[Chapter Size: 2555 Words.]
Third Person POV
Whisky Peak, First Half of Grandline.
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As the Black Pearl approached Whisky Peak, the crew observed the island unfolding before their eyes. The arid landscape, with giant cacti punctuating the scenery, gave way to a more detailed view as the ship advanced through the maritime river cutting the island in half.
While the vessel approached the port in the middle of the island’s town, some local observers had already noticed the presence of the Straw Hat Pirates atop strategic locations. News of the arrival of such notorious pirates had already spread through the small community via Den Den Mushis.
As the Black Pearl sailed through the river ahead, a curtain of mist appeared in its path.
“Hey, there’s fog ahead!”
“Nami, are we safe?”
“It’s alright; this is a characteristic of the island,” Nami replied.
“Clear it from our path, Nami,” Nojiko said.
“Yes.” Nami extended her hands, and with a green glow, the wind began to push the fog away from the Black Pearl.
As the mist cleared, a town revealed itself in front of the crew, a town divided between the two sides of the sea-made river. However, something else caught the crew’s attention—the thunderous noise of the residents welcoming them.
The news of the pirates’ arrival spread like wildfire on this island, and the first seeds of a festive commotion began to sprout among the local inhabitants.
Soon, the atmosphere changed from cautious observation to effusive celebration. Improvised musicians began playing cheerful melodies, and local dancers, dressed in colorful attire, initiated a lively dance. As the Black Pearl cut through the sea between the two sides of the town in the middle of the island, the party intensified, and the people of Whisky Peak endeavored to welcome the pirates with contagious joy.
Around the Black Pearl, Luffy remained on the deck with his peculiar smile, indicating that he wasn’t surprised by such a reaction to his crew’s arrival. Although his expression seemed distant, almost uninterested amid the celebration.
“Why is everyone throwing a party for us?” Yamato exclaimed, stunned by Luffy’s disconnection from the festive spirit, expressing her perplexity. Some other crew members also began to share feelings of distrust with this peculiar reception.
The intense joy of the residents of Whisky Peak seemed out of place for a newly arrived group of pirates.
“This is weird…”
“Very suspicious…”
While other members seemed quite happy with it, appearing oblivious to the forced atmosphere.
“What’s wrong?!”
“Yes, they are happy with our arrival!”
“Pirates are the heroes of the people!”
“That’s why the captain wanted to come to this island!”
“Hahahahaa. Let’s celebrate!”
Amid the comments and expressions of naive celebration from his crew, Luffy abruptly interrupted the animation with a single phrase: “Don’t get too excited.”
Silence fell over the deck as he spoke with his serious tone, and everyone awaited the captain’s words to understand what was happening.
“Don’t let these welcomes cloud your caution; they’re setting us up.” Luffy continued, cutting short anyone who had gotten excited on the Black Pearl.
“Let’s head to the port and disembark… But we’re not exactly here to enjoy with these people… Get the prisoners and bring them to the deck.” Luffy said, making it clear that the visit to Whisky Peak had a more serious purpose. The crew nodded, understanding that something was about to happen, and the true reason for their arrival was not to participate in the local celebration.
Lami and Reiju went to get Vivi and her partner from their cells inside the ship. In the past few days, Vivi had tried to talk to Luffy, but with little success with some members of this group who came to bring comedy to her.
She was surprised when these two women appeared amidst all the noise outside the ship and carried them out, and she realized they had arrived in Whisky Peak. She could feel relieved, but this pirate group left her with a frightening feeling; they didn’t seem as simple as the last time she saw Luffy with a 10 million bounty killing a navy commander in the East Blue.
“We’re in Whisky Peak…” Mr. 9 commented.
“Hey, what do you guys plan to do?!” she inquired, with a dark premonition as Luffy seemed so serious on the deck while watching people celebrate.
“I think something bad is going to happen…” her companion commented, tied up beside her.
“Darn it, these pirates, who are they…” The woman bit her lip, feeling the tension in the air.
As the Black Pearl approached the main port, a crowd welcomed them with joyful smiles.
“Welcome!!!” greeted a man with iconic white and curly hair who appeared in front of the ship to receive them, while the gangway extended mechanically from the Black Pearl. Luffy was the first to disembark, confidently advancing to the location.
There was still a crowd of people on both sides of the island cheering enthusiastically for the pirate group appearing.
“Welcome! MA…MA…MA!!” exclaimed the man in a peculiar manner.
