At the mention of Luffy's name, Makino blinked, then asked excitedly,
"Really? You're a friend of Luffy's too?"
The moment she brought him up, Dadan and the others perked up as well, eyes full of anticipation as they looked at Reno.
That's Luffy for you. He'd only just set out, and already made a new friend.
Reno, wearing a half-smile, shook his head.
"I know Luffy," he said plainly. "But that doesn't mean we're friends."
"In fact, the next time we meet… I might kill him myself."
The bar fell into sudden, chilling silence.
Makino's expression stiffened. The warmth in her smile vanished in an instant.
Crash!
Dadan slammed her cup onto the floor, shattering it. She stood and glared fiercely at Reno.
"You brat! I raised that kid! If you so much as lay a finger on him—!"
"You're not leaving this bar until you explain yourself!" she snapped.
Sensing the shift, her underlings rose from their seats as well, clearly ready to throw hands.
Makino quickly stepped in, grabbing Dadan's arm to calm her down before things escalated further.
She then walked over to Reno and said gently,
"Mister, Luffy does get into trouble, but he's not a bad child."
"If he ever did anything to offend you, I'll apologize on his behalf. Please… don't hold it against him."
Her voice was soft, but full of sincerity.
What a kind, thoughtful big sister type, Reno mused.
So very different from Nami.
Of course, his talk about killing Luffy was just a bluff.
But that didn't mean he liked the guy.
Let's not even get into the Impel Down arc...
There was a bizarre rule in this world:
Anyone who got involved with Luffy—even the worst criminals—could be forgiven by the plot.
Take Hachi the fish-man.
He terrorized civilians under Arlong's command for eight years. But in the end, he was forgiven by Nami and even became friends with the Straw Hats?!
Absurd.
That said, Reno didn't intend to go out of his way to kill Luffy—
unless Luffy provoked him first.
And if it came to that, he wouldn't hesitate to end the so-called "Sun God" early.
Was he afraid?
Even the Nika Fruit couldn't compare to his system.
Looking at Makino's worried face, Reno gave her a small, satisfied smile.
"I came here for you."
"As long as you join my pirate crew—I won't touch him."
Makino stared at him, torn.
If she said yes, she'd have to leave the village she loved.
She had always been afraid of pirates.
As for Shanks?
That had been a bond built over time.
But Reno? She knew nothing about him. Could she trust him?
And if she refused… what if Reno really hurt Luffy?
Sabo was already gone. She didn't want Luffy making more enemies.
(They didn't know the truth yet.)
Seeing her hesitate, Dadan had had enough.
She stepped in front of Makino and growled,
"You've gone too far, brat!"
"Do you know who runs this place?!"
The mountain bandits around her immediately grabbed their weapons, surrounding Reno with hostile intent.
They might have been all laughs just minutes ago, but make no mistake—
they were bandits. Not one of them was soft.
"You think you can throw your weight around here—"
"Enough."
Reno's voice was calm.
But the moment he spoke, a terrifying aura surged from his body, crashing down over the bar like a tidal wave.
Zzzzzzt—!
Tables overturned. Floorboards split. Even the air itself crackled under the pressure.
Thud! Thud!
Dadan and her crew were the first to fall, eyes rolling back, collapsing to the ground in all sorts of awkward poses.
"Dadan?! Everyone?!"
Makino covered her mouth in horror.
What just happened?
"Huh? Why am I okay?" Nami looked around in surprise. "Wait—why am I still standing?"
Both women remained unaffected.
Naturally, Reno had intentionally spared them.
If he hadn't, everyone in the bar would be out cold.
Makino rushed to Dadan's side, checking her pulse in a panic.
"Relax," Reno said calmly. "She just passed out."
Makino let out a long breath of relief.
As long as no one was seriously hurt…
"Now—will you accept my invitation?"
"If you say no again, I won't be held responsible for what happens next."
"My patience is limited. And their behavior already pissed me off."
Pressure.
He'd used temptation on Nami.
But with Makino, it was going to be force.
In the end, it didn't matter how.
White cat or black cat—if it catches mice, it's a good cat.
Reno's casual words sent a chill through Makino's entire body.
She couldn't just stand by and watch him hurt Dadan and the others again.
Finally, after a long pause, Makino raised her head.
Her voice trembled slightly. "If you promise not to hurt them… I'll join your crew."
Clap clap—
Applause echoed in the bar.
"A smart choice," Reno said with a grin.
"Let's go. On to the next destination."
Without hesitation, he reached out and wrapped his arms around both Nami's and Makino's waists.
Nami didn't even flinch. She simply rolled her eyes.
Makino, on the other hand, stiffened at the sudden contact.
H-he's already touching me?!
A terrible premonition crept up her spine.
If Nami could hear Makino's thoughts right now, she'd probably give her a thumbs-up.
Congratulations. You guessed right.
You're next in line for Reno's "special treatment."
Still… she couldn't help but feel a bit relieved.
Now that Makino was on board, Nami could finally take a break from being Reno's go-to "stress relief."
…
A few hours after Reno's departure.
Dadan and the others slowly began to regain consciousness.
"Makino?! Where's Makino?!"
Dadan's voice echoed through the bar, but it was already empty.
No need to ask.
Reno had taken her.
"That bastard!!"
"Boss, what now?!" her number-two asked.
Dadan stomped her foot, eyes blazing with fury.
"Call Garp. Tell him to go arrest that little shit!"