One Piece: The Saiyan Pirate

Chapter 58: Whiskey Peak – Town of Bounty Hunters

The air around the Going Merry was thick with tension as they sailed further into the Grand Line. The weather changed every few moments—sunny one second, then dark with heavy clouds rolling in from nowhere. The crew barely had time to react before torrential rain lashed down, waves rocking the ship. Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Gin and even Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 scrambled across the deck, trying to manage the chaos, each of them breathless and dripping as the wind whipped around them.

"Get the sails down!" Nami shouted, gripping the edge of the ship to keep her footing as the deck tilted sharply. "Everyone, move fast! We're dealing with Grand Line weather now!"

Usopp staggered as he pulled at the rigging, feeling the gusts nearly sweep him off his feet. "Who thought a storm like this would come out of nowhere?!" he cried, his voice barely audible over the roar of the wind.

Moments later, the rain suddenly stopped, and a strange fog enveloped the ship, eerie and silent. Everyone paused, looking around in confusion. Then, without warning, the fog cleared, revealing clear skies and a scorching sun overhead.

"Are you serious?!" Sanji groaned, shading his eyes as the heat bore down on them. "We just got drenched, and now it's burning hot?!"

Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, freed from the mast for their safety, looked just as bewildered. The two hadn't expected anything like this, and they clutched the rail tightly, trying to avoid getting swept away in the next shift. But it wasn't long before another storm rolled in, throwing the Merry into chaos once more.

Every time they managed to adjust to one weather change, another came rolling in, tossing them back and forth. Goku worked tirelessly, tying down barrels and adjusting the sails, though his face showed nothing but excitement at the challenge. "This is great!" he laughed as another gust of wind hit the ship, nearly knocking him off his feet. "The Grand Line's got way more surprises than I expected!"

As the storm finally eased, the weary crew collapsed onto the deck, soaked to the bone and exhausted from the constant work. Nami lay sprawled out, her hair drenched, breathing heavily with Gin, Sanji and Usopp next to her. Even Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday slumped over, struggling to catch their breath. Meanwhile, Zoro lay peacefully under the mast, still fast asleep, completely oblivious to the madness that had just taken place around him.

A wave of exasperation washed over the crew as they noticed Zoro yawning and stretching leisurely. He scratched his head and looked around, blissfully unaware of everyone's exhaustion. Turning to Nami, he muttered, "Hey, navigator. The ship's still on course, right?"

Nami's eyes snapped open, glaring daggers at him. Her fists clenched as she sat up, visibly trembling with rage. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" she screamed, her voice hoarse. "While we were nearly killed out here, YOU were taking a NAP?! FUCK YOU ZORO!!"

Zoro blinked, taken aback by her fury, "Hey, calm down, will ya? Just making sure we're heading in the right direction."

Nami's face turned red with frustration. "You were FUCKING SLEEPING through all of that, you idiot! If we're on course, it's because the rest of us risked our necks! Unbelievable!"

The others couldn't help but laugh, the absurdity of Zoro's comment breaking the tension as they caught their breath. Finally, the waters calmed, and the faint outline of an island appeared on the horizon.

As they approached, they could see it more clearly: three large, round mountains rose up like cabbage heads in the center, marking the island unmistakably. The river cut through the island, and they began steering toward it, following the current as it led them into the heart of Whiskey Peak.

"Whiskey Peak, huh?" Goku muttered, looking intrigued. "This place sure has a strange look to it."

Just as they were settling in, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday suddenly stood up, their expressions shifting as they looked toward the town. "Well, it was a pleasure meeting all of you," Mr. 9 said with a mischievous grin. "But now, we have duties to get back to."

Miss Wednesday gave a curt nod, her eyes filled with a strange glint. Without another word, they leapt off the ship and swam toward the shore.

Gin, leaning over the rail, frowned, watching them disappear. "Weirdos," he muttered, crossing his arms. "What kind of people just jump ship like that?"

The Straw Hats shrugged, focusing instead on the town as they sailed up the river, where a group of villagers had gathered, waving and cheering as they arrived. The mayor, a man who introduced himself as Igarappoi, welcomed them with open arms, an exaggeratedly warm smile on his face.

"Welcome to Whiskey Peak!" he announced grandly. "A place where we welcome all pirates, and where food, drink, and entertainment flow freely! You've come to the perfect place to start your adventure in the Grand Line!"

Before anyone could react, the townspeople were already guiding them into the village, offering trays of food and drink. Goku's eyes widened as he took in the feast laid out before them, his excitement getting the better of him. "All right! Now this is how you welcome pirates!"

Nami's eyes narrowed as she watched the townsfolk fawning over them, while Zoro cast a wary look around, his instincts telling him something was off. But Goku, ever the optimist, ignored his instincts in favor of the banquet in front of him.

The night wore on, the village filled with music and laughter. The crew partied like there was no tomorrow, eating and drinking to their hearts' content. Goku, Usopp, and Sanji danced alongside the villagers, enjoying every moment. But as the revelry continued, Zoro and Nami couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. They noticed the odd glances from some of the townsfolk, and the way Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday had vanished so quickly lingered in their minds.

