While Luffy voiced his reckless plan on the streets below, Zoro's ordeal in the garrison courtyard was far from over. Helmeppo dusted his hands with a sneer and stepped closer to the bound swordsman.
"Look at you... a filthy animal," he spat, his face twisting in disgust. "Just looking at you makes me feel dirty." He wiped at his sleeves and shoulders with exaggerated irritation.
Zoro lifted his head.
"Walking around with that horrendous hair... what an embarrassment to your mother, giving birth to a face like that," he said, ending with a dry, raspy chuckle.
"YOU STUPID PIG!" Helmeppo shouted, slapping Zoro across the cheek hard enough to leave a bright red streak across his skin. Zoro only lifted his head a little higher, chuckling through short, ragged breaths. "I thought... you were against being dirty," he said. "You're a hypocrite too?"
Helmeppo raised his hand for another strike, but a tense voice cut in from the courtyard entrance. "Young master! Captain Morgan requires your presence in his office immediately."
Helmeppo shot the guard an annoyed glare and scoffed, adjusting his coat. He strode through the tower's main arches, past marble walls stamped with the 153rd Branch insignia, and stepped onto an open wooden lift platform.
"Hey! Sleepyhead! Crank me up to floor nine!" He barked the order at a groggy guard behind a desk. The Marine bolted upright and scrambled to a heavy iron crank set into the wall, turning it fast as the gears groaned, and the platform slowly rose. When the lift rattled to a stop, the gates opened onto a quiet, luxurious hallway. Helmeppo walked to a heavy black oak door framed in polished brass and knocked twice.
"Daddy? It's Helmeppo!" The lock clicked. The door swung open, revealing Captain Morgan behind a massive mahogany desk, his shadow stretching long across the room. He didn't greet his son. He simply turned, fixing him with cold, unblinking eyes.
"I received a report from the lower district," Morgan said, his voice low and empty of warmth. "A bakery was ransacked two hours ago. Trashed. The owner says the Captain's son threw a fit because his morning bread was cold." As he advanced, his stare remained fixed and unblinking, like a lion watching a frozen zebra. Helmeppo waved a dismissive hand. "O-Oh, that? The old fool had the nerve to serve me stale rolls! I just gave him a little lesson in respect for the—"
CRACK. Morgan's flesh hand struck him across the face so hard the boy crashed into the floorboards. Helmeppo clutched his burning cheek in shock as blood dripped from his lips.
"F-Father?! W-Why?" Tears sprang to his eyes.
"You foolish child," Morgan growled, stepping over him. "You flaunt my name like a toy, drawing petty attention while I manage the entire branch." Helmeppo's sob broke into a cry as he shrank back against the baseboards. Then Morgan paused. His gaze softened by a fraction. He crouched, wrapped a heavy arm around the trembling boy, and pulled him close.
"Look at me," he whispered into Helmeppo's hair, his iron jaw guard cold against the boy's ear. "Everything I build here... this fortress, this authority, it is for our legacy. But you make me look like the father of a spoiled child." Helmeppo sniffled and clung to his vest. "I-I'm sorry, Daddy..."
"You will be," Morgan murmured, stroking the back of his head before tightening his grip just enough to make him wince. Then he pulled back, his eyes narrowing into icy slits. "Vice Admiral Garp is arriving at exactly 3 o'clock today. If you pull another pathetic tantrum, if you humiliate my rank or cause a single scene while his fleet is in this harbor..."
Morgan leaned closer. "...I will ship you off to the Marine Officers Academy in the Grand Line. You will scrub decks on iron warships, sleep on raw canvas, and suffer under drillmasters who won't care whose son you are. Do you want that?"
Helmeppo went pale and nodded frantically through his tears. "N-No, Daddy! I understand! I'll be a good boy now!"
"Good," Morgan said smoothly, releasing him and standing to adjust his white coat. "Now get out of my sight."
The boy scrambled up and bolted through the heavy doors, his muffled whimpering echoing down the quiet hallway as he raced for the stairs. He passed a dark alcove near the landing, unaware of the silhouette tucked behind the stone pillar. When his footsteps faded, the shadow shifted. A slender figure leaned out, sharp brown eyes scanning the empty corridor. Satisfied the coast was clear, she stepped into the sunlight by the window and ran a hand through her short crop of bright orange hair.
