Chapter 36: You Really Are Two LunaticsThe sight of "Axe-Hand" Morgan being punched to the ground by Luffy indeed shocked all the Marines present.Seeing their superior defeated, they even felt a little happy inside.They wished Luffy would land that punch faster."Stop it!! Don't move!"But an unexpected event occurred: Helmeppo had woken up at some point.Seeing his father knocked to the ground, he immediately pulled out a gun and aimed it at Koby, telling Luffy to stop.Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to him.Including Luffy, who had turned around, Zoro, who was biting his sword hilt, and Satoru, who was leaning against a wooden post, his bracelet transformed into a fan, fanning himself and watching the show."I told you to stop, or I'll kill him!!"Helmeppo shouted again, mouth agape; he still loved his father.Koby, meanwhile, took a deep breath. "Luffy! I don't want to be a burden to you, even if it costs my life!!"At this moment, Koby was just as Luffy had said before: cowardly, but he would change. To be able to say these words with a gun pointed at him, he had indeed changed and grown.Luffy showed a wide, white-toothed smile, very happy about his friend's growth, and replied with his hands on his hips."Hehe, I understand, Koby.""Don't talk nonsense!! I said don't move! Or I'll really shoot!!"Helmeppo panicked, but then a smile appeared on his face, while Koby became flustered."Luffy! Watch out behind you!!"Behind Luffy, the defeated Morgan had gotten back up, intending to launch a sneak attack without honor."I am a Marine Captain!!"But Luffy didn't care at all. "Don't be silly, you idiot son, Koby is serious!""Dad! Kill them quickly!!"Helmeppo shouted.The next second, in the blink of an eye, Satoruappeared behind him."Kill steal!"He swung his silver long staff at Helmeppo's head, making Helmeppo's head retract.On Luffy's side, he remained standing with his hands on his hips, while Morgan fell backward.Zoro, at the very back, silently took the long sword from his mouth, looking like he had accomplished his feat and retreated into anonymity."Well done, Zoro.""You're welcome, Captain."..."He... fell!""He fell!!""Morgan's tyranny is over!!!""Hahaha, long live the Marines."With the fall of Morgan and his son, it was his subordinates who first cheered and rejoiced. This leadership ability was truly exceptional.Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Zoro also collapsed. Satoru, quick-eyed and quick-handed, instantly moved and grabbed the collar of his shirt from behind."Ugh!!!""Are you trying to strangle me?!"Zoro instantly sobered up again."It's better if you walk yourself than me carrying you."Satoru replied.Zoro indicated that there was now one more person he wanted to cut... Arriving at the little girl's house, Zoro, who had been hungry for nine days, devoured five bowls of rice and immediately felt alive again. Luffy ate even more, swallowing ten bowls at once."Thank you for your hospitality."Satoru thanked the little girl and her Mama.The little girl shook her head. "Big brothers are the great heroes who saved the mayor, and you kept your promise to rescue the green-haired big brother. We should be the ones thanking you."What a polite and well-mannered child, Satorucouldn't help but sigh with emotion.However, even heroes must now be driven out."Excuse us!""It is said that you are pirates?"Morgan was locked up, and his subordinate temporarily took his place.Marines driving out pirates is their duty.Capture them? They didn't have the ability for that.Moreover, they respected Luffy and his crew deep down, but their uniforms didn't allow them to act on it."Although you are rebels and saved the town, we express our heartfelt gratitude for that.""But since you are pirates, we cannot stand idly by. Please... leave the town immediately. Not reporting to headquarters is already a sign of our respect."Satoru exchanged glances with Luffy, who smiled."Then let's go. Thank you for your hospitality, Auntie.""Luffy..."Koby was very conflicted. Luffy and his friends were heroes who saved the town, yet they were being treated this way; it wasn't right.But Luffy, Satoru, and Zoro simply stood up, ignoring him completely."You're not with them?"The subordinate asked Koby.Koby recalled Luffy's words: no matter what he wanted to do, they would always be friends."I... I'm not their comrade!!"With tears in his eyes, Koby shouted. Luffy, Satoru, and Zoro secretly smiled."Please allow me to join the Marine! Even if it's just doing odd jobs, anything! Please give me a chance! I am a person who will become a Marine Admiral!!"For the first time, Koby declared his dream with such conviction, and the subordinate was moved, allowing him to join.Koby "Fleet Admiral" also took his first step... "Hmm~ Today is a good day to set sail."Feeling the sea breeze on his face and the sunshine, Satoru expressed his sentiment.Luffy was untying the ship's ropes.Zoro pointed incredulously at the small sailboat on the sea."We're sailing out on this?""What else?" Satoru replied."Hahaha, indeed, you really are two lunatics!""I'm starting to regret it a little."Shocked to the core, Zoro instead held his forehead and laughed heartily.
Chapter 37: Thief Cat Nami AppearsHaving dealt with Morgan, the clearance reward was obtained: one crewmate, Roronoa Zoro.Also, by helping Koby join the Marine, a special reward was triggered: 'Friendship of a Future MarineGeneral.'Since the stage was cleared.Luffy, Satoru, and their new friend Zoro arrived at the town's pier, preparing to set sail once again, heading to the next destination to find the next comrade and embark on the next adventure.It was the same familiar small boat. As the three of them boarded and slowly sailed out, Koby appeared on the pier.He expressed his gratitude with great emotion.A group of Marines followed behind him, but instead of caring about Koby thanking Luffy and the others, they all saluted together.It was the first time in history that Marines and a pirate had exchanged salutes.Therefore, because of the 'Marine and pirate salute' from a Marine general, the question arises: who is justice? Who is evil?That is a question.Once that question is understood and a new system of order is established, it will no longer be a problem.Satoru and Zoro sat in the back, one on each side, leaning against the edge of the boat and watching the sea.Luffy stood up and waved goodbye to Koby and the others.Just like that, the small boat slowly drifted away until it disappeared from Koby and the others' sight....On the vast sea, a lone boat drifted.There was a serious problem.Luffy and Satoru didn't know how to navigate, and as for Zoro... let alone navigation, he might not even recognize the path on solid ground.So, they began their journey of drifting with the wind once again.Actually, Satoru could have copied Koby's navigation skills, but he didn't. He always felt that before Nami joined, the places they drifted to by the wind were destined....'So hungry!' Luffy and Zoro lay on the deck, groaning.Satoru was fishing. The fishing rod was transformed from a bracelet, but there was no bait. This was like Jiang Taigong fishing; only those willing would take the bait.'Hunger is one thing, but Luffy, don't try to catch the birds in the sky. Be careful, or you might get snatched away instead of catching anything.''The fish should be biting soon,' Satoru advised. Luffy didn't know why Satoru said that. Do I look like the type of person who would try to catch a bird in the sky and get snatched away?'Don't lecture Luffy, Satoru. There's no bait, how could you catch anything...''It's here!!''...'Zoro was still halfway through his sarcastic remark when Satoru flicked the hook and reeled a fish out of the sea. It was a slap in the face for Zoro.But an accident happened.Satoru used too much force, the hook flew into the sky, and a bird, seeing a free lunch, snatched the fish right off the hook.The hook got stuck in the bird's beak, and it dragged Satoru away.'Holy crap!!!'Being dragged over the sea, and since Satoru was a devil fruit user, he didn't dare let go.Seeing this, Zoro finally had a chance to properly mock Satoru. 'Hahahaha!'Luffy was the same. 'And you were lecturing me, Satoru. You got dragged away by a bird yourself, hahahaha.'By the time the large bird dragged Satoru far away, they realized something was wrong.'...''Oh no!!''My fish!!' This line was clearly said by Luffy.Zoro looked at Luffy. Is that the point?Luffy scratched his head in embarrassment. 'No, wait, it's Satoru! Hurry up and save Satoru!!'As soon as Luffy finished speaking, he and Zoroeach grabbed an oar and rowed rapidly, heading in the direction where Satoru had disappeared.'Help! Help!' Halfway there, they encountered three guys who had fallen into the sea.'The boat won't stop. If you want to get on, climb up yourself,' Zoro shouted.The instinct for survival actually allowed the three guys to climb onto the fast-moving small boat.'They actually made it up,' Zoro said with a mocking tone.Before Luffy could ask who they were, the three pulled out knives. 'We are the subordinates of the Clown Buggy, feared by both gods and men.' 'Hand over your...'...'We're sorry! We didn't recognize greatness when we saw it!''So you are the famous pirate hunter Zoro and... and...''My name is Luffy.''And Lord Luffy, haha.'The three subordinates of Clown Buggy had just pulled out their knives when Luffy and Zoro knocked them around until their heads were covered in bumps. Who do you think you're messing with?'Enough. You made us lose our comrade.''Row hard until we see an island.' Zoro leaned against the mast and ordered the three guys.'Yes!' Forced by their authority, the three had to obey obediently....Meanwhile, on Satoru's side.'Stop!!''Thief! Hand over the navigation chart!!!''Damn it! If we don't snatch the navigation chart back quickly, our lives will be over.''Exactly!! I don't want to die under the Captain's cannonballs.'Nami, following the path of fate, had stolen the Grand Line navigation chart from Clown Buggy. She was currently shaking off the pursuit.The twist of fate had replaced the person falling from the sky with Satoru. 'Bang!!!'Satoru landed accurately between Nami and Clown Buggy's subordinates. 'Ouch! My back.''Good thing I copied Luffy's physique beforehand, otherwise I would've been done for after that fall.'The smoke cleared, and Satoru and Nami locked eyes. Nami's eyes lit up, but Satoru spoke first.'Big Sis!''I've come to provide backup, Big Sis!'Nami was stunned. Who is your Big Sis!! Isn't that my line?!!
