Chapter 98: Hyena's Provocation, Provoking the Hyena.
Bang!
Luffy stepped on a stool with one foot and the bar counter with the other, raising his fist.
He barely matched the height of the big man standing up: Blackbeard!
"Do you want to fight?" x2
"Come on, you two," Roman, standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh. "What's there to argue about?" Maybe this is Luffy's 'charm', turning even serious matters into comedy.
"Are you... a pirate?"
In response to Blackbeard's question, Luffy answered without hesitation.
"Yes!"
"Then... what's your bounty?"
"Thirty million!"
(The Straw Hat crew hadn't received the latest wanted posters)
"You? Liar, you didn't even think before you spoke, you big liar!"
"I'm not lying, everything I said is true!"
"You two..."
Have we gone from elementary school intelligence to kindergarten?
"Luffy, leave the shopping to me. — Or rather, I've always been the one handling it, right?"
What meat are you buying? Haven't you always just eaten meat? When did you suddenly remember your 'captain' role?
Roman had lost all hope in the 'strong' of this world. If it weren't for Mihawk, these bizarrely styled strongmen would just make one's worldview collapse.
Wait, Mihawk, who usually grows pumpkins alone...
"Alright, big guy!"
The hotel owner stepped in to mediate,
"Here are the fifty cherry pies you ordered. Don't fight in my shop."
"Hmph,"
Blackbeard snorted coldly, took the packaged food from the owner, put down the money, and turned to leave. In fact, as long as his 'dream' wasn't hindered, Blackbeard was usually easy to talk to.
Hmm?
A pirate wearing a captain's coat brushed past, his arrogant and defiant expression catching Blackbeard's attention.
It was like... seeing a snarling hyena.
Creak,
The tavern door was pushed open, and a tall blond man walked in, wearing a captain's coat and sticking out his tongue arrogantly.
"The Straw Hat Pirates... are they here?"
"Be... Bellamy!"
"Why is he here..."
"Don't look, be careful not to get into trouble."
As the other people in the tavern reacted like they were facing a great enemy, Luffy, Zoro, and Roman all turned their heads. After all, the term 'Straw Hat Pirates' often referred to Luffy himself.
Bellamy...
Why is this unlucky kid here?
Roman had been careful not to 'provoke' this unlucky guy, but he still came to get beaten up. — But thinking about it, it made sense. This town was the base of the Bellamy Pirates, so noticing Luffy's arrival wasn't surprising.
"Are you the one with a 30 million bounty... Straw Hat Luffy?"
A blond man with a long scar over his left eye, arms crossed and wearing a coat, walked into the tavern. The pirates on both sides made way for him, giving him a boss-like demeanor.
"Did you hear that? That Straw Hat kid is worth 30 million?"
"Really?"
The pirates whispered among themselves, but for those who didn't even have a bounty,
"Don't meddle, just drink. Hehe~~"
Following Bellamy were his pirate 'officers'. — Although their actual strength was questionable.
"What's with this place? It's dirty and smelly!"
A silver-haired man with a coat, smoking a cigarette, wearing sunglasses, and holding a beauty in his arms, walked in with an arrogant gait and started mocking everyone.
"And they sell the cheapest rum... Oh, it's full too~~"
—
"What are you looking at?"
Slash!
With a sudden swing of his kukri knife, he cut down a pirate beside him and sat down arrogantly.
"you should give up your seat after you saw me!"
"How rude!"
Who is this guy?
If Roman had some impression of Bellamy, he really couldn't remember this guy. Fortunately, there were other 'spectators' around.
"Shh, keep it down, he's a big shot with a 38 million bounty."
?? 38 million and he dares to call himself a big shot... Roman shook his head speechlessly. Just a shrimp among a bunch of mud, yet he dares to boast...
"I want the most expensive wine," said the blond pirate captain named Bellamy, sitting next to Luffy. He then pointed at Luffy, "Whatever this kid likes, get him one too."
"What, so you're a good guy after all!"
Hearing Luffy's words, the crew members who followed Bellamy in all sneered.
