As Luffy and the others set off to take care of their own business.
Liu Qing stayed aboard the Going Merry alone. Bored, he leaned against the bow and gazed out at the distant sea, his thoughts gradually drifting away. Before he knew it, drowsiness crept over him. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and soon his eyes slowly closed.
Not long after he fell asleep, the sky began to change. The clear, sunny sky was suddenly blanketed by thick, dark clouds. The gloomy heavens seemed to herald an approaching storm.
Meanwhile, through his own ability and luck, Zoro successfully scored two famous swords for free at the weapons shop-the Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri.
Sanji happened upon a Cooking Contest. For him, this was undoubtedly a perfect opportunity to show off his culinary skills. What was more, the prize was a fish from the West Blue. He signed up without hesitation and, with his superb cooking, ultimately took first place and won the large prize fish.
As Luffy wandered along, he came to a tavern called Gol D. Roger, a place steeped in history. Its owner was an old man, and aside from him, there was not a single person drinking there. Luffy sat quietly to one side, listening intently as the owner recounted Roger's exploits, as though he could feel the fire and passion of that era through those stories.
Nami was taking Liu Qing's clone around the clothing stores. By now, the clone was laden with bags of clothes, large and small.
While wandering aimlessly, Usopp met someone who called himself a sharpshooter, and the two were holding a shooting contest on a bridge.
Just as Liu Qing fell asleep, a tall figure wearing a green cloak appeared aboard the Going Merry. His destination was clear: he had come for Liu Qing.
Liu Qing woke the instant the cloaked man appeared. He sat up and turned to look at him. "You're Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, right? What the hell do you want with me, you bastard?"
Dragon walked over and sat cross-legged in front of Liu Qing, looking at him as he asked seriously, "What was your purpose in joining Luffy's pirate crew? Someone as strong as you shouldn't be interested in a crew like my son's, should you?"
Liu Qing rolled his eyes at Dragon. "What are you thinking? If I had any bad intentions toward your kid, would I need to go to all this trouble? Which of them could take a single slap from me?"
"Hmm... true. Someone as strong as you really wouldn't have any use for Luffy," Dragon said casually.
Then he invited Liu Qing. "Staying aboard my son's ship is such a waste of your abilities. How about joining our Revolutionary Army? I'll give you the position of deputy leader."
"Oh, give it a rest. Your Revolutionary Army doesn't even dare show itself openly right now. What's the point of living like that? I'll stay aboard your kid's ship. At least I can protect them." Liu Qing looked at Dragon with an irritated expression.
"All right. Since you're not interested, I won't force you. I'm going to see Luffy. Goodbye." Seeing that Liu Qing had no interest in the Revolutionary Army, Dragon prepared to leave.
Meanwhile, after leaving Roger's Tavern, Luffy ran straight toward the Execution Platform.
When Luffy arrived below the Execution Platform, two familiar figures appeared behind him: Buggy the Clown and Alvida, who had eaten the Smooth-Smooth Fruit.
Seeing Luffy staring blankly at the Execution Platform, they ambushed him, tied him up tightly, and took him onto the platform to execute him.
The commotion also attracted Sanji, Zoro, Nami, and the others, who had finished their shopping. They all ran over to see what was happening.
When they reached the foot of the Execution Platform, Zoro immediately flew into a rage. "Luffy, what the hell are you doing, you bastard?" Then he turned toward Buggy. "Buggy the Clown, let Luffy go right now, or you'll be sorry!"
Looking down at the Straw Hat Pirates, Buggy planted his hands on his hips and roared with laughter. "Let him go? Not a chance! Do you know how miserable I was after this bastard sent me flying? Stray dogs chased me, I had to fight dogs for food, and nobody wanted anything to do with me." As he spoke, he began to cry. "When this bastard sent me flying, he scattered pieces of my body everywhere! I nearly drowned in the sea trying to find them. If I hadn't met Alvida, I would've died out there! And now you want me to let him go? Impossible! I'm going to execute him on this very platform!"
"And there's me, too, you damn brat. Even though you knocked me right to the Smooth-Smooth Fruit, I still won't let you off. Unless you become my man-then I'll spare you," Alvida said to Luffy.
Luffy stared at the woman before him in bewilderment. "Who are you? Do we know each other?"
Alvida immediately flew into a rage. "You damn bastard! Have you forgotten me already? You're the only man who's ever caressed my body, and you dared forget me!"
