--Chapter 2--

The sun was high in the sky and after a day of sailing. The trio finally managed to arrive in Shells town. It was a small port town larger than the village Draxsis and Luffy had grown up in but not extremely so, and overlooking it all was an eight-story tall marine base that could be seen even far out at sea.

As their small boat came into port Coby jumped off onto the dock and tied up their boat to the pier. Luffy and Draxsis got up from their places stretching as they did to limber up before they stepped off onto the harbour.

"Ah so nice to be on land again. Being stuck in a small boat for days on end can get really cramped." Draxsis said as he squatted down to stretch his hamstring, "We need a bigger boat little brother, one we can actually walk about on without the risk of tipping it. I don't want to have to go for a swim to save your arse every time you fall in."

"Yeah I agree." Luffy says as he brings his left arm across his chest and then his right, doing his own stretches.

After finishing his stretching Draxsis removed his swords from his side and placed them back into the little boat next to his rucksack, not concerned about any idiot around here trying to take them. With that done he looked to Luffy, "So, where to first, captain."

Luffy grins like an idiot, "First things first, we find Zoro and get him to join up. Then we have a party to celebrate our newest Nakama with lots of meat."

Draxsis chuckled as he shook his head in fondness, "I like the sound of that. You go and find Zoro. I'm going to do some recon, so get the lay of the land and find out anything important going on in this town."

Luffy nodded in agreement and the three split off from each other Luffy and Coby heading up the main street and Draxsis walked into a pub sitting down at the bar, listening into the conversations of the occupants as he waited for service.

The Barmaid quickly came over to serve him, she was an older woman, looking to be in her mid to late twenties with a slim figure, her hair was tied back and she was wearing a dark green dress with a light green apron over it.

"Hello, what can I get you?" the woman asked.

"Sake," Draxsis set a solid gold coin down on the bar, "the best you have" he smiled.

Her face lit up and she smiled, taking the coin before she quickly left behind the bar to go to the back. Draxsis patiently waited a minute or so before she returned bringing with her a rather expensive looking crystal bottle and sake cup and poured him his drink leaving the bottle. "I'm afraid four stars is the highest we have, I do hope that's alright."

Draxsis lifted the cup and nodded his head in thanks, taking a drink letting the cool liquid run down his throat. 'Damn, I haven't had a good drink since we left the village, which was about a week ago. I needed that.'

Draxsis poured another cup and relaxed in his stool as he leaned against the bar, taking in the conversations and playful atmosphere of the pub, it was quite playful and light. Draxsis lifted his sake and took another sip still listening, that was when he heard everything go silent outside. He frowned hearing the lack of noise, before closing his eyes for a moment. A few seconds later, his smile fell into a frown and he looked at the door, finishing his second cup before placing it back on the bar.

"Excuse me miss." Draxsis spoke, getting the barmaids attention again, "would you mind putting the rest of this by" he said as he poured a third cup for himself, "I'll be sure to collect it later" he added as he capped the bottle and handed it to her.

"Oh of course," she said as she took the crystal bottle from him and placed it under the bar, "is there anything else I can get for you, some food perhaps"

"No thank you," Draxsis replied with a warm smile, "but I'll be sure to take you up on it later," he nodded.

That however was when the door to the pub burst open and a mangy grey wolf-like dog came in and started tearing the place up, its claws scraping the wooden flooring and tables as it started to go from table to table eating at whatever food the patrons had on their plates as they backed away in shock. It was followed by a boy in a purple suit and bowl-cut blond hair, flanked by two marines, calling for people to make way for his "precious doggy" and anyone who didn't, his "Daddy" would have them executed.

Draxsis frown turned into a scowl at the sight, 'What a poor excuse for a human being. He can't make a name for himself so he hides behind the names and accomplishments of others. Not even worth my….'

Draxsis's train of thought was cut short, as he was about to drink his sake when the scraggly mutt pounced and made him spill his sake and the cup smashing on the floor, his drink wasted.

Everyone in the entire room froze seconds after. Not due to the mess or the sound of the crash, but due to the oppressive aura that Draxsis was releasing, the air was so thick it was like breathing soup, as he glared at his wasted sake and then at the animal responsible, which was currently frozen in front of him in fear.

