Luffy shouted with complete sincerity, "I want him to be my crewmate, so if this can save him, then I'll do it!"
Lin Bei put on a pained expression. In this regard, Luffy and Zoro really were the same kind of people.
It made a normal person like him look totally out of place.
The scariest part was—this move actually worked. Zoro, who had been wearing a vicious, life-and-death-doesn't-matter expression, was now visibly moved.
"Who asked you to go this far for me?!"
Luffy grinned foolishly. "As long as it's for a friend, I can do anything!"
Then he looked at Lin Bei. "C'mon, tie yourself up too~"
Lin Bei: ...
Sigh~
He should have known this would be the consequence of following Luffy. The whole crew was brainless.
Lin Bei held out his hands voluntarily.
"Fine, tie me up."
He gave up. Whatever happens, happens.
Watching Lin Bei and Luffy tie themselves up, Helmeppo burst into laughter and fired a shot into the air excitedly.
"Idiots! A bunch of idiots! I can't believe you can all be this stupid in exactly the same way! Hahaha! Men, bring more crosses and hang these two up as well!"
The Marines with lifeless eyes immediately turned to carry out the order.
Zoro let out a cold laugh, the corner of his mouth curling up arrogantly. "Idiot… You actually fell for this brat's trick."
Everyone immediately shouted back together, "You did the same thing!"
Helmeppo strutted arrogantly over to Luffy and patted his cheek with his palm. "You think you're good at fighting? So what if you are? When you're out in the world, what matters most is power and connections! So what are you, huh?"
Lin Bie: It's coming~
Luffy fired his classic line, "My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm the man who'll become King of the Pirates!"
Hearing that, Helmeppo bent over laughing. When he straightened up, he sneered, "So you're just a little p—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Lin Bei, whose hands were tied, stomped his foot. The ground beneath Helmeppo suddenly took flight! Carrying him straight up into the sky!
The ground in front of Lin Bei suddenly bulged up, forming a sharp earthen spike that sliced through the ropes binding his hands.
Lin Bei looked up at Helmeppo in the sky. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to, you little punk?"
He casually untied Luffy as well. Luffy tilted his head up, watching Helmeppo rise higher and higher. "Huh~ Is he trying skydiving too?"
Lin Bei glanced back up.
"Maybe. Too bad he doesn't have a parachute."
Luffy looked at Lin Bei. "Won't he stop in midair?"
Lin Bei shrugged.
"Unfortunate timing. Right at this very second, my powers wore off~"
Just as the words left his mouth, everyone heard screaming start from the sky.
The little girl from the restaurant had her mouth wide open, looking as if her worldview had shattered a bit.
How could someone suddenly fly into the air like that?! And that high! Was it that handsome big brother who did it? So amazing!
If you had to describe her expression right now, it would be:
Waku Waku!
Koby's face turned pale, clearly recalling his own playtime earlier.
Zoro raised an eyebrow. The people who dared to recruit him really weren't weaklings.
With a sickening splat as a lump of meat turned into a puddle of meat paste, the Marines—who had looked lifeless before—immediately raised their rifles, their eyes suddenly lively.
"Damn it! What did you do to Young Master Helmeppo?!"
"You monsters! Do you know who his father is?!"
"You're dead! All of you are dead!"
Yet Lin Bei clearly saw it — Every Marine holding a gun had a thumbs-up raised along the side of the rifle.
"Surrender immediately, or we will shoot! Unless... you throw us away too! Try to throw us far away if you can, pirate scum!"
Oh, hinting at him, were they? Despite knowing he could, they were still hinting at him? Fine then—he'd play along.
"Hmph, Marine lackeys, get lost!"
With a wave of Lin Bei's hand, a large group of Marine soldiers—who didn't even attempt to resist—were carried away by the earth beneath their feet and flew off.
The scene instantly became much quieter.
Lin Bei felt a bit regretful. Such a great ability, about to disappear, yet he hadn't encountered anyone worth going all-out against.
He sighed as he walked towards Zoro with the bread and wine, first untying him, then handing him the provisions.
Zoro remained aloof.
"What are you doing?"
"Isn't it obvious? Bribing you. The Captain likes you a lot. If you don't join the crew, it makes things difficult for me."
Zoro was stunned for a moment. This guy admitted to bribery so openly?
"Heh. Interesting. But I'll say this first—my goal is to become the world's greatest swordsman. Anyone who stands in the way of my ambition, I'll cut them down without hesitation."
After saying that, Zoro stared at Luffy and Lin Bei, waiting for their reactions.
If they laughed at his dream as unrealistic, then he might as well not board this ship. He'd just owe them a favor to repay later.
But Zoro had clearly overthought it. His dream was to be the greatest swordsman—something that might make ordinary people laugh.
But dreams that make ordinary people laugh weren't exactly rare around here.
Lin Bie smirked. Roranoa Zoro, meet Monkey D. Luffy and welcome to a new life filled with pain!
Luffy reached out directly, grabbed a bread from in front of Zoro, stuffed it into his mouth, and shouted while chewing, "My name is Monkey D. Luffy. I am the man who will become King of the Pirates!"
That single sentence made Zoro pause slightly—then he burst into laughter.
So they were like-minded people.
With Luffy's words, he was reassured.
"Then... Captain. I guess I will be with you from now on."
He lifted the wine bottle and immediately did a toast—I'll drink it all, you can do as you like.
Even though this guy hadn't eaten for half a month, between bread and booze, he still chose booze.
Just like in the anime. Lin Bei crossed his arms and said to Zoro, "We came in a hurry and didn't bring any good dishes. Fill your stomach with this for now. After we finish up here, we'll throw a banquet to celebrate you joining."
"Finish up?" "Banquet!"
Two voices rang out—one from Zoro, one from Luffy.
There's no need to say which voice belonged to whom.
"Yeah. That Colonel Morgan they mentioned hasn't shown up yet, right?"
As if Lin Bei had jinxed it, the moment he finished speaking, an irritable, suppressed voice rang out.
"You lot really caused a scene! Where is my useless son?!"
Everyone turned to look and saw a man with a large axe attached to his right arm walking out.
His massive build alone was intimidating.
The restaurant little girl hid directly behind Lin Bei—the handsome big brother—and pointed at Morgan.
"That's Morgan! The tyrant of Shells Town!"
Morgan flew into a rage.
"Who are you calling a tyrant?! I just want all of you to follow my rules and listen to my words! Is that so hard?! Aren't I the highest-ranking officer on this base?! Anyone who disobeys deserves punishment!"
Lin Bei looked at the massive, roaring Morgan and couldn't help but think to himself, So this is the legendary Axe-Hand.
A guy who could wound Garp with one axe strike in the distant future and still escape… truly worthy of standing at the peak of these seas!
Lin Bei cracked his knuckles. He had just thought of a very interesting move.
Shishi Odoshi: Goshochimaki
Lion's Majesty: Great Earth Turning.
That's right, learned from Shiki the Golden Lion.