Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides

Zoro vs. Cabaji

"Are you ready to be defeated!?" Cabaji shouted.

"Hm. Save the big talk. I'm not losing to a circus performer." Zoro said confidently.

Cabaji charged forward, spitting flames at Zoro's face. Zoro dodged under the flames, then kicked Cabaji, stunning him long enough to slice his arm.

"Ahhh! You bastard!" Cabaji screamed. He sped up a nearby wall with his monocycle, then leapt into the air, preparing to strike Zoro from above.

Zoro easily sidestepped the attack, slicing Cabaji across the chest as he landed.

"Is that all you've got?" Zoro asked, his voice flat with disappointment. Cabaji collapsed, unconscious.

Zoro glanced over at the other fights.

"How are the others doing?"

Luffy vs. Buggy

"You're gonna die here, boy!" Buggy snarled.

"No, I won't." Luffy replied, calm as ever.

Buggy threw a handful of knives, followed by launching his lower half, concealed blades jutting from his boots. Luffy jumped to dodge the attack but was quickly pursued by more knives. He latched onto a nearby house, evading the flurry of blades.

"Gomu-Gomu no...Pistol!" Luffy's outstretched arm shot toward Buggy, who evaded the punch.

"What an interesting Devil Fruit." Buggy sneered, preparing to sever Luffy's arm with a knife. But before he could, Luffy grabbed a pillar and launched himself toward Buggy, narrowly missing as Buggy detached his body parts to avoid the strike.

…

Ryomen vs. Mohji

Across the tavern, a scream echoed. Mohji lay unconscious at Ryomen's feet.

"Will that do it?" Ryomen muttered, watching the lion grow more aggressive despite its master's state.

"What the-!" Ryomen exclaimed as the lion lunged at him. He barely dodged the attack. "Come on, get out of here! You're free!"

But in a moment of distraction, the lion's paw slammed into Ryomen, sending him flying through a nearby building.

"Ahh!" a voice shrieked. Ryomen glanced up, seeing Nami standing nearby with a bag of treasure.

"What happened?" she asked, startled.

"Nothing. Just got caught off guard." Ryomen grumbled, getting up. "You done looting?"

"Hmhm." Nami replied nonchalantly.

"You should go. It's dangerous."

"Like I need you to tell me that. I was already leaving."

The lion appeared outside, still aggressive and waiting for another round.

"Tsk. You really want to fight me that badly?" Ryomen grumbled, scooping Nami into his arms. As the lion charged, Ryomen dodged, then flicked his fingers. "Dismantle!"

The building's structure collapsed onto the lion, knocking it out.

"Put me down!!" Nami shouted angrily.

"Uh... right. Sorry."

…

Luffy vs. Buggy

"I promised I'd return this hat to Shanks!!" Luffy shouted, his voice echoing through the streets.

"Wait, that's Shanks' hat!? No wonder it looked familiar!" Buggy rambled, his expression darkening as memories flooded back.

Before Buggy could continue his rant, Luffy delivered a swift punch to his groin.

"Don't put yourself on the same level as him!" Luffy growled.

"What do you know, brat!? Shanks stole a great treasure from me!!" Buggy spat, detaching his upper body and flying into the air. "If I can't take all the treasures of the seas, I'll take what's on the sea! And if you dare touch my treasure-I'll kill you!" Buggy's gaze landed on Nami, and he charged toward her.

"Hands off my treasure!" Buggy roared.

"Damn it!" Ryomen cursed, positioning himself in front of Nami. But before Buggy could strike, Luffy kicked Buggy between the legs again, stunning him.

"Dismantle!" Ryomen slashed Buggy's body into pieces. Before Buggy could reattach himself, Nami tied his parts up with rope.

"Dammit!!" Buggy cursed, struggling.

"Hahaha! Good job, you two!" Luffy cheered, preparing for the final blow. "Gomu-Gomu no... Bazooka!!" With both arms stretched, Luffy sent Buggy flying across the sky.

"AAAAHHHH!!!" Buggy's scream echoed as he disappeared into the distance.

"Finally over..." Ryomen sighed. "That was more intense than I thought."

"Not really. It was pretty boring." Zoro said, suddenly appearing beside them.

"Zoro!? Where were you!? Couldn't you have helped a little?" Ryomen asked, giving him a look.

"You two had it under control." Zoro said calmly.

