One Piece: The Saiyan Pirate

Chapter 56: The Battle Inside Laboon

The silence of the tranquil sea inside Laboon's stomach broke as the heavy, metallic door creaked open, and the two strangers stepped onto the platform. The young woman turned to her partner with a mischievous grin, her eyes gleaming with a calculating edge.

"Well, Mr. 9, looks like we finally tracked down the old man," she said, her tone laced with amusement. Her gaze then fixed on Crocus, who remained seated by the shore, casually observing the two with mild interest.

"Miss Wednesday," her partner replied with equal smugness, adjusting the grip on his bazooka. "Guess it's time we took out this old guy, finish our mission, and then take Laboon down for good. Imagine the feast we'll bring home."

Miss Wednesday was strikingly beautiful, with long, vibrant blue hair styled into two coiled braids that cascaded down her shoulders, framing her confident smirk. She wore a revealing, form-fitting crop top and low-rise pants with elaborate jewelry decorating her neck and wrists, her figure curvaceous and seductive. Her appearance was rivaled only by Nami's, whose familiar allure had captured Goku's attention. But even as he felt the woman's charm, Goku managed to maintain his composure, reminded that he already had Nami by his side, her loyalty to him now solidified.

Mr. 9 was slender and lean, with slicked-back hair and a cocky expression. He wore a matching outfit, his attire bearing the odd insignia of his rank and adorned with various decorations, most notably the large, cross-shaped bazooka he held. He wore what appeared to be a gold crown of age. His whole stance exuded an air of smug arrogance as he surveyed the scene, noting the Going Merry and its ragtag crew with barely a flicker of interest.

But then his gaze settled on Crocus, who continued to sit unmoved in his beach chair, his face hidden behind his newspaper. A cold smile spread across Mr. 9's face as he raised his weapon, aiming the bazooka directly at the old man. "Say goodbye, old man!"

At the very moment he fired, Goku launched himself from the ship, crossing the distance in a blur of speed. He reached the metal ball just in time, catching it mid-air with his bare hands, his eyes blazing with focused energy. With a quick twist, he hurled it back toward Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday.

Mr. 9 quickly readjusted, firing his bazooka once more. The two blasts collided in mid-air, neutralizing each other in a burst of smoke and sparks. As Goku's momentum carried him to the island, he shouted back to the crew.

"Zoro! Take care of these fools while I deal with Crocus!" he commanded.

Zoro grinned, drawing his newly acquired swords from Loguetown—the Sandai Kitetsu, and Yubashiri. The swords gleamed in his hands, and with a swift, fluid motion, he stepped forward just as Mr. 9 fired a fresh round from his bazooka, this time targeting the Going Merry.

With remarkable precision, Zoro deflected the shot with a single, calculated swipe, the projectile spiraling off harmlessly into the water. As it sank, the sea rippled outward, leaving only the faintest trace of the near attack.

Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 exchanged a glance, their expressions torn between irritation and disbelief. "These pirates are a handful," Miss Wednesday muttered, her voice dripping with disdain. "I thought they'd be easy pickings."

"Guess we'll just have to put them in their place," Mr. 9 replied, arrogance returning to his tone.

Miss Wednesday glanced back at the enormous painted sky overhead, her gaze shifting toward the whale. A devious smile crept onto her face as she nudged her partner. "Forget them for now—let's go for the whale. If we take him down, we can end this and complete the mission."

Mr. 9 gave a quick nod. "Got it." He swung his bazooka back, aiming it up at the expanse of painted sky. With a confident grin, he squeezed the trigger, and the projectile launched straight toward the roof of Laboon's belly.

Crocus's calm demeanor vanished in an instant. He leapt up from his chair, crossing the sand with surprising agility and intercepting the shot just before it reached the sky. The blast struck him directly, exploding in a flurry of smoke and light before his body dropped into the water with a resounding splash.

Goku's eyes widened with alarm, his gaze snapping to Sanji. "Sanji! Get him out of the water! If he sinks, the stomach acid will eat him alive!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Sanji dove overboard, slicing through the water with swift, powerful strokes as he pursued the old man. Meanwhile, back on the shore, Mr. 9 laughed as he watched Crocus disappear below the surface.

"Serves him right!" he sneered, adjusting his grip on his weapon. "Now, once we're done with the whale, there'll be enough meat to feed our town for a whole year."

Miss Wednesday grinned, sharing her partner's excitement. "Exactly. This whale's nothing but a big, dumb beast. Why should it live when there are people who are starving?"

From the beach, Sanji emerged, hauling Crocus onto the sand. The old man was coughing and struggling to his feet, glaring up at the pair. "Don't you understand? Laboon is my friend. Killing him would be a crime against everything we stand for."

Miss Wednesday scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Cry me a river, old man. Your friend's worth more as food than as some overgrown pet."

With that, Mr. 9 leveled his bazooka at Laboon once again and fired. This time, the projectile hit its mark, exploding against the whale's interior with a devastating impact. Laboon's anguished cry filled the air, reverberating off the walls and shaking the ground beneath their feet.

The sound struck a chord deep within Goku. Rage flared inside him as he watched the scene unfold, his hands curling into fists. He didn't fully understand why this hit him so hard; after all, he'd once been someone who wouldn't have hesitated to take down a creature for food. But seeing Laboon's agony and Crocus's despair, he felt a fierce protectiveness rising in him.

As Sanji dragged the old man onto the shore, Crocus staggered to his feet, his face etched with fury. "Leave him alone!" he shouted, his voice cracking. "He's done nothing to deserve this!"

Miss Wednesday laughed dismissively. "A whale's life doesn't matter, old man. There are people out there starving, and that fat whale is our meal ticket. Get over it!"

Mr. 9 took aim once more, but before he could fire, Goku shot forward, moving with blinding speed. He intercepted the bazooka's projectile in mid-air, this time merely letting it drop into the water, extinguished. Without pausing, he closed in on the duo, his eyes blazing with fierce determination.

In less than a heartbeat, Goku was upon them, moving with such agility and speed that Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 barely had time to react. His strikes were precise and unyielding, a whirlwind of controlled force. Within seconds, he had incapacitated both of them, leaving the two sprawled unconscious on the sand, their mission abruptly ended.

As Goku stood over the defeated pair, he took a deep breath, the intensity of his anger slowly fading. Glancing back at his crew and the old man, he straightened and adjusted his hat, exhaling deeply.

"It's over," he said quietly, his voice steady and resolved.

[A/N: Read 15-20 chapters ahead available on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]