One Piece: Legend of the Star Sea

"Hmm, this girl's waist is really something."

Alex had one arm wrapped around Nami's waist as they spun on the ground. After a few quick turns, he finally managed to rescue her just in time with a makeshift weapon he had cobbled together.

"Why does your stick bend like that?!"

Nami still hadn't recovered from the scene she had just witnessed, looking utterly stunned.

Alex, meanwhile, cradled the dazed Nami with one arm, and with the other, wielded his weapon like a storm. The attacking Marines were knocked around like rag dolls, screaming in agony as they retreated in disarray.

"Colonel! That weird weapon of his— we can't beat him!"

A Marine whose face had been walloped into a swollen pig-like mess stumbled up to Axe-Hand Morgan in a mix of crawling and scrambling. No sooner had he spoken than Morgan kicked him to death. "I don't need spineless cowards like you undermining morale!"

Morgan strode toward Alex, his eyes fixed on the strange weapon in his hand—two sticks connected by a rope. It looked laughably crude. "You think you can defeat me with something so ridiculous?"

"Ridiculous?"

Alex swung his right hand, and with a crack, took down three charging Marines using his nunchaku. He looked at Morgan with a cocky grin, wiped his nose, then wagged a finger at him. He followed it with a thumbs-down, then beckoned mockingly with his palm up.

"If you think it's a joke, then I'll let you taste its 'humor' firsthand."

That's right—Alex's current weapon was a pair of nunchaku, made using Nami's staff. It fit his hand like it was made for him. In a word? Satisfying.

Morgan fumed. That gesture—beckoning him like a dog—was the last straw. His eyes bulged with rage as he charged forward. "You dare mock me?! I'm the Navy's finest colonel—Axe-Hand Morgan, elite among elites!"

"I don't know if you were faking your injuries earlier, but I swear I'll kill you today! And that pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro! And the kid with the straw hat! And that woman with you! I'll make sure they all die without a grave!"

With a murderous glint in his eyes and veins bulging on his forehead, Morgan raised his giant axe and brought it down on Alex.

"You touch them, and you're dead!"

Alex's fury ignited. He sidestepped the blow and struck back with his nunchaku. The weapon curved perfectly around Morgan's oversized axe and smashed into his face, drawing a cry of pain.

"WATAH!"

Alex hit Morgan again, this time square in the jaw. After two direct hits, Morgan's head spun and his reactions slowed.

"HYAH!"

Alex didn't let up. He rained blows on Morgan—left, right, left again—until the colonel's face was swollen and disfigured, utterly incapable of resistance.

Tied to a wooden post, Zoro stared in awe. "He's actually... pretty good with that weapon."

"That Colonel Morgan... he can't fight back anymore," Koby murmured, pushing up his thick glasses. He had watched Alex's comeback from near defeat and didn't know what to think.

"Stop!"

Just as Alex was giving Morgan the beating of a lifetime, a voice—small and trembling—cut through the chaos.

"I said stop! Didn't you hear me?!"

That same voice again. Alex gave Morgan one final whack, knocking him to the ground, and finally paused.

Morgan's face was now unrecognizable, a balloon of bruises and swelling. Even his son—Helmeppo, who had just spoken—could barely recognize him.

"Dad, are you okay?!"

Helmeppo stood trembling, pointing a pistol at Zoro and Koby. Around him, about ten Marines aimed their rifles directly at Nami. He threatened Alex, "Take one more step and your friends are dead. Step away from my father. Now!"

Damn it!

Alex cursed in his head. He had been so focused on pounding Morgan he hadn't even noticed Helmeppo coming out.

And still—no sign of Luffy. Not even a shadow.

"Haha, now that's my boy!"

Morgan spat out a few bloodied teeth. His eyes were swollen shut, but he forced them open enough to glare at Alex. Slowly pushing himself up, he rasped, "Drop your weapon. Stand with that woman. If you don't... you'll face the consequences."

Alex glanced at the Marines aiming at Zoro, Koby, and Nami. He casually tossed his nunchaku to the ground.

"So that's your ace up the sleeve? In case you couldn't beat me yourself, you'd have your dumbass son help, then use them as hostages to make me surrender."

"You think I can't beat you?! I'm not weaker than you!!"

Morgan roared, forcing himself to his feet.

"I already dropped my weapon, and you still won't come near me. You're a coward."

That hit a nerve. Morgan snapped. He split his Marines into three groups—two squads aiming at Zoro and Nami from either side, and a third aiming straight at Alex.

Even if Alex wanted to save them, he couldn't protect both sides at once.

"Move, and they die!"

Morgan sneered, his grotesquely swollen mouth producing an ugly sound. He barked to the third squad, "Aim carefully! Don't kill him—shoot his limbs. I want to make him suffer!"

"Wait!"

Nami suddenly called out from ten meters away on Alex's left.

"What do you want? You eager to die too?"

Morgan's ghastly face made Nami flinch. She glanced at Alex—his expression was grim, but he showed no fear. Then she looked at the nunchaku lying on the ground, and something strange stirred in her chest.

"No, I just... I suddenly got a stomachache. Can I go to the bathroom?"

The entire field turned to stone. Alex felt like the wind had swept his soul away. What the hell kind of excuse is that?!

"You guys wanna execute me, right? Then let me be your guide. Come on! Shoot me!"

Before Morgan could scold Nami, Zoro cut in.

"Roronoa Zoro... You're still useful to me, so don't worry. Once I'm done with him, you're next!"

Morgan raised his right hand, shouting to the squad aiming at Alex, "Ready—!"

As the black muzzles locked on to him, Alex held his breath. And yet... his heart was calm.

I did all I could. Guess this is where the road ends.

Just as Morgan gave the order—

"FIRE!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Alex was about to close his eyes when suddenly—someone jumped in front of him.

"Heehee!"

Alex stared in disbelief. The figure shielding him was hit by the bullets—but instead of passing through, the rounds bounced off, causing spikes to sprout from the body.

One of those spikes even brushed Alex's nose. He could still feel the heat of the bullet lodged at the tip.

Staring at Luffy's back, Alex couldn't contain the surge of emotion. He'd been seconds from death, and now... he was alive. The feeling of escaping death lit his veins on fire. His heart pounded with heat.

"Straw Hat..."

Morgan growled with clenched teeth, glaring at the boy in front of him.

"It's you!"

Zoro gasped in surprise, seeing Luffy standing there.

"Mr. Luffy!!"

Koby shrieked.

Even the Marines froze when they saw Luffy appear out of nowhere.

"Isn't that the troublemaker?"

Nami muttered, saying exactly what she felt.

"USELESS!"

With Luffy's spirited shout, the bullets suddenly flew back—ricocheting off him and right back at the Marines.

While Morgan and his men gawked at the spectacle, Alex shouted, "Luffy!"

"Mm!"

Luffy responded simply.

At the same moment, Alex kicked up the nunchaku on the ground and hurled it toward the Marines aiming at Nami.

Meanwhile, Luffy stretched his leg and swept it across the Marines targeting Zoro and Koby. "Gum-Gum Whip!"

With one kick, he sent the entire right flank flying. At the same time, Alex's thrown nunchaku struck the rifles aimed at Nami in a perfect arc, smashing every single one to pieces.

The Marines had made the fatal mistake of standing in a neat line—perfect for Alex's strike.

And just like that, in a flash of flawless teamwork, Alex and Luffy neutralized the danger to Nami and Zoro...

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