Flying overhead, Dragon was left thoroughly exasperated by the scandalous words from below.
Seeing that Luffy still could not remember who she was, Alvida shouted, "Buggy, kill him! Kill that faithless man!"
Luffy struggled hard, but it was no use. Buggy had tied him so tightly that he could not break free. So he stopped struggling and looked down at everyone below, smiling at Zoro, Nami, Sanji, Usopp, and Liu Qing's clone. "Guys, I'm going to die."
Smoker and the Navy, who had rushed over after receiving reports from the townspeople, were deeply shocked by the sight.
Smoker could not help saying, "He actually smiled!" He could tell that Luffy's smile was genuine, as though he did not fear death, exactly like Roger back then.
It's fine if this kid dies, but if he survives, I absolutely can't let him live. He's already given me reason to kill him, Smoker thought.
The onlookers laughed as well. "Hahaha! This guy's hilarious! He's about to die, and he can still smile. Who knows what he's thinking!"
Suddenly, heavy rain began falling from the cloud-covered sky.
Seeing that Luffy could still smile, Buggy raised his blade and swung it toward Luffy's neck. "Die, brat!"
Just as the blade was about to reach Luffy's neck, a deafening crash rang out in the sky, and a massive bolt of lightning struck Buggy as he held up his blade.
Boom! Crack!
"Aaah! Aaah!" The electric shock sent Buggy tumbling down, while the ropes binding Luffy were shattered by the lightning.
Seeing Luffy freed, Smoker issued an order. "All Navy personnel, capture the pirates with everything you've got! Don't let a single one escape!"
Luffy leaped down in front of Zoro and the others, laughing. "Hahaha! I don't have to die after all! Guys, run for it! We're leaving Loguetown!"
"Woohoo!" the Straw Hat Pirates shouted together, then ran toward the harbor.
Seeing Luffy escaping, the lightning-struck Buggy immediately sprang to his feet. "Men, chase down the Straw Hat Pirates! Ignore the Navy! Charge! Buggy Cart transformation!"
Alvida paid no attention to the Navy shooting at her. "Bullets are useless against me. I'm a Smooth-Smooth Human. Any attack will just slide off my body." With that, she chased after Luffy too.
But just as Buggy and Alvida were about to catch up with Luffy, a man with a green rooster-comb hairstyle blocked their path.
"They're the companions of my idol, the Thousand-Armed Zen Venerable! Don't even think about getting past me to bother them!" As he spoke, he made a peculiar hand gesture, and a barrier spanning the entire street appeared before Buggy and the other pirates.
Then Bartolomeo turned and shouted to the Wood Clone, "My idol! My name's Bartolomeo! Remember me! I'll hold them off, so you go ahead! I'll set sail and find you!"
Liu Qing and Zoro looked back, gave him thumbs-ups, and shouted, "Nice work, Rooster-head!"
Just then, a streak of white smoke flew swiftly toward Luffy. "You're not getting away, Straw Hat! You're too dangerous. I absolutely won't let you leave Loguetown! White Fist!"
With that, he sent his fist hurtling toward Luffy.
Luffy dodged sideways, then attacked Smoker with a Gum-Gum Pistol, only for his fist to pass straight through Smoker's body.
Luffy looked stunned. "Why can't I hit him?"
"It's useless, Straw Hat. I'm a Logia Devil Fruit user. Here in the East Blue, where people don't even know what Haki is, I'm invincible. Just surrender," Smoker said confidently.
Luffy's, Zoro's, and Sanji's eyes lit up. So we can hit him with Haki? Why not give it a try?
And so, something painful happened to Smoker.
Luffy said to Nami and Usopp, "You two go back to the Going Merry and wait for us. We'll head back as soon as we beat him, then we'll sail into the Grand Line!"
Knowing they would be no help, Usopp and Nami nodded in agreement, then ran toward the Going Merry.
Liu Qing's clone spoke up. "Go ahead. I'll hold off the Navy grunts so they don't capture Nami or interrupt your fight."
With that, he unleashed Conqueror's Haki directly at the sailors pursuing Nami and the others and those surrounding Luffy's group, while keeping Luffy, the others, and Smoker out of its path.
A red-purple wave swept across Loguetown. Every towns person, pirate, and sailor collapsed unconscious, leaving only Luffy and the others standing.
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