Chapter 8 Instead of making a name for yourself in the new world, why stay here and be a hopeless navigator?
"--ah?"
Zoro was taken aback by the sudden invitation.
He saw Luffy rush forward without saying a word to untie the ropes, and quickly stopped him:
"Are you kidding me!"
"I'm a pirate hunter, the nemesis of pirates!"
"So what?" Luffy grinned and continued to reach out his hand. "Anyway, I've already decided to make you my crewmate!"
"You bastard! Stop it right now!"
Zoro panicked when he saw Luffy's fingers already touching the knot.
He willingly stayed here to save the mother and daughter at the restaurant.
With the January deadline fast approaching, he didn't want any unexpected complications at this time.
"Let go! I would never become a pirate!"
"Wait a moment!"
"Which way are you pulling? Why is the rope getting tighter?"
"You bastard, get out of here!"
Looking at his arm, which was starting to turn purple and black, Zoro suddenly felt that being saved might not be such a bad thing.
As Mr. Lu Shuren said, "Human nature always prefers harmony and compromise."
If you want to open a window in a room, everyone will definitely not allow it.
But if you insist on removing the roof, they'll mediate and agree to open windows.
Look.
Now it's Zoro's turn to beg Luffy to untie him.
"Hey, Luffy, if you keep going like this, you'll strangle our crewmates."
V walked over, amused and speechless, finding it hard to believe that someone could be so stupid.
He quickly pulled Luffy away, the more he tried, the more mistakes he made, and then turned to Zoro and said:
"Roronoa Zoro, your ambition must be to become the world's greatest swordsman, right?"
"...ah?"
Zoro, who had breathed a sigh of relief, was slightly taken aback. "Where did you hear that from?"
He's not like Luffy, a hot-blooded guy who talks about his dreams all the time. There are very few people in the world who know about his dreams.
"Don't worry about that," V said casually.
But then he added, "However... given your current state, it's probably unlikely that you can achieve this ambition."
"Hmph! You mere villain, what do you know?"
Even Zoro gets a little angry when his dream is denied.
However, V just smiled knowingly:
"Mere thugs?"
"It seems you look down on pirates."
"But I remember that the world's greatest swordsman right now is the 'villain' you mentioned."
"That's why I became a pirate hunter!"
Even though he was completely bound, Zoro still showed a confident smile.
His gaze was firm as he looked at V.
"One day, I will defeat Hawkeye Mihawk!"
"To become the new world's greatest swordsman!"
"I see." V nodded in understanding. "So you became a pirate hunter to be on the opposing side of Hawkeye?"
"I thought you got lost at sea and had to make a living by hunting pirates and earning bounties."
"What nonsense are you spouting!" Solo suddenly blushed, his face turning arrogant. "How...how could anyone do such a thing!"
"Hahahaha..." V waved his hand, "It's not important, it's not important."
However, the next second, his expression suddenly became serious:
"However, ambition is something that cannot be accomplished with just perseverance."
"Zoro, the vastness of this world is beyond your imagination."
"You are very talented and do have the potential to become the world's greatest swordsman."
"With your talent, instead of making a name for yourself in the New World, you're stuck in the East Blue as a lowly pirate hunter..."
"Such an action is truly regrettable."
"That's right!"
Although Luffy couldn't understand what V was babbling about, he still chimed in with perfect understanding.
"Tch~" Zoro retorted dismissively, "You guys are just wandering around the East Blue all the same."
"I had never even heard of you before today."
"Oh? You think we're the same?"
V's lips curled up slightly, and then he suddenly raised his left hand, palm facing up.
Buzz—
The machine hummed softly as it started, and a crack appeared on the outside of his arm.
A bright silver cannon barrel rose from it, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.
Thermal projectile launching system, 5th-order prosthetic body.
The name is a mouthful, but simply put, it's a rocket launcher hidden in your arm.
"VVV... Mr. V, what are you doing!?"
"This is a naval base!"
Having already gained some understanding of prosthetics, Koby panicked upon seeing this scene, his voice trembling.
Their unauthorized trespassing on the base was already a taboo; if they caused any further disturbance, the consequences would be unimaginable.