The next thing that happened was the "precious doggy" was put through the wall of the pub, head first, it looked like it had its back end mounted on the wall inside and the front mounted outside.

With the mutt silenced the killing intent subsided and Draxsis sighed as he turned and smiled at the girl behind the bar.

"My apologies for the mess and the inconvenience. Here this should cover the repairs." Draxsis said, handing the barmaid another solid gold coin, but the look of fright and shock on her face was clear and what was beside Draxsis made it understandable.

Draxsis turned his gaze to find the end of a sword pointed at him and at the handle end was the quivering blond bowl cut, "Y-You just killed my poor doggy!"

Paying the shaking sword only a pittance of a glance, Draxsis looked at the blond prick with a scowl, "Relax you little shit, your dog will live." he said before gesturing to his wasted drink, "my sake won't. Next time read the signs, no dogs allowed. For making me spill such nice sake it's lucky I didn't neuter it right here and feed you its balls." he said as he reached up and took the blade of the sword between his thumb and forefinger, "now get this sword out of my face." he intoned before his next action fixed just that.

Flexing his thumb and middle finger the blade of the sword snapped clean in half, making the blond's eyes go wide in shock as Draxsis let the blade clatter to the ground.

"There, much better," Draxsis said with a smirk, "children shouldn't play with adult toys, even ones as poorly made as that" he said before glaring at the blond, "now I suggest you run along to your daddy, or else the next one I put through a wall will be you."

The entire bar was silent as Draxsis rose to his feet, looming over the blond, by a good foot walking past him and heading for the doors. However as he did so he heard the distinct sound of a sword being drawn, and the gasps from the other patrons of the pub. Draxsis sighed to himself before he leaned to the side just as a second sword was brought to bare on him by the blond idiot.

Glancing back Draxsis could see that the idiot had taken it from one of the two marines he had brought with him, who apparently hadn't even protested the action, and it was that fact that made Draxsis's eyes narrow as he turned back to them.

The blond idiot, thinking that his first strike being dodged was just a fluke, stepped back and took a second swing, this time a horizontal slash, aiming to take Draxsis's head off his shoulders.

But the next thing to happen wasn't what everyone expected, as the blade approached Draxsis neck. He simply raised his hand with his index and middle fingers extended, and under the gaze of everyone in the bar, stopped the blade in its tracks with just those two fingers.

Everyone froze, unable to comprehend what they had just seen, to everyone watching it looked like he had just stopped a razor sharp blade with his fingers… but that wasn't possible.

Draxsis for his part stood there, hand and fingers raised as he looked at the blond idiot and the two marines with him with a bland gaze.

"So, the marines are condoning attacking unarmed civilians with their backs turned now are they?" Draxsis said in a low tone, "good to know."

Both the marines flinched at his words looking down in both shame and anger, their fists clenched at their sides.

Draxsis took that in for a moment, filing their reactions away to think about later before he turned his attention back to the idiot who attacked him.

"So you like to attack people from behind do you," Draxsis said as he pushed the sword away from him, "let's see how you like it,"

Before he could respond, Draxsis vanished in a blur of speed only to appear behind the idiot with his foot raised high as he planted it directly in the blond's back that launched him forward, out the pub's doors and into the street with a powerful Spartan kick.

""Helmeppo!"" the two marines yelled in shock before they ran out to follow him, giving Draxsis a wide berth as they did so.

They found him sprawled on the street, the sword away from his grasp as he twitched on the ground in pain.

The two marines went to help him up but he pushed them away as he started to stand up himself, groaning from the pain in his back.

As he stood up, Draxsis walked out the doors and onto the street looking down at him with a scowl, "You draw a weapon and attack an unarmed man in the back. You obviously have no honour at all. Looks like I'm going to have to beat some into you." Draxsis said as he cracked his knuckles, "Don't worry, you'll live after, though you'll wish you didn't"

Hearing him Helmeppo gave a yelp as he turned and fell on his ass, his marine escort backing away in fear of the man who had attacked him, he quickly as he could tried to crawl backwards and away from the man but his back soon hit a wall and he found himself trapped with Draxsis still approaching him, a glint of malice in his eyes.

