One Piece: Shiro Oni

"You sure about this?" Noir asked, his tone calm but laced with a hint of amusement.

Luffy grinned widely. "Of course! Zoro's gonna join my crew. I've already decided!"

Noir smirked faintly, shaking his head. "You've got a hell of a way of recruiting people."

**************

The group scaled the wall, landing lightly in the yard where Zoro was tied to the post. His piercing green eyes snapped up at the sound of footsteps.

"You again?" Zoro growled as they approached. "You three idiots must have a lot of free time on your hands."

"We're here to untie you," Luffy said simply. "So, join my crew."

"Say what?" Zoro's voice was sharp, disbelief written all over his face.

"I'm looking for strong people to join my pirate crew!"

Zoro snorted, his expression darkening. "Get lost. You really think I'd stoop so low as to become a criminal? No way in hell."

"What's wrong with being a pirate?" Luffy asked, tilting his head.

"Pirates are despicable. As if I'd ever want to be one!"

"Why not? You're already known as an evil bounty hunter," Yuki interjected, a smirk tugging at her lips.

Zoro's glare shifted to her. "Evil? People can talk all they want. I don't care. I've got my own goals to accomplish, and I'm gonna live to see them through."

Luffy crossed his arms, grinning. "That's too bad because I've already decided you're joining my crew!"

"Like hell I am!" Zoro snapped.

Maki chuckled, twirling her Staff. "You've got spirit. I like that."

Luffy tilted his head. "I hear you use swords."

"Yeah. But that idiot Helmeppo took them," Zoro muttered bitterly.

"I'll get them back for you!" Luffy declared. "But if you want your swords, you'll have to join my crew."

Zoro scowled. "You're starting to piss me off."

Luffy waved dismissively. "Noir, you keep an eye on Zoro! I'm gonna go get those swords back! Yuki, let's go!" Noir raises a hand and offers a wave in acknowledgement.

Yuki smirked, placing a hand on Luffy's shoulder. "Hold on tight."

With that, he launched them toward the Marine base like a rocket, leaving a trail of dust in their wake. Zoro's jaw dropped as he watched them disappear into the distance.

"What the hell are they?!" Zoro shouted, his shock evident.

"They're a lot," Maki said with a grin. "You'll get used to it."

******************

Yuki and Luffy soared through the air like a human cannonball, the wind whistling in their ears. Luffy's laughter echoed loudly, completely unfazed by the rapid velocity, while Yuki squinted ahead, realizing they were overshooting their target.

"Uh-oh," Yuki muttered, gripping Luffy's shoulder tightly. "Hold on! We're going too fast!"

Noir, standing near the base perimeter, tilted his head upward and frowned as the duo shot past the Marine base, heading toward the town. "What the hell are they doing?" he muttered, his sunglasses slipping slightly as a bead of sweat formed on his temple.

"I swear… these guys are going to get us all killed," he muttered. Behind him, Ihwa and Coby approached, both looking concerned.

At the last possible second, Yuki spotted a thick rope tied to a large statue that the Marines were struggling to erect in the courtyard. Without hesitation, she reached out, snagging the rope mid-air.

"Got it!" Yuki yelled, pulling the rope with all her strength.

The force of their momentum jerked the rope violently, sending the workers scrambling as the statue toppled forward. With a loud crack, the statue hit the ground, breaking cleanly in half. Dust and debris exploded into the air as Luffy and Yuki landed gracefully—albeit a bit too dramatically—on the Marine base's grounds.

Luffy stood up, brushing off his shorts. "That was awesome!" he exclaimed, laughing loudly.

"Yeah, awesome," Yuki replied dryly, gesturing at the broken statue. "Except for, you know, destroying Marine property."

"Ohhh, sorry," Luffy said casually, raising his left hand, while Yuki bowed slightly in apology. Standing right in front of them, near the base of the statue, was a large man with an expression of sheer shock that quickly turned to seething rage, his face reddening with anger.

