Steel Heart

Ch 93 - How to Take a Shortcut

"Ahhh! You're the angel that helped God Usopp and flew out with one of the Executives!"

"Eh?"

Nana turned to take a real look at the other two passengers, who were tagging along for the ride down Pica's back and towards the first palace. One was a large man with a pointed head that was bald at the top with black pigtails tied on the side. Thin rectangular sunglasses balanced on his nose while he clutched a pitchfork in his hands. Next to him was a man with his tongue wagging out the side of his mouth like a dog. On his head, he wore a beige turban.

Nana jabbed a thumb in their direction and cocked her head at Luffy. "Who are they?"

"You ask this now?!" Law huffed.

"They're annoying! They won't get off of Moocy even when I tell them to!" Luffy said with just as much frustration as the former Warlord.

"Don't say that! Let us come with you, Straw Hat-san!" the man in rectangular sunglasses said.

"We are followers of God Usopp. He saved us from enslavement as toys. You did too, Angel-san!" the man in the turban added, "I'll never forget the sight of you, soaring into the light of God Usopp with the beaten Executive in hand."

Nana wrinkled her nose. "I kinda get what they're saying but..."

"Ignore them," Law said under his breath, "Our attention should be what is up ahead."

"True."

Nana moved her eyes forward and she frowned as they approached the first level of the plateau and a wave of Doflamingo's men. Bullets began to fly towards them and Nana smoothly raised her glove. "Repel!"

"Moocy! Go! Go! Go! Don't stop!" Luffy cheered as they raced through the men, who were either running away from them or cowering behind buildings to avoid getting shot by their own bullets.

Caboom! Shing! Shing! Shing!

A dust cloud rose up far ahead of them as more of Doflamingo's men flew out of it, clutching their bodies in pain. As the cloud cleared and the dust settled, they saw a blonde man on a white horse with a rose between his lips.

"Eh?! Cabbage?!" Luffy shouted as the bull came skidding to a halt.

"More friend of yours, Luffy?" Nana asked.

"Looks like the people from the Colosseum have made their way here already," Law said.

Luffy scowled. "Dang it! I thought we were ahead of them."

"Straw Hat! I'm gonna go first!" came Cabbage's voice through a megaphone, "Hahahaha!"

"Damn! I thought I was taking a shortcut," Luffy cursed, "Go way, way faster, Moocy!"

"Maybe it'll help if we lighten the load," Nana said with a thoughtful look at the two men behind her.

The man in the turban managed to pout even with his tongue sticking out. "Aw but Big Sis, we've come to-"

Thwack!

Without warning, Nana shoved the both of them off the back of the bull by using the handle of her hammer. "Sorry," she called as they rode off, "But you'll just get in our way. I'm doing it for your own good!"

"AH! Hajrudin! Everyone else! Everyone caught up already!" Luffy's annoyed shout made Nana turn back to the front and her eyebrows raised way past the brim of her hat at the sight of a large giant pulling himself up to the first level while a handful of other familiar looking men followed closely behind.

"More guys from the Colosseum?" Nana asked, recognizing some from the televised tournament.

"They're gonna get ahead of me," Luffy huffed and then turned to Nana, "Nana! Lift us up and fly us to the top."