Chapter 38: Cooperating to Make Big MoneyFate doesn't make mistakes, but it does play tricks on people.The person falling from the sky became Satoru, and Satoru was not as simple-minded as Luffy.Nami's eyes lit up; just as she was thinking of a patsy to frame, Satoru spoke first."Big Sis!""I'm here to back you up, Big Sis!"After saying that, he snatched the Grand Line Sea Chart from Nami's hand in an instant.That hand speed shocked even Nami, the Thief Cat.It wasn't over yet; after Satoru snatched the sea chart, he took off running."Big Sis!""So she is part of an organization! You thieving wench!!"Nami watched Satoru's retreating back as the fierce voices of Buggy's lackeys came from behind her.Looking at the shadows on the ground, Namiswallowed hard and immediately wanted to bolt as well.But the brute in the lead immediately grabbed her by the collar, sealing her fate."Trying to escape?!""You stinking wench!!"Getting angrier the more he thought about it, the brute raised his fist and swung it down; Nami could only close her eyes in despair.Just as the fist was about to smash into Nami's face.All she heard was "Bang! Bang! Bang!"Three gunshots rang out. Nami lost her balance and slumped to the ground. Opening her eyes, she saw the three brutes lying on the ground wailing—one clutching his hand, the other two clutching their legs.Her eyes were filled with confusion, shock, and lingering fear."Oh my, my Big Sis, why are you in such a sorry state?""Should I help you up?"Satoru walked back, bent over, and extended his hand to Nami.Nami turned to look at him, scanning his waist and hands, but she didn't see a trace of a gun.*Slap!*"No need!"Having recovered, Nami slapped Satoru's hand away and stood up on her own.Satoru smiled, not minding it, and straightened his back... "Who on earth are you?!""Who's your Big Sis?! Give me back the sea chart!"Nami reached out directly to snatch the sea chart from Satoru's hand, but Satoru dodged, causing Nami to almost fall over."You bas—"Just as Nami was about to start cursing, Satoru held the sea chart out in front of her."My name is Satoru.""If you want it, you can have it. Why try to snatch it? I can't read it anyway."Nami was slightly stunned and pulled the sea chart back forcefully."At least you're being sensible.""...""Were those three shots just now from you?""Why don't I see a gun on you?"After putting away the sea chart, Nami recalled the gunshots from earlier.Besides her and Buggy's three underlings, only Satoru was here. If it wasn't him, who else could it be?Satoru didn't answer but stared up at the sky. As soon as the target appeared, he raised his hand and fired an instantaneous shot.The Giant Bird that had carried him here in its beak instantly fell from the sky, landing not far from them."I was waiting for you.""You actually dared to come back!"Satoru muttered curses as he looked at the Giant Bird's corpse.Meanwhile, Nami watched as the gun in Satoru's hand appeared and then vanished. She rubbed her eyes, doubting if she had seen correctly."Let's go. Let's find a place to cook this; I'm a bit hungry."By the time Nami reacted, Satoru had already dragged the Giant Bird's corpse over."Ah... okay..."..."Soup's ready!"Looking at Satoru's back, Nami hadn't expected him to actually know how to cook.While she was still guessing his identity, Satoruturned around, placed a pot of soup on the table, untied his apron, and sat down.He ladled a bowl of soup. Just as Nami was about to reach for it with a smile, Satoru started drinking it himself.It was so awkward that both the smile on her face and the movement of her hands froze."..."She indignantly ladled a bowl for herself.Hmm? This is actually quite delicious.That was Nami's first impression after taking a sip."Ahem, I haven't introduced myself yet.""My name is Nami. I'm a thief who specializes in stealing from pirates.""This town has been taken over by the pirate Clown Buggy. The people are all staying in shelters, which is why you don't see anyone right now.""And this Grand Line Sea Chart is what I stole from Buggy.""My goal is to save up 100 million Berries.""Only by going to the Grand Line and stealing treasures from even bigger pirates will I have a chance to collect 100 million Berries.""Since you have such incredible marksmanship, consider this: the two of us could cooperate to make big money.""When we succeed, we'll... split it 80-20. I get eighty, you get twenty. After all, you don't know Navigation and I do. I'll be putting in more effort, so it's only right I take more money. No problem, right?"After drinking half a bowl of the soup, Nami set the bowl down and introduced herself; she wanted a free bodyguard.After finishing, she picked up the bowl and continued drinking soup—talking so much had made her thirsty—as she waited for Satoru's answer.Satoru chuckled inwardly. An 80-20 split? Do I look like a sucker to you, Miss Nami?"A thief who specializes in stealing from pirates.""Then should I be afraid?"Satoru's response was worlds apart from the answer Nami wanted."What do you mean?""Because I'm a pirate too."Satoru replied calmly.Nami's eyes couldn't help but widen."So you're a pirate too!!""Then forget everything I just said!""All pirates are the same. You're all damn bastards!"Satoru calmly finished his soup, looked up at Nami, and said with a smile."Don't be so quick to judge, Miss Nami."}],"new_glossary_terms":[{"zh":"Grand Line Sea Chart","en":"Grand Line Sea Chart","entity_type":"item","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":"Navigation","en":"Navigation","entity_type":"skill","gender":"neutral"},{"zh":"Giant Bird","en":"Giant Bird","entity_type":"creature","gender":"neutral"}]
Chapter 39: Clown Buggy"Don't be so quick to refuse, Miss Nami.""You need money, and we need your... navigation skills.""We can cooperate to make money—just a partnership, not joining. What do you think?"Now, it was Satoru's turn to ask for Nami's opinion.The long pause in the middle made Nami's face flush slightly from the suspense."We?""Yeah, we. I have two other comrades, but I got separated from them. However, I expect they'll be here before long."Satoru explained.What a guy—setting out to sea with Luffy twice and getting separated twice. One really had to hand it to him!"Cooperation..."Nami pondered. Suddenly, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly as a devious idea struck her, but she immediately suppressed the smile."Alright.""But first, I need to see if you have the sincerity for a partnership.""Come with me to see Buggy. You don't have to worry about anything else. If you do that, I'll agree to cooperate with you guys."Satoru maintained his smile. "Sure thing, let's go. I'd like to see this Clown Buggy."..."At the end of this road is the bar where Clown Buggy and his crew are staying."Nami deliberately lagged a step behind, standing behind Satoru to explain.But just as she picked up a rope, Satoru dashed ahead like a streak of smoke without looking back."Is that so!""Then let's hurry up!"Nami failed to grab him and stumbled forward.She stood up and watched Satoru's retreating back, thinking, 'This isn't right!'"Wait!""That's not right!!""Wait up!! Don't just run up there like that!"But no matter how Nami shouted, Satoru had already scrambled onto the roof of the tavern.Seeing this, Nami turned around immediately; she wasn't about to go to her death.But after walking a short distance, she subconsciously reached for her waistband.Nothing! It was flat."Huh?""Huh!!??""Where's the map? That bastard!!!"Satoru's face flashed through Nami's mind. Who else could have taken it but him?Gritting her teeth, Nami turned back. She really needed money right now...."What! You let that thief who stole the Sea Chartescape!""What are you three grown men good for!!!"On the tavern roof, Buggy roared at the three guys covered in bandages—the ones Satoru had injured."We... we deserve to die, Captain Buggy!""But that thieving woman had an accomplice. His marksmanship was so fast we were hit before we even saw him."The three quickly explained, desperate to avoid being blasted by the cannon."Marksmanship so fast you couldn't even see the gun?""When did such a character arrive?""What does he look like? Tell me."Buggy's background was quite deep; few on the seas today could match his experiences."Um... he has a black ponytail.""A white tank top and a pair of black jeans.""Hello there.""Huh? Yeah, just like that. No, he looks exactly like that."The three began describing Satoru's appearance.Satoru, however, had slipped in unnoticed."Ah!!!""It's him! It's him!! Captain Buggy!!""He's that thieving woman's accomplice!"Once they realized, the three immediately hid behind Buggy and pointed at Satoru."Huh? So you're that thieving woman's accomplice!!""You actually dare to walk right into my trap!!"Buggy scanned Satoru as he spoke.Satoru's smiling face instantly transformed into one of pleasant surprise—the kind of surprise one has when seeing an idol. He was truly a great actor."Buggy! Are you the legendary 'The Star Clown' Buggy?!"Hearing that title, Buggy was so startled that he immediately split off his hand to cover Satoru's mouth.His head also flew over, dragging Satoru into a corner."Shhh!!!!""You brat! Why do you know my old title!!"As a former apprentice of the Pirate King, he should have been honored, but now that the Pirate Kingwas dead, Buggy was terrified that if his identity were exposed, the Marine would take him down immediately. He was very afraid."I heard Shanks mention it."Satoru answered truthfully."Shanks! That bastard isn't dead yet!!! Who are you to him? His illegitimate son?"Hearing Shanks' name only made Buggy angrier.Satoru shook his head in denial. 'Don't go assigning me a father right off the bat.'"No, I just met Mr. Shanks when I was a kid.""I heard him talk about you, saying how amazing you were!""I was originally following my Big Sister, but then I heard her mention your name. I've always remembered your great reputation.""So, I came straight here to join you.""Look, I even brought the Sea Chart with me."Buggy stared at Satoru's face, seemingly suspicious, but laughed the next second."Hee-ha-ha-ha-ha!!""You've got a good eye, kid! Hahaha.""Fine, since you're so sincere, I'll take you in."After saying that, Buggy reached out to take the Sea Chart, but Satoru dodged."Hmm?""Big Brother Buggy, let me keep this Sea Chart safe for you.""Look, it was stolen from where you kept it before.""I have a bit of skill; I can get the Sea Chart back unnoticed. If I hold onto it, you can rest easy. Besides, I'm right under your nose, aren't I?"Satoru bluffed as he stuffed the map into his pocket."Hmm! You're not bad, kid! Hee-ha-ha."Buggy believed him, which wasn't surprising, and then led Satoru out of the corner."Boys, welcome our new comrade! Hee-ha-ha
