As the clock struck ten, the folks of Logue Town were settling into their beds, but the shady characters lurking beneath the surface were just getting started.
Hot Gorilla, the biggest underground casino in town, was bursting with life.
The air crackled with noise.
Pirates rubbed shoulders with gang members, notorious criminals mingled with bounty hunters, merchants hired bodyguards, and even ordinary citizens with a few coins to spare joined the large crowd.
You could find anyone and everyone here. A couple of Marine Lieutenants even sat at one of the gambling tables, their faces alight with the thrill of the game.
Each face was etched with the feverish excitement of winning or the agony of losing.
"Crack!"
Suddenly, a gambling table in the center of the casino split in two. All eyes snapped towards the commotion, and a crowd eagerly gathered.
This is going to be good!
Up on the second floor, the casino owner frowned, hearing the noise from below. The last person who dared cause trouble in his establishment was buried six feet under!
Didn't anyone know that Commodore Murak, the big boss of Logue Town, was also the man behind this casino?!
"Go see what's going on!" he barked.
"Yes, sir!"
His thugs hurried downstairs and quickly found the source of the trouble.
"It's the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro!"
The troublemaker was none other than Roronoa Zoro!
Standing amidst the wreckage of the table, Zoro held his sword high, pointing it at the gambler sitting opposite him.
"Scarface Mandalore, pirate with a 3 million Berry bounty. Your head belongs to me." His voice was like ice.
"Damn it! Who do you think you are?" Scarface blustered.
As a pirate, he had to worry about the Marines, but also the bounty hunters, who made a living hunting pirates. He knew all the well-known bounty hunters in Logue Town.
Green hair, three swords...
Could this be the Roronoa Zoro who'd made a name for himself recently?
He'd heard whispers that this guy had single-handedly captured several wanted criminals, including one with a bounty as high as 5 million Berries!
Realizing the danger he was in, Scarface's forehead began to glisten with sweat. He turned to the casino thugs, who had just arrived. "What's wrong with you guys? How can you let a guest be threatened like this?!" he whined.
"We're very sorry, sir!" one of the thugs said, their smiles fake. It didn't matter who you were; once you walked into this casino, you were treated like royalty.
The customer is always king!
And anyone causing trouble is the enemy!
The leader of the thugs nodded, and his men circled Zoro.
He smiled, his voice like poison. "This Bounty Hunter isn't wanted here. Please leave, now."
"Hiding pirates, eh? How interesting!" Zoro grinned, pulling his white sword, Wado Ichimonji, and gripping it tightly in his teeth. He snatched the green bandana from his shoulder and tied it around his head.
Three swords at once!
"If you think you can stop me, then come and try!"
"..."
The Captain's face turned dark.
He was being offered peace but was demanding a fight - he was asking for death!
"Kill him!" he yelled.
"Yes, sir!"
The thugs grinned, swinging their swords at Zoro, excited to see blood.
But...
"Clang!"
Every single one of their swords was stopped!
Zoro held his two swords crossed above his head, blocking the attacks coming from all sides. He looked up a little, and his eyes seemed to glow red.
"Demon Slash!"
"Boom!"
Blood flew everywhere!
The thugs screamed and went flying backward, crashing into the gamblers around them. The force of the crash stunned everyone.
"So strong!"
He was just a somewhat famous bounty hunter, yet he'd easily defeated the casino thugs. How could anyone not be surprised?
Sensing that things were spiraling out of control, even more thugs appeared, at least twenty or thirty, instantly surrounding Zoro.
"Perfect. I'll take care of all of you at once."
Zoro watched them coldly, waiting for the thugs to fully surround him before raising his two swords, his waist coiling like a spring.
"Is that... a dragon?"
The thugs' eyes widened. They imagined they saw a dragon coiled around Zoro's body, the intense aura filling them with fear.
In the next instant, Zoro unleashed his power, his two swords sweeping out in a wide arc around him!
"Three-Sword Style: Tornado!"