'Crap what's wrong with this blasted village?!' Helmeppo internally raged, 'First that loser Zoro and now this monster! Why does this keep happening to me!... Well if that trick worked on Zoro maybe it'll work on him to',

As Draxsis came to a stop, looming over him he cracked his neck, "any last words, ya little shit," he asked as he held his fist up ready to get started.

Helmeppo swallowed before trying to put on a confident grin as he chuckled, "He-he, you do realize, when my dad hears about how I was attacked in that bar he's sure to execute the owner and her little girl."

That statement wipe the smirk of Draxsis's face, as he started to glare daggers down at the blond, 'this slimy little toe-rag, using fucking hostages' he thought to himself before he asked, "what do you want?"

'Got ya', the blond grinned, "A wager of sorts, seeing as this is your mess, you take responsibility. Say we string you up for one week, no food or water. You survive that week and I'll let you go free, I'll even pay to replace your sake before you leave. How's that?"

Hearing the wager, Draxsis frowned, 'little shit, trying to play me like this, I should just kill him and then go up to the base and do the same with all of those cowards up there before killing his old man, chances are the bastards corrupt anyway and that would make each marine here complicit in his crimes out of fear, wouldn't be the first time I did it after all,' he thought to himself before putting that thought to the back of his mind, 'No, if I did that, Marine HQ is sure to act, and I would sully the start of Luffy's journey with a massacre like that,' he thought before sighing, "Deal", 'Sorry bro looks like you've got a bit longer to recruit this Zoro guy though if you haven't already.'

--Scene break--

Luffy and Coby enter the bar ten minutes later, with a little girl, after Draxsis has been taken away. Coby asks the girl's mother, who is the bar keeper, if they knew where Draxsis is, giving her a description of him. She nods telling them that he's been taken to be hung out in the marine yard, for assaulting Helmeppo and his dog.

"Shishishishi. Yep that sounds like big bro all right, that's one thing you never do. Get between big bro and his sake." Luffy laughed.

"How can you be laughing at a time like this?! He assaulted a marine. Even if he has no honour it's still a serious offence Draxsis could be in a lot of trouble!" Coby warned.

"Na. It's fine. Big bro's strong and if I know anything is that if he was in trouble. He could easily get himself out of it. If he didn't want to be in a situation he wouldn't be in one. Come on, let's get some meat I'm starving." Luffy said as he grinned his D grin.

As they sit down, a bandaged Helmeppo walks into the bar, escorted by five marines this time, as he sits down and starts barking orders about the place.

Seeing the mood of the place shift, Luffy and Coby take their meals to the back of the pub where Coby asks the little girl if she could please explain to them why Zoro has been tied up, she nods and begins explaining.

--Scene break--

Out under the hot sun in the marine crucifixion yard, there are two crosses opposite each other. Bound to one was Draxsis, and on the other is a well built man, wearing black trousers and boots, a green haramaki, a white shirt and a green bandana, with three earrings on one ear.

For the past five minutes, the two of them haven't said a word, only looked at each other in a silent moment weighing each other up.

'So this is Zoro Hm? Nothing like what I pictured him, but then again they say never to judge a book by its cover.' Draxsis thought to himself as he watched Zoro intently. After the first few minutes Draxsis leaned his head back and rested it on the post as another minute passed by until someone spoke.

"So, what are you in for?" asks Zoro after having measured Draxsis up.

Draxsis lowers his head to his question and smirks, "Some mangy mutt ruined my drink. So I made him into a wall decoration and then proceeded to give the owner a thrashing, after he tried to take my head with his sword," he recounted as he rolled his shoulders as best he could within the confins of the ropes holding him to the post, "but just when it was just getting good the shit stain threatened to have the bar girl and her daughter killed. I don't like having innocent deaths on my conscience," Draxsis spoke before thinking, 'I've already got so many guilty ones on it already', before continuing, "and so I ended up here"

Zoro scoffs and then starts laughing, well if you can call that laughter, but then after how long without food you couldn't laugh that well either, "By any chance was he a pansy with blond hair and a shitty purple suite?"

