“Ha ha ha…” At that moment, Colonel Wild Dog burst into laughter, as if he had just heard the funniest thing in the world.
Bartolomeo’s expression, however, stiffened.
Colonel Wild Dog’s laughter had truly gotten under his skin.
It even gave him a faint sense of unease.
“Soru…” In an instant, Colonel Wild Dog vanished from where he stood.
When he appeared again, he was already standing right in front of Bartolomeo.
He was so close that he could hit him in the face with just a casual swing of his hand.
“Rokushiki…” Hidden in the shadows, Moke’s pupils narrowed slightly.
When talking about the Marines, Rokushiki was something that could not be ignored.
It could be said that most Marine officers, except for those who specialized in swordsmanship, knew at least a few Rokushiki techniques.
In fact, even some swordsmen knew Rokushiki.
But one thing had to be said: any Marine who had mastered Rokushiki was no weakling.
After all, Rokushiki was not something just anyone could train in.
One had to reach at least 500 Doriki.
And that 500 Doriki was not to be underestimated.
For example, Doriki was the standard used to measure a Marine’s combat power.
The most ordinary Marine soldier in this world had a Doriki value of 10.
Anyone above 500 could already be considered superhuman.
Even among CP9, a few of them only had around five or six hundred Doriki.
Of course, that number was not exactly rare or top-tier.
But in the first half of the Grand Line, it was still enough to be considered somewhat capable.
And in the East Blue, the weakest of the seas, someone like that could absolutely be called a powerhouse.
Not just a powerhouse, but one capable of crushing others completely.
“Hah—!” Bartolomeo’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets from fright.
He instinctively stepped back, but how could the current him possibly be a match for a Marine who had mastered Rokushiki?
Bang!
Colonel Wild Dog kicked him directly in the abdomen.
Under that tremendous force, Bartolomeo flew backward like a kite with its string cut.
But Colonel Wild Dog did not stop there.
“Soru…” One kick.
“Soru…” Another kick.
The same move, simple and direct.
Yet not a single one of the small fries Bartolomeo had brought with him could take even one hit.
“Impossible… This is impossible!” Bartolomeo, who had already collapsed seven or eight meters away, stared at the scene with a face full of shock and fear.
Before long, nearly a hundred small-time thugs were all lying on the ground.
Some had broken legs, some had broken arms, and others had broken ribs.
It was obvious that Colonel Wild Dog had shown them no mercy.
Finally, he walked toward Bartolomeo step by step.
The corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a mocking smile.
Terrified, Bartolomeo scrambled up from the ground and retreated step by step while enduring the pain.
At the same time, he still could not believe it.
“How is this possible?
You couldn’t even beat that guy Xiping!” “Xiping?” Hearing that name, Colonel Wild Dog seemed to remember something.
Then he could not help but laugh, and he laughed quite happily.
“I was wondering who gave a little thug like you the courage to attack me.
So it turns out you know that guy Xiping!” Thinking about it now, it made sense.
That guy Xiping was originally from Loguetown, and just like the people in front of him, he had once been nothing more than a street punk.
It was not strange that some people knew him.
But that guy had been his white glove.
That time he lost to Xiping, it had all been nothing more than an act.
After all, that guy had pulled off something big… and could no longer be allowed to stay alive.
Besides, that encounter had happened by coincidence during a confrontation at sea.
What was he supposed to do?
Actually capture the guy?
Would that not just be creating trouble for himself?
After letting him go, all he had to do was find an opportunity to kill him quietly.
Then, all the money Xiping had stolen would naturally belong to him.
After that, he could use that money to smooth over a few connections.
Compared to those benefits, what did a little damage to his reputation even amount to?
If not for that, how could he have secured the top position in the East Blue?
With that position, he could rake in even more wealth.
And with more money to grease the right palms, his promotions would naturally come even faster.
What a wonderful arrangement!
But he had never expected that it would give these pieces of trash the illusion that he was weak.
Please… Although he was not as strong as Smoker, he had at least been in the same class as Smoker at the Marine academy.
In the Grand Line, his strength might not amount to much, but here in the East Blue?
Once Smoker left, who else could be his opponent?
There was not a single person who could withstand even one exchange with him.
Just like this rabble before him.
He could wipe them out with a casual wave of his hand.
“I’ll fight you with everything I have!” At that moment, Bartolomeo finally came back to his senses.
Madness filled his eyes, and his face twisted into a ferocious expression.
Because he understood very well that aside from fighting with his life on the line, he had no way out.
Even if he died, he would at least die with some dignity.
Bartolomeo threw himself directly at Colonel Wild Dog.
Unfortunately, in Colonel Wild Dog’s eyes, Bartolomeo’s movements were as slow as a turtle’s.
With a simple sidestep, Colonel Wild Dog easily dodged him.
After Bartolomeo’s attack missed and the two brushed past each other, Colonel Wild Dog raised his leg and kicked him hard in the backside.
Under that powerful force, Bartolomeo was once again sent flying.
The corners of Colonel Wild Dog’s mouth lifted into a cold smile.
At the same time, he swept his gaze around the area.
To him, Bartolomeo was no different from those small fries.
He could also be defeated in a single move.
The reason Colonel Wild Dog was now playing with him like a cat toying with a mouse was to intimidate everyone in Loguetown.
Whether they were local thugs or pirates from outside.
He wanted them to understand that even after Smoker left, Loguetown still had him, Colonel Wild Dog.
It was still not a place where they could run wild.
However, he failed to notice one thing.
The direction Bartolomeo was sent flying in was precisely where his subordinates were standing.
And those subordinates were just ordinary Marines.
Ordinary to the point that they could not be more ordinary.
Caught off guard, they were struck head-on by the flying Bartolomeo.
Immediately, they were knocked into a chaotic mess.
At that moment, a box in one of their hands fell to the ground.
A fruit that looked somewhat like an apple rolled over to Bartolomeo’s side… “Holy crap…” Moke’s eyes lit up.
Colonel Wild Dog’s expression also changed.
He probably had never imagined that such a ridiculous accident would occur.
That was a Devil Fruit he had obtained by chance, and he had been planning to use it to build connections.
Bartolomeo was stunned at first.
Then, in the next instant, he grabbed the Devil Fruit in his hand.
Without even thinking, he shoved it straight toward his mouth.
“You dare—!
Soru!” In an instant, Colonel Wild Dog vanished from where he stood.
But no matter how fast he was, there was still a certain distance between them.
Perhaps in the original story, he had been just one step too slow, allowing Bartolomeo to eat that Devil Fruit.
And with that Devil Fruit, Bartolomeo had managed to turn the situation around.
Even if he could not defeat Colonel Wild Dog, he could at least leave safely.
But now, no one could be faster than Moke.
Not to mention, Moke had already been prepared.
He had absorbed sunlight in advance, and at this moment, he turned into a beam of light.
Before Bartolomeo could eat the Devil Fruit, Moke appeared beside him.
Then, with one swift motion, he snatched the Devil Fruit right out of Bartolomeo’s hand.
“Who the hell are you…?” Colonel Wild Dog came to an abrupt stop.
The way he looked at Moke was filled with wariness.
Because with just one glance, he recognized that Moke was a Logia-type ability user.
And not only that, his ability seemed similar to Admiral Kizaru’s Glint-Glint Fruit.
That alone made him unable to ignore Moke.
And it made him unable to avoid being afraid.