Chapter 40: Chuchu and the Pet Food StoreSatoru successfully infiltrated the enemy camp and was as comfortable as if he were in his own home.Meanwhile, Nami, just as she decided to turn back to find Satoru and retrieve the sea chart, bumped into something at a street corner.She fell onto her backside; Nami was already annoyed enough today."Ah!!! Why am I so unlucky today!!!"She looked up at the two people who had knocked her down.And those two happened to be Luffy and Zoro, who had just landed on the island...."Ah, I finally saw someone."Luffy's first reaction upon seeing Nami was this sentence.Zoro nodded slightly in agreement. He knew he shouldn't have let those three guys go, making them wander around this town several times."Hmm, and a little dog."Luffy noticed a small dog behind Nami and immediately praised it, going over to look at the dog.Zoro only glanced at Nami, not bending down to help her up. He thought,'She shouldn't be that weak, should she? Does she need help already?'He truly was a straight man, luckily he was handsome.Standing up by herself and dusting off, Nami finally felt that Satoru was much more of a gentleman, even if he was still a scoundrel."Woman, do you know what's going on in this town?""Why is there no one around?"Zoro asked, crossing his arms.If this were Satoru's world, with such an attitude and calling a woman 'woman' right off the bat, Zorowould definitely become the 'cringey guy' in other people's mouths.Nami was furious, but the curses caught in her throat. She suddenly remembered Satoru saying he had two comrades.She hadn't seen these two before, could it be them?Hopefully so. That damned Satoru stole my sea chart; I'll let his two comrades test the waters, and I'll seize the opportunity to snatch the sea chart back."Ow, ow, ow!!""You guys...""Who are you!!!"At the same time, three voices rang out.The first was Luffy's voice, as the little dog Chuchubit his hand.The second was Nami, who was about to speak but was forcefully silenced by the other two voices.And the third was the Town Chief, who had just arrived to feed the little dog Chuchu."Don't bully Chuchu!"The Town Chief rushed between Luffy and Chuchu, separating them.Seeing that food had arrived, Chuchu released Luffy's hand."Huh?"Luffy grunted in confusion. Who was bullying whom?!"And who are you, old man?""I am the Town Chief of this town! This seaside town was built by our own hands fifteen years ago! It's our home!""Unfortunately, it's now occupied by pirates."The Town Chief was very emotional. This town contained their hard work; it was built by everyone's efforts. He regarded it as a treasure, their treasure.Although no one had asked him about the town, he was speaking purely from his own feelings."Oh."Luffy's response to the Town Chief expressing his feelings was to pick his nose with his pinky and say, "Oh."For some reason, the Town Chief felt a bit angry, but he didn't say anything, instead kneeling down to feed Chuchu."You said the people of this town went to the shelter to avoid pirates, so what about this dog?""Why didn't it go, and why do you have to risk coming out to feed it?"Zoro also walked over at this point and asked, puzzled."Chuchu is guarding this Pet Food Store behind its owner.""Its owner was an old friend of mine, so he asked me to take care of it.""He asked you to come? Why doesn't he come himself for his own store and dog?"Nami also came closer. After hearing the Town Chief's words, she momentarily thought Chuchu's owner was a bit selfish."No, three months ago, Chuchu's owner... died of illness.""I think Chuchu must feel it too.""But it stubbornly guards the front of the store and won't leave. Its injuries were caused by fighting with pirates.""Just because it promised its owner to guard the store well, it's so stubborn it doesn't even care about its own life.""Ah, that's truly amazing! Then I won't blame you for biting me, Chuchu."After listening to the Town Chief's narration, Luffyshowed a wide, white-toothed smile, genuinely thinking Chuchu was amazing.But the next second, Luffy and Zoro's eyes changed, and they both shouted."Watch out!!"Zoro jumped backward, pulling Nami along with him.Luffy pushed the old Town Chief down.A huge figure crashed through the Pet Food Store, passing over their heads.Nami fell onto her backside again.Luffy stood up, and he and Zoro looked over together.The newcomer was indeed Mochi, the Beast Tamerof the Buggy Pirates, riding the lion Richie."Who are you, strange masked guy!!"Luffy shouted."This is hair!! What mask!!"Mochi instantly bristled and retorted, 'You guys don't understand fashion!'Meanwhile, Chuchu stared blankly at the Pet Food Store, now with a huge hole and seemingly about to collapse. The store it had guarded for so long was destroyed in an instant."Roronoa Zoro!""I've come for your head!""And you, you thieving hag, return the treasure! Hahaha, you never expected to be betrayed by your own subordinate, did you? He has now joined our Buggy Pirates!!"Mochi mocked Zoro and Nami relentlessly.Hearing Mochi mention her subordinate, Namithought of Satoru. That guy actually joined the Buggy Pirates!!!Chapter 41: You guys are a little latePreviously, Mochi rode Richie to take Zoro's head because the three pirates Zoro and Luffy let go ran back to the Tavern and reported to Buggy... "You're saying the pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro and a straw hat kid have come to town?""Yes, Captain! And they are incredibly strong. We got these injuries because they beat us up! CaptainBuggy."Buggy, who was hosting a banquet, suddenly received this news and immediately felt sour.Satoru, however, was different. He finally waited for the two of them to come ashore, so he could finish his meal and leave."What about the treasure?"Buggy shot a deadly glance at them, and the three men shivered in fear."C-Captain Buggy, we were tricked by a woman, and she made us fall into the sea. If we hadn't hitched a ride on Roronoa Zoro's ship, we would have died out there."The three men dared not speak, answering truthfully."Was it her!"Buggy held up a portrait of Nami and asked the three men.The three men nodded quickly. "It was her! It was her!!"Buggy turned to look at Satoru, who was eating steak. Satoru raised his hand and shook his head, indicating he knew nothing about the treasure.Buggy turned back, veins bulging on his forehead."It's that damned wench again!!""Who am I!!"Buggy shouted, and his subordinates instantly straightened up and yelled as if a mechanism had been triggered."Pirate!! Pirate Clown Buggy, Sir!!""That's right! Hee ha ha ha!!""I am Clown Buggy!! How can I tolerate this thief woman running wild on my turf!!""And! pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro! If I kill him, my reputation will soar again!!""Then let's have a Beast Show!!"Buggy spread his hands and roared."Are you calling for me, Captain Buggy?""I will go take Roronoa Zoro's head right now and retrieve our treasure! May I?"Mochi rode over on Richie, wearing a cold, imposing expression that made him look like some big shot.Satoru knew, however, that Mochi was just heading out to be defeated. It was good, though, as he could lead Luffy and the others over, saving Satoru the trouble of moving.Hmm, solving this group first wouldn't be a bad idea... The scene returns to Luffy and the others, and it was due to the situation above that Mochi came charging over on Richie.Just as Satoru expected, Mochi plus Richie were only there to be defeated."Take my head? Heh heh."Zoro chuckled twice. It seemed his reputation wasn't high enough, as he was constantly being looked down upon."Treasure! What treasure? I don't know!!""Did that bastard Satoru tell you this too?"Nami quickly denied it, thinking, What 'your' treasure? If I got my hands on it, it's mine. So there is no 'your' treasure here."Satoru?" x2Hearing the name, Luffy and Zoro immediately shouted in unison."Sure enough, you two are Satoru's comrades!"Nami replied. It was exactly as she had thought. Had she somehow offended all three of these people?!"What do you mean?""You guys know that fellow Satoru too?!"Mochi asked doubtfully. How does this Satoru know everyone?Luffy and Zoro immediately looked at him again. "What do you mean? You know Satoru too?""Of course. He's a newcomer to the Buggy Pirates."Mochi replied."WHAT!!!!"Upon hearing this, Luffy's mouth fell open wide, looking completely unable to believe that Satoruhad betrayed him."Although I don't like that guy, he shouldn't be that kind of person."Zoro said.Luffy nodded. How long had Zoro known Satoru? He had grown up with Satoru; he should trust him!"Right! Satoru isn't that kind of person!""Let's go check out the situation!"Mochi was furious about being ignored, and Chuchu, whose shop Mochi had ruined, was equally angry."Bastard! Are you ignoring this great master? Richie!""Woof!!!"Richie and Chuchu, vastly different in size, charged together.It was a confrontation whose outcome was obvious, but Chuchu had Luffy and Zoro backing it up."Bang!!"In an instant.Luffy used his fist, Zoro used his sword.Luffy stretched out his arm and punched Mochi in the face, sending him flying.Zoro crossed his two swords and struck the abdomen of the charging lion Richie.As stated, these two were only here to offer up their heads.Nami was shocked once again. Thinking about Satoru's suggestion of becoming their navigator and sailing out to make money together, it didn't seem like a bad idea.As long as she considered it a partnership and not joining them as a pirate, it was fine."Woman, you know where their headquarters are, right? Take me there... it's a hassle!"Zoro said.The Mayor, whom Luffy had pushed down to dodge Richie's claws, struggled to raise his head, two streaks of blood clearly visible beneath his nose."I... know!"...Led by Nami and the Mayor, the four arrived at the Tavern where Buggy was stationed.They saw Satoru leaning against the edge of the rooftop, holding a cocktail, looking down at the four people with a relaxed expression."Satoru!"Luffy shouted.Satoru nodded slightly. "You guys are a little late