He is a notably towering, muscular man with tanned skin, blonde hair, a well-defined face, and a steel jaw etched with the word Möwe, his right hand has been replaced with a huge steel axe, the handle of which is not only bolted through the bones of his forearm, but sticks out where his elbow should be. he wears a large, ornate overcoat and is completely sleeveless; it is also worn conventionally.

"Capture him!! I'll kill him myself!!" the man roared, his booming voice echoing through the area. Even Noir, who was far away, heard the commotion, prompting Ihwa to smirk faintly.

"Y-Yes, sir!!" the Marine soldiers responded, scrambling into action, though their expressions betrayed their unease. Among them was Helmeppo, who quickly stepped forward, pointing directly at Luffy as he shouted toward the large man—Captain Morgan, his father.

"Father, that's him! He's the one who hit me! I told you he was a bad person!!" Helmeppo screamed, his finger trembling as he pointed accusingly at Luffy.

But before he could say more, Yuki appeared silently behind him, grabbing the collar of his shirt with a strong grip.

"Well, well, mushroom-head, aren't we lucky to run into you?" Yuki said with a sly grin before taking off toward the only door leading off the roof. "Come on, Luffy!" she called, her grin widening as Luffy raced alongside her.

"Ahhh!! Father!! Help me!!" Helmeppo cried out, flailing desperately to free himself. But it was no use—Yuki's grip was like iron, the result of her rigorous training with Noir.

****************

"Their yelling is really something else," Ihwa muttered, hearing the commotion from afar. Noir, standing beside her, simply shook his head before noticing Koby approaching.

"Koby? You're alone? Where's Fubuki?" Noir asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Fubuki-san said she needed to drop off your cigarettes on the ship before coming here," Koby replied. He glanced around, seemingly searching for someone.

"If you're looking for that straw-hat idiot, he's sneaking into the Marine base with the blonde woman," Zoro said, observing Koby's confused demeanor. Zoro guessed the boy was looking for Luffy.

"Yeah, that rubber fool is retrieving your swords. Now hold still so we can untie you," Noir said, walking over to Zoro and beginning to work on the bindings around his right hand. For some reason, though, the knots were particularly difficult to undo.

"I'll help," Koby offered, moving to untie Zoro's left hand.

"Hey, if you untie me, you'll all be killed, you know," Zoro warned, his tone serious as he looked between Noir and Koby.

"You shouldn't be tied up like this in the first place," Koby replied, recalling the story Rika had told him. "I can't stand the way those Marines behave," he continued, his mind flashing back to the moment when two Marines had thrown Rika, only for Yuki to catch her just in time. "I want to be a Marine with morals, someone who embodies the same resolve as Luffy-san's dream of becoming the Pirate King."

Koby's words left Zoro stunned.

"What?! P-Pirate King?! Are you kidding me?!" Zoro exclaimed, disbelief written all over his face. After all, dreaming of becoming the Pirate King was sheer madness.

"Yeah, that's the normal reaction," Ihwa chimed in, thinking about the pirates she'd encountered during her captivity. Normally, she would have avoided both pirates and Marines altogether. But somehow, she and the others had become pirates themselves, all because they wanted to stay with that battle-crazed maniac.

"Damn, these knots are seriously tight—" Noir grumbled, cutting himself off when a sudden gunshot rang out. Pain exploded in his shoulder as he was struck, startling everyone around him.

"Noir!" "Noir-san!" Ihwa and Koby exclaimed simultaneously, their voices tinged with worry. Ihwa froze mid-step, however, when she noticed Noir's calm expression. He glanced at his left shoulder, now bleeding from the gunshot wound, and then turned his gaze toward the Marine base's rooftop, where the shooter stood. Zoro followed his line of sight.

"Looks like they've realized there are more than two intruders," Noir muttered, continuing to work on Zoro's bindings as if nothing had happened.

"Oi, you'd better get out of here before they all swarm this place," Zoro warned, glancing at Koby, who was trembling slightly. His gaze then shifted to Noir, who seemed completely unfazed by the injury.

