CHAPTER 3: ENTER ZOLO-PIRATE HUNTER

A full-page splash shows Luffy lounging casually with his feet up, riding atop a massive shark-like sea creature as it leaps through the waves. Seagulls fly overhead and bubbles rise around them. The chapter title is displayed prominently above the scene.

Luffy and Coby arrive at a bustling naval base town. "DA—DUM" Luffy raises his fist excitedly, shouting, "WE'RE FINALLY HERE! WE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE NAVAL BASE TOWN." "YEAH! WE FINALLY MADE IT!" Coby looks surprised. "KOBY, YOU'RE AMAZING!" "HUHI" Coby explains proudly, "OF COURSE I DID! THAT'S THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO SAIL THE SEAS." Luffy grins, "YOU ACTUALLY GOT US TO OUR DESTINATION!" "TA—DA" Luffy declares, "YEAH!! THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO!! NOW, LET'S EAT!!" Coby warns him, "LUFFY, IF YOU KEEP RANDOMLY FLOATING AROUND, YOU'LL NEVER BECOME A PIRATE. YOU SHOULD FIND A NAVIGATOR FOR YOUR CREW."

Inside a restaurant, Luffy and Coby share a meal. Coby says, "AND I HOPE YOU BECOME A GREAT PIRATE!" Luffy replies, "TH-THANK YOU, LUFFY!" Coby continues, "I HOPE YOU JOIN THE NAVY AND BECOME A GREAT SAILOR!" Luffy answers, "WELL, KOBY, I GUESS THIS IS WHERE WE GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS." Coby adds, "...EVEN IF THAT MEANS WE'LL BE ENEMIES." Suddenly a loud "KRASH!!!" erupts as tables and chairs fly. Luffy realizes, "HEY, I JUST REMEMBERED... THAT GUY IS SUPPOSED TO BE IMPRISONED HERE-- RORONOA ZOLO..." Coby whispers nervously, "HMMM... MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T SAY THAT NAME OUT LOUD AROUND HERE..." "PSST PSST" The other patrons react with shock, trembling as "TRMBL TRMBL" fills the room.

A massive crash erupts inside the restaurant as tables and chairs fly everywhere. KRATA-KRASH! Luffy and Coby react in shock. "WOW!!" "HUH!I" Coby explains, "I saw a poster that said Captain Morgan is at this base." Outside on the street, Luffy grins and clutches his stomach. "HA HA HA HA HA! WHAT A GREAT RESTAURANT! I WANT TO GO BACK THERE AGAIN!" Coby panics, hands on his chest. "EVERYONE IS SO JUMPY! I'M GETTING A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS!" Two locals discuss the tension. "WHY WOULD THAT HAPPEN!I" "WHO KNOWS!I MAYBE THEY JUST GOT CARRIED AWAY!" Coby sweats nervously. "I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THEY GET NERVOUS WHEN THEY HEAR RORONOA ZOLO'S NAME--HE MIGHT ESCAPE AT ANY MOMENT!" Luffy walks away carrying a sack. "I'M TRYING TO THINK SERIOUSLY HERE..."

A towering Marine base looms ahead with bold stripes and a "MARINE" sign. DA-DUM!! Coby stares in awe. "IT LOOKS SO BIG UP CLOSE!" Luffy and Coby stand before the massive gates marked with Marine symbols. Luffy immediately scales the outer wall with a loud SHUMP. Coby yells up, "LUFFY! WHAT'RE YOU DOING!I" Luffy peeks over the top, eyes sparkling. "...THE DEMONIC BEAST FROM HERE. I WONDER IF I CAN SEE..." Coby fidgets anxiously. "B-BUT I HAVEN'T MENTALLY PREPARED MYSELF YET... AND THOSE PEOPLE SURE WERE SCARED WHEN THEY HEARD THE CAPTAIN'S NAME..." Luffy laughs from the wall. "GO ON IN, KOBY!"

