"The Navy confiscating pirate corpses, Isn't that obvious?"
Nezumi flicked the safety on his weapon and hissed, "You brat, always uncooperative, sneaky, and rude! Now I'm beginning to suspect you're hiding something dirty yourself. Someone get these people, and this entire ship, sealed! Take everything back for a thorough interrogation!"
"Colonel, sir!"
The adjutant next to him couldn't help speaking up, "Isn't… this a bit extreme?"
"Shut up! Am I the superior, or are you?"
Nezumi, fuming, slapped the adjutant hard across the face. The man lowered his head, too intimidated to say another word.
Turning back, he found Shanu looking at him as if he were an idiot.
"Do you have a screw loose?" Shanu asked casually.
"Huh?" Nezumi paused, then flew into a rage. "How dare you insult a Navy officer! You've got some nerve!"
"You see, you're still reacting. You were terrified of the Arlong Pirates, never daring to provoke them. Only after they were dead did you come to scavenge."
Shanu let out a sigh, flexing his right hand. "So here's the question: where did you get the guts to provoke someone stronger than him?"
"Because I'm a civilian, you think I won't resist, that I'll just surrender quietly?"
On the shore, a giant boulder, four or five meters high, stood engraved with the words: Cocoyashi Village This Way.
Shanu casually grabbed it. The boulder rumbled as it rose from the ground, and after weighing it in his hand, he hurled it toward the ship. Nezumi's jaw dropped in disbelief.
Whoosh, BOOM!
Just as the boulder neared the mast, Shanu lightly flicked his finger, sending a precision "Air Shigan" strike. The boulder exploded midair above the ship, shattering into countless fragments that rained down.
"What…"
The Marines on deck froze mid-step, staring in stunned silence.
Nezumi's mouth hung open so wide that he could fit half a Chopper in it.
"Forgot to mention, the entire Arlong Pirates didn't last twenty minutes against me," Shanu said with a smile. "I wonder how long you, a Navy branch colonel, along with all these Marines, can last?"
Nezumi shivered, finally regaining his senses.
At this moment, he realized something:
The seemingly ordinary, sturdy villager standing before him wasn't a harmless civilian at all, but a ruthless figure far scarier than Arlong!
"Misunderstanding!"
Nezumi's face twitched. He forced out a smile that was worse than crying: "A misunderstanding! Go wherever you want, we won't stop you! We'll leave immediately, right now!"
He turned and dashed toward the ship, twisting his ankle so badly his shoe nearly flew off, stumbling all the way into the cabin.
Like an ostrich hiding from Shanu, he finally calmed down once out of sight. From behind the door came his shrill shouting:
"Hurry up! Set sail for the base!"
Hahaha! The villagers watching from afar burst into laughter.
The Marines hung their heads in shame and lined up on deck. The young adjutant sighed, tugging his collar up to cover half his face.
"Following a captain like this, anyone from another base would probably look down on you," Scar remarked, leaning against the railing.
Then he looked at Shanu walking onto the deck. "Boss, shall we set off too?"
"No, you go ahead first." Shanu shook his head slightly, glancing at the departing ship. "I have some business to take care of."
What's he planning?
Scar widened his eyes, then saw Shanu gesture, calling everyone over. "When you get to the 77th Branch Base, do this, then that… wait for me to return. Understood?"
"Yes, Boss!"
Scar shivered. The man was ruthless, yet undeniably effective. He respected him from the bottom of his heart.
…
Night deepened.
Moonlight shimmered on the sea. A ship with white sails cut through the waves at full speed toward the 16th Branch Base.
Unnoticed, a small boat had silently begun tailing the larger ship.
On the small boat, Shanu took a sip of wine, his expression indifferent as he watched the distant black speck.
He was a soft-hearted person by nature, but when he hardened himself, anyone he deemed deserving of death would not get an easy escape.
Nezumi was on that list.
Though the man had been scared silly by Shanu's threat earlier, once back at the base, sitting behind his desk and accustomed to giving orders from a high position, his resentment would quickly resurface.
And he happened to be the commander of the Navy branch closest to Cocoyashi Village, a hometown official, of sorts.
In that position, his underhanded schemes could be endless. And once he officially set sail in the future, who knew what revenge he might take on Cocoyashi Village?
Better to strike first.
After all, it's better to catch a thief than to only guard against one.
Checking the wind and currents, Shanu stopped focusing on the ship ahead, seated himself cross-legged, and closed his eyes to meditate.
The ship's speed far outpaced his little boat; distance would only increase, so there was no point in attacking yet.
But those who run cannot hide forever. By tomorrow nightfall, both ships would reach the 16th Branch Base in succession.
Then, under cover of darkness, there would be plenty of time.
...
Over twenty hours later.
Outside the gates of the East Sea 77th Branch.
The former Arlong Pirates' ship, now renamed Orange Garden by Shanu, was docked at the military port.
Scar led the curious Nami and Nojiko off the ship. Before even reaching land, they were greeted with applause and a formal welcome.
"You arrived early! Several hours ahead of the time I mentioned on the phone!"
The female colonel with a mohawk, smoking casually, greeted them cheerfully. "I'm Sofia, commander of the 77th Branch Base. Welcome!"
"You're too kind," Scar said quickly, extending his hand. "So you came early too, just waiting here?"
"No, I only just got the message," Sofia replied honestly, laughing. "But it's true, I should come early. Heroes who took down the Arlong Pirates deserve all the courtesy in the world!"
"To be honest, ever since receiving intelligence that the Arlong Pirates were in the area, I couldn't sleep. I wanted to join forces with the 16th Branch and the northern 24th Branch, catch them off guard, and strike," she said, rubbing her temple in frustration.
"But who knows what that new officer at the 16th Branch was thinking, he kept making excuses and stalling, and the perfect opportunity slipped away."