"Straw Hat Pirates? Trainer?"
Zoro frowned and asked in confusion, "Why have I never heard of your names?"
Although he wasn't a professional bounty hunter, he still believed he had a decent understanding of the pirate groups in the area. With the boldness Red and Luffy showed by breaking into the naval base, there was no way he wouldn't have heard of them.
Facing Zoro's doubts, Red smiled calmly and replied, "That's normal."
"After all, this is only our second day at sea!"
"What?! Your second day?!"
Zoro was startled, and then the corner of his mouth twitched. "You guys dared to break into a marine base and free prisoners just after setting sail? Do you think you'll live very long?!"
"Haha~ It's just a marine base, it's not as serious as you make it sound."
Red laughed casually, then added, "Actually, to be precise, it hasn't even been 24 hours since we set sail!"
"It's not an exaggeration to say it's our first day at sea."
"But I believe..."
"In the future, the name of the Straw Hat Pirates will definitely resound throughout the world!"
"Right, Luffy?"
Red tilted her head and looked at Luffy.
When Luffy heard this, he immediately threw away the rope in his hand, raised his arms high, and shouted confidently: "Of course!!! I'm the man who's going to become the Pirate King!!!"
"You..."
Zoro blinked, looked at Luffy who seemed to be in an overly excited mental state, and then cast a doubtful look at the inexplicably confident Red.
"Have you all always been like this?!"
"Maybe," Red smiled reassuringly. "There's no helping it, our captain's personality is just like this."
"Since you can't change him, you can only get used to it slowly!"
"How am I supposed to get used to this?!"
"You'll manage!"
"Our captain?"
Zoro's expression froze. "Hey! When did I promise to become a pirate?!"
Snap!
There was a crisp sound.
Red suddenly put his hands on Zoro's shoulders, then leaned in and said, "Give up resistance, Zoro."
"Anyone who gets caught in Luffy's pace can't escape, just like me!"
"I even suspect I had to go to sea with him because of his protagonist aura..."
"Protagonist aura?" Zoro said, clearly not understanding what Red was talking about.
But Red waved his hand dismissively and calmly said, "Don't worry about those details."
"Anyway, you'll be on the marine's wanted list soon. Even if you don't become a pirate, your situation won't be much better."
"Come with us!"
"The small East Blue really limits your development!"
"Come to sea with us, go to the Grand Line, and see the real world!"
Red's tone suddenly became serious as she looked directly into Zoro's eyes.
"Your goal is to become the world's greatest swordsman, right?"
"How did you hear about my dream?" Zoro asked.
"I didn't! It's written all over your face!"
Zoro: "???"
"Hahaha, just kidding."
Red laughed loudly. "Anyway, once you get on our pirate ship, you can't even think about running away!"
"The number one combatant of the Straw Hat Pirates has to be you!"
"And in return, I'll help you realize your dreams and ambitions!"
"Help me? Just you?"
Zoro frowned.
Although he thought he was quite powerful after wandering around the East Blue, he wasn't so naive to think that achieving his dream would be easy.
Moreover, he couldn't sense even a trace of a swordsman's aura from Red.
"It's not good to make empty boasts," he said, looking carefully at Red and Luffy.
Red responded with a smile: "Have you forgotten my identity?"
"Although I'm weak, I am a Trainer!"
"Trainer? What's that?!" Zoro asked curiously.
Red's red eyes flashed, feeling this would be an excellent opportunity for Zoro to recognize him as a Trainer.
But just as he was about to answer, Luffy suddenly interrupted the conversation between the two.
"Red, someone's coming!"
"Oh?"
Red paused, then immediately followed Luffy's gaze and looked behind him.
He saw a guy with blond slicked-back hair and a distinctively shaped chin and rear end, escorted by two gun-toting Marines, walking in their direction.
The person was clearly Helmeppo, the son of Captain Morgan who had made the deal with Zoro to tie him up here.
At this moment, Helmeppo looked exactly like the foolish son of a nouveau riche. He was pinching his collar affectedly and walking with exaggerated steps.
"Hey, there's a lot of noise down here. I wonder what happened?"
"So it turns out that the pirate hunter who swore so much would actually break his promise and ask his companions to free him early?!"
"Looks like you're ready to go to jail and be punished!"
After saying that, Helmeppo suddenly turned his eyes to Red and Luffy and said in his ugly, sharp voice:
"Hey! And you two! Don't you know that in Branch 153, freeing prisoners is a capital offense?!"
"Oh?!" Red snorted, anger flashing in his eyes.
Because of Helmeppo's interruption, he would have to find another opportunity to explain what a Trainer was to Zoro.
Red slowly turned his gaze to Helmeppo. "First of all, I don't greet scum!"
