The straw hat twirled lazily on his fingertip. Suddenly, Shano let out a soft "Hm?" as if sensing something, sat up straight, and turned his head toward the southwest.
From that direction, birds startled from the treetops fluttered away into the distance.
Someone's coming?
Or maybe a large beast?
He frowned, spread his legs, and slid swiftly down the tree trunk with his crotch stuck to the bark, slipping over ten meters in a flash.
Then he stopped steadily on a thick branch halfway up the tree. That way, he had a clear and wide view while also being able to see any movement on the ground below.
…
"Boss, that kid's just a few years old, right? Was he really that strong? Took all three of you down?"
A simple, dopey voice rang out. Shano turned toward it and saw a chubby man over two meters tall carrying a spiked club on his shoulder.
"Why would I lie? Like it's something to be proud of!"
The guy behind him, thin as a monkey, shouted angrily, "Look! Look at this lump on my head—it's still swollen! That damn brat did it! Don't underestimate him, that kid's got power from a devil or something!"
The fat guy looked confused. "Power from a devil?"
"I don't get it either, but that's what everyone's saying! His arms and legs stretch out several meters, then snap right back—like one of those jack-in-the-box toys. It's freaky!"
"Sounds terrifying, boss! Good thing Big Boss Barbar caught him. Otherwise, we'd be scared every day while patrolling the mountains!"
"Yeah, but don't let your guard down. The boss said the kid has a companion. Might be coming to rescue him. That's why he called us all back to the base for full security…"
"Someone's there!"
The fat man suddenly pointed his club upward. "In the tree!"
"Huh?"
The skinny one flinched and quickly looked up.
Sure enough, there was a black-haired guy sitting in the tree, watching them with great interest.
"It's that brat's buddy! Watch out, he might be another monster with devil powers!"
The skinny guy immediately yelled a warning, grabbed the flintlock gun slung across his back, aimed it upward, and shouted with gritted teeth, "Get down here! Hands in the air or I'll shoot!"
"Why is it always guns first? That's seriously scary…"
Under their tense gazes, Shano actually raised his hands slowly and smiled.
"Hey now, this is our first meeting, right? How come you've already labeled me as that devil kid's partner?"
"Not his partner?"
The fat man blinked and lowered his club, turning to the skinny one. "Boss, maybe we got it wrong. He says he's not the partner."
"You just believe anything people say?!"
The skinny guy was furious, glaring daggers at Shano. "Still saying you're not the partner? Then—then let me ask you this!"
He pointed at the back of Shano's neck. "If you're not, then why are you wearing the exact same hat as that little devil?!"
"You mean this?"
Shano blinked, looked back at the straw hat, and shrugged.
"Just a coincidence. But yeah, I am looking for the same person as you guys. Been scouring this damn mountain for days. I'm exhausted. I really gotta thank you for catching him—it saved me the trouble."
"No need to thank us, bro!"
The fat man chuckled and scratched his head.
"Honestly, that brat was super weird. While our Barbar Bandits were scattered lately, he kept stealing our roasted meat. Big Boss Barbar got so mad he caught him personally and tied him up near the cliff. That'll teach him a lesson—let's see him try to rob us again!"
"Yeah, brats like that—born evil—deserve what's coming to them!"
Shano nodded seriously. "That brat also owes me something, which is why I've been looking for him. Since we're on the same side, could you take me to that cliff?"
"No problem, bro!"
The fat guy laughed heartily. "The place is kinda out of the way, but how about this—you follow me, I'll lead—"
"Lead your head, idiot!"
The skinny guy jumped up and slapped him in the back of the head. He'd been listening with his jaw dropped, and now he couldn't take it anymore.
"Moron! You dumbass! That guy was totally trying to trick you, couldn't you tell?!"
"Eh?"
The fat guy froze, while the skinny one coldly raised the gun and aimed it at Shano's forehead—then pulled the trigger without hesitation!
Bang!
The shot rang out as Shano tilted his head slightly, watching the yellow bullet graze right past his nose.
Then he looked at the bullet mark on the tree trunk and frowned.
"Someone who opens fire without a word… that's pretty rare."
He narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at the stunned bandit with the monkey face. "I'm not confident I can dodge every bullet. So sorry, but I'll have to make the first move."