Chapter 42: Satoru vs. the Buggy PiratesLuffy and Zoro met Nami and learned from Mochithat Satoru had joined the Buggy Pirates. To figure out the situation, they dealt with Mochi and Richie.Luffy and Zoro, guided by Nami and the Mayor, arrived beneath the tavern where the Buggy Pirateswere stationed, expecting a fight.Instead, they saw Satoru leaning against the edge of the roof, holding a cocktail and looking down at the four people below with a relaxed expression."You guys are a little late!"The reason for this was that an hour earlier... an hour ago, just as Mochi was leaving the tavern roof."Alright, now it's time to deal with the trash.""We, the Buggy Pirates, don't need trash!"After Mochi left, Buggy said grimly.The three guys whom Zoro and Luffy had released had just let out a sigh of relief, but now their hearts instantly leaped into their throats, and they were sweating profusely in fear.Who else could Buggy be talking about besides them?"Captain Buggy!""We're sorry! We were wrong! Captain Buggy! Please spare our lives!"Buggy turned around, his big red nose practically poking the man's face."Who am I?""The Pirate... Clown... Lord Buggy," the three replied tremblingly."Hee ha ha ha!""Good that you know! I am Clown Buggy!!""There is no room for trash on my ship!!"Buggy straightened up and replied with a loud laugh.Seeing that they were facing a dead end, the three desperately tried to flee backward."Flee? Can you escape? Hee ha ha ha!!"Buggy laughed loudly, his palms splitting off and flying away, grabbing a rope and instantly tying the three men securely."You dare to run! Commendable courage! Then I'll send you off with a Special Buggy Ball! Hee ha ha!!""Minions, put the Special Buggy Ball into the cannon barrel!"Buggy gave the order, controlling his arms to drag the three men in front of the muzzle. The subordinates followed suit and placed the Special Buggy Ball into the cannon barrel."No! Don't!! Don't!!""Captain Buggy, please spare our lives!!"The three men looked at the dark cannon barrel, their hearts instantly turning to ash, but they continued to beg, foolishly hoping Buggy would let them go.Satoru picked his ear; he couldn't even eat a meal in peace."Mhm, I'm full, I'm full."Standing up, Satoru used a white cloth to wipe his mouth. The steak on his plate was completely finished.Everyone was cheering and waiting for the "fireworks show," but Satoru's sudden comment was completely out of place, drawing everyone's attention to him."Hmm? You're full?""Perfect, then you light the fuse, Satoru."Buggy revealed a sinister smile, but Satoru was still preoccupied with wiping his mouth."What, are you scared?"Satoru put down the white cloth and smiled, "What is there to be scared of?"He then walked behind the cannon barrel and took the torch.The three men shook their heads, begging Satorunot to light the fuse, but Satoru showed no mercy in his eyes and lit the fuse immediately.Seeing this, the three men stopped struggling, deciding to face death with dignity at least once.Satoru looked at the excessively long fuse, wondering who designed it—truly a genius.As Satoru lit the fuse, the crowd behind him started cheering again.Satoru was now even more certain that not all pirates were like Luffy and his crew; becoming a pirate meant having blood on your hands to some degree. He hoped he wouldn't become the kind of person who killed for fun... The crowd cheered, waiting for the cannonball to fire and watch a grand "fireworks display."But one move by Satoru instantly stopped their cheering.Just as only one-fifth of the fuse remained, Satorukicked the cannon barrel, making it spin. The barrel shifted, and the dark muzzle pointed directly at Buggy and his crew while the fuse continued to burn."!!!!"The cheering faces instantly morphed into expressions of panic."What are you doing!! Satoru!!"Satoru spread his hands and shook his head, "Let me be clear, I'm not discriminating against you, I just purely hate big red noses."Buggy's eyes widened, his emotions fluctuating between fury and panic.As Satoru's voice fell silent, there was a loud bang, the cannonball shot out, carrying rolling heat waves toward Buggy and his crew."Get down!!"In the end, panic overcame fury. Buggy shouted and was the first to hit the deck.The cannonball exploded, producing thick, rolling smoke. One shot incapacitated two-thirds of the Buggy Pirates.From within the black smoke, Buggy slowly stood up, panic gone, replaced only by fury."Kill him!!!"Buggy shouted, his voice becoming sharp.Kabaji bore the brunt, quickly approaching on his unicycle.Flashes of blades and shadows of swords.Instantly, Kabaji appeared behind Satoru, and Satoru was cut in half and fell to the ground."Hee ha... wait!"Buggy was about to laugh, thinking Satoru was some big shot, only to find he was nothing much. But before he could laugh twice, he realized something was wrong: cut in half without a drop of blood? Impossible? Wasn't this exactly like his own Chop-Chop Fruit Ability?"Kabaji!"Buggy shouted.Kabaji instinctively turned his head and immediately spewed a jet of fierce flames from his mouth.
Chapter 43: Limitations of the AbilitySatoru's sudden betrayal left Buggy fuming with rage.But he didn't expect this guy to be so weak, getting cut in half immediately. Yet, there wasn't a single drop of blood after being cut in half—was that normal?"Kabaji!"Buggy shouted.Kabaji turned his head in perfect sync, and a blast of intense flames spewed from his mouth.But at the very moment he spat the fire, a hand holding a long silver staff aimed at his chin and smashed upward.Kabaji's flames were forced to spray upward.While Kabaji was dazed by the strike, the hand holding the staff seized the momentum, dancing rapidly to deliver a series of thrusts to Kabaji's chest, forcing him backward repeatedly.Finally, with a full-circle swing, the staff struck Kabaji's left cheek from left to right, knocking him out instantly and sending him flying onto the roof of the building to the right of the tavern.Everything happened so suddenly; it took only a few seconds for Satoru to knock Kabaji onto the roof. It was so fast that no one could react, forced to just watch blankly.Or rather, they were mostly dumbfounded—why did Satoru have the same Chop-Chop ability as Buggy?Buggy and his subordinates were all filled with this same question."Ho... How is this possible?" Buggy muttered.Looking at Satoru's upper and lower body separated, with his hands controlled in mid-air to wield the staff—this was completely his Chop-Chop ability!How could this be possible?!"You... how do you have my ability?"Buggy couldn't help but demand an answer.The corners of Satoru's mouth curled up slightly. "Want to know? Not telling you."Buggy froze, and then his expression became hideously distorted with rage."You bastard!""Who do you think I am?! I am Clown Buggy!""Chop-Chop Cannon!!"Buggy roared in fury, raising his hands. His left hand gripped his right upper arm, while the fingers of his right hand held daggers. He launched it like a cannonball, the blade tips aimed straight at Satoru!"Heh."Satoru let out a light laugh, not panicking at all. He didn't dodge, instead controlling his hand in the air to use the staff to knock Buggy's hand back."Chop-Chop Senbei!"Buggy stabilized his flying hand in mid-air, and his lower body separated immediately. Blades popped out from his toes, and he spun like a frisbee, smashing toward Satoru.Satoru stepped and jumped to dodge Buggy's lower body, controlling his other hand to also grab the staff, which then split into two.They didn't turn into blades; they remained staves.Using a blade to cut a Chop-Chop Fruit user was simply a joke.Buggy's lower body whirled back, and Satoru didn't even dodge, letting it slice through him. He was cut in half again, but for someone who had duplicated the Chop-Chop Fruit ability, this was nothing.He controlled both hands to grip the staves and smash them down hard toward Buggy.Buggy immediately raised his hands, using the daggers between his fingers to block the staves.His lower body returned to reconnect with his upper body, and Satoru's lower body followed closely behind. Once Buggy's upper and lower halves joined, Satoru kicked him directly in the abdomen. With a thud, Buggy's eyes bulged, his mouth flew open, and he was instantly sent flying back.Buggy crashed through a pile of tables and chairs, falling to the ground. After struggling several times, he managed to scramble back up, looking extremely disheveled and pathetic."Cough, cough!"Buggy coughed twice, a trail of blood hanging from the corner of his mouth and sweat dripping from his forehead.He now realized that this junior who knew Shankswas not simple! At the very least, he couldn't beat him.Damn you, Shanks!(At that moment, Shanks, sailing on the sea, suddenly sneezed.)Shanks: "Did I catch a cold? No, that can't be! Is someone thinking about me? Hahahaha.")"Hee-hahahaha, Satoru.""I think there's been some misunderstanding, hasn't there?""You know Shanks, and I know Shanks. Is there anything we can't just sit down and talk about? Why all the fighting and killing?"Hearing this, Satoru controlled his lower body and hands to return to him."Now's the chance!"Buggy was waiting for the exact moment Satoru let his guard down."Special Muggy Ball!!"Buggy's lower body flew out, and from a mechanism in his sole, a tiny Buggy Ball shot out. Though it was only the size of a marble, its power was several times greater than a normal-sized one."I was waiting for this move!"Satoru instantly retracted his lower body and hands. Just as his body restored itself, the tiny Muggy Ball hit him in the chest.Buggy began to smile, waiting to see him die, but his expression changed in an instant to one of utter shock.The Muggy Ball hit Satoru's chest but didn't explode. Instead, Satoru's chest caved inward and then bounced the Muggy Ball right back.This was the Rubber-Rubber Fruit's ability.Through this exchange, Satoru also discovered a limitation to his ability: although he could keep the duplicated abilities, he couldn't use two Devil Fruit abilities at the same time.For example, just now, when he wanted to use Luffy's Rubber-Rubber Fruit ability, he had to retract the body parts he had split using the Chop-Chop Fruit ability before he could use it.Meanwhile, Buggy and his subordinates on the opposite side were engulfed by a fierce blaze while still wearing expressions of disbelief.A massive explosion occurred, shearing off half of the tavern's upper floor and collapsing over a dozen houses behind it—a literal house-wrecking event.When the smoke cleared, the members of the Buggy Pirates were all lying on the ground, having completely lost their ability to fight.