"Second... Zoro's swords must have been taken by you, right?"
He suddenly said to Luffy:
"Luffy, deal with those two Marines, then make this guy help us get Zoro's swords back!"
"No problem!"
Luffy grinned.
"Shave!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a slight puff of smoke quickly rose from his feet.
In that moment, Luffy's figure completely disappeared!
"What?!"
Zoro, who didn't see how Luffy vanished, was shocked. Then he heard overlapping screams from beside him.
He immediately turned his gaze and saw the two marine soldiers who had been following Helmeppo now collapsed on the ground.
And standing next to them was Luffy, who had just disappeared!
"How is this possible?! Is this some kind of magic?!" Zoro shouted in surprise.
"This isn't magic~"
Seeing Zoro's surprised expression, Red quickly showed a meaningful smile and took the opportunity to make an impression:
"That's the technique I, the Trainer, taught Luffy!"
"Trainer?" Zoro repeated in his mind.
Although he hadn't figured out what that meant yet, because of the speed Luffy had just displayed, he couldn't help but view Red with new respect and mystery.
He even forgot about refusing to become a pirate!
"What... what's happening?!"
Hearing the screams of the marine men behind him, Helmeppo suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
When he turned around and saw Luffy's smiling face, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his body so stiff he couldn't move.
At this point, Red walked up to one of the unconscious Marines, reached out and picked up a long-barreled musket, then pointed the black muzzle at Helmeppo's chest with a smile.
"Now, can we talk properly?"
Devil... Devils!!!
Looking at the smile on Red's face, cold sweat broke out on Helmeppo's forehead.
For some reason, he had an inexplicable intuition:
'If I say the wrong thing, he'll definitely pull the trigger without hesitation!'
Helmeppo asked trembling, "What... what do you want?!"
Then, he noticed the playful smile in Red's red eyes.
"Take it easy."
"Your name is Helmeppo, right? Captain Morgan's son?"
"We just want you to help us retrieve our crewmate's swords and pay your father a visit by the way."
"What?! Visit my father?!" Helmeppo screamed in panic, but he felt the gun muzzle press harder against his chest. He immediately closed his mouth and put on a flattering smile:
"Hahaha~ small things, small things."
"The swords are in my room, and my father is on the roof of the base."
"As long as you let me go, I'll agree to any conditions!"
Of course, that's what he said out loud, but inside, Helmeppo was thinking: 'When you meet my father, you'll be dead!'
Seeing the hatred hidden deep in Helmeppo's eyes, although Red noticed it, he didn't say anything. He just threatened Helmeppo a few more times and motioned for him to start leading the way.
Luffy and Zoro exchanged glances and followed.
...
...
Under Helmeppo's guidance, they successfully entered the naval branch building.
Strangely, there wasn't a single marine soldier in the building at that time, so Red and the others had an unobstructed journey.
In just about ten minutes, they arrived at Helmeppo's room and found Zoro's three swords.
A fine sharp blade with exceptional quality—Wado Ichimonji, and two ordinary swords.
Seeing Zoro placing all three swords at his waist, Luffy suddenly showed curiosity:
"Hey, why do you need three swords?"
"Hmph!" A proud light flashed in Zoro's eyes. "Because I use Santoryu, the Three-Sword Style!"
After retrieving his swords, his aura and demeanor seemed completely transformed, and he even forgot how surprised he'd been by Luffy's speed just moments ago.
But soon, Zoro's expression became serious again.
He looked at Luffy and Red with a complicated expression, then said:
"Well, since you helped me get my swords back, and I've made enemies with the Navy, I have nowhere else to go..."
"So I will reluctantly... become your comrade!!!"
"But let me say something straight first!"
"My goal is to become the world's greatest swordsman!"
"If any of you ever get in the way of my ambition, be prepared to apologize with your life!!!"
At that moment, a wild and ferocious light suddenly burst from Zoro's eyes, as if to tell Red and Luffy that he wasn't joking.
However, after he finished his dramatic declaration of joining the crew, he turned around to see Luffy's stupid face as he picked his nose.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
Luffy said, looking confused:
"After I untied you, didn't you already become our nakama?!"
"You idiot!" Zoro shouted angrily, a vein popping on his forehead. "Don't take promises you made by yourself so seriously!"
"Besides..."
He quickly turned his gaze to Red again:
"Are you sure this guy can really serve as captain? Why do I think you seem more reliable!"
"Hahaha~" Chihong grinned. "Don't say that, Luffy is actually very reliable sometimes!"
"Right, Luffy?"
"That's right!"
Luffy, who had finished picking his nose, nodded and responded. With a flick of his finger, the booger he'd just removed hit Helmeppo's body.
"I'm very reliable!"