Luffy dashes along the wall while Coby calls after him. "MAYBE IT'S ZOLO!" "OH YEAHI WELL THERE'S SOMEBODY OVER THERE!" "HE'S PROBABLY DEEP WITHIN THE BOWELS OF THE PRISON..." "YOU WON'T FIND HIM JUST BY PEEKING OVER THE FENCE." A massive close-up shows a glaring eye with dramatic shading. SHAAAAA! Luffy and Coby peer over the fence. "IT'S REALLY HIM! THAT'S RORONOA ZOLO!!!" Coby trembles. "HE LOOKS SO... MENACING!!!" A black bandanna and haramaki sash are visible on the bound figure. "A B-BLACK BANDANNA AND A HARAMAKI SASH!!!" Luffy grins excitedly. "THERE HE IS!" Coby's eyes widen in terror. "WHAT'S WRONG!I"

Roronoa Zoro is bound tightly to a massive wooden post with thick ropes around his arms and torso, his back to the viewer and legs spread in a defiant stance. Below, Luffy peeks from behind the fence at the distant figure of Zoro standing with swords planted in the ground. Luffy thinks to himself, "SO THAT'S HIM, HMM! I COULD JUST UNTIE THOSE ROPES AND SET HIM FREE..."

A frantic voice warns, "IF YOU LET HIM LOOSE, HE'LL KILL US THEN WRECK THE TOWN!!" Another shouts, "THAT'S SUICIDE!!" From the window, someone calls, "HEY, KID!" Inside, a startled figure yelps, "YIKES!" "HUHI" Below, Roronoa Zoro strains against his bonds, sweat on his face. "I'VE BEEN HERE FOR NINE DAYS AND I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE," he growls. "COME OVER HERE......AND UNTIE ME..." The massive onomatopoeia "SHAAOOC" erupts as he pulls. He continues, "I'LL CAPTURE SOMEONE WITH A BIG PRICE ON THEIR HEAD AND GIVE ALL OF THE BOUNTY TO YOU. YOU CAN TRUST ME. I'M A MAN OF MY WORD." "I'll make it worth your while." From behind the wall, Coby and Luffy peek out. Coby stammers, "H-H-HE'S TALKING TO US!!" Luffy exclaims, "HEY! HE'S SMILING!"

Luffy grins confidently and declares, "I WOULDN'T LET HIM!" Coby counters, "HE COULDN'T." From the side, Coby pleads, "AS SOON AS YOU UNTIE HIM, HE'LL KILL US AND GET AWAY! I JUST KNOW IT! D-DON'T DO IT, LUFFY!" Zoro suddenly reacts with a sharp "HUH!I" and a huffing "HUFF". The three children duck down. Luffy whispers, "SHHH!" while Coby and Luffy both react, "HUH!I" "HUH!I" The bound swordsman's enormous head looms over the wall as he grins, "WHAT A BIG HEAD HE'S GOT!" A loud "WHACK" sounds as something strikes nearby.

Zoro glares from the post, asking, "WHADDA YOU WANTI" In the courtyard, footsteps approach with "TMP TMP..." while a distant figure walks away. The little girl in the striped dress offers rice balls, smiling, "I MADE THESE RICE BALLS FOR YOU! I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT NEED SOME FOOD!" Zoro snaps, "GET LOST! DO YOU WANT TO GET KILLED!I" Luffy asks, "WHY DON'T YOU DO IT YOURSELFI" Coby urges, "LUFFY! DO SOMETHING! SHE'LL BE KILLED!" The girl stomps angrily, "OR I'LL STOMP YOU TO DEATH!!" Luffy protests, "I DON'T WANT IT!! NOW GET OUTTA HERE!!" "B-BUT..." She insists, "NOW BEAT IT AND TAKE THAT STUFF WITH YOU!!" Zoro turns away, stating, "I'M... NOT HUNGRY!! IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER MADE RICE BALLS. I HOPE YOU LIKE THEM."

A furious figure points and yells, "I'LL TELL MY FATHER ON YOU!" Nearby marines stand at attention. A flamboyant man in a dark coat appears, smirking as he declares, "YOU SHOULDN'T PICK ON LITTLE GIRLS, RORONOA ZORO!!!" Luffy asks, "WHO'S THAT WEIRDOI" Coby notes, "HE MUST BE SOME HIGH RANKING NAVAL OFFICER. NOW THAT LITTLE GIRL WILL BE SAFE." The man, identified by his sign as "HELMEPPO CAPTAIN MORGAN'S SON", sneers, "WELL... IF IT ISN'T THE IDIOT SON, LIVING OFF DADDY'S WEALTH." Zoro grunts, "HMPF!" An outraged voice demands, "DID YOU JUST CALL ME AN 'IDIOT'I" A man in uniform warns, "A MAN IN YOUR POSITION SHOULD GUARD HIS TONGUE... OR HE COULD LOSE IT!" The large onomatopoeia "HE-DA!!" and "KLANG" punctuate the tense standoff.