Chapter 44: Nami (Semi-) Joins"That's how it is!"Luffy and the other three arrived on the roof of the tavern.They were shocked by the roof, half of which had been blown away, and the collapsed houses behind it.Satoru explained to them that this was caused by him fighting the Buggy Pirates alone; looking at the current situation, he must have won...."Hahahaha, I knew it! Satoru, you wouldn't betray us! Also, good job! Hahaha!"Luffy stood with his hands on his hips, laughing as he praised Satoru."Tsk, I thought I'd get to fight. If this keeps up, my swords will start to rust.""How about we have a fight, Satoru? Let me see your strength."Zoro took his hand off the hilt of the sword at his waist, feeling a bit regretful. He had thought he could have a fight to warm up, but who knew Satoruwould take care of everyone."Hahaha, I can't beat you.""I'll take this 'experience pack' for now. Later on, even if you want me to fight, I'll be too lazy to move."Satoru replied with a smile, indicating that if he had come with them, he wouldn't have even bothered to lift a finger.Meanwhile, Nami and the Mayor were still stunned by the scene behind Satoru, where a pile of Buggy Pirates lay on the ground.Nami could only think about how Satoru had actually taken down the Buggy Pirates all by himself! What kind of strength was this?Satoru expressed: This is just the beginning.The Mayor's surprise was no less than Nami's; the pirates who had occupied their town for so long had been dealt with just like that.He had intended to risk his life against these pirates for a glimmer of hope, but now he was told that everything had been resolved. It was truly..."Truly... thank you so much!!"With tears in his eyes, the Mayor bowed to Satoru, thanking him for helping protect the town."It was just a small effort, Mayor, there's no need for this.""Now you can go and tell the townsfolk to come back."Satoru waved his hand, indicating it was no big deal.The Mayor nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes! I must tell everyone this news. This is wonderful news!!"After speaking, the Mayor bowed to the four of them and then ran down from the tavern roof to notify the residents that they could return.But halfway there, a question suddenly popped into the Mayor's head: he had never introduced himself to Satoru, so how did he know he was the Mayor?...After the Mayor left, Satoru stepped aside, revealing a table that had survived in the ruins behind him, with two steaks and cocktails on it."Have you guys not... eaten yet?"Before Satoru could finish his sentence, Luffy and Zoro flew over like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey."Food!! Meat! Meat! Meat!""Leave some for me! Luffy!!"Looking at these two scrambling for food, Satorusmiled helplessly.Meanwhile, Nami ran over to the ruins, seemingly searching for something."Miss Nami, are you looking for treasure?"Satoru called out.Nami was immediately drawn by the word "treasure" and turned around, just as Satoru tilted his head towards where Zoro and Luffy were.Two bulging bags were under the table, containing Buggy's treasure.Nami immediately ran over, and upon opening them, her eyes turned into "$" symbols.Satoru also walked over and pressed the Grand LineSea Chart onto the table.Luffy finished that small steak in an instant."What's this, Satoru?""It's a Sea Chart, a Sea Chart of the Grand Line."Satoru replied, then looked at Nami."I've estimated Buggy's treasure to be just over 10 million Berries. Plus his bounty, that's 15 million Berries, and this Grand Line Sea Chart.""So, how about it? Want to join our ship, Miss Nami?"Satoru extended the invitation.Luffy asked in confusion."Ah, why? Nami isn't interesting at all.""She knows Navigation.""Join us, Nami!""You changed your tune way too fast!!!"Nami shouted in anger; he really was pragmatic.But, anger aside, one shouldn't turn their back on money.Nami thought to herself that being with Luffy and Satoru for a while might be a good way to make money."Seeing how persistent you are, I, the thief who specifically steals from pirates, Thief Cat Nami, will reluctantly agree to cooperate with you for now."Nami agreed to join—well, semi-join—and Luffyimmediately raised his hands in a cheer."Great!""The matter of a Navigator comrade is settled!"...Since Nami had agreed to join, Luffy and the others set sail once again.A pirate's adventure is never in one place; it's about roaming the vast seas."I'm rich, I'm rich, I'm rich."Satoru took Buggy to the neighboring island to collect the bounty of 15 million Berries and converted Buggy's treasure into Berries as well.Now that he's sent Buggy in, I wonder if that "God's favor" scene for Luffy in Loguetown will still happen in the future.Satoru also got his wish of having Nami manage the money.On the ship, looking at the money in the suitcase, Nami's eyes turned into money symbols again.But then she noticed something was wrong; her eyes were like a bill counter, and with one sweep, she knew the amount of money was off. This ability was truly something else.
Chapter 45: The Little White Snake with HornsNami's eyes, like a cash counting machine, swept over the haul and immediately noticed that the number was wrong."That's not right!""Shouldn't the treasure plus the bounty be 25 million Berries?""Why is it short 5 million Berries?"Nami turned her head, scrutinizing the three men on the opposite boat.Luffy, Satoru, and Zoro were still riding the small fishing boat.As a girl, Nami couldn't possibly squeeze onto a small boat with three grown men, so she was still sailing the ship she had tricked Buggy's subordinates out of, after replacing the sail marked with Buggy's insignia.The two boats were tied together with a rope to prevent them from drifting too far apart... Facing Nami's question.Zoro was sound asleep.Satoru continued his "Old Man Bai" fishing.Thus, only Luffy was left to face the "storm.""Satoru and I discussed it. Since the town was mostly destroyed, it needs money for repairs, so we left behind one bag of treasure."Actually, Luffy should have said that Satorudiscussed it with him, not that he discussed it with Satoru; that way, Nami's spittle would be aimed at Satoru instead of him."What!!!""That's 5 million Berries!! Just giving it away like that!!!"Nami was so angry she nearly went over to beat Luffy up, her throat clearly visible from shouting so loudly.But in the end, she calmed down. If it was given away, it was given away; it wasn't like she could steal it back.She then immediately put the remaining 20 million Berries into the cabin; they had to be properly guarded."20 million Berries. 20 million in one go. I'm very, very close to my goal."After storing the Berries, Nami's eyes grew desolate, completely lacking the vibrancy they had moments ago when she looked at the money.But after turning around and leaving the cabin, she immediately changed her expression, appearing cheerful again."A great start!""Keep it up! More money is waiting for us!""Where should we go next..."Satoru slightly turned his head, watching Nami as she studied the sea chart.There would definitely be more money.And this time, that fish and that mouse wouldn't get a single fraction of it.Next up, it should be the appearance of "Captain Usopp"... The ships and the waves moved forward "hand in hand."Satoru thought the next stop should be Usopp's hometown.However, an uninhabited island covered in trees appeared in the middle. Satoru racked his brain and finally remembered the man stuck in the box.Meanwhile, Zoro asked Nami for food. Nami mocked them for setting sail without food or water, calling it reckless, but she still handed Zoro a piece of bread.Luffy and Satoru then spotted the deserted island on the left."There's an island!"Luffy shouted excitedly."Ah, I suppose so, but it's deserted. There's no point in going there. We should stick to the course and continue..."Before Nami could finish speaking, Luffy grabbed the oar and rowed toward the island. Satoru didn't stop him; a man stuck in a box wasn't something you saw every day, so they shouldn't miss it."Maybe we can find a new crewmate! It would be even better if we could find some food. Nami is right, we were too reckless."Luffy said this while rowing."Wait a minute!! You're being even more reckless now!!!"Nami shrieked in anger again, but she could only follow... "We've arrived at the isolated island."Luffy jumped off the boat, looked at the island covered in trees, and said."This island is just a forest. There's nothing here."Nami complained that this was a waste of time.Luffy called for Zoro to get off, only to see that he was asleep, truly eating and then sleeping, utterly carefree."We can just go in.""Let Zoro watch the ship and rest for a bit."Satoru said, tying the boat tightly.It had to be tied tightly, because if the boat drifted away, forget about Zoro sailing it back—they might enter the Grand Line themselves first... Zoro"watched" the ship, while Satoru, Luffy, and Namientered the forest.As soon as they entered the forest, the three saw all sorts of strange creatures.Foxes with rooster combs.Snakes with rabbit ears.Pigs with lion manes."Look! This rabbit is so weird!!"Luffy grabbed the rabbit-eared snake."So... strange!"Nami couldn't find any other word besides "strange.""But I think that's a snake. Put it down quickly, Luffy."Nami tried to persuade Luffy, but he was already completely engrossed."Satoru, what do you think..."Nami could only rely on Satoru, but Satoru liked these strange animals even more than Luffy did."They're so cute!!""Luffy, can we keep them on our ship?"Holding a milk-colored cat with three tails, Satoruwas absolutely delighted.Nami pressed her hand to her forehead and shook her head, indicating that these two were hopeless.Just then, a small white snake slid down from a tree near Satoru and coiled around Satoru's right wrist, which wore a silver bracelet, curiously examining the bracelet.Satoru looked closely and realized the snake had a horn growing on its head. This... "Isn't this super cool?""Hahaha, little fellow, do you like this bracelet?""Then why don't you come with me?"Satoru said.The Little White Snake, seemingly sentient, met Satoru's gaze, then fully coiled around Satoru's wrist, transforming into a second "bracelet." It looked like it had agreed.
