Gasps rippled through the marketplace like thunder chasing lightning.
"Did… did that kid just punch Helmeppo?"
"He's the captain's son! He'll have us all executed!"
Helmeppo had hit the ground with a shriek, his arms flailing like a beetle flipped onto its back. The townspeople were frozen in place, their eyes darting between the fallen Marine heir and the boy in the straw hat who stood over him.
Among the stunned crowd stood Megumi, eyes sharp beneath his messy bangs. He didn't flinch at the chaos—his expression unreadable, but his body was already turning slightly, assessing the Marine soldiers on the perimeter.
"Luffy!!" Koby latched onto Luffy's arm, trembling. "Please! He's the son of a Marine Captain! You'll be in serious trouble!"
Luffy stood tall, fists still clenched. "I don't care! A bastard is still a bastard!"
Megumi stepped forward, his voice low. "He deserved it."
Helmeppo scrambled upright, holding his cheek. "Y-You… you dare to hit me?! My dad hasn't even hit me once!"
"I can see why," Megumi muttered, standing beside Luffy now.
"I'll tell him about this!!!" Helmeppo howled, face red with rage. "I'm Marine Captain Morgan's son!!!"
The crowd gasped again, backing away as if Helmeppo's words were a death sentence.
"Why don't you fight me yourself?" Luffy barked at Helmeppo, eyes blazing.
"Don't do this…" Koby whispered, tugging at Luffy.
"You'll regret hitting me!" Helmeppo screeched, backing away toward safety.
Luffy glanced at Megumi and shrugged. "It's meaningless to hit people like him."
Helmeppo took one last terrified glance before turning tail and running.
"He ran away," Megumi muttered.
Koby slumped with a sigh, sweat pouring from his forehead. "We're really in it now…"
"Big brother, you were so cool!" a small voice piped up.
Luffy turned, surprised, and saw the young girl beaming at him from the street. "Just then I was scared to death!"
"Really? I should've hit him a couple more times then!" said Luffy, grinning.
This brought out a couple of yelps from the people watching nearby.
Suddenly, a woman called out from a nearby house. "R-Rika!! Come here!!" she shouted, eyes wide with panic. Pulling the girl inside, she said, "Don't talk to strangers! You'll be executed too if you're mistaken as one of their friends!!" The door slammed shut behind them.
Luffy just laughed, waving to the house. "Bye-bye!!"
Koby clutched his head in despair. "If the captain gets mad, he might send Marines after us…!"
Luffy scratched his head. "We'll deal with it when the time comes. I'm gonna go talk to Zoro."
As Luffy strolled off, hands behind his head like he hadn't just punched the son of a Marine captain, the square slowly returned to a tense silence. Koby and Megumi stood in the middle of it all—two specks of calm in the aftermath of a brewing storm.
"…He's going to get himself killed," Koby muttered, eyes wide with worry as Luffy disappeared down the road toward the Marine base.
"He might," Megumi said plainly, his eyes scanning the corners of the rooftops. "But he's not the type to second-guess himself."
Koby slumped down on a wooden crate, head in his hands. "I wanted to be a Marine all my life… I thought they were heroes. But Helmeppo—he's the son of a Marine Captain and he acts like that! I thought justice meant protecting people…"
Megumi glanced at him, then sat down beside him, elbows resting on his knees.
"There are all kinds of people in the world," Megumi said. "You'll find scum in every uniform. Pirate. Marine. Civilian."
Koby looked up, confused. "Then… then what am I supposed to do?"
Megumi turned toward him. "You don't become a Marine to be like them. You become one to be you—the version of yourself who protects people. Who does what's right, even when others don't."
Koby's eyes widened slightly.
"You said you wanted to join the Marines because you wanted to help people, right?"
Koby nodded slowly.
"Then do that," Megumi said, his voice steady. "Don't let someone like Helmeppo decide what kind of man you'll be."
Koby blinked fast, then rubbed at his eyes, trying to hide the tears welling up. "You sound like someone who's been through a lot."
Megumi gave a faint, bitter smile. "You could say that."
The two of them sat there a moment longer in silence—watching the dust settle, the town cautiously returning to its rhythm—until Koby stood up.
"I'm going to be a Marine," he said firmly. "But I'll do it my way."
Megumi nodded once. "Good."
They both looked toward the direction Luffy had walked.
"Let's go, before that idiot stirs up trouble again," Megumi said.
Koby gave a nervous laugh. "Knowing him, he's already halfway through pissing off the entire base."
Megumi stood, brushing the dust off his pants. "Then we better hurry. I don't want to explain to the townspeople why the headquarters is on fire."
They made their way through the winding streets, the atmosphere still uneasy. Whispers followed them—fearful murmurs about what Captain Morgan would do once he found out. Some townsfolk peered out from windows, while others hurried away, avoiding eye contact altogether.
As they approached the tall, iron gates of the Marine base, Koby hesitated. "Do you think Luffy's really inside already?"
Megumi narrowed his eyes toward the building's upper floors. "Either that, or he's picking a fight with someone at the gate."
Just then, a loud crash echoed from the top of the base and they saw a half-broken statue falling from the top.
Koby jumped. "That answers that."
Without another word, Megumi pushed open the gate, slipping through as if he belonged there. Koby scrambled after him, muttering apologies to no one in particular.
As Megumi was about to move inside the base, Koby yelled from behind, "Let's release Zoro first, he might help us."