"And a little shit that looks like he's never worked a day in his life? Yep." Draxsis sighed, before muttering, "should have just killed him."

"Ha-ha-ha, the same guy did this to me, looks like we both got screwed over." Zoro laughed at the irony of their shared situation.

Zoro then proceeds to tell Draxsis how a situation similar to his got him tied up here for the past three weeks and then thanks Draxsis for making his day by telling him about how he had kicked the crap out of those two.

"You're more than welcome. Well at least the company here is good." Draxsis smirked.

"Yeah, names Roronoa Zoro, you?" Zoro said introducing himself.

"Monkey D. Draxsis, friends call me Drax." Draxsis nodded back.

The two of them grinned at each other, 'Ok Luffy this guy's definitely the right type of guy for the crew, I'm just wondering if he's got the muscle to back himself up.'

--Scene break--

Back in the bar, the majority of the customers were all either staying clear of Helmeppo or giving the bastard disgusted looks behind his back. He was complaining about how there was nothing to do and was doing nothing but complain and whine.

"There's nothing to do on this measly little island" he said in a shrill voice before wincing, from the pain in his back that still ached. Helmeppo brings up his glass to drink, hoping that the wine would help ease his pain… it didn't

"Bastard," Helmeppo muttered under his breath before he started to grin, "oh that just given me an idea what I can do, I can just execute those two, that shou-…", Helmeppo didn't even get a chance to finish that sentence before a fist made contact with his face and put him to the ground with the impression of a fist intended into the side of his face.

"Bastard," Luffy growled as he stood over the groaning Helmeppo, "If you think some little brat like you can kill my big brother, you've got another thing coming. I'm going to kick your ass!" Luffy yells fuming over the fact this punk could even think he could lay a scratch on his brother.

Coby grabbed his waist to hold him back, "Luffy no! What are you doing, they're marines!"

"I've made up my mind, today Zoro joins my crew." Luffy declares in earnest, before he starts for the door, with Coby following behind him as Helmeppo was being aided by the five marines with him.

--Scene break--

Back at the base, the two tied to the post were laughing their asses off, tossing back stories. Their chuckles came to an end as they both took a breath.

"You know… that Lil punk isn't going to keep his word, he's likely going to try and have us both executed shortly." Draxsis says as flexes his arms getting a bit chaffed from the rope.

"Well, I'll survive no matter what. I have a goal to reach in this world and I won't die until the day I see it complete and I'm at the top." Zoro said with determination.

"Oh, and what is this great dream of yours that going to help you to defy the executioner's blade." Draxsis scoffed.

"My dream is to be the world's greatest swordsman and have my name spread throughout the world." Zoro declared with pride.

Draxsis look at him blinking only once before closing his eyes and smirking, 'he's got guts I'll give him that. If only he knew how big this world really is, and how weak this sea is compared to the other three and the grand line. I wonder how he'd fair in one of those fights. Well we'll just have to see won't we,' Draxsis remanissed before speaking, "You've got a good heart Zoro. I hope we can both achieve our dreams."

"Oh, and what's yours, since I've told you mine, what's yours then?" Zoro asked looking at his fellow prisoner.

Draxsis's smile fades slightly, "That has a long story to it. Let's just say there are things hidden from this world. Shrouded in darkness, my dream is to bring them into the light."

"That's some cryptic shit." Zoro responds tilting his head at Draxsis in confusion.

Draxsis bursts out laughing at Zoro's response but stops laughing when he feels Luffy coming. He opens his eyes and looks over to see Luffy walking past him shooting him a grin.

Zoro scoffs, "You again, don't you have other things to do?" he said as he recognised him.

Luffy stares at him, "I'll untie you, but only if you'll join my crew."

Zoro narrows his glare on Luffy, "What!"

"I run a pirate crew and I'm looking for people to join up." Luffy explained casually like he was talking about the weather and not forming a band of pirates.

"No way, I'd never stoop to teaming up with a criminal, screw that business. I can survive on my own." Zoro scoffed, visibly offended that he would think to even ask.