Chapter 46: Guardian of the ForestSatoru looked closely at the Little White Snake on his wrist; its scales were smooth and shimmered under the sunlight.Coiled around his hand, Satoru also felt a wave of coolness on his wrist. It was quite nice.The more Satoru looked at it, the more he liked it. This hobby was indeed different from most people; usually, someone with a snake coiled around their wrist would have already started dancing a "laser dance" out of fear.While Satoru was examining the Little White Snake, a voice suddenly rang out—ethereal and echoing. It indeed had a bit of a mysterious feel to it."You are not allowed to come any closer."Satoru walked over to where Luffy and the others were. The mysterious person said not to approach.But Satoru moved even closer. Such is human nature."Who are you?"Luffy asked a soul-searching question."Me... Me? I am the Guardian of the Forest!"That ethereal voice appeared again to give a reply."What?"Nami and Luffy were confused once more. What was a Guardian of the Forest?However, Satoru raised a small hand to answer. "I know. He said his mom is the Guardian of the Forest."Nami:... "So that's how it is."An absurd answer, yet Luffy agreed. Given his logic, it wasn't surprising."You actually believe that?!"Nami was fuming. These two "sick" guys...The person in the shadows was also angry. What "my mom," "his mom"? Is that the point?!"Damn it!""Didn't you hear what I said?""Don't come any closer!""If you come any closer, I will unleash the punishment of the forest.""What? Who do you think you are?"Luffy was also human, and humans can't stand being provoked—especially a simple-minded guy like Luffy."This person is really weird.""What did you say?! Straw Hat kid!"The person in the shadows seemed to really hate the word "weird."Nami didn't believe in gods or ghosts, even though she was afraid of ghosts."I know you're nearby! Come out already!!"Satoru nodded in agreement."He should be right around here."Turning around, a fateful eye contact occurred.A chest appeared in Satoru's line of sight, and on top of the chest grew... a massive black afro.An arm reached out from the chest, holding a pistol. Making eye contact with Satoru, one could almost see sweat on the afro. To fire or not to fire?Even with a gun pointed at him, Satoru still wore a smile as he approached the chest."No, no, don't come over here!"The ethereal voice that seemed to come from all directions vanished, and the sound was now accurately pinpointed to the chest.Satoru ignored him and continued to approach. In a panic, the Chest-man had no choice but to fire."Bang!"It hit Satoru's right waist, but it just dented inward and bounced the bullet right back.Satoru was currently randomly replicating the abilities of both Zoro and Luffy, but he mostly replicated Luffy's Devil Fruit ability.From Zoro, he replicated his physique. Zoro was also "thick-skinned and tough," after all—he had like 108 blood bags in his body.The bullet bounced back and passed through the Chest-man's afro, leaving a hole in his thick hair."Oh my god!"The Chest-man never expected the bullet to bounce back. He was so startled that he tripped and fell backward.Only then did his face emerge. The exposed skin of his face was surrounded by hair like a bicycle seat. He had a thick mustache and a row of large teeth, with one missing... "What was that noise?"Luffy and Nami were both drawn back by the noise and looked at the Chest-man lying on the ground with Satoru.The Chest-man was struggling like a turtle flipped on its back.Nami: "What? It's a person."Luffy: "Haha, interesting! It's a Broom-man!"Satoru: "I think calling him Chest-man is more appropriate."Being stared at like this made the Chest-man angry."Hey! Hurry up and help me up!!"Using the toughest tone to say the most cowardly words... "Originaly it was the Rubber-Rubber Fruit.""It's a Devil Fruit, right? I heard about them a long time ago."After helping the Chest-man up, the four of them went to the edge of the cliff to chat."That's right, I'm a rubber man who ate the Rubber-Rubber Fruit."Luffy stood up and answered.The Chest-man was stunned. "You? Isn't it this long-haired kid?""I wanted to ask too. Satoru, why do you have Luffy's ability?"Nami also expressed her confusion."Hahaha, that's because Satoru has the ability to imitate others' abilities. I call him... Mirror-man.""I told you he's really amazing."Luffy answered for Satoru, looking very proud. This was his brother, his comrade."The ability to imitate others' abilities?!"Both the Chest-man and Nami were shocked."Is Navigation possible too?"Satoru nodded, indicating it was. Nami swallowed hard, feeling a bit threatened."Truly marvelous.""This is the first time I've met people like you."The Chest-man replied."It's also my first time seeing a person living in a chest. Are you from a rich family?"In Luffy's logic, what are chests for? For storing treasure. So if he lives in a chest, he must be from a rich family. Is there a problem with that? No problem at all."Yeah, I've been pampered since I was a child... Wait, no! What nonsense are you talking about, kid!"The Chest-man was almost led astray by Luffy. Rich family my foot! Have you ever seen such a weathered-looking 'rich' person?
Chapter 47: Grand Line"My name is Gaimon.""Do you know the bitterness of being stuck in a box and living alone on this isolated island for 20 years?!"As mentioned last time, Satoru and Luffy met a strange man stuck in a box on a deserted island. After introducing himself, it turned out his name was Gaimon.Satoru stated that he truly couldn't recall. He knew the person, but the name left no impression... "What, surviving alone on a deserted island for 20 years!!"Nami expressed great shock.As for Luffy, well, he is Luffy."Like an idiot."Satoru nodded in agreement. Although he was truly pitiful, he definitely looked like an idiot."Bastards! I'll kill you all!!!"Gaimon shouted with his mouth wide open, calling them two heartless bastards."Sigh, in over 20 years, my hair and beard have become so dense, and even my eyebrows have grown together."Gaimon sighed. It was impossible to say he hadn't been lonely for over 20 years. Having finally met Luffy and his comrades, some words just spilled out automatically.Luffy flashed beside Gaimon, stepped on the edge of the box, and grabbed Gaimon's head with both hands, trying to pull him out of the box.It was done out of good intentions, but Gaimon was in so much pain he almost cried."Ow! Ow! Ow!!""Stop! Stop it right now!!"Gaimon shouted.Unable to pull him out, Luffy gave up."He's stuck way too firmly."Gaimon breathed a sigh of relief. "Sigh! In 20 years, my bones have fused with the box. Don't even talk about getting out. If the box is gone, I'll be gone too.""Speaking of which, how did you get to this island?"Nami asked."You said you were pirates?"Gaimon's reply was questionable as an answer."Yes, and we have another comrade guarding the ship."Satoru nodded in response."Pirates, huh.""I used to be a pirate too. I really miss those days, searching for treasure carefree across the sea. It was exhilarating.""Do you have a treasure map?"Gaimon thought Luffy had also set sail for treasure, so he asked if he had a treasure map."I have a sea chart of the Grand Line.""I'm going to find 'ONE PIECE'."Luffy frankly stated his goal.Gaimon was as shocked as anyone else who had heard this.Luffy showed the sea chart to Gaimon."Which line is the 'Grand Line'?""Huh, Uncle, you don't know?""Because I can't read sea charts at all, hahaha.""Hahaha, so that's it!"Nami and Satoru shook their heads. Was this something two pirates should be saying?Nami stepped forward, took the sea chart, and explained the layout of the pirate world to the two men."There are two ocean worlds in this world.""The continent that divides the great sea into two is called the Red Line.""The route that starts from its town and circles the world perpendicular to the Red Line is called the 'Grand Line'.""I see."After Nami finished explaining, Luffy sighed with emotion, but Satoru had every right to suspect Luffyhadn't understood anything.Gaimon was a senior pirate, though not one worth learning from.He mentioned that he had previously seen people return from the Grand Line, and they were all utterly distraught, like they had lost their souls.He told Luffy and his comrades not to underestimate the Grand Line, as it was known as the Pirates' Graveyard.But Luffy remained optimistic, believing problems appeared only to be solved, and there would always be a way... "So, coming back to the topic, how does this relate to you, Uncle, staying on this island?"Satoru pulled the conversation back."It's related.""Twenty years ago, I was a pirate too, and I came to this island with my comrades.""We searched for three days but couldn't find any treasure. Just as we were leaving, I noticed a small hill we hadn't visited, so I told my comrades to get on the ship and wait for me.""I struggled to climb up, and sure enough, there were five treasure chests at the top.""But fate made me slip. I fell from the top and got completely stuck in a box below. When I woke up, my comrades had already left."Gaimon told his story, unsure if it was bad luck or good fortune.He fell off the slope but didn't die, only to be stuck in a box for 20 years... With her sensitivity to money, Nami immediately suggested helping Gaimonretrieve the treasure chests.Once below the slope, Satoru and Luffy instantly reached the top by stretching their arms using the Rubber-Rubber Fruit Ability.Satoru had already recalled what this event was.Looking at the five treasure chests, he didn't move, remaining standing at the edge of the cliff.Luffy excitedly opened the chests one by one, and his excitement gradually wore off, but he still walked to the cliff edge smiling."There are treasure chests, five of them, hahaha."Luffy shouted, laughing.Gaimon and Nami excitedly told him to throw the chests down, but Luffy, contrary to expectation, refused."I won't!""What! What do you mean?! Luffy! Satoru, control him!"Nami shouted. The treasure was right in front of them; there was no reason not to bring it down.Meanwhile, Gaimon shed tears."Just as I thought.""You two lads are good people.""I had a suspicion, but I just didn't want to admit it.""Those five chests... they're empty, aren't they!!"As he shouted that last sentence, Gaimon was already weeping profusely.
