Chapter 17: Follow-up Mission: Arrest or Kill Buggy the Clown
"That lightning bolt?"
On the tall building, Papanov, standing behind Smoker, held a pair of binoculars, filled with doubt.
Could it be… just like when we captured Ashburn on the deserted island?
Is the Straw Hat kid also being watched over by the heavens?
Meanwhile…
The heavy rain poured down, but the cigar in Smoker's mouth remained lit.
He turned to the navy soldiers behind him, still somewhat in shock, and asked, "Hey, have you ever seen a pirate laughing on the execution platform?"
"How could that be? No matter how powerful a person is, they would be pale and die in despair at the moment of death," a soldier who hadn't seen Luffy's smile retorted.
"But that man with the straw hat laughed…"
Smoker took a deep breath, the smoke around his head thickening, "Just like twenty-two years ago, when the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, smiled on this execution platform."
He couldn't understand why someone would smile at the moment of death.
Did he know he would be saved?
No…
Smoker shook his head.
At that moment, he might have truly believed his life was ending and accepted it, which is why he smiled so peacefully.
"Where are the Straw Hat crew?"
"They are fleeing towards the sea."
"Notify the soldiers in town, no matter what, bring those guys back!"
…
"Is there even a choice? Of course, I'll choose option 3."
Vivian extinguished his cigarette and was about to leave when Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji came charging towards him.
Seeing this, Kuto, with his swollen face, immediately drew his sword and blocked their path without a word.
"Die, Straw Hat kid! Don't think you can leave Loguetown alive!"
"Huh? A guy with a weird face!" Luffy, running, was startled by Kuto's sudden appearance.
"Who are you calling weird-faced?!" Kuto, enraged, swung his knife directly at Luffy.
At the same time, Zoro drew his sword, Yubashiri, and clashed with Kuto's military knife.
Clang—!
A crisp sound rang out, Zoro's biceps bulging with veins, feeling the strength from the blade. Zoro grinned, slightly excited, "A swordsman?"
"Then let me take you on."
Swish!
Drawing three swords, holding one in each hand and one in his mouth, Zoro crouched slightly.
His aura exploded at that moment.
"Three-Sword Style: Oni Giri!"
Zoro, the master of naming, let out a roar, and his figure flashed past Kuto like a ghost. In the blink of an eye, the bandages wrapped around Kuto's body were torn into several pieces, and blood flowed freely.
"For… justice…"
Kuto spat out a mouthful of blood, gritting his teeth, still wanting to turn and fight again. However, before he could raise his blade, Vivian, who had been watching, kicked him unconscious.
Luffy: ???
Sanji: ???
Zoro: ???
That guy… isn't he wearing a navy uniform? Why did he suddenly attack his own comrade?
The three were stunned, watching as Vivian picked up Kuto and ran away. They stood there, not knowing how to react.
"Why does that guy look familiar?" Luffy tilted his head, mumbling to himself.
Moments later…
"Catch them!" Papanov appeared with a group of marines, snapping Luffy and the others back to reality. They started running towards the dock again.
…
"Why the heck are you risking your life for just 350,000 Berries a month?"
Vivian threw the unconscious Kuto to the ground, exasperated, and pulled out some medicine and bandages to treat Kuto's wounds.
With his medical skills, he could handle ordinary injuries without any trouble. Therefore, he always carried some medical supplies with him just in case.
Two minutes later, after treating the wounds, Vivian picked up Kuto again, intending to return to the Loguetown base. But just then, a scream from a nearby alley caught his attention.
Curious, Vivian approached and peeked in, seeing several pirates cornering a mother and daughter, slapping them harshly.
"Hey, strip off your clothes and hand over all your money, don't you understand?"
"If you don't comply, I'll start with your daughter." One pirate said, reaching for the little girl beside the woman.
{They have free time?}
Seeing this, the woman immediately knelt down, her face full of fear, begging for mercy.
Meanwhile…
"No options appeared…"
Is it because the previous option hasn't been completed, or because the current danger level isn't high enough?
That makes sense. Pirates of this level shouldn't cause me any trouble.
Thinking this, Vivian quickly drew his blade and stepped forward in an instant.
Whoosh—!
A flash of golden light streaked by.
In the alley, the woman tightly closed her eyes, her tears still wet on her face.
The little girl curled up in her arms, trembling uncontrollably, not daring to look at the pirates.
After a long time…
Seeing no movement, the woman cautiously opened her eyes.
The fierce and ugly pirates had disappeared, replaced by their charred corpses scattered on the ground.
…
"Hiss~~ Phew!"
Still on the streets of Loguetown.
On the way to the dock, Vivian, with a half-smoked cigarette in his mouth, watched the pirates looting and causing chaos to hinder the navy's pursuit. An unprecedented anger surged from deep within him.
"Hey, get lost, damn navy!"
A blade thrust forward.
Vivian lightly stepped to the left, dodging the attack, and instantly drew his sword, cutting a deep wound in the opponent's waist.
"Kabaji!!"
Several members of the Buggy Pirates exclaimed from behind.
At the same time, a prompt appeared before Vivian:
[You chose option 2]
[Follow-up mission: Successfully arrest or kill Buggy the Clown]
"A chain mission, here we go again."