Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides

"Lucci! What are you!?" Paulie questioned, looking up at the towering figure.

Lucci didn't respond, listening carefully to the crackling sounds around him. "Seems the fire has started to spread."

"What are you supposed to be? A cat?" Ryomen smirked, his taunt drawing Lucci's gaze.

"The Neko-Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard." Lucci responded coldly.

Chopper's eyes widened in shock. "Not good! Carnivorous Zoans get even more ferocious!"

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside.

"Lucci, the workers are on their way up." Kalifa warned, helping Kaku stand.

"They'll never make it this far." Lucci raised his leg. "Rankyaku!"

With a powerful kick, a horizontal wind blade sliced through the ceiling, causing the upper floors to collapse.

"Chopper, dodge!" Sogeking and Nami shouted in unison, trying to warn him, but it was too late. Debris fell on top of Chopper trapping him underneath.

"Chopper!!" They shouted in worry, trying to get him out.

Meanwhile, Paulie sprinted to Iceberg's side. "Paulie, what are you doing!?" Iceberg gasped.

"I'm not leaving you here, boss! You're badly hurt—how do you expect to manage on your own!?" Paulie protested, struggling to lift Iceberg.

"Stop this, Paulie." Lucci stepped forward, blocking their path.

"Even…Even after everything you've done… deep down, I still think of you as a friend!" Paulie's voice cracked.

Lucci's expression hardened. "The feeling's not mutual."

"Pigeon guy!"

"Pussy!"

Luffy and Ryomen charged, both landing punches on Lucci's face. Lucci didn't even flinch.

"Good." Lucci smirked, lifting a finger and pointing it at Ryomen. "Shigan."

Ryomen moved, but Lucci's attack pierced through his defenses, his finger shooting clean through Ryomen's torso.

"Ryomen!" The others cried out in horror.

"Ugh…Uhh…" Ryomen clutched the wound, blood dripping from his mouth. He managed a strained grin. "What a coward...don't suppose you'll help me…with these?" He raised his cuffs.

"Oh, I'll help." Lucci sneered, grabbing Ryomen's collar. "I'll send you on a one-way flight…off this island!" He threw Ryomen through the wall, his body flying through the night sky.

"You bastard!" Luffy launched forward, but Lucci seized his head.

"Let go! I'll beat you to a pulp!" Luffy's fists pounded against Lucci, but to no avail.

"You can join him, Straw Hat." Lucci's grip tightened, and with a swift motion, he threw Luffy out of the building.

"Why you—!" Zoro's blades flashed as he charged.

"Tekkai." Lucci's body hardened, blocking the swords effortlessly. "You really thought you could take me on with such basic Haki?"

Before Zoro could react, Lucci had hurled him after the others.

Now only Nami and Sogeking remained, trembling under Lucci's gaze.

"Y-you…you won't get away with it!" Nami stammered, her voice quivering, eyes brimming with tears.

"We'll bring you down!" Sogeking aimed his slingshot, ready to fire.

"Explosion cannon!" Sogeking's attack flew toward Lucci.

Lucci didn't flinch. "Pathetic." In a blur, he grabbed Sogeking, holding him effortlessly. "The girl will do. The rest of you are expendable." He hurled him from the building.

Turning, he met Nami's terrified stare as she struggled to hold her ground.

"Blueno, tie up our former acquaintances." He ordered, casting her a cold glance. "They don't need to be alive."

…

Meanwhile, down below at the Galley-La Company's burning entrance, the shipwrights were fighting to contain the blaze when a figure crashed to the ground.

Nami laid unconscious on the ground, her body covered in wounds and blood.

"Hey! A girl fell from the upper floors!" A shipwright shouted.

"She's with the Straw Hats!" Another said, recognition sparking in his eyes. "No doubt about it!"

"Grab her! We'll make her tell us where the others are!"

…

On a distant rooftop, the agents watched as the Galley-La Company burned, flames lighting up the night.

