"Boss Duval, we're back!"
"Hm?"
Duval glanced at the three subordinates and frowned. "Why are there only two flying fish left?"
"And you didn't bring back the mermaid Camie…"
Macro's expression darkened as well. He had already provided all the intel, yet they still failed?
Had that idiot Camie somehow gotten smarter?
"Boss, more importantly—we have something even bigger to report!" Lor said excitedly.
Seeing his excitement, Duval's eyes narrowed in confusion.
They failed the mission, yet he looked thrilled?
"What is it?"
"We found the Straw Hat Pirates."
"What did you say?!"
Duval shot to his feet, his bloodshot eyes locking onto Lor. "Say that again!"
"We… we found the Straw Hat Pirates," Lor repeated. "They're with the mermaid, and they're heading this way."
"Good… good!"
"My mortal enemy… Black Leg Sanji, you've finally come!!"
"Hahahahaha!!"
Duval burst into manic laughter, like a madman. Macro instinctively took a step back.
"Has he lost his mind?" the fish-man named Freshwater muttered.
"Shut up, idiot!" Macro hissed in panic.
"I think so too."
"You shut up too, damn it!"
Unfortunately, his two companions lacked the sense to read the situation.
"Sorry, Boss Duval. They're idiots—please don't mind them."
"It's fine… fine!"
"I don't care about such trivial things." Duval lowered his head, staring at Macro. "In fact, you're angels who brought me good fortune~"
"A-angels?"
Macro was completely confused.
"You brought me the Straw Hat Pirates! Of course you're angels!" Duval smashed a nearby wall with one punch. "My nightmare… is finally coming to an end!!"
"You… have a grudge against them?" Macro asked cautiously.
By now, he understood—the reason Duval stayed here was to find the Straw Hat Pirates.
That's why they inspected every passing ship.
But… why?
"A grudge?!"
"Of course I do!"
"If not for him, would I be like this?!"
"Just thinking about that man makes my wounds ache…"
As he spoke, Duval subconsciously touched his back, his gaze growing colder.
That scar—
It came from a bounty hunter.
And the reason?
He looked exactly like that bastard!
If not for sheer luck, he'd already be dead!
At that thought, Duval's fury intensified.
"Who are the Straw Hat Pirates?" Freshwater asked blankly.
"Shut up, idiot!"
Macro nearly lost his mind.
Even if they didn't know, this wasn't the time to ask!
Seeing Freshwater about to speak again, Macro clamped his mouth shut.
Then he turned to Duval with a forced smile.
Duval didn't care.
"Boss, what's the plan?" Lor asked. "You know how high their total bounty is, right?"
"Of course I do!"
Duval said coldly, "But this is the sea. What does a billion Beli bounty matter?"
"As long as we drag them into the water… we win."
Duval read the newspapers daily. He knew exactly how terrifying the Straw Hat Pirates' bounty was.
But that didn't matter.
His hatred for Sanji outweighed everything.
"But they have a ninja…"
"So what?" Duval sneered. "Probably just a Devil Fruit user. Knock him into the sea!"
"Understood!"
Lor and the others stood at attention.
They had realized—Duval didn't care about the Straw Hats' bounty at all.
But…
If they succeeded, not only would they avenge their boss, they'd gain over a billion Beli!
Their eyes burned with greed.
"Wait… hold on…"
Macro stared at them in disbelief. "Did you say their total bounty is over a billion?"
"Yeah."
Macro: ...
He took a step back, looking at them like lunatics.
Where did they get the courage to fight such a crew?!
That wasn't some random pirate group!
A crew with that kind of bounty couldn't possibly be weak!
'Damn it… why are pirates like that here?'
Fear crept into Macro's heart.
Money was great—but only if you lived to spend it.
"Relax," Duval said, calming down. "You don't need to fight them."
"That's good…"
Macro sighed in relief.
That meant they only needed to capture Camie and Hatchan.
