Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides

"Luffy! Stop! Are you trying to pick a fight with the entire navy!?" Koby grabbed Luffy's shoulders, trying to pull him back.

"That bastard…how dare he lie to him!?" Luffy shouted at Helmeppo. His fists clenched in anger.

"Y-you hit me!" Helmeppo whimpered. "Not even daddy hits me! I'm gonna tell him what you did!!" He stormed off, protected by his bodyguards.

"Don't go crying to papa! Face me yourself, coward!" Luffy yelled, his voice echoing down the street.

"Luffy, calm down. He's not worth your time." Ryomen stepped forward, placing a hand on Luffy's shoulder. "We've got more important things to do than picking fights with idiots like him."

"Yeah, you're right…He's not even worth hitting." Luffy said, relaxing his stance.

A little girl approached them with wide, grateful eyes. "You were amazing, big brother! I feel a lot better now!"

"That so? Shishishi. Maybe I should have punched him more then." Luffy grinned.

At that moment, an older woman looking extremely similar to the little girl, came.

"Rika! Get over here!" She said." You shouldn't be talking to those people."

"But mommy…he's a good man just like Zoro!" Rika protested.

The woman sighed in frustration. "This again? Come inside, now."

The little girl gave one last wave before being ushered into the house

Ryomen turned to Luffy. "So, what now?"

"I need to talk to Zoro." Luffy said resolutely.

…

After a few minutes, they returned to where Zoro was tied up.

"Hey" Luffy called out.

Zoro glanced at him. "You again...I told you, no."

"I'm Luffy. If I untie you, will you join my crew?"

Zoro's expression remained cold. "I've got my own mission. It doesn't involve being a pirate."

"But you're a bounty hunter. And everyone thinks you're a demon."

"I don't care what they think…I live by my own code. I've never done anything I regret, and I don't intend to in the future. Which is why I'll never be a pirate!" 

"Too bad! I've already decided you're gonna join my crew!"

"I don't care what you've decided!!"

Ryomen stepped forward, arms crossed. "We heard you use swords."

Zoro eyed him suspiciously. "That's right."

"Where are they now?"

"Taken by the captain's son. Next to my life, those swords are my treasures."

"That so? Too bad they took em…" Luffy chimed in. "Ahh! I know I'll get your swords back! But you have to join my crew!"

"You little rat!" Zoro shouted in irritation.

Luffy turned, ready to go after Helmeppo, but Ryomen stopped him.

"Luffy, wait. You're a captain now. You can't go charging off alone all the time. You've got me to rely on now."

Zoro smirked. "Hmph. Gotta agree with the kid."

Ryomen shot him a glare. "Not a kid. I'm probably older than you."

Luffy blinked in confusion. "So...what are you saying?"

Ryomen sighed. "I'm saying you don't have to do everything by yourself. Let me handle this."

"Ohhhh," Luffy said with a grin. "Alright! You can get the swords then! I'll talk more with my new crew member!" 

Zoro looked annoyed. "I didn't say I'd join!"

Ryomen smirked. "Not yet. But you will."

"That's right!" Luffy laughed.

Zoro glared at them both. "You two are insane…"

 Luffy then began talking to Zoro while Koby went and whispered to Ryomen.

"A-are you really gonna break into the naval base!?"

"Relax Koby. Why do you think I stopped Luffy? He may be reliable, but he really doesn't strike me as the stealthy type. I'm gonna go in, take the swords and leave." Ryomen said with a reassuring smile.

"... Alright then. Be careful." Koby slowly nodded in understanding.

"Thanks." Ryomen then quickly left.

"Well, I guess sending a ninja was a good choice." Luffy said with a smile, while looking at the departing Ryomen.

"He's a what?" Zoro asked in confusion.

…

Inside the Navy base, Ryomen moved quietly. 'Where is everyone?' he thought as he navigated the empty base.

Voices drifted down from the upper floors, but the lower levels were eerily quiet.

'All upstairs, huh? Makes my job easier.'

He wandered until he caught a glimpse of someone familiar—a woman he'd met once before, walking through the halls in a Navy uniform.

