"Since I joined the military, I've never changed. I've always hated evil and couldn't tolerate any wrongdoing in my eyes."
"Pirates, as they are called, commit all sorts of atrocities—burning, killing, looting, and plundering. They are a cancer on this sea that must be eradicated."
"Seeing so many pirates gathered here now makes me sick to my stomach. How could I possibly let go of the chance to annihilate them all?"
"As for that fool King Altai? Letting him have his fun is just a side benefit."
Vice Admiral Onigumo looked down at him with indifference and said:
"But you, you tried to stop me from firing on the pirates, which is a given order. What, is there someone among them you want to protect privately?"
"Protect?!"
Smoker laughed in extreme anger, "Of course there is! Definitely! I was appointed by headquarters to be the base commander stationed in Loguetown!! Aren't all the residents of this island the ones I'm supposed to protect?!"
"Civilians?"
Onigumo looked at him inexplicably and couldn't help but sneer, "Those kinds of people keep popping up endlessly. No one cares about them, and it doesn't matter how many die. Forget about civilians; even my subordinates who have followed me for years, if they dare to stand in my way of annihilating pirates and executing justice, I wouldn't hesitate to fire on them!"
"Just like now..."
"You!"
He grinned, a flash of malice in his eyes, and suddenly raised his right foot, kicking Smoker hard!
"A mere colonel, just because Teacher Zefa once casually praised you, you really think you're something, teaching me how to do things?!"
Boom!
The kick was powerful, wrapped in a dense layer of Armament Haki.
Smoker had never expected the other party to attack him.
Caught off guard, he was hit squarely in the chest by the kick, flew several meters, and crashed into the wall. Clutching his chest, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
The nearby marine soldiers were drawn by the commotion and cast surprised glances.
"Don't mind him. Are the cannonballs all loaded and ready? Fire all cannons! Cover the entire square with firepower. It's full of pirates; don't let a single one escape!"
Onigumo commanded in a deep voice.
"Yes, Vice Admiral!!!"
The three warships responded with a resounding roar.
Boom! Over fifty cannons fired at full force. In front of the dark muzzles, the leaping orange-red flames illuminated Onigumo's eyes, filled with satisfaction.
"Hmph."
The frustration that had built up over the past month was finally relieved at this moment.
Onigumo coldly glanced at Smoker on the ground, "It seems you didn't take in a single word of what I told you earlier. As your senior, I'll give you another lesson!"
"For the marines, to execute our path of justice, there must be no mercy. Fools like you, who can't let go of naive fantasies, should just follow Teacher Zefa's example and quietly retreat to the sidelines!"
"Now, shut up and get out of here!"
Onigumo strode towards the bow of the ship, his white Justice cloak fluttering in the wind, "If you dare stay here and delay my pirate extermination, don't blame me for being ruthless. Military law will be enforced!"
Exterminate pirates?
Execute justice?!
Smoker struggled to his feet, leaning heavily against the wall. His chest heaved violently as he clutched it with his right hand. His eyes were bloodshot as he gazed into the distance, the cries from the square pounding against his eardrums, each one piercing his heart like a thorn.
Is this Onigumo's justice?
A justice that indiscriminately slaughters civilians and Pirates alike?
"What kind of joke is this?!!"
This was the town he had fought so hard to protect. How could he just stand by and let this happen without doing anything?!!!
Buzz!
Smoke suddenly exploded, engulfing the entire deck of the warship in a thick, grayish-white haze.
Smoker's body, transformed into smoke, surged like a raging sandstorm, enveloping all the gunners who were in the midst of reloading cannonballs.
"Smoke, it's so thick!"
"I can't see, what's going on!"
"Cough... cough! Help, I can't breathe!"
Violent coughs erupted one after another, and soon some gunners began to collapse from suffocation. Onigumo, who had lost sight of the distant scene, was instantly enraged. "Have you lost your mind, Smoker?!!"
"Cease fire on the other two ships! Now!"
From within the thick smoke, Smoker's low voice rang out. "There's still time to send the soldiers to rescue the civilians. As for those Pirates, I'll personally handle their capture. I promise you, not a single one will escape!!"
"Not a single one?"
Onigumo's cold eyes swept around, as if searching for something. "Hmph, you're actually trying to negotiate with me? What, do you think hiding in the smoke..."
Swish!
He suddenly vanished from his spot, only to reappear in mid-air to the south in the next instant. His right hand shot forward, and amidst the thick white smoke, he firmly grasped Smoker's neck.
"—Do you think I can't find you?!!"
"Guh..." Smoker's body gradually materialized, his face turning red as he made gurgling sounds in his throat. His right hand tightened around his jutte, ready to fight for his life.
But before he could act, Onigumo, who had somehow already retrieved a pair of Sea Stone Handcuffs, snapped them onto Smoker's wrist with a sharp click.
A wave of weakness instantly spread through Smoker's body. Onigumo left no room for counterattack, his right fist immediately coated in Armament Haki, and he slammed it into Smoker's face with brutal force!
At the same time, his knee bent like an elbow, driving into Smoker's abdomen!
Smoker's face twitched violently, his vision beginning to blur. The thick smoke emanating from his body quickly retracted back into him.
Thud!
Onigumo then flung Smoker down onto the deck with a backhand motion. The wooden planks shattered, creating a massive crater.
The entire sequence was swift, ruthless, and left no room for mercy, giving Smoker no chance to retaliate.
Onigumo landed gracefully from the sky, casually lighting a cigarette. He didn't even bother to glance at Smoker as he coldly issued his command, "Continue the operation. Open fire!"
"Yes, Vice Admiral!"
Immediately, Marines filled the vacant gunner positions, and the thick haze that had covered the deck began to dissipate in the sea breeze, gradually restoring clear visibility.
Onigumo glanced into the distance, his eyes inadvertently catching sight of figures beginning to gather on the rooftops to the west of the square.
Hmm?
Are they trying to lead a rebellion?
Vice Admiral Onigumo sneered. If it were Pirates from the Grand Line, he might have taken them seriously. But here in Loguetown of the East Blue, who could possibly withstand a barrage of cannon fire?
The three warships under his command were all built to the standards of Marine Headquarters. Their firepower far surpassed that of the branch offices in these rural areas of the East Blue!
"Divert half of the firepower and give those guys a little extra attention," Vice Admiral Onigumo said indifferently.
"Understood, Mr. Onigumo!"
Hmph.
Trying to stand out?
He loved crushing these overconfident upstarts who didn't know their place!
Boom—!!
The three warships unleashed their full firepower once again, blanketing the entire square. At least half of the cannonballs were now raining down on the figures standing on the rooftop!
Huh?
Xiano, who had just stepped onto the rooftop right after Kuina, looked up at the scene, his eyes narrowing slightly.
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