Three-Man Crew? Destination: Hell!

The head with the metal jaw rolled across the ground with a dull thud.

The entire Marine base fell into dead silence.

All the Marine soldiers stared wide-eyed at the tyrant who had once been so arrogant, seemingly invincible, now reduced to a cold, headless corpse.

The sea breeze swept past, carrying the stench of blood and sending chills down their spines.

After several seconds of silence, someone finally reacted.

"C-Captain Morgan... was killed..."

A trembling soldier broke the silence.

"Unbelievable..."

"That Morgan... is really dead..."

Though Zoro was weak, he still forced himself to stand straight.

One hand rested on his sword hilt as he glared warily, with a hint of resentment, at the Marines around him.

"Hey! If any of you still want to avenge this guy, or try to arrest us... then come at us!"

Just as Zoro prepared himself for another round of fighting, something strange happened.

The nearby Marines looked at one another, exchanging glances.

Then, no one knew who started it, but everyone burst into unprecedented cheers.

"This is great!!!"

The Marines shouted excitedly, tossing their rifles and caps high into the air.

"We're free! We're finally free!"

"No more being controlled by Captain Morgan! No more trembling beneath that tyrant's shadow!"

"Long live the Marines! Long live freedom!!"

A few bolder Marines even cast grateful looks at Victor and Luffy.

Luffy watched the cheering Marines, tilting his head with a puzzled look.

"Huh? Why are they so happy when we killed their captain?"

Victor stood nearby, watching the absurd scene with a soft chuckle.

"This is what they call a reign of terror."

Victor stepped forward and glanced at Morgan's unblinking head, a chill flashing through his eyes.

[Ding! Killed "Axe-Hand" Morgan.]

[Battle Evaluation Obtained: A.]

[Reward Obtained: 500 Ninja Way Points.]

Listening to the pleasant system notification in his mind, Victor said quietly,

"Since you believed in the law of the jungle and trampled others like ants, you should have long been prepared... to become the weak one yourself."

However—

"What are you talking about, Victor!"

Luffy tilted his head even farther, directly interrupting his vice-captain's cool moment.

"It's too profound! I don't get it! More importantly, I'm hungry! I want meat! Meat!!"

The moment he finished speaking, Zoro's body swayed. His eyes rolled back, and he fell stiffly backward.

"Hey!"

Victor reacted quickly and caught the future master swordsman.

"Dead?"

Zoro struggled to open one eye, his voice as weak as a mosquito's buzz.

"I'm... starving to death! You bastard... I haven't eaten in three weeks..."

Victor shook his head helplessly and hoisted Zoro onto his back.

"Come on, Luffy. I heard Zoro say he's treating us to a meal."

"You... bastard! I... I never said that!"

"Awesome!! Meat! Delicious meat!!"

Under the complicated gazes of the Marines, the three of them swaggered out of the Marine base.

Half an hour later.

Inside Rika's family restaurant in Shells Town.

The table was piled high with empty plates like a small mountain, all Luffy's handiwork.

In front of Zoro were more than a dozen empty bowls. He picked his teeth with a toothpick, looking thoroughly satisfied.

"Burp—!"

Zoro let out a contented burp and exhaled deeply.

"Ah! I'm alive again! After not eating for three weeks, I almost thought I was going to die!"

"Huh? You're full already?"

Luffy's mouth was stuffed with bone-in meat, his cheeks puffed out like a hamster's as he spoke indistinctly. "I'm only one-third full!"

Victor had finished eating long ago and now elegantly took a sip of tea.

Looking at these two bottomless pits—especially Zoro, whose hair remained dazzlingly green even after filling his stomach—he could not help switching into sharp-tongued mode.

"It really is impressive that you managed to last so long without food or water."

Victor stroked his chin, studying Zoro's head with an inquisitive expression.

"Could it be that you're built differently? Are you actually green algae? Photosynthesis?"

Zoro froze mid-toothpick. "Huh?"

Victor explained solemnly, "After all, only plants can survive that long through photosynthesis."

"Hmm, that's good news! Looks like we won't need to prepare food for you in the future. We can just leave you out in the sun."

"Bang!"

Zoro slammed his fist furiously onto the table, veins bulging on his forehead as he roared at Victor.

"Who are you calling green algae?! I'm a human!"

"Ah! You bastard! I've put up with you ever since you stuffed that rice ball in my mouth! Want to fight, you red-eyed bastard?!"

"Hahahaha!"

Seeing Zoro bristle, Rika, Koby, and even Luffy could not help bursting into laughter.

Victor completely ignored Zoro's fury and turned toward the owner, who was clearing the dishes, with a charming smile.

"Sorry, ma'am. These two eat a little too much. Zoro said he'd pay you a bit extra."

"When did I ever say that?! Don't just speak for me!"

"Haha, it's fine!" The owner said with a smile as she wiped her hands.

"You're the great heroes who saved this town! This meal is on the house! Eat as much as you want!"

"That's right!" Rika looked at them with admiration. "You big brothers are amazing! Just like heroes from legends!"

Luffy laughed, spraying meat scraps from his mouth. "Shishishi! Of course! I'm the man who'll become the Pirate King!"

Hearing that, Zoro, who had been sulking at Victor, suddenly stopped. His expression became more serious.

"Oh, right."

Zoro folded his arms and looked at Luffy.

"Since you dare claim you'll become the Pirate King, your pirate crew must be pretty big, right? Where's the ship? Where are the other crew members?"

Luffy swallowed the meat in his mouth and shook his head.

He held up his greasy fingers and began counting seriously. "Victor... me... and you!"

Luffy raised three fingers, looking immensely proud. "That makes exactly three people!"

"Huh?!"

Zoro's eyes widened as he cried out in disbelief.

"So there are only three of us right now?! And you call this a pirate crew?!"

"What does it matter!" Luffy said matter-of-factly. "We're all strong!"

"What about a ship?" Zoro asked unwillingly. "You have to have a pirate ship, right?"

Victor smiled and pointed toward the docks outside the window. "There. That's our pirate ship."

Zoro followed the direction Victor pointed.

Beside the massive warships and merchant vessels, bobbing pitifully with the waves... was a tiny wooden boat that could probably seat only four people.

It even had only one tiny sail, and they still had to row it by hand.

Zoro stiffly turned back to look at Luffy's radiant grin and Victor's calm expression, then could not help rubbing his forehead in anguish.

"Did I... get onto a pirate ship... Is it too late to quit?"

"Too late." Victor added with a smiling stab. "Once you board, it's for life, green-algae-haired swordsman."

"I told you not to call me green-algae-head!!"

After a round of bickering, they finally got down to business.

"So, Captain... Vice-Captain..." Zoro sighed and asked as though resigning himself to his fate.

"Now that we've formed a crew, where are we going next?"

Luffy sprang up from his chair, raising both hands as his eyes gleamed with longing for adventure. He shouted that name:

"Of course—Grand Line!!"

The instant those words came out, the air inside the restaurant seemed to freeze.

"Pff—!!"

Koby, who had been drinking water, sprayed it out. He leapt onto the table in terror, clutching his head as he yelled,

"Impossible! Impossible!! Absolutely impossible!!"

Koby's face went pale with fright as he frantically waved his hands. "Mr. Luffy! With just the three of you and that tiny boat, going to the Grand Line is suicide!!"

"That place is... the graveyard of pirates! It's true hell!"