"That's not happening," Noir said, recalling what the mushroom-head Helmeppo had told him.

"Don't worry. I've already made a deal with that idiot. If I can survive for a full month without food or water, they'll let me go."

"Too bad, that's not going to happen," Ihwa interrupted, stepping beside Noir to assist in untying Zoro.

"What do you mean by that?" Zoro asked, casting a sharp look at Ihwa.

"They're not going to let you go. In fact, they're planning to publicly execute you in the near future," Koby explained, his earlier fear replaced by composure. "That mushroom-head never intended to free you. That's why, back at the restaurant, he announced your execution schedule, which led Luffy-san and Yuki-san to knock him out."

"Speaking of the Marines, it looks like we have company," Noir said, pausing his efforts to glance at the group of Marine soldiers approaching them.

"Stop right there!" exclaims a tall blond man. "the three of you...for the crime of treachery against me, the penalty is death!"

"I guess you must be Captain Morgan." Noir turns to fully face the man, a lop sided grin on his face. "I don't suppose we can talk about this, huh?"

"This is certainly an interesting stunt that the three of you have pulled. Were the three of you and that straw hat kid planning a coup or something?"

"A coup?"

"I've always fought alone," Zoro tells him plainly. "Unlike arrogant bastards like you, who use their soldiers as pawns!"

"Roronoa Zoro!" growls Morgan. "Don't you dare underestimate me! You may be strong but before my authority you're nothing but common scum! Take aim!" The Marines in front of him raise their rifles, pointing them at the two men and one woman. Noir and Ihwa tenses in response but relaxes when a familiar figure comes dropping out of the sky, landing between them and the Marines just as they fire. The bullets strike Luffy, and immediately ricochet back at the Marines, rebounding off his rubber body.

"Sorry, bullet won't work!" shouts Luffy, grinning from ear to ear.

"W-Who the hell are you?!" demands Zoro, staring in shock.

"Hm? I'm Monkey D. Luffy! The man who's gonna be King of the Pirates!"

"King of the Pirates?! Do you even know what that means?!"

"Yeah! King of the Pirates is King of the Pirates!" Luffy approaches and removes the trio of swords slung across his back before thrusting them out in Zoro's direction. "Here's your swords! I didn't know which one was yours, so I just brought them all!"

"All three are mine. I use the Three Sword Style."

"So, you'll take 'em, then? If we fight together now that means you'll be a government-defying villian!"

"What are you? The devils son? Fine! If it's a choice between dying here or becoming a pirate, I choose a life of piracy!"

"Yeeeeaaaah~!" exclaims Luffy, grinning broadly and thrusting the swords skyward. "So you'll join my crew?! Alright, woo-hoo! This is great!"

"The ropes! Don't forget the damn ropes!"

"That brat...he must have eaten a Devil Fruit," mutters Morgan. "It doesn't matter if we can't shoot him! If guns don't work, then use your swords! Anyone who opposes me must be executed!" With their orders received, the Marines draw their swords and charge forward.

"Ihwa," said Noir to Ihwa who already knew what it meant, he then took the Dagger that he kept behind him and cut Zoro's bonds even though it was quite difficult because the blade was very bad and blunt, that's why Noir and Ihwa didn't use the Dagger because it would only make them even more annoyed.

In the blink of an eye Zoro has snatched his swords from Luffy and drawn them, blocking the blades of all the rushing Marines.

"I'll be a pirate," Zoro tells them. "I promise you that. Now that I've officially fought the Navy, I'm a criminal anyway. But I'll tell you this right now...I'm only going to fulfill my ambition! I'm going to be the worlds greatest swordsman! If I wind up having to give that up, then you have better accept responsibility and apologize to me!"

"The worlds greatest swordsman? Sounds good to me!" Luffy tells him. "The King of the Pirates would need nothing less than that on his crew!"

"Heh. You sure talk a big game! But it doesn't matter! At this point whether it's as a criminal or not, I'm gonna spread my name throughout the world!"

