OP: The Flame Pillar Of Justice

Rengoku and Tashigi adjusted their eating pace to match that of the group of boys and girls suspected of being part of Buggy the Clown's crew.

Aside from a brief commotion when the boy named Tamanegi returned with two friends, calling themselves the "Usopp Pirates" and confronting the group, there wasn't much useful information to gather.

After the group left, Tashigi hesitated for a moment before speaking up.

"Um... Rengoku-san."

"Go ahead!"

"No matter how you look at it, they just seem like ordinary pirates."

"Hmm, I think the same. They don't seem like seasoned pirates—in fact, calling them pirates feels like a stretch."

The boy named Luffy, who appeared to be the captain, seemed to love eating and never lost his cheerful demeanor.

The swordsman, Zoro, carried three swords at all times, an unusual sight, and was nearly as much of a drinker as Luffy was a glutton.

The girl named Nami had slightly better physical strength than the average woman, but that was the extent of her abilities.

Luffy and Zoro's skills might be sufficient for them to serve as officers in the Navy Headquarters, but Nami didn't come close.

As for Usopp, the local liar, even the brief observation made it clear that he lacked the mental fortitude to even enlist in the navy.

Overall assessment?

Hopeless.

...

After finishing their meal, Rengoku and Tashigi were about to leave the diner when a communication came through from the warship.

Brrr-brrr-brrr-brrr.

Click.

"Vice Admiral, we have a report for you!"

The voice of one of the marines stationed on the ship came through, sounding slightly excited.

"Alright! What's the report?"

"Sir, we've spotted a pirate ship currently docked along the shore near Syrup Village!"

A pirate ship?

For a brief moment, several possibilities flashed through Rengoku's mind.

Could it be the main crew of the boy named Luffy?

Or perhaps Buggy the Clown's ship?

Or is it a ship belonging to a third pirate faction?

"What does the Jolly Roger or the figurehead of the ship look like? Could it be Buggy the Clown from East Blue?"

"Sir, the figurehead is a black cat, and the Jolly Roger belongs to the Black Cat Pirates!"

The Black Cat Pirates?

The name stirred a faint memory—one of the few pirate crews in East Blue led by a wanted criminal with a bounty of over 10 million Berries, Captain Kuro.

"The Black Cat Pirates… wasn't their captain Kuro a pirate with a bounty of 16 million Berries? But according to the records, he was reported dead…"

"Hmm! Either the remnants of his crew have gathered under a second captain, or Kuro might not have died after all!"

"Eh?! People don't just come back from the dead!" Tashigi exclaimed, her tone filled with disbelief.

Rengoku paused for a moment before replying.

"Perhaps he replaced himself with a body double, or he could be a special Devil Fruit user. Either way, don't worry—I'll handle it!"

He turned to the transponder snail and issued his orders.

"Warship! Can you hear me?"

"Yes, Vice Admiral!"

"I'll head over immediately to provide support. Maintain surveillance on the pirate ship, but do not engage. Since this is a reemergence of a pirate crew whose captain was supposedly dead, their strength is unknown. Do not take any risks! Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

Click.

"Lieutenant Tashigi, I will head to the warship immediately to provide support! You are to stay here and keep a close eye on those individuals suspected to be part of Buggy the Clown's crew. There's a chance we might face two pirate crews today!"

"Understood, Vice Admiral!"

Ending the communication through the transponder snail, Rengoku placed his hand on the hilt of Enrin Kitetsu at his waist and sprinted toward the direction of the warship.

...

At the same time, aboard the Black Cat Pirates' ship.

"Ku-hel-hel-hel! When is tomorrow going to get here already?!"

"Kha-ha-ha! We're starving for blood!"

"Captain! Didn't Captain Kuro give any specific instructions?"

The Black Cat Pirates' minions, each with a sinister appearance, licked their blades and displayed their menacing grins.

"Oi! Don't rush it! Captain Kuro spent three years living as a butler just to set this plan in motion!"

The speaker, a bizarre-looking man wearing a strange hat, peculiar attire, and heart-shaped sunglasses, danced theatrically on the deck.

Hugging himself as if possessed, he twirled in place before striking what he thought was a cool pose.

"By tomorrow morning, it'll all come together! Until then, don't get discovered!"

"Captain, you're the one who needs to stop drawing attention with your weird antics!"

"I don't draw attention! I'm just… unusual."

While the mid-level members of the Black Cat Pirates bickered on the deck, a new recruit standing atop the mast as a lookout suddenly shouted.

"Captain! A naval warship has been spotted!"

"What did you say?"

At the lookout's report, the eccentric captain suddenly turned around and walked backward in a peculiar manner, heading to the base of the mast.

"The navy? Can you confirm which branch they're from? Around here, it's either Branch 937 or Branch 988, isn't it?"

"Well, um..."

The rookie lookout hesitated, unable to provide a clear answer to the captain's question.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, the captain climbed up the mast himself.

"What's the problem?"

...

"That's a navy warship I've never seen before!"

"The branch number should be written on the sail, right? Can't you even read numbers? This is why rookies are such a pain..."

The captain scolded the rookie harshly and snatched the telescope from his hands to take a look for himself.

"Let's see... If it's just a ship from Branch 988, we might be able to handle it somehow..."

"Hmm... 937... 988... hmm..."

But no matter how hard the captain scrutinized the ship, he couldn't find any numbers.

"Uh... Captain..."

The rookie's voice trembled slightly, catching the captain's attention.

"Why!"

"Doesn't that warship look bigger than the ones we've seen before? A lot bigger, actually," the rookie lookout cautiously reported as the warship became visible to the naked eye.

"Huh?"

The captain, startled by the rookie's observation, lowered the telescope and removed his heart-shaped sunglasses, revealing his peculiar heart-shaped eyes to examine the warship himself.

It was at least twice as large as the standard navy warships they had encountered before.

There were no branch numbers written anywhere on its sails.

And on the deck, multiple navy coats could be seen—indicating that at least several officers of lieutenant rank or higher were aboard.

That could only mean one thing.

That ship was...

...

"IT'S FROM NAVY HEADQUARTERS!!!!!"

The captain's heart-shaped eyes bulged from their sockets, as if to emphasize his disbelief.

"Navy Headquarters?"

"What's the Navy Headquarters doing in East Blue?"

"If it's from Navy Headquarters, doesn't that mean their officers are insanely strong?!"

"Quick! Contact Captain Kuro!"

"But we don't have a transponder snail!"

...

The captain's declaration turned the deck into chaos. Pirates ran around frantically, shouting and panicking.

However, the pandemonium was short-lived. Moments later, fiery red flames descended from the sky, engulfing the deck.

"The Breath of Flames—"

A resonant, powerful voice echoed from above.

"Third Form—"

A massive silhouette wielding a sword appeared high in the air, cutting an imposing figure against the fiery backdrop.

"San no kata: Kien Bansho (Blazing Universe)!"

It wasn't the mere sensation of flames—it was real.

From the blade, flames erupted, igniting the air and spreading to cover the sky in a roaring inferno.

Like an unstoppable wildfire raging in the heart of a disaster zone, the flames engulfed everything in their path.

The Black Cat Pirates' ship was swallowed whole by the relentless, blazing inferno, as if consumed by a demonic fire spirit.

...

Navy Report

Time: XXXX Year, XX Month, XX Day, 19:01.

Subject: Complete annihilation of the remnants of the Black Cat Pirates near the coast of Syrup Village, East Blue.

Recognition: Vice Admiral Rengoku of Navy Headquarters, Lookout Sharpshooter Sergeant Jongo, and Assistant Lookout Corporal Dezzle.

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