One Piece: It All Started When I Found Shanks' Arm

Chapter 79: Marine Infighting

BOOM!

The shockwave from the cannonball explosion ripped through the café. The roof and the wall facing the square instantly began to collapse.

In that split second, Shane didn't hesitate. He leaped in front of the window, propping up the collapsing beam with one hand and shielding his friends from the flying bricks and shattered glass.

At the same time, he turned and barked, "Gin!"

"AWOOO—!" Gin understood instantly. He roared, his fur standing on end as electricity crackled around him.

In a flash, a semi-circular field of lightning expanded, covering the entire café.

It was the advanced version of the primary bloodline talent he had learned as a pup—Arcing Aegis.

The protective lightning field could expand to a radius of ten meters, shielding everyone inside from any external physical harm.

CRASH! The collapsing bricks and walls were held back by the force field. Meanwhile, explosions echoed throughout the square, accompanied by the screams of the people.

"Ptooey, ptooey!" Nami wiped the dust from her face and rushed to the staircase. "Are you okay, Auntie?!"

"We're… we're okay!" the manager's shaken voice came from downstairs.

Nojiko also hurried over, helping to check for any injuries.

Luckily, the café was small enough that both floors were within the protective field. All thirty-some customers and employees had been saved.

"Phew," Nami sighed in relief.

But the people outside the café were not so lucky.

Looking out through the hole in the wall, they could see that many of the shops and houses on both sides had been hit by the cannon fire. Large sections had collapsed, leaving a scene of devastation.

"I'm going to take a look!"

Kuina's face was grim. She said those words and was the first to leap out through the hole in the roof.

Dammit!!

What pirate crew would be so arrogant as to open fire on Loguetown in broad daylight?!

The pirates in the East Blue are all small-fry. Where would they get the guts…

Could it be that another group of pirates like Arlong's has returned from the Grand Line?

Swish. Kuina drew the Wado Ichimonji and used Moonwalk to land on top of a nearby clock tower, which offered a clear view of the docks.

One look was all it took.

Her expression changed drastically, a look of utter shock on her face.

How could it be…

The ones firing… are the Marines?!!!

At the docks, a massive luxury cruise ship was moored.

And around it, three Marine warships had all turned their broadsides, their cannons aimed directly at the entire square in front of the execution platform!

...

Five minutes earlier.

On the bow of the luxury cruise ship, a fat hand gripped a jewel-encrusted golden scepter, pointing it at the front of the execution platform.

"Hey, hey, hey, can someone tell me who all those people crowding the square are? They're such an eyesore."

Altai turned his head, his gaze finally landing on Smoker. "If I remember correctly, you're the Marine in charge of this island, right? You should know the answer to that."

"On a normal day, it would probably be half tourists, half pirates mixed in," Smoker said, narrowing his eyes. Under Onigumo's watchful gaze, he finally answered coldly, "But these past few days have been special. I'd estimate that more than half of them are pirates."

"Pirates?!"

Altai covered his mouth with his hand, letting out an exaggerated gasp. "Wow, they're all pirates? This is the first time I've seen so many! How can they be so fearless, so arrogant, right next to your base?"

Isn't it because I have to escort a fat pig like you?

Smoker's face darkened. When he was stationed at the Loguetown base, any pirates who set foot on the island kept their heads down, terrified of exposing their identities!

How dare they gather so openly?

"I should be heading back, Vice Admiral," Smoker said, extinguishing his cigar and turning to Onigumo. "I've reached my jurisdiction. There's not much of the journey left, so you probably don't need me anymore."

In reality, he had always felt that Headquarters was being overly cautious with this escort mission.

In addition to Vice Admiral Onigumo and himself, there were two Rear Admirals from the G-Branches of the Grand Line, as well as two of Onigumo's own Rear Admiral-level adjutants.

One Vice Admiral from Headquarters, four Rear Admirals from Headquarters, and himself, who was strong enough to be a Rear Admiral.

This was all to show how seriously they were taking the safety of the three kings from the affiliated nations, one of whom was half a Celestial Dragon.

He could勉强understand it if they were traveling through the Grand Line.

But they were just escorting them from the South Blue to the East Blue.

No matter how you looked at it, there was no need for such a luxurious, almost wasteful, lineup, was there?

In comparison, it was more important for him to get back to the island and deal with the gathering pirates.

The pirates from the East Blue were one thing; they couldn't cause much trouble. But among the crowd in the square, there were also pirates from other seas.

The North Blue, the West Blue, even the Grand Line… compared to the East Blue, there were plenty of troublesome characters from those places!

He was worried that while he was away and the island's defenses were thin, they would get worked up and suddenly decide to go on a rampage of looting and killing.

The townspeople would be the ones to suffer…

"You want to go back now?"

Onigumo's brow furrowed slightly, and he was about to say something.

"Excellent!! Excellent!!"

Altai, behind them, suddenly clapped his hands excitedly. "It's a good thing there are a lot of pirates! The more, the better! The more arrogant, the better! I've never seen the Marines fight pirates in person before! Hey, Onigumo, open fire! Hey, open fire!"

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

Onigumo glanced in the direction of the execution platform, nodded, and then used Moonwalk to head straight for his flagship.

He left a stunned Smoker behind.

"Are you crazy?! Vice Admiral Onigumo!"

Smoker quickly turned into smoke and followed him to the deck of the warship. The moment he landed, he demanded in disbelief, "You're actually going to follow an order that a noble who has never seen a battle came up with on a whim? Firing on the center of town, how many innocent people will be hurt? This is insane!"

"Don't get it twisted, Smoker," Onigumo said, looking at him strangely and sneering. "I'll put up with his little quirks out of respect for his Celestial Dragon blood, but when it comes to military matters, that brainless pig has no right to command me."

"THEN WHY ARE YOU DOING IT!!!" Smoker roared.

He could already see the three warships slowly turning, raising their cannons, and aiming them over the docks, directly at the square. He was both furious and anxious. "And you! Do you know what you're doing?! Stop it, now!!"

But alas, he had no command over the three warships.

The other Rear Admirals glanced at him and then turned away, unimpressed. They continued to follow Onigumo's orders, directing their gunners to load the cannons.

Onigumo flicked the ash from his cigarette and said calmly, "We've known each other for a long time, but it seems you don't really know me at all, Smoker…"

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