"Alright! Then, duck, Zoro!" Luffy stretches a leg back quickly. "Gomu Gomu no... Muchi!" He launches his leg out, scattering numerous Marines in a single attack.

"What kind of creature are you?" Zoro asked, glancing at Luffy. He had just witnessed Luffy's arms stretch, bullets bounce off his body, and now his legs elongate. Clearly, this boy wasn't human—at least not by normal standards.

"Oh, I'm a rubber man," Luffy replied with a wide grin. Hearing this, the marine soldiers began trembling, realizing how impossible it would be to defeat them. Individually, Luffy and Zoro were already formidable opponents.

"Oh, am I late?" Yuki asked as she sprinted towards Noir from the side.

"I've been wondering, where have you been all this time?" Noir questioned, glancing at Yuki. Earlier, Luffy had returned alone, leaving Noir a bit puzzled.

"Ah, Luffy and I decided to split up. While I was searching for the green-haired guy's swords, I heard gunshots, so I ran over," Yuki explained casually, making Noir sweat a little.

"Yeah, whatever. I need a warm-up anyway," Noir muttered, taking off his coat, now only wearing a white shirt with a bloodstain on his left shoulder from where he'd been shot earlier. "You know? This shirt wasn't cheap," he remarked, glancing at Morgan before looking briefly at his torn coat and shirt. Noir then tossed his coat to Yuki, who caught it with ease.

'Guess I'll have to learn how to sew,' Noir thought, rolling up his sleeves before raising his right arm to block a sword strike aimed at his forearm.

"Nani?!"

"Did that guy eat a Devil Fruit too?!"

"How is his arm not cut?!"

Everyone—including the marines, Koby, Luffy, and Zoro—was utterly shocked. Luffy, however, couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. The sword strike had stopped as soon as it hit Noir's bone. The marine who had swung the sword recoiled in fear, falling backward as Noir disarmed him and dropped the weapon.

"Oi, Luffy, can I take on this big guy?" Noir asked to confirm. After all, Luffy was now his captain, and there was a chance the rubber boy wanted to fight the man himself.

"Nope! Hehe," Luffy replied with his trademark wide grin. Noir smirked slightly before walking toward Morgan, whose face had turned bright red with rage. Ever since Morgan had climbed the ranks to become the Marine Captain of the 153rd Marine Branch in East Blue's Shells Town, no one had ever dared challenge him like this.

"I hope that axe of yours isn't just for show," Noir remarked, still wearing his sunglasses, having no intention of taking them off. He glanced briefly at Morgan's stats.

[Name: Morgan]

[Age: 42]

[Title: Axe-Hand]

[Race: Human]

[Devil Fruit: -]

[Potential: D] [Awakened]

[Strength: SSS+]

[Endurance: SSS]

[Durability: SSS]

[Speed: SS+]

[Intelligence: C]

[Luck: C]

"This is my order: anyone who shows weakness must commit suicide right now!" Morgan barked, his rage reaching its peak. "I won't tolerate spineless worms in my Marine base!" he continued, causing the marines to freeze in place before reluctantly pointing their weapons at their own heads. Their fear and hesitation only angered Noir further.

"What? So you're just a guy who relies on his subordinates?" Noir asked, his patience wearing thin as he dashed toward Morgan.

"What?! A weakling like you—" Morgan's words were cut off as he felt an intense pain in his face. Noir's punch had landed squarely, forcing Morgan to stagger backward several steps.

"You're slow, too," Noir taunted, having easily dodged Morgan's axe swing before delivering the punch. "If you want to kill someone, kill me! That is… if you can!" Noir said with a wide, almost predatory grin.

285 cm versus 190 cm—there was a considerable height difference between Morgan and Noir. To land a proper punch, Noir needed to make Morgan bend down or fall to his knees. He was prepared to use martial arts to do just that. And as expected, thanks to Noir's provocation, Morgan's rage had boiled over, and he launched himself recklessly at Noir.

