66: Chapter 66 The Smile on the Execution PlatformAfter saying goodbye to Usopp, Luffy began searching for the execution rack again.However, if Zoro is the worst at directions among the Straw Hat crew, Luffy is second to none.Sure enough, Luffy got lost in no time."Damn it, where am I?(///￣皿￣)○～" Luffy said angrily.Just then, a gust of wind blew, lifting Luffy's straw hat.The straw hat seemed to guide Luffy forward.Luffy sensed something with his Observation Haki, looked up at a rooftop, and hurriedly chased after it.Shortly after Luffy left, a middle-aged man in a green robe emerged from the rooftop."As expected of my son, Luffy," the mysterious man muttered to himself, watching Luffy's departing figure.Guided by the straw hat, Luffy successfully arrived at the execution rack, and the straw hat landed squarely on him.Above his head, Luffy looked up at the execution rack.Although it was rusty with the passage of time, Luffy could still seem to feel Roger's words before his execution: "Want my treasure?You can have it all.Go find it!I left all my treasure there." It was these words that started the Great Age of Pirates.Thinking of this, Luffy leaped onto the execution rack.From this height, he could see the sea.Luffy took off his straw hat, looked at the hat that bore the marks of time in his hand, and smiled knowingly.He put the hat back on and was about to jump off the execution rack when the system quest arrived: "Ding dong ding dong, main quest activated: Smile (Complete Luffy's smile in the story on the execution rack).Success rewards one shikigami summoning opportunity; failure forfeits one skill of the host."
"Ding dong, side quest activated: Defeat Smoker.Success rewards the host with a 10% increase in fruit development progress; failure rewards a Seastone Bracelet and a ticket to the Underwater Prison."
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Luffy had no choice but to stop and obediently wait for Buggy's arrival on the execution rack.Sure enough, the next second, Buggy, clad in a black robe, descended from the sky with a wooden yoke, slamming Luffy down onto the rack.Buggy ripped off his black robe and laughed triumphantly, "Hahaha, Straw Hat, do you remember me?"
Luffy said casually, "Oh, it's Uncle Giba.Long time no see." Buggy, who had been smugly waiting for Luffy to beg for mercy, nearly collapsed upon hearing Luffy's words, roaring, "I'm Buggy, Buggy, not Giba (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻!" Composing himself, Buggy grinned maliciously and said, "Leave your last words, Straw Hat." Luffy, raising his voice, shouted, "I'm going to be the Pirate King!"
The commotion at the execution rack quickly attracted attention.Sanji and Zoro, who were leading Zoro back to the ship, also heard the news and rushed towards the rack.Smoker, who was at the Marine base, soon learned of the situation and rode his motorcycle towards the rack, secretly vowing to capture Luffy.The group arrived at the rack quickly.Just then, Buggy raised his sword to strike Luffy's neck.At that moment, Luffy, seeing Zoro and Sanji rushing to the rack to save him, suddenly laughed and said, "Sorry, I'm going to die."
Standing in the crowd, Smoker was shocked, thinking, "He actually smiled, just like back then." Smoker recalled watching Roger being executed as a child, smiling as he faced death.Just as Buggy's blade was about to fall on Luffy's neck, a sudden gust of wind swept across the sky, and a bolt of lightning struck the execution rack, causing it to collapse and kick up a huge cloud of dust.When the dust settled, everyone could see what had happened inside.Buggy lay on the ground, his body charred black, while Luffy stood to the side, brushing the dust off himself as if nothing had happened, muttering under his breath, "Seriously, couldn't he have saved him in a gentler way, you old bastard?"
Zoro and Sanji rushed to Luffy's side and complained, "Honestly, with your strength, defeating him would have been a piece of cake.Why did you do this?" Luffy just chuckled and didn't explain.He couldn't very well say it was a system mission, could he?Nobody would believe him anyway.Zoro and Sanji, seeing that Luffy wouldn't explain, had no choice but to give up.They believed Luffy had his own reasons for doing this, and that was the only thought they could have."Let's go.Nami said a strong wind is about to blow, so let's hurry back to the ship." With that, the three of them hurriedly headed towards the Going Merry.Just then, Smoker blocked their way."Straw Hat Kid, I won't let you leave here!"
"Tch, the Navy, huh?" Zoro and Sanza assumed fighting stances.Luffy called out to them, "Leave this guy to me.You two hurry back to the captain." Zoro and Sanza exchanged a glance, nodded, and told Luffy to be careful before preparing to leave.Smoker saw this and shouted, "White Snake!" His arms transformed into smoke as he reached for Zoro and Sanza.Just as they were about to retaliate, Luffy unleashed a barrage of attacks with "Gum-Gum Gun Barrage!" Distracted, Smoker's attention was diverted, and Zoro and Sanza escaped while Smoker dodged Luffy's attack, leaving the two facing each other.