"And what's wrong with being a pirate?" Luffy asked in confusion, tilting his head to the side, not seeing anything wrong with it in the slightest.

"They're despicable like I'd ever want to join up with one." Zoro spat, but with surprisingly little venom.

Draxsis chuckles at that statement, "You're already known as an infamous bounty hunter, who dices up his bounties like they're sushi. Why not become an infamous pirate instead? It pays better I'm sure."

Zoro looks over Luffy's shoulder at Draxsis, "I don't care what people think of me. I have never done a single thing I regret. I will survive and I will see my dreams fulfilled, this I swear."

Luffy rubs the back of his head, "Yeah that's great and all, but I've already decided you're joining my crew."

"What! You can't do that!" Zoro yelled indignantly.

"I hear you're the best swordsmen around, well second best." Luffy staited glancing at his brother with a smirk for a split second before looking back to Zoro.

Zoro's eyes twitched, "I AM the best swordsmen, there's no second best about it, but that blond bastard took mine away." his voice full of irritation, and a small part of curiosity, 'who does he consider to be better than me'

"Well I guess I'll just have to go get it back for you." Luffy chuckled, like that would solve all their problems.

"What!?" Zoro yelled, his eyes snapping wide under his bandana.

"So if you want your sword, you're just going to have to join my crew." Luffy grinned his D grin.

Draxsis burst out laughing, "Can't deny that kind of logic, ha-ha-ha-ha."

"That's just blackmail!" Zoro yells at him.

Luffy just grinned before he started running in the opposite direction of the base. Draxsis watches Zoro who has a slightly worried face, but it turns to a scowl. "Hey idiot, the base is in the other direction!" he yells before sighing.

Luffy turns and stretches his arms between the two of them, "Gum-Gum rocket!" before launching himself in the base's direction.

Zoro's eyes go wide at what he just saw happen, right in front of him, and he then looks to Draxsis. "Did you just see that, or is this hunger starting to get to me?"

Draxsis smirks, "Nope, my Lil bro's always been like that, it's just who he is."

Zoro blinks a few times, processing what he has just heard, "Little brother?"

Draxsis grinned back, "Yep."

Zoro looks at him for a few seconds before starting to chuckle, "I just can't get out of this, can I?"

"Nope, you…" Draxsis stopped talking when they heard yelling coming from the top of the marine base. "Hm, I wonder what's going on up there."

Then Draxsis spots Luffy's arms stretching up the building's side moments before the rest of Luffy follows it up, followed seconds later by a massive crash as what looked to be the upper half of a very large stone statue crashes into the ground making Zoro jump.

"What the hell was that!?" Zoro yelled trying to look.

"Ha-ha-ha, just my Lil brother making an entrance. He can never do anything half-assed; he always has to go in with a bang." Draxsis smirks as he senses someone approaching. He tilts his head to the side, before speaking, "Hey Coby what took ya so long?" he called as the pink haired boy came tumbling over the wall and landed on his ass before rushing over to them.

"Start with Zoro, I'm fine on my own." Draxsis ordered, Coby nodded before rushing over to Zoro and starting to untie him.

Draxsis closes his eyes and reaches out with his senses, feeling the presence of those around him,it takes him a couple of seconds before he locates his Brother this way as he proceed to watch Luffy run hectically through the base dragging who he assumed was Helmeppo through the place like a rag doll.

He couldn't keep the grin off his face as he felt the blonds terror, 'little blond prick deserves it', but then he tilted his head slightly as another presence caught his attention. Focusing on it, it reminded him of someone but he just wasn't sure who.

He could tell the presence belonged to a woman and that she didn't belong in the marine base. He focused more to get a better feel for her, 'Orange hair. It's that girl from the cruise ship. Ok she seems interesting', Draxsis thought as he kept a passive eye on her in the back of his mind as he opened his physical eyes to see Coby still trying to untie Zoro.

"The marines are going to kill you for what you're doing here kid." Zoro said, shaking his head.

"Actually no, you're the ones they're going to kill." Coby said as a matter of fact.

Draxsis looks to Coby at that statement, "What're you talking about Coby?"

