Lina glanced around, tapped the ash from his cigarette, and said calmly, "There are probably a hundred people outside, plus a few officers with names like Mr. This and Mr. That."
"That sounds familiar." Zoro stroked his chin, thinking.
Lina looked puzzled. "They're from Baroque Works. Have you dealt with them before?"
"Oh, right. They tried to recruit me once."
"You're pretty famous in East Blue, Zoro." Lina teased him, then headed for the door. "Come on. Time to get to work."
"Oh no! I've got that disease where I die if I step outside this door. I'll leave the enemies to you." The Brave Warrior of the Sea clutched his chest, then flopped down and pretended to be dead.
"..."
Forget it. There was no need for the big guns to deal with a few nobodies.
"Then leave it to us. Let's go, curly-brows."
"Shut up. Don't order me around, Green Algae Head."
Outside, things were lively.
Mr. 8, with his big curls, led the way, surrounded by several officers. A hundred or so ordinary members followed behind as they surged toward the house where Lina and the others were staying.
Mr. 8 tugged at his collar. "Don't let your guard down! Their combined bounty is over seventy million berries. We'll take down the people in the house first, then deal with their ship."
"They're just a few pirates who got drunk and passed out. No matter how strong they are, they're fish on a chopping board." Mr. 9, wearing a crown, gave a soft laugh and continued:
"Whatever the case, there are only a few of them, while we've got over a hundred people. We have the advantage!"
"Yo! A hundred people, huh? This is going to take a while to cut through."
A disdainful shout rang out. Mr. 8 and the others froze, then looked up.
The full moon hung high in the dark sky. Beneath its cold light, three shadows stood on the rooftop with the moon behind them.
"How can this be?!"
"Weren't they already down?"
"Don't panic!" Mr. 8 shouted, his expression grave. "There are only three of them, and their strongest member, the captain, isn't here."
"Exactly!" Mr. 9 growled through gritted teeth, quickly pulling out two metal baseball bats.
Everyone bared their teeth, taking up swords and guns, ready for a fight.
"They have no style at all. These are the cheapest assassins I've ever seen." Lina looked down and couldn't help commenting, "Is Crocodile so broke he can only hire these clowns, or so loaded he hires every nobody he comes across?"
Lina had no intention of joining in. They'd treated him to food and drinks, and even sent over all those lovely ladies for free. The undead had no sense of restraint when they got started; if they killed too many, he'd feel a little bad.
Lina was left alone on the rooftop, seated high above, while Sanji and Zoro had disappeared without him noticing.
"Yo, you're the ones trying to take my head, right?"
"Quit making so much noise in the middle of the night!"
Zoro and Sanji's voices suddenly rang out from within the crowd, prompting a wave of startled cries.
Everyone spun around, but by the time they had their weapons pointed in the right direction, the two men had vanished.
Zoro drew all three swords. Their cold gleam flashed, and a blur of swordlight swept through the crowd. Blood sprayed everywhere.
Sanji moved through the crowd like a swimming dragon, his dazzling kicks sending enemies crashing down in droves.
"They really are monsters." Lina couldn't help praising them as he smoked and enjoyed the fight below.
His physical abilities weren't bad. Thanks to the natural boost of his Zoan powers and his daily training, he was improving at an incredible pace. But his combat skills were still terrible.
He'd tried swordsmanship—he had no talent for it.
He'd thought martial arts had a high ceiling—he just flailed around.
He'd tried to get ahead with firearms—he was a master of missing.
When he'd first arrived in this world, he'd tried swords, guns, and staves. He had no talent for any of them.
Rely on hard work?
He laughed.
In the end, he'd made up his mind. He'd keep working on his body, since he had nothing better to do, but he wouldn't push himself too hard. As long as he could stay alive, that was enough. He'd leave the fighting to the undead.
"What kind of proper summoner fights with his own hands? This Lich Lord has no style at all."
Lina knew where his strengths lay. Trying to be good at everything and have it all? Even a wish-fulfillment novel wouldn't dare write that.
"You damn bastard! I finally found you!"