"Ugh... this uniform is way too tight on the shoulders," she muttered, tugging at the rigid collar of her Marine cadet shirt. She smoothed the stiff fabric, adjusted the thick leather belt at her waist, and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a blue-and-white Marine cap, tucked her vibrant hair underneath it, and drew the brim low over her eyes.
"Oh!" she yelped when her hand brushed a tag on the left side of her chest marked "Fernando." She tore it off, stuffed it into her pocket, and walked into the hallway with sharpened focus.
Meanwhile, minutes later and miles below the cobbled streets of the town, the two boys returned to the main street.
"He's never going to agree to become an outlaw!" Coby argued, jogging hard to keep up. Before Luffy could answer, a commotion broke out ahead. A dense crowd was forming in front of a nearby building while Marine guards aggressively tried to scatter the civilians.
"Clear the street! Keep moving or you'll be arrested!" one Marine shouted, waving his musket.
Luffy ignored him and shoved through the gap between the officers as Coby followed behind.
"You there with a straw hat! Stop right there!" a Marine shouted, reaching for his collar, but Luffy slipped past and shoved open the tavern doors.
Inside, Helmeppo sat at the center table with his mud-stained boots on a velvet chair while a trembling bartender poured his wine.
"Hey," Luffy said loudly. "Do you know Roronoa Zoro?"
Helmeppo froze mid-sip and snorted wine down his chin. The tavern fell silent.
"You mean that dog tied up in my yard?" he scoffed, wiping his mouth as he looked Luffy up and down. "Yeah. What about him? What are you supposed to be—a farmer? A fisherman? Guards! Get these fools out of here!"
Two Marines rushed forward and seized Luffy by the shoulders. Coby scrambled inside to intervene, but his heart sank when a tiny figure slipped through the door behind him.
"Rika? What are you doing here?!" he gasped.
Helmeppo's sneer sharpened into a cruel grin. "Well, well. Look who came crawling back. Did your mother not teach you a lesson? Or do my Marines need to pay your shop another visit? Isn't imprisoning your father enough for your worthless family?"
"She went there to give him food," Luffy said, his voice suddenly flat. The brim of his straw hat shadowed his eyes. The Marines strained against his shoulders, but their boots only squeaked uselessly across the floorboards. Luffy didn't budge.
"Zoro took your deal to protect her," he said, walking forward as the guards faltered. "You said if he survived thirty days, you'd let him go."
Helmeppo burst into a shrill laugh and slapped the table. "Thirty days? Are you stupid? Nobody survives thirty days without food or water! I only said that to trick the brute into handing over his swords! In three days, my father and I are holding a public execution in the main square!"
He rose, waving his arms dramatically and splashing wine across the surrounding tables. "Executing the famous 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro! Can any other branch claim a prize like that? No! Only us!"
A few Marines and patrons laughed along. Coby's breath caught in his throat.
"S-so... you lied to him?"
"Of course I lied!" Helmeppo sneered, resting a smug hand on his flintlock holster. "He's a dirty bounty hunter, and I'm a Marine officer! He's going to die tied to that wooden post, and it will bring—"
BOOM.
Luffy's fist shot forward like a cannonball. The force tore the two Marines off balance and caught Helmeppo square in the jaw, launching him backward through the wooden wall in a spray of splinters. He tumbled into the dusty street outside. The tavern froze.
"T-The legends... are true!" one customer whispered. "The Devil Fruits are real!"
"He... he hit the Captain's son!" a Marine shrieked. "Open fire!"
A deafening volley of musket fire ripped through the room. Lead balls shattered lanterns and splintered tables as patrons dove for cover. Stray bullets ricocheted off stone walls, grazing a panicked tavern-goer.
Several shots struck Luffy square in the chest, stretching his rubber skin back like a taut net. With a wild grin, he thrust his chest forward and snapped back into shape. The bullets bounced off his body and slammed back across the room, dropping the shooters and sending the guards into a heap.
"RUN, RIKA!" Coby screamed.
Rika didn't hesitate. She darted out the side door and vanished into the back alleys. Luffy grabbed Coby by the collar, his arm extending several feet to snag him before hauling them both through the shattered front wall and into daylight.
"To the execution yard!" Luffy shouted, his sandals pounding the dirt road.
