Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Bai Ye's spirited teasing of Zoro was abruptly interrupted by a distinctly unpleasant voice echoing from afar. "Hehe, I never imagined someone would come to the rescue of such a haughty pirate hunter~"
Several figures leisurely approached the open space, the leader of whom strutted with notable arrogance—Helmeppo, son of the ruler of this small town, Morgan. His greasy combed-back hair and the inverted, buttocks-like chin lent his sinister smile an exceptionally vile quality. Bai Ye's mouth twitched involuntarily—surely, no one should look like this!
Upon approaching, Helmeppo, attired in a suit, surveyed the group with his triangular eyes. His gaze fell upon Luffy, who, with a nonchalant expression, was busy picking his nose. Helmeppo briefly lost his composure, wondering if the man before him was not as foolish as he appeared. Then, his eyes settled on the elegant Bai Ye, adorned in a long robe, instantly recognizing him as a formidable adversary, his own confidence slightly shaken.
If Bai Ye possessed telepathic abilities, he might have playfully slapped Helmeppo, asking if his boldness was a gift from Liang Jingru. "Hehe, is this your partner?" Helmeppo's quick assessment of the opposing forces assured him of his upper hand.
"That's correct! Zoro has agreed to join us, he's now a part of our crew!" Luffy declared immediately, exuding pride as though announcing to the world that Zoro was his new comrade. With a cheeky grin, he turned on the mockery: "Are they here for you? So, will you violate our agreement?"
Helmeppo feigned regret: "If only you could hold on for just ten more days, you could've..."
"Could I kindly ask you to cease your theatrics?" Bai Ye interjected, no longer able to endure Helmeppo's chin jiggling as he spoke. "Even if Zoro were to endure for ten days, you have no intention of releasing him."
His tone, calm yet dripping with sarcasm, continued, "You can't bear to allow someone who has bested you to exist in this world, can you? Clearly, your father never laid a hand on you."
"So, even if Zoro withstands ten days, you'd still execute him. Actually, it appears you may not wait that long—are you planning to do it today?"
Helmeppo's mouth twitched in annoyance. Not from being unmasked— he never intended to mask his intent, rather because Zoro was previously too naive to see it. Helmeppo retorted, "What truly offends me is..."
"You wretch, your conversation with yourself is going off on a tangent!!" "Look me in the eye, damn it!!"
Bai Ye was flustered, although he didn't voice it, it felt like he was being chastised. "Apologies, my mother always taught me that looking at filth would harm my eyes~" Without looking back, Bai Ye continued on.
"Ah? Filth? Is it the blond man???" Luffy, with his guileless manner, candidly hammered back.
"You scoundrels!! You two..." Helmeppo's berating was interrupted by Zoro, still affixed to the cross, "Bastard!! So, you never intended to honor our agreement from the start, did you?"
Perhaps it was the recent nourishment from the rice balls, but now Zoro, burning with anger, glared at the spoiled tyrant, Helmeppo, with eyes akin to a wrathful wolf.
Bai Ye's previous suppositions, and now this confrontation with Helmeppo, obliterated any lingering endurance in Zoro. He now realized his past actions were foolhardy and pondered on what might have transpired had Bai Ye and Luffy not intervened. His gaze hardened further.
Helmeppo, pampered since birth, had never encountered such a fearsome adversary. His legs weakened, nearly buckling beneath him. Extreme fear often mutates into rage.
Was he mistaken? He was Morgan's son! "Quickly, shoot them, shoot all those who dare offend me!!" Helmeppo lifted his right hand, signaling the soldiers behind him, who in turn aimed their firearms.
Witnessing this, Zoro's pupils contracted. He, too, settled into a tranquil state, his bound hands tensing. A surge of helplessness enveloped him. Out here in the open, no cover from the impending bullets was available.
Damn, if only my swords was here.
He secretly vowed never to be separated from his weapons again. From his perspective, demise was imminent for the group, yet Bai Ye and Luffy remained notably unperturbed. Zoro was slightly confused.
Did the two of them still have a trick up their sleeves?
Kaboom!
In the nick of time, a volley of bullets zoomed their way! But wait...
Zoro, unflinching, declared, "No fear here!!" Meanwhile, his buddy Luffy, ever the daredevil, flung his arms out to meet the incoming bullets. With a squish and a squash, the bullets sank into his rubbery body, momentarily stretching him this way and that, before catapulting back into the sky with a boing!
Leaping into action, Bai Ye channeled his Golden Light Curse, deftly shielding them from the remaining bullets. Each bullet pinged, losing its momentum before gently tumbling to the ground.
And, oh! Bai Ye scooped little Rika into a protective embrace. "Hey, hey, what's the big idea?" Zoro's mind was reeling, his worldview shaken. Humans stopping bullets? That can't be right.
Bai Ye, with a wry smile, chimed in, "Never underestimate Captain Luffy. Our rubber man here devoured a rubber fruit and now he's unbelievably strong." He gave a quick rundown about Devil Fruits and their peculiar properties.
Intrigued, Zoro turned towards Bai Ye, his silhouette shimmering in golden light, and queried, "So, did you munch on a devil fruit too?"
Bai Ye, all smiles, responded, "Me? Just a plain old Taoist priest. I'd say I'm not quite in the devil fruit league."
Despite his words, Zoro sensed an ease in Bai Ye's demeanor. A hint, perhaps, that a mere Taoist priest might be stronger than these fruit-powered beings?
"Might as well get acquainted with each other's tricks, future partner," Bai Ye pondered aloud. First things first, he set Zoro free, then cast a sidelong glance at Helmeppo and crew, now slack-jawed spectators.
He announced, "Up next, my Taoism's Qimen Dunjia technique." Cradling Rika with one arm, and pointing nonchalantly with the other, he smirked ever so slightly, locking eyes with the adversaries before him.
WIND - Dragon Scroll
A sudden whirlwind materialized before them. In mere moments, a house-flipping tornado took form, knowingly charging toward Helmeppo and the gang. A power like this, wielded by mere mortals against nature's mighty force, was beyond their ken.
Screams pierced the air as they were swiftly hoisted by the tornado, becoming distant specks of light on the horizon. Bai Ye, surveying where they once stood, gave a satisfied nod. His Eight Trigrams technique, invoking powers of Heaven, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Fire, Water, Mountain, and Lake, utilized innate qi to create formations around him, allowing him to summon different powers in battle. This time, the Xun hexagram - symbolizing wind power - was his choice. Judging by the outcome, Bai Ye felt quite pleased with himself.
Luffy, eyes sparkling, bolted over. "Incredible!!" His excitement palpable, he marveled at the sheer force of Bai Ye's move, which had so effortlessly whisked them away.
Luffy, practically bouncing left and right, pestered Bai Ye, "Can you use it on me? I wanna fly too!"
Bai Ye, momentarily baffled, retorted, "Trying to get tossed into the sky, Captain?"
Luffy shrugged it off, "I'm a rubber man, remember? No sweat!"
Bai Ye simply shook his head, relenting, "Alright, next time for sure."
Shifting his attention back to Zoro, he remembered, "Almost forgot, this should be yours."