Almost at the same time, the pirates around the harbor were cleared out by Zoro.
A white airwave surged, sending a group of pirates flying with screams before they crashed to the ground, unable to get back up.
Boom!
The terrifying explosion arrived belatedly, its violent flames engulfing several houses.
A rolling heatwave swept over, causing Zoro's expression to change.
If he had slashed at it just now, he would have been heavily injured, if not killed.
At this thought, he couldn't help but look at his captain with a slight change in his gaze.
How did he know?
'This power... it could actually be quite useful.'
Hiroto glanced in the direction of the explosion, then looked at the bearded Lieutenant who was pointing a sword at him. "What? Is this how you treat your savior?"
You're a pirate, and I'm a Marine...
The bearded Lieutenant didn't dare say it out loud, he clearly remembered how terrifying this man was.
Morgan, who had ruled Marine Base 153 for years, had died at this man's hands.
Marineford had even issued a special order to every branch.
When encountering Hiroto, there was no need to attack. Being able to track and report his location would be considered a merit.
Furthermore, Hiroto's bounty wasn't the 7 million berries that Mohji thought it was. It was 37 million berries, a figure unseen in the East Blue for many years.
The branch had even printed many of his bounty posters today, intending to distribute them to every Marine so they would remember him.
And now, this terrifying figure was standing right in front of him.
But the most crucial thing was...
The bearded Lieutenant suddenly let go, and the longsword he had been gripping tightly, refusing to release even in the face of death, fell to the ground with a 'clang'.
Not a pirate, not taking a pirate's stance, saving a Marine like him...
Various scenes flashed through his mind.
The bearded Lieutenant suddenly bowed ninety degrees and said with a trembling voice, "I beg of you, please save this town."
"A Marine asking for help from someone they consider a pirate. If word of this got out, you probably wouldn't be able to hold your head up for the rest of your life, would you?"
Hiroto's playful voice rang out, seemingly mocking the bearded Lieutenant's whimsical request.
However, the bearded Lieutenant bent even lower, his head buried deep, his tone tragic and sorrowful. "Compared to the lives of these civilians whom we Marines are supposed to protect, my personal honor or disgrace is irrelevant."
Hiroto said, "I'm not a good person. I've killed quite a few Marines like you."
Rejected...
The bearded Lieutenant's face turned pale, but his gaze became firm in an instant.
Even so, he would fulfill his duty until his last drop of blood.
Hiroto's leisurely voice sounded again. "However, I can accept a deal. If you agree, I'll help you."
"Fine."
The bearded Lieutenant stood up in great surprise, his eyes filled with tears as he said, "No matter what it is, as long as it's within my personal power, I will surely satisfy your request."
Zoro watched this scene, a strange look flashing in his eyes.
It certainly wasn't the style of a pirate as he imagined. Instead, it was full of Hiroto's personal touch.
He truly is an incredible person.
"Let's go. I'll take you to meet the nemesis of swordsmen."
Hiroto strode forward with large steps, a whistling wind whipping up around him.
—
Five minutes later.
In the middle floor of the Marine Branch 153 building.
"What did you say!?"
Dressed in a clown's outfit with a white skull pattern painted on his forehead, Buggy glared at the disheveled Mohji, the white skull pattern on his forehead wrinkling along with his expression.
He had just used a Buggy Ball to crush a wave of Marine counterattacks. He was currently in a stalemate with the Marines, waiting to capture a few to find out exactly which ones knew the location of the treasure. But then, Mohji had returned with bad news.
"Hahaha, Mohji, didn't you say your lion couldn't be defeated by anyone?"
Beside him, Cabaji, wearing an extra-long checkered scarf and a long sword at his waist, gloated.
Mohji's face flushed red as he said, :That was no ordinary person. I didn't understand it, but his slashes could leave long marks on the ground."
"Both of you, shut up! I'll deal with him!"
Buggy, with a darkened face, immediately headed downstairs to find those two uninvited guests.
How dare they interrupt his search for treasure and kill his crew members!
No matter what this Hiroto wanted to say, he wasn't going to let him off.
As for what Mohji had reported...
Compared to his ignorant subordinate, Buggy probably understood what Hiroto's slashes were.
It was likely the prototype of a flying slash, it was only natural that someone like Mohji couldn't beat it.
But for him, it wasn't a problem at all. As someone who had eaten the Chop-Chop fruit and could split apart, even the strongest swordsman posed no threat to him.
As long as he caught him off guard, he could easily finish off that swordsman named Hiroto.
"That's great, Captain Buggy."
Mohji's eyes lit up. "As long as you take action, that swordsman will surely be defeated by your immortal body."
"That's right. No blade has ever been able to truly harm you, you are an undying man." Cabaji followed with flattery, then kept pace with Buggy.
"Mohji, you stay here and watch these Marines."
"You bastard, I'm going too!"
At the thought of the bastard who had killed his lion, rage welled up in Mohji's heart.
He ignored Cabaji's words. After all, he was the first mate.
Once Buggy defeated that bastard Hiroto, he would definitely get his revenge.
The group of pirates looked at each other, wondering whether to continue surrounding the Marines or not.
Some pirates followed their Captain downstairs, while others stayed to block the Marines.
...
The furious Buggy quickly found his targets.
The opponents hadn't concealed their tracks at all, slashing their way through his subordinates all the way to the entrance of the Marine base, where they happened to run into Buggy and his group.
Hiroto and Zoro walked together, with the bearded Lieutenant following behind them.
"Which one is Hiroto?"
Buggy stood carelessly in front of his subordinates, eyeing the three of them with an unfriendly gaze.
"Him."
Hiroto simply pointed at Zoro.
Zoro raised an eyebrow slightly and stepped forward, assuming his Three Sword Style stance.
Nemesis of swordsmen?
What a big claim. He wanted to see if it was true.
Mohji: "?"
Before there was time to clarify the situation, Buggy grinned sinisterly, pulled out the daggers at his waist, and lunged forward with a kick off the ground.
"Since you dare to disturb me, then die here!"
It was a reckless charge that didn't seem threatening at all.
Zoro's eyes narrowed and he took Hiroto's words to heart, starting with Three Sword Style: Oni Giri!
Two blades slashed toward the charging Buggy from the left and right, while a third blade blocked any possible escape gaps.
In the next instant, Buggy was sliced into three pieces.
As he passed by, a look of confusion and surprise flashed in Zoro's eyes.
Hiroto had actually lied to him!
A sudden, sharp pain emerged as six fierce daggers were thrust into Zoro's ribs from the side.
Blood splattered, and Buggy's head floated in the air, wearing a triumphant smile.
"Didn't expect that, did you?"
A scene that would make anyone's skin crawl met Zoro's eyes as he turned his head: the man who had been sliced apart was floating in mid-air.
Hands detached from their wrists held the daggers used for the sneak attack, and the head, separated from the body, looked down at him triumphantly.
There was no blood, no pain, only an incredibly eerie scene.
(End of Chapter)
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