"ALERT THE CAPTAIN! CALL FOR REINFORCEMENTS!" a Marine officer shouted from the tavern ruins, waving frantically at a bronze surveillance camera mounted nearby while the remaining squad gave chase.
Luffy and Coby ran toward the treeline at the base perimeter. Luffy snapped his arm skyward and hooked onto a thick branch of an old oak tree.
"Hey, Coby! Hold on tight!"
Dozens of Marines were closing in fast. Coby's body trembled with panic, but he shut his eyes, swallowed hard, and lunged toward Luffy, wrapping his arms and legs tightly around Luffy's waist.
"HOLD ON!"
Luffy's rubber body coiled to its limit, then launched them high into the sky. They arced over the treetops, descended in a blur, and slammed into the courtyard with a deafening crash that kicked up a massive plume of dust. The two Marines guarding Zoro jumped back and raised their rifles toward the haze.
"WHO'S THERE?!" one shouted.
Before the smoke could clear, Luffy burst through the dust and floored both guards with two sharp, unstretched punches.
"YOU IDIOT! THE CAMERAS ARE WATCHING!" Coby shrieked, pointing at half a dozen brass lenses pivoting in unison to lock onto them.
"Eh, who cares?" Luffy grinned.
"Hey... you."
Zoro's rough voice cut through the chaos. Bound to the wooden post, he lifted his head and narrowed his dark eyes. "Get out of here before you get yourselves killed."
Luffy walked up smiling. "I'm Luffy! I'm searching for Roronoa Zoro!"
"You're looking at him... why?" Zoro glared at him.
"Well, you're super famous, you know!" Luffy said brightly. "This friend of mine tells me about you!" He pointed to Coby in the back, still clutching the wall and dodging the cameras above.
Zoro's eyes narrowed to icy slits. A dark chuckle rumbled in his chest. "Famous, huh? So that's what this is. A bounty hunter chasing another bounty hunter's head. You think because I'm tied to a post and you had a Devil Fruit, I'm an easy payday? Go on then—try and kill me right here. But don't expect me to make it easy for you, kid."
Luffy stared for a second, blinked, then threw his head back with a boisterous laugh.
"Shishishi! Kill you? Why would I kill you? I came here to ask you to join my crew! I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!"
Zoro let out a weak laugh and shook his head. "Pass. I have my own dream, and I'm not going to lower myself to that level. A pirate? You've got to be out of your mind. I made a promise to become the world's greatest swordsman. I'm not playing pretend with some kid wearing a straw hat."
"We're not playing around!" Luffy's grin vanished. His dark eyes locked onto Zoro with absolute seriousness. "The Grand Line is huge. If you want to be the greatest swordsman in the world, you can't waste time messing around in the East Blue catching small-time thugs. You need to sail with the King of the Pirates. With me."
"I don't need a crew, and I damn sure don't need a captain," Zoro spat, pride cutting through his exhaustion.
"A pirate is just a rogue who steals from the weak and runs from the strong. I live by my own blade. I don't follow orders, and I don't hide behind a flag."
"A flag isn't something you hide behind!" Luffy snapped, the amusement gone from his voice. His eyes burned with fierce conviction as he leaned forward. "A pirate flag is a symbol of freedom! Being the Pirate King doesn't mean ruling over everything. It means having the absolute most freedom on the entire sea! If you actually want to make your dream happen, what are you doing sitting in the dirt waiting for someone else to untie you?"
Zoro glared at him, the force of the words striking a raw nerve. He opened his mouth to answer, but Koby's voice rang out behind him.
"H-Helmeppo lied to you!" Koby blurted, trembling as he tried to keep his balance.
"He told everyone in town he's executing you in three days to bring honor to this town... and to Captain Morgan." Zoro froze. The color drained from his face and was replaced by cold, murderous fury.
"What did you say?"
"Yeah, that ugly head lied," Luffy said flatly. "You're dying here unless you come with me! Join my crew, and I'll untie you right now!"
Zoro's jaw tightened. His knuckles turned white against the ropes. "Fine... untie me. But I need my swords. That spoiled brat took all three into that base."
He jerked his chin toward the tallest tower behind him.
"Three swords? That's weird," Luffy laughed, the tension falling away at once.
"Wait here, I'll go get 'em!"
Before turning, his eyes landed on the ruined rice ball Helmeppo had stomped into the dirt earlier. He crouched and carefully scooped up the grime-covered mass.
