By the time darkness fully fell, the town was even livelier than it had been during the day.
Two rows of torches had been lit outside the large wooden building, illuminating the entire main street. The woman in the red dress stood on the steps with a bowl of liquor in her hand and said something to the people below, drawing a roar of laughter. A dozen or so girls wove among the guests, pouring drinks. The strong scent of liquor mingled with the smoke from roasting meat and drifted halfway down the street on the wind.
Naruto lay in the shadows behind a pile of wooden crates near the dock, watching their ship. Both guards were still there. One dozed against the rail, while the other paced back and forth with a musket slung over his shoulder. A few fishermen were gathering their nets on the dock. They were close enough that any action might alert them.
Luffy crouched beside him and whispered, "I'll go."
"Wait for the signal." Naruto held him back.
Usopp crawled quietly over from the other side, clutching two homemade smoke bombs. "Ready."
Nami waited at the mouth of an alley farther away, keeping an eye on the main street. Zoro and Sanji had already circled around toward the hill behind town, with orders to move as soon as the signal flare went up. Chopper huddled behind the crates, hugging his medical bag tightly, a sheen of sweat on the tip of his nose.
Naruto waited a little longer. At last, the fishermen finished gathering their nets and left with their gear over their shoulders. He patted Luffy's shoulder.
Luffy launched himself forward, whipping out a rubber arm to seize the pacing guard by the ankle and yank him down. The man fell face-first onto