Low risk, high reward.
As for paying Duval?
'Heh… if he gets killed by the Straw Hats, we won't have to pay him at all,' Macro thought smugly.
Of course, if Duval actually won, they wouldn't mind helping.
After all… underwater, dealing with Devil Fruit users was easy.
Either way, it was a win.
"Hey… wait…" Hatchan spoke up. "The Straw Hat Pirates' captain… is he Straw Hat Luffy?"
"Yeah."
Hatchan: ...
His face darkened.
"Why them…"
Back in East Blue, he and Arlong had done unforgivable things to Nami.
She must still hate him…
"Do you know them?" Macro asked sharply.
Hatchan ignored him and lowered his head, thinking.
If he escaped now, he could avoid meeting Nami.
But Camie was with them…
Hopefully, she wasn't captured by them.
'I need to escape first…'
"Hey, Macro, let me go," Hatchan said. "I'll make you takoyaki in return."
"Don't be ridiculous! Do I look like a glutton?!"
But as soon as he finished—
"Takoyaki?!" Freshwater drooled.
Macro: ...
"Idiot!"
He smacked Freshwater. "Sell them and we can buy all the takoyaki we want!"
"Oh…"
Looking at his pitiful companion, Macro felt exhausted.
"What a burden…"
"Give it up," he told Hatchan. "There's no escaping."
He had already figured it out—this guy didn't know the Straw Hats well.
Otherwise, he'd have threatened him.
At that moment, Hatchan suddenly spat out a huge amount of ink, dyeing himself completely black.
Macro: ???
What was that supposed to do?
"Alright, prepare yourselves," Duval said. "Make sure the Straw Hats don't escape!"
"Yes!"
Looking toward the sea, his eyes burned cold.
This time—
He would personally kill Black Leg Sanji.
"Click—"
He hoisted a massive harpoon gun onto his shoulder and smirked.
…
"That should be the place," Franky said, looking at the structure ahead. "Quite a unique design."
"I've caught a disease… I can't go on the island…" Usopp muttered.
"This isn't an island," Franky said. "Just a man-made sea base."
Such a place could be wiped out by a strong tsunami.
"But if the sea is calm, it's fine."
"Not an island… then I have a disease—I can't go on sea bases…"
"Oh? Want Jin to treat you?" Franky smirked.
Jin immediately gave Usopp a "kind" smile. "That's doable~"
"Cough… I suddenly feel better."
"Eh?!"
Papagu stared in shock.
What kind of miracle cure was that?!
"Don't mind him," Nami said. "He's always like this."
Everyone was already used to it—even Merry wasn't fooled anymore.
"Please be careful," Camie said seriously. "They've captured me thirty times. They're very dangerous!"
"Thirty times… how easy are you to catch…" Jin muttered.
Getting eaten twenty times and captured thirty times…
How was she still alive?
Maybe luck really favored fools.
"Merry, take us in!" Luffy ordered.
"Okay!"
The Thousand Sunny sailed into the base.
But it was eerily quiet.
"What's going on?"
"Why is it so silent?"
"They're hiding somewhere unexpected," Jin said.
"Eh?!"
Camie stared at him in shock. "How did you figure that out?!"
"I didn't think of that at all…"
"That's why you get captured so often!" Jin shot back.
"Sorry…"
Jin: ...
Why was she apologizing again…
Shaking his head, Jin activated his Sharingan.
Soon, he spotted a cage hanging over the sea—with a figure inside.
"A… black fish-man?"
He blinked.
Fish-men came in that color?
"Hey Camie, is your friend a black fish-man?"
"No, he's an octopus fish-man."
Jin: ???
Looking again—
Six arms.
"…It really is him?"
As the Sunny approached—
"Don't come closer!" Hatchan shouted. "It's a trap! Run!"
"It really is Hatchan…"
"Eh?!"
"Why are you so black?!"
Camie and Papagu were stunned.