Finally, when the festivities died down, the entire crew, exhausted and full, lay sprawled out, passed out in various corners of the village. Under the full moon, a group of shadowy figures gathered nearby, observing the scene with sinister smiles.

Mr. 9, now joined by a larger man with curly hair and a saxophone, smirked as he held up a wanted poster. "Looks like we've hit the jackpot," he sneered, showing the paper to his companions. It was a wanted poster of Goku, clearly marking him as a high-value target.

Beside him, Miss Wednesday, along with the large, muscular woman Miss Monday, nodded in agreement. "The Straw Hats didn't even see it coming," she said, her voice filled with satisfaction. "Our plan worked perfectly."

Mr. 8, the saxophone-wielding man, chuckled darkly, "We'll capture them all and turn them over to the Marines. They'll make a fine bounty, especially this Goku character. With a reward like this, we're set for life."

The group moved silently toward the slumbering crew, ready to capture them and claim their prize. The shadows lengthened under the moonlight as the bounty hunters closed in, intent on delivering the Straw Hats to the Marines and claiming the Grand Line's most notorious pirates.

As the shadows moved closer to the slumbering crew, the voice of a certain swordsman cut through the tension.

"Ah, I knew I recognized those ridiculous codenames," Zoro's voice rang out from behind them, his voice calm but dripping with a knowing edge. He stepped into view, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, eyes narrowed with recognition. "You guys… you were the ones who tried to recruit me back in the day, weren't you?"

The bounty hunters froze, the surprise on their faces almost comical for a moment before Miss Monday's lips curled into a smug grin.

"That's right," she said, her voice cool. "And you turned us down. Now look where you are—working with pirates." Her eyes flicked toward the others, the group still blissfully unaware of the impending confrontation. "But don't get too comfortable, Zoro. It's all fair in love and war."

Zoro's expression remained unchanged as he took a step forward. "You're right," he said, still eyeing the group warily. "But my crew had a rough time earlier today, so I'd appreciate it if you just left them alone."

Just then, Nami appeared at Zoro's side, her eyes wide with realization as she glanced at the group of bounty hunters, now fully visible. She crossed her arms and looked them over, her voice sharp.

"So, I guess you're a group of bounty hunters?" she asked, her tone colder than ice. "And you've been hiding in plain sight this whole time, huh?"

Zoro didn't even glance at Nami as he spoke, though his lips twisted into a half-smirk. "Yeah. Looks like it. I remember now. Their organization's called Baroque Works. They've got a whole list of ridiculous code names, and these idiots tried to recruit me once."

"Baroque Works…" Nami repeated the name softly, piecing together the details in her mind. She looked back at Zoro, her voice suddenly demanding. "So, because of all this mess you've caused, you owe the crew, Zoro. You need to take care of them."

Zoro didn't hesitate for a moment. "Yeah, I know. It was my intention from the start to protect the crew."

Miss Monday rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed, but said nothing. The tension was thick in the air, the moment frozen in time as the two sides sized each other up.

It was then that Mr. 8, who had remained silent until now, finally stepped forward, the mask he wore momentarily slipping. His eyes met Nami's, and his face twitched in recognition.

"Wait…" Nami's voice faltered as she looked at him in disbelief. "You're the mayor…?"

Mr. 8 smiled coldly. "That's right, navigator. I'm the mayor of Whiskey Peak. And now that you've recognized me, I suppose you understand. This means you're all in my territory, and we can't have you running around interfering. My job is to clean up the trash. And you, unfortunately, are the trash."

Zoro's hand tightened on his sword. "So, Baroque Works is behind all of this, huh?"

Before anyone could respond, the other three agents, Mr. 9, Miss Wednesday, and Miss Monday, stepped forward. Each echoed Mr. 8's sentiment in unison.

"That's right," Mr. 9 added with a mocking grin. "You've come to the Grand Line, and it's our job to make sure the trash gets taken out. You didn't think you'd just sail right through, did you?"

Zoro's posture tensed, ready for a fight, but Nami held up a hand, cutting him off. "We're not leaving here without a fight, are we?"

Zoro smirked. "I was planning on that from the start."

Miss Monday gave an exaggerated sigh. "It's such a shame we couldn't just work together, Zoro. I really liked you back then… but you're with them now. And we're not in the business of playing nice."

With a grunt, Zoro drew his sword, and the entire group stood poised, the air thick with the tension of the impending clash.

Just then, a flicker of motion caught Zoro's eye: the remaining agents—Miss Monday, Mr. 8, and the rest—flanked the pair, their eyes gleaming with confidence. The streets of Whiskey Peak were quiet, but the silence was a prelude to the inevitable battle.

Zoro spoke just as the wind picked up, a battle-hardened calm in his voice. "Looks like it's time for us to get rid of some trash of our own."

Both sides poised for battle, each waiting for the other to make a move as the night stretched on. The crew, still exhausted from the day's events, was about to face an entirely new set of challenges on the Grand Line.

[A/N: Read 15-20 chapters ahead available on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]