Chapter 4: Getting Stabbed

"Are you sure the Luffy landed here?" Zoro looked at Liam as they walked out of the boat. He was a bit confused.

"Come on! Luffy isn't someone that would get defeated by a bird. I just hope that he decided to fall on the land rather than the sea since he can't swim in the sea." Liam answered.

He wasn't wearing those iron sets since he was sure he would need to help them. He doesn't want Zoro to get hurt if the injuries can be avoided. So, he planned to step up and be a man even if he can't fight properly.

The only thing that worries him is that if he does something, there might be some changes in the emotion of future straw hats. That's what worries him but after thinking for a long time, he realized that Luffy will get the Straw Hats together no matter what.

That's his charm.

"He can't swim?" Zoro looked at him with confusion and asked.

"Nope! Those who eat devil fruits can't swim. Luffy is 100% reckless, so it's going to be a pain in the ass." Liam sighed but at the same time, a cannonball struck the long line of houses.

Boom!

The houses crumbled as his and Zoro's attention shifted toward it. Liam looked at Zoro and said, "Follow me!"

After that, he started running toward Buggy's camp.

Five minutes later,

"Haa… haa…. Haaa.. haaaa….."

Liam put his hands on the knees and started panting before even they reached Buggy's camp. Liam looked at Zoro and spoke "Go…go on…. Without me… I will join you later…."

Thud!

Liam fell to the ground as Zoro sighed and dashed away. Liam slapped his forehead and mumbled.

"Damn! Just how weak is this guy? It might take me forever to catch up to the monster trio."

Liam turned around and looked toward the sea.

"Then again, I did run a long-distance so fast. Alright—— haaaa! I feeling better now. Oh shit! I forgot to tell Zoro about Buggy's devil fruit."

Without hesitation, Liam rushed toward the Buggy's camp. By the time he reached there, he saw Buggy trying to stab Zoro with his knife. At this moment, everyone from Buggy's crew was laughing and Zoro was confused.

Splash!

Liam dashed between Zoro and Buggy and tried to catch his arm. He did succeed to catch the knife but he underestimated the power of Buggy-sama. The knife stabbed his stomach as he shouted.

"Argh… Zoro, you can't fight him….. Use the cannon now!"

Thud!

Liam fell to the ground with the blood flowing through his guts. Zoro's eyes widened when he saw that. His eyes released bloodthirsty energy but he remembered Liam's words and dashed toward the cannon.

Bang!

He lifted the cannon and turned it around.

"Hey, hey, hey, stop, stop, don't do it!" Buggy screamed while Zoro looked at Nami and shouted "Fire it!"

Nami woke up from everything that just happened and immediately lit up the cannon.

Boom!

The cannon shot toward Buggy and exploded. Zoro rushed toward Liam and immediately turned him around. The knife was still stuck on his stomach. He held the knife and pulled it out.

"Argh! Damn, it hurts! Argh!"

"Hey, you are not going to die, right?" Zoro's eyes enlarged when he saw Liam bleeding. Unlike others, Zoro understood just how weak Liam was when he trained in the boat. Thus, he also understood the risk he took.

"I…. I will be fine…. It didn't go deep!"

Tear!

Liam tore his clothes and wrapped them around the wound. He slowly stood up and looked at Luffy.

"Oi Captain, aren't you being too reckless flying with a bird and getting yourself locked inside a cage?" Liam tried to laugh but the pain was still screaming in his head.

"Stupid, you should look at yourself. You are even more reckless than. I could've taken that knife without a problem." Zoro looked at Liam and snorted.

"And, who is going to take this idiot captain away from here? You are a swordsman. You can't fight Buggy. Let the Captain handle it but first, let's leave and figure out how to get him out of here." Liam didn't ask for keys from Nami directly.

He knew Nami would eventually give them the key and even if not he can still force Zoro to use his hands to beat up Buggy.

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"Hahaha! I didn't expect you to be so courageous, Liam." Luffy looked at him and laughed as if he didn't see the wound.