Megumi paused mid-step, glancing over his shoulder. "You sure about that?" he asked. "We don't know if he's even willing to help."
Koby caught up to him, panting slightly. "He was tied up for trying to save a little girl. That has to mean something, right?"
Megumi didn't answer immediately, but his expression softened—just a flicker—before he turned and started walking toward the courtyard where they'd seen Zoro strung up earlier.
The courtyard was quiet.
Megumi's eyes scanned every corner as they stepped into the open. The giant stone walls of the base loomed over them, casting long shadows in the afternoon sun. And there, still bound to a post, was Zoro—dirt-smeared, and silent, his head hanging forward with bandana tied to it.
Zoro's eye cracked open as he sensed their presence.
"Who are you? What do you want?" he muttered, his voice hoarse from days without food or water.
Megumi stepped closer, boots scuffing against the packed dirt. Koby hesitated just behind him, wringing his hands nervously.
"We're not here to hurt you," Megumi said calmly, meeting Zoro's bleary gaze. "We're… Luffy's friends."
Zoro scoffed. "That guy again? He's either crazy… or stupid."
"We're going to release you, and you will help us escape from here," Megumi continued.
Zoro lifted his head slightly, a slow smirk forming despite his cracked lips. "Help you escape? You sure have guts, walking up to me like that and giving orders."
Megumi stayed silent.
As Koby moved to untie the rope from one of Zoro's hands, Zoro exclaimed, "Oi, if you help me, they are going to kill you!"
Koby, undeterred, continued, "You shouldn't be arrested! I can't stand those kinds of Marines! I'm going to become a real Marine, just like Luffy is determined to become the Pirate King!"
Zoro's eyes widened at that. "What? P-Pirate King…?! You're joking, right?"
Koby laughed. "Hehe, I was also shocked when I first heard him. But he's serious."
Just as he was about to untie the last knot on the rope, Koby felt a tug on his shirt from behind followed by the sharp crack of a rifle from the top of the Marine base.
The bullet hit the ground just where Koby was standing not too long ago.
"That was close," Megumi stated, holding a shivering Koby in one hand.
Zoro's eyes snapped up, more alert now. "Sniper?"
Megumi's gaze followed the trajectory. A figure stood behind the railings on the top floor, rifle still aimed, smoke curling from the barrel. More silhouettes gathered behind him.
"Trouble's here," Megumi muttered, helping Koby to his feet. "Finish untying him."
Zoro started, "There's no need to worry about me. As long as I can stand this for a month, they'll set me free! Hurry and lea—"
Megumi cut him off, "They will not set you free!!! Because they are going to kill you in three days!!"
"Nonsense..! That bastard told me he would free me after a month if I survived this…"
"He never intended to keep his promise," Koby said. "That's why Luffy punched him on your behalf… because he was toying with you!"
"Wh-What did you just say…?!!!"
"The Marines will never let the two of you off. After I set you free, please escape with Luffy and Megumi. I will not force you to be a pirate, but I don't want to see you die here unjustly." Koby pleaded.
Zoro stared at them, something fierce stirring behind his tired eyes.
The weight of Koby's words sank in, and for the first time since they'd arrived, Zoro looked more alive than beaten. "That bastard lied…" he muttered, fists clenching despite the rope. "I should've known."
The ropes creaked as Zoro strained against them, his muscles taut with newfound fury. His eye locked onto Koby, then flicked to Megumi—searching for any hint of deception.
Megumi met his gaze evenly. "We don't have time for second-guessing. Marines are coming."
As if on cue, the heavy thud of boots echoed from the base's interior. They were surrounded by Marines, too many to count, aiming their rifles at them in no time.
"That's enough! The three of you who have betrayed Captain Morgan… Die here!!!" shouted a Marine.
Megumi stepped in front of Koby instinctively, eyes narrowed and hands clasped. His body tensed with sheer focus.
"We don't have time for a plan," he muttered.
Zoro let out a dry laugh, clearly tense. "You better be right about this."
The Marines cocked their rifles in unison, the sharp metallic clinks echoing like a death knell.
"Fire!!"
Megumi was about to cast his domain when he heard a yell in a familiar voice.
"Gomu Gomu no Rocket!!!"
Moments later, Luffy was standing between them and the Marines, arms spread to take the bullets head-on.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The rifles roared in unison—but instead of screams or blood, a rubbery twang echoed through the courtyard.
BOING! BOING! BOING!
The bullets ricocheted harmlessly off Luffy's chest, bouncing away like pebbles off a drum. Gasps rang out as several Marines stumbled back in disbelief.
"What the—?!"
"H-He bounced them?!"
Megumi relaxed slightly, releasing his clasped hands. "That answers a few questions."
Zoro's eyes widened, eyebrows lifting in stunned amazement. "What kind of human are you?"
Luffy grinned, arms still wide. "Hehe… I am the one who will become the Pirate King!"
That didn't answer anything, thought Megumi.
More Marines shouted, scrambling. But Luffy ignored them, turning to Zoro with an easy smile.
"Hey! Which one of these swords is yours?"
"All of them are mine. I use three swords."
"Resisting Marines here will make you an outlaw. Are you really going to do it?" asked Luffy. "Or are you going to die?"
"Are you the offspring of the devil…?" Zoro snickered. "Forget it… Rather than just dying here… why don't I accede to your request… and become a pirate!!"