53: Chapter 53 Helmeppo! The Sweet vs. Salty BattleThe little girl ran quickly to the cross, looked up at Zoro who was tied up high, and forced a nervous yet kind smile on her face: "Big brother.are you hungry?I.I brought some rice balls!"
Zoro looked down at the brat who had suddenly appeared, so arrogant and ignorant of his place.His brows furrowed even more, and his tone was cold and impatient: "Kid.do you want to die?Get lost!"
The little girl was not deterred.She held up the rice ball wrapped in a clean cloth, her voice carrying a hint of determination:
"Big brother.you haven't eaten anything, have you?Although.although this is my first time making this, I put my heart into it!Please try it!"
Seeing the pure concern and expectation in the little girl's eyes, Zoro's gaze seemed to flicker slightly, but it was quickly masked by a deeper indifference.
He turned his head away, his voice even harsher: "I already said.I'm not hungry!You're in my way!Go back!"
"But." the little girl wanted to say something more.
"So verbose!"
Zoro suddenly turned his head, his eyes turning fierce."If you don't leave.I'll beat you up!" He tried to scare away the kind but unaware-of-danger little guy with his ferocity.
Just then, a small door on the side of the naval base creaked open.A highly affected voice, brimming with an air of superiority, rang out:
"Oh dear~ Don't bully me~ Roronoa Zoro~"
A young man, dressed in extravagant clothes, with slicked-back hair and a repulsive fake smile, strolled into the training ground with affected gait, escorted by two naval soldiers.
Luffy, perched on the wall, watched the newly appeared guy and couldn't help but mutter, "Wow.another weirdo has appeared."
Koby, as if seeing a savior, breathed a sigh of relief: "Great!It's the Navy!That means.the child is safe!"
The glamorous man walked straight up to the little girl, bent down, and said in a chilling tone:
"Hehe~ This rice ball.looks delicious~"
Completely ignoring the little girl's nervous backing away and her weak protest of "no," he reached out and rudely snatched a rice ball from the cloth bag in her hand.
He opened his mouth and took a big bite, pretending to be elegant.
The next second, Bellemere's fake smile froze instantly!
His eyes widened suddenly, as if he had eaten something extremely terrifying, and he screamed with a contorted expression:
"Pfft—!So sweet.it's unbearably sweet—!It's full of sugar—!"
He stuck out his tongue dramatically, as if he had been utterly insulted: "Rice ball!Rice balls should have salt!They should have salt!Do you even know anything about cooking, you brat?"
The little girl was startled by his sudden reaction and whispered aggrievedly, "I can't believe it!"
"Because.because I think.sweet things taste better."
"Delicious?The very existence of something like this is practically a crime—!"
Berumeber, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, suddenly flew into a rage!He swung his hand violently, knocking all the remaining rice balls from the little girl's hand to the ground!
"Ah!My rice ball!" the little girl exclaimed.
But that's not all!
Bellemere lifted his gleaming leather shoes and, with utter malice and humiliation, stomped hard on the rice ball that had fallen to the ground!He ground it with all his might!
"Trash!This kind of thing only deserves to be trampled underfoot!"
"don't want--!"
Seeing her carefully made rice balls, imbued with her heartfelt emotions, being trampled upon like this, the little girl could no longer hold back.She knelt on the ground and cried sadly, "Waaah.I made them with such care."
Koby, watching from the top of the wall, was furious, his fists clenched: "This is outrageous!How could they treat a little girl like this!"
Looking at the crying little girl, Bellemere showed no pity whatsoever; instead, a cruel and triumphant smile appeared on his face.
He slowly pulled a folded piece of paper from the inner pocket of his ornate clothes, then unfolded it with a swift motion, displaying it to the little girl, his voice filled with threat:
"Hey!Kid!Didn't you see this notice?"
The notice boldly proclaimed: "Providing any form of assistance to the criminal Roronoa Soron is strictly prohibited!Violators will be punished as accomplices and sentenced to death!"
At the very bottom of the notice was a flamboyant and imposing signature—Naval Captain Munka!
Bellemere tapped the crushed rice ball on the ground with his foot, then waved the notice in his hand, grinning maliciously at the little girl:
"Those who help criminals.should also be sentenced to death!"
This is an order personally signed by my father, Colonel Monca!
He leaned closer to the crying little girl, his voice like the flicking of a viper's tongue:
"Hehe.Even a brat like you.knows how terrifying my dad is, right?"
Koby, who was on the wall, overheard Helmeppo's threatening words and finally realized what was happening, letting out a terrified whisper:
"He.he's Colonel Monca's son!No wonder."
Bellemere looked at the crying little girl with undisguised disgust and cruelty on his face.
He arrogantly waved his hand and ordered the naval soldiers behind him, "Hey!You two!Throw this brat out of the way!Throw him as far away as possible!"
The two naval soldiers looked at the crying little girl with hesitant and reluctant expressions on their faces.
"Um?"
Upon seeing this, Helmeppo whirled around, grabbed one of the marines by the collar, and roared viciously:
"I said!Throw her over the wall!Didn't you hear my order?I'll tell my dad!You'll be in big trouble!"
Upon hearing the names "Dad" and "Colonel Monka," the two soldiers' faces turned deathly pale, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
"Yes.yes!Young Master Bellemere!We will comply!" the soldier hurriedly replied, not daring to hesitate any longer.
"No.no!"
The little girl huddled up in fear as she watched the approaching naval soldiers, their expressions helpless yet their movements resolute.
The soldier crouched down, his voice tinged with apology, and whispered, "I'm sorry.little girl, could you curl up a little."
After saying that, he gritted his teeth, used all his strength to pick up the little girl, and threw her forcefully towards the tall wall!
"Ahhh—!"
The little girl's terrified scream shattered the silence of the training ground.
However, just as the little girl's small body was about to crash into the hard wall—"Rubber-Rocket!"
An orange figure shot out from the top of the wall like an arrow!
Luffy's outstretched arm precisely caught the little girl falling from the sky, bringing her safely back to the ground and cushioning all the impact.
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