Alright, fine! I totally fot about Hachi. ? While writing, I kept reminding myself to include him after Arlong fell, but somehow I kept fetting—like magic or something! I don’t want to go bad mess with the chapter by adding it in now, so here’s the deal: Hachi lives. He ran. And yes, he will e back! Also! Big thanks to Talin, Yomax, and Devon for the support! Woohoo! ? You all are amazing, and I appreciate every bit of it!

  You all are weled to my Discord el!

  We have an Image Minister as well! (He quitted)

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  --xLOVEx--

  Coby chuckled softly to himself, shaking his head. While the rest of the crew ehemselves, he remained cautious, knowing the true nature of this pce. It was a trap—these people weren't their friends, and the real danger would reveal itself soon enough. He had to stay ready for whatever was ing if he wao earn lots of SP.

  Taking another sip from his drink, Coby sed the room, turning his attention to his skill interface. He had earned some points from previous fights, and while he was tempted to use them now, he decided against it. He o save his SP for when they were truly necessary. This wasn't the time to show off or waste his resources.

  The vilgers danced around the fire pit in the ter of the room, their smiles wide, and their movements full of life. Coby noticed Vivi and Mr. 9 standihe entraheir expressions unreadable. They didn't seem as caught up in the celebration as everyone else, and it reminded Coby that they, too, were pying a role here. Everyone had their secrets, and soon, the night would take a darker turn.

  He finished his meal, pg his utensils ly oe before leaning ba his chair. His eyes were closed, giving the impression of dozing off, but his other senses were on high alert. Zoro and Nami were feigniing drunk, both aware something was off. However, Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp had genuinely fallen into the trap.

  Night fell, and the vilgers grew more sinister. Nami "won" the drinking test, her body slumping onto the table as if unscious. The true nature of the locals became evident. Just outside, Coby could hear them murmuring. "They ate a month's supply and drank all the booze. If they held out any longer, we would've run out," Igarappoi whispered. The others nodded in agreement, their bdes glinting in the moonlight as they drew them, ready to elimihe seemingly unairates.

  Zoro’s eyes snapped open, but instead of looking outside, he g Coby, who was grinning. "I knew you wouldn’t be tricked so easily," Zoro remarked.

  Coby shrugged. " you leave them to me? I’ve got a few new moves I want to try."

  Zoro yawned. "Just call if you need help."

  Nami, who was just "waking up," added, "Coby, be careful."

  Coby waved his hand dismissively, "They’re small fries. Just sit bad wait."

  Coby stood up from his chair, stretg his arms casually as he approached the door. The vilgers were startled when they saw him, not expeg any of the pirates to be awake. Their hesitation was brief, and they rushed at him, ons raised.

  Coby casually looked at the group and smirked. "So, Baroque Works, I presume."

  Igarappoi and the others froze, taken aback. "How do you even know that?" Igarappoi asked, his voice tense.

  Coby shrugged. "Code names, bounty hunter isnd, and horap. Pretty obvious."

  Igarappoi's face twisted with . "Silence him before the others wake up! We ’t let this get out."

  Coby smiled as he cracked his knuckles. "Time to reap some points," he murmured before charging at the group.

  The first attacker lu Coby with a knife, aiming for his throat. Coby sidestepped and, with a swift motion, grabbed the man’s wrist, twisting it sharply. The siing ch of bones snapping filled the air as the man screamed, dropping his on. Coby followed up with a brutal elbow strike to the man’s jaw, sending him crashing to the ground, unscious.

  Another came at him from behind with a club. Coby ducked just in time, his foot sweeping out to take the man's legs out from under him. As the attacker fell, Coby’s detached hand shot out, grabbing the man's throat mid-air. With a single squeeze, he crushed the man’s windpipe, dropping him like a ragdoll.

  Two more rushed him together, one brandishing a sword, the other a spear. Coby leaped back, avoiding the simultaneous strikes. His left haached again, fnking them from the side. With precision, the hand gripped the sword-wielder's arm, jerking it backward at an unnatural ahe sword cttered to the ground as the man's arm dislocated with a sick pop. Coby stepped in and delivered a brutal punch to the man's stomach, making him double over and vomit before colpsing.

  The spearman tried to take advantage of the moment, thrusting his on at Coby’s chest. Coby caught the spear with his bare hand from the middle, yanking it forward and pulling the attacker off bance. He she spear’s shaft with a quick twist and rammed the broken end into the man’s thigh. Blood spurted from the wound as the man screamed, falling to his knees. Coby’s foot came down hard on the man’s head, sileng him food.

  More vilgers, emboldened by their numbers, charged at him. Coby ducked and weaved through the crowd, his detached hands flying in all dires, striking throats and crushing skulls with precise bloarticurly rge man tried to grab Coby from behind, but Coby twisted free and jammed his thumb into the man’s shoulder bde, until the man howled in agony. Coby didn’t stop until he felt the squish of the man’s shoulder dislog under his force.