"Ah… there's a reason…"
Hatchan awkwardly scratched his head.
"Anyway, leave!"
"We're here to save you!"
"Idiots! It's a trap!" Hatchan yelled. "They're waiting for you!"
"Take Papagu and run!"
"I'll catch up later!"
"No!"
Camie jumped forward. "You saved us so many times before!"
"This time, we'll save you!"
"Exactly!" Papagu said.
Even without help, they jumped into the sea.
"That idiot…"
Sanji clenched his fists. "Camie is innocent…"
But without Nami's approval, he couldn't act.
Then—
"Ah!!"
"Got you, Camie!" Macro laughed.
"You won't escape this time!"
"Big money!"
Hatchan roared, smashing his head against the cage.
"Let her go!"
Even as blood streamed down, he didn't stop.
Nami watched silently.
"…Let's do it," she said.
"Let's save Hatchan too."
"Really?"
"…He's not a bad person."
"…Let's just save them."
"Got it."
Luffy stretched his arms.
"Gum-Gum Capture!"
"Whoosh—!"
He grabbed Camie and Papagu, pulling them back instantly.
"Luffy-chan!"
"What ability is that?!" Macro panicked.
"Fire Star!"
"Boom!!"
The three fish-men were blasted into the sea.
"Jin," Luffy said. "Your turn. Don't forget the takoyaki."
"Got it."
Jin stepped forward.
"Water Release: Water Shockwave!"
"Buzz—"
The sea trembled.
Then—
"BOOM!!!"
A massive surge erupted, splitting the ocean and rising into a colossal tsunami!
"Ts… tsunami?!"
Hatchan's eyes widened in horror.
This wasn't a jutsu—
This was a natural disaster!
"Wait—I'm in front of it!"
"BOOM!!!"
The wave crashed forward, sweeping everything away.
Structures crumbled instantly.
The entire base was destroyed in one strike.
"…Done."
Jin spoke calmly.
Camie and Papagu stared, stunned.
He created a tsunami?!
Was this… a ninja?!
"So cool!!" Papagu shouted.
"Even seeing it again, it's insane," Franky said.
"No wonder the World Government is interested in him…"
Brook added, "Is this how you defeated the Buster Call?"
"…That was even more exaggerated," Usopp said.
"More?!"
Brook froze.
"If you see it, you'll understand."
Then—
"Wait! Hatchan is still there!"
"Relax," Jin said.
A stream of water rose—
Carrying a cage.
"Clang—"
It landed on the deck.
"…Saved…"
"Hatchan!!"
Camie rushed over.
"Why is he so beaten up?"
"…No idea…"
Everyone glanced at Jin.
…Was that intentional?
Jin remained calm.
Nami's heart warmed slightly.
"Zoro."
"Yeah."
One slash—
The cage shattered.
"Thank you… Roronoa…"
"Captain's orders."
Zoro turned away.
"Nami, I…"
"Later," Nami said coldly.
Hatchan lowered his head.
"Jin, did anyone survive?" Franky asked.
"Yes."
Because at that moment—
"Boom!"
Several figures burst from the sea behind them.
"Barely survived…" Lor gasped.
"Ah… hiding in the rear?"
Jin turned.
"Perfect," Franky grinned.
"Interrogation time."
"Agreed."
Then—
"DAMN YOU!!!"
Duval emerged from the ruins, furious.
He had planned a surprise attack—
But instead, he got hit by a tsunami.
"If not for luck, I'd be dead!"
Staggering forward, he roared—
"BLACK LEG SANJI!!!"
Everyone froze.
"…You?"
"Why is he after you?" Jin asked.
"I don't know!"
Sanji frowned.
"I don't remember him…"
"Show your face!" he shouted.
Duval trembled.
"…Fine."
"Look closely at this face!"
He removed his helmet—
Revealing a face identical to Sanji's wanted poster.
Straw Hat Crew: ...
Straw Hat Crew: !!!!!!
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