Chapter 17

"You're still standing there doing nothing? Hurry up and take them down!"

Hearing Eden's words, Morgan turned and saw Eden being held by a short-haired, orange-haired woman, making it difficult for him to move. It was the perfect opportunity to deal with Eden. Morgan ordered the marines to attack Luffy and Zoro while he walked towards Eden.

"Zoro, get down quickly!"

Seeing Morgan turn in Eden's direction, Luffy knew he was going to cause trouble for Eden. He raised his right foot and told Zoro.

The marines, who were holding swords but intimidated by Zoro's terrifying aura, saw Luffy raise his foot and remembered how he had stretched his leg to knock out an entire row of marines. They were all startled.

"Watch my Gum-Gum Whip!"

As Zoro bent down slightly, Luffy extended his right leg and swung it horizontally.

The dozen or so marines behind Zoro couldn't react in time and were swept away by Luffy's long leg like trash.

Although Zoro had seen Luffy use the Gum-Gum Whip before, he was still surprised and looked at Luffy. "What exactly are you?"

"I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit. I'm a rubber man."

Luffy retracted his long right leg, which wobbled with elasticity.

"Rubber… man?"

"Captain, we're no match for them. They're unbelievably strong!"

"They're too powerful, and we can't even defeat Zoro!"

"And many of us were injured by that guy with the strange weapon before. How can we possibly handle all three of them?"

The surrounding marines were truly demoralized. One Eden had already beaten them badly, and now, with the addition of the powerful Luffy and Zoro, they had no courage left to fight.

Hearing the marines' words, Morgan's swollen face turned even darker. After a slash forced Eden, who was holding Nami, to retreat, he turned and said coldly, "As your captain, I order you all: anyone who boosts the enemy's morale and undermines our own will shoot themselves!"

"I don't need weak and useless subordinates!"

With his face swollen like a pig's head from Eden's punches, Morgan looked even more frightening. He shouted at the marines, who were still stunned by his words, "Those who spoke defeatist words, hurry up and kill yourselves! That's an order!"

The marines showed expressions of anger and reluctance, but none dared to defy Morgan. After hesitating, a few marines, under Morgan's tyranny, began to aim their guns at their own heads, ready to commit suicide.

"What kind of crappy navy is this?"

Eden finally wasn't being attacked by the marines anymore, as they were all disgusted by Morgan's order for his subordinates to commit suicide. They no longer wanted to fight for Morgan.

Not only Eden but also Zoro, with a sword in his mouth, commented, "What kind of army is this?"

Koby, standing next to Zoro, looked utterly disbelieving. All his life, he had wanted to join the navy to fight evil and uphold justice. But now, he saw a navy that didn't distinguish between right and wrong and trampled on life.

Koby's body trembled uncontrollably. He felt as if something in his heart had shattered, causing him great pain.

The navy I aspire to be in should not be like this!

At this moment, Koby's eyes behind his thick glasses turned slightly red.

Nami, who had been holding Eden, let go without hesitation and left his embrace.

"Goodbye. If we meet again, you can pay me back what you owe me then."

Nami's pretty face was marked with clear tear stains, but she smiled warmly and contentedly as she spoke to Eden. It was a warm and touching smile.

Before Eden could react, Nami ran off without looking back.

Seeing Nami quickly run out of the navy base without a hint of hesitation, Eden was completely baffled.

Damn, what's with this woman? She cried so much, soaking my clothes, and now she says I owe her money next time we meet. I don't owe her any money!

Eden felt the slight warmth on his chest from his clothes, still warm from Nami's tears.

Seeing Nami about to disappear from his sight, Eden suddenly remembered something and shouted at her delicate, fleeing figure, "Remember to pay back the few hundred Berries you stole from me next time! Don't try to cheat me!"

Nami, feeling sad as she thought she might never see Eden again, nearly stumbled and fell when she heard his words.

