Chapter [251]

Whiskey Peak

The night enveloped Whiskey Peak with a deceptive calm, while the gentle sound of the wind echoed through the narrow streets. The village, now silent, concealed the true intentions of its hosts.

The party had served its purpose: the Straw Hats were, apparently, off guard.

CLACK!

A pair of firm boots echoed down the main street as a bounty hunter hurried toward Igarappoi, who was leaning against a pillar.

"Boss, the plan was perfect!" said the man, adjusting his hat as a confident smile spread across his face. "They're all passed out in the hall."

Igarappoi let out a low chuckle, filled with self-satisfaction.

"Mamammmama! These pirates don't know what hit them. They think they're smart, but the Grand Line is no place for amateurs."

TAP! TAP!

Miss Wednesday, Mr. 9, and Miss Monday appeared around the corner, approaching with determined steps. The torchlight illuminated their faces, but there was a subtle tension in Miss Wednesday's eyes.

"Is everything ready?" asked Mr. 9, adjusting his hat with a theatrical gesture. "We can finally finish this and claim our rewards."

"Of course!" said Igarappoi, raising a piece of paper. He held it under the light, revealing two wanted posters.

"Monkey D. Luffy: 80 million berries. And this one, Riser: 50 million. Mamammmama! We're about to become very rich."

CRUNCH!

Miss Wednesday cracked her knuckles as she scrutinized the posters. Her eyes narrowed upon recognizing the faces.

"Riser… that man… he wasn't at the party."

Miss Monday crossed her arms, wearing a scowl. "Why does that matter? He's not the leader. Straw Hat is the one with the bigger bounty."

"You don't understand," said Miss Wednesday, her tone graver. "Riser is different. He's dangerous."

Mr. 9 shook his head, clearly unconcerned. "Dangerous or not, it doesn't matter. He's alone. And even if he shows up, he's just one pirate against all of us."

THUD!

The sound of an impact reverberated through the area, cutting the conversation short. Everyone looked up, alarmed.

"I wouldn't say so alone," said a calm, deep voice.

Zoro stood on the roof of a nearby house, his three swords on display, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"You think you can capture Straw Hat and his crew without consequences? You're about to find out just how wrong you are."

Igarappoi tried to maintain his composure but took a step back, startled.

"Mamammmama! So, the swordsman is awake. But you're outnumbered. Don't you think?"

Zoro smirked, tilting his head slightly. "You think numbers matter? Let's see if you can survive until dawn."

SHING!

The sound of swords being unsheathed echoed like a deadly warning. The tension in the street grew as the bounty hunters prepared for the imminent confrontation.

CLANK! CLANK!

Doors began to open around them, revealing more armed hunters emerging from the shadows, wielding machetes, spears, and pistols.

The metallic clinking of weapons echoed through the narrow streets as Igarappoi stood motionless in the center, an arrogant smile on his face.

"Mamammmama! You're alone, swordsman," said Igarappoi, gesturing confidently at the men surrounding him. "Against Baroque Works, you have no chance. Surrender, and maybe we'll spare your life."

Zoro tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing as he assessed his opponents. "Alone, huh? That sounds fun. It's been a while since I've had a good warm-up." He rolled his shoulders, adjusting his swords. "I guess I'll test some new moves on you."

SHING!

The sound of his blades leaving their sheaths sliced through the air, and Zoro leapt from the rooftop with an agile motion.

THUD!

His landing cracked the stones beneath his feet, and he raised a sword, pointing it directly at Igarappoi. "Let's see if you can keep me entertained."

"Don't let him through!" yelled Igarappoi, stepping back as the hunters charged forward.

BAM!

One of the men fired a pistol, the bullet slicing through the air toward Zoro. But the swordsman moved with superhuman speed, tilting his body to the side and dodging effortlessly. The bullet struck a nearby wall, scattering debris.

"Is that all you've got?" Zoro asked, spinning his sword before advancing. "Pathetic."

WHOOSH!

Zoro vanished in a blur, appearing between two bounty hunters with such speed they barely had time to react. With an arcing slash, he cut their weapons in half, sending them to the ground.

"That monster isn't normal!" one of the hunters shouted, retreating in panic.

"Keep attacking!" yelled Miss Monday, charging with a gigantic hammer. "He's not invincible!"

