"No," Luffy spat without fear.
"Then don't blame me, kid," said Bluejam, hitting the boy with his fist.
"Ow! It hurts! Help me!" Luffy screamed in pain.
Bluejam struck the boy again and again.
"Boss, forget it, he probably doesn't know anything," said the subordinate next to Bluejam reluctantly.
"Shut up! We are the ones who need to worry now. If we don't get the money back in time, Captain Bluejam will kill us."
"Find Ace and Sabo, we have no time to waste!" he ordered his men.
They accepted it, thankful that they had escaped watching the boy's torture.
They began searching for the two children near the garbage dump.
"Ace and Sabo?" a homeless man said with a smile.
"Better give up, you can't be with those guys."
"Don't underestimate them, they are just kids. They can even kill a tiger."
Sabo hid behind them and watched them as they searched.
When he realized why they were looking for them, his eyes widened and he ran off.
"Ha! Finally all the treasures have been moved here." Ace wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at the treasure in front of him. He felt relieved and showed a relaxed expression.
"Looking at the darkening sky… why hasn't Sabo come back yet? Nothing has happened, right?" Ace thought worriedly.
"Hoo! Hoo! Ace!"
When Ace heard Sabo's very panicked voice, he turned around, worried.
"Sabo, what happened? Did they go to our previous treasure address to get the money?"
"They didn't," Sabo gasped. "They couldn't!"
"What are you talking about?" Ace looked at Sabo in surprise.
"That guy named Luffy… he didn't tell them anything."
Ace turned pale at Sabo's words.
"They must still be torturing him. I thought he was a crybaby and would tell soon! I don't understand why he doesn't tell! If this goes on, he..."
Ace opened his eyes wide, clenched his fists, and his face grew even paler. He hurriedly ran toward the Waste Terminal.
"Sabo, we have to find the base of Bluejam as soon as possible."
There were blows coming from a dilapidated hut near the Uncertainty Terminal.
"Tell me now!" Bluejam angrily hit the boy.
The boy didn't even moan or cry anymore.
His men couldn't bear to see such cruelty again.
"Mr. Bluejam," stammered one of the men.
"This isn't working, he doesn't even have the energy to scream!"
"I don't think he can talk anymore."
"The truth is, I can't stand seeing this anymore. Please have mercy..."
Bluejam mercilessly punched the person who spoke and gritted his teeth:
"If you have time to talk, go find Ace and Sabo. Our lives are in danger, don't you understand? It took us too long to pay Captain Bluejam!"
"That's it! Since you don't want to tell me, then go to hell!" Bluejam raised his knife angrily toward Luffy.
"Stop!" accompanied by the sound of breaking glass.
Ace and Sabo broke the window and rushed in.
"Ace..." Luffy raised his head and opened his eyes slightly to glance at Ace, murmuring.
Ace got into a fighting stance and said, "Sabo, I'll hold off Bluejam. You go save the others."
"Yeah," Sabo answered cautiously, back-to-back with Ace.
Ace knocked away Bluejam's men and rushed directly toward Bluejam, fighting the man with the pipe.
Sabo rushed toward Luffy, quickly cut his bindings, and held him.
"Ace, run!" Sabo hugged Luffy and tried to escape.
"You go first," Ace ordered.
"Idiot! Get out of here!" Sabo shouted anxiously.
"Once we fight, I will never run away." Ace looked at the enemy in front of him with anger and determination.
"What?! You little brat!" Bluejam looked at Ace gloomily.
"Stop! He's not like the thugs in this town," Sabo shouted at Ace's back.
"Don't you know this very well?" Bluejam's face was full of rage.
"Hey! The game is over! That's our money. Hand it over, you little rascal!" Bluejam said as he pointed a knife at Ace.
"You were just possessed by greed for a moment. Return the money, and I promise not to make things difficult!"
Ace used the pipe to deflect the knife and looked at Bluejam firmly.
"We can put it to better use!"
"You… what did you say?" Bluejam growled.
"Wait a moment," Sabo said to Luffy, looking at Ace's back.
After putting Luffy in a safe spot, he ran to Ace's side and stood against Bluejam with him.
"You're messing around again. Why are you always like this?" Sabo said to Ace.
"I won't run away." Ace stared hard at Bluejam.
"Stop talking nonsense!" Bluejam shouted furiously.
Luffy watched their fight in shock as Bluejam raised his knife and chopped the head of Ace's pipe, leaving a bloody mark on Ace.
"If I lose to a kid, I won't be a pirate anymore!" Bluejam yelled.
"We'll make you give up!" Ace and Sabo jumped up and struck Bluejam with their pipes.
"I'm going to kill you all!" Bluejam shouted, raising his knife again.
Luffy watched in amazement as Ace and Sabo fought fiercely—and ultimately defeated Bluejam. The three managed to escape into the forest.
After bandaging the wounds in the forest, Luffy cried with tears in his eyes.
"Why are you so desperate?" Sabo asked helplessly as Ace checked the pipe.
"It doesn't fit right. The old one was better," Ace muttered.
"Alas… after what we did, Bluejam's gang won't let us go."
"We'll be hunted down," Sabo murmured, head lowered against a tree.
"I was so scared! I thought I was going to die!" Luffy cried.
Ignoring Sabo, Ace jumped off a rock and walked to Luffy.
"Ahh! So annoying! It's so noisy!" Ace shouted.
"How long are you going to cry? I hate cowards and crybabies the most!"
Luffy instantly stopped crying and looked up, teary-eyed.
Ace and Sabo were surprised at how fast he quieted down.
"Thank you for saving me," little Luffy whispered, lowering his head—then suddenly started bawling again.
"Hey! You…" Ace growled and lunged, but Sabo stopped him.
"Hey, hey! He's just thanking us," Sabo said with a sigh.
"Still! Why didn't you confess? Those guys kill women and children without blinking!" Ace barked at Luffy.
"If I tell you… then I won't be able to be friends with you guys anymore," Luffy whispered.