Inside a tavern at Sabaody Archipelago,
Tensions ran high!
"Hehehe, daring to challenge the 'Straw Hat' crew, huh? Bring it on!"
"For the record, I'm the 'Cat Burglar' Nami with a bounty of 66 million berries."
Facing the short-haired woman with orange hair, dressed in a tank top and short skirt, with a bit of "extra padding" at her waist, holding a pistol aimed at him, Roman glanced back at the long-haired Nami behind him.
"Don't you think this 'Nami's' voice sounds a lot like Chopper's?"
"...I can't see or hear anything," Nami said, closing her eyes in embarrassment. "Spare me, please—"
*Bang!*
A gunshot echoed in the tavern, prompting Roman to turn back with a sigh.
"Isn't staying quiet while others are speaking the most basic courtesy?"
?!
"You—"
Roman casually held a smoking bullet between his thumb and forefinger.
"You're claiming to be the 'Straw Hat Pirates'?"
Confronted by Roman's ability to catch a bullet barehanded, the entire fake Straw Hat crew tensed up! After all, the weapons and ammunition they used were high-end items purchased at a hefty price—far superior to the junk from the Four Blues. Yet this man had caught it without even glancing…
They had encountered a real powerhouse!
"Hahahaha!"
The fake "Straw Hat Luffy" let out a hearty laugh, feigning a bold demeanor as he looked at Roman.
"Impressive! Have you heard of my reputation and come here to join the Straw Hat Pirates?"
...No, when I joined the Straw Hat Pirates, you were probably still busy pulling cheap scams somewhere.
"I approve—"
"You're saying you're Straw Hat Luffy?"
Hearing the doubt in Roman's voice, the tall, skinny "Franky" suddenly pulled out a shotgun.
"Kid, do you even know who you're talking to—"
*Thud!*
With a flick of his finger, Roman shot a bullet straight through "Franky's" arm! His calm gaze swept across the room, causing the fake crew to collectively step back.
What kind of gaze was that...?
"Don't get me wrong—"
"It's not that I don't believe you. I just want to see for myself."
Roman spread his hands as he glanced around. His eyes seemed to pierce through everyone as if they were mere shadows in his presence. It was the look of someone on an entirely different level of existence.
"Don't you all agree?"
"Y-yeah, absolutely…"
"Boss Luffy, why don't you show us what you've got?"
"Yeah, yeah—"
!?
"Alright, alright. I'll—"
Just as the chubby "Luffy" was preparing to make a move, Roman stepped forward.
"I heard that Straw Hat Luffy is a Gomu Gomu Fruit user, with a body that can stretch at will. So..."
Roman clapped his hands as if he'd come up with a great idea.
"Can you show us how you stretch your neck?"
!!
"Why the hell should I listen to you—"
Seeing the enraged fake "Luffy," Roman's eyes grew cold.
"You've misunderstood something."
"I'm not asking you. I'm ordering you."
!!!
"Don't get cocky!"
A white figure suddenly stepped in front of Roman. It was a knight clad in pure white armor. Judging by appearances...
"It really looks exactly like the wanted poster."
You have to admit, if 'The White Knight' put in some effort to mimic it, they could almost pass for the real deal. After all, not showing your face does have its advantages. However:
"I heard the Straw Hat crew's 'The White Knight' uses armor made of paper. Let me see..."
A hand landed on the armor, and then—
*Rip!*
——————
"Hahaha, the warrior of the sea, Usopp, has arrived—?!"
But as soon as Usopp pushed open the door, he was dumbfounded by the scene before him.
"Hey, hey, hey! Why is the place littered with white armor? And why is that guy's head stuck in the ceiling? Is he trying to stretch his neck?!"
"Oh, it's Usopp."
*Pfft!*
"You're Usopp?!"
Nami, calmly sipping her drink, turned her head to look at this... musclebound man. If not for the familiar long nose and giant slingshot, she wouldn't have believed it.
"Did ten Romans drag you into training? That's just cruel..."
?!
"What nonsense, this is a perfectly proportioned body!"
Usopp did have a reason to be proud. Even without flexing, his bare upper body showed sharply defined muscles: a sculpted chest, an eight-pack, and a V-line that wasn't overly bulky but still impressive.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, if Kaya finds out..."
"Kaya already knows."
Roman calmly dusted off his hands. On the ground before him lay the unconscious 'White Knight' of the fake Straw Hat crew. His once pristine white armor was now reduced to pieces.
"When I was on a work trip to East Blue, I dropped off Usopp's recent photos with Kaya. After all, if she waited three years just to see a fat guy, wouldn't that be tragic?"
"Roman, you—you—you—!"
Usopp was stunned. His bare-chested photos had been...
"Ahhhh! All of you, just go to hell!"