"Helmeppo never planned on keeping his word with you two, he plans on executing you both before the days out. When Luffy heard that he just punched him out." Coby explained while working on the ropes holding Zoro.

Draxsis starts laughing, "Yep that sound like something little bro would do alright." Draxsis smirks, "Guess there's no point in keeping up this charade anymore."

Zoro was about to ask him what he meant but his eyes widened at what he was seeing. Draxsis simply stood up straight and flexed his arms, the ropes that had bound his arms simply snapped like twine, then he reached down with his free hands and pulled at the ropes around his stomach, snapping them just as easily before he stepped away from the cross he had been bound to not thirty seconds before as he dusted himself off. Zoro couldn't help but gawk at him. Coby was no better.

"Wow, Luffy said you were strong, but that was so cool." Coby gushed in shock after having seen him snap the thick ropes like they were nothing.

Draxsis grinned but stopped and directed his gaze to the right just before the other's heard a yell of, "DON'T MOVE!!"

It was a whole firing squad of about fifteen marines and behind them was a big muscular tanned man with light blond hair, a metallic casing over his lower jaw and an axe for a hand. Draxsis raised an eyebrow at the sight.

'Guess he must be the commander of this base' he mused to himself as he took a few steps to the side and put himself in front of Zoro and Coby putting himself between them and the firing squad.

"I am the great captain Axe-hand Morgan for the crimes of treason you will all die where you stand!" the large blond marine declared resting his axe hand on his shoulder.

Draxsis smirked as he took a step forward, "If you wanted to die you came to the right place." he said as he held both his arms up and out to his sides, "Come, I'll be more than happy to accommodate you all."

Morgan sneered, "It's you that's going to die here scum. Ready, aim…FIRE!"

Draxsis grinned as he took a breath, ready to act just as the marines began to pull the triggers on their rifles, but before he could do anything a window smashed outwardly from the marine base and Luffy landed in front of him from above and took all the bullets, getting yells of concern from Coby and Zoro.

Draxsis just sighed, 'Show off, stealing my thunder.' he thought before shaking his head.

"See ya!" Luffy yells as he flexes and all the bullets fly back just skimming Morgan's head. Everyone bar Luffy and Draxsis were shocked at this.

"Hey, Luffy, isn't it my job to save your ass?" Draxsis asked in a monotone voice while giving him a small grin.

Luffy looked at him with a smirk, "You gotta be faster then~" he said with a laugh.

Draxsis gawked at him, "why you cheeky little shit," he said before laughing himself, while everyone just looked at them like they were nuts.

After having his laugh Luffy smiles as he walks over to a still slightly stunned Zoro who asks, "W-What the hell are you?"

"My name's Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm going to be king of the pirates." Luffy says giving him a thumbs up a thumbs up

"You're going to be king of the pirates? Yeah right you must be completely out of your rubbery mind. Do you have any idea what that means?" Zoro said in a mock tone.

"King of the pirates means king of the pirates. How can it mean anything other than that?" Luffy said back with a confused look.

Draxsis smirks at his brother's response, "He's got you there Zoro."

Coby pipes up, "Yeah when he first told me I was just as shocked, but he is actually completely serious and he has every intention of becoming king of the pirates and obtaining the one piece."

Luffy grins and starts chuckling before holding out the three Katanas, "Here's what I promised you, I couldn't tell which one was yours, so I just grabbed all three."

"They're all mine. I use Santoryu, the three sword style." Zoro responded, acting all professional like.

Draxsis smirks a bit, 'Impressive, but how does he hold the third sword?' but then another thought comes to mind and he couldn't help but chuckle, "I think he's just overcompensating for something." Draxsis says before wiggling his pinkie finger.

At that moment Zoro looked over at him shooting him a glare that could kill, Draxsis just kept chuckling completely ignoring the death glare from the currently tied up swordsmen.

Luffy looks at Zoro patiently, "Take 'em all ready. Just know if you fight with us now. You'll be a government defying villain. So it's either that or you're left out here to be killed by the marines execution-style."

Draxsis burst into full blown laughter, "Not much of a choice when he puts it like that, is there?" finding his brother's method for recruiting his first crewmate, besides himself, hilarious.

