Chapter 74

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Chapter 74: A Two-Year Appointment! Monkey D. Luffy Goes to Sea Again!

Another day has passed, and today is the day of the 3D2Y agreement made by the Straw Hat Crew. Luffy encountered bear-type pacifistas led by Sentomaru, each with a size much larger than a human. The impostor Luffy was defeated by Sentomaru's iron axe.

Two pacifistas opened their mouths, aiming their mechanical cannon barrels at Luffy. They fired two laser beams, which reminded one of Kizaru, towards Luffy's head. Yet, with simple tilts of his head, Luffy dodged them easily. The lasers struck the mangrove behind him, exploding and sending smoke billowing.

"So slow," Luffy said, pressing down on his straw hat as the wind from the explosion whipped around him. He set down his bag, leaped lightly, and in an instant, he was face to face with a pacifista. Luffy's fist, covered with armament haki, landed a powerful punch on the pacifista's face. The force of the punch not only knocked down the machine but also shattered the ground. It looked as if a key component had exploded, sending electrical sparks flying from its head.

There was a loud explosion, and the pacifista's parts scattered in all directions—one pacifista down.

"What?!" Sentomaru watched in disbelief as Luffy backflipped onto a high platform. He was astonished that 730 pacifistas couldn't withstand even a single punch from the Straw Hat. These were the pinnacle of the Marine Special Science Force's work! Sentomaru realized that Luffy had also grown in the past two years.

Luffy, watching the pacifista's explosion from the safety of the platform, couldn't help but reminisce about two years ago. Back then, he and his crew had struggled to defeat just one of these machines. Now it seemed so easy. He remembered the helplessness he felt when facing Aokiji, Kizaru, and the Big Bear, how he had watched his crew being overpowered. Clenching his fists and with a determined look in his eyes, Luffy made a vow: never to run away again and to fight all his enemies.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached, and two familiar figures appeared. One with curly eyebrows and blond hair, the other with a green, moss-like head and carrying three swords—it was the Straw Hat crew members: the Black Leg Sanji and the Pirate Hunter Zoro. They approached Luffy, smiles on their faces.

"As soon as we heard the commotion, we knew it had to be you," they said.

"Luffy, you're always the same!" said Sanji and Zoro cheerfully.

Seeing them, Luffy's mouth spread into a big smile, his eyes filled with warmth, and he called out, "It's you! Sanji! Zoro!"

Sentomaru also saw the two and immediately recognized them. He ordered the surrounding pacifistas to attack: "Finish them! PX-03!"

One pacifista that was closest to Sanji and Zoro stopped in front of them, its mouth opening to shoot a laser. But it never got the chance. Sanji and Zoro struck simultaneously, one with a high kick to the pacifista's jaw and the other with a sword thrust through its chest. In a flash of electricity and another explosion, the pacifista was defeated.

In the midst of the action, Sanji and Zoro began to quarrel.

"This was my kill!" Sanji proclaimed, forehead pressed against Zoro's.

"I'm the one who cut it down!" Zoro retorted, as Sentomaru looked on, his eyelids twitching in shock.

Do the Straw Hat crew members now have this power too?! There's no way they should be allowed into the New World! They must be captured immediately!

He pulled out a Den Den Mushi from his arm and with a grave expression, urgently spoke into it, "Send more Pacifistas for backup! I've spotted Straw Hat, Blackfoot, and Pirate Hunter!"

When the two heard this, they abruptly halted their fight and coldly agreed to a truce. They quickly ran toward Luffy, and Luffy, seeing the familiar sight of his bickering friends, felt a wave of warmth in his heart. He laughed at them and shouted, "Let's run! The Marines are on our heels again!"

With smiles on their faces, the trio headed toward the port where they had moored the Sunny.

As the news spread across Sabaody Archipelago, every Marine was mobilized, and thousands of ordinary soldiers, spears in hand, surged like a tide in pursuit of the three Straw Hats. However, Rayleigh, known as Pluton, stepped in. With his sword, he drew a long line on the ground of Sabaody, and with a gentle look, he halted the advance of the thousands of Marine soldiers. Terrified, they dared not cross the line, their spears shaking in their hands.

On the battlefield, more and more creatures appeared, obstructing the Marines. Giant insects and strangely shaped birds threw the Marines' camp into chaos, and with their ability to fly, the Marines struggled to respond.

Also present was the Perona, once a member of Moria's crew. She blocked hundreds of Marine soldiers, who knelt before her in self-examination.

Out at sea, the Pirate Empress and former Shichibukai Boa Hancock arrived in a ship to assist Luffy, intercepting a warship to bolster their defense. With this strong support, Luffy and his companions were safely escorted to the Sunny.

As Luffy turned to his companions, a wave of excitement washed over him. He was about to raise his hands and call out, "Let's sail, guys!" when Nico Robin interrupted, handing him a newspaper with a concerned look in her eyes.

"Luffy... There's news about the Mera Mera Fruit here on Sabaody Island. Isn't that your brother Ace's fruit?"

"Huh?!"

"Really?!"

"What a coincidence!"

The group reacted with surprise. Luffy, more excited than the rest, quickly grabbed the newspaper and studied it intently.

"Ace's fruit?!"

The others crowded around to see the amazing news for themselves. They realized that this wasn't today's news; it had been reported a few days earlier.

"Today... there's an auction," Nami said, her hand covering her small mouth, worry evident in her eyes.

"What an incredible coincidence! Let's go get it back and go!" exclaimed Franky, his tongue clicking with enthusiasm.

"Ah, that's something for Brother Luffy. We should take it back," Sanji agreed with a nod.

"But do we even have any money?" Zoro asked, furrowing his brows and scratching his head.

"Idiot, we're pirates! Obviously, we'll just take it and run!" Sanji quickly retorted.

"Huh?!" Zoro glared at him.

As they were on the verge of arguing again, Robin chimed in with a tense, worried tone, "I'm afraid it could be a trap, considering it's scheduled on the day we set sail. Such a coincidence."

Her eyebrows furrowed, long eyelashes trembling, she added, "But it's up to the captain to decide what to do."

Luffy's finger traced the image of the Mera Mera Fruit in the newspaper. Resolutely, he declared, "I want to get it!"