"Skinny as a bamboo stick and still dares to call himself a bounty hunter? Doesn't he know a real bounty hunter is ten feet tall, eight feet wide, and built like a damn little giant?"
The mocking voices of the onlookers drifted over to the two men.
"Damn it!"
A vein bulged on Zoro's forehead.
Seeing a green-haired man with three swords calling himself a bounty hunter left everyone momentarily speechless.
Behind him came a muffled, choked sound.
When Zoro turned around, he saw Ren's face contorted as he tried to suppress his laughter.
"Relax… I get how you feel. Maybe that guy's the reason Captain Saren thought you looked like that."
Ren patted Zoro's shoulder solemnly, though his lips were trembling. "Don't worry, I won't laugh. I've been professionally trained not to—unless I really can't—pfft—ha!"
Zoro's expression grew darker by the second.
Ren finally burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Sorry, I just couldn't hold it in. That was too good!"
It was like the real Li Kui meeting his fake double(CN Idiom)—and the fake was the reason for all of Zoro's reputation problems.
That body shape was exactly what Captain Saren had pictured when he'd first heard of the legendary bounty hunter!
"Ren. Shut up."
For once, Zoro lost his temper. After glaring at him, he coldly drew his two swords. "Whatever your plan is, I'm giving these bastards a lesson!"
"Fine by me. Just don't kill their leader—I still need him."
Ren ducked his head, shoulders trembling with suppressed laughter.
"Hey! What's so funny? My bodyguard might be a fake copy of you, but if you beg for forgiveness now, I might let you off!"
The fake "Zoro" drew three swords, holding all three awkwardly in his hands.
Clearly, he had his own… unique understanding of "Three-Sword Style."
After all, who could really fight with one in the mouth? That had to be a rumor spread by idiots!
Then he saw the real Zoro tear off a dark green bandana and tie it around his forehead.
A moment later, one sword went between his teeth, and the other two came free of their scabbards.
Watching the man actually bite his sword, the fake "Zoro" burst out laughing. "Ha! What's that? A magic trick? Your imitation is pathetic!"
"Whether it's genuine or fake doesn't matter," Zoro said coldly, stepping forward. His eyes gleamed like blades. "I am who I am. No one can replace me—and no one can become me."
"Is that so? Then let's see how long you last, imposter!"
The fake "Zoro" charged forward, his massive body thundering like a runaway chariot.
The thugs behind him erupted into cheers, their shouts echoing like a flock of ducks.
"Tiger Hunt!"
Zoro bit down on his sword, spreading his stance and drawing his blades into the position of a tiger about to pounce.
The sword flashes gleamed like fangs, striking out with predatory force.
Slish—!
In an instant, steel met flesh. The two figures passed one another.
The fake "Zoro" staggered forward a few steps, then collapsed. The wounds across his torso were striped like a tiger's.
The crowd's cheers died abruptly—as if someone had grabbed them by the throat.
For a moment, the street was dead silent.
"Pathetic."
Zoro stopped and looked coldly at the trembling thugs.
"The boss is down!"
"He's not the bounty hunter?"
"That one—that one's the real deal! He's the real bounty hunter!"
The mob finally understood—and scattered like startled rats.
"Hmph."
Zoro sheathed his swords with disdain.
As he lifted his gaze, he caught sight of an orange-haired figure leaping from a second-story window of the tavern, backpack slung over her shoulder. She glanced his way, met his eyes, and immediately darted into a nearby alley.
'That girl… a thief?'
Zoro frowned, but soon turned to find Ren prodding the fallen imposter with a stick he'd picked up somewhere.
"Hey, wake up. Get up and show us your base. How much money do you have stashed?"
Ren clearly had his sights set on the man's hideout.
He'd already made a plan: loot the gang, inherit their "assets," wipe out the local underworld starting from this fake boss—then grab a ship and disappear.
The fake kind of good guy: gets bullied by thugs and hesitates to fight back for moral reasons.
The real kind: preemptively breaks the thug's neck and teaches the world who's in charge.
"W-What are you doing? I—I'm a bounty hunter!"
The fake "Zoro" struggled, but when he saw the swordsman who'd just defeated him, he froze.
Then came a sharp slap.
Ren grabbed his hair with one hand, expression flat. "Tell me your real name."
"I'm a bounty hunter! My name's Zoro!"
Smack!
Another slap—this one from the real Zoro.
"How about Jackie Chan, then? Try again. What's your name?"
Ren's silver Desert Eagle pressed against his forehead, cold and steady.
"...I-I'm Jackie Chan."
"Good. Now let's stop pretending."
The gun barrel dug deeper, the metal biting into skin.
He broke instantly. "It's Jick! My name's Jick! I'm not a bounty hunter! I just pretended to be him 'cause he's famous!"
This guy's even scarier than me, Jick thought miserably.
If he'd known, he never would've come here to steal this mark. Now he'd become the first casualty of his own scam.
"Good. Don't look so glum—I'm a good person."
Ren smiled warmly while jamming the muzzle harder against Jick's head. "Now be a dear and tell me—where's your hideout? How many men? How much money?"
"I've only been here two weeks… haven't even settled in…"
Jick tried to explain, but Ren's darkening expression shut him up fast.
So he pointed the way—one building, dozens of men, about two million Beli in savings.
That was the little empire Jick had built under the fake "bounty hunter" name. His grand plan had been to rule Cuckoo Island's underworld, expanding from extortion and robbery into casinos and bars, and eventually uniting the nearby islands under his own criminal syndicate.
Instead, his business died halfway—crushed between the real bounty hunter and a very opportunistic fisherman named Ren.
Standing before Jick's base, Zoro turned toward Ren, then eyed the bottle in his hand. "So, how do you plan to get in?"
"Knock—" Ren pointed straight at the door. "—and let you in."
"...I'm a bodyguard, not a battering ram," Zoro said with a frown.
"Unlimited Erguotou tonight."
Ren raised the stakes.
(End of Chapter)