Thud!
As soon as he finished, he kicked off the tree trunk and flipped through the air like a cannonball.
The skinny bandit saw only a black shadow rushing at him. Before he could react, five iron-like fingers wrapped around his throat and hoisted him into the air.
"Guh… gah… let me go…"
He struggled wildly, trying to bash Shano's head with his gun, but in the blink of an eye, Shano snatched it away.
With a light twist—snap!—the flintlock cracked like a toy and was tossed aside.
"Don't bully the boss!"
The fat man shouted and swung down his club with both hands.
Shano easily dodged it, grabbed the fat guy's arm, and flipped him overhead, hurling him hard.
Boom!
A tree was dented in the shape of his body as the fat bandit got embedded in it. No matter how much he howled and thrashed, he couldn't move.
Only then did Shano lift the monkey-faced bandit again by the forehead. Smiling politely at the terrified man, he asked:
"So now… can you take me there?"
…
"Hey! Wake up? Wake up!"
In a daze, Luffy felt someone slapping his face with a rough hand.
Smack!
Suddenly, the hand slapped him hard, making stars spin around his head—then a big bucket of cold water dumped down on him like a waterfall.
So cold!
He shivered violently, finally snapping awake.
"Eh? Wh-What's going on?!"
Luffy looked around in confusion and found himself tightly tied to a stone pillar—with a cliff right behind him! He panicked, snot and all, and screamed, "Waaa—!!!!"
"Shut up already! So damn noisy, brat!"
A dark-skinned man with a scarred face stomped one foot on a chair, looking fierce and murderous.
"Making you talk properly sure is a pain. Now tell me—what grudge do we have? Why've you been messing with my men all this time?"
"Messing with… your men?"
Luffy was full of question marks, like bells dangling over his head. He looked at the scary scar-faced guy, then glanced at the surrounding bandits.
Every one of them was glaring with bulging eyes and gritted teeth, as if he'd done something unforgivable.
Luffy got even more confused. He tilted his head and asked with a blank face:
"Uncle, who are you guys again?"
(End of Chapter)
Want me to continue with the next chapter too?
The straw hat twirled lazily on his fingertip. Suddenly, Shano let out a soft "Hm?" as if sensing something, sat up straight, and turned his head toward the southwest.
From that direction, birds startled from the treetops fluttered away into the distance.
Someone's coming?
Or maybe a large beast?
He frowned, spread his legs, and slid swiftly down the tree trunk with his crotch stuck to the bark, slipping over ten meters in a flash.
Then he stopped steadily on a thick branch halfway up the tree. That way, he had a clear and wide view while also being able to see any movement on the ground below.
…
"Boss, that kid's just a few years old, right? Was he really that strong? Took all three of you down?"
A simple, dopey voice rang out. Shano turned toward it and saw a chubby man over two meters tall carrying a spiked club on his shoulder.
"Why would I lie? Like it's something to be proud of!"
The guy behind him, thin as a monkey, shouted angrily, "Look! Look at this lump on my head—it's still swollen! That damn brat did it! Don't underestimate him, that kid's got power from a devil or something!"
The fat guy looked confused. "Power from a devil?"
"I don't get it either, but that's what everyone's saying! His arms and legs stretch out several meters, then snap right back—like one of those jack-in-the-box toys. It's freaky!"
"Sounds terrifying, boss! Good thing Big Boss Barbar caught him. Otherwise, we'd be scared every day while patrolling the mountains!"
"Yeah, but don't let your guard down. The boss said the kid has a companion. Might be coming to rescue him. That's why he called us all back to the base for full security…"
"Someone's there!"
The fat man suddenly pointed his club upward. "In the tree!"
"Huh?"
The skinny one flinched and quickly looked up.
Sure enough, there was a black-haired guy sitting in the tree, watching them with great interest.
"It's that brat's buddy! Watch out, he might be another monster with devil powers!"
The skinny guy immediately yelled a warning, grabbed the flintlock gun slung across his back, aimed it upward, and shouted with gritted teeth, "Get down here! Hands in the air or I'll shoot!"
"Why is it always guns first? That's seriously scary…"
Under their tense gazes, Shano actually raised his hands slowly and smiled.
