"Who are you calling a long-nosed idiot?!"
Hearing that highly insulting "Long-Nosed Idiot," Usopp's blood pressure spiked instantly. He shook his fist at the sky and roared in fury.
"Caw-caw! Ga-ga! I'm talking about you!"
The black crow circling above let out a grating, raspy laugh. Its human-like eyes scanned the group below before it arrogantly began pointing them out one by one.
"Straw Hat Monkey! Green Caterpillar! Moldy Orange! And that smiling, sinister bastard over there! This is the great Kray's territory.
You low-life crawling creatures better scram! Otherwise, don't blame the great Kray for being merciless!"
"Hah?!"
A collective row of veins popped simultaneously on everyone's foreheads.
"Straw Hat... Monkey?!" Luffy's fists clenched tight. "Green... Caterpillar?! I'm going to mince that bird!" Zoro's hand moved to his hilt, his gaze terrifying. "Moldy... Orange?!" A demonic aura flickered behind Nami. "Smiling bastard?" Viktor's eyes narrowed, his smile becoming even more radiant.
Usopp, who had been fuming, took one look at his companions' world-ending expressions and immediately swallowed his anger, gulping nervously. "That bird... picked the wrong fight."
At that moment, Gaimon looked up at the crow, gritting his teeth. "It's him! A few years ago, this strange bird suddenly appeared on the island.
Using the advantage of flight, he seized the top of the pillar and claimed the treasure I've been guarding as his own!"
"So it's a thief bird."
Luffy lowered the brim of his hat, obscuring his eyes as his tone turned dead serious. "I see. Old Man Gaimon, don't worry. I'll take care of this thief and get your treasure back!"
Without another word, Luffy took several steps back, stretched his arms far behind him, and grabbed the top of the cloud-piercing stone pillar.
"Gum-Gum... ROCKET!!"
Whoosh!
Luffy shot upward like a stone from a slingshot, heading straight for the clouds. In mid-air, Kray's eyes widened in surprise—this monkey could fly?
"Hmph! Seeking death! Take a hit from the great Kray!!"
Kray opened his sharp beak wide, took a deep breath, and unleashed an incredibly piercing, high-frequency scream at the flying Luffy.
"CAW—!!!"
Physical sound waves exploded in the air like ripples in a pond.
"Ugh!"
Hitting the wave head-on, Luffy felt a sharp pain in his eardrums. His momentum stalled in mid-air. He was actually blasted back by the sheer force of the sound, crashing heavily back to the ground.
"Ah! My ears! I'm going deaf!!"
The group below clutched their ears. Nami complained loudly, "That dead crow is too noisy! His voice is hideous!"
Viktor watched the smug crow in the sky, his interest deepening. That attack style... he doesn't just talk, he releases sonic blasts. Did this crow eat a Devil Fruit? If so, this bird's value was immense.
Whoosh.
Viktor's leg muscles tensed. He caught Luffy the moment he landed, neutralizing the impact. Then, without a moment's pause, he transformed into a black bolt of lightning, running vertically up the sheer surface of the stone pillar.
With a few precise leaps off protruding rocks, he reached the summit in the blink of an eye. The space at the top was small, but five rust-covered treasure chests were neatly arranged there.
Next to the chests was a messy, large nest made of twigs and feathers. It seemed the crow had truly made this place his home.
"Caw?!"
Kray, who was about to continue his mockery, stared with bulging eyes at Viktor. His jaw nearly hit the floor. "Why are you so fast?! Are you some kind of monkey too?!"
Realizing the threat, he opened his beak wide to release another sonic blast.
"Body Flicker."
Viktor smiled coldly, giving the bird no time to "charge" its move. In a flash, he appeared directly in front of Kray, his hand clamping the bird's beak shut like an iron vice, forcibly cancelling the ability.
"Mmph! Mmph!"
Viktor exerted force, dragging the bird out of the sky and slamming it hard onto the rocky ground.
Thud! "Caw—!"
Kray saw stars, feeling as if every bone in his body was about to shatter. "That hurts... you damned crawler... the great me is going to—"
Thwack!
A razor-sharp kunai glinted in the light, embedding itself deeply into the rock right next to his head—barely 0.01 centimeters away. Kray's arrogant words died in his throat, and cold sweat poured down his feathers.
"M-Master! Master, have mercy!!" His attitude did a complete 180-degree flip.
Thwack!
Another kunai slammed into the other side of his head, clipping a few black feathers. Kray's legs kicked in terror as he sprawled on the ground, shivering. "Master! I was wrong! I was really wrong! I'll give this place back to you! I'll scram right now! Just spare my bird life, okay? I'm still young, I don't want to die!"
Viktor grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up so his bird-head faced the chests. "Did you eat something from inside these?"
Kray didn't dare lie, nodding like a pecking chicken. "Yes! Yes, Master! A few years ago I flew by and saw a weird-looking fruit. I was starving, so I ate it... Master! Forgive me! I'll never do it again!"
Just as I thought.
Zoan or Paramecia? Viktor mused, his smile becoming increasingly "kind."
"If you want to live, you can. Come with me. How about it?"
"Come with you? Master means... leaving this place?" Kray blinked.
