"Let's see how hard this Barrier is," Yun Lie said, and Sandai Kitetsu fiercely slashed at the translucent Barrier in front of him.
He deliberately didn't use his Space Fruit ability, relying solely on brute force to hack repeatedly. The sound of metal colliding echoed through the room, and the flying sparks illuminated his stern face.
The Barrier looked thin, but it was incredibly resilient, beyond imagination.
Even with Yun Lie using all his strength, the demonic blade only caused ripples on its surface, unable to leave even a shallow mark.
He secretly marveled, "Bartholomew is just an average pirate in terms of physical combat, yet this Barrier Fruit is so heaven-defying."
"Idiot, if you surrender now and tell me who sent you to kill me, I can let bygones be bygones and give you the chance to be my subordinate!" Bartholomew shouted, but he wasn't foolish.
Anyone who could silently infiltrate his room must be extremely capable, and if he could recruit him, it would definitely be a great asset.
In his eyes, Yun Lie was most likely hired by his competitor to assassinate him, and he had experienced such assassinations many times.
"Foolish," Yun Lie cursed under his breath, and a silver-white light attached itself to Sandai Kitetsu.
"Eh? What are you doing~" A bad premonition immediately surged in Bartholomew's heart. Just as he was about to escape, Yun Lie, holding his blade, had already arrived in front of him.
His indestructible Barrier actually showed a huge crack visible to the naked eye, as if it had been completely cut open by some sharp weapon.
"I'll borrow your life for a moment." Yun Lie instantly arrived beside Bartholomew. Taking advantage of his momentary daze, he knocked Bartholomew unconscious and stored him in his space.
It was at this moment that the sound of many footsteps came from outside the door.
"Where's Bartholomew…our boss?" A group of thugs rushed into the room with weapons, only to see a mess on the floor but no sign of their boss.
They immediately looked at each other, at a loss.
.......
On the other side.
Yun Lie had already arrived at the Naval Base.
Smoker sat in his office, a cigar in his mouth, smoke swirling in front of his stern face.
When Yun Lie appeared in his sight without warning, his fingers instinctively tightened around the Sea Stone-encrusted Jitte at his waist, his eyes instantly sharp as an eagle: "Who are you?"
"Don't worry, I'm not a pirate." Yun Lie looked calm, walked slowly into the room, and casually sat down on a wooden chair, which let out a slight creak.
Smoker, however, didn't relax. He stood up with a "whoosh," pointing his Jitte directly at the other party: "Intruding into a Naval Base, I have the right to arrest you!"
His arm muscles tensed, his uniform slightly rippling, and the Sea Stone Jitte gleamed with a cold light.
Yun Lie's lips curved upward. He took a stack of documents from his 懷 and threw them on the table: "Take a look."
Smoker vigilantly turned his arm into smoke and rolled the documents into his hand.
After just a few pages, his face drastically changed, veins bulging on his temples. "Bastard!" he roared, chewing the cigar in his mouth to pieces.
These documents were all found within the Arlong Pirates, detailing the cooperation between the Arlong Pirates and Colonel Nezumi, and also the leverage Arlong used to threaten Colonel Nezumi.
With the Arlong Pirates destroyed by him, these documents naturally fell into his hands. He might not trust other Marines, but he did trust Smoker's sense of justice.
"Phew~ If I'm not mistaken, you are Yun Lie, the bounty hunter who recently appeared in the East Blue, right?" Smoker said, clutching Colonel Nezumi's "criminal evidence," lighting another cigar, and sitting back in his original seat.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku had asked him to pay attention to Yun Lie, and he hadn't expected to meet him in such a way, with such a "big gift" upon their meeting.
"Oh? The Marine has already investigated me?" Yun Lie said, not showing much surprise.
"You've wiped out the Arlong Pirates, the Buggy Pirates, Alvida, and the Black Cat Pirates. In this weakest of the East Blue, if you weren't a pirate, your reputation would definitely be immense," Smoker said, listing the pirate crews Yun Lie had destroyed, with a hint of admiration in his tone.
Because he had also investigated Yun Lie and found him to be a person with a strong sense of justice, who had never harmed civilians.
"It's just a matter of mutual need. I'm not a Marine. I'm giving you these documents, hoping that Colonel Nezumi will receive the punishment he deserves. You should be able to do that, right?" Yun Lie waved his hand and continued to talk about Colonel Nezumi.
Others might not know Smoker, but he was very clear: although Smoker was currently just a Marine Colonel like Colonel Nezumi, Smoker was a Marineford Colonel, much stronger than a Marine Branch Colonel.
Most importantly, Smoker was a disciple of former Admiral Zephyr, and with his Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit, Smoker held significant weight in the Marine.
"I will personally clean up this parasite!" Smoker slammed the table, scattering the documents. "Upholding Marine justice is my duty!"
Upholding Marine justice was his duty, and his unyielding nature meant he wouldn't compromise, otherwise, he wouldn't have been assigned to Loguetown in the East Blue.
With Smoker's promise, Yun Lie also showed a gratified smile.
The Arlong Pirates were able to enslave so many villages without being discovered by the Marine because they colluded with Colonel Nezumi. Colonel Nezumi covered for the Arlong Pirates, acting as their protector.
Even if the Arlong Pirates were gone, there might be another Arlong Pirates. As long as Marine parasites like Colonel Nezumi weren't cleaned up, the East Blue would not be peaceful.
"Yun Lie, why are you sailing? It's not for the Pirate King's Great Treasure, is it?" Suddenly, Smoker's expression changed as he questioned him.
Yun Lie was too young, and this age was when he was most impetuous. He worried that Yun Lie would become a pirate.
"Pirates are just thieves who use dreams as an excuse to plunder. Please don't insult me with the word 'pirate,'" Yun Lie said, shaking his head.
There might be good pirates, but undeniably, most pirates were not good people.
Pirates didn't engage in production, yet they often drank, held banquets, and ate meat. Where did their money come from?
If you wanted them to risk danger to hunt other pirates for bounty money, they would rather choose to oppress civilians to get what they needed.
After all, civilians were relatively weak. Like the Arlong Pirates, they enslaved so many villages and established Arlong Park, becoming absolute local tyrants.
"Our Fleet Admiral Sengoku wants to ask you if you have any intention of joining the Marine and maintaining the peace of the sea," Smoker said, a smile appearing on his face after hearing Yun Lie's words. He then remembered Fleet Admiral Sengoku's instructions and continued to ask.
"Smoker, with all due respect, the Marine's justice is not absolute justice, and I don't want to be bound by Marine rules. Do you understand?"