A furious man with slicked-back hair and a fancy coat snatches rice balls from a small girl in a striped dress. "SNATCH" "HEY! GIVE IT BACK!" he yells. "LITTLE GIRL... DID YOU BRING THOSE RICE BALLS FOR MEI HOW THOUGHTFUL." He tastes one and recoils in disgust: "DISGUSTING! IT'S SWEET! THERE'S SUGAR ON IT! BLECH! RICE BALLS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SEASONED WITH SALT! NOT SUGAR!!" The girl watches in shock as he stomps the rice balls into the dirt with repeated "SPLAK" and "SPLAK" sounds, shouting "THESE ARE COMPLETELY INEDIBLE!!" Nearby, two boys peek over a wall in horror. The girl clutches the remains and protests, "B-BUT I LIKE SWEETS, SO I FIGURED SUGAR WOULD BE BETTER!" The man laughs wildly as ants swarm the crushed rice balls: "HA HA HA! DON'T WORRY! I'M SURE THE ANTS FIND THEM DELICIOUS!"

The little girl bursts into tears, sobbing "WHY!!! I WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE THEM!!" while the man sneers, "THAT'S WHY I HATE KIDS! OH, STOP THAT CRYING!" He points to a Marine sign reading "MARINE - ANYONE AIDING THIS PRISONER SHALL BE FOUND GUILTY OF THE CRIMES HE HAS COMMITTED. -CAPTAIN MORGAN" and snaps, "IT SAYS, 'ANYONE AIDING THIS PRISONER SHALL BE FOUND GUILTY...' CAN'T YOU READ THIS SIGNI IT'S YOUR OWN FAULT!" The girl sniffles, "IF YOU WERE AN ADULT, YOU WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH!" A furious Marine with a tall hat appears, yelling "I'LL TELL DADDY ON YOU!" The man panics, "Y-YES SIR... RIGHT AWAY!!" and orders, "I'M ORDERING YOU TO THROW THAT LITTLE BRAT OVER THE FENCE! ARE YOU GOING TO DISOBEY A DIRECT ORDER!I" Another Marine protests, "B-BUT... YOU THREW THAT BRAT OVER THE FENCE!!"

A small figure is hurled over a tall brick fence with a massive "SPLOTNG" impact, tumbling through the air as a voice cries "YAH H!!" The figure lands hard. Monkey D. Luffy stands up, bruised and annoyed, while two children rush to help the little girl. Luffy mutters, "... WHAT A BAD MAN....!" The girl is comforted as the children ask, "ARE YOU OKAY!I" In the courtyard, Roronoa Zoro remains bound to a post in a cross shape. A Marine laughs, "HA HA HA! IF YOU SURVIVE OUT HERE FOR A MONTH, THEN I'LL LET YOU GO!! I WON'T DREAM OF BREAKING MY WORD." Zoro growls back, "HA HA HA! IT'S MY PLEASURE, I'M SURE!! YOU JUST KEEP YOUR END OF THE BARGAIN!" Helmeppo smirks nearby, "MY, AREN'T YOU A STUBBORN ONE! THAT'S RIGHT, I'M GONNA LAST OUT THE ENTIRE MONTH!"

