Ch.42 153rd Branch Marine Base
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The 153rd branch of East Blue Marine Base weren't quite well known within the East Blue due to its smaller size compared to 8th branch. And the most notable thing they achieved was the execution of the notorious criminal known as Kuro of Hundred Plans the Captain of Kuroneko Pirates with bounty of 16 Million Bellies.
When the raid of Kuroneko Pirates happened 3 years ago, Morgan had been the sole survivor of the onslaught. Until eventually he captured the dreaded "Captain Kuro" and executed him at the base. Due to his contribution, Morgan raised in rank within the marine which now had him to become the chief commander of 153rd branch of East Blue Marine Base.
Luffy, Rei and Koby finaly arrived at the marine base. They saw the fort walls surrounding the base with height around 5 meters high.
"What do we do now? We need to find rope to climb this wall!"
Hearing Koby, Rei only took a glance at Luffy, puffing out the smoke and said, "Luffy?"
Luffy grinned and stretched his hand long until it reached the top, "Shishishi, leave it to me!"
'Swish...!'
With his Devil fruit power, Luffy easily reached the walls top, he squated on it and began to observe the situations inside the marine base.
Luffy put his palm horizontally at his eyebrows as he focused towards the base field. When he saw someone being tied at a stake on the field, he exclaimed, "I see someone tied over there! Follow me!"
Luffy then began to jog on top of the wall with Koby and Rei followed him from below.
Soon, Luffy stopped on his track. He squated back and observed the man who was being tied at the stake in the middle of desolate field.
The tied man looked hagard with battered and bruised body. There was a black bandana covered his head while his hands were being tied far from each other at the cross pole.
"Are you the Pirate Hunter?" Luffy yelled without thinking at the tied man.
Zoro raised his head slowly and saw someone unfamiliar squated on top of the fort walls.
"Who are you kid?" Asked him with hoarse voice.
Luffy grinned and replied, "I'm Luffy, Monkey D Luffy! Hey Pirate Hunter, Join my crew! Lets become pirates!"
Zoro was speechless for a second, then he asked back, "You're pirate? Do you not know who i am?"
"I know you, Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro! Rei told me about you."
"Rei? Who is he? And what do you mean by joining your crew?" Zoro squinted his eyes.
"Rei is my 1st crew! And you is 2nd!" Claimed Luffy shamelessly.
"I refuse!" Zoro glared at Luffy menacingly.
Luffy stood in akimbo and exclaimed, "I refuse your refusal!"
"Huh?"
Below the walls Koby asked, "What do we do Rei? Luffy wants him to join you guys! Thats Pirate Hunter! A Demon! Rei? Huh, Rei?"
Koby finaly realized that Rei who had been besides him all the time now was nowhere to be seen!
"Luffy! Rei's gone!" Koby yelled.
Luffy finaly remembered Koby who still waiting on him below, without warning Luffy stretched his hand towards Koby and tied his body with his rubbery hand. Koby was so scared as Luffy pulled him upwards to stood with him.
"UWAAAAAAKH...."
Meanwhile....
Another 'Marine' personel could be seen strolling inside the base looking for something. He observed and scanned the interior with great details trying to find where Morgan office were.
After a few staircase, he found there was a peculiar double side door with two guards at its front. Seeing the guards, the 'Marine' then proceed to stop at the door only to see 'Base Commander' signage hanged atop of the door.
"Halt! What are you doing here soldier?!" Said one of the guards sternly.
The 'Marine' smiled and answered, "It's time for shift change brothers."
The guard paused and looked at his partner only to sees the same confusion on the later face. Just when he wanted to rebuke the newcomer.
'Bam!'
'Bam!'
In an instant the guards were being knocked out cold. Then, the 'Marine' hide the bodies of 2 guards at inconspicuous place not far from the office door. After he had done, he stood where the previous guard stand.
Unsurprisingly, the marine was Rei. After he knew Luffy would persuade Zoro, he went to find Zoro's sword, the famous 'Wadō Ichimonji' which had been confiscated by Morgan after he captured the infamous Pirate Hunter.
As Rei waiting outside of Morgan office, he heard a loud sounds coming from inside,
'Bam!'
"Fa...Father? Why did you hit me? You never hit me before! UWAAAAH..."
Inside the room, a muscular man could be seen grabbing Helmeppo head forcefully, and said, "Trash! The reason i never hit you before was because you're unworthy!"
'Thud!'
Morgan flung Helmeppo away in disgust, he then turned around intending to leave the office after he said,
"I have better things to do other than caring for your problem! Go solve it yourself trash!"
'Bang...!'
Morgan open the door forcefully almost hitting Rei on the way.
Rei who stood guard besides the door saw a huge muscular man, tanned skin, blonde hair and a steel jaw with the word Möwe etched on it walking outside.