CLANG!

Her hammer came down with force, but Zoro blocked the strike with one of his swords, sparks flying from the impact. With an agile move, he pushed Miss Monday back, throwing her off balance.

"You've got strength, but you're way too slow," Zoro said, sidestepping before cutting the hammer's strap. The weapon fell to the ground with a thud, and Miss Monday retreated in anger.

"Damn it! Don't let him get near the boss!" Mr. 9 shouted, firing projectiles from his batons.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Zoro dodged effortlessly, moving like a shadow between the attacks. He spun in the air and, with a precise strike, destroyed Mr. 9's batons, sending them flying.

"Is this what you call a fight?" Zoro asked, his voice dripping with disdain. He slashed through a row of bounty hunters, his swords moving with lethal precision. Men fell around him, their weapons broken and useless.

SLASH!

A sweeping arc brought down four more hunters, who stumbled back in fear. The street was littered with debris and shattered weapons.

Igarappoi began to sweat, his smile slowly fading. "Mamammmama! You're useless! Kill him now!"

Zoro walked slowly toward Igarappoi, his eyes locked on the leader. He pointed one of his swords directly at him.

"I expected more from Baroque Works," Zoro said, his voice cold and defiant. "If this is all you've got, I think I'll be disappointed."

Igarappoi took a step back, his confidence evaporating as Zoro advanced, surrounded by the deadly silence of his fallen opponents.

___

Inside one of the houses, the metallic smell of blood mixed with the tense atmosphere. The bodies of hunters were scattered across the floor, evidence of a fierce battle that had taken place there.

Riser, leaning casually against the window, watched Zoro's fight with a calm smile on his lips.

"I knew he would survive," Riser said, breaking the silence as he raised an improvised goblet toward Alvida. "You should have bet with me, but instead you decided the swordsman wouldn't last."

Alvida, sitting on a nearby chair, crossed her arms in irritation. "He could still die, you know? Don't underestimate the numbers."

"But numbers don't matter to Zoro," Riser replied, pointing toward the window. "Look at him. He's like a predator surrounded by prey."

Nami, on the other side of the room, frowned as she wiped her hands on a blood-stained cloth. The smell of blood seemed to disturb her as much as Riser's nonchalant remarks.

"You two are unbearable," Nami said, throwing the cloth to the floor. "While you're betting on whether Zoro lives or dies, I was planning to rob these hunters! But now, with all this chaos, they don't have anything valuable left."

Riser shrugged, keeping his eyes on the fight. "That's your problem. I'm just having fun."

"My problem?!" Nami exclaimed, irritated. "And this awful smell? You've turned this house into a crime scene! Do you think I'll be able to do business here?"

Alvida let out a low laugh, leaning back in her chair. "Nami, you need to learn to relax. It's not like we have many options in the Grand Line."

Nami pointed to the bodies scattered across the floor. "This isn't about relaxing, it's about seizing opportunities! And you two just ruined everything!"

Riser finally turned to Nami, crossing his arms. He smiled provocatively before responding.

"Let the others sleep. Usopp won't be much help right now. Sanji? I'd rather not interrupt his wet dreams. And Luffy? After how much he ate, it's dangerous to wake him up; he might get sick."

Nami rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed by Riser's carefree tone. "You're impossible," she said, crossing her arms as she looked out the window. "While you're playing around, Zoro is out there fighting a crowd all by himself."

Riser took a step closer to her, watching the swordsman. "And he's doing just fine, don't you think? He doesn't need help. This is his training."

---

Meanwhile, in the street, Zoro continued his fierce battle. The gleam of his swords illuminated the night, each strike echoing with power.

SHING!

CLANG!

Igarappoi, retreating further and further, was sweating as he watched his men fall one by one. "This is getting out of control! Why can't anyone stop this guy?"

Miss Wednesday, standing beside him, watched Zoro with a mix of fascination and apprehension. "He's much stronger than we expected," she murmured. "But what about the rest of the crew? Where are they?"

"Probably sleeping," Mr. 9 replied, adjusting his hat with a forced smile. "Which means we still have a chance."

"Not for much longer," Miss Wednesday said, narrowing her eyes as Zoro took down three more hunters with a single strike. "He's taking everyone down."

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