At those words, everyone in the crowd reacted with a mix of anger and fear.
It was no secret that Nami had been with the Arlong Pirates.
If the Marines set their sights on her, that was going to be a serious problem.
Sheriff Genzo’s expression darkened.
“Colonel, sir, you shouldn’t throw around accusations like that.
When has our village ever had a member of the Arlong Pirates?”
“Hmph…”
Watching these wretched villagers, Colonel Nezumi’s eyes flicked.
There it was.
Their weak point.
He put on an expression of righteous authority.
“Whether she is or isn’t isn’t for you people to decide.
The Marines will make that determination ourselves.”
He looked around at all of them, his expression hardening.
“All you need to do is tell us where she is.
If you know and say nothing, you are all accessories.
Guilty of concealment.”
“Unless…”
He let the pause hang there, then dropped all pretense.
“If I remember correctly, you’ve been paying Arlong a monthly protection fee.
By my count, that payment is about due…”
The meaning was unmistakable.
The people of Cocoyasi Village were not foolish.
They heard exactly what he was implying.
He wanted a protection fee.
Or more accurately, hush money.
Anger and indignation moved across every face.
The Marines.
The people supposed to protect ordinary people and maintain peace.
And this was what they were.
How did they have the nerve?
What was the difference between this and being a pirate?
No.
This was worse than any pirate.
Genzo kept his voice steady.
“Colonel, sir, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
I don’t know anyone named Nami…”
“Shut up.”
Colonel Nezumi cut him off sharply, his eyes sweeping the crowd.
“The evidence is clear.
You still want to argue?
You actually want to shield a criminal?”
“Listen carefully.
Concealing a criminal is itself a crime.
The Marines have full authority to deal with you.”
“Say where she is right now, or every last person here gets taken in.
Ten years in a cell, minimum.”
The Marines had no such authority.
But who was going to check?
He was Branch 16’s commanding officer.
If he said these people were criminals, they were criminals.
Genzo’s fists clenched. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
He was furious to his core, but his mind was already working on what to do.
He knew exactly what Nami had done.
She had put herself under the roof of her mother’s killers for the sake of this village.
A girl with that kind of iron in her spine, and that kind of heart.
He was not going to let anything happen to her.
“My, my.
Quite an impressive display of authority.
My captain doesn’t put on a show half this grand.”
Just as Genzo was working out what to say, a casual, amused voice drifted over.
Rocks, having altered his facial features using Life Return, sauntered into the middle of the scene.
His gaze moved across the assembled Marines and settled on Colonel Nezumi.
“Just came by to check if any Arlong Pirates were still breathing.
Didn’t expect to walk into something this entertaining…”
A Buggy Pirates crew member, making his entrance.
“Who are you?”
Everything had been under Colonel Nezumi’s control.
Now some new reckless idiot had appeared.
His voice dropped to a threat.
“Marine business.
Get out of here before I make you.”
“Heh heh.
The Marines really are something.
More arrogant than even us Buggy Pirates.”
Rocks launched into the performance, his expression all swaggering confidence.
“Our captain intends to bring the entire East Blue under his rule.
King of the East Blue.”
“The Marines are exactly the kind of obstacle we need to clear out.
So what should I do with you?”
If you’re going to play a role, commit to it entirely.
Rocks considered himself a professional.
“Bring the East Blue under his rule?
King of the East Blue?
Tremendous ambition.
Though since when do pirates swagger in front of the Marines?”
Colonel Nezumi’s expression darkened.
This person was with the Buggy Pirates.
And the Buggy Pirates had that kind of ambition?
Wanting to rule the East Blue?
But there was only one of them.
His expression hardened into something brutal.
He barked at his men.
“Kill him.”
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
His Marines raised their rifles and opened fire, rounds tearing through the air at Rocks.
Whoosh.
Rocks stepped sideways and let the rounds go past, then took one step and was already in front of Colonel Nezumi.
“You know I’m a Buggy Pirates crew member and you still try that?
Marines really don’t value their lives.”
Rocks put his hand around Colonel Nezumi’s throat and lifted him off the ground.
Watching that face twist with terror, Rocks let a dangerous smile cross his face.
“My captain says anyone who gets in his way dies. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Doesn’t matter who.”
“Let your deaths be what makes Captain Buggy’s name ring out louder.”
He said it, and tightened his grip.
Crack.
Nezumi’s neck broke.
“A Marine colonel?
Is that all?
If this is what the Marines are made of, the East Blue belongs to Captain Buggy!!”
Rocks tossed the body aside and turned that dangerous smile on the rest of the Marines.
“You’re next…”
“Wh-what a monster!”
“Run!”
“We can’t handle this…”
The Marines’ nerves had shattered entirely.
One thought and one thought only: run.
“Running?
Have a taste of Captain Buggy’s special Buggy Balls.
Die, all of you!”
Rocks let out a sharp laugh and snapped his fingers, releasing a Cero.
BOOM.
The explosion ripped through the fleeing Marines.
Fire erupted into the sky, shockwave sweeping outward.
More than ten of them were dead in an instant.
Only the fastest runners, the ones Rocks deliberately let go, made it out alive, sprinting for the warship at the dock.
The Buggy Pirates are firmly on the hook for this one.
And nobody will ever know it was me.
As it should be.
Rocks was thoroughly delighted with himself.
You never feel tired when you’re up to no good.
If anything, you feel entertained.
Buggy, my friend.
Hope you appreciate the gift.
Rocks let that mischievous smile linger and made a show of chasing after the survivors for a few steps.
The performance was complete.
The entertainment value was fully realized.
He was in excellent spirits.
He also had no interest in dealing directly with the Cocoyasi Village residents.
All that mattered was letting them understand that the person who killed these Marines was a Buggy Pirates crew member.
As for whether the Buggy Pirates actually had a member like this?
Who was going to verify that?
Either way, it wasn’t Dick Rocks who did it.
He had never shown his real face the entire time.
The only people who knew he was here were Nami, Nojiko, and the Buggy Pirates.
Nami and Nojiko wouldn’t talk.
The Buggy Pirates weren’t likely to talk either, not with Rocks still holding Buggy’s secret.
And even if they did, it wouldn’t help them.
Who takes a pirate’s word for anything?
Airtight.
Everything was airtight.
Rocks walked away from it all, mission complete, name unknown, leaving behind a village full of people staring at each other in complete bewilderment.
****
ofc he knows life return….how convenient.