Chapter 48: Buy the Whole WorldThe treasure chests he had anticipated for twenty years were empty.This sense of disparity was enough to kill a person.But under the grinding of time, Gaimon had guessed the chests might be empty; he just wasn't willing to believe it.But as he cried, those animals poured out from the forest as if they were sentient, gathering around him and crying out, as if telling Gaimon that his twenty years were not in vain, not a joke, but that he was their "god."Gaimon stared blankly at these animals.Initially, he guarded the forest and the rare animals on the island with the thought that if he couldn't get the treasure, no one else should either.Twenty years passed without him realizing it. Looking at these animals, Gaimon seemed to have found peace. The true treasure wasn't necessarily those five "Schrödinger's treasure chests," but his experience and those rare animals that survived under his protection and treated him as their "god"... "Compared to these chests, I think these rare animals are more like treasure, your treasure, Uncle Gaimon."Satoru stood on the edge of the hilltop, arms crossed as he looked down, advising Gaimon, who was surrounded by "ten thousand" beasts.Luffy sat down directly, his legs dangling in the air. "Hahahaha.""Satoru is right, Uncle. Don't take things too hard. Didn't you wait twenty years just for me to arrive?""If we hadn't come, you might have had to wait thirty or forty years.""Maybe you wouldn't have waited long enough even until death.""You've waited so long and finally met us, so you should go look for the great treasure even more! Come out to sea with us!"Luffy extended an invitation. When he invited comrades, he didn't care about age or gender, only whether they were "interesting.""Are... are you inviting me? Straw Hat..."Gaimon also found it hard to believe. A pirate's invitation after twenty years really made one feel the passage of time... "Have you really decided, Uncle? To stay on this island."The scene shifted; the four returned to the shore, and Zoro was still asleep.Nami went to untie the ropes, while Satoru asked Gaimon, who had declined Luffy's invitation."Yeah, thank you for inviting me. I've decided to stay and continue being the 'Guardian of the Forest'.""After twenty years together, I've grown fond of these animals. Long Hair boy, you're right. After twenty years, perhaps these rare animals I've protected are my true treasure.""I'm going to stay and keep protecting them.""Eh, it's strange. The chests are empty, yet I'm not sad at all. Instead, I feel a weight off my shoulders."Uncle Gaimon was also a free-spirited person. If he were twenty years younger, he would indeed have been a good comrade and friend for Luffy and the others.Facing the sea breeze, Gaimon looked cool and free-spirited, but one sentence from Luffy broke his composure."Hahaha, Uncle is also a rare animal.""I'll kill you!!"Gaimon immediately bristled, baring his fangs and shouting loudly."What a pity. It's rare to find someone as humorous as you, Uncle.""Yeah, what a pity. A journey at sea isn't suitable for pets."Satoru replied. Why did Gaimon feel like something was a bit off?Gaimon:... "I meant these animals. I originally wanted to keep them, but it seems nature suits them better than a ship."Satoru immediately explained. Although he, like Luffy, did think Gaimon was a rare "animal," how could he say it so bluntly?"Hahaha.""Alright, set sail already. If you delay any longer, it'll get dark.""You will definitely find great comrades!!""You have to find the ONE PIECE and then buy the whole world, Straw Hat.""I definitely will.""Goodbye."After saying goodbye to Gaimon, Luffy, Satoru, and the others set off on their journey once more.The two small boats slowly sailed away as Gaimonand a group of animals saw them off from the shore.The animals behind Gaimon suddenly bowed in unison toward Satoru and the others.The bow came suddenly, and it was unclear who it was for... "Gurgle~""I'm so hungry!!!"During these days at sea, the three words Luffy said the most were "I'm so hungry.""There's no way around it. Even if there are fish, we can't grill them on these small boats.""Didn't Uncle Gaimon give us a lot of fruit? Just eat some fruit to tide you over for now."Satoru was already fishing. On such a narrow small boat, there wasn't much else to do besides fishing."Yeah, I think Satoru is right.""Is it really okay to enter the Grand Line like this?""That's a place known as the Pirate Graveyard. Relying on these two small, broken boats might be a bit too reckless.""Well, heading south from here, there's a small town. Let's go there first and see if we can get a large ship."Nami suggested after looking at the sea chart."I have no objection."Satoru replied. Of course he had no objection; they couldn't miss the going merry.Zoro continued doing push-ups without answering."Great!! Meat! Meat! Meat!!"And Luffy's focus was on the meat in town, not the ship.
Chapter 49: "The Invincible Lucky Star"Action before planning—that is the pirate way.They decided to get a ship and have a hearty meal.Luffy and Nami immediately turned their small boat around and headed toward the town in the south.But Fate had other plans:Surprises always arrive suddenly; no life is ever completely calm.After turning, the small boat had been sailing for a while when a pirate ship, more than ten times larger than theirs, appeared.The Jolly Roger was a skull shaped like a cat's head, complete with pupils—vertical yellow pupils, just like a cat's.The ship was completely black, with a black cat figurehead. It was none other than the "Bezan Black" of the Black Cat Pirates!Satoru felt puzzled. He shouldn't have encountered the Black Cat Pirates here. It seemed that because of him, some things had indeed changed."What a huge ship.""It would be great if we could get a ship like that."Luffy remarked.But the guys on the other side weren't exactly good people."Do these two little broken boats dare to sail alongside us? Hehehe.""Besides, our movements must be kept secret. It wouldn't be good if the Captain got upset.""Fire!"Jango, the first mate of the Black Cat Pirates, immediately gave the order. The cannons were aimed at Satoru, Luffy, and the others. With a bang and sparks flying, two cannonballs came crashing toward them.As for cannonballs, neither Luffy nor Satoru were afraid of them.With a step and a leap, Luffy inflated his body like a balloon and deflected the cannonballs right back.At least, that was how it should have gone.Luffy had successfully deflected them, but Satoru..."Hm?!""What the f*ck!!! You have to hit the time limit right at this moment?!"The cannonball hit Satoru. It should have bounced off, but Satoru suddenly felt his body lose its tension, and his rubbery body returned to normal.The Replication Fruit has a time limit for each replication; it's not so overpowered that you possess the ability indefinitely after copying it.As luck would have it, the ability expired at the exact moment the cannonball struck Satoru.Unlucky? That was putting it mildly.But the one tiny bit of luck in this misfortune was that the cannonball didn't explode—it was a dud. However, the immense impact sent Satoru flying away.He flew until he was nothing more than a tiny speck in Luffy and the others' vision, before finally splashing into the sea with a thud."...""...""...""Satoru!!!"This situation left Luffy, Zoro, and Nami unable to react for a moment.Once they came to their senses, the three of them immediately turned into a screaming mess. Luffy, in particular, grabbed the oars and rowed frantically toward where Satoru had disappeared.Meanwhile, the crew of the Black Cat Pirates were laughing so hard they rolled onto the deck, mocking Satoru for trying to catch a cannonball with his body.They had forgotten that Luffy had deflected the cannonball, causing it to explode in mid-air....Back to Satoru, he hit the water with a splash.But he was very close to the coastline of Usopp's hometown.The feeling of weakness caused by the seawater made Satoru slowly stop struggling. Just as he was about to sink completely, the Little White Snake on his wrist crawled down. Despite its small size, it bit onto Satoru's hair and began swimming toward the shore.Submerged in the seawater, Satoru gradually lost consciousness...."Satoru!!!"Back to Luffy and the others, Luffy rowed desperately, propelling Nami's small boat forward at high speed.But even after reaching the shore, they didn't see any sign of Satoru."Could it be... could Satoru have already..."Luffy's eyes welled up with tears, thinking Satoruhad already sunk to the bottom of the sea.He turned to jump into the sea, but Zoroimmediately grabbed him."Are you trying to get yourself killed?!""But Satoru, he...""That is... Satoru's hair ribbon!!"Just as Luffy's tears were about to fall, Nami spotted a blue hair ribbon on the shore, not far from where they were.That was what Satoru used to tie his ponytail.Luffy "teleported" over and picked up the hair ribbon."Yes! This is Satoru's!!""It's the one Ace gave him!!""Looks like he's already made it to town, hahaha."Seeing the hair ribbon, Luffy immediately started laughing again."Satoru must have drifted to the shore and been saved by someone.""Or he went into town on his own.""Let's go into town and ask around."Nami and Zoro walked over as well. Looking at the hair ribbon, Nami guessed reasonably.Luffy nodded in agreement and put the hair ribbon in his pocket."Ask someone, huh.""There are some right there."Zoro immediately turned his gaze in that direction.On the cliff over there were the members of the "Usopp Pirates.""Captain Usopp" and his "crew"—three little kids: Chinjo, Carrot, and Onion."Ah!!! We've been spotted!!!"Spotted by Zoro, Usopp panicked instantly. He wanted to turn and run, but the three kids ran even faster than him.Seeing Luffy and the others approaching, Usopp had no choice but to bite the bullet and head toward them....And what about our "Invincible Lucky Star," Satoru?Although he had been blasted away by the cannonball, he was currently lying on a soft, large bed.Though he was still unconscious.In his deep sleep, Satoru's consciousness arrived in a vast, white expanse.The System's voice, silent for ten years, had finally reappeared.
