One Piece: Surrounded at Marineford? Just kidding!

Chapter 474: The Guardian Flag and the Hungry Captain

Chen Ye's cold ultimatum still echoed above the ruins when suddenly a screeching sound of metal debris being pushed aside came from below the tower.

The sound was shrill, like fingernails scraping against glass, jarringly jarring in the deathly silence of the battlefield. The collapsing steel frame roared to life, raising a cloud of dust, and a slender yet vibrant figure emerged from the depths of the ruins.

"Tatsuba——!"

Luffy was covered in dust and looked disheveled, but his eyes were as bright as those of a newborn beast. He shouted his name as he ran towards the tower, his feet crunching over pebbles and broken iron with a crackling sound.

"Wait for me, Luffy!"

"Slow down, you idiot!"

Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Zoro, Franky, and Brook squeezed out from the gaps in the rubble, each panting heavily, sweat mingling with dust and leaving streaks on their faces. Even so, their faces still bore the relief of surviving a disaster and the joy of being reunited.

Nami leaned against a broken steel pillar, panting heavily. Her chest heaved, and a sliver of color finally returned to her pale face. She looked up at the towering metal tower in the distance, her gaze freezing the moment it fell upon the three large flags fluttering at its highest point.

Usopp followed her gaze and froze on the spot, his mouth agape, unable to utter a sound.

Sanji's hand, holding a cigarette, trembled slightly, and a look of disbelief flashed in his eyes.

Zoro's arm, gripping the Wado Ichimonji, bulged with veins, his eyes narrowed as he stared intently at the three flags fluttering in the wind.

Franky slowly took off his glasses, wiped the dust-covered lenses with his sleeve, and made a "ho ho" sound of surprise.

Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, was looking up, his gaze fixed on the highest point. His eyes were shining, his mouth was wide open, almost big enough to fit an apple, and he let out a thunderous gasp.

"So handsome—!"

The sound echoed through the ruins, causing rubble to fall from the ground. Luffy was completely stunned, unaware that his neck was aching from looking up.

Then, he tilted his head and asked seriously, "Why are there three sides?"

This problem came out of nowhere.

The tense atmosphere froze instantly, and everyone's eyes were focused on the straw hat captain.

Standing atop the tower, Chen Ye was slightly taken aback by this sudden thought. His normally hard jawline softened, and the murderous intent between his brows faded, replaced by a barely perceptible look of surprise.

Shanks was struggling to suppress his laughter, clutching his stomach with one hand and shaking his shoulders violently. A genuine smile, a rare occurrence, appeared on his usually cynical face as he shook his head.

"Pfft..."

That laugh seemed to flip a switch, and the previously oppressive air immediately relaxed a bit.

Rocks snorted coldly, sizing Luffy up as if he were an arrogant ant. His eyes revealed undisguised disdain, and his tone was icy: "Someone like this can awaken Nika?"

The tone suggested that he was talking about something completely absurd. Joyboy, the one the Five Elders spoke of as a prophet, was now staring blankly at the flag like a fool, asking such a nonsensical question.

Rocks even began to wonder how this being, feared by the World Government and considered a thorn in Im's side, had managed to survive until now.

However, Whitebeard paid no attention to Rocks's taunts.

He strode forward, his massive figure casting a shadow over the ruins. The hand, large enough to grab a Sea King, slammed heavily onto Luffy's shoulder with a dull thud, causing Luffy to shrink by half.

"Hey, kid."

Whitebeard looked down at Luffy, his voice booming like a war drum. His gaze was no longer sharp as when facing an enemy, but rather the gentleness and indulgence of an elder towards a junior.

"These three flags represent three different forces."

The white-bearded man pointed to the three large flags fluttering in the wind, his voice echoing over the ruins.

"The Whitebeard Pirates' flag represents us pirates. The Red-Haired Pirates' flag represents the New World. And the Revolutionary Army's flag represents those who want to change the world."

Luffy blinked, trying to process the meaning of those words. His brain was working at lightning speed, but it could only process the most straightforward information.

Whitebeard continued, "These three flags planted here signify that our three forces will jointly protect this island. Whether it's the Navy or the World Government, they'll have to ask for our permission before they can set foot on this island."

He paused, and his voice suddenly softened.

"Similarly, these three flags will protect you brats. As long as you stand here, no one will dare to lay a finger on you."

As Whitebeard spoke, his gaze swept intentionally or unintentionally over Roger, Rocks, Shanks, Dragon, and the others behind him, finally settling on Chen Ye at the top of the tower.

It was a silent declaration.

Luffy stood there, stunned.

He blinked, then blinked again, as if trying to grasp some profound philosophical truth. Everyone around him waited for him to speak, and the atmosphere inexplicably became somewhat heavy.

Then, Luffy grinned, revealing his signature silly smile.

"I understand!"

His voice was clear and loud, exploding above the ruins.

"It's a group of very capable people working together to protect this place!"

This statement is simple and direct, without any embellishment, yet it gets straight to the point.

For a moment, everyone was stunned.

Whitebeard was taken aback for a moment, then burst into a deafening laugh. He slapped Luffy on the shoulder so hard that he almost shoved the rubber man into the ground.

"Gurarara! Well said!"

