Making a Move on the Straw Hat Crew

"How about this! A secret ballot!"

Nami pulled out a sheet of paper from her slightly raised cleavage and tore off a corner for Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper each.

After hesitating for a moment, she tore off a corner for Robin too.

Two minutes later.

Everyone sat in a circle on the deck. Robin joined in with a smile this time, and all eyes were fixed on Luffy's straw hat.

Luffy himself opposed the idea. To keep him from interfering, Nami had hung him up with a rope.

"Six votes in total."

Nami shook the straw hat back and forth, then opened it to find seven crumpled paper balls inside.

She opened the first one.

Agree.

The second one.

Agree.

The third, fourth, and seventh—all votes in favor.

"Very good, everyone agrees that we should sell Luffy first!"

Nami was quite pleased as she swept her gaze over everyone. Not one of them met her eyes; they all looked away, whistling.

"Um, are we really going to sell Luffy?"

Chopper spoke softly, hanging his head and gnawing on his large front teeth. He had actually planned to vote against it.

But when he thought about the stethoscope, as well as some medicinal herbs, he hesitated.

As the Straw Hat Pirates' doctor, he had to be prepared at all times in case everyone got injured so he could treat them.

After all, sailing the seas and being pirates was dangerous.

Not only did they have to guard against all kinds of illnesses, they also had to beware of raids from other pirates and pursuit by the Marines.

If an injury was not treated in time, the mild outcome was becoming disabled; the severe outcome was dying on the spot.

Besides, Nami had said earlier that they would rescue Luffy after selling him.

"Don't worry, Chopper! After we sell that idiot, we'll just rescue him again."

"All right! It's happily decided, then!"

"Let's get ashore and sell Luffy—"

Nami patted Chopper on the head, then waved her hand grandly. She turned to glance at Luffy swaying from the mast, looking at him like a bulging sack of money.

Little did they know.

They had been watched from the moment they entered the harbor.

"Should we make our move?"

On a breakwater a thousand meters away from Dock Three, Kaku, Bruno, Jabra, Kumadori, and Fukurou held binoculars as they watched the Straw Hat crew fooling around aboard the Going Merry.

Over the past few days.

Although they had been practicing Armament Haki and Observation Haki, they had not forgotten the mission Sumer had given them.

That was to keep an eye on the Straw Hat crew.

Kaku and Bruno both knew something about the Straw Hat crew.

Because some time ago, Admiral Aokiji had given an order to their former superior, Spandam.

Nico Robin, the Demon Child with an 80 million Beli bounty, would be heading to Water 7.

Spandam had ordered them to capture Nico Robin and bring her back to Enies Lobby for trial.

Because of that, they had investigated and learned that Nico Robin had now joined the Straw Hat Pirates.

"Lucci, ask Lord Sumer whether we should proceed with the capture."

Hearing Jabra's somewhat sinister words, Kaku lowered his binoculars and looked at the Den Den Mushi still on the call in his hand.

"Lord Sumer has ordered you to act."

"Yes."

As Lucci's icy command was relayed, Kaku put away the Den Den Mushi and nodded at Bruno, Jabra, Kumadori, and Fukurou.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

The next second.

The five of them turned into afterimages and vanished from where they stood.

At the dock.

Nami painfully paid 30,000 Beli for docking fees. The berth was good for three hours at 10,000 Beli per hour, and the outrageous price had her grumbling the entire way.

"We only have 20,000 Beli left. We have to sell Luffy as soon as possible."

As they headed toward the harbor stairs, Nami furrowed her brows, considering how to sell Luffy at a premium.

Yes.

She was not satisfied with 100 million Beli.

After all, one extra Beli was still one extra Beli.

As for buyers, there were three options: the Marines, slave-catching gangs, or human traffickers.

"Nami-swan, watch out."

Suddenly.

The group stopped. Sanji, at the front, took a deep drag of his cigarette and stared intently at Kaku's group flying through the air.

"Something's wrong. Everyone, be careful."

"Are those five running through the sky?"

"Not good, they're coming for us."

Slash—

The air boomed.

Kaku drew back his right leg and kicked at Sanji and the others from afar.

In an instant, the air compressed and curled up, forming a bright white flying slash that tore toward Sanji's group with unstoppable force.

Right after that.

Bruno, Jabra, Kumadori, and Fukurou each kicked as well, whipping up vacuum blades that became four more flying slashes.

Jabra's Rankyaku was not crescent-shaped, but formed like a wolf's head made of lines. Most unbelievably, it advanced in bouncing leaps.

"Move!"

The sudden attack made Nami and the others' faces change drastically.

Sanji let out a shout and immediately hooked one arm around Nami's waist and the other around Robin's.

Boom, boom, boom—

The five Rankyaku attacks smashed through the hard, thick stone stairs with ease before striking the ground in a deafening explosion.

Dust burst up and filled the air.

"What was that?"

"He kicked out slashes like Zoro's."

Usopp and Chopper rolled across the ground in a miserable tumble. Their eyes widened in terror as they looked back at the stairs, sliced so smoothly that they could not imagine what would have happened if those attacks had hit them.

"Nami-swan, Robin-swan, are you all right?!"

"I'm fine."

"Thank you, Mr. Sanji."

"Being able to protect two ladies is the honor of a knight."

Nearby.

Sanji landed firmly on the ground. After repeatedly confirming that Nami and Robin were unharmed, his eyes immediately turned into hearts as he twisted his noodle-like body.

He completely ignored whether Usopp and Chopper were dead or alive.

Zoro and Luffy, who had originally stayed behind on the ship, also rushed over immediately, glaring fiercely at Kaku's group as they landed.

"I didn't expect a challenge the moment we got ashore."

Zoro tied his dark green bandana around his head, drew all three swords, and took up a fighting stance. Beside him, Luffy was swinging his right arm.

"Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy."

"Demon Child Nico Robin."

"Take them all alive."

Kaku wore a cold expression as he confirmed Luffy and the others' identities once more. Then he charged out first, drawing the twin swords at his waist and entering his half-beast form mid-run.

Behind him.

Jabra also transformed into a vicious wolf.

Bruno opened a door directly in the air, stepped through it, and vanished without a trace.

Kumadori and Fukurou did not transform, but their repeated flashes of Soru put immense pressure on Sanji and the others.

"Devil Fruit users!"

Nami looked terrified, frightened by Kaku, Jabra, and Bruno.

Clang~

The sound of clashing steel rang through the wide-open area.

Zoro sharply sensed Kaku's direction and immediately stepped in front of Robin.

Three swords collided with two blades, scattering a shower of sparks.

Zoro's pupils widened slightly. He felt an enormous force crash into him, and with a muffled grunt, he was sent flying.

"Surrender obediently!"

"Iron Body: Heavy Step Wolf."

Jabra appeared before Luffy in an instant. His whole body entered Iron Body mode, all his strength gathering in his fist as it shot toward Luffy's head.

"You dare hurt my friends? I'll send you flying."

"Gum-Gum Pistol."

Luffy was furious. These people who had appeared out of nowhere had nearly hurt Nami and the others.

Unforgivable.

Luffy immediately clenched his fist and struck Jabra head-on without the slightest hesitation.

But reality was somewhat cruel.

The moment their fists collided, Luffy felt as if he had punched a block of lead, followed by a tremendous force rushing at him.

Luffy followed in Zoro's footsteps and was sent flying.

The sight left Nami, Usopp, and Chopper completely dumbfounded!

The two strongest people on their ship, the ones who made them feel safest, had just been sent flying like that??