One Piece: Heaven-Defying Luck

After Zoro expressed his willingness to join, Xun untied his ropes. While finding the whole situation ridiculous, he reluctantly and speechlessly complied.

After all, a strong man like Zoro being unable to untie ropes spoke volumes about the strange and inconsistent power system of this world.

Rather than leaving immediately, however, Zoro and Xun moved toward the marine base building, each with his own goals.

They didn't need words; a single shared glance explained everything. This silent understanding filled Nami with jealousy, forcing her to follow along. Still, she couldn't suppress her curiosity.

"So, care to explain why we're heading inside the marine base building instead of running away?"

The trio swaggered through the marine base building like it was no man's land. The marines they passed seemed to ignore them completely, which amazed Zoro. He finally understood the secret behind the duo's sudden, unnoticed appearance.

Even the surveillance snail cameras seemed to turn a blind eye.

Zoro answered her matter-of-factly, "Of course, I'm here to retrieve my swords. As for the captain, he must have his reasons."

Since he had agreed to join, Zoro was now filled with trust and confidence in Xun. Even if his captain turned out to be a rotten man later, Zoro would still support him—that was just how compelling Xun's charisma was.

Nami pouted adorably, glaring at Zoro as she hugged Xun's arm tightly. Her mood soon shifted back to normal as she started inspecting the surroundings, scouting for any potential treasure hiding spots.

Xun patted her head and spoke, his eyes focused on Zoro. Every now and then, he placed a hand on Zoro's shoulder to correct his walking posture, as Zoro's movements stood out, even in a straight corridor.

"You don't need to look around. The three of us share the same goal. Zoro, your swords are in Captain Morgan's private office. I'm here for Morgan, and Nami…" He smiled knowingly. "You're here for his fortune."

Nami and Zoro exchanged surprised glances, then grinned in excitement at the revelation.

Nami jumped happily, humming a cheerful tune. "This Morgan guy, with three years of corruption, must be a huge cash cow!"

Zoro, on the other hand, was full of anticipation. He couldn't wait to reclaim his swords, still embarrassed at how he had lost them so carelessly.

The trio soon arrived at a large door, leading to what was clearly the most spacious room on the third floor of the building. Although Xun hadn't practiced haki yet, his mind—thousands of times sharper than that of a normal human—allowed him to sense and map the room as though he had basic haki exploration skills.

With a push, the door opened to reveal a burly man with tanned skin, a metallic jaw, and an axe for a hand. He was draped in an admiral-like blue coat.

Morgan lounged comfortably, his legs propped on the table, seemingly oblivious to their intrusion. This display of Xun's abilities left both Nami and Zoro in awe. Nami, in particular, resolved to pay whatever 'fees' or sacrifices were necessary to learn such a skill.

Without needing a reminder, Zoro immediately spotted his three swords lying in a corner of the office, while Nami skillfully opened a hidden compartment to uncover the secret cache of treasures.

Xun, meanwhile, locked his gaze on Morgan. His sharp instincts quickly detected traces of manipulation.

[Your luck is off the charts. You have entered an Epiphany.]

[Your mind is thousands of times sharper than that of a normal human. You easily deciphered the secrets of hypnosis.]

[Your hypnosis mastery has reached the edge of the laws of reality. You can hypnotize people with a single glance.]

Xun finally deactivated his stealth, startling Axe-Hand Morgan, who fell off his chair. Before Morgan could shout and cause a commotion, he was met with a pair of strikingly beautiful purple eyes. His mind seemed to sink into those eyes, falling deeper and deeper, until he felt all his spirit drain away.

He stood there, frozen in place, saliva dripping from his mouth like an idiot.

The duo, having just finished retrieving their respective goals, turned to look at the scene in surprise.

Nami hurriedly asked, "What happened? Why did he suddenly notice us? And what's wrong with this stupid pose?!"

Zoro glanced at the blank-faced Morgan, then added, "This guy's already unconscious."

Xun nodded. "Yes, I let him see us. As for his current state—he's hypnotized."

Nami staggered back instinctively, fear etched across her face, while Zoro stared at Xun in surprise.

"What are you thinking? This guy was already hypnotized before," Xun explained, his face somber. "I just learned how to hypnotize by analyzing the traces left by the culprit."

Zoro was taken aback. "So this guy's been manipulated by someone else all this time? Is that why he's so rotten?"

Nami finally calmed down, moving back to Xun's side as she chuckled awkwardly. "It was just an instinctive reaction, really!"

They weren't surprised by Xun's abnormal comprehension. After all, someone so young yet so strong—wasn't that what you'd call a genius? And a true genius is omnipotent.

Xun ignored her and continued, "Let's just ask him anyway."

He proceeded to interrogate Morgan. Slowly but surely, everything became clear.

The Kuro incident, the hypnotist Jango, and the truth behind Morgan's so-called 'heroic deed' three years ago were all unraveled. In this unconscious state, even details Morgan himself was unaware of came to light.

Nami sneered in disgust. "So this is his true nature."

Zoro gazed at Morgan with a contemplative expression. "Captain, it might be better to reform him into a decent marine. That way, he could atone for what he's done over the past three years."

Xun regarded Zoro with admiration. Yes, that would indeed be more effective than simply beating Morgan down.

He turned to Nami, who was carefully avoiding his gaze.

"Come here and ask him about his hidden wealth. Those belis in his secret coffers can't possibly be all of his fortune."

Nami's eyes lit up with excitement. She threw her arms around Xun in a big hug before eagerly proceeding to interrogate Morgan about his hidden assets. Her professional approach to the task left both Xun and Zoro speechless.

The two men exchanged a knowing look and shrugged.

"This Nami… She's not even human when it comes to money," Zoro muttered.

Later, the trio left the marine base. Morgan had been reformed under Xun's influence, while Nami had obtained detailed knowledge of all his secret hideouts.

Zoro sighed. "That Helmeppo guy will definitely suffer some extreme treatment…"

Xun burst out laughing, recalling how Zoro had relentlessly drilled the idea into Morgan's head during the process.

Nami, who was already planning her next treasure hunt, chimed in mischievously. "Xun-chan, Zoro-kun, I'll be leaving now!"

Xun reminded her, "Don't forget to buy a decent boat and enough supplies. Me and Zoro will wait for you at the tavern!"

Nami waved back with a nod. "Deal!"

Xun turned to Zoro. "Let's grab a good meal! It's been a while since I've eaten."

Although Xun didn't need to eat—his body constantly strengthened itself and generated energy—he still considered eating to be a sacred ritual, one no human could easily forgo.

"It's the same for me," Zoro agreed.

On their way to the tavern, they came across a couple of marines carrying a protesting Helmeppo.

Xun commented dryly, "Well, that was fast…"

Zoro, still uneasy about the entire experience despite his active role in it, muttered, "This hypnosis stuff is terrifying."

Xun reassured him, "As long as your will is unshakable, such things won't affect you in the slightest."

Zoro nodded in agreement, but this was, of course, a lie. Xun's hypnosis was already at the pinnacle of mortal capability, making it impossible for anyone to resist. However, since Xun wasn't fond of overusing it, there was no harm in a little white lie to put Zoro at ease.

After all, hadn't Nami's reaction already proved it? Hypnosis is evil.