The man right arm was replaced with huge steel axe, Rei was sure the man walking out of the office was Captain Morgan of 153rd branch. Seeing Morgan's steel axe, Rei wondered if it doesn't feels hurt? After all, the axe handle of which was not only bolted through the bones of his forearm, yet it sticks out where his elbow should be.
Morgan paused as he scrutinized the new 'Marine' who stood guard outside his office feeling unfamiliar. Rei in an instant gave him a standard marine salute towards him.
"Greeting sir!"
Morgan squinted his eyes and grunted, "Hmm, keep your eyes open! No one to enter my office!" Then he walks away after Rei replied,
"Aye sir! Understood!"
Thanks to Henge, Rei smoothly fooled everyone he met inside the Marine Base. Rei even felt quite addicted to it!
'Disguising is so much fun! Maybe i'll do this often in future. Huhuhu...' Thought Rei.
A moment later,
"FATHER! FATHER WAIT FOR ME!" Helmeppo ran outside the office chasing after Morgan, he looked agitated as he doesn't even glanced at the guard who stood outside.
After making sure no one was presents at the area, Rei entered Morgan office while humming.
Inside the office, Rei was amazed of what he saw. Morgan was a narcistic person who love power and rank. There were rows of rows Morgan statues with various sizes all around the room. With different pose and materials, some were made of marble, stone, even gold.
After scouring the office, Rei found a key towards Morgan personal safebox and proceed to open it finding stack of Bellies, jewelry and gold bars inside. Rei grinned as he put eveything inside his storage space, he just didn't want to become 'poor' pirates in future. So, he always loot everything he could take.
When he finished, Rei took Zoro's sword which simply laid on Morgan's table. Humming a little tune he proceed to leave from there and suddenly,
'BOOOOOOM....!'
There was a sound of heavy object falling to the ground! The room, floor, and windows cracked heavily by the tremor which shook the whole building! Rei calmly sees outside of the window and smiled faintly when he saw what happened on the ground below.
"BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU!" Morgan yelled at the field.
In front of him, there was a broken huge statue of his which fell down earlier causing the tremor. On top of the statue there was a young man with straw hat hanging on his back looking at Morgan with blank face.
"FA...FATHER! THERE HE IS! HE IS THE ONE WHO SAYS WANTS TO BEAT YOU!" Helmeppo yelled with glee when he saw Luffy who somehow appeared there and ruined Morgan's statue.
Hearing his son, Morgan shouted, "CATCH HIM! I WANT HIM DEAD!"
"FATHER HE SAID WANTED TO SAVE THAT BASTARD RORONOA! THEY'RE IN CAHOOTS! WE MET EARLIER AT THE EXECUTION FIELD!" Helmeppo added.
Morgan eyes flickered, and just as he wanted to gathers the marines. Helmeppo screamed besides him.
"You're too loud! Come with me, I want to find something!" Luffy said while he grabed Helmeppo's waist and kidnapped him.
"FATHER!!! HEEELP MEEE!"
Luffy jumps upwards and broke through to one of the upper floor window of the building with Helmeppo in tow leaving everyone presents dumbfounded!
"Si...Sir?" Asked one of the Marine unsure what to do.
Morgan was fuming not because his son had been kidnapped, but because of his 10 meters high statue had been ruined because of the boy with a straw hat!
"Zoro's friend huh? GATHER EVERYONE! WE'LL EXECUTE THAT PIRATE HUNTER RIGHT NOW! LET SEE IF THAT BASTARD WILL SHOW UP WHEN WE KILL HIS FRIEND!" Morgan yelled as he ordered his men to gathers.
On the upper floor, Rei saw Luffy breaking through the window on which floor he had stood to watch currently.
"UWAAA! LET GO OF ME YOU BASTARD! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" Helmeppo still crying on Luffy's arm with snot and tears streaming down.
Luffy disregard Helmeppo threat, when he steped inside. He noticed someone with marine uniform was presents on the floor he went into while looking at him with a smirk.
"Sorry for barging in, do you....." Luffy stopped his sentence as his eyes glued at the sword which happened on the 'Marine' hand.
Remembering the sword description which he was told by Zoro earlier, Luffy grinned and exclaimed, "Hey! Is that Zoro sword?"
The 'Marine' raised the white handle sword on his hand towards his chest, He smirked in answers, "Maybe?"
"Maybe? Well, Zoro told me about his sword has white handle. It must be his right?" Luffy put the still agitated Helmeppo on the ground, and the later just crawled as fast as he could far away from his captor.
"You want this? Come and get it..." The 'marine' simply taunts Luffy by waving the sword up and down.
"Shishishi...Well, I'll take it then!" Luffy grinned while stretching his hand towards the swords in instant!
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