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

Chapter 80: Smoker's Justice

"I've never changed since the day I enlisted. I've always despised evil and can't stand to see it go unpunished."

"Pirates are a cancer on this sea, pillaging and murdering without a second thought. They must be eradicated."

"To see so many pirates gathered here is disgusting. How could I possibly pass up an opportunity to annihilate them all at once!"

"As for that idiot, His Majesty Altai? Making him happy is just a side benefit."

Onigumo looked down at him, his voice cold and indifferent. "But you… you tried to stop a perfectly reasonable order to fire on pirates. What's the matter? Is there someone in that crowd you want to protect?"

"Protect?!" Smoker laughed, a mixture of anger and disbelief. "Of course there is! Of course! I am the commanding officer of the Loguetown Marine Base!! The residents of this entire island are under my protection!!"

"Civilians?"

Onigumo looked at him as if he were an idiot and sneered. "No one cares about them. They just keep popping up like weeds. It doesn't matter how many of them die. Forget civilians, even if my own men, who have followed me for years, dared to stand in the way of me annihilating pirates and carrying out justice, I would open fire on them without hesitation!"

"Just like… right now…"

"You!"

He grinned, a fierce light flashing in his eyes. He suddenly raised his right foot and kicked viciously at Smoker!

"You're just a mere Captain! Z-Sensei praised you once, and you really think you're something special? You dare to lecture me?!"

THUMP!

The kick was powerful, laced with a thick coating of Armament Haki.

Smoker had never expected his superior officer to attack him.

Caught completely off guard, he took the full force of the kick to his chest. He was sent flying several meters, slamming into a wall. He clutched his chest, coughing up a large mouthful of blood.

The nearby Marine soldiers were drawn by the commotion, their eyes wide with shock.

"Ignore him! Are the cannons reloaded and ready?! All ships, open fire! I want a full barrage covering the entire square! It's full of pirates! Don't let a single one escape!" Onigumo commanded, his voice cold.

"YES, VICE ADMIRAL!!!"

A thunderous response came from all three warships.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Over fifty cannons opened fire at once. The orange-red flames leaping from the black muzzles reflected in Onigumo's eyes, which were filled with a grim satisfaction.

"Hmph."

The frustration that had been building for nearly a month was finally released.

Onigumo shot a cold glance at Smoker on the ground. "It seems you didn't listen to a single word I said to you before. In that case, as your senior, I'll teach you another lesson!"

"For a Marine who wants to follow his own path of justice, there can be no mercy! A fool like you, who can't let go of his naive fantasies, should just be like Z-Sensei and retire to a desk job!"

"Now, shut up and get out of my way!"

Onigumo strode toward the bow, his white "Justice" coat billowing in the wind. "If you dare to stay here and interfere with me cleansing this island of pirates, then don't blame me for being merciless and dealing with you according to military law!"

Cleansing this island of pirates?

Carrying out justice?!

Smoker struggled to his feet, leaning against the wall. His chest, clutched in his right hand, heaved violently. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked out at the square, the cries of the people echoing in his ears, each one a dagger in his heart.

This is Onigumo's justice?

A justice that indiscriminately slaughters civilians and pirates alike?

"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!"

This is the town he swore to protect! How could he just stand by and do nothing while this happened?!!!

WHOOSH!

A cloud of smoke suddenly erupted, engulfing the entire deck of the warship in a gray haze.

Smoker's elementalized body, like a raging sandstorm, swept over all the gunners who were reloading the cannons.

"Smoke! So much smoke!"

"I can't see! What's going on?!"

"Cough… cough, cough! Help, I can't breathe!"

Violent coughing erupted all over the deck, and gunners began to collapse from suffocation. Onigumo also lost his line of sight and became furious. "Are you insane, Smoker?!!!"

"Tell the other two ships to cease fire! Immediately!" Smoker's low voice came from within the thick smoke. "There's still time for the soldiers to go and help the civilians! As for the pirates, I'll deal with them myself! I promise you, not a single one will escape!!"

"Not a single one will escape?"

Onigumo's cold gaze scanned the surroundings, as if searching for something. "Hmph, you're trying to bargain with me now? What, you think that just because you're hiding in the smoke…"

SWISH!

He suddenly vanished. In the next instant, he reappeared in the air on the south side of the ship. He reached out a hand and, through the thick white smoke, seized Smoker by the throat.

"—I CAN'T FIND YOU?!!!"

"Gack…" Smoker's body slowly materialized. His face was red, and a gurgling sound came from his throat. He tightened his grip on his jitte, about to make a last-ditch effort.

But Onigumo had produced a pair of Seastone handcuffs from somewhere and snapped them onto his wrist.

A wave of weakness instantly spread through his body. Onigumo gave him no room to recover. He coated his right fist in Armament Haki and slammed it into Smoker's face!

At the same time, he brought his knee up, driving it into Smoker's stomach!

CRACK! Smoker's face contorted in pain, and his eyes began to lose focus. The thick smoke that had been emanating from his body quickly receded.

THUMP!

Onigumo then slammed Smoker onto the deck, the wooden planks shattering and creating a large crater.

The entire sequence was swift and ruthless, leaving no room for mercy or counterattack.

He floated down from the sky, lit a cigarette, and didn't even bother to glance at Smoker again. "Continue with the order," he said coldly. "Open fire!"

"Yes, Vice Admiral!"

Marines immediately filled the empty gunner positions. The smoke on the deck dissipated in the sea breeze, and visibility slowly returned.

Onigumo glanced into the distance and noticed that several figures had appeared on the rooftops on the west side of the square.

Hmm?

Are they trying to lead a resistance?

Onigumo sneered. If they were pirates from the Grand Line, he might have taken them seriously. But here, in Loguetown in the East Blue, who could possibly withstand a barrage of cannon fire?

These three warships were all built to Headquarters' standards. Their firepower far surpassed that of the rural branches in the East Blue!

"Divert half the cannons and give those guys some extra attention!" Onigumo said calmly.

"Understood, Vice Admiral Onigumo!"

Hmph.

Trying to be heroes?

He loved to crush overconfident fools like them!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—!!

The three warships opened fire once again. A full barrage covered the entire square, and at least half of the cannonballs rained down on the figures on the rooftops!

Hmm?

Shane, who had just followed Kuina onto the roof, looked up at the scene, his eyes narrowing slightly.

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