Romance Dawn (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

"ARE WE really going?" Luffy asked his crew as Franky helped Nami and Robin get on board. It was not hard, though, it's just because of the knock up stream that could be there any minute, the waters became shaky. The Thousand Sunny rocked back and forth as the cyborg shipwright pulled the girls up, with the archaeologist thanking him. Zoro and Sanji were bickering near the staircase as Luffy pointed out, and Chopper was the last one to climb into the ship. He paused, much to Usopp's annoyance.

"What is it?"

Chopper turned around. "Something's coming!"

Hancock signalled her people and they immediately got in position as the Strawhats tried to look at where their doctor was pointing at. There was nothing but huff of smoke. The Queen of Hearts clicked her tongue. "Everyone stand back."

Luffy hummed. Not just him, though. Zoro and Sanji felt a sensation coming from where Chopper was pointing, as well. They stopped arguing and hopped off board as the water became more and more violent. Nami gripped her Clima-Tact, which Usopp had fixed on their way to the ship. Figures appeared on the horizon as Hancock gestured, arrows shooting down their direction. Luffy gritted his teeth once a fluff of smoke emerged in front of them.

"You must be Monkey D Luffy," the man, wearing a large thick white and blue specialist marine jacket which he kept open, stated.

"Smoker!" Hancock prepared to deliver a strong kick but he got the upperhand and threw her aside with her smoke.

Luffy called out. "Hancock!"

Sanji's feet were set ablaze as he ran up to the man and jumped into the air. "Collier Strike!"

Much to everybody's surprise, the man was not affected by the kick. Instead, he got the chance to retaliate and did so, and used his jitte to get Sanji off him. Luffy prepared to throw a punch but Zoro had already dashed towards him. The swordsman had his bandana around his forehead as he did, avoiding the surprise punch the man threw at him. "One Sword Style: Lion Song!"

Aboard the Sunny, Brook pleaded on helping, but Robin stopped him from doing so. "That man has a seastone with him." She pointed out, and as usual, she was right. The man's body turned into smoke, but the jitte didn't. The archaeologist deduced that the weapon had the seastone.

"Give up, Strawhat." Smoker exclaimed as he dodged Luffy's punch. "there's nowhere to go."

Soon enough, more and more people gathered around them. Usopp hid behind Franky as Nami furrowed her brows, gripping her baton tighter. Robin observed everything that was happening before she proceeded and jumped off the ship, with the navigator following her. Usopp tried to call them out but it was no use. Besides, Franky and Brook also left and he was the only one there in the ship.

"Luffy!" Robin called out.

"Guys," their captain huffed.

Nami grunted. She didn't know why the three of them were dashing towards the man.

"Nami!" she turned around upon hearing Zoro's voice, though she was surprised it wasn't Sanji, and instantly gazed upon the canon ball flying towards them. Startled, she watched as the swordsman leaped in front of her and cut the canon ball in half. Zoro smirked. "Watch your step."

Smoker managed to take down Luffy, while pointing the tip of the jitte on the latter's chest. "We've got you, Monkey D Luffy. Now, give us the queen's navigator."

She didn't know why, but Nami felt somebody talking about her. As she turned to look at where those people were, she was greeted by the cold stares of the smoke-man. Nami inched backwards. "Shit."