Chapter 50: LuckSatoru's first feeling right now is:His own rotten Luck is truly something else!!!Three times out at sea.The first time, he encountered a whirlpool at sea.The second time, he was snatched away by a giant bird.The third time, he was directly knocked into the sea by a cannonball.For f***'s sake!Beep beep beep beep!!!!This Luck made Satoru so angry he couldn't help but turn into a telegraph operator.After venting his anger, he looked around again. Everything in sight was a vast expanse of white; the sky and the ground were the same, devoid of any other matter. He couldn't see the end of the path ahead; it seemed to stretch on forever."Is this heaven?""Or hell?""It shouldn't be. I'm not so fragile that I'd die just like this."Satoru muttered to himself, raising his hand. The Little White Snake on his wrist was gone too.And just as he was wondering, a mechanical voice suddenly popped out.Satoru was extremely familiar with this voice. After all, this was the guy who sent him to the Pirate World and gave him that frail and sickly 'heaven-defying' skill."You've gotten smarter this time.""True, although you're a bit useless, you wouldn't die just from this.""This is the depths of your consciousness; you are currently in a deep sleep."The System voice, appearing after ten years, explained."System?" Satoru's tone was full of disbelief."Mm-hmm."The System replied, its voice still as tsundere as ever."It really is f***ing you!!""Where the hell have you been for the last ten years? Coming back from the dead now, are you!!""Quickly tell me, what the hell is the third ability I drew!?""Is it this bracelet on my wrist?"Anger from ten years of OCD.For these ten years, Satoru could only assume the bracelet was the third ability, firmly telling himself not to think about it.But his brain wouldn't agree. Satoru would still obsess over this issue sometimes; perhaps without a definitive answer from the System, he would obsess over it for a lifetime."It actually... isn't!"The System answered after a long pause.Satoru's heart jumped into his throat."Stop!""Fine, if it isn't, it isn't. Now, tell me immediately what the third ability is.""I'm afraid you'll catch a 'virus' again and suddenly disappear.""Even though I'm still young, waiting ten years after another ten years, who the hell can wait that long!!!"Satoru asked straightforwardly, telling the Systemto get to the point. If it disappeared again and showed up in another ten years, he'd probably go crazy."That's rude of you!""What do you mean disappear! What do you mean virus!! Where are your manners?""I just suddenly had something to do!!"The System argued stubbornly."Heh.""What do you mean by that!!!"Satoru chuckled twice, and the System immediately bristled, but then it comforted itself."Forget it.""Anyway, after I tell you the third ability, I won't have to come back again.""Then hurry up and say it!!"Satoru shouted quickly."Fine!""The third ability is... beep... beep...""...""...""Were you scared? Hahaha."Satoru:..."Are you sick?"Satoru couldn't help but wonder if this thing was really a System. If it was, it should really do something useful."Tch, no sense of humor at all.""Alright, alright, I'll say it straight.""The third ability you drew ten years ago is called: Luck."The System finally revealed the third ability Satoruhad drawn."Lu...ck?"Satoru could hardly believe his ears."That's considered an ability?""Of course, it's not just pure Luck.""Luck is something you can't see or touch.""Your third ability, to be precise, is: Luck Variation."The System explained further, but Satoru became even more confused."Can you be a bit clearer?""So stupid.""Luck Variation, simply put, means the Luck on your body changes every day.""You might be lucky.""Or you might be unlucky.""Isn't that the same for f***ing normal people?"Satoru couldn't help but swear and interrupt."Listen to me finish, goddammit!!"Well, now the System was swearing too."Although normal people are like that, you're different; the Luck on your body increases every day.""Let's put it this way: in terms of points, a person's maximum Luck is 100 points.""And the Luck on your body rises by one point every day. In just 100 days, your Luck will be at its maximum.""Every day the Luck changes. If your Luck is bad that day, even negative, the extra 100 points from Luck Variation will offset that misfortune, bringing negative Luck up to positive.""If your Luck is good that day, a positive number, then it's Luck on top of Luck, and your Luck will go off the charts."The System gave a complete and detailed explanation. This ability was heaven-defying; as long as 100 days passed and he had the full 100 points of Luck, it would be impossible to be unlucky, unless he hit rock bottom with negative 100 Luck.But that's not right either."That's not right either!!""If this ability is so good.""Why the hell have I been so unlucky these past few days at sea?"Satoru asked in confusion. If the ability was really like that, why was he still so unlucky? Could it be that he had negative 100 Luck every day?
Chapter 51: Mansion, Young Lady, Big Ship, SatoruAfter ten years, the system finally appeared again, telling Satoru that his third ability was: "Luck Manipulation".He would gain one extra point of good luck every day, and it was permanent, capping at 100 points, just like a person's maximum luck.This 100 points could turn Satoru's bad luck into good luck, and good luck would be compounded.But is it really as the system says..."Then why am I still so unlucky? Three times out to sea, three accidents? You call this good luck?""100 days to max luck? It's been ten years, that's way more than 100 days!""How do you explain this?"Satoru posed a soul-searching question; if good luck really compounded like that?From the time he set sail until now, he hadn't felt lucky at all....On Luffy's side."I am the leader of the great pirate crew of this village—Usopp!!""Everyone calls me Captain Usopp!!"Usopp braced himself and confronted Luffy, Zoro, and Nami.He used his signature skill: "Nonsense"."I advise you to give up on this village.""My 80 million subordinates will not stand idly by."With his hands on his hips, Usopp looked as if "what I said is true"."Bragging!"Nami immediately exposed him.80 million people? Can this village even fit 80 million people?"Ah, caught!!"Once exposed, Usopp panicked.Nami was speechless and broke into a sweat, "You just admitted it, didn't you.""Ah! I confessed without being asked!!""What a smart woman."Usopp said nervously. Let's just say, is there a possibility that it's not that Nami is smart, but that you are too..."Hahaha, you're really interesting."Looking at the panicked Usopp, and knowing that Satoru was fine, Luffy returned to his usual self and laughed heartlessly....Swish~ (High-end transition sound effect)A small restaurant in the village."What! Looking for comrades!?"After hearing Luffy's words, Usopp realized he had misunderstood them; Luffy and the others weren't there to rob the village.Luffy's words had two meanings: finding comradesmeant, first, finding Satoru, and second, finding new comrades."So you're here to find comrades and a big ship.""And another comrade was washed up to our village by the waves?""I haven't heard of that.""However, I do know where there is a big ship."Usopp held up a finger, waved it, and began to tell them."There is a mansion belonging to a super rich person in this village.""The owner of the mansion is a very pitiful young lady..."..."You seem to have something on your mind, Miss?"Kuro, who was still disguised as a sheep, asked Kaya respectfully."I... I want to see Usopp."Kaya hesitated for a moment, but didn't hide it and replied directly."Miss, if I may speak freely..."Since it was "if I may speak freely," then don't speak."I know what you want to say, Klahadore, it's fine, no need to say it.""How is that girl that Merry saved from the seaside?"Very well, Satoru was mistaken for a girl again.Kaya had only glanced at Satoru from upstairs; it was normal to mistake him. Kuro had gone to see Satoru; at this critical juncture, his plan could not afford any accidents.But seeing that Satoru was just a "pretty boy" and was unconscious, he didn't pay him any mind.But later, it was this "pretty boy" who shattered his plan."A doctor has already seen her.""There's nothing serious, she just fell asleep; she'll be fine when she wakes up."Kuro replied, still respectful."That's good..."...The scene returns to Luffy and his group.There were only Luffy and the others left in the restaurant; Usopp was gone.His three very loyal "crew members," those three kids, rushed directly into the restaurant, wanting to "save" their Captain Usopp."Eh! Captain Usopp is gone?""Eaten?""Could it be that you..."The three kids immediately showed expressions of horror.Zoro's mischievous side came out, "That's right, we ate him!""Ah!!!"The three were startled, but their eyes were fixed on Nami."Why are you looking at me!"The three were startled again, "The Big Bad Wolf!!!"..."Is it time?"After the three kids calmed down, Nami told them that Usopp had left after saying that."Oh, the Captain must have meant it was time to go see the mansion boy."According to the three kids, Usopp had gone to chat with Kaya. Although the content of the chats was entirely Usopp's lies, Kaya had been cheered up because of it."Speaking of the mansion, I saw the mansion's sheep uncle saving a sister at the seaside this morning."The one among the three kids called Onion suddenly brought up something off-topic.But this matter was very important."What!""You said the sheep saved a sister at the seaside?""That must be Satoru!""Hahahaha! Then it's decided! We'll go to the mansion to find Satoru and the big ship!"Since they knew where Satoru was, and it happened to be the place where they could borrow a ship, Luffy decided to go to the mansion.Meanwhile, on Satoru's side, the system kept him hanging for three seconds before slowly stating the reason...