"Aaaah!"
The intense sword pressure stirred the air, creating a violent tornado that lifted the surrounding thugs into the sky.
"Boom!"
The casino ceiling exploded!
When the tornado dissipated, the thugs fell from the sky like rag dolls, crashing heavily around Zoro.
The once luxurious casino was now a ruin. Only a few gambling tables on the edges remained intact.
The owner on the second floor turned as white as a ghost.
"Quick, notify Commodore Murak!"
They couldn't handle this kid!
In the center of the casino, Zoro held his sword in front of Scarface's face, but he was staring directly at the Captain of the thugs.
"Do you have any more objections?"
"I...!"
The Captain swallowed hard, his arrogance vanished. He wanted to stop Zoro, but he didn't dare to move, terrified that the swordsman's blade would find him.
But in front of so many guests, if Zoro took Scarface away, the casino's reputation would be ruined forever.
The higher-ups would never forgive him!
"Wait, please wait a moment!"
The Captain, drenched in sweat, tried to stall Zoro.
Just stall until the Marines arrive!
That was the only thing he could think of.
"Bounty Hunter, we welcome guests like you. But if you take a guest away, we'll have a lot of explaining to do. Could you wait for our boss to arrive?"
"Sure."
To the Captain's surprise, Zoro actually stopped. He even pulled up a chair and sat down, waiting as if he had all the time in the world.
Soon, more than a dozen Marines arrived at the casino, led by Murak's adjutant, Major Shiro.
Shiro scanned the devastated casino, his anger growing with each glance. Finally, his eyes landed on Zoro.
"Take all the troublemakers into custody!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Marines raised their rifles, aiming at Zoro. Scarface was also seized, and they intended to take him away as well.
Zoro gripped the hilt of his sword.
"I'm here to catch pirates, why are you arresting me?"
"Roronoa Zoro," Major Shiro said coldly, "You're the one who destroyed this place, right? That alone is enough reason to arrest you."
"I did it," Zoro frowned.
"But they attacked first!"
"Shut up! Whatever you have to say, you can explain it in a prison cell!"
Shiro didn't want to give Zoro a chance to explain. Once they reached the Marine base, justice wouldn't matter so much.
Daring to defy them was a death wish!
"Wait a minute!"
Suddenly, several Marine Lieutenants sitting on the edge of the casino stood up.
It was Roya!
Shiro's face turned sour.
"Major Roya."
"Major Shiro, it's a pleasure to see you in this den of iniquity, but what crime has this Bounty Hunter committed that requires interrogation at the Marine base?" Roya asked with a bright smile.
"Bounty Hunters are special professionals authorized by the World Government to arrest pirates. Their position aligns with ours. I'm curious what crimes this Bounty Hunter has committed that require him to be taken back to the Marine base for questioning?"
"Roronoa Zoro fought in a casino without permission, disturbing the peace, assault, and destruction of property," Shiro replied, his face like thunder.
He couldn't back down now.
The moment he saw Roya, he understood that this had all been arranged by him. The purpose was clear.
"Strange, I didn't see any of the crimes you mentioned." Roya said casually, "I witnessed the entire incident. The casino was harboring pirates and even tried to kill people in public!"
"The Bounty Hunter arresting pirates is not only reasonable and legal, but also eliminates potential threats and protects public safety!"
"But the casino stopped him without permission!"
"Major Shiro, as a Marine representing Justice , I think this matter warrants rewarding the Bounty Hunter and severely punishing the casino!"
"What do you say?"
What could he say?!
Shiro's face was grim.
"Major Roya, you're making this difficult for us!"
"Difficult?" Roya stood up with a smile, pulled out a cigarette, and put it in his mouth, while placing his hand on the edge of the gambling table.
"Then don't do it!"
Table flip! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
"Fullbody, Jango!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Seal off this casino! Take everyone involved into custody! Anyone who dares to resist will be executed on the spot for resisting the law!"
"Yes, sir!"