"I'm Kotori (Hotori). Nice to meet you, heheh!
"And who are you? How do you know our big brother's name?"
Just then, two identical, ball-shaped men came bouncing onto their ship and asked in confusion.
"Heh heh heh, that's right. I've spent the past few years immersed in training. Apart from a few people who still recognize me, everyone else has forgotten what I look like. You two as well, huh?"
Luo Chen formed a Han sword in his hand, stepped forward, and pointed it at them.
"I don't care who you are. They're our targets, so I advise you not to interfere in our grudge. You dared to hurt our brother. We'll never forgive you!"
One of them pointed angrily at Nami.
"Huh? Who are you? Why do you say we hurt your brother? We don't even know you."
Startled by their accusation, Nami hurried to defend herself. She had never even met them, much less made enemies of them.
"They're two of the fifty divine soldiers under Enel. Their elder brother is Satori, the priest in charge of the Ordeal of Balls."
Gan Fall explained from the side.
"Uh, now that you mention it, Luffy and the others did defeat a priest. Could it be..."
"See? See? I knew you did it, and you still dared to deny it! You won't get away with this, you hateful woman!"
Before Nami could finish, he interrupted her. The two brothers, Kotori and Hotori, charged at her in a rage.
"Wait! I told you, I didn't do it! Go settle the score with Luffy and the others! Ahhh!!!"
When Nami saw the brothers charging at her in anger, she urgently tried to explain. Unfortunately, they were too furious to listen. As their hands were about to touch her, she screamed in fright.
"Bang!!!"
The powerful gust from the shockwave blew her hair loose and kept pulling at both sides of her cheeks.
"I told you, I'm your enemy. How could I let you hurt anyone else?"
Just as their attack was about to hit her, Luo Chen stepped in front of Nami and blocked most of it with his sword. Even so, the shockwave that escaped still left her in a sorry state.
"Who are you? Don't stand in the way of our revenge, or we won't let you off."
Kotori, the elder brother, couldn't help asking his name again, threatening Luo Chen not to stop them.
"Heh, even Satori's idiot brothers don't recognize me? Then let me use an actual attack to make you remember my name! Rankyaku-Flying Peng Spreads Its Wings!"
A peng bird formed from a flying slash emerged at his foot and swept toward Kotori, beating its wings.
"Look out, brother! Slash Dial-absorb!"
Seeing that his brother was in danger, Hotori, the younger brother, immediately ran over and pulled him down. He took a shell from his person, aimed it at the slash, and pressed the absorption button.
"Ahhh!!!"
"Bang!!!"
The shell absorbed most of the massive slash's power, but some of it couldn't be absorbed. The force struck Hotori directly, sending him flying through the ship's railing and slamming him heavily into a tree before he finally stopped.
"Hotori! You bastard, how dare you hurt my little brother! And you've been badmouthing our brother this whole time. Who are you? There doesn't seem to be anyone like you on Sky Island!"
Kotori stood up and angrily demanded an answer.
"Oh? Why? Didn't I remind you of anyone else?"
Luo Chen smiled and asked him in return.
"Who? Who? Forget it... I don't care who you are. I just have to finish you off-slash!"
Kotori bounced toward him, likewise taking out a Slash Dial and aiming it at Luo Chen before pressing it down.
"Boom!!!"
Luo Chen swept his sword backhanded, shattering the slash.
Whoosh!!!
Luo Chen didn't stop. Sword in hand, he pushed lightly off the ground and flashed past Kotori, drawing a spray of blood.
"Remember this well, all of you. My name is Luo Chen."
"Uh, it's you? Weren't you... weren't you already... by Lord Enel..."
Thud!!!
Before he could finish, he collapsed, gravely wounded and unconscious.
"Brother... damn you!!!"
Seeing his brother fall, Hotori completely lost his mind and charged over, never paying enough attention to hear who he was.
"Impact!!!"
He thrust his right hand forward, unleashing a massive shockwave from it that made even the air rumble.
"Just like your two brothers, you're an idiot-a frog in a well. Go keep your brothers company!"
"Shigan."
With a single finger, Luo Chen shattered the impact and pierced Hotori's chest. Hotori fell just like his brother.
"You're amazing, Luo Chen! You really were one of Enel's subordinates!"
After seeing Luo Chen's heroics, Nami walked over to him and circled around him, showering him with praise.
"As expected of the Priest of Blood, known as the strongest priest. Those two were easy for you, weren't they?"
Gan Fall remained seated where he was, having watched the whole thing, and spoke in admiration.
"I'm afraid even Enel wouldn't gain any advantage against you, Blue Sea... Luo Chen."
After speaking, Gan Fall recalled Enel's strange behavior earlier and understood his intention. He continued.
"That's right. He didn't want to fight me again just now, which is why he let you go so easily. Do you understand now?"
Luo Chen glanced at him and nodded in acknowledgment.
"Then why did you just now..."
"Why didn't I step in just now? Didn't I already say? We've fought once before, and he couldn't gain much of an advantage over me.
"And I didn't want to fight again either. Besides, this was your ordeal to begin with. Why did I have to help you?
"And if you can't even defeat an opponent like that, I advise you to split up and head back as soon as possible. The road ahead isn't as easy as you think."
Luo Chen interrupted her, then explained.
"This..." Nami hesitated, and only when another voice sounded beside her did she finally abandon the thought.
"Miss Nami, you don't need to say any more. He's right. We can't count on others to help us. This is our own path."
Sanji rose unsteadily to his feet, shook his head at Nami, and spoke.
Meanwhile, Luffy's group was making its way along, with Luffy walking ahead, happily humming a song and holding a small wooden stick.
"Hey, Luffy, you look like you're having fun with that stick."
Chopper, his arms tucked into his suspenders, thought Luffy looked like he was having fun with the stick, so he spoke up.
"Yeah, it's fun, right? But I'm not giving it to you. If you want one, go find it yourself."
Luffy answered with a smile.
"Oh! I'm going to find one to play with too!"
Chopper ran off happily to look for a branch.
"Tch, what's so fun about that?"
Zoro walked behind them, watching their exchange. Finding their conversation a little childish, he shook his head as he spoke.