"How many days have you been tied up, brother?"
"This must be an unpleasant experience, right?"
Kaito Sakamoto asked again, but Zoro still ignored him.
In the original timeline, Zoro was tied up for nine days before Luffy rescued him.
Kaito sighed. He needed to know how long Zoro had been tied up to determine if Luffy could come to save them today.
...
Meanwhile, on Luffy's side.
"Who is this barbaric lady?"
With one question, Luffy successfully shocked everyone.
"Take back your words! Luffy, she is... she is the most..."
Koby exclaimed, but halfway through, Luffy's unwavering determination to become the Pirate King surged back into his mind, breaking through Koby's hesitation.
"The most savage and vile lady!!!"
Tears welled up in Koby's eyes, but he mustered the courage to say it.
He didn't know Luffy's strength yet. If Luffy turned out to be as weak as him, then they were surely doomed.
However, brave individuals always earn rewards.
"Rubber! Gun!!"
After receiving a blow from the rotund Abida, Luffy was unharmed and instead sent the overweight man flying with a single punch. No amount of weight could compare to a Sea King, right?
"Give Koby a ship; he's joining the Navy! No one is allowed to stop him!"
Luffy pointed his finger at Abida's underlings, looking very cool.
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Seeing Luffy take down Abida with one move, they were crazy enough to dare resist.
...
"You're the rubber man who ate the Gum-Gum Fruit, Luffy? Incredible."
The scene shifted, and Luffy and Koby were now seated in a small boat, sailing across the sea.
"If you want to find the great treasure, you have to enter the Grand Line."
"That place is known as the 'Pirate's Graveyard.'"
Koby continued, as his dream was to join the Navy, giving him some knowledge about the ocean.
"Exactly, so I need to find some strong companions." Luffy replied.
"Speaking of companions, what about that partner of yours, Kaito Sakamoto? How are you going to find him?"
Koby remembered the name Kaito Sakamoto.
"Hahaha, just like Kaito said, if it's meant to be, we'll meet again."
"His strength is not any less than mine; he just doesn't show it normally."
"Don't worry about him."
"Mainly, you want to go to a place where someone named... Roronoa Zoro is held, right?"
"If he's a decent guy, let him be my partner."
Luffy grinned, baring his teeth.
...
Back with Kaito.
"I heard there's a bounty hunter in the East Blue named Roronoa Zoro, with green hair. Is that you, brother?"
"How could a bounty hunter get caught by the Navy? Wouldn't you be interested in becoming a pirate?"
...
"What nonsense are you talking about! Luffy, that guy is a demon!"
"He wanders the seas like a bloodthirsty wild dog, capturing pirates everywhere."
"He's called 'the demon in human skin'!"
...
"A demon in human skin."
"Tsk tsk tsk, how terrifying."
"Bro, can you at least listen to me?"
"Shut up!"
After Kaito's dismissive efforts, Zoro finally couldn't help but speak up.
"Can't you be quiet while tied up?"
"You're so annoying, useless!"
"I don't like what you just said, brother."
"Are you any better? You're tied up too, right? If I'm useless, then what are you?"
Kaito shot back, his tone irritating to Zoro.
"I'm different from you; you were brought here against your will. I chose this."
Zoro replied, referring to the earlier time when he had foolishly believed in Belumeb's lies.
"Oh, really?"
Kaito felt a bit itchy on his face and brought his hand down to scratch it.
Out of the corner of Zoro's eye, he noticed and widened his eyes instantly. "Did you just take your hand down?"
"No, you saw wrong. If I had, I'd have escaped by now."
Kaito smiled in response, indicating he was currently a "lamb to be slaughtered."
At that moment, a little girl climbed over the wall of the Navy base and sneaked in. Is this really how lax the Navy's defenses are?
Seeing the little girl, Kaito felt relieved. He didn't need to go anywhere else; he could just wait here for Luffy. Although it was a bit sunny, at least Zoro was there with him.
"Big brother, I saw you've been tied up for days, so I made rice balls for you."
The little girl held up the rice balls and said to Zoro.
She only brought two and felt a bit embarrassed to notice Kaito was there too.
Kaito smiled; the innocence of children is truly heartwarming.
"I'm not hungry; I just got here today."
With Kaito's reassurance, the little girl felt relieved and looked at Zoro while holding up the rice balls.
"Are you looking for death? Get lost! I won't eat your rice balls."
Zoro was fierce, but he meant well for the little girl; if the Navy found her, it would be troublesome.
Just as he said that, Belumeb approached with two soldiers.
"Oh dear, bullying isn't good, Roronoa Zoro."
"I'll tell my father."
"I am..."
"Kaito Sakamoto."
"...his son!"
Luffy appeared just in time.
Kaito shook his head slightly and smiled, "Forget it; I don't have a son with a... butt-chin like you."
************
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 94+ at patreon.com/Esei01.