Chapter 4: East Blue Arc: Morgan versus Luffy!

"Here's your treasure." the grinning Luffy handed Zoro his swords back. "Which is yours? I couldn't tell, so I brought all three of them."

"All three are mine." Zoro replied. "I use the Three-Sword Style."

"You'll take them, right?" Luffy beamed. "If we fight together now, you'll be a government-defying villain. Would you prefer that, or being killed by the Navy like this?"

"What are you, the devil's son?" Zoro smirked. "Well, whatever. I'll be your pirate, if I'm just gonna die here instead."

"Hurrah!" Luffy cheered. "So you'll join my crew?"

"Now, cut these stupid ropes already!" Zoro snapped.

"Damn!" Luffy cursed, tugging at the bound ropes. "These knots are tight."

"No matter who they are, those who oppose me gets executed!" Captain Morgan swore. "If guns don't work, then chop them to death!"

"That's weird." Luffy wondered. "It got tighter instead."

"Give me a damn sword!" Zoro barked.

"Luffy-san!" Coby panicked as the soldiers charged at them, swords drawn.

"Roronoa Zoro!" Captain Morgan gaped when Zoro blocked off the incoming swords with his blades.

"Move and you're dead." Zoro warned. "I'll be a pirate, I promise that." he told the siblings. "I'm officially a criminal, now that I've fought the Navy. But I'll tell you this right now. I'm only going to fulfill my ambition: to become the world's greatest swordsman. If I wind up having to give that up, you'd better accept responsibility and apologize to me."

"The world's greatest swordsman?" Luffy echoed. "That sounds great. The King of the Pirates would need no less from that on his crew."

"You sure talk big." Zoro smirked. "At this point, whether it's as a criminal or whatever else, I will spread my name throughout the world."

"What are you standing around for?" Captain Morgan ordered. "Slaughter them this instant!"

"Duck, Zoro!" Luffy instructed. "Gum-Gum Whip!" he swung his extended leg out, sweeping the Marines away.

"What the hell are you?" Zoro asked.

"I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit." Luffy replied.

"He's no ordinary human, that Straw Hat." Captain Morgan realized. "So he does have Devil Fruit powers."

"Captain, we don't stand a chance against them!" the defeated Marines reported. "These guys are crazy! We can't even handle Zoro by himself!"

This is a direct order!" Captain Morgan ordered. "Everyone who spouted weakness just now must shoot themselves in the head. I have no need for weakling soldiers."

"These troops are mental!" Zoro frowned.

"Luffy-san!" Coby gasped, when Luffy dashed forward. "Crush this Navy!" he cried.

"Rankless, low-status bums have no right whatsoever to defy me!" Captain snapped, Luffy's punch on his axe having no effect. "I am Navy Captain 'Axe-Hand' Morgan!"

"I'm Luffy." Luffy introduced himself. "Nice to meetcha."

"Die!" Captain Morgan roared, slashed at Luffy who jumped to dodge the attack.

"The Captain!" the Marines gasped when Luffy sent Captain Morgan to the ground with a kick to the cheek.

"Runt! Captain Morgan growled, rising his axe as Luffy charged in. "Die!" he slammed his axe down.

"No thanks." Luffy stopped himself by spinning in mid-air and sent Captain Morgan flying with a kick.

"Captain Morgan is..." the Marines watched the fight in shock. "Being trounced completely."

"And you call yourself a Navy?" Luffy snapped, throwing punch after punch at Captain Morgan. "You've destroyed Coby's dream."

"Hold it, Straw Hat!" Helmeppo ordered. "Check this out! I said hold it!" he repeated, holding his gun against Sasha's temple. "Are you stupid? Pay attention! I have a hostage here! If you value this pretty girl's life, don't move! One move and I'll shoot!"

"Give it up, stupid son!" Luffy flexed his arm, strolling forward.

"I told you not to move!" Helmeppo threatened. "I'll shoot!"

"Gum-Gum.." Luffy readied his attack.

"I am Navy Captain, 'Axe-Hand' Morgan!" Captain Morgan was ready to attack Luffy from behind.

"Dad, kill him quick!" Helmeppo urged as Zoro stood prepared to take action.

"Pistol!" Luffy let his punch fly, knocking Helmeppo off his sister. "Nice!" he grinned, Zoro moving in to take out Captain Morgan. "Zoro."

"My pleasure, Captain." Zoro returned the grin.

"Captain Morgan's been beaten!" the remaining Marines realized. "These guys are insane!"

"If anyone else still wants to catch us, come forward." Zoro challenged.

"We're free!" the Marines cheered. "Morgan's reign is over!"

"Huh?" Luffy was puzzled. "Everyone's happy their captain's been beaten."

"Everyone was just afraid of Morgan." Coby realized. "What's wrong, Zoro-san?" he panicked when Zoro fell back on the ground. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm... hungry..." Zoro muttered, causing Sasha to burst out giggling.

"I'm stuffed!" Zoro stretched himself after a long-awaited meal. "I was definitely at my rope's end, having not eaten for three weeks."

"You're finished already?" Luffy wondered.

