Chapter 7: The Swordsman in the Crossfire
The sea breeze rolled gently over the calm waters as the two small boats floated side by side.
Nami, having slipped off a merchant vessel earlier with a practiced sway of her hips and a coy smile, now stood confidently aboard Lin and Luffy's modest craft. Lin had watched the whole scene unfold with amused eyes, already knowing what was coming when she "accidentally" stumbled onto their path.
'cat burglar Nami huh? Now what am I going to do about you....'
"Thanks for the ride," she had said sweetly, her tone casual, but her glance assessing. "You boys wouldn't mind making some room for a lady, would you?"
Luffy grinned and scooted over without a second thought, while Lin leaned against the edge of the boat and smirked. "Of course not. But if you're trying to steal our hearts along with our ship, at least buy me dinner first."
"Only if you're paying," she shot back, lips curling into a playful smile.
'Smooth one.'
"Your wish is my command." Lin smiled before tying nami's ship to their own on their way to shell town.
As the boats were lashed together and the journey continued, Lin couldn't help but be amused at the easy chemistry.
Koby, trying not to stare too obviously at the three of them while fumbled with the ropes, clearly uncomfortable sitting between a flirt and a pirate.
"Remember," Lin said to Koby, "stay close. We're letting the lovely Nami here guide us to Shells Town."
"Assuming you're not planning to rob us halfway," he added, shooting Nami a teasing look.
"No promises," she replied, eyes glinting.
With nami as the navigator the time they took to reach shells town had shrunken considerably. Seeing the tiny piece of land ahead Luffy's eyes sparkled.
"Lin! Lin! How about we let Nami join the crew?"
Lin's eyebrow twitched as he saw Luffy making a puppy face at him.
"Sigh. Are you going to let anyone who makes an impression on you join the crew?"
"Shishishi why not!" Luffy laughed heartily.
Nami who was steering the ship stared back in curiosity.
'What a bunch of weirdos.'
—
Shells Town emerged over the horizon like a promise of land and purpose. The dock was busy, but uneventful. Nami, ever the loner, offered them a casual wave.
"well well, looks like it's about time I take my leave, I've got business to handle. Let's part here," she said, already hopping onto the wooden planks.
At the same time her heart felt bad as she stared at her empty hands regrettably.
'Tch, they didn't even have a single beri for me to steal.'
"We'll meet again," Lin replied with a confident nod. "You don't shake off destiny that easily."
"Is that so? I guess the next time we meet dinner is on you." Nami winked at Lin playfully.
Luffy tilted his hat and added, "Thanks for the directions, Nami!"
With that, she disappeared into the crowd, and the trio—Lin, Luffy, and Koby—to begin their trek inland.
—
Following koby's directions they soon arrived to the giant marine base that stood out in the town.
'Justice my ass, making a base like this without taking bribes wouldn't be possible.'
The marine base loomed large, stern and gray. From the top of its wall, a single crucifix-shaped post stood in the sun, and tied to it—arms bound tight—was a man exuding raw ferocity.
Even though his figure had noticeably thinned down due to starvation the glint in his eyes was as sharp as ever.
Looking at the figure in the distance, with blood dripping down his eyes Lin smiled admirably.
'As expected of the future pirate king's right hand man.'
"That must be him," Lin said, shading his eyes. "Zoro, the pirate hunter."
"He looks... intense," Luffy muttered.
Suddenly, a clumsy figure climbed up the wall with a lunch box in hand.
A little girl, struggling with a ladder that was clearly too tall for her. Lin, sighing at the effort, snapped his fingers. Space rippled slightly, and the girl blinked in confusion as she suddenly stood inside the courtyard beside Zoro.
From above, Lin called out, "Don't worry. I just saved you ten minutes of climbing."
"Thanks!" she squeaked before running to Zoro's side.
Zoro, looking more annoyed than grateful, growled, "Get lost kid, It's dangerous here."
'Awww what a tsundere.'
But before the girl could insist, Lin was there again,having warped inside casually, his figure moving casually towards Zoro as he took the rice ball from her hands.
"You... Who are you." Zoro stared cautiously at Lin.
'A devil fruit user... Not only that one that can manipulate space, what's someone like him doing here and the other guy.... "
Looking at Luffy next to Lin who was digging into his nose with his pinky finger before stopping like he finally found something.
Staring at the booger on top of his pinky Luffy smiled before blowing it away, dangerously blowing past zoro's figure.
'yeah... Nevermind the other one's just retarded.'
As he bent downwards finally coming face to face with Zoro, he stared at Zoro down with a frown, as an idea formed in his head.
"Cheer up buddy turn that frown upside down! don't worry I'll feed you." His frown soon turned into a wolfish grin as he took all the rice balls in the lunch box into his own hands.