"No one will accept the words of pirates as evidence. This incident will fall into nothingness." Lucci stated.

"Mr. Iceberg, you may have been an incredible ship builder, and the mayor of a great city…but no ordinary citizen can defy the will of the World Government!"

"Let's go! We have to recover the blueprints from Tom's other disciple…Franky, no…Cutty Flam."

Unknowingly, just as they left, a figure jumped out of the fire, two people on his back.

The shipwrights looked on in shock.

"A reindeer!?" One of them exclaimed.

"He's carrying Mr. Iceberg and Mr. Paulie!!" Another added.

Blood covered Chopper's fur, and with trembling legs, he tried to move forward.

"They were still inside! Then…what about Lucci and the others!?"

Chopper walked closer to his shipmate. 'Nami…' He felt his lega starting to give in. 'Not good…I have to…heal her…' He fell to the ground.

"H-Hurry up and look at them!" A shipwright shouted.

"They're burnt pretty badly!"

"Hey! What do we do with the reindeer!?" One questioned.

"Help him too! He saved their lives!" Another replied.

…

"Gomu-Gomu no…Rocket!"

As Luffy flew above the shore, he managed to latch onto two giant rock formations, and stop his descent.

"Hoo…thought I was done for." Luffy wiped his brow, then noticed two figures flying toward the sea.

"Huh?" Luffy looked on in surprise. "Gomu-Gomu no…Balloon!!" He inflated himself, and jumped high into the air, catching Zoro with his belly.

"Thanks…" Zoro mumbled as he fell to the ground.

"Alright, now Sogeking!" Luffy positioned himself to catch him.

"Ugghh…" Sogeking crashed into the ground, barely missing Luffy.

"...He hit sand so it's fine…" Luffy muttered with a sheepish expression.

"Where's Ryomen?" Zoro questioned as he got up.

"He was the first to be thrown, so he should be around here too…" Sogeking mumbled while glaring at Luffy, who simply turned his head away.

"...I don't see him." Zoro replied as he looked around.

The three then noticed how close they were to the sea. They glanced at each other, then back at the sea.

"…"

"He's gonna drown!!" They all shouted in shock.

Zoro and Sogeking ran into the water trying to find him, while Luffy remained on the shore, using his hands as a binocular.

"Damn, he must've started to sink…" Zoro gravely exclaimed after a few moments.

"Okay, okay! We might still have time! Let's dive down!" Sogeking said, and the two went underwater.

Luffy remained concentrated on looking for Ryomen, not noticing someone get closer.

"What are they doing…?" A strained voice came from beside him.

"Looking for Ryomen." Luffy replied, remaining focused.

"For me?"

"Yeah."

"…"

Luffy puased, glancing at Ryomen, then back at the sea, and back at Ryomen.

…

"Could've appeared sooner." Zoro muttered, wringing out his soaked clothes.

Ryomen rolled his eyes. "Sorry I couldn't come faster—I only have a hole in my chest. Not a big deal."

"Huh?" Luffy blinked, then glanced at Ryomen's chest. His eyes widened in alarm. "You do!!"

"You're just noticing now!?" Ryomen and Zoro shouted in unison.

While they bickered, Sogeking stood at the edge of the pier, scanning the open sea intently, his expression tense.

"Something wrong, Sogeking?" Ryomen asked, noticing his unusual silence.

"The Merry…" Sogeking muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What?" Luffy tilted his head, leaning closer. "What'd you say?"

"The Merry!" Sogeking turned abruptly, his voice rising. "It's…it's supposed to be here! Somewhere nearby!"

The group froze at his words. Their eyes widened in unison before they joined him, frantically searching the waters.

"It's not here." Zoro finally mumbled after scanning the area.

Luffy turned toward Sogeking, frowning. "Hey, didn't you say Usopp was taken? Did they take the Merry too?"