  Blood spttered across the cobblestones as oved with deadly efficy. A woman tried to sneak up on him with a dagger, but his hand whipped out, hittihroat in a quick, fluid motion. She choked and colpsed, her vomit pooling around her.

  Igarappoi, seeing his rades fall one by one, growled and yanked on the ropes hiddeh his clothing. Several small guns, cleverly disguised in his wild hair, fired in quick succession, the bullets whizzing toward Coby.

  oved swiftly, his feet barely toug the ground as he activated Stealth Foot. The bullets tore through the air, but Coby was already gone, his form a blur as he sidestepped the deadly barrage. He reappeared behind Igarappoi, delivering a swift kick to his back, sending the elder crashing into a nearby wall.

  Igarappoi grunted in pain but quickly regained his footing. He pulled another set of ropes, and more hidden guns fired from various points on his body. Coby twisted and turned, dodging the shots with practiced ease. He closed the distaween them, his left haag to grab Igarappoi’s wrist, yanking the ropes away before he could fire again.

  With a swift punch to the gut, Coby khe wind out of Igarappoi. The elder staggered, clutg his stomach, but Coby didn’t give him a ce to recover. He grabbed Igarappoi by the colr, smming him against the wall. "Stay down," Coby ordered, his voice low and cold.

  Igarappoi, groaning in pain, slumped to the ground, uo fight bay longer. Coby turned away, his eyes sing the area for any remaining threats.

  Remaining Baroque Works agents gathered around making an uling grin appear on his face. "Seventy of you left," he ted. His tohough casual, sent shivers down the spines of the gathered crowd. A few exged nervous gnces, unsure if they should tihe fight or flee.

  One of the braver agents lu him, brandishing a sword. Coby didn't waste time. His hand shot out, gripping the man's throat with a crushing force. With a swift motion, he smmed the agent to the ground, the sound of bone crag against stone echoed in the night. The man y still, unscious or worse.

  A group of four rushed him , armed with a mix of ons—clubs, knives, and oh a . Coby ducked under a wild swing of a club, his haag and ing around the wrist of the -wielder. With a sharp tug, he pulled the man forward, kneeing him iomad then tossing him into the others.

  The agent with the kried to stab him in the back, but Coby spun around, his detached hand intercepting the bde mid-strike. He squeezed, the flesh bending under his grip before he yahe knife from the agent's hand and drove it into the man's shoulder. The agent screamed, clutg his wound as he fell to the ground.

  The remaining two backed away, fear evident in their eyes. Coby didn’t give them a ce troup. He unched forward, his fists eg with their faces in quick succession, sending them crashing into a nearby wall. Blood smeared across the stone as they crumpled, unscious.

  "Who's ?" Coby called out, his voice cold. The remaining agents hesitated, the initial fidehey had in their numbers now crumbling.

  One of the agents, a woman wielding a pair of daggers, tried to fnk him. She moved swiftly, her bdes aimed for his sides. But Coby was faster. His left haached, catg one dagger mid-swing, while his right hand grabbed her wrist, twisting it sharply. She gasped in pain, the dagger falling from her grip. Coby's k her stomach, doubling her over before he finished her off with a sharp elbow to the back of her head.

  Several more charged at him, desperation clear in their eyes. Coby ducked and weaved through their attacks, his movements fluid and precise. He grabbed one by the colr and headbutted him, thehe man’s body as a shield against atacker’s spear thrust. The spear pierced the first man’s back, and Coby shoved the dying man into the spear-wielder, knog them both to the ground.

  Blood spttered across the ground as Coby tinued his assault. Aried to retreat, but Coby’s detached hand caught him by the ankle, yanking him bato the fray. With a swift stomp to the stomach, the agent’s struggle ended.

  The remaining agents began to back away, realizing they were outmatched. Coby's grin widened. "Leaving so soon?" He moved towards them, his fists ched, ready for more.

  They broke into a run, but Coby was on them in an instant. His hands detached, smming into their backs, f them to the ground. He stood over them, his expression mog. "Stay down, or it’ll get worse," he warned.

  Most plied, too terrified to move. A few, still desperate, tried to rise. Coby’s foot met one’s face, smashing him bato the dirt. Another received a brutal punch to the throat, sileng his cries for mercy.

  When it was over, the ground was littered with the bodies of Baroque Works agents, most unscious, a few dead. Coby stood among them, breathing steady, eyes sing the area for any remaining threats.

  He wiped the blood from his knuckles and turned back to Zoro and Nami, who were now wide awake and watg him with surprise and respect. "That should take care of things," Coby said, his voice calm.

  Zoro nodded. "You didn’t leave much for us."

  Nami smirked. "Guess we rex now."

  Coby chuckled. "Yeah, the hard part’s over."

  --

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