Soon, two ships—one large and one small—sailed into the waters near Jaya Island. From the lookout, Lainer could already make out the faint silhouette of Mock Town in the distance.
After briefly discussing their plans, the Masira Salvage Team handed Lainer a map of Jaya Island, marked with an "X" indicating their base on the east coast.
"Well, see you later then! We'll head home and wait for you guys!"
"Yeah, see ya!"
Standing on the Going Merry's figurehead, Luffy waved goodbye energetically as the Merry parted ways with Masira's ship, heading toward the harbor.
"Look! Those are all pirate ships!"
"Wahoo! Adventure, adventure!"
Without a second thought, Luffy jumped off the ship, and Zoro followed right after.
"Wait! You two—hold it right there!"
Nami chased after them, shouting anxiously. "This whole town's crawling with criminals! Letting you two loose together is asking for disaster!"
While those three went ahead, Lainer decided to explore this so-called outlaw haven for himself.
"I—I just remembered... I have a rare disease! The moment I set foot on land, I'll die!" Usopp clutched his chest dramatically and collapsed onto the deck. "L-Lainer, quick! Summon the Blue Oni and the Red Oni to guard the Merry!"
"Usopp! What's wrong?! Doctor! Someone call a doctor!"
Chopper spun in circles, panicking—then suddenly froze. "Ah! Wait—I am the doctor!"
"Fine. They'll guard the ship," Lainer said dryly, summoning the Chainsaw Demon and several Undead Fishmen.
After the Alabasta battle, everyone had grown stronger—especially Zoro, whose progress had greatly boosted the Chainsaw Demon's power as well.
With those undead guarding the ship, no one on this island would dare approach.
"Let's go stock up on supplies," Sanji said.
"Yeah, we didn't get to restock on the last island. Let's move."
Click!
A puff of smoke rose as Lainer and Sanji leapt ashore. With a few Mage Undead in tow, they headed deeper into Mock Town.
Two blond men in suits, walking with a petite white-haired girl between them—
a strangely heartwarming sight… though in this lawless town, it looked eerie as hell.
"Every time I see her, she's just so cute~~"
"Snap out of it, Sanji! She's undead!"
"What are you saying, bastard! I'm not that kind of pervert!"
"By the way, Lainer—give her a name already."
Sanji looked down at the small, twin-tailed figure with a smile. "How about... Yukimochi?"
"No."
"Then Snow Lily? Ooh! I've got it—Little Sayuri! Cute, right?"
"That doesn't even sound like a person's name. Stop naming her after food ingredients," Lainer sighed, scratching his head.
"Anyway, Nami took the map. Do you know where the marketplace is?"
"I've got a copy." Lainer pulled a folded map from his jacket and glanced down at it.
At that moment—
"Hey. Stop right there."
A raspy voice came from behind. Seven or eight men surrounded them.
The one leading them had bright red hair and tattoos covering his body. His leather jacket matched his hair color, and his grin was full of menace.
"Well, well... two pretty boys I've never seen before. Must be new around here, huh? Tell you what—if you pay a small fee, I can show you around."
"Ah, found it."
Lainer ignored him completely, pointing to a spot on the map. "The marketplace is here. Let's go."
"Thanks, man, but we can find our way," Sanji said casually, turning to leave with Lainer.
"B-boss, they just ignored you," one of the lackeys whispered.
"No sh*t I noticed!" The red-haired man's face twisted with rage. Gritting his teeth, he barked,
"Hey, I said stop! You think you can just walk away without paying the toll?!"
Click!
Seeing that they still didn't stop, the red-haired man drew his flintlock pistol and aimed it at them.
The click of the hammer made both Lainer and Sanji pause. They turned slightly.
"Hey," Sanji said coldly, "that's not a toy. Don't point something like that at me."
"Heh... finally scared?" the tattooed man sneered. "You should be. I'm with the Bellamy Pirates. Wanna test me?"
BANG!
The shot rang out—
and the red-haired man's chest burst open in a spray of blood. He stumbled backward, eyes wide in shock, before collapsing to the ground.
Smoke curled from Lainer's pistol as he lowered his arm.
"Tested. So—how'd it go?"
"Boss!"
"Kill him! Avenge the boss!"