Noir stood his ground as Morgan, the Axe-Hand, charged toward him in a blind rage. The massive captain towered over him, a hulking figure with a monstrous reputation, but Noir's smirk only grew wider. He calmly adjusted his black sunglasses, refusing to take them off despite the intensity of the battle. His bloodied white shirt clung to his body, a testament to his earlier wounds, but the look in his eyes—hidden behind those glasses—radiated nothing but bloodlust and excitement.

"You'll regret provoking me, you weakling!" Morgan roared, his massive axe-arm raised high. The blade gleamed menacingly under the sunlight, promising devastation with every swing.

As Morgan's arm came crashing down, Noir sidestepped at the last possible moment, letting the massive weapon slam into the ground. The impact left a deep gash in the earth, but Noir was already moving. In a fluid motion, he grabbed Morgan's extended wrist with both hands, spinning his entire body in a perfect Aikido throw.

Morgan's massive frame flipped in the air, and for a brief moment, the world seemed to slow as the hulking captain was sent crashing into the ground headfirst. A loud thud echoed through the area as Morgan's head collided with the dirt.

"What the hell was that?!" Zoro exclaimed from the sidelines, his eyes wide as he watched Noir seamlessly toss a man nearly twice his size, Zoro himself could do it, but still, seeing Noir do it so easily made him quite surprised.

"That's just Noir for you," Ihwa replied nonchalantly, arms crossed as she leaned against a nearby post. "He's always been a fighting maniac. You'll see—he doesn't dodge because he enjoys the pain."

"He's insane," Zoro muttered, though a small grin tugged at the corner of his lips.

Morgan quickly scrambled back to his feet, growling like a feral beast. His pride had been wounded, and he wasn't about to let some upstart make a fool of him. "You dare to humiliate me?! I'll kill you where you stand!" He swung his axe-arm again, this time with more force and speed.

Noir didn't move to dodge. Instead, he raised his forearm, letting the blade collide directly with his bone. The impact rang out like a bell, and to everyone's shock, the blade stopped dead in its tracks, unable to cut through Noir's arm.

"What… What are you?!" Morgan's eyes widened in disbelief.

Noir grinned like a devil. "Just a guy who knows how to fight." He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low growl. "Is that all you've got? You'll have to hit harder if you want to take me down."

Morgan roared again, this time switching tactics. He threw a powerful punch with his free hand, aiming for Noir's head. But Noir was already moving. He ducked low, driving a devastating sidekick into Morgan's ribs with a sharp crack.

"Kyokushin Karate," Noir muttered, his tone calm and calculated. The kick sent Morgan staggering back, clutching his side, though his ribs didn't break. Noir followed up with a spinning hook kick aimed at Morgan's face, the power of Taekwondo behind it. The blow connected cleanly, snapping Morgan's head to the side and drawing blood from his mouth.

Despite the pain, Morgan retaliated with a wild swing of his axe-arm. This time, the blade grazed Noir's shoulder, slicing through his already tattered shirt and drawing blood. Noir winced but didn't back away. Instead, he planted his feet firmly, taking the blow head-on.

"Is he crazy?!" Zoro shouted, watching in disbelief.

"Definitely," Yuki chimed in, smirking as she caught Noir's discarded jacket. "But that's what makes him so dangerous."

Noir let out a low chuckle, blood dripping down his arm. "That's more like it. A real fight!" His grin widened as he lunged forward, closing the distance between them. Morgan swung his axe-arm again, but Noir caught it with both hands, twisting his body in a perfect Aikido maneuver. The motion sent Morgan flying once more, and this time Noir followed up with a flurry of brutal strikes.

A powerful elbow slammed into Morgan's ribs, followed by a spinning back kick to his sternum. Noir's movements were relentless, a seamless blend of Kyokushin Karate and Taekwondo. Each strike was delivered with precision and power, targeting Morgan's weak points.

Morgan roared in frustration, swinging wildly in an attempt to regain control. But Noir was always one step ahead. He weaved through the attacks like water, occasionally letting a strike land just to fuel his own fighting spirit.