After witnessing Roman effortlessly tear through armor and hang their leader from the ceiling, the remaining three members of the fake crew were on the verge of a breakdown. The so-called 'Sogeking' raised a rocket launcher, aiming it at Roman and Nami, and was about to pull the trigger when—
*Clap!*
A hand landed on the rocket launcher, and with five fingers tightening, *creak, creak, creak!*
The metallic screech of bending steel echoed as the barrel twisted out of shape, as if it were nothing more than a soda can.
"Pointing a weapon at my crewmates? I can't just let that slide."
Looking up slightly, Usopp's gaze made the tall 'Sogeking' collapse to the ground in terror. How could he not be afraid when his weapon crumpled like paper in the other's hand?
"Usopp, you've really become dependable!"
Hearing Nami's praise, Usopp gave a thumbs up.
"Of course! I've graduated from the 'weak trio' with you and Chopper! With these gleaming muscles of mine, no matter what challenges I face, I'm fearless..."
Are you going full-on superhero now?!
Roman sighed internally. And about that weak trio... sorry to break it to you, Usopp, but even after a year of intense Seimei Kikan training, Chopper has tech, and Nami has her 'cheat.' Just don't get discouraged when it comes to actual fights...
"Alright, the drinks are done, and the show's over."
Roman placed a few large-denomination Beli bills on the counter before turning toward the exit. Coming to this bar was just a way for Nami to reminisce about the old days and wait for their crewmates to show up.
With Roman around, the entire Sabaody Archipelago is under his watch. There's no need for a "lucky" gathering, like:
Brook, who is giving a speech; Franky, checking the "Sunny"; Robin, reading at the bookstore; Chopper, holding a stick under the guidance of a white pigeon; Sanji, who looks like he's been locked up in a men's prison for years, all excited; Zoro, sleeping on the ship; and, of course,
Luffy, with a huge food package on his back, wearing a fake mustache!
Heh heh heh, with the Marines on the island being mine now, why do I still have to hide everything?
"Let's go, the Marines are coming soon."
"Hey, hey, Marines..."
Even though Usopp has muscles now, he instinctively looks around and gets ready to run when he hears the word "Marine."
"What's with your look? Let's go~~"
As Roman, Nami, and Usopp leave, the fake Luffy, whose head was stuck in the ceiling, is set down by the fake Usopp and fake Franky. Meanwhile, the fake The White Knight, who's passed out, can't be moved by fake Nami. But they don't need to worry about that anymore because:
"Marine enforcement!!"
"All pirates, put your hands on your heads and squat down! If you don't, we'll kill you!"
As a group of Marines rushes into the tavern, everyone instinctively shivers! A few small pirates crawl under the tables, while the just-dropped fake Luffy shakes his head. He looks at the armed Marines and instinctively tenses up. But the next second:
"Get out of the way!!"
"Do you know who I am?"
"I'm the bounty 400 million Straw Hat Luffy, the son of Revolutionary Dragon, and the grandson of Marine hero Garp—?!"
*Slap*
The sound of calm footsteps, and the Marines quickly move aside. A person wearing a Vice Admiral's coat walks out.
*Clatter*
"You say you're the grandson of whom?"
"Wh—?!"
"Dove..."
A flurry of white pigeons circles down, landing on the newcomer's shoulders. The gold tassel on his shoulder marks him as a "candidate Admiral," and his handsome face...
"Ahhhh, it's 'Dove' Roman, the Candidate Admiral!!!"
With a quick glance, the man who had just revealed the identity passed out immediately.
What...?
I didn't even use Haki! What's going on?!
"You said you're Garp's what?"
Facing Roman's calm demeanor, all the fake Straw Hat crew immediately slumped to the ground.
The fact that Candidate Admiral "Dove" Roman is Garp's disciple is no secret on the seas. Which means:
We're done for!
"Ro... Roman..."
The bar owner stutters nervously. Roman, the Marine Candidate Admiral, simply nods gently.
"Don't be nervous, we're just here to arrest pirates, please forgive us."
"No, no, no, not at all," the bar owner quickly waves his hands and then cautiously asks, "Was the drink to your liking—"
"Oh? Why do you ask?"
"This is my first time here, boss."
You're lying!
The bar owner and the idle pirates in the tavern can only get angry but can't say anything. Not to mention your handsome face, but the Marine Rear Admiral beside you with orange hair...
No wonder I thought they looked familiar. It's none other than the famous "Dove" Roman, the Candidate Admiral, and "Weather Control" Rear Admiral An, right?
Damn it! How could I not recognize the faces of these two troublemakers undercover?
When many pirates were already regretting their decisions deeply, on the street next door:
"Roman, Nami, Usopp!"
Chopper, now wearing a round spotted hat and a striped shirt, happily ran toward the three.
"Is everyone here?"
"Yeah, let me check~~"
Roman closed his eyes, then rubbed his temples for a moment.
"Everyone else is here,"
"—except for that idiot Luffy, who got taken away."
----You can read 10 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu