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Onboard the Merry
The Straw Hats were in high spirits. With Bon Clay joining the "funny group," the energy on the ship had reached chaotic new heights.
Nico Robin, however, found a quiet corner, settling into a recliner with a book. Zoro stood on the observation deck, keeping an eye on their surroundings. Meanwhile, Sanji busied himself as ever, serving drinks and desserts to the three ladies onboard.
As the crew busied themselves, Ikki emerged from the cabin, looking satisfied after completing his recharge.
"Alright, everyone! From now on, the cozy cabin will be reserved for Nami, Vivi, Robin, and the two ducks!"
His declaration was met with nods of agreement—except for Sanji, who immediately raised his hand.
"I'm a duck too! I should live with the three lovely ladies!"
Before anyone could respond, Nami's fist sent Sanji flying, silencing his protests.
"Hey, Nami, we've got a situation ahead!" Zoro's voice rang out from the observation deck.
Nami rushed to the bow of the ship and squinted at the horizon. A light mist had settled over the sea ahead, obscuring their path. Sharp reefs jutted out of the water, and many more were likely lurking beneath the surface.
"Full left rudder! Let's navigate around the reef!"
Nami immediately took command, guiding the Merry safely through the dangerous waters.
Just beyond the reef-strewn sea lay an unknown island, and the Log Pose on Nami's wrist pointed directly toward it. The crew steered the Merry toward the island, unaware that a Marine warship was quietly trailing behind them.
Aboard the Marine Warship
"Petty Officer Second Class, that ship ahead looks like a pirate ship. Shouldn't we attack?" a Marine Petty Officer Third Class asked, his tone uncertain.
"That's not a pirate ship," replied the Petty Officer Second Class, pulling out a document recently issued by Marine Headquarters. The paper contained information about the private Marine group—a crew that operated under a unique arrangement with the World Government.
Confused, the Third Class Officer pressed further. "If they're not pirates, why are we following them?"
The Second Class Officer smirked. "Haven't I told you already? This mission isn't about taking down pirates—it's about making money."
"Making money?"
"That's right. According to my sources, the legendary money lender Zenny is on that island. He's said to be hoarding treasures from several pirate crews."
The Third Class Officer frowned, hesitating. "But... we're Marines. Even if Zenny's treasure comes from pirates, wouldn't taking it still be..."
Before he could finish, the Second Class Officer cut him off. "You said it yourself—it's ill-gotten wealth. Why bother turning it in when we can distribute it among the crew?"
The Second Class Officer, Bob, was a textbook example of Marine corruption. Greedy, sleazy, and opportunistic, he had joined the Marines with the sole purpose of enriching himself. Unfortunately for him, his current superior, Colonel Moya, was an upright officer with no tolerance for shady behavior.
Bob had been biding his time, waiting for an opportunity to make a profit without his boss finding out. Now, with this lead on Zenny's treasure, he wasn't about to let it slip away.
"If we grab the loot, I'll even let the crew keep a fifth of it," Bob continued, trying to win over the hesitant officer. "If everyone gets a share, no one will say a word about it, right?"
Petty Officer Third Class hesitated but ultimately decided to go along with Bob's plan. After all, if they secured the treasure and eliminated the man named Zenny, no one would know they had violated Marine discipline.
Meanwhile, the Merry successfully reached the unknown island.
From the moment they disembarked, Ikki and the others felt a strange hostility in the air, as if unseen eyes were watching them.
Ace and Sabo, both adept users of Observation Haki, quickly got a sense of the situation around them.
"So many goat!" Luffy's exclamation broke the tension.
The crew turned to see over a dozen goat grazing just beyond the grass.
Sanji stepped forward to inspect them, his chef's instincts kicking in. "They really are goat! And they're a breed I've never seen before. These would be perfect for honey-roasted goat, goat chops, or maybe braised goat legs..."
Before long, Sanji's mind was brimming with ideas for dishes.
Luffy, drooling uncontrollably, chimed in, "Don't forget skewers!"
Sanji nodded. "True. They're lean enough that skewers would work well."
Unable to contain himself, Luffy rushed toward the goat, eager to catch a couple for roasting.
But to everyone's shock, the goat weren't ordinary livestock. They were highly disciplined and seemed to operate as a team. Before Luffy realized what was happening, he was knocked down by a coordinated attack.
The goat's once-docile demeanor vanished, replaced by an aggressive stance. They kicked up their hooves and charged at the Straw Hats.
"Pepper Star!" Usopp shouted, firing a chili-filled egg from his slingshot.
To his surprise, one of the goat kicked the pepper right back, hitting Luffy square in the face.
"Ah! It's so spicy!" Luffy yelped, fanning his tongue.
Zoro found himself wrestling with several goat sporting strong horns. Though he held them off with his swords, their sheer persistence kept him on the defensive.
Sanji faced similar trouble, his kicks proving ineffective against the lightning-fast movements of the flock. Even Bon Clay was struggling to fend off the agile goat.
Ikki, observing the chaos, recognized the scenario. He recalled the story of this island:
The goat belonged to an old man named Zenny, a legendary figure who once made a living by lending money to pirates.
The Straw Hats continued battling the flock, but it was clear they weren't giving it their all. None of them had the heart to seriously harm the goat.
Even Luffy, who had been eager to eat them moments ago, gave up when he realized the goat were intelligent. Their attacks were motivated by a desire to protect their companions.
Luffy couldn't bring himself to harm such creatures.
Amid the chaos, Chopper approached a group of goat and held up his hooves. "Wait! We won't hurt you. I promise!"
The leader of the flock bleated loudly. "Baa baa baa... baa baa baa..."
Chopper turned to the others. "They're saying they were ordered to attack us!"
"Who gave the order?" Nami asked, stepping closer.
Before Chopper could respond, Ace and Sabo emerged from the jungle, accompanied by an elderly man who looked to be in his sixties or seventies.
The moment they landed, Ace and Sabo had used their Haki to detect the only human presence on the island and had gone to investigate.
Now, they returned with the man responsible for commanding the goat to attack.