Seeing this, Morgan sneered and gave the order.
At once, more than a dozen Marines raised their guns, took aim, and fired without hesitation!
Bullets tore through the air toward them!
"Damn it, hurry up! How can I die in a place like this?!"
Zoro could not help growing anxious.
"Ahhh!"
Coby screamed, burying himself behind Zoro and Luffy!
"This rope only gets tighter the more I untie it, but it's fine. My companion will take care of them."
Luffy was also frantic, though not because of the incoming bullets. It was because the rope kept tightening as he tried to undo it, giving him a massive headache.
"Your companion?"
Zoro froze for a moment.
Just then, a crescent-shaped Sword Aura slashed in from beyond the courtyard wall!
The tall wall instantly collapsed, and the ground split apart. The Sword Aura swept across at incredible speed, instantly cutting apart the dozen or so bullets flying toward them!
Immediately afterward, the shockwave from the Sword Aura sent the dozen gun-wielding Marines flying!
"What?!"
Zoro was instantly stunned. He was a swordsman, and a Sword Maniac at that, so he naturally understood what such a slash represented. Filled with shock, he stared fixedly at the person walking in through the ruined courtyard wall.
"Lord Moonlight!"
Coby cried out in delight.
"Oh, you're here. Leave them to you. I need to focus on undoing this rope."
Luffy did not care in the slightest, continuing to work intently on Zoro's ropes.
"Mm."
A faint voice sounded, and then Moonlight appeared in everyone's sight.
"So this is the guy who cut down the bullets with one slash?"
"He can release Sword Aura! And his Sword Aura is even faster than bullets!"
"Amazing! What a terrifying slash!"
The Marines were all stunned when they saw Moonlight.
Such a slash was terrifying beyond measure.
"Who are you? How dare you oppose the Marines? I am Colonel Morgan of Branch 153!"
Morgan glared at Moonlight and shouted.
Although he had great confidence in his own strength, after seeing Moonlight's slash, he knew his limits. He was definitely no match for someone as ruthless as Moonlight.
So he tried to use his rank as a Marine colonel to intimidate him!
The Marines represented the strongest force in the world. No one dared challenge them!
"Die!"
However, Moonlight ignored him completely. He swung the Kusanagi Sword, and a ten-meter crescent Sword Aura spread outward in all directions from his body!
Crack!
Within ten meters, every Marine was sent flying by the Sword Aura. Moonlight had not struck to kill, so they were only seriously injured.
Morgan had no time to react before the axe on his left arm was shattered in a single blow. His huge body was violently flung backward, flying a full fifty meters before crashing to the ground. Blood poured from him as he suffered severe injuries and passed out!
With one strike, all the Marines were sent flying!
At the same time, the system's voice rang out in Moonlight's mind!
"Ding! You used Iai Slash once and gained 100*100 experience points!" " Iai Slash lv2 400000/100000 [Can be promoted]"
The progress of Iai Slash had increased again. It would soon reach lv3, the level where it could cut through steel!
"This guy actually did all that with one sword strike..."
Zoro's pupils contracted as he stared hard at Moonlight.
That Sword Technique had shaken him to the core!
Whoosh!
Moonlight swung his sword again, instantly cutting through the ropes around Zoro!
"Ah, it broke!"
Luffy could not help looking deeply disappointed.
"Lord Moonlight, you're incredible!"
Coby said with a face full of admiration.
"Forget it. Everything's settled, so let's go!"
Luffy waved his hand helplessly, preparing to leave.
"Mm. Coby, you stay here and become a Marine."
Moonlight nodded and prepared to depart as well.
"Who exactly are these people...?"
Zoro muttered, then suddenly called out to Moonlight.
"Hey, who are you guys?"
"We're pirates. My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm the man who'll become the Pirate King. Our goal is to find the Great Treasure One Piece."
Luffy answered.
"Pirates? Let me join you."
Zoro frowned and spoke.
"Hm?"
Luffy froze and stopped walking.
"Though I disdain the crooked path of pirates, I've offended the Marines. I have nothing to do with justice anymore, so I'll join you. My goal is to become the World's Greatest Swordsman. Having someone like that in your crew excites me."
Zoro spoke as he looked at Moonlight with an excited expression.
"The World's Greatest Swordsman? Great, great! Join us and become our companion!"
The moment he heard those words, Luffy became excited and decisively approved Zoro joining the crew!
"You're really that casual about it?"
Moonlight said helplessly.
Still, Luffy truly had a sharp eye for people. Zoro possessed a razor-sharp will.
"Even the Pirate Hunter..."
Coby could not help looking dejected.
After witnessing Morgan's brutality, he suddenly felt deeply disappointed in the Marines.
"Haha, Coby, not all Marines are like him. We're leaving. You stay here."
As if he understood Coby's thoughts, Luffy patted him on the shoulder and laughed.
"Mr. Luffy!"
Coby could not help feeling moved.
He understood it in his heart as well. It was only what he had seen before him that had left him disappointed for the moment.
Becoming a Marine had been his dream for many years. How could he give it up so easily?
"You're amazing! You really defeated Morgan! I knew you could do it!"
"Everyone, thank you! Let us celebrate for you!"
Just then, Rika ran over. When she saw Morgan lying on the ground, she cheered, then spoke joyfully.
"Celebrate? Does that mean there'll be lots of food?!"
At those words, Luffy's eyes lit up and he became excited.
Without caring about anything else, he ran toward the town.
"Haha, everyone, come along!"
Rika was overjoyed, especially as she looked at Zoro.
Zoro nodded and did not refuse.
"Captain, are we just going to let them run away like that?"
As Moonlight's group left, many Marines gathered high above the Marine Base, watching what had happened below. They could not help asking the man at their head.
He was a captain of Branch 153, second only to Morgan within the branch.
Now that Morgan had been defeated, everyone looked to him as their leader.
"They are pirates, the embodiment of evil. We are Marines, messengers of justice. How can we allow pirates to run wild before our very eyes? Arrest them in one hour!"
A glint flashed through the captain's eyes as he gave the order righteously!
"One hour? Yes!"
At his words, all the Marines immediately answered.
The same glint flashed across their faces.
Marines and pirates were indeed mortal enemies, but they had their own justice in their hearts!
Morgan was cruel and violent. He even struck his own men heavily, tyrannized the town, and exploited the villagers. They had long been furious.
The justice of the Marines was absolutely not this!
Before you continue