"I've been this way since I enlisted, always hating evil with a passion, and can't tolerate any sand in my eyes."
"Pirates, so-called, murder, arson, plunder, committing all evil deeds. They're a cancer on this sea that must be eradicated."
"Seeing so many pirates gathered together makes me sick to my stomach. How could I possibly let go of such an opportunity to annihilate them all?"
"As for that idiot Alta? Let him be happy for a moment, it's just incidental."
Onigumo looked down at him, speaking indifferently:
"But you, trying to stop the order to fire at pirates, what's the matter? Do you want to protect someone privately inside?"
"Protect?!"
Smoker laughed furiously, "Of course! Without a doubt! I was appointed by Headquarters as the leader stationed in Log Town! The residents of the entire island, aren't they all whom I should protect?!!"
"Civilians?"
Onigumo glanced at him mysteriously, sneering, "Those people who keep popping up, no one cares, it doesn't matter how many die. Don't talk about civilians, even if my subordinates who've followed me for many years dare to stand in the way of my eliminating pirates and executing justice, I'll fire without hesitation!"
"Just like now..."
"You!"
His mouth twisted, a cruel light flashed in his eyes, he suddenly lifted his right foot, and kicked fiercely at Smoker!
"Just a mere Colonel, praised casually by Zephyr back in the day, you really take yourself seriously enough to try to teach me?"
Thunk!
The kick was powerful and accompanied by intense Armament Haki.
And Smoker hadn't expected the opponent to attack him.
Caught off guard, the kick landed squarely on his chest, sending him flying several meters and crashing into the wall, clutching his chest, spewing large amounts of blood.
The nearby Marines were shocked by the commotion and turned their surprised gazes over.
"Don't worry about him, are the shells loaded and ready? Fire all at once! Cover the entire square, it's full of pirates, don't let a single one escape!"
Onigumo ordered sternly.
"Yes, Vice Admiral!!!"
The command was met with a resounding response from all three warships.
Boom! More than fifty cannons fired simultaneously, the dancing orange-red flames lighting up Onigumo's gleeful eyes.
"Hmph."
Finally, releasing the frustration built up over the nearly month-long tension.
Onigumo coldly glanced at Smoker on the ground, "Seems like you didn't listen to a word I said before, so let me, as your senior, teach you another lesson!"
"For the Navy, executing our own version of justice means being utterly ruthless, fools like you who can't let go of naïve fantasies should retreat to the sidelines like Zephyr did!"
"Now, shut up and get lost!"
Onigumo strode towards the ship's bow, the white Cloak of Justice fluttering in the wind behind him, "Dare to stay here and delay my pirate clearance, don't blame me for being merciless, military law will accommodate!"
Clearance of pirates?
Execution of justice?!
Smoker struggled to stand, leaning against the wall, his chest heaving, eyes bloodshot as he gazed into the distance. The cries from the square were like piercing needles in his heart.
This is Onigumo's justice?
Blurring civilians and pirates together, unleashing indiscriminate slaughter as justice?
"What a... joke!!!"
This town I've fought to protect, how could I possibly do nothing and just allow this to happen!!!
Buzz!
Suddenly, smoke exploded, the entire deck of the warship engulfed by gray-white mist.
Smoker's Elementalized body, like an out-of-control sandstorm, engulfed all the gunners loading the shells.
"Smoke, so thick!"
"Can't see, what's happening!"
"Cough... Cough, cough! Help, I can't breathe!"
The violent coughs echoed, some gunners fainting from lack of air, and Onigumo suddenly lost sight of distant targets, infuriated, "Are you insane, Smoker!!!"
"Pull back fire on the other two ships! At once!"
Smoker's deep voice came from within the fog, "There's still time for soldiers to rescue civilians, as for those pirates, I'll capture them personally, I promise not a single one will escape!"
"Not a single one?"
Onigumo's cold eyes scanned the surroundings as though searching for something, "Hmph, negotiating with me now, thinking you can hide in the smoke..."
Swish!
He suddenly vanished and reappeared in the southern sky, grabbing forward into the dense smoke, seizing Smoker by the throat.
"—You think I can't find you!!!"
"Urgh..." Smoker's body gradually appeared, his face red as his throat made choking sounds, right hand clutching the jitte, ready to fight.
But Onigumo had already cuffed him with Seastone Handcuffs, leaving Smoker weak.
The sense of weakness spread instantly, and Onigumo, leaving no gap, covered his right fist with Armament Haki and swung at Smoker's face!
At the same time, his knee bent and struck Smoker's abdomen!
Smoker trembled violently, his eyes losing focus, while the dense smoke quickly withdrew back into his body.
Thunk!
Onigumo then flung Smoker back onto the deck, the wood splintering, forming a large crater.
The sequence was quick and ruthless, leaving Smoker no chance to counter.
Onigumo landed gracefully, lighting a cigarette, too contemptuous to even glance at Smoker, coldly saying, "Continue orders, open fire!"
"Yes, Vice Admiral!"
Immediately, Marines filled the vacant gunner positions, and the mist on the deck faded with the sea breeze, restoring visibility.
Onigumo glanced into the distance, unconsciously noticing that more figures were appearing on the rooftop west of the square.
Hmm?
Planning to lead a rebellion?
Onigumo chuckled disdainfully, if they were pirates from the Grand Line, he might take them seriously, but in East Sea Log Town, who could withstand his cannon fire?
His three warships were built to Headquarters standards, vastly outpowering these rural East Sea branches!
"Divide half the firepower, focus a bit more on those guys!"
Onigumo spoke casually.
"Understood, Mr. Onigumo!"
Hmph.
They want to stand out?
He enjoys targeting those unaware upstarts!
Boom——!!
The three warships fired again, covering the entire square while half the shells rained onto the rooftop figures!
Hmm?
Kuina, just stepping onto the roof, looked up at the scene, squinting slightly.