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

Chapter 81: All Hands, Engage!

The dense barrage of cannonballs tore through the curtain of rain. Amidst the sharp whistling, Shane's short black hair was whipped about by the shockwaves.

But Shane didn't move. He just continued to stare coldly at the distant warships.

Behind him, four figures shot into action at once.

"Horizontal Slash: Shishiodoshi!"

Kuina shouted, launching herself into the air with Moonwalk. The Wado Ichimonji was drawn from its sheath, tracing a brilliant white arc in the rain.

Vwoom!

As the blade passed, the air rippled.

A dozen cannonballs were neatly sliced in half. The gunpowder was soaked by the rain before it could detonate, and the duds fell to the ground, trailing green smoke.

"Prime Meat SHOT!"

Zeff flew to the other side, his metal right leg kicking out in a continuous, unhurried motion, as if he were tenderizing a cut of meat on a chopping block.

The cannonballs coming from the flanks were either sent careening into the sea or exploded high in the sky, dissolving into a shower of lead dust.

Gin and Nojiko, on the other hand, used the walls of the surrounding buildings to leap and bound through the air.

Swish, swish, swish. Weaving through the barrage, one used her fists, the other his claws, to intercept any cannonballs that slipped through.

Tap!

In just a dozen seconds, all the cannonballs had been dealt with. The four figures landed back behind Shane.

The second volley, consisting of fifty or sixty cannonballs, had been completely neutralized. Not a single one had broken through their blockade.

Oh?

Onigumo raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise on his face as he looked at the figures on the rooftop.

Have I run into some tough customers?

He had thought he could just fire a few volleys at the square and then start cleaning up the battlefield. It would have been a perfect way to vent his frustrations and give that fat pig Altai a spectacular fireworks show.

And if Headquarters investigated, he could just blame the civilian casualties on the pirates.

It was a win-win.

But first, that insubordinate thorn in his side, Smoker, had to cause trouble.

And now, this group had appeared out of nowhere, capable of stopping cannonballs with their bare hands.

This was not the kind of strength an East Blue pirate crew should possess.

Well, well, things are starting to get interesting…

"Hey, tell them to cease fire," Onigumo said, casually lighting a cigar. He licked his lips, a look of amusement on his face. "I'm going ashore myself. I'm going to have some fun with these pirates."

"Hunt, you and the other Rear Admirals stay on the ship and protect Their Majesties. You're not needed for this fight. Just send a few Captains to block all the exits to the square."

"YES, VICE ADMIRAL ONIGUMO!"

The Rear Admiral named Hunt quickly stood at attention and saluted.

Watching Onigumo depart, he felt a pang of regret. He had wanted to go ashore and have some fun with these pirates too.

…

A short while later, Onigumo, a cigar clamped between his teeth, stepped onto the docks.

Behind him, a large number of elite Marines under his direct command passed him on both sides, entering Loguetown and surrounding the entire square.

Many of the Loguetown branch Marines, who had gathered to welcome them, were now pushed to the corners of the docks, looking bewildered. They had no idea why the warships had opened fire.

—Even if it was to capture the pirates in the square, surely there was a more prudent way? Like what they were doing now? Couldn't they have just surrounded them on land?

"Vice Admiral!"

The leading Captain from the Loguetown branch couldn't help but take a step forward and call out to Onigumo's back.

"Aren't you going to give us an explanation?! Why did you open fire without even notifying us?! Don't you know that you could have hurt the civilians on both sides of the square?!"

"And where is Captain Smoker?! Where is he now? There was a lot of smoke coming from the warship earlier, was he on board?!"

Hmm?

Onigumo's steps faltered, and his brow furrowed.

"So noisy."

He turned and shot the Captain a cold glance. Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled out his pistol and fired.

A mere branch Captain, the equivalent of a Sergeant Major at Headquarters, dares to question me?

BANG!

After the gunshot, the young Captain's body fell stiffly backward, a bloody hole in his forehead.

"..."

The surrounding Loguetown Marines fell silent.

Disbelieving gazes shifted back and forth between the corpse and Onigumo's back.

At the back of the crowd, Tashigi covered her mouth in shock, nearly crying out.

When she had arrived at the docks and heard that one of the big shots they were welcoming was a Vice Admiral from Headquarters, she had been quite excited. She had wanted to witness the Vice Admiral's prowess firsthand, and her disappointment at not being able to have lunch with Lord Shane had even lessened a bit.

But this…

This is the kind of person he is?

To kill a fellow officer over a single disagreement?

Does a man like this even deserve to be a Vice Admiral?!!

…

Thump, thump, thump.

Onigumo, a cigar between his teeth, continued to stride towards the square.

He paid no attention to the hushed murmurs that were starting to spread behind him. He couldn't care less what these low-ranking Marines thought.

As for shooting a subordinate?

It wasn't the first time he'd done it. He had even shot and killed a Captain-level adjutant for defying him before. What was a branch Captain in some remote backwater?

In the wide square, the pirates who had gathered there had also noticed the figure striding towards them through the rain. Seeing his epaulets and remembering the terrifying barrage of cannon fire from before, they all gasped.

"—IT'S A VICE ADMIRAL FROM MARINE HEADQUARTERS!!!"

Someone shrieked, and a wave of panic instantly spread through the crowd.

"Dammit, I knew I shouldn't have come to the East Blue! Why is a guy like this in a place like this?!!"

"Is this really the time to be asking that?! What are you standing around for?! Run!"

"It's too late! All the exits are blocked!"

…

Amidst the panicked commotion, Onigumo didn't even bother to glance at the rabble.

With a swish, he used Moonwalk to land on a rooftop and sized up the figures across from him.

Aside from the one in the white hood, whose face he couldn't see clearly, the rest were just a group of teenagers, no older than their late teens.

"Interesting."

Onigumo raised an eyebrow and blew a smoke ring. "So the ones who piqued my interest were just a bunch of kids…"

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!"

Nami suddenly popped up from the second floor of the café and shouted angrily, interrupting him. "Why are you firing on us for no reason?! We're not pirates!"

Not pirates?

Onigumo's gaze swept over Shane and his crew. He quickly ran through the faces in his mind. He didn't recognize any of them; he had never seen them on any wanted posters.

But still…

"Does it make a difference?"

Onigumo shook his head, his face impassive. "You helped those pirates block my cannonballs. That's already opposing the Marines. To be considered accomplices of pirates and executed on the spot is only natural. You have no one to blame but yourselves."

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