"Hey now, this is our first meeting, right? How come you've already labeled me as that devil kid's partner?"
"Not his partner?"
The fat man blinked and lowered his club, turning to the skinny one. "Boss, maybe we got it wrong. He says he's not the partner."
"You just believe anything people say?!"
The skinny guy was furious, glaring daggers at Shano. "Still saying you're not the partner? Then—then let me ask you this!"
He pointed at the back of Shano's neck. "If you're not, then why are you wearing the exact same hat as that little devil?!"
"You mean this?"
Shano blinked, looked back at the straw hat, and shrugged.
"Just a coincidence. But yeah, I am looking for the same person as you guys. Been scouring this damn mountain for days. I'm exhausted. I really gotta thank you for catching him—it saved me the trouble."
"No need to thank us, bro!"
The fat man chuckled and scratched his head.
"Honestly, that brat was super weird. While our Barbar Bandits were scattered lately, he kept stealing our roasted meat. Big Boss Barbar got so mad he caught him personally and tied him up near the cliff. That'll teach him a lesson—let's see him try to rob us again!"
"Yeah, brats like that—born evil—deserve what's coming to them!"
Shano nodded seriously. "That brat also owes me something, which is why I've been looking for him. Since we're on the same side, could you take me to that cliff?"
"No problem, bro!"
The fat guy laughed heartily. "The place is kinda out of the way, but how about this—you follow me, I'll lead—"
"Lead your head, idiot!"
The skinny guy jumped up and slapped him in the back of the head. He'd been listening with his jaw dropped, and now he couldn't take it anymore.
"Moron! You dumbass! That guy was totally trying to trick you, couldn't you tell?!"
"Eh?"
The fat guy froze, while the skinny one coldly raised the gun and aimed it at Shano's forehead—then pulled the trigger without hesitation!
Bang!
The shot rang out as Shano tilted his head slightly, watching the yellow bullet graze right past his nose.
Then he looked at the bullet mark on the tree trunk and frowned.
"Someone who opens fire without a word… that's pretty rare."
He narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at the stunned bandit with the monkey face. "I'm not confident I can dodge every bullet. So sorry, but I'll have to make the first move."
Thud!
As soon as he finished, he kicked off the tree trunk and flipped through the air like a cannonball.
The skinny bandit saw only a black shadow rushing at him. Before he could react, five iron-like fingers wrapped around his throat and hoisted him into the air.
"Guh… gah… let me go…"
He struggled wildly, trying to bash Shano's head with his gun, but in the blink of an eye, Shano snatched it away.
With a light twist—snap!—the flintlock cracked like a toy and was tossed aside.
"Don't bully the boss!"
The fat man shouted and swung down his club with both hands.
Shano easily dodged it, grabbed the fat guy's arm, and flipped him overhead, hurling him hard.
Boom!
A tree was dented in the shape of his body as the fat bandit got embedded in it. No matter how much he howled and thrashed, he couldn't move.
Only then did Shano lift the monkey-faced bandit again by the forehead. Smiling politely at the terrified man, he asked:
"So now… can you take me there?"
…
"Hey! Wake up? Wake up!"
In a daze, Luffy felt someone slapping his face with a rough hand.
Smack!
Suddenly, the hand slapped him hard, making stars spin around his head—then a big bucket of cold water dumped down on him like a waterfall.
So cold!
He shivered violently, finally snapping awake.
"Eh? Wh-What's going on?!"
Luffy looked around in confusion and found himself tightly tied to a stone pillar—with a cliff right behind him! He panicked, snot and all, and screamed, "Waaa—!!!!"
"Shut up already! So damn noisy, brat!"
A dark-skinned man with a scarred face stomped one foot on a chair, looking fierce and murderous.
"Making you talk properly sure is a pain. Now tell me—what grudge do we have? Why've you been messing with my men all this time?"
"Messing with… your men?"
Luffy was full of question marks, like bells dangling over his head. He looked at the scary scar-faced guy, then glanced at the surrounding bandits.
Every one of them was glaring with bulging eyes and gritted teeth, as if he'd done something unforgivable.
Luffy got even more confused. He tilted his head and asked with a blank face:
"Uncle, who are you guys again?"