Walking along the village path, Zoro glanced at Xia Chen beside him, a question in his eyes.
"Just now... were you the one who made that butler pass out?"
"Wasn't me. Don't make things up. How could I?" Xia Chen fired off three denials in rapid succession.
"He probably fainted from anemia! How would I have the ability to knock him out without even touching him?"
Xia Chen looked at Zoro with an expression that said he knew nothing and definitely hadn't done it.
Seeing that expression only made Zoro more suspicious.
He couldn't shake the feeling that Xia Chen was behind it. For starters, that butler had looked full of vigor. How could he possibly have anemia?
Even just how hastily Xia Chen had denied it was grounds for suspicion.
Still, that was only his guess. He had no actual evidence; he simply found Xia Chen a little suspicious!
Ignoring Zoro's gaze, Xia Chen turned to Luffy and the others. "I've got something to do, so I'll split off for a bit!"
"What? Xia Chen, are you sneaking off to have fun without me?" Luffy asked, pouting.
Xia Chen's face darkened at those words. He snapped:
"Is there anything in that head of yours besides eating and having fun?"
"So what are you going to do?" Nami cut in from the side.
"Secret!" Xia Chen smiled, then vanished on the spot.
"M-monster!" The three kids collapsed to the ground in fright at the sight.
They might not have been very old, but they really had never seen someone vanish into thin air like that!
"Tch. Always pulling that disappearing act just because he's strong!" Zoro said disdainfully from the side.
But why did there seem to be a whiff of sour grapes in the air?
A while later~
Xia Chen arrived at a stretch of the island's coast.
A pirate ship was anchored there, and even from the hilltop several hundred meters away, Xia Chen could hear shouting aboard it.
That's right, this was Kuro's former pirate ship, and Xia Chen had come here for just one reason.
His pockets had been running a little empty lately!
He had been paying for the entire crew's food, clothes, lodging, and travel all this time. The little bit of Beli he had gotten from Alvida was nearly gone.
The treasure from Morgan and Buggy had all gone to Nami afterward. Although he could ask Nami for money when he ran out, he wasn't the kind of man who liked submitting a request every time.
Beli was something a man was better off keeping in his own hands!
Xia Chen narrowed his eyes, pushed off the ground, and shot forward.
Once he was above the ship, Xia Chen dropped straight down without hesitation, landing steadily on the deck.
The sudden sound involuntarily drew every pirate's gaze.
They froze for a few seconds at the stranger who had inexplicably appeared aboard their ship, but before long, one pirate shouted:
"Who are you, and what are you doing on our ship?"
As he spoke, he walked toward Xia Chen.
"I'm a little short on cash lately. Thought I'd ask you to help me out!" Xia Chen said casually.
He glanced around. Jango wasn't here; everyone aboard was a small fry whose name he'd never even heard.
The surrounding pirates froze at Xia Chen's words.
If they had understood correctly, this kid was... robbing them?
They couldn't help finding the experience rather novel. They had only ever robbed other people, never been robbed themselves.
There was a first time for everything!
"Hahahaha..."
"Kid, do you know where you are? Do you know who we are?"
One pirate grinned viciously at Xia Chen.
"Let me be merciful and tell you. You're aboard the Black Cat Pirates' ship, and we're pirates of the Black Cat Pirates!"
"You've got some nerve coming aboard our ship to rob us!"
"If everyone aboard this ship is trash like you, isn't it perfectly natural for me to rob you?"
"Huh?" The pirate immediately flew into a rage at those words, glaring at Xia Chen with a savage expression.
"I hope you're still this cocky when I twist your head off!"
With that, he charged at Xia Chen, swinging his fist.
Xia Chen didn't react at all to the approaching fist. Only when it was about to hit him did he raise his hand slightly.
Whoosh!
A dark blur flashed past.
The pirate who had been standing before Xia Chen was now flying through the sky, before falling into the sea with a splash.
At the sight, the surrounding pirates instantly backed away several steps, perfectly demonstrating their profound bonds of camaraderie.
They hadn't even seen how Xia Chen had attacked. Before they could react at all, their companion had already been soaring through the sky.
Even an idiot could tell that Xia Chen was far stronger than them. And as pirates, they understood one principle well.
A wise man knew when to yield!
There was no point charging headlong at an enemy they couldn't beat. Wouldn't that just be asking for a beating?
"Hey!"
Xia Chen suddenly called out to them, making them all shudder.
"Where do you keep the treasure on this ship? Take me there!"
At Xia Chen's words, the pirates exchanged looks, glancing at one another, but not one stepped forward to lead him there.
Left with no choice, Xia Chen pointed at one of them. "You, take me there!"
"Huh? Me?" The pirate turned his head from side to side, hoping Xia Chen was pointing at someone else. He didn't want to lead Xia Chen there.
"Yes, you! Stop dawdling and take me there, or I'll throw you into the sea to feed the fish!"
Seeing that Xia Chen really meant him, the pirate had no choice but to obediently step forward, ready to lead Xia Chen to where the treasure was kept.
"Hmm? Since when could an outsider covet the Black Cat Pirates' treasure?"
Xia Chen had barely taken a step or two when two figures jumped out from somewhere on the ship and landed behind him.
Xia Chen turned to look at the pair, one fat and one thin, as ancient memories began surfacing in his mind. Then he asked uncertainly:
"You're... the Nyaban Brothers?"
"That's right, I'm Sham!"
"I'm Buchi!"
"You know our great names and still dare come here? You really don't know your-"
"Gwaaah!!!"
Before they could finish, both figures flew backward, sailing straight off the ship and onto the island.
Xia Chen shook out his hand and said disdainfully, "Why are a couple of extras giving themselves so much screen time?"
Then he turned back to the pirate from before.
"Come on, keep leading the way!"
"Yes!" the pirate shouted extremely loudly, his voice trembling.
Luckily, he hadn't courted death earlier, or he might have ended up just like the Nyaban Brothers.
Even the Nyaban Brothers, who were stronger than him, had been dealt with instantly, let alone him.
"Why are you shouting so loudly? Afraid I can't hear you?" Xia Chen glared, and the pirate immediately shrank back.
Then, without another word, he obediently led the way.