A shout interrupted Lina's thoughts. He looked over and saw a few nobodies creeping up on him, pointing swords and blades his way.
The one who'd shouted was a brown-haired man at the front, glaring at him with a pistol in hand.
"Why are you so angry?" Lina asked, looking at the armed man in confusion.
The brown-haired man grew even angrier at his words. "You actually dared to... dared to—
—to put your hands all over my little sister! I'll kill you!"
What are you even saying?! What are you saying?! I want to see my—
"They came onto me, all right!"
Lina tossed his cigarette butt aside and stamped on it hard. "Who got the better end of the deal is still up for debate. Why are you bringing that up with me?"
"You shameless bastard! Die!" The brown-haired man roared and started to pull the trigger.
"Bang—!"
A gunshot rang out, but the brown-haired man was the one who fell.
"That's right! I am shameless. But even if you take a step back, are you really blameless?"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Lina fired quickly, and the nobodies dropped one after another. A master of missing wasn't blind; sometimes he still hit what he was aiming at.
He gently blew away a wisp of smoke curling from the muzzle.
The fight below was nearly over, with only a few officers left standing.
"Hot-Blooded Number Nine Backflip!"
Mr. 9, wearing his crown, bent backward and curled into a ball, rolling toward Zoro as he swung his metal bat at him.
Then Zoro twisted aside, and Mr. 9 rolled straight off the rooftop...
"..."
"Dude, are you going for comedy?"
Lina's face darkened. "Why does winning still feel so embarrassing?"
"Prepare to die! Mr. Bushido!"
A beautiful blue-haired woman with a ponytail stood atop a duck, swaying her hips from side to side as she waved her hands.
"Mosquito Coil Dance - Charm!"
"Pfft, hahaha!" Lina recognized the woman below. She was Vivi, the princess of Alabasta!
Seeing Vivi dressed like a delinquent girl, Lina couldn't hold back his laughter. "Holy crap, where's my camera?!"
He had to capture this embarrassing moment and replay it on a loop whenever he was in a bad mood.
Funny as it was, Vivi's move really worked.
As the mosquito coil pattern on her clothes swayed back and forth, Zoro suddenly felt dizzy.
"Get him, Karoo!"
"Quack!!!"
The duck let out a loud squawk, its webbed feet pattering against the ground as it carried Vivi toward Zoro.
At the critical moment, Zoro braced himself against the ground and gritted his teeth as he swung his blade to block Vivi's chain, slicing through her headband as well.
Her sky-blue hair tumbled over her shoulders, a few strands falling across her face.
Vivi sat on her knees. Her delicate, fair face and tight-lipped expression made her look pitiful.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Lina glanced at her with interest. "You have to admit, Vivi really is a beauty."
But that day, he witnessed the true power of a Sigma man. Zoro's expression didn't change. He held a sword in each hand, Wado Ichimonji clenched between his teeth, and charged straight at her.
"Princess!!"
Igaram panicked, aiming his modified trumpet gun at Zoro.
Lina was stunned. What was going on?
Was the princess of Alabasta, the possible tenth member of the crew, and a key figure in the Ancient Weapons' story really about to be hacked to death right here?
"Three Sword Style - Hawk Claw!"
Lina didn't stop Zoro's attack because the little rascal was using the back of his blade.
Zoro might not have Sanji's chivalrous spirit, but he almost never cut women.
"Neck Meat Kick!"
Sanji kicked Igaram over, stopping his sneak attack.
"I saved your life, Green Algae Head. You're welcome."
"What did you say, curly-brows? I'd have been fine without you!"
That was the end of the fight. Lina ignored the two of them bickering and jumped down.
"Princess?" Nami walked out, looking confused.
Lina couldn't resist teasing Nami when he saw her. "Yo, how'd you do, Nami?"
"Damn it! What a bunch of broke losers! I finally got to them before you, and I still didn't make a single berry!"
Nami shouted at him furiously, stomping hard on Igaram as she spoke. "Hey, you bastard, get up! What was that about a princess just now?"
Before you continue