Zoro Joins the Straw Hat Pirates

"You lot are that Straw Hat brat's accomplices, aren't you?! And you, Roronoa Zoro, are you plotting rebellion? This ends here! Every last one of you is guilty of treason! I hereby sentence you all to immediate execution!" Veins bulged on Morgan's forehead, and his eyes were bloodshot with fury.

"Rayson! At least take Rika away!" Zoro roared anxiously.

"Trying to run? All troops, prepare to fire!" Morgan raised his battle-axe high.

Click! Click!

Intimidated by Morgan's long-standing authority and brutality, the Marines could only grit their teeth and tremblingly raise their rifles.

Is this... really the end for me?

As he felt death drawing near, there was no fear in Zoro's eyes, only endless frustration.

He had yet to fulfill his promise to Kuina and become the world's greatest swordsman.

And now, he had dragged innocent Rika and Rayson, whom he had only just met, into this.

"So noisy." Rayson stood firmly before Rika, the pitch-black Conqueror's Haki flashing wildly in his eyes.

"Don't you think you're overestimating yourself? You're merely a branch captain." Rayson's voice was like ice that had endured for ten thousand years, echoing through the courtyard.

Hum...

A crushing pressure descended, engulfing every subordinate about to pull a trigger.

The next second,

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Countless Marines rolled their eyes back and collapsed in unison, falling into a deep unconsciousness.

"That power again... Can he use it however he wants, without any restraint?" Zoro stared in shock at the Marines sprawled all over the ground.

"Rayson? I remember now! There was a report not long ago! A particularly mysterious powerhouse appeared in the East Blue recently. Without even lifting a finger, he wiped out the entire Alvida Pirates with nothing but his aura!"

"The man who declared he would stand above the heavens! You... you're the Heavenly King, Rayson?!" Cold sweat streamed down Morgan's body. Having witnessed that unbelievable scene and heard Zoro call out the name earlier, he immediately began to stammer.

The front-page news that had swept across the East Blue over the past two days now overlapped with the silver-haired youth before him.

In its headline, the World Economy News Paper had used outrageously exaggerated language to bestow this man with the title of "Heavenly King," calling him the herald of a new king's birth upon the seas!

For Morgan, who valued status above all else, facing a monster with such a resounding reputation made him instinctively tremble from the bottom of his heart.

Not to mention that he had just experienced those incomprehensibly domineering methods firsthand.

"Standing above the heavens, the Heavenly King Rayson?" Zoro's gaze flickered as he stared at Rayson's back.

What an arrogantly overbearing title!

But after witnessing that power... perhaps this man truly had the right to be so arrogant.

"Oh? Even trash like you received the news? Looks like the news agency is fairly efficient." Rayson nodded, feeling quite pleased.

At least now, he did not need to worry about the Marines giving him some bizarre, ridiculous nickname.

＞[King's Spirit increased. Conqueror's Haki strength increased.]

Just as expected, Rayson's earlier guess was confirmed once more.

Making a name for himself on the seas and increasing his renown could effectively strengthen his King's Spirit, which would then be converted into the strength of his Conqueror's Haki.

As for the exact reason, Rayson vaguely sensed a mysterious resonance in his mind.

Especially when he saw Morgan, who had been so arrogant just moments ago, now breaking out in cold sweat merely upon hearing his name...

This feeling was indeed rather satisfying.

"Gum-Gum... Rocket!"

Just then, accompanied by a familiar shout, Luffy launched himself from the roof of the branch building like a cannonball and landed steadily in the courtyard.

"Wow! Rayson, you moved so fast! You already took down so many people?" Luffy grinned as he looked over the Marines lying all over the ground.

"Straw Hat brat!" The moment Morgan saw Luffy, his eyes turned bloodshot again.

He had to avenge the destruction of his precious statue today!

But...

Morgan glanced sideways at Rayson, cold sweat continuously running down the back of his neck.

"Go! Kill them for me! Kill every last one of them!" Morgan roared hysterically at the few remaining Marines beside him.

"C-Captain! Fighting a monster like that is nothing but certain death! He's practically a demon!" The remaining Marines trembled all over, their courage already shattered by Rayson's inhuman method of knocking out hundreds of men earlier.

"This is an order! Whoever dares disobey will be executed for treason right now!" Morgan roared furiously, even swinging his axe-hand at one of his hesitant, retreating subordinates.

"What's going on? Are they fighting their own people?" Luffy scratched his chin in confusion, then promptly tossed the strange scene to the back of his mind and removed three swords from behind his back.

"I only found these three swords in that room. Which one is yours?" Luffy casually asked the bound Zoro.

"All three are mine. I'm a Three-Sword Style swordsman," Zoro replied.

"Great! Then I'll untie you right away. Do you want to become my companion, or stay here and get chopped into pieces by the Marines?" Luffy grinned, flashing a mouthful of white teeth.

"Fine! Rather than die in a place like this, I'd rather become an infamous pirate." Zoro sighed, then a wild smile like that of a ferocious beast appeared on his face.

A beast driven into a corner was far more vicious than usual.

"Awesome! We've got another new companion!" Luffy cheered excitedly, raising an arm.

"Then hurry up and untie these damn ropes!" Zoro roared impatiently as he watched Morgan use force to compel the trembling Marines into making one final charge.

"But these knots are tied way too tight!" Luffy frantically tugged at the ropes.

"Give me the sword!" Zoro roared. Under Luffy's astonished gaze, Zoro viciously clamped one sword's hilt between his teeth.

Swish!

A sharp tearing sound rang out, and the thick ropes binding Zoro snapped apart.

Freed at last, Zoro gripped a blade in each hand and held Wado Ichimonji in his mouth. He turned, shielding Luffy behind him as he faced the charging enemies.

＞[Roronoa Zoro has joined the Straw Hat Pirates.]

＞[Current trait attachment targets updated.]

＞[Available trait attachment target: Roronoa Zoro.]

A translucent notification panel lit up before Rayson's eyes.

The reason he had deliberately spared these last few lackeys and Morgan instead of clearing them out with Conqueror's Haki was to leave them for Zoro.

This was Zoro's first battle after joining the crew, and also his declaration to the world as he severed ties with his past and formally emerged as a pirate.

Zoro's top-tier trait... was already within reach!