"Hey... the little girl worked hard on this."
Zoro looked at the filthy food, his dry throat tightening.
"Give it to me."
"It's covered in dirt!" Coby gagged. "You'll get sick!"
"Shut up and feed it to me!" Zoro barked.
Luffy stuffed the filthy mass into his mouth. Zoro chewed slowly, grinding through sand, gravel, and dried rice, forcing himself to swallow every bite despite the raw sting in his throat. He gasped for air, then spat out a speck of dirt with a faint, bitter smile.
"Tell the kid..." he muttered, resting his head back against the wooden post and staring up at the clear blue sky. "...it was delicious. Every last bit."
Luffy's grin split his face. "Got it!"
Without another word, he planted his sandals against the cobblestones, stretched both arms straight into the sky, and slingshotted himself through a second-story window of the Marine fortress with a violent crash of shattered glass. Inside, he barreled down a towering hallway as the panicked screams of Marines echoed off the stone walls.
"WHERE'S CAPTAIN MORGAN?!" Luffy bellowed at a cowering guard.
"H-He's on the rooftop! Supervising the statue's installation!" the Marine squeaked, pointing upward.
"WE HAVE AN INTRUDER!" a voice roared down the corridor.
Luffy ducked behind a heavy wooden door and cracked it open just enough to peek out. At the head of a rushing squad stood Commander Ripper, pistol drawn, barking orders as dozens of Marines scrambled into formation.
"Lock the main gates! Secure the docks! Have the Monitoring Room track the culprit's location and report directly to me! Move, move, move!"
Ripper led his men away in a frantic sprint toward the lower levels. Luffy watched them disappear down the stairs.
"What a weird-looking mustache..." he muttered, stepping back into the corridor.
The hall was empty and quiet now. His sandals slapped loudly against the polished stone as he began searching room by room—past a study lined with dusty naval logs, a supply room crammed with spare gear, and finally a heavy oak door that gave way with a splintering crack.
"WOAH!"
Luffy stumbled into an armory stacked floor to ceiling with reinforced supply crates. He leaned over one and squinted at a dark iron stencil burned into the wood:
PROPERTY OF MARINE BRANCH 16 — COMMODORE NEZUMI
Beside the crates sat rows of exotic weapons. Among the standard Navy munitions were heavy iron cannonballs painted red, some stamped with a circus-like skull face, complete with a red nose and painted makeup. The paint on a few older shells was already flaking away. Luffy rummaged through a box, lifted one of the red cannonballs, sniffed it, and let out a jaw-cracking yawn that echoed off the stone walls.
"Boring." He tossed the multi-million Berry explosive over his shoulder and moved on, kicking open the next set of double doors. Behind them lay a bizarre gilded gallery. Massive portraits of Axe-Hand Morgan dressed in royal robes and posed like a living god lined the walls. At the center of the room, beneath silk sheets on a velvet canopy bed, two women jolted awake with gasps of terror.
"Hello," Luffy asked flatly.
"Do you know where Helmeppo's room is?"
The terrified woman pointed left. "Thanks!"
He marched out, shoved open the double doors to a lavish master suite, and spotted three katanas resting on a display rack above the fireplace.
"Gotcha." Luffy stretched his arm and snatched all three swords cleanly off the wall.
Meanwhile, hidden in a corner, the orange-haired girl watched him from the shadows. She glanced out the window, where Coby was untying Zoro below while hundreds of Marines marched through the base in the distance. Frantic thumps and commotion echoed through the lower floors, along with screams and grunts.
Adjusting her cap, she narrowed her eyes. She had been waiting for an opening to reach Captain Morgan's private study, but the base had suddenly gone into emergency lockdown, and she could tell it was tied to the chaos above. Through the archway, she watched the straw-hatted kid haul three heavy katanas over his shoulder, utterly unfazed by the shouts of guards around him.
He wasn't a Marine, and he certainly wasn't an organized thief. But he was a walking distraction. Perfect.
Her lips curled into a sharp smile. As Luffy walked toward her while wrestling with the swords, she adjusted her uniform, exhaled once, then sprinted around the corner and crashed headfirst into his chest.
Luffy blinked and looked down at the figure staggering back onto the carpet. The girl brushed off her tailored uniform and glared up at him.
Luffy's grin widened. "Whoa! You're the girl from that large hippo's boat!"