When Morgan finally managed to land a punch square on Noir's jaw, Noir didn't stagger. Instead, he laughed—a deep, menacing laugh that sent chills down the spines of everyone watching.

"This… This is what I've been waiting for!" Noir growled, wiping the blood from his lip. His eyes gleamed with unrestrained excitement as he charged forward.

Morgan swung his axe-arm again, but Noir caught it mid-swing, twisting it so that Morgan was forced to bend forward. With the captain in a vulnerable position, Noir delivered a devastating knee strike to his face, followed by a spinning kick that sent Morgan crashing to the ground.

"Get up," Noir ordered, his voice cold and commanding. "I'm not done with you yet."

Morgan groaned, struggling to his feet. His body was battered and bruised, but his pride wouldn't let him stay down. "You… You bastard… I'll kill you…"

"No," Noir replied, his voice calm but firm. "You won't."

With that, Noir delivered the finishing blow—a powerful punch to Morgan's chest that sent him flying backward. The impact was so strong that Morgan's massive frame crashed into the wall of the Marine base, leaving a deep dent in the stone.

Noir stood tall, bloodied but victorious. He adjusted his sunglasses with a cocky grin before turning to face Luffy. "Captain, this one's all wrapped up. What's next?"

Luffy laughed, clapping his hands together. "That was awesome, Noir! You're amazing!"

Zoro crossed his arms, watching Noir with a newfound respect. "You're insane… but damn, you can fight."

Ihwa smirked, leaning against the wall. "That's Noir for you. A maniac to the end."

Noir cracked his knuckles, turning to Yuki and Ihwa. "I told you this shirt was expensive. Guess I'll have to get another one."

"You could try not getting stabbed next time," Yuki teased, tossing him his jacket.

"No promises," Noir replied with a grin.

"Tch, Yuki, why is that mushroom-head sprawled out over there?" Noir asked, pointing at the unconscious man near Koby, who was still clutching a pistol.

"Oh, him? He tried to quietly take Koby hostage, so I knocked him out with a single punch," Yuki replied casually, glancing at the defeated man, who was now bleeding from his nose.

"By the way, it's strange… the Marines don't look desperate at all," Ihwa noted, her observation catching everyone's attention. Zoro, with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, now wore a grim expression as he shot a menacing glance at the Marines.

"Anyone who wants to catch us, step forward," Zoro challenged, his voice dripping with threat. The atmosphere grew heavier, and the Marines glanced nervously at each other—until, unexpectedly, they began to cheer.

"Freedom at last!"

"Captain Morgan's reign of terror is over!"

"We're saved! Finally free!"

"Long live the Navy!"

"Uh… Are they insane or something?" Yuki muttered, bewildered at the over-the-top celebration, as though the Marines had just won a lottery jackpot big enough to last generations.

"Why are they so happy that Morgan lost?" Luffy asked, scratching his head, clearly confused.

"It seems they were forced to do all those horrible things because they were terrified of him," Koby answered, a wide smile spreading across his face.

"Not only did we save Zoro, but it looks like we saved the Navy too," Ihwa said, casting a glance at Zoro—who suddenly collapsed. Startled, Ihwa quickly knelt beside him, only to hear the unmistakable growl of an empty stomach.

"I'm… starving," Zoro groaned faintly, his voice barely audible.

"So much for lasting an entire month," Noir quipped, smirking slightly as he teased the swordsman.

"Ugh, shut up," Zoro muttered, too drained to come up with a snappy reply.

"Wait, it's all over already?" Fubuki asked, finally arriving on the scene and looking bewildered at the celebratory Marines. She frowned as her gaze landed on Noir, who was standing casually with a lit cigarette between his fingers.

"You're late," Yuki said, sticking her tongue out playfully from behind Noir.

"You little—!" Fubuki started, raising her hand in frustration, but Noir cut her off by tossing his jacket at her.