Zoro grins evilly, "What are you two the sons of the devil? It doesn't matter, if I don't I don't choose your side, I'll just end up dead on these sticks. So let's do it"

Draxsis smirks, 'If you only knew how wrong you are.'

Luffy grins, "Ha-ha so you're finally going to join my crew. Bro, we have a new crew mate! This is the best thing ever!" Luffy yells as he starts doing a dance raising Zoro's swords above his head like he was lifting weights.

Draxsis smiles "Welcome Zoro, I'm sure you won't regret it. It's going to be one heck of a voyage"

Zoro smirks, "I'm sure it is," he agreed.

While they had been talking Morgan had been spouting his bullshit explanation about devil fruit users to his men, before he gave his next order.

"It doesn't matter what abilities they have. All who oppose me are executed. If the guns don't work then we chop!" Morgan commanded as his men drew their swords.

All the marines started charging swords drawn. Draxsis smirked as he turned to them, "Well, time to go to work", but before Draxsis could even take a step Zoro shot past him, having cut his bonds upon hearing the order, and caught all the marines swords with with just his three blades, Draxsis blinked a few time at how Zoro was holding his third sword.

'His mouth, really that's…..not actually a bad idea…..but it can't be sanitary.' Draxsis though seeing Zoro in front of him.

All the marines were shaking seeing the look in Zoro's eyes, "Make one move and you die." Zoro said through gritted teeth and his sword handle.

"Not bad, I see all those rumours about your skills are justified," Draxsis commented as he took in his stance and how he held his blades. 'A little rough, but it can be refined given time, good enough for the east blue at least.' he rated him in his mind.

Zoro grunted in response, before asking around his sword, "hey what do I call you? You the vice-captain or first mate or am I that?" Zoro asked just for clarification.

Draxsis nodded, "I'm the vice captain, but I'm also the commander of the first division, I've yet to start recruiting for it though. First mate is all yours." Draxsis said with a smirk.

"Thanks…,today I've become a pirate having officially fought the marines, but I want you both to know one thing. While I'm with you, the only thing I dedicate myself to is fulfilling my ambition, to be nothing less than the world's greatest swordsman. If somewhere along the line I have to give that up, then you both have to take responsibility. After with you both get to apologise to me." Zoro grinned.

Luffy grins and Draxsis smiles "No problem, oh and one more thing, you might want to duck." Draxsis said dropping as a long rubber hose of a leg swung past him as he did.

Zoro's eyes widened as he did just that as it passed over him clearing all the marines and sending them into a pile as they heard Luffy give a cry after the fact of, "Gum-Gum Whip"

"Luffy! A little warning next time!" Draxsis yelled as he got up, he'd only sensed the attack a few seconds before so he had only just dodged it.

Zoro stood up, "Want to tell me what he is already?" he asked Draxsis.

Draxsis chuckled at the question, "You're up Luffy."

Luffy grinned, "I'm just a guy who ate the Gum-Gum fruit".

"What a Gum-Gum fruit?" Zoro asks, having never paid attention to stories like that.

Draxsis smirks, "It's a type of devil fruit. They give you rather cool powers. The only downside of them is, you lose the ability to swim, in Luffy's case they turn his body into rubber. Hence the stretching." he explained.

Zoro nodded understanding that much, "have you eaten one too?" he asked.

Draxsis shook his head, "No, I'm plenty strong without one, though I do have my eye on one in particular, I just haven't been lucky enough to find it yet" he explained, as one of the marines aimed his rifle at him.

Draxsis caught the movement and smirked, holding out his hand as the Marine fired. There was silence for three seconds after the shot, as Draxsis just stood there with his hand outstretched, his fingers now closed around his hand in a fist, but as he opened them he held the fired bullet between his thumb and index finger, "Case in point," he said before moving the bullet onto his thumb as he moved his index finger into a flicking position, before he flicked the bullet back at the marine who shot him. The bullet shot right back down the barrel of the rifle it had came from making it explode into pieces from the impact.

The marines were all shaking from the display as some of them started to openly voice their concerns."Captain, we don't stand a chance against them.", "We couldn't even take on Zoro by himself, and these other two are worse."