"H-Huh? Yeah…maybe…" Sogeking replied, his voice faltering as he continued searching the horizon.

Ryomen furrowed his brow. "Wait, Usopp was taken? Wasn't the high tide coming soon? Maybe someone moved the ship to a safer place?" He tried to sound reassuring, though doubt flickered in his voice.

Sogeking shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I have to find her!" His voice cracked with determination.

"We'll find Usopp and the Merry!" Luffy declared, his usual confidence shining through.

Sogeking blinked, looking startled. "Y-Yeah."

Zoro arched his brow. "Why do you care so much about the ship anyway?"

"Huh? Well…" Sogeking stammered, fidgeting with his slingshot. "Seeing how she brought you all this way, she must be…a very impressive ship!"

Zoro stared at Sogeking but didn't press further.

"Alright." Ryomen cut in, his tone firm. "We'll find Usopp and the Merry. Then we regroup with Nami and Chopper so we can get Robin back."

"Yeah!" Luffy grinned. "No one messes with my crew!"

…

It didn't take long to find information about the Merry.

As they reentered the city, a group of Franky's men stomped down the street, shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Straw Hats! Boss Franky's got your ship! If you want it back, you've gotta meet with him!"

"What did you say!?" Sogeking shouted, rushing at them. "The ship was stolen!?"

The henchmen froze, their eyes darting toward the approaching group. Upon seeing Ryomen, their expressions shifted from shock to wary anger.

"Straw Hats! And you!" They sneered, glaring especially at Ryomen.

Ryomen crossed his arms, his expression calm but dangerous. "Want another beating?"

"N-No!" They stammered, quickly shaking their heads before clearing their throats, trying to salvage their pride.

"Boss wants to meet you!" One of them finally blurted. "For destroying his base and beating us up!"

Ryomen snorted. "What are you, kids? Gotta run to Daddy when you can't handle things yourself?"

"You—!" The henchmen bristled, clenching their fists in anger. Then their eyes fell on the cuffs around Ryomen's wrists. A slow grin spread across their faces. "Sea stone, huh? Looks like you're not so tough now!"

Ryomen glanced at the cuffs, his expression unimpressed. "Oh, these?" He turned to Zoro. "Mind handling it?"

"Sure." Zoro shrugged, unsheathing one of his swords. He coated it in Haki and, with a swift slash, severed the cuffs.

The henchmen's jaws dropped as the metal fell to the ground with a loud clunk.

"What were you saying again?" Ryomen smirked, cracking his knuckles.

"Haha…nothing!" They stammered, backing away hurriedly.

"Enough of this nonsense." Sogeking snapped, stepping forward. "Where's the Merry?"

"The warehouse under the bridge!" One of the henchmen blurted.

Before anyone could react, Sogeking took off like a shot, leaving the others behind.

"Hey, wait for us!" Luffy shouted, sprinting after him, the rest of the crew following close behind.

…

After countless twists and turns, the crew finally arrived at a large, dimly lit warehouse.

"Is this the one?" Ryomen muttered, eyeing the decrepit structure.

"Well…it's under a bridge." Zoro replied, scanning the surroundings.

"We really should've asked for more directions." Luffy admitted, scratching his head.

Ryomen smirked. "Good thinking. Don't waste all your good ideas in one day."

"I won't!" Luffy declared proudly, puffing out his chest.

"Idiot…" Zoro sighed, shaking his head.

Sogeking, however, had no time for their banter. His eyes darted around the warehouse as he muttered, "Where's the Merry?"

"Where's everyone, more like." Ryomen commented, his tone cautious. "This place is empty."

"Not completely." Zoro said, gesturing toward the far corner of the room. "Come here."

The group walked over, only to find two women with square hair sprawled unconscious on the ground.

"Huh? I've seen them before!" Luffy exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"Where?" Ryomen asked, curious.