Seeing Nami almost trip while running, Eden thought heartlessly: This woman can't even run without falling. She should learn from me, walking steadily without tripping. When have I ever fallen?

In reality, Nami mentioned the money hoping Eden would occasionally remember her. Little did she know Eden would remember her over a few hundred Berries, making her feel she had misjudged the situation.

In this vast ocean, it's not uncommon to never meet again. That's why Nami behaved so differently this time.

At this moment, Luffy had dashed up to Morgan and punched him. "I'm the enemy of the navy! Sentence me to death!"

Luffy's words were filled with anger. Morgan's disregard for his subordinates' lives had completely enraged him.

As Luffy and Morgan fought, Eden saw Nami running back. He waved happily. "Are you back to repay me?"

Nami, her face dark, ignored Eden and picked up the nunchaku he had made from her weapon.

"This is still mine. You don't even know how to use it."

Eden saw Nami trying to take the nunchaku and spoke up.

"You idiot, it's mine, mine, mine!"

Nami gripped the nunchaku tightly, her face dark as coal, and shouted at Eden, spraying him with saliva. She was nothing like the gentle woman who had hugged Eden earlier.

The scene was remarkably similar to when Eden had scolded Nami earlier, only now their roles were reversed.

Compared to the sunny smile Nami had shown earlier, she now looked like a demon, scaring Eden so much that he almost adopted a defensive stance.

Eden, wary and keeping his distance, was about to speak when Nami gave him a playful and slightly flirtatious smile. "I thought about it; you can have this. Come and take it."

Nami handed the nunchaku to Eden, her bright eyes full of sincerity. Eden hesitated and said, "If I take this, you won't hurt me, right?"

"Of course not. How could I hurt you?"

Nami's smile grew brighter, completely devoid of malice. Eden's wariness eased. He told Nami, "If you swear, I'll believe you."

"Okay, I swear if I do anything to hurt you after you take this, I'll owe you money for life. Is that good enough?"

Nami swore without hesitation. Eden, hearing her vow, let down all his guard. For Nami, a miser, to owe money for life was a vicious oath.

Feeling reassured, Eden reached for the nunchaku. Just as his hand was about to touch it, Nami's face turned into a terrifying shark's mouth, and she delivered a powerful punch to Eden's head. "All the money is mine! How dare you ask me to repay? I'll beat you!"

"Waaahhh!!!!"

Eden clutched his head, letting out a piercing scream. Nami walked away without looking back.

Some marines tried to stop Nami from leaving, but seeing her punch Eden, who had previously beaten them all, into submission, they were too scared to move.

As Eden suffered from Nami's "abuse," Koby finally let out his frustration and dissatisfaction with the twisted navy, shouting to Luffy, "Luffy-san, defeat this corrupt navy!"

Though Koby's shout was loud, it was nothing compared to Eden's scream.

"What's with that guy? Just getting lightly hit on the head by a woman and he's screaming his lungs out. Isn't he embarrassed?"

With a sword in his mouth, Zoro looked at Eden clutching his head and screaming in pain, puzzled.

Poor Zoro, in the future, after experiencing Nami's unbeatable iron fist himself, would regret looking at Eden with a guilty face every time he remembered this day's words, wishing he hadn't scorned him.

"That woman is really strong. She took Eden down with one hit."

Luffy, after punching Morgan, saw Eden's plight and reacted differently from Zoro.

Morgan, sent flying by Luffy's punch, happened to fly towards Eden.

Eden, crouching on the ground and thinking about Nami's strange behavior, saw Morgan flying towards him. He jumped up and kicked Morgan's swollen face hard. "I'm already annoyed, get lost!"

Bang!

Morgan, kicked by Eden, landed heavily in front of the marines he had ordered to shoot themselves.

"Captain Morgan… he's just getting beaten up!"

Seeing Morgan lying on the ground, unable to get up, the surrounding marines were stunned.