"You!?" Ryomen blurted out.

"Huh!?" The girl cautiously turned around to see someone completely unexpected.

"What are you doing here? Are you with the navy?" He asked with a skeptical tone.

"Shhh, not so loud. I'm looking for something." She replied.

"Looking for what?" He questioned with doubt in his eyes.

She hesitated before replying."A map to the Grand Line."

"Huh? Why?" 

"None of your business." She shot back.

"Fine. Don't tell me I guess…"

"More importantly, why are you here? Last time I saw you, you couldn't even escape from a chest, and now you're breaking into naval bases?" She asked with an amused smile.

"Haha" Ryomen laughed dryly. " I'm looking for my friend's weapons." 

"A friend? Who?" The girl questioned with a curious tone.

"Roronoa Zoro." He replied with a slight smile.

"The Pirate Hunter!?" She involuntarily screamed, then covered her mouth with her hands.

"Yeah." 

"Just who are you?" She asked, her curiosity starting to overflow.

"Ryomen." He said with a small grin. "You?"

The girl stared blankly at him for a moment before responding. "Nami."

Ryomen raised an eyebrow. "Nice name. Look, how about we help each other? You know your way around here, right?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Maybe. What's your plan?"

"You help me find the weapons, and I'll help you find the map. How about it?"

Nami remained silent for a moment, staring at Ryomen. "... Alright."

"Great! Do you know where the Captain's son's room is?" He asked with a smile.

…

With the trio in the parade grounds.

"He's been gone for some time, huh?" Koby asked, a little nervous.

"Relax, Koby! Ryomen's gonna be fine!" Luffy replied cheerfully.

Zoro, unlike before, now stood untied beside them. "Shouldn't we have gone to a safer place instead of staying beside the naval base?" He suddenly said.

"..." 

" I guess so, shishishi!" Luffy giggled. 

"W-Well, let's go already!" Koby shouted, nervous.

Suddenly, gunfire echoed from the Navy tower. A bullet flew toward Koby, hitting him right in the shoulder.

"Aaahhh! I've been shot!" He screamed in pain and fear.

"Koby!!" Luffy shouted in anger. While Zoro remained calm, focusing on the top of the navy tower.

…

"Here it is" Nami told Ryomen.

The two of them found Helmeppo's room quickly. Three swords rested against the wall.

"Well, that was easy," Ryomen muttered, grabbing them. 'How does he fight with three swords, anyway?'

"Can we go get the map now?" Nami asked with slight impatience.

"Sure! Let's go!"

….

They arrived inside Captain Morgan's office.

"Search through the room and I'll look through the drawers." Nami told him.

"Alright."

They reached Captain Morgan's office and began searching.

"This guy really has a self-portrait in his office?" Ryomen said with a smirk. "Talk about an ego."

Nami's eyes lit up. "The portrait! That's it!"

"What?"

She pulled the painting down, revealing a safe behind it.

Ryomen grinned. "Good call." He swung his fist into the safe, denting it with ease.

"W-wha…how?" She asked in bewilderment, before she realized something and punched him straight in the head. "Are you stupid!? What if the map's destroyed!?" 

"Sorry! But hey, look, it's fine!" He handed her the undamaged map.

"Hmpf!...Thank you." Nami said while grabbing the map." Now let's get out of here."

She went toward the door but before she could open it, Captain Morgan entered with his son behind him.

"Hm? Thieves!? How dare you enter my office!?" Morgan shouted.

"Daddy! That guy was with the one who punched me! This girl must be with them too!" Helmeppo told his father.

"So you're the ones who dared to defy my authority! No matter, I'll execute you, and you're friends from the parade ground!" Morgan roared, swinging his massive ax arm at Nami.

 Ryomen acted without thinking. "Dismantle!" With a flick of his fingers, the ax arm severed, clattering to the floor.

"You bastard! I'm going to kill you!!" Morgan screamed in anger while reattaching his ax.

"Let's go!" Nami shouted as she recovered from the near death experience.

Before Ryomen could respond, Helmeppo lunger for her. In her panic, Nami dropped the map as she dodged Helmeppo's clumsy attack. "The map!" she gasped as it fell to the ground.