"W-what are you trying to do?" The girl who was thanking Lin earlier looked terrified as she saw his grin.
"He's tied up, genius. How's he gonna eat it?"
"Stay out of this," Zoro snapped.
Lin gave him a toothy grin. "What are you gonna do, glare me to death?"
"N-No-" before Zoro could finish speaking all the rice balls were stuffed deep down his throat.
Without warning, he shoved the rice ball into Zoro's mouth.
"Mmghh!"
As tears flowed down his eyes as he fidgeted, trying to spit out the rice balls in his mouth, Lin's hands instead forced the food even deeper downwards.
After a minute of struggle the fidgeting stopped before a loud gulp responded as Zoro finished eating it.
"There. Happy now?" Lin turned to the girl and smiled. "Let's get you out of here kid."
"Huff huff w-was that really necessary?" Zoro asked, choking down the food.
"Absolutely," Lin replied with zero remorse. "You look like a cranky bulldog. Food helps. Besides, knowing the bet you made with that guy you'd rather die than eat the food, am i right?"
Looking at zoro's surprised face Lin smirked before his hand grabbed the girl by the shoulder.
Just outside the wall again, the little girl blinked. "Did you teleport me?"
"Hmmm, i wouldn't say that.... more like I folded the space between A and B." Lin said. "But yeah—impressive, huh?"
She smiled. "Super impressive, onii-chan!"
'Hmpf at least kids these days know to respect their elders.'
Lin's figure dissapared after he offered a wave to the little girl.
—
Lin's figure flickered and vanished from the street.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind the marine base's courtyard wall, just in time to catch the tail end of an argument between Luffy and Zoro.
"I'm telling you, just eat something already!" Luffy shouted, clearly frustrated.
"I said no!" Zoro snapped back, still tied to the crucifix post. "I made a deal, and I won't break it!"
Lin leaned against a post, watching with a half-smile. "You two are like an old married couple already."
Luffy turned. "Lin! This guy won't eat anything even though he's starving!"
Lin shrugged. "Stubbornness like that… almost admirable. But also pretty dumb."
Zoro growled. "I don't need your commentary smartass."
Lin raised his hands. "Relax. But Luffy, think about it. A man this determined to keep a promise… don't you think that kind of loyalty would make a great nakama?"
Luffy blinked. Then his eyes lit up. "OHHHH! You're right! Zoro, shishishi join my pirate crew!"
"I said no!" Zoro yelled again.
Lin chuckled. "He'll warm up to the idea. Eventually."
—
The trio wandered through Shells Town afterward, Koby trailing nervously behind. Luffy and Lin looked for a place to grab some food—still hungry even after the earlier meal. Luckily they knew just the place to go.
Later, at a cozy seaside diner, Luffy and the crew enjoyed a warm meal courtesy of the grateful owner—mother of the rescued girl. Luffy beamed over his plate.
"Best food I've ever eaten!"
"You say that every time," Lin muttered, helping himself to a piece of meat from the mountain of meat infront of Luffy.
'God I know I saved up a few million beri... But will that even last an island or two if this dumbass eats this much?' Lin thought grimly.
After Luffy finally finished eating the restaurant fell to a peaceful silence.
After paying for the food Luffy and Lin found themselves walking through the streets of shells town without a purpose.
Koby walking a few feet behind them, too nervous to approach them.
The mood, however, had shifted.
As they walked past a quieter street, Lin stopped.
He looked up at the sky, the light breeze brushing his hair.
"You know why he's tied to that post, right?" Lin asked suddenly.
Luffy paused. "You told me this before.... Cause he beat up a dog or something, right?"
Lin exhaled. "The marine captain's son brought that mutt into the restaurant we went to before. It tried to attack the little girl. Zoro stepped in and stopped it."
Luffy blinked and tilted his head. "Wait, that's it?"
"Yeah. And because the guy's daddy's the marine captain of the island, Zoro was offered a deal. Survive a month without food, tied up like that, and they'd let him go."
Luffy's fists clenched. "That's… that's messed up."
Luffy grinded his teeth. "He... He saved a kid, and now he's rotting out there because some entitled brat felt embarrassed?"
A silence stretched between them.
Luffy's face darkened. "I've decided. I want him on our crew."
Lin smirked. "Took you long enough."
"But first," Luffy added, "we're gonna beat that bastard and free Zoro!" Luffy grinned before raising his fist into the air.
Koby stopped walking, pale-faced. "W-wait! You guys are going to fight a marine captain?! Are you insane?!"
Lin cracked his knuckles with a smile. "Probably. But who said being sane ever helped anyone make history?"
Luffy grinned. "Shishishi! Let's make some noise."
"Let's get that bastard."
—