"When I went with Nami to see if the mister was really assassinated. That cyborg guy showed up, and they were with him!" Luffy explained.

"Cyborg guy…?" Ryomen's confusion deepened. "What's next? A talking skeleton?"

"Over here!" Sogeking called, drawing their attention to a massive hole in the wall that revealed another room.

Ryomen and Zoro carried the women to a nearby couch before following Sogeking. Luffy, meanwhile, wandered aimlessly around the warehouse.

The room they entered was a mess—books and blueprints were scattered everywhere, and the furniture lay broken and overturned.

Ryomen's gaze swept the room. "If the girls weren't enough evidence, this seals it."

"Yeah. Someone definitely got here before us." Zoro muttered, his eyes narrowing. "But who?"

"Did they take the Merry too?" Sogeking asked softly, worry creeping into his voice.

Neither Ryomen nor Zoro responded immediately. They didn't have an answer.

Ryomen's foot landed on something small and hard. He crouched down to pick it up—a photograph. He studied it carefully. "This is…"

Zoro stepped closer. "What is it?"

The photograph showed a younger Iceberg bickering with a blue-haired boy, while a massive fishman loomed behind them, a hand resting on each of their shoulders.

"CP9 wanted something from Iceberg, right?" Ryomen asked.

"Yeah. Why's that important?" Zoro replied, his brow furrowed.

"He didn't have what they wanted, but their search surely didn't end." Ryomen said, pointing to the fishman and the blue-haired boy in the photo. "Is Franky one of these people? Maybe he had what Iceberg was attacked for?"

"So, you're saying CP9 might've been here?" Zoro asked, his voice heavy with suspicion.

"It's a possibility." Ryomen replied, slipping the photo into his pocket.

"But what would they want with the Merry!?" Sogeking burst out. "It's of no use to them!"

Before Ryomen could respond, Luffy's voice echoed through the warehouse. "You guys…I found the Merry…"

"What!?" The three of them rushed to Luffy's side, where he stood at the edge of an open gate that led to the raging sea below.

There, in the water, was the Merry—broken in half, its shattered remains drifting aimlessly on the waves.

"Merry…" Sogeking's voice broke as he fell to his knees, staring at the wreckage with wide, tear-filled eyes. "Merry!!"

Ryomen placed a hand on his shoulder, his own eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I'm sorry…"

Zoro's fists clenched tightly at his sides, his jaw set in grim determination.

"Who did this!?" Luffy roared, his voice trembling with anger. He turned toward Sogeking, his expression wild. "And where's Usopp!? You said he was safe!"

Sogeking flinched under Luffy's outburst, his mask unable to hide the guilt on his face.

"Luffy, calm down." Ryomen interjected, his voice firm. "Usopp…he must've been taken by CP9."

"Then what are we waiting for!?" Luffy snapped. "Let's go beat them up! We'll get Robin and Usopp back!" Without another word, he bolted out of the warehouse.

Ryomen watched him leave before turning to Sogeking. "We need to move. We can't waste any more time."

Sogeking remained silent for a moment before nodding. He rose to his feet, his trembling replaced by steely resolve. "You're right. Let's take them down!"

…

Outside, the wind howled as it grew stronger, the rain soon following in heavy sheets.

"Rain…This is trouble." Chopper muttered, trudging along the slick streets. His fur was damp, and his usual enthusiasm seemed dulled. "Even under normal conditions, my nose isn't very effective in strong winds."

Nearby, Nami and the shipwrights scoured the streets, their voices calling out for their missing crewmates.

"They've been shouting for a while now, and still nothing…" One shipwright muttered anxiously.

"Could it be…?" Another trailed off, worry etched across his face.

"Idiots! Just keep looking!" Paulie barked, trying to maintain order despite the growing tension.

Nami stayed silent, listening intently to their exchanges, her brow furrowed.

They continued calling for the Straw Hats, their shouts mingling with the roar of the wind and rain.