"Yes. Set sail with me."
Kray's beady eyes spun rapidly. This guy wants the great Kray to be a pet? You've got to be kidding! I am the noble Ruler of the Skies! How can I submit to a crawling human?!
But the human before him was too strong. Better to swallow my pride now... I'll agree first, then find a chance to slip away once we're at sea!
Thinking this, Kray immediately put on a fawning expression. "Caw-caw! Ga-ga! Yes, Master! It is Kray's honor to follow a powerhouse like you!"
[Ding! Detected special biological entity expressing submission.]
[Congratulations! Host has obtained an Exclusive Summon (No exchange required): Echo Crow.]
[Reward: 500 Shinobi Points.]
Viktor released his grip with satisfaction. "Phew... phew..." Kray collapsed on the ground, gasping for air as if he had just escaped the jaws of death.
Just then, a rubber arm stretched up, and Luffy finally hauled himself onto the top. "Whew... Viktor, I'm here! Eh? Is the fight over?" Luffy looked at the crow sprawled on the ground, bewildered.
"What fight? You Straw Hat Monkey! You want to go?!" Seeing Luffy, Kray's arrogance instantly flared back up.
"Ah, what an ugly crow," Luffy remarked honestly while picking his nose.
"Caw-caw?! WHO ARE YOU CALLING UGLY?!" Kray turned hysterical, flapping his wings to attack Luffy's straw hat.
"Luffy."
Viktor ignored the bickering and walked to the five treasure chests, opening them one by one. They were completely empty. He sighed, handed the empty boxes to Luffy, and said softly, "The chests are empty."
Luffy's movements paused. He casually swatted away the charging Kray. He took the light, hollow boxes and looked into Viktor's eyes, silent for a few seconds.
"Empty... so Old Man Gaimon..." Luffy whispered to himself. Then, he looked up and flashed Viktor a brilliant grin. "Then let's just 'rob' him! Shishishi!"
Viktor saw that familiar look and curled his own lips. The two walked to the edge of the pillar. Luffy took a deep breath and roared down at the hopeful green-boxed man below with all his might:
"OLD MAN GAIMON!! YOUR TREASURES BELONG TO US NOW!!" "IF YOU WANT THEM, COME AND TAKE THEM YOURSELF!! WA-HAHAHA!!"
Below, the expectant group instantly turned to stone.
"HA?! Luffy!! What kind of nonsense are you saying?!" Nami screamed in disbelief. "Gaimon protected those for twenty years!!"
"Exactly! That's too despicable, Luffy!" Usopp shouted in moral indignation.
However, Gaimon didn't react with anger. He looked up at the boy with the clear, honest eyes on the summit. He couldn't believe that someone with such a pure dream would commit such a betrayal. If it wasn't for greed, there was only one other reason...
Gaimon's body began to tremble. Two rows of hot tears flowed down his weathered face.
"Straw Hat boy... you're a good man!"
"Even though... even though I've had this hunch for twenty years, I never dared to think about it. I could only lie to myself that there was treasure up there just to keep living... Straw Hat boy! It's empty, isn't it?! Waaaaah..."
The old pirate, who had held out for two decades, finally dropped all his defenses and sobbed like a child.
On the summit, Luffy scratched his head. "Ah? Exposed already? I guess I'm not suited to play the villain."
"Let's go down, Luffy," Viktor said, patting his shoulder.
The sun began to set, painting the sea in brilliant shades of crimson. On the shore:
"Old man, are you sure you want to stay? You won't come with us?" Luffy asked from the ship's railing.
Gaimon wiped his eyes, a look of unprecedented peace on his face. "Yes, Straw Hat boy. The treasure might be gone, but I realized I have something more important to protect." He turned to the rare beasts gathered around him. "I've been with these guys for twenty years. We're already family. I can't leave them behind."
"Knowing there's no treasure is a bit disappointing, but for the first time, I feel truly free. The heavy shackles are gone. Now, I can live the life I want."
The crew on the ship all smiled. "Hahaha! Is that so? What a shame! I wanted to invite you to be my nakama!" Luffy laughed.
"So these rare beasts were the real treasure?" Viktor nodded slightly. To him, this was the best ending.
"By the way, this Usopp... I mean, this crow, is a bit fat," Nami noted, standing by Viktor and reaching out to pet Kray, who was perched obediently on Viktor's shoulder.
"Caw-caw! What did you say, you moldy orange?! This is muscle! Muscle!" Kray's body didn't move, but his mouth remained sharp. "Believe it or not, the great me will peck your—"
"Hm?" Viktor glanced sideways.
"Caw... I mean, I really should cut back on the snacks," Kray immediately folded.
"Hahahaha!"
Watching the cowardly yet loud-mouthed bird, the group burst into laughter. The Going Merry slowly set sail.
"Goodbye, Old Man Gaimon!!" Luffy waved energetically from the stern.
On the shore, Gaimon watched the ship fade into the distance, his eyes welling up once more. "Goodbye, pirates! Goodbye, Straw Hat boy!"
"Keep going toward your dream! You'll definitely find it—the legendary One Piece!!"
Under the setting sun, the shouts of the young and the old, the ship and the shore, became the most moving melody on the sea.
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