"Bellamy sure likes to 'play',"
"The show is about to start."
Just as Luffy took the wine from the bartender and started drinking, a big hand suddenly covered his straw hat from behind and slammed it onto the bar!
"Good—"
The rest of Bellamy's pirate crew were ready to burst into laughter, as this was Bellamy's signature 'performance'! First, give the opponent a scare... scare... scare?
"What do you think you're doing, small fry!"
Bellamy's hand froze in mid-air because another hand beside him grabbed his wrist, making him unable to move.
"Hey, don't go around breaking things."
?!
"Oh no, oh no, I reflexively dodged to the side."
Luffy, who had somehow already moved next to Bellamy, patted the arrogant blond man on the shoulder, looking apologetic.
"Sorry, I mistook you for a paper doll."
This...
Roman, of course, knew that Luffy was telling the truth. He had reflexively dodged, thinking Bellamy was one of his 'paper puppets'. But to everyone else:
"You've got guts! Are you saying I'm a paper tiger?"
Just as the enraged Bellamy was about to start a fight, Luffy put down his glass and faced the bartender.
"Boss, do you know how to get to Sky Island?"
!!
In an instant, the entire bar fell silent. Everyone looked at Luffy in disbelief, and after a moment of collective shock:
"Hahahahaha~~~"
"Hahahahahaha!!!!"
"He said... he said Sky Island? Wahaha~~~"
"Hahaha, and he seriously asked how to get there, my stomach hurts..."
The whole bar was filled with laughter! The atmosphere was joyous. Everyone was laughing, except for the serious-faced Luffy, Zoro, and Roman, who shrugged.
How can sparrows understand the ambition of swans?
Summer insects cannot discuss ice, well frogs cannot discuss the sea, and ordinary people cannot discuss the Way!
"Hey hey hey, I can't stand you guys." Bellamy, who had suddenly 'broken free' from Roman's grip, sneered.
"Where are you bumpkins from, actually believing in such outdated legends?"
"Listen up, there's a natural phenomenon called 'Knock Up Stream' in this sea. Unlucky ships get blasted into the sky by the massive current and then fall back down."
With a look of disdain, Bellamy leaned against the bar, sizing up Roman, Luffy, and Zoro.
"What a disappointment,"
"I wanted to 'test' you guys and make you part of the 'new era' crew."
"Who would have thought, they are just a bunch of daydreaming idiots! The City of Gold? The Emerald City? The Great Treasure?"
"Wake up, the era of pirates dreaming of treasure hunts is over! Now is the time to rule the seas with power! You trash are just dragging us real pirates down!"
In response to Bellamy's rant, Luffy adjusted his straw hat and ordered Roman and Zoro.
"We're not fighting this battle."
"Oh? Giving up resistance—"
Sigh,
Foolish, Luffy no longer cares to argue with you small fry. It's like seeing a mud puddle on the roadside; even if it splashes mud on your pants, you wouldn't go stomp in it.
But:
"Luffy, can I 'dodge'?"
In response to Roman's question, Captain Luffy nodded.
"Of course."
"Hahahaha~~~"
"In the end, you're just a bunch of cowards!"
"Bellamy, start the 'show'!"
Swish—
A bottle suddenly flew past Roman, just grazing his clothes! It was so close to touching his skin.
Bang,
Bellamy stumbled forward, his face dark with anger as he stared at Roman, who had easily dodged.
"You—"
Clap, clap,
However, Roman simply clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention in the tavern, then:
"My captain doesn't care to argue with you because in his eyes—"
Roman stepped forward, smiling at the furious Bellamy. Luffy and Zoro were too proud to argue with mud. But Roman didn't mind taking the time to fill in the 'mud puddle'.
"You fish who don't even have dreams are just trash."
?
"What did you say?!"
Facing the enraged Bellamy Pirates' first mate 'Big Knife' Sarquiss, Roman waved his hands repeatedly.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not targeting anyone. I'm saying everyone here—"
As Roman looked around and spread his hands, his mocking gaze fell on all the pirates present.
"You're all trash!"
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