“Are you the mayor of this place? What is all this?” Luffy asked, displaying a calm smile on his face. The man, in turn, had bright eyes at that moment, excited about the pirate’s arrival, seemingly falling into his trap. However, those who knew Luffy knew that their captain was plotting something grand as well.
“Yes, my name is Igaram, and I am the mayor of Whisky Peak! MA…MA… MA… We are here to celebrate your arrival! Honorable pirate group! This city is famous for its wine appreciation and music!” replied the man with the same cheerful tone.
“That’s good; we’ll stay here tonight. Bring our prisoners; they will celebrate with us too!” Luffy announced loudly, and Hugo promptly grabbed the man and woman by their clothes to take them off the ship.
With that, Luffy noticed the expression of the self-proclaimed mayor change as he saw the woman being carried and tied up, as it was evident that she was important to him since he is her disguised royal guard.
“Princess Vivi… Hm?!” The man muttered, but his eyes almost bulged a second later when he noticed Luffy pointing a gun at him at that moment without him realizing it, the gun’s barrel aimed at his forehead just inches away.
The mayor’s demeanor, which previously exhibited confidence and joy, quickly transformed into a mixture of shock and apprehension. His widened eyes now revealed a belated understanding of the true nature of the Straw Hat Pirates.
As everyone saw this, the celebration was replaced by an awkward silence that settled in. The crowd that had previously applauded enthusiastically stood still, watching attentively the unfolding scene before them. The festive air that had vibrated with music and dance now seemed to freeze in this part of the island, turning into palpable tension. The sharp click of the gun being cocked cut through the murmur, echoing as a subtle warning to everyone on that dock.
Luffy, with his unmistakable smile, kept the gun aimed at the mayor. His expression, however, did not betray an imminent threat but rather a challenging confidence. The captain of the Straw Hat Pirates was aware of the impact his action would have on the atmosphere, but he didn’t seem to care. Instead, he relished every moment of suspense.
“Igaram!” Vivi, seeing this scene, shouted alarmed and afraid of her friend being killed there.
“What does this mean?!” Igaram commented with a somber face.
“See, I’m in a good mood with these welcomes, but you forgot that we are pirates, not heroes of the people. So, let’s do what we do best: plunder the island!” Luffy grinned devilishly and continued.
“In other words, I’m robbing the place, of course.” Luffy responded, his voice maintaining a deceptive calm while a shrewd smile adorned his lips. His expression contradictory, between challenge and amusement.
“Tell me, didn’t you think the pirate you’re trying to deceive might blow your head off the next moment?” Luffy concluded, maintaining the same expression.
The unfolding scene did not go unnoticed by the attendees. After these words, quickly, a chain reaction spread among the locals who, moments ago, seemed to be enjoying the party. In a disorderly frenzy, a crowd of people drew weapons, ranging from gleaming swords to threatening bazookas, revealing the island’s true face and its constant readiness to face the pirate group.
“What?!”
“Was it a trap?!”
“Everyone is armed?!”
“We’re surrounded!”
“Sharky!”
“There’s a child among them!” Nojiko pointed at Mr. Beans.
“There’s a nun with a bazooka!” Usopp shouted to Miss Catherine.
“Hahahaha. It’s a beautiful trap, Baroque Works.” Luffy laughed, indifferent to their show of power.
The expression of surprise appeared once again as Vivi bit her lip, concerned about these pirates.
“Do you know who we are? Still, thinking of openly facing us, pirate?” The man spoke with a darker tone, his words carrying a mix of challenge and suspicion.
“Of course, we’re the notorious Straw Hat Pirates, after all. But I’m surprised that you want to capture us; I thought a group with a bounty of 470 million on their heads should cause some fear…” Luffy said.
“470 million?!” Vivi and her partners had their eyes bulging out of their faces since they were on a pirate ship with such a staggering bounty, especially Vivi, who thought Luffy had only a 10 million bounty on his head; she didn’t even know that his bounty was currently 200 million.
Luffy had asked curiously, and his voice expressed a hint of doubt that contrasted with his usual confident tone. It was evident that the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates was considering the paradox of his situation: he, with a bounty of 200 million, was now also the biological son of the world’s top criminal. It would be expected that the combination of these factors would generate even greater fear among his adversaries, but it seems that this branch of Baroque Works still tried to set them up.