"How the heck can you have a bigger appetite than me?" Zoro asked.

"It tastes good, right Sasha, Coby?" Luffy looked over at the pair at the counter.

"Thank you for treating us to food, too." Coby turned to Rika's mother.

"It's no problem." the older woman assured. "The town's been saved, after all."

"You really are amazing." Rika gushed.

"And I am going to be even more amazing." Luffy beamed. "'Cause I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates. And I even have a crew."

"So, how many others have you gathered besides me?" Zoro asked. "You said you were in the middle of gathering a crew. To be King of the Pirates, you must have a good number gathered."

"Just you." Luffy replied.

"Then..." Zoro gaped, pointing to Luffy, himself and Sasha at the counter.

"Yup, just the three of us." Luffy confirmed.

"We're gonna call just us three a pirate crew?" Zoro echoed.

"What's wrong with that?" Luffy defended. "We are strong."

"What about a ship?" Zoro pressed. "Where's your pirate ship?"

"There." Luffy pointed to the boat he and Coby had arrived in.

"That?" Zoro twitched.

"We'll have a ship this big before long!" Luffy gestured.

"And how's that?" Zoro burst out laughing.

"And I'd like a pirate flag too." Luffy mused. "So cool."

"I think Luffy-san was born without any sense of planning." Coby noted.

"Try living with him for 17 years." Sasha sipped her apple cider.

"You must've been really stressed, Sasha-san." Coby pitied.

"Did I really make this guy my Captain?" Zoro sighed.

"Well, we'll get more crew members before long." Luffy assured.

"Where are you guys gonna go to now?" Rika asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Luffy grinned. "The Grand Line!"

"You still only have three members!" Coby spat out his juice. "There's no way you can go there!"

"Is the Grand Line that terrible a place?" Rika wondered.

"Naturally." Coby replied. "You know this world has two oceans, right? And the giant continent that cuts right through them is the Red Line. Supposedly, there's a town right in the middle of the Red Line, and the Grand Line goes through it at a right angle and stretches around the world. It was said that Gold Roger, King of Pirates, once obtained everything the world has to offer, and before he died, he said he left the great One Piece treasure there, so pirates everywhere have since set sail for the Grand Line. It's now an intense battlefield, and even called a pirate graveyard."

"I've heard from patrons before." Rika's mother added. "That whoever enters the Grand Line never comes out alive."

"But the One Piece is somewhere there, so we're going there." Luffy pointed out.

"Guess it can't be helped." Zoro concurred.

"Not you too, Zoro-san!" Coby protested.

"What's the matter?" Zoro questioned. "You're not going, are you?"

"But I'm worried about you." Coby voiced. "Is that wrong? Sasha-san!" he looked over at the calm female.

"Don't look at me." Sasha fended. "I have my own reasons for going."

"Shouldn't you be more worried about yourself, then?" Zoro reminded. "Even if you were just a chore boy, you did spend two years on Alvida's pirate ship. Don't underestimate the Navy's info-gathering skills. If they find out about that, you'll never get to join."

"Pardon me." the Marine Lieutenant Colonel entered the bar.

"And speak of the devil." Sasha muttered.

"Is it true that you are pirates?" the Lieutenant Colonel questioned.

"Yeah, we gained a member and became a pirate group just now." Luffy confirmed.

"We appreciate that you saved our base from that tyrant." the Lieutenant Colonel stated. "However, now that we know you are pirates, in the name of the Navy, we cannot stand by quietly. You will leave this town at once. Out of obligation, we will refrain from contacting headquarters."

"Guess, we should go." Luffy grinned. "Thanks for the food, lady."

"Aren't you part of their crew?" the Lieutenant Colonel asked Coby as the trio walked out. "Hold it!" he turned to Luffy. "Is he?"

"I know what he's done until now." Luffy admitted, walking towards Coby. "There was this really fat pirate lady, I think her name is Ahiruda. And she had this iron club. Man, she was an ugly hag and for two years," he teased, poking Coby on the head. "This guy was her..."

Out of desperation, Coby leveled a punch across Luffy's cheek.

"Now you've done it, you bastard!" Luffy returned the punch in kind and a fist-fight broke out.

"You've gone too far." Zoro pulled Luffy off. "That's enough."

"It's very clear that you guys aren't crewmates." the Lieutenant Colonel declared. "Now leave this town at once."

With that, the trio exited the bar.

"Lieutenant Colonel," Sasha stopped in her tracks. "The Navy preaches 'Justice', but 'Justice' itself is an ambiguous definition and it's up to the individual to determine what 'Justice' is. Isn't that right?"

"Please!" Coby stood up after the trio were out of earshot. "Please let me join the Navy! I'll gladly do chores or anything else! If it means I can be a Marine!"

"That was a pretty lame act." Zoro remarked. "Wouldn't be shocked if they saw through it."

"Coby'll handle the rest on his own." Luffy assured. "I just know it."

"It's a nice way to leave, though." Zoro admitted. "Being unable to turn back 'cause everyone hates you, it's pirate-like."

"That's true." Luffy laughed in agreement and the three set sail into the sunset.