But V completely ignored Koby.
This kid's cowardly nature is ingrained in his bones. Even if he adopts an iron fist and learns martial arts, he's still far from being a true strongman.
Perfect timing! V also wanted to take this opportunity to give him a good workout.
That way, I won't waste my time and expectations if I meet him a few months later and he doesn't meet my expectations.
Under the shocked gazes of Zoro and Coby, the cannon muzzle suddenly emitted a blazing halo.
Boom—!!!
The blinding flames tore through the morning mist, like a roaring fire dragon, hurtling straight towards the enormous statue at the highest point of the naval base.
—That was a "monument" built by "Axe-Hand" Monka to demonstrate his authority and to exploit the people.
Rumble—!!!
The deafening explosion shook the entire town of Shells, the sound waves rippling outwards like a tidal wave.
The shell hit the statue precisely at the waist.
In an instant, the stone statue exploded, and the rubble rained down on the walls and the ground.
"you--!"
Zoro's pupils contracted sharply as he stared intently at V's arm, which had retracted its cannon barrel and returned to its original state.
"...What is that?"
"A little trick by CyberTech." V flicked his wrist, the metal joint emitting a faint hum.
He looked at Zoro again, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable, penetrating power:
Are we still the same now?
"Are you kidding me?!" Zoro's eyes widened in disbelief. "How could anyone possibly..."
His voice grew weaker and weaker.
He wondered how someone could be so powerful as to fire a shell with their bare hands.
But all of this actually happened right before his eyes.
Don't be fooled by Zoro's handsome appearance and incredible strength in the anime; right now, he's just a greenhorn who's just starting out.
So weak that even when facing Cabaji of the Buggy Pirates, he still got hurt.
Even the finest rough jade needs a sculptor's touch to shine.
V's eyes sparkled, as if she had traveled through time and space to see a scene from the future.
"Zoro, you have the potential to reach the top of the world."
"It would be such a waste to let it be buried in the East China Sea like this!"
Come join us!
"Let's witness, conquer, and reach the pinnacle of the world together!!!"
"..."
Faced with V's formal invitation, Zoro fell silent once again.
But the silence didn't last long.
He quickly raised his head, a strange light appearing in his eyes.
"You just said… I am a piece of uncut jade."
"People who say things like that are probably very confident in their skills."
"So, you have a way to make me stronger?"
"Of course." V's lips curled into a confident smile. "As a prosthetic doctor, this is my duty."
"Prosthetic doctor? What's that?"
"But... never mind, let's leave it at that..."
Zoro murmured softly, then looked up and said solemnly:
"Okay! I'll join you."
"Whether it's for the real world you speak of... or what you call 'sculpting'."
"only..."
"If I find out that any of you will stand in the way of my ambition, I will not hesitate to cut you all down!!!"
"This is the only thing I will uphold for the rest of my life!!!"
"Hahaha..."
V burst into laughter.
"Wait until you can actually do that before you say such harsh things!"
Max-level prosthetic body + max-level skills + max-level attribute points...
At this point, V might not be considered extremely strong, but he should at least be hard-pressed to defeat anyone below the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
With a flick of his arm, a sharp blade shot out, transforming into a scarlet mantis-shaped blade.
A flash of cold light—
The ropes that had bound Sauron for nearly twenty days snapped.
Zoro, who hadn't eaten properly for a long time, swayed slightly but still managed to stand firmly.
He looked up at V: "So, Captain, what's next?"
"...ah?"
V was taken aback.
Luffy, standing next to him, immediately stopped smiling.
He was initially happy about the addition of a new friend, and immediately jumped forward:
"Wait! Wait!"
He stood with his hands on his hips, staring at Zoro in disbelief:
"I am the captain of this pirate crew!!!"
"...ah?"
This time it was Zoro's turn to be stunned.
He glanced at V's slightly embarrassed smile, and his expression immediately became complicated.
His gaze shifted back and forth between Luffy and V, his features almost contorted in a grimace, as if to say:
"Letting this fool be the captain... do we really have a future?"
End of this chapter...