Roger rolled his eyes and muttered, "He's just a brat who hasn't even grown up yet," but the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up in a smile.

Shanks finally couldn't hold it in any longer, clutching his stomach and laughing so hard he almost cried.

Long stood aside, silently watching this scene, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Lockes snorted and turned his face away, clearly disdainful of such a childish scene. But deep in his eyes, a complex emotion seemed to flash.

At the top of the tower, Chen Ye looked at Luffy's naive yet insightful expression and shook his head slightly. His originally cold and hard gaze softened a bit, and a barely perceptible smile flashed in his eyes.

This straw hat kid is still the same joyboy.

Even after gaining Nika's power and defeating the Five Elders, his essence remained unchanged.

That innocent heart is probably the real reason why he was able to awaken Nika.

The atmosphere had finally eased, and everyone was digesting Whitebeard's words.

However, the next second, Luffy's gaze suddenly shifted downwards.

His gaze fell on a charred remnant beside the tower's base, and his eyes widened instantly. His nose twitched wildly, like a wild beast that had caught the scent of prey.

"There's meat there!"

Luffy let out a deafening roar, and at the same time, his stomach emitted a rumble powerful enough to shatter glass.

"Gurgle gurgle—"

The sound echoed throughout the ruins, and everyone heard it clearly.

The air froze instantly.

Nami suddenly covered her face, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

Usopp and Zoro exchanged a glance and simultaneously took three steps back, as if to say, "I don't know this idiot."

Sanji's face darkened instantly, and veins bulged on his forehead.

Roger and Shanks laughed even more wildly, tears almost streaming down their faces.

The white-bearded man was taken aback by this sudden turn of events, then burst into laughter.

Lox's gaze grew even more disdainful, as if he were looking at a shameful beast.

But Luffy doesn't care about any of that.

He crouched down, examining the charred remains closely, muttering to himself, "It smells like roasted meat... no, it should be a piece of roasted meat... This piece is so big, it should be enough for me to eat for three days, right?"

He got more and more excited as he talked, and his mouth was practically watering.

Then, a powerful foot slammed into his buttocks.

"Bang--!"

Luffy flew out like a cannonball, drawing a perfect parabola in the air before crashing heavily onto the ruins a few meters away.

"Sanji, why did you kick me?!"

Luffy got up from the ground, rubbing his butt, and glared at Sanji who had attacked him with a wronged expression.

Sanji's face was beyond just black. His lips, which were clenched around a cigarette, twitched violently, and his eyes burned with a flame called "rage".

"You idiot! Shouting you're hungry in front of so many people! Have you no shame?!"

Sanji's voice was sharp and piercing, each word like a slap in Luffy's face.

"Are you a reincarnated starving ghost?! In this setting! In front of these important people! Is all you think about is meat?! Can't you have any self-respect?! Look at the state of your being!"

Sanji got more and more agitated as he cursed, almost bursting with rage.

Luffy completely ignored his anger, staring intently at Sanji's arms.

"Wait... Sanji... what's that in your arms?"

Sanji's voice abruptly stopped.

He subconsciously looked down, and his expression instantly became even more interesting.

It was a piece of roasted meat wrapped in parchment paper, about the size of a palm. The fat had seeped into the parchment paper, giving off an enticing aroma.

Clearly, this was a loot Sanji picked up while searching through the ruins, and he originally planned to find a secluded spot to enjoy it secretly.

But now, the existence of this piece of roasted meat has been completely exposed.

Luffy's eyes shone like two small suns, and he opened his mouth, drool cascading down his cheeks: "Sanji—give me that!"

"Dream on! I discovered it first!"

Sanji instinctively hid the grilled meat behind his back, watching Luffy warily.

But the next second, a dark shadow flashed by.

Sanji suddenly felt his hand go empty, and when he looked down, the grilled meat was gone.

He looked up abruptly and saw Luffy already there, the piece of roasted meat in his mouth, landing on the ruins a dozen meters away, shouting indistinctly, "Thanks, Sanji! Sanji's the best!"

Sanji stood there, speechless for a long time.

He looked down at his empty hands, then looked up at Luffy wolfing down his food in the distance, and felt utterly defeated.

"Luffy, you bastard! Give me back the meat! I found it first!"

Sanji roared and chased after him, but it was too late.

Luffy took a bite, his cheeks puffed out like balloons, and tears of happiness even welled up in the corners of his eyes.

"Mmm...delicious! So delicious! Sanji's meat is definitely the best!"

He spoke indistinctly, and the grease dripping from the corner of his mouth fell to the ground, glistening in the sunlight.

Sanji caught up and was about to teach this idiot a lesson when he heard Luffy say those words.

His movements froze instantly, and the expression on his face became extremely complex.

The anger gradually subsided, replaced by a sense of helplessness and indulgence.

"……idiot."

Sanji cursed under his breath, then pulled out another piece of roasted meat wrapped in oil paper from his pocket and handed it to Luffy.

"There's still one piece left, eat it sparingly."

His tone remained harsh, but the gesture of handing over the grilled meat was incredibly natural, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Luffy took the grilled meat, his eyes shining, and he almost flew up: "Sanji! I knew you were the best to me! You're the best chef in the world! Bar none!"