Marine 153rd Branch is a direct branch of the Marine in the East Blue, its exterior a tall tower with interwoven green stripes.
In the open space below the tower, there is a cross, which is where the current commanding Colonel Morgan carries out punishments for dissenters.
A certain future world's strongest swordsman was tied up inside.
"Is that the guy?"
At a low part of the wall, one could climb up and see the scene inside.
Luffy held a hand across his brow. "Found him!"
At this moment, a guy was tied to the cross in the open space.
The man wore a green bandana, a green belly band, and three earrings. Even with his hands tied and suspended, he looked very fierce.
"If we just untie the ropes, we can easily let him go, right?"
Luffy said it with a smile, as if it were very simple.
In his mind, untie the ropes, release Zoro, invite him, he accepts, companion found, done!
Yes, in his mind, it was that simple.
"Don't say such stupid things!!"
Nami clutched her forehead. "If we let a person like that go, who knows what will happen! He might be the first one to kill you, the Pirate Crew captain!"
Luffy: "Don't worry, I'm very strong."
Nami: "…Is this a question of strength?!!!"
And you look so weak!
Nami felt that this person was simply beyond saving.
"Zoro, huh?"
Link also fixed his gaze on Zoro. This was the first time he had met Zoro so closely.
He was known as the only true man on the Straw Hat Pirates' ship.
Well, the panty-exposing cola pervert who shouted he was a man didn't count.
Just as the two were talking?
"Hey…"
Zoro, tied to the cross, seemed to sense something and looked up slightly, seeing a group of people on the high wall looking at him. He couldn't help but say in a low voice:
"You're in the way, get lost."
He looked up, deliberately putting on a fierce expression and gaze.
His harsh words were only because he didn't want others to be implicated because of him.
"So, if you want a guy like that as a companion, you wouldn't have enough lives!"
Nami, startled by Zoro's gaze, continued to voice her opinion.
Suddenly, next to her, a small ladder appeared.
"Shhh."
A little girl with twin pigtails gestured for Nami and the others to be quiet, then used the ladder and rope to quickly run down into the base grounds.
Then there was a brief exchange, and she took out the rice balls she had packed earlier.
Despite being very hungry, Zoro firmly refused, unwilling to accept her kindness, for Rika's safety.
"I said, get lost, quickly!!"
He had just finished saying this in a very bad tone~
"Don't bully people like that."
Suddenly, a hand reached for the rice ball.
"Even if you want to protect others from being implicated, you can try a slightly different approach."
Link tossed the rice ball in his hand, smiling.
"Mr. Link (That guy)!"
At the wall, Koby and Nami were both somewhat startled by Link's boldness.
Luffy, meanwhile, was still lying there, watching the scene unfold, grinning foolishly, like a monkey possessed.
"Who are you?"
Hearing Link say that, Zoro's eyelids twitched, and his tone was still very aggressive.
"Someone not afraid of death."
Link dangled the rice ball in front of Zoro. "If you're not going to eat it, I'll eat it."
"I'm a bit hungry too."
Zoro: "…Give me the rice ball!!"
Rika, who had been a bit stunned by Link's sudden appearance in the arena, immediately smiled happily when she heard Zoro's words.
After Zoro ravenously swallowed the two rice balls, he paused, said, "It was delicious, I'm full," and then the dimples on his face deepened with an even sweeter smile.
"Not having eaten for nearly twenty days, these can only slightly fill your stomach, right?"
Link also took out another piece of bread. This was supplies he had obtained from Alvida's ship's warehouse.
Zoro could go twenty days without eating, and Zeff, Sanji's savior and mentor, also survived eighty-five days by only eating his own leg.
When it comes to enduring hunger, they are both top-notch tough guys.
Since he had even eaten Rika's rice balls, Zoro naturally didn't mind replenishing some more energy for himself.
Even the coarse black bread from a Pirate Crew ship, he still ate with relish.
He had intended to eat these and continue to maintain his tough guy image, but the next thing Link took out made Zoro's eyes go wide.
"After eating your fill, you naturally need to drink your fill too. You can't just eat; you need to replenish some fluids, right?"
Link shook the rum in his hand, smiling. "This should be the favorite of men on the high seas, right?"
It was naturally Zoro's favorite too!
He subconsciously licked his somewhat chapped lips, his eyes saying it all.
"Pop."
The sound of the cork popping from the wine bottle was arguably the most beautiful sound Zoro had heard recently.
The scent of the cheap wine made Zoro's throat twitch and swallow repeatedly.
"Gulp, gulp, gulp."
The clear liquor flowed down his throat, making Zoro's almost parched body feel like a long-awaited rain after a drought.
After one bottle of wine, Zoro's spirit and energy recovered significantly, and at the same time, his attitude towards Link improved considerably.
"Thank you."