However, the expression of the man in front of him, Igaram, showed that, despite Luffy’s surprise, the decision to capture them was not shaken at all. Whether due to confidence in his own abilities or fervent belief in his higher-ups’ orders, the idea of facing the Straw Hat Pirates was accepted with determination.
“You may be a pirate captain with 200 million on your head, but you’re just one man. Our boss gave specific orders to capture you,” said Mr. 8 with a firmness that indicated his determination to follow the received orders.
“So it’s a shame you’ll never be able to do that,” replied Luffy, his eyes shining with confidence. A thin aura began to emanate from his body, spreading throughout the crowd on this side of the island. The immediate reaction of those present was surprise at this unexpected development.
“This?!” They exclaimed, surprised at Luffy’s sudden manifestation of power. A gentle breeze caressed their faces, and almost instantly, their knees began to weaken. A feeling of weakness spread through the crowd, which, despite trying to resist, found itself forced to drop their weapons and kneel before the manifestation of the Straw Hat Captain’s Haki.
Unlike the pirates, who could withstand the impact of their own display of power, the surrounding inhabitants began to succumb to the influence of the Haki, forcing them into a submissive posture. The atmosphere that was once charged with the tension of an armed confrontation now transformed into a scenario of collective surrender, reflecting the conquering and still uncontrolled ability of the pirate captain.
“Hey? What is this?” The two tied-up agents exclaimed quickly as they felt themselves submitting to Luffy and saw everyone else doing the same with horror.
“Is this the same power as Yamato?” Zoro was surprised.
“It seems he’s improving, but still, it’s uncontrolled.” Yamato commented, analyzing Luffy’s king’s aura.
Usopp, Nojiko, Megalo, Chouchou felt almost bowing to Luffy’s subtle aura.
“Well, it’s cool to do this, but I still have a lot to learn; I just made them kneel, even though they are ordinary people…” Luffy murmured to himself in his mind while observing the crowd’s reaction to his Haki. The gleam in his eyes revealed a mix of satisfaction and self-awareness of the path he still had to traverse in mastering this ability.
Since leaving Goa and the awakening of Conqueror’s Haki, Luffy had been tirelessly dedicating himself to training, receiving crucial guidance from Yamato on this Haki. The turning point occurred during the speech of the late king Sterry when, for the first time, Luffy managed to unleash his Haki. This significant moment served as a catalyst for him to delve even deeper into his training.
Now, with over two weeks of practice in the time he could manage, the results were starting to manifest. Luffy could release the aura of his Haki, a clear sign of progress in his journey of enhancement. However, he still acknowledged that his strength was weak, and complete control of this ability was currently beyond his reach.
“Nami, Reiju, and Zoro, can you handle everyone on the other side of the island? We’ll tie up all the inhabitants here, and I intend to steal all the gold in this town,” announced Luffy.
The trio flew using Geppo to the other side, while Luffy increased his speed by 40 times, starting to tie up all the individuals on the island, and those who remained fought against the trio without being able to resist their forces on the other side of the river.
With the 300 bounty hunters now properly tied up, Luffy observed the result of his successful strategy with a satisfied smile on his face.
“Ready hahahah!” laughed Luffy, expressing his satisfaction with the effectiveness of his actions. The atmosphere around was palpable, loaded with the tension of the unexpected turn of events as everyone looked at the pirates bewildered and frightened.
“What do you plan to do with us?!” Vivi shouted, still tied up, but Luffy ignored her.
“You’ll never escape from here, pirates! Baroque Works is much more dangerous than you think!” protested one of the captives, although his words sounded more like a powerless cry in the face of the Straw Hat’s firmness.
“Bla bla bla. Let’s ignore your lamentations and finally have that feast!” announced Luffy, reaffirming his decision to move forward with his plans, regardless of resistance attempts.
As the group prepared to celebrate, Nami, maintaining her characteristic shrewdness, questioned the choice to stay on the island with the captives.
“Hey, are we going to stay on this island with these tied-up people?” Nami inquired, expressing her doubt about Luffy’s decision.
“Of course, I’m sure interesting things will happen during this night.” Luffy laughed, anticipating what awaited the group. His focused gaze indicated that, for him, the events on the island were far from over.
Meanwhile, the captives, tied up and powerless, looked on with growing indignation as they witnessed the pirates beginning to plunder and loot the city that, until recently, was vibrant with an apparently innocent celebration. The contrast between the initial joy and the invasion of the Straw Hat Pirates left all the inhabitants, now captives, in a state of shock and disbelief at the audacity of the pirates who now dominated the scene.
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