The remaining thugs drew their guns—but before they could aim, a dark figure was already in front of them.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Sanji, hands still in his pockets, spun and kicked with blinding speed. One by one, the thugs were launched into the walls like rag dolls, sliding down unconscious.
"I told you not to point those things at me," Sanji muttered.
"What a mess," Lainer said calmly. "And we just got here. Something tells me there's plenty more chaos ahead."
Indeed—Mock Town was like the Florida of the Grand Line.
Between the upstart "New Age Pirate" Bellamy and that dark horse Blackbeard, this island was full of... colorful characters.
After wandering for a while, the two reached the market and split up to handle supplies separately.
When Lainer finished shopping and turned to look for Sanji, a weak, raspy voice came from behind him.
"Cough... young man... could you... lend me a hand...?"
Lainer turned around instinctively. A large, pale horse stood there, its head drooping. Beneath it lay a sickly-looking man in a black cloak, clutching a basket of bright red apples.
Oh? Well, look who it is.
Lainer recognized him instantly—Doc Q, the doctor of the Blackbeard Pirates.
He wasn't faking his frailty—he was genuinely sickly, surviving only by his medical skill. He liked to offer apples to those who helped him...
But those apples were deadly traps. Some were ordinary, while others were rigged to explode—turning his act of gratitude into a twisted game of Russian roulette.
A man of cruel humor indeed.
Heh... too bad for you, I'm the same kind of bastard.
Suppressing his grin, Lainer walked forward.
"Are you all right, old man? Let me give you a hand."
His voice was warm, gentle—like a spring breeze.
Doc Q looked up to see a man with gold hair, glasses, and a calm smile reaching out to him.
"Cough... thank you, young man," Doc Q rasped. Lainer lifted him effortlessly and set him back on his horse.
What a kind, refined gentleman, Doc Q thought. But I can sense it... this man isn't ordinary.
Let's see if your luck is as absurd as that Straw Hat kid's...
With a weak motion, Doc Q reached into his basket and pulled out the brightest, reddest apple.
"You're a good man... take this apple... as my thanks."
Heh... he won't be smiling for long, he thought darkly.
"An apple, huh?"
Lainer's Mage Undead's Observation Haki easily sensed the killing intent radiating from it.
He took the apple slowly... then—
Aerial Kick of Justice!
Lainer jumped, twisted midair, and kicked both the man and his horse straight into a wall.
BOOM!
Doc Q and his mount crashed through the masonry, dust and debris exploding outward.
"You think you can pay me back with a damn apple?!" Lainer shouted furiously. "I just saved your life, you shriveled old geezer! If it weren't for me, the punks around here would've robbed you blind! Now hand over all your money as repayment!"
Only a master manipulator could play another manipulator like that.
"Cough—cough—!"
Doc Q, buried in rubble, stared blankly at him. The man's earlier calm smile and now ferocious expression didn't even seem like the same person.
"You! You! I—!"
"What? You barking? Keep your lousy apple, old man!"
"W-wait—!"
Panicking, Doc Q threw the red apple at him—just as his expression twisted in horror.
The apple hit the ground—
FLASH!
A blinding light erupted, followed by a massive explosion that tore through the street.
BOOOOM!
"What's going on?!"
"Stay back! Pirates are fighting again!"
"No—wait! I think I saw that sick old guy on the horse!"
"You mean the weirdo who plays with exploding apples?!"
The deafening blast drew attention from all around. People whispered and pointed at the rising smoke, while another group approached the scene.
"Wahaha! Looks like you took quite the hit there, Doc Q!"
A huge, broad-shouldered man strode through the panicked crowd, muscles bulging under a tight black shirt, a golden belt glinting at his waist.
From the smoke, Doc Q coughed up blood, his body trembling as he glared at the newcomer.
"Shut up, Burgess... I don't need you laughing at me. Watch it, or I'll kill you too!"
"With that half-dead body? You'd keel over before reaching me, wahahaha!"
Jesus Burgess, the Champion of the Blackbeard Pirates, laughed loudly, showing no concern for his crewmate's condition.
Then his eyes gleamed as he turned toward Lainer.
"Hey! How about a fight? Let's see who's the real champion of hand-to-hand combat!"
Are you insane? Just got out of the hospital or something?
Burgess: "..."