"Whatever." Ryomen sighed in defeat.

"What happened here!?" a voice demanded from behind them. The group turned to see an old man in armor, a spear strapped to his back. "Who are you!? And what happened to Buggy's crew!?"

"Shishishi! We beat them!" Luffy said, beaming.

"Really!?" the mayor asked, his eyes wide as he looked at the unconscious pirates. "Who are you?"

"We're pir-mmph!" Luffy started, but Ryomen quickly covered his mouth.

"Just travelers." Ryomen said with a smile.

"Travelers, eh? No matter! You saved our town! I'm the mayor of Port Town." the old man said proudly.

"Nice to meet you! Uh, any chance we could get something to eat? We've been starving for a whole day." Zoro asked, trying to keep his cool.

"Haha! Of course! You're the saviors of our town! Come, I'll tell the villagers!" the mayor replied, leading them away.

"Alright." Zoro said while Luffy and Ryomen whispered in the back.

"Why did you stop me!" Luffy exclaimed with a little annoyance.

"Luffy, you want to eat right?"

"Of course!"

"Then telling them the truth will only make them drive us away. And it's not like we're really lying, we don't even have bounty posters yet!"

"Hm!? Dammit, you're right!" Luffy exclaimed in anger.

"You call yourself pirates without even having a bounty? Quite pathetic." Nami chimed in with a smirk.

"Shush, you." Ryomen told her with a little irritation.

…

Later that evening, the villagers hosted a small banquet for their heroes. Luffy, Zoro, and Ryomen dug into the food like they hadn't eaten in days, laughing and dancing with the villagers.

Nami stood off to the side, watching the group quietly, lost in thought.

'They... don't act like pirates at all.'

…

The next morning, the four stood at the shore, preparing to leave.

"So, what do you think?" Ryomen asked Nami.

"Join my crew!!" Luffy interjected, eyes bright.

Nami hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "Alright. I'll go with you. But if I find out you're like Buggy, I'm leaving."

"Yeah!!" Luffy cheered, punching the air.

The four set sail on two boats, waving goodbye to the villagers they had saved.

"Is that boat from Buggy's crew?" Zoro asked, curious.

"Yeah." Nami replied.

"And why do you get the whole boat?" Ryomen grumbled.

"Because it's mine." Nami said smugly. Then she noticed something. "Hey, where's your share of the treasure?"

"Oh, I gave it to the mayor! The town needed it more!" Luffy said with a grin.

"What!?" Nami screamed, furious.

…

After a few days of sailing, and finding a strange man with an afro stuck in a chest, they finally arrived at a town.

"Here it is. We might be able to take a proper ship from here." Nami told the others.

"And then…the Grand Line!!" Luffy shouted excitedly.

"Yes Luffy. The Grand Line..." Ryomen muttered, patting Luffy's head.

"Ahhh! Stop it!" Luffy whined.

"Cut it out, you two. Someone's watching us." Zoro said, eyes narrowing.

A young man with a long nose emerged from the bushes. "I am Captain Usopp!! Fear my eighty million men!!" he declared boldly.

"Liar!" Nami told him.

"Ah! She saw through me!" Usopp shouted.

"Damn! She's good!" he mumbled to himself.

"Hahaha! You're funny!!" Luffy laughed.

"No, he's just an idiot." Ryomen said under his breath.

"Hey! Are you mocking me!? I'm the proud captain Usopp!"

…

The five sat around a table in a small restaurant, enjoying a much-needed meal.

"So, you're looking for a crew and a bigger ship?" Usopp asked, watching Luffy tear into a piece of meat.

"That's right!" Luffy grinned, mouth full.

Usopp leaned in conspiratorially. "Well... there's only one place you might find something like that. The mansion on the hill. A rich girl lives there... but she's been through a lot."

Nami's expression darkened for a moment before she shook her head. "Forget it. We're not gonna find a ship here. Let's head to another town."

Luffy wiped his mouth and gave a carefree shrug. "Alright! I guess we can spare the time. Let's grab some supplies and go."

Usopp suddenly cleared his throat. "By the way… you said you're looking for crew members, right?"

Luffy nodded, curious. "Yep!"

Usopp puffed out his chest. "Then I'll be your captain!"

The group collectively responded without hesitation. "No thanks."

Usopp staggered back, utterly baffled. "Don't you at least want to think it over?!"