing in the opposite direction.
For someone who would later become infamous for his poor sense of direction, Zoro was surprisingly sharp at this point.
Luffy stopped, spun around, and sprinted the other way.
Kaoru chuckled, floating down beside Zoro. "Just eat the rice ball. She worked hard on it."
Zoro sighed and pursed his lips, letting the little girl feed him.
"Pfft." He coughed as he chewed. "Too salty… but not bad."
Kaoru smiled faintly, then sliced through the ropes binding him.
"You're a three-sword style swordsman too?" Zoro asked, noticing the three blades at Kaoru's waist.
"More or less," Kaoru said with a shrug. In truth, he'd mastered countless styles, but rarely used the three-sword form — mainly because he hated biting a sword mid-battle.
At the Marine base, a soldier rushed up to Captain Morgan. "Colonel, Roronoa Zoro has been freed!"
"What?! Someone dared defy my orders?!" Morgan roared, slamming his axe-hand into the ground.
He stormed toward the yard with his troops. "Execute them all immediately!"
Moments later, Morgan and his men arrived at the scene.
"Who dares defy the great Captain Morgan?!" he shouted.
Zoro turned toward Kaoru. "Can you handle this?"
Kaoru cracked his knuckles. "Leave it to me."
He stepped forward, crossing his arms. "Swordless Style — Bird of Prey!"
A burst of condensed sword aura exploded from his hands, forming a flurry of energy beasts that swooped down on the Marines.
"AAAHHH!"
Morgan and his soldiers were overwhelmed instantly. The lesser men were knocked unconscious, while Morgan himself was blasted into the wall, collapsing with a groan.
The courtyard fell silent.
"Gulp… gulp…" Several Marines swallowed hard, trembling.
Even Coby was stunned. "So strong…!" he gasped. "He defeated a Marine colonel in one strike!"
Zoro chuckled. "Not bad."
As the dust settled, the remaining Marines suddenly erupted into cheers, tossing their caps into the air.
"What's going on? They're happy their colonel got beaten up?" Zoro asked.
Kaoru smirked. "They were forced to serve under him. Looks like they're finally free."
"Really? That's great!" Coby said with a grin.
Kaoru placed a cloth on the ground and sat down. "You've been starving, right? Eat."
He pulled out piles of food from his system space.
Zoro didn't need to be told twice. "Don't mind if I do."
He tore into the food ravenously. In moments, the mountain of meat vanished.
Kaoru sighed, taking out more. Good thing I stocked up for three years… though at this rate, it'll last a month.
"Come on, you two. Eat," Kaoru said to Coby and the little girl.
They hesitated, then joined in, eating happily beside Zoro.
"Would you like some?" Kaoru asked the nearby Marines, waving a piece of meat in one hand.
"W-We can eat too?" one stammered.
"Of course," Kaoru said with an easy smile.
The little girl chimed in, "Yes! You were only doing what Captain Morgan forced you to. Come eat!"
The Marines exchanged glances, then rushed over and joined the impromptu feast.
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the air.
"Who dares eat meat without calling me?!"
A figure flew in from above, landing right beside Kaoru — Luffy, grinning ear to ear with Zoro's swords strapped to his back.
Without hesitation, he started wolfing down meat, even stealing bites from Coby's plate.
"Sorry, sorry," Kaoru laughed, pulling more food from storage.
"Give me my swords, you idiot!" Zoro shouted.
"Here!" Luffy said cheerfully—right before accidentally punching Zoro straight into a wall.
"YOU BASTARD! I'M GONNA CUT YOU DOWN!" Zoro bellowed from the rubble.
Kaoru covered his face, sighing. "And so it begins…"