Hearing them, Morgan clenched his fist in anger and rage, "This is a direct order. All marines who just uttered such weakness, pull out your gun and shoot yourselves. I can do nothing with weak soldiers."

At that moment Luffy blitzed the crowd of marines, running through them as he swung for Morgan who just barely blocked the swing with his axe hand.

Draxsis and Zoro step forward, "Anyone else looking for a fight come on!" Draxsis called, but all the marines started shuffling away making Draxsis smirk and Zoro take his blade out of his mouth

"Looks like we can take it easy." Zoro smirked.

"Yeah, let's just enjoy watching the fight." Draxsis grinned looking at Luffy and Morgan, "Kick his ass little brother!"

"Rank-less low life bums, you have no right to defy my superiority! I am marine captain axe hand Morgan!" Morgan bellowed, raising his axe hand.

"And I'm Luffy, nice to meet ya." Luffy smirked.

Morgan swung for Luffy and he jumped out of the way for the horizontal strike. Luffy landed only to jump out of a vertical strike which split the ground. Once in the air, Luffy speared Morgan in the face with the flats of his feet sending him heel overhead backwards onto his front, but he landed on his knees axe at the ready.

Draxsis smirked at this, 'Nice going Luffy, now bring him down.'

Luffy charged him again but Morgan grabbed his shoulder handle and tried to cut Luffy in half, "NOW DIE!"

Luffy grinned "I don't think so." as he moved to the side disappearing in a blur of speed before reappearing in the air behind Morgan and spun around in mid-air and dodged the downward swing and then planted a kick in the captain's head sending him to the ground for the second time.

Luffy lands on his feet in front of the downed captain, towering over him and starts slugging the man hard but everyone's attention turns when a voice rings out. "Hey, straw hat! Stop right there look at what I got!"

Everyone but Luffy looks to see Helmeppo holding a pistol to Coby's head, but Luffy just keeps punching.

Draxsis sighs, "Luffy, keep going, I'll deal with this shit head" he said as he turned his attention to Helmeppo.

Seeing Draxsis start to approach him he turned his attention to him, "One more move and I'll shoot him I swear" Helmeppo yells.

Draxsis actually stopped at that and turned his head to the side, "what do you think about that Coby?" he asked plainly.

Coby swallowed down his fear at the question before he yelled out, "Luffy, listen don't let anything that happens to me stop you no matter what, even if I die."

"You hear that Coby is ready to die by your hand." Luffy called, as with a final heavy punch, the Marine captain lost consciousness.

"Well," Draxsis said as he raised his hand, once more looking like he was going to flick something from his index and thumb, "that's that then, nighty night dip shit" he said before he narrowed his eyes, "Tobu Shigan" and flicked forward.

Helmeppo saw nothing as his vision went blank the very next second as he collapsed to the ground, his pistol falling to the ground with him.

Coby looked between Draxsis and the downed helmeppo in shock not knowing what to say as Luffy approached his brother and looked at the downed Helmeppo frowning.

Draxsis sighed as he saw the frown, "relax Luf, he's still alive, I blunted the impact, didn't even break the skin. He's going to wake up with one hell of a headache though," he stated plainly.

"Oh," Luffy said before grinning, "that's good."

Drax sighed, "honestly Luffy, sometimes you can be more trouble than you're worth." Draxsis said before chuckling, "but then again, if you weren't then you wouldn't be you."

Luffy just laughed as he heard the comment, while Zoro looked to the crowd of marines, "Anyone left who wants to fight do so now."

But much to the swordsman's shock, instead of charging them, they instead started to celebrate, making Draxsis shake his head, "forget it Zoro, this was all Morgan's doing, with him dealt with the rest of them no longer have an executioner's blade hanging over their necks" he explained before glancing at the celebrating marines one final time before shaking his head and looking away.

"Oh," was all Zoro said before he fell backwards, making Luffy, Draxsis and Coby rush over to him, "Food. Need food" he groaned painfully.

Draxsis chuckles and grabs Zoro and hoists him over his shoulder, "sounds like a plan to me," he mused as they begin making their way out of the base grounds.