"Forget that. Fix my jacket," Noir said nonchalantly, shrugging off his tattered white shirt. Once pristine, it was now riddled with holes and splattered with dried blood. He tossed it at Fubuki as well, her annoyance growing.

"Ugh, fine. You're lucky I'm in a good mood," Fubuki muttered, using her telekinesis to catch the garments and begin repairing them. Despite her irritation, she complied without question.

Noir glanced at Morgan's unconscious body one last time, smirking to himself.

"A fight's only worth it when it pushes you to the edge," he muttered quietly. "Thanks for the warm-up, big guy."

******************

"Ahhh, I'm stuffed!" Zoro exclaimed, leaning back with a contented sigh. "Who would've thought nine days could feel so long?"

"Hah? You're done already?" Luffy mumbled, still shoveling food into his mouth.

"How is your appetite bigger than mine?!"

"That idiot's stomach is like a black hole," Ihwa commented, recalling the sheer volume of food Luffy had devoured before taking down Helmeppo.

"Well, that's not just him. You two eat like wild animals too," Zoro grumbled, glancing over at the four women sitting at a nearby table. The pile of empty plates in front of them far exceeded what was expected for four people.

"Seriously, you're an idiot," Fubuki remarked smugly, jabbing at Zoro's earlier bravado. "You were so confident about lasting a whole month, but you were practically dying halfway through."

Zoro bristled at her comment, his irritation evident, but before he could respond, the others burst into laughter. Like always, the arguments escalated between Fubuki and Zoro, but the latter ultimately had no comeback, much to everyone's amusement.

"So, where to next?" Noir asked, exhaling a puff of smoke after finishing his meal, his relaxed demeanor contrasted by the sharp glint in his eyes.

"Of course, we're heading to the Grand Line!" Luffy declared with his signature grin, his voice brimming with excitement and determination.

"You still want to go to the Grand Line?!" demands Coby. "But...it's just the three of you! Why?! Why would you go to a place like that? It's a pirate graveyard! No one comes back from there alive!"

"Why do you care? It's not like you're coming," Zoro tells him plainly.

"Even so! You are my friends! I've never had friends before, and now that I do I don't want to lose them!"

"Why would you?" Luffy and Ihwa ask in tandem.

"H-Huh?"

"Just because we're going to the Grand-Line doesn't mean we'll die, and it doesn't mean that you'll never see it again," explains Luffy. "Even if you don't see us for a while that doesn't mean we'll stop being friends. We'll always be friends, Coby!"

"He's right, besides, you got other things to worry about," Zoro tells him. "Whether or not you were an actual pirate, it doesn't change the fact that you were, at the least, a chore-boy on one of their ships. Which means, if the Navy finds out you'll never be able to join them." The doors open and everyone looks over as a group of marines enter the restaurant. "Speak of the devil."

"Well, that's our cue," Yuki says, standing from the table with a rather disarming smile. "Heh, excuse us, fellas. We were just leaving."

"All of you," speaks one of the marines. "Is it true that the all of you are pirates?"

"Yup!" chirps Luffy, grinning broadly.

"I see. Well, if that's the case then even if you saved this town we have no choice but ask that you leave, immediately." The resulting fall out from the locals is less that pleasant but regardless, the three stand up from the table without any fuss, and start for the door. The man looks at Coby, who doesn't make any move to leave. "You. Are you with these three."

"No. I don't know them," Coby replies quickly, earning hidden smiles from the three. It would be best if he just denied everything.

"Let's go, we-"

"Actually, I know this kid here," Luffy admits to everyone. "You see, this kid here..." Luffy begins to approach slowly, smiling like a fool the whole time. "...for about two years, he worked for..." Before he can finish, Coby socks him square in the jaw, silencing him.

"Hnnn...alright, now you're gonna get a beating!" Without another word, Luffy begins to give Coby a beating that goes on for at least minute.

"That's enough! You made your point!" call Zoro and Noir. Luffy stops, and lets the kid collasp onto the floor.

"Obviously, you aren't a member of their crew," calls the marine commander. "Leave...!"