In the next moment, a sharp blade aura shot from Onigumo's long sword, precisely striking Smoker's chest and leaving a deep, bone-exposing wound!
Facing the veteran Vice Admiral, Smoker was utterly powerless to resist.
His body was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the deck.
Now, his Jitte had slipped from his grasp, the wound on his chest was deep enough to reveal bone, and the excruciating pain caused his entire body to convulse. His consciousness gradually blurred, leaving him with no strength left to fight back.
As he watched Onigumo continue to issue orders, he could only stare helplessly. In that moment, he despised himself intensely.
He hated his own weakness and Onigumo's cruelty.
But what good did all his hatred do?
He could only lie on the ground, glaring fiercely at Onigumo, filled with nothing but anger and resentment.
At the same time, the image of Ivan suddenly flashed through his mind.
If it were Ivan now, could he save those civilians?
Onigumo coldly sheathed his sword and cursed at Smoker, "Fool! I'll deal with you later!"
Then, with an impatient tone, he ordered the marines:
"What are you waiting for? Fire the cannons immediately! If you delay His Majesty's enjoyment, you'll all die!"
"Yes, Vice Admiral Onigumo!" The marines dared not disobey and hurried away.
Moments later, the cannons of the navy warship roared to life. Shells tore through the air, speeding toward Loguetown's central square.
A catastrophe was about to descend!
Boom!
Boom!
Shells rained down on Loguetown's square.
Explosions echoed one after another, shaking the ground violently. Debris flew in all directions, and dust filled the air.
The Straw Hat Crew instantly noticed the situation, their expressions turning grim.
The smile vanished from Luffy's face. Clenching his fists, he roared, "Damn bastards! They're attacking civilians!"
In his heart, although the Navy pursued pirates and the two were enemies, unlike pirates, the Navy represented justice that protected the common people. They would never harm those they were meant to defend.
Yes, just like his grandfather!
But what were these guys doing?
Directly bombarding Loguetown—the casualties they caused were worse than any pirate!
Luffy leaped into action first, transforming into a Rubber Ball to intercept the incoming shells.
Roronoa Zoro also gripped his swords tightly, slicing through two shells that came too close. The other members of the Straw Hat Crew joined in, trying to block the bombardment.
However, their strength was too limited. Against the warship's dense barrage, they ultimately struggled to intercept everything.
As several shells slipped through the net and hurtled toward the crowded areas of the square, tragedy seemed imminent.
Suddenly, the entire ground of Loguetown began to tremble violently!
Everyone present felt the ground beneath their feet shaking rapidly. Then, darkness fell before their eyes as if something was rising swiftly!
When they looked up, their expressions changed drastically!
The ground on the outskirts of Loguetown erupted upward!
Countless rocks soared into the air, and in an instant, a towering rock wall, a hundred meters high and over ten meters thick, rose from the earth!
It stood like an impenetrable barrier, blocking all cannon fire and shielding the entire Loguetown behind it!
Several cannonballs slammed into the rock wall, yet these projectiles capable of easily destroying houses and killing civilians could not inflict any damage upon the high-density stone barrier.
Thus, the navy fleet's artillery assault completely lost its intended effect!
The crisis was instantly resolved. The civilians in the square, having narrowly escaped death, collapsed to the ground one after another, gasping for breath.
When they regained their senses, they stared blankly at the wall-like structure in the distance, wondering who could have created such a barrier.
Not only the civilians, but even Luffy, a Devil Fruit user, stood there with his mouth agape.
His voice was full of amazement: "Wow, what kind of ability is this? It's incredible to create such a tall stone wall!"
Having just set sail, he had never witnessed such a formidable Devil Fruit ability, finding the scene before him utterly unbelievable.
Unlike Luffy's astonishment, Roronoa Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp's expressions changed drastically, their eyes locked intently on the rock wall.
Zoro murmured softly, his tone certain: "It's Rock Manipulation, and with such precision and power..."
Usopp's eyes reddened slightly, his voice trembling:
"There's no mistake. On these seas, only he, only Mr. Fox, possesses such terrifying control over rock!"
They would never forget Fox's kindness.
To them, Fox was a savior, a mysterious and powerful existence, and also a goal to pursue.
Thus, they paid extra attention to Fox, aware of all publicly released information about him.
Clearly, Fox had appeared—in Loguetown!
Hearing the conversation among Zoro and the others, Luffy paused, turning to them with curiosity:
"So Fox is the benefactor you mentioned? Who exactly is he? He's amazing!"
Before Zoro could respond, a familiar figure slowly materialized in the distant sky.
This figure wore a fox mask, exuding an oppressive aura no less formidable than that of the Four Seas—it was Fox of the Shadow Garden!
He landed on the rock wall, his gaze icy as he looked toward the distant navy warships, dark lightning crackling slowly from within him!
Evidently, his appearance was not merely to intercept cannonballs but to stop Onigumo's atrocities.
After Fox appeared, the atmosphere on the scene shifted eerily.
All the marines stood frozen in place, not daring to move.
Though Fox did not release Conqueror's Haki, their biological instinct in the face of a monster made these ants abandon all resistance, quietly awaiting the monster's judgment!
Of course, Onigumo was not among them!
Seeing that the cannonballs were useless against the Straw Hats, Onigumo had just raised his longsword, intending to sneak-attack and kill the Straw Hat pirates, when he suddenly caught sight of the figure on the rock wall and stiffened completely.
The brutality on his face instantly faded, replaced by unmistakable fear.
He knew all too well Fox's strength—a core member of the Shadow Garden, with bizarre methods and formidable power.
Even Vice Admiral Garp had failed to capture him. Such a monster was simply beyond the capabilities of a mere Vice Admiral like himself.
But the next moment, fear was replaced by an extreme excitement. Onigumo's eyes lit up instantly.
Fox's appearance was not just a crisis—it was also an opportunity!
Perhaps this time, there was a chance to capture Fox for good, dealing a major blow to the Shadow Garden!
At this thought, Onigumo quickly pulled out a Den Den Mushi and shouted into it:
"Admiral Akainu, urgent report! The Shadow Garden's Fox has appeared in Loguetown! Request immediate backup, request immediate backup!"
After saying this, he hung up the Den Den Mushi, forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart, deliberately raising his voice as he shouted at Fox with a blustering tone:
"Fox, you dare show yourself on your own initiative!
Last time you escaped by luck, but this time the righteous Navy won't let you get away again!"
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