One Piece: In Search of Freedom [Book 1]

CH 8: SMILING BEFORE DEATH! THE HEAVENS FAVOR YOU TOO MUCH!

Inherited will...

The tide of the times...

People's dreams...

These things cannot be stopped.

As long as people seek the answer of freedom, these things will never cease to be!

Within the couple of minutes that had passed, the clouds began to darken and grow denser. Just as Nami had predicted, it seemed like a storm was approaching.

However, even the navigator was stunned speechless, "The atmospheric pressure is dropping abnormally. I've never seen such a bizarre drop before."

"Now that you mention it, I feel a strange wind..." Sanji smoked his cigarette as he muttered. The clouds turning in circles over their heads, thunder rumbling from within.

"It kinda feels like..." [Name] didn't finish her words, internally shaking her head. Rejecting the thought that had inexplicably come to mind. There's no reason why he would be in such a place. "Let's just go back to Merry quickly. Since now we're sure that a storm is coming, we can't dawdle anymore."

"Oi."

The rough voice startled the pirates. Relaxing when they saw the familiar green moss of hair. "Zoro."

"Have you seen him?" asked Zoro while scratching his head. Not even sure how he lost the teen. Since only their captain was missing, it wasn't hard for the others to figure out who he meant. Usopp frowning, "You mean Luffy?"

"Yeah. We got separated." he replied nonchalantly before his mood suddenly changed, "I also feel something strange... like... something terrible is about to happen..."

Before they could think too deeply about what he meant, loud shouts came from the crowd. The people who brought the news running as fast as they could.

"Pirates are here!"

"Pirates are here!"

"Run!"

"It's Buggy the Clown!"

The name clicking on the navigator's mind, "What?!" And on Zoro's, "Buggy the Clown!" They were the ones who had joined Luffy the earliest and thus the only ones other than the captain who had been present during the fight with Buggy not so long ago.

While the group was slightly surprised at the news, they didn't care much about it. That is until they heard the following words from the people who had escaped in time.

"An execution!"

"An execution is about to start!"

"Buggy the Clown will be executing Mugiwara no Luffy!"

"Luffy is about to be executed?!" Usopp gaped. Their captain might be the greatest fool in the whole world, but he wasn't so weak that he could be so easily captured for execution. With his personality, would he even stand still long enough for the process to be finished? Nami wrinkled her brows together, "That idiot!"

However, Buggy was quite the troublesome opponent with his Akuma no Mi. Although he wasn't particularly strong, because he could divide his body parts, it was highly difficult to injure him at all.

With this in mind, Zoro didn't waste any time and sprinted off, "Let's go!"

Sanji threw the tail of the fish he was carrying toward Usopp, pushing all the weight on him as he followed right after. [Name] first turning to her two remaining comrades, "Go ahead to Merry and prepare to sail. Do not stop no matter what." Then rushed behind the two rivals.