Luffy jumped on top of Morgan, grabbed his collar, and said, "What kind of navy destroys Koby's dreams!"

Boom!

Luffy pounded Morgan's swollen face. "You also hurt Eden. Unforgivable!"

Crouching on the ground, Eden, hearing Luffy's words, felt even more depressed. "My back injury wasn't caused by him. It's because of you that I got hurt."

"Me?"

Luffy, while punching Morgan, glanced at Eden in confusion.

"Yeah, if you hadn't broken the statue, I wouldn't have gotten hurt."

Eden rubbed his aching head from Nami's punch and told Luffy.

"Statue?"

Luffy continued to punch Morgan, scaring the marines. No one dared to stop him.

Then Luffy seemed to remember something and looked at Eden in shock. "Was that statue of you? Now that I think about it, it did look like you. Sorry, I broke it by accident!"

Damn it, in what way do I resemble Morgan's statue? You should apologize to me, but for your terrible eyesight.

Eden, driven crazy by Luffy's words, felt all his earlier gloom vanish. He now wanted to strangle Luffy, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. How did this glutton judge me?

Zoro, watching from afar, also muttered, "That statue does look like him. It's just as injured."

Luckily, Eden didn't hear Zoro's words. Otherwise, he might have truly gone mad. The statue was cut in half, and Eden had a back injury. Zoro thought they looked alike because of that. Such logic was beyond normal understanding.

As Luffy continued to beat Morgan, a voice suddenly called out, "Stop!"

Luffy ignored it and kept punching Morgan. The voice called again, "I told you to stop, you bastard!"

"If you want him to live, stop now, or I'll shoot."

Helmeppo, holding a gun, threatened Luffy, aiming it at a hostage.

Such a familiar scene brought tears to Eden's eyes.

Helmeppo, trembling, pointed his gun at Eden's head, who was crouching on the ground. This made Eden feel awkward. Though I'm crouching here not moving, and currently the weakest in the Straw Hat Pirates, you can't use me as a hostage to threaten others. Do you think I'm a pushover?

With Koby guarded by Zoro, only Eden was left alone, so Helmeppo chose him as a target.

"Master Helmeppo…"

The marines were shocked to see Helmeppo pointing a gun at Eden. Didn't Helmeppo know that Eden had beaten Captain Morgan to a pulp? How could he be subdued so easily?

"Give up, you can't hurt Eden."

Luffy glanced at Helmeppo and continued punching Morgan.

"Hey, kid, don't move, or I'll shoot!"

Helmeppo rudely threatened Eden and then shouted at Luffy, "I'll really shoot! Your friend will die!"

"Then shoot."

Luffy said indifferently, ignoring Helmeppo and continuing to punch Morgan, who screamed in pain.

"Sigh."

Eden sighed, then punched Helmeppo hard in the face. "You get lost too!"

Helmeppo didn't even know when Eden punched him. He was sent flying by Eden's punch.

Eden jumped up and stepped on Helmeppo's hands, then started beating him up.

"How dare you bully others!"

"How dare you keep vicious dogs!"

"How dare you be an incompetent second-generation!"

"How dare you oppress good people!"

"How dare you take me as a hostage!"

Eden vented all his frustration on Helmeppo. With each shout, he felt Helmeppo deserved it, so he continued punching with a clear conscience.

Poor Helmeppo became Eden's punching bag.

Some marines, seeing Helmeppo being beaten and screaming, wanted to help. But Zoro stepped forward, still holding a sword in his mouth, and coldly glanced at the marines, "You better stay put. Anyone who moves will be cut down!"

Feeling the chill from Zoro's gaze, the marines didn't dare move.

Thus, in the Shells Town navy base, Luffy sat on Morgan, beating the captain, while Eden beat up the captain's son.

The marines watched in a daze as Luffy and Eden taught the usually arrogant and haughty father and son a lesson. Hearing their screams, it felt like a dream. This was a navy base, but what did you take it for?