Luffy approaches the bound Zoro. A Marine warns, "BETTER NOT LET HELMEPPO'S FATHER CATCH YOU. LOOK..." Zoro glares, "YOU STILL HEREI" Luffy stares in surprise. Zoro declares, "WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT!I BUT BECOMING A PIRATE'S MY DREAM! YOU THINK I'D LOWER MYSELF TO THAT LEVELI NO THANKS! I'M LOOKING FOR GOOD MEN TO JOIN MY PIRATE CREW." Luffy grins widely, "YOU'VE GOT A PRETTY BAD REPUTATION, YOU KNOWI" Zoro replies, "I HAVEN'T DECIDED IF I'LL ASK YOU YET..." Luffy leans in, "YOU THINK IF YOU UNTIE ME... I'M GONNA JOIN YOUR PIRATE CREWI"

Bound tightly to a wooden post in the town square, Roronoa Zoro glares ahead while speaking to the boy in the straw hat. "All I have to do is last for a month here, then I'm a free man! I don't need your help, I can get out of here on my own. Well, anyway, I don't go for that kind of deal. I've got my own plans for the future." A voice from the background mentions, "Captain Morgan's idiot son promised me." Zoro continues, "Bad reputation, huhI Then I'll be free to pursue my dream!!! All I've got to do is survive here for one month." The straw hat boy reacts with surprise. "HuhI Hey, wait a minute... So go look for a crew elsewhere... Me and you are different. I've got more willpower. Pick that up for me." Zoro eyes the offered food skeptically. The boy adds, "Hmm... I see. I don't think I could last one week without food."

Zoro shouts furiously at the straw hat boy, "Just shut up and feed it to me! And don't miss one grain of rice!" The boy holds out a dirt-covered rice ball, protesting, "You're not going to eat it!I It's more of a dirt ball than a rice ball now... I know you're hungry, but this--" Zoro snaps, "Shut up!" He then devours the rice ball in huge bites despite the dirt, twisting against his bonds as he chokes and coughs: "Koff... T-tell the kid... I told you it was mostly dirt, you wanna kill yourselfI Hak koff koff!!!" The boy watches with a grin. Later, smiling widely, the boy says, "Tell her I said it was delicious. Tell her I ate it all. Ha ha ha!" Zoro, still bound, sweats and mutters, "Tell her I said it was delicious."

In town, a girl with glasses and a boy in a striped shirt talk with the straw hat boy. "Could that guy really be as bad as everyone saysI I'm so glad! He's not a bad guy! Yeah! He ate it all up! Really!I" The striped-shirt girl explains, "Roronoa Zoro saved me! Besides, those dogs were running loose and scaring everybody in town! Captain Morgan's son had a bunch of mean dogs! They attacked me... He got thrown into prison 'cause of me." The glasses girl adds, "But he hasn't done anything wrong! Everybody in town is afraid of him... And he wouldn't get thrown into prison for that! Zoro's really scary, but he only goes after people with a price on their heads. That makes sense!" The straw hat boy listens intently as the townspeople discuss Zoro's imprisonment.

The straw hat boy yells angrily at the townspeople, "Ha ha ha! You're not bowing your heads low enough, scum! I'll tell my father on all of you!!" A girl replies, "They put people to death for no reason at all! Everyone's afraid of them." The boy in the vest continues, "Captain Morgan and his son are the bad ones!" Helmeppo, furious, declares, "We'll make an example of him! I can hardly wait! We're going to hold a public execution for him in three days!! Do you want to be jailed like Roronoa Zoro!I" The straw hat boy reacts in shock, "Three daysI" Elsewhere, Helmeppo rages, "Captain Morgan's idiot son promised me, all I've got to do is survive here for one month. He's just a stupid beast for believing it!! That promise was just a joke!! WhatI Where did you hear about thatI But... you made a promise to him!I" The crowd gasps in fear.

In a chaotic clash, Luffy launches a powerful kick that sends a marine officer flying backward with a scream of "AAAAH!" as impact lines and "BAM" explode across the panel. The officer's hat flies off amid the "ARRRH!!!!!" sound effects. Below, Luffy stands determined before Koby, declaring, "KOBY, I'VE MADE MY DECISION!" Koby reacts with surprise, "HUHI" Luffy continues firmly, "I'M GOING TO ASK ZOLO TO JOIN MY CREW!!!" Nearby panels show panicked reactions as someone shouts, "STOP! CALM DOWN!!" and "THAT GUY IS SCUM!" while another voice yells, "LUFFY!!" The marine officer protests desperately, "YOU WANT TO MAKE AN ENEMY OF THE NAVY, DO YOU!I" as he flails with "RAAH! WAAAH!"

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