Meanwhile, on the edge of the upper city, Kokoro, Chimney, and Gonbe stood overlooking the shore.

"Look, Chimney." Kokoro said, her raspy voice cutting through the storm. "It looks like…the sea's completely dried up. Ngagaga!"

"Wow! It's amazing!" Chimney exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Yeah, it's like the sea is gone!" A familiar voice chimed in.

"Luffy!?" Chimney turned in surprise to see the Straw Hats standing nearby.

"So a high wave's gonna appear soon…" Zoro mumbled, his arms crossed as he observed the eerie sight.

"Should we go higher? Or are we safe here?" Ryomen asked, his gaze flicking between the horizon and their surroundings.

"Doesn't matter. We need to find the agents." Sogeking said firmly, his voice steadier than before. "The tide might help cover their tracks!"

"...When did they get here!?" One of the shipwrights shouted in shock, finally noticing the group.

"What are you doing here!?" Nami yelled, relief and frustration evident in her tone.

"We've been looking everywhere for you!!" Chopper cried, tears welling in his eyes.

Ryomen scratched the back of his head, giving them a sheepish grin. "We heard our names, so we came. Sorry for worrying you." He stepped forward, arms wide. "Now come here!"

Nami and Chopper didn't hesitate, throwing themselves into his embrace. "We're so glad you're okay!!" They sobbed, clinging tightly to him.

Ryomen chuckled, his own eyes misty. "Me too."

"He didn't hug us…" Luffy muttered, his lips jutting out in a pout.

"What, you want a hug now?" Zoro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hahaha! You're right, I didn't!" Ryomen suddenly hugged Luffy, catching him off guard.

"C'mon, you too!" He said, turning toward Zoro and Sogeking.

"Get away from me!" Zoro tried to dodge, but Ryomen's grip was too quick.

"H-Hey!" Sogeking sputtered, though he reluctantly returned the gesture.

"What's with this sudden mood swing?" Zoro grumbled, shaking his head once Ryomen finally let go.

"What, I can't show I care for you guys?" Ryomen said, his grin wide. "You're all important to me, and you seemed like you needed that."

The group exchanged glances, surprised but touched by his words.

"Ngagaga!" Kokoro's voice cut through the moment. "It's good you're here. The Aqua Laguna's about to hit. If you'd stayed out there, you'd have been swept away for sure."

"Huh? When'd you get here, grandma!?" Luffy asked, startled.

"You only noticed her now!?" The others shouted in unison.

Paulie gave them a firm nod. "Good to see you're all safe."

Suddenly, the ground shook violently. All eyes turned toward the horizon as an enormous tsunami—towering higher than any they'd ever seen—hurtled toward the city.

"The Aqua Laguna!!" The shipwrights screamed, their voices filled with terror.

"This size…I've never seen one so massive." Paulie murmured, his face pale as the wave loomed closer.

Ryomen frowned. "Are we really safe here?" He asked again, though the others seemed too focused to answer. Sighing, he let it go.

Turning to Nami, Ryomen gestured toward the shipwrights. "So…they're on our side now?"

"Iceberg told them we're innocent." Nami explained quickly. Her expression turned urgent. "But there's something more important. Robin…She and CP9 boarded the sea train. They're headed for Enies Lobby!"

"What!?" The group shouted in shock.

"How the hell are we supposed to catch up in this weather!?" Ryomen exclaimed, glancing nervously at the incoming tsunami.

"I don't know, but we have to! Sanji's already on it, and Robin needs our help!" Nami replied, her determination unwavering.

"She abandoned us at the factory." Zoro said coldly. "Why should we bother rescuing her?"

"Because she was protecting us!" Chopper yelled, stepping forward. "She left so we wouldn't be attacked by the World Government!"

"I see…don't worry, Nami, Chopper." Ryomen said with a reassuring smile. "We'll save her…"

"No matter what!" Luffy finished, his grin full of confidence.