"Shut up, captain!" Zoro and Liam shouted at him at the same time. Zoro lifted him up and three of them left. Liam was having a hard time walking but they eventually reached somewhere.

"Hey, you guys, don't you need this?" Nami ran toward them while showing them the key and asked.

"It's the key." Liam shouted widening his eyes but suddenly fell to the ground, exhausted.

Bang!

Zoro also put Luffy on the ground and turned at Nami.

"Hey, our navigator!" Luffy's eyes shone when he saw the key in her hand and cheered.

"Who is your navigator? I am not going to join you, evil pirates. I am only here to repay my debt." Nami shouted and dropped the key next to the cage.

"Evil…. Righteous..... Miss navigator, if you depict pirates as evil then what would you say about Marine Captain of Shell's Town, Ax Hands Morgan?" Liam slowly opened his eyes and spoke.

Hearing his words, Nami froze for a moment as she couldn't reply.

"Pirates are not evil. Marines aren't righteous. We, as humans can be either good or bad. Pirates represent freedom while marines represent restriction. Pirates represent open sea while marines represent closed fortress."

"Miss Navigator, everyone has their own life so I can't judge the reason behind your hatred for pirates but all I can say is that Pirates are free to do whatever they want. Isn't that right, captain?"

"Hahaha! You are right. Pirates are free to do anything."

"And, captain, if you want to be free, move your hand to grab that key. Oops! You are late."

Liam saw the dog gulping down the key and his face turned green. He was trying his best to get his captain out of the cage but due to Nami, he forgot about the dog for a moment.

While Luffy and Dog battle, Liam looked at the sky and thought.

'I never thought of myself as a brave person. But when I saw that I could avoid Zoro getting hurt, my body moved on its own. No….. it moved because of my decision but this decision was made by my unconscious mind.'

'Anyway, I should be healed within a few hours if I just get something to eat but I won't be able to move like Zoro. Haaa… this is so crazy.'

Liam heavily sighed as he noticed a shadow falling over him. Suddenly, he noticed pink underwear and spoke "Miss Navigator, you do realize that you are wearing a mini skirt, right?"

"Ahhh!" Nami screamed and moved back. She was always daring enough to show off her body but she still felt ashamed when someone made her realize that she was showing off too much.

"Shouldn't you get some medicine to heal? That wound won't heal itself." Nami's shyness faded away instantly as she asked.

Liam nodded his head and said, "Do you have some medicine?"

"I have some medicines. Young one, come with me!" The mayor walked near him and spoke. While Liam was thinking, Mayor had already arrived and was talking with Luffy and Zoro.

"Oi Zoro, help me out!" Liam looked at Zoro and asked. Zoro nodded his head and lifted Liam. As they followed Mayor, Liam asked "Do you have meat?"

"Why are you hungry all of sudden?" Zoro looked at Liam and shouted.

"Idiot, we haven't eaten since yesterday. Of course, I am hungry. You are too much of a monster to realize that you are hungry but I am just a regular human." Liam rolled his eyes and answered.

Zoro opened his mouth to rebuke but nothing came out of his mouth.

"Pufff!" On the side, Nami laughed as she looked at them. While they went to a house for treating Liam's wounds, a man riding the lion came to find Luffy.

Bang!

The loud collision shocked them for a moment.

"Oi Zoro, you can't leave me alone here. What if the Buggy Pirates arrive here and kill me?" Liam looked at Zoro and spoke helplessly. It's not that he doesn't want Zoro to go rather he wants Luffy and Nami to properly interact.

"You! Can't you see that's where your Captain is? What if Buggy Pirates found him and blasted them while he is still stuck in the cage? He could die" Nami grabbed Liam's collars and shouted at him.

Liam raised his eyebrows and stared at her.

"Miss Navigator, do you really think we would've followed him if he was that weak? Our captain won't die that easily. But…."

Liam turned his head at Zoro and continued "But, I might die any moment."

"Yeah! Yeah!" Zoro patted Liam's head and took him inside a house. Mayor looked at them and followed but Nami didn't.

She turned around and went to find Luffy. After a minute or two, Mayor also rushed out to find Luffy.

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