Chapter 39

39

"Look, we don't want any more trouble. The marines have already blacklisted my bounty hunter's license." He said, jabbing towards Kunia, "I'm pretty sure they might do the same thing for her, as she took down one of the marine captains. No matter how corrupt he was… at the end of the day he was marine. So we dont' want any more trouble."

"But that's awful…" It was Coby who spoke, "You guys didn't do anything wrong…"

Kunia sighed, "That's how the world works. As bounty hunters, we have to be more wary of the marines most of the time then pirates. Bounty hunting isn't as easy as hunting down pirates and giving them to marines… some marine check-posts don't even want to hand over the cash unless you put some pressure on them. So we don't want any more trouble."

Luffy raised his eyebrow, "I don't get it sometimes how gramps is still in the marine." He mumbled mostly to himself, of course, it was to let Coby hear it. "Anyway, that's why you should join my crew."

Both Zoro and Kuina frowned, but Luffy wasn't finished.

"Don't you guys have a dream?"

"Yes," both of them said at the same time.

"And if I may able to hear them?" He said politely, leaning on the table.

"To become the strongest Swordsman in the sea!"

"To become the strongest Swordswoman in the sea!"

Luffy's grin widened, "Bold Goals… and are you going to let some man-made rules block you from that path?" he asked, "You can hide like a rat in the east blue for a couple of months. Change your looks, take on a new name and start your occasional pirate hunting… but will that help you gain strength."

Luffy leaned in, even more, he had a sharp fire in his eyes, "Or… you can join me. I just don't want to be the pirate king. No, I also want to be the world's strongest man? You see I'm a greedy and ambitious man… I don't just want Roger's title, no I want Whitebeard's title as well. And like the greedy pirate I am, I want you guys be part of my crew."

Both Zoro and Kuina could see the ambition in his voice and a fire behind the boy's eyes. He had an air of confidence that said that he spoke nothing but the truth. And he seemed to be a man that would do anything for his goals. It almost made them admire him. Even if the boy was a few years younger than them.

"…I promise you strength, I promise you wealth… but I can't promise you, your goals. That's something that you have to do for yourself." He said, "I can help you get strong and make it easy for both of you to reach your goal. But it is only your conviction that will make you fulfill your dreams. So… are you willing to join me? Join the future King of the Pirates. The man that will conquer the seas and the land in between. The man that will be one day the strongest in the world."

World domination wasn't Luffy's plan. And nor would the two sword user care, but he had to make his marketing speech impressionable. "So what's your answer?"

Both of them thought over what Luffy had said.

It was true, after what had happened they couldn't actually continue in their line of work in the east blue. They could just to another blue, and forge new identities. But what Luffy said was right.

Their target were the likes of Mihawke and Shanks… and being here won't make them reach their goal. They could have tried to joined the marines, but they had too many limitations and rules… and after this incident joining them was not an option.

Zoro and Kuina knew the boy was right… but joining piracy. The two of them had some lines they weren't willing to cross… and knew that not all pirates were bad. And the strawhat boy seemed genuine. So the offer was quite tempting.

For Zoro, he had a goal to visit a certain island. And that island wasn't just anywhere in grandline, that island was too far for him to reach right now. He needed strength, and if that meant joining a pirate crew so be it.

For Kuina it wasn't something she planned. But was eager, she did have a history with a certain blue-haired pirate, and the straw hat boy did say he was going to challenge the Whitebeard pirates. So joining his crew wasn't a bad deal.

And unlike Zoro, she had the chance to start her journey a few years before the boy. And visited each of the four blues, only the grandline remained unexplored to her. And she had gut feeling that this boy would not only be able to sail the grandline, but conquer it.

"We will join." Zoro answered for both of them. And Kuina didn't refuse, "But I will like to challenge you to an official dual. You are strong, and I see no way of defeating you… but that my swords are humming for a hunt."

Luffy's grin widened, "That's the kind of thing I want to hear. It's almost as if it's a music to my ear." The boy snapped his fingers, "But only on one condition… no make it two. Do you accept?"

"Yes." Zoro grinned manically. "Anything for a good fight…"

"Not even knowing what those said conditions are?" Kuina sighed. It seemed that when it comes to fighting, Zoro was still as impulsive as before.

But she didn't protest, as she just crossed her arms. She also wanted to challenge the boy. The straw hat boy did have two good-looking blades on his back. At least one of them was a named blade.

"First, we won't fight here. Let's go to another island." Luffy leaned in with a whisper. That made both of them raise their eyebrows, but didn't refuse the condition.

Maybe the boy didn't want to show his powers to others. It was understandable. While others might underestimate and think that the straw hat boy was trying to isolate the fight, so as to not get too embarrassed while losing.

Zoro and Kuina didn't think that way. Their instincts screamed to them, to not underestimate the boy. And they wouldn't, they would follow their gut.

"…and for the second condition." Luffy added, "I want the two of you to fight me at the same time.