Helmeppo's eyes gleamed as he snatched it up. "Gotcha! You're not going anywhere!"

"Give that back!" NamiI screamed, but before she could reach him, Captain Morgan advanced with a menacing look.

"No time for that!" Ryomen shouted as he grabbed Nami by the waist and jumped out the window.

"Aaaahhhh!" She screamed, flailing in fear as they fell from the tower.

They landed safely on the ground, and then started to run away from the base.

"Dammit! Now they think I'm one of you!" Nami angrily exclaimed.

"What? You don't like being stuck with me?" He flashed her a smile.

"...Whatever." She said, turning her head away.

"Hahaha!" Ryomen happily laughed until he remembered what Morgan had said. "Wait!" He then stopped running.

"What are you doing? They might catch up!" Nami told him.

"I can't leave! Morgan sent his subordinates to kill my friends at the parade ground!" Ryomen anxiously said.

"Seriously!? Just leave them! Isn't Zoro there too? They'll be fine!" 

"Even so, I'm not gonna abandon my friends!! I'm not asking you to come with me. I don't want to see you hurt because of me, in something you had no reason to interfere.

So you can go and escape while you still can!" Ryomen shouted with determination.

Nami looked for a few seconds at him then turned and left. "Don't die alright!? I don't want to have you on my conscience!" 

Ryomen smiled confidently and nodded. "Of course! Didn't you see how strong I am!?"

She only smiled slightly in response, and then ran off into the distance.

…

"You're gonna be fine, Koby!" Luffy said, trying to reassure him, though Koby continued crying in pain.

"We need to leave, now." Zoro told them urgently, his eyes scanning the surroundings for an escape route.

But it was already too late. Marines quickly swarmed the area, surrounding them with rifles aimed and ready.

"Stay where you are! Captain Morgan has ordered your immediate execution!"

Captain Morgan appeared, his towering figure looming over the scene. "Roronoa Zoro! Others may tremble at your name, but you're no match for me!" he declared with a sinister grin. "Take aim!!"

Zoro's heart pounded in his chest. 'I…I can't die yet! There's something I have to do… I promised her! I can't die here!' His fists clenched, and sweat ran down his face as the marines raised their weapons.

Fire!!" Morgan commanded, and the soldiers obeyed. Gunfire erupted, filling the air with deafening blasts.

But no blood was spilled.

Zoro and Koby blinked in shock. Luffy stood in front of them, arms outstretched, the bullets bouncing harmlessly off his rubber body. "Bullets can't hurt me!! Hahaha!" Luffy laughed, turning to face the marines with a wide grin.

Zoro stared in disbelief. "What are you?"

Luffy smirked. "I'm the guy…who's gonna be the Pirate King!!" 

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the distance. "Guys!" Ryomen's voice cut through the tension as he sprinted toward them.

"Ryomen!" Luffy exclaimed happily.

Zoro's eyes widened in surprise as he spotted the familiar shape of his swords in Ryomen's hands. "My swords!"

Ryomen tossed the weapons to Zoro with a sharp grin. "Seems I arrived a little late." He shot a glance at Koby, who was still wincing from his injury, his expression darkening. "Sorry I couldn't get here sooner."

Zoro caught his swords, feeling the familiar weight in his hands. "I don't plan on dying here, not without a fight." He grinned and shifted into a battle stance, clutching all three blades. "So for now…you've got yourself a pirate. But don't forget I have a mission to fulfill! I'm going to be the world's greatest swordsman!!"

Luffy's grin widened. "That's great! Anything else would make me look bad!"

With Zoro armed, Ryomen by their side, and Luffy ready to charge forward, the tide of the battle shifted. The marines hesitated, unsure of how to proceed against such unpredictable enemies.

Captain Morgan snarled. "You think you can defy me!? I'll execute you all myself!" He lifted his massive axe arm, ready to swing it down.

Zoro, Luffy, and Ryomen exchanged a brief glance. "Let's finish this," Ryomen said, cracking his knuckles as they prepared for the final clash.