This Navy is Overly Cautious

Watching Leon steer the small boat with clumsy, zigzagging movements across the water, Kokoro turned to Tom with a worried look. "Is it really alright for that kid to go after those pirates all by himself?"

Tom laughed heartily. "When a man's made up his mind, he's got to do it with a bang!"

According to the location Kokoro had given him, the pirates were not far from Water Seven. And with all the iron and lumber they'd plundered, their speed would be significantly slower.

Leon wasn't acting on a hotheaded impulse to chase down those pirates for the sake of naval justice.

He'd been training in his human form for so long without encountering a truly evenly matched opponent. This gang of pirates would serve as a perfect test of his current strength.

Besides, any pirate roaming the first half of the Grand Line was bound to have a bounty on their head.

What?

You're asking where the iron and wood came from?

I picked them up while sailing around the sea...

"Captain Panther, this is a real haul!"

A pirate with a mouthful of yellow teeth grinned obsequiously at Panther, who stood in the middle of the deck, his stout body shaped like a cylinder.

"Hmph." Panther was waving his hands, directing his underlings to haul the loot. He chuckled. "I'm not like those brainless idiots."

"Robbing towns just attracts the Navy, and those town paupers don't have a dime to their names!"

"Captain Panther is brilliant and mighty! The title of Pirate King is well within reach!"

Yellow Tooth Pirate flattered him repeatedly, then cautiously added, "But Captain Panther... the merchant ship we robbed put up a fierce fight. Our pirate ship is badly damaged..."

"It's probably... going to need major repairs..."

"Damn it!!!"

Panther erupted in fury.

"You can't even handle a few civilians?! What use are you to me?!"

"Captain Panther..."

Yellow Tooth Pirate looked at him sheepishly, but inwardly cursed—You're the one feasting on meat and booze every day, getting fat and bloated, while we barely get half a meal. You hoard all this loot and never share a scrap with us...

"Yellow Tooth! Are you badmouthing me again?"

"No, no! Even if you gave me the guts..."

"Forget it!"

Panther waved a hand.

"If the ship's broken, we'll fix it. Isn't Water Seven up ahead the place that specializes in ship repairs?"

"Captain Panther!" Yellow Tooth Pirate was stunned. "But we just robbed a merchant ship from Water Seven..."

"So what? We'll just sell all this stuff to their shipyard."

"Huh? Can we do that?"

Yellow Tooth Pirate couldn't believe Panther's audacity.

"As expected of Captain Panther! That way, we provide the materials ourselves and save a fortune on material costs..."

"Material costs?"

Panther rubbed his bald head and cackled.

"I don't know how to spell the word 'pay.' If that damn shipyard dares ask me for money, I'll just rob them on the spot!"

"Captain Panther is invincible! Conquering the Grand Line is just around the corner!"

Yellow Tooth Pirate immediately piled on more flattery, while silently cursing again—Damn illiterate Panther, why did I ever think to board your ship? At this rate, the Navy's bound to show up one day...

"P-P-P-Panther... C-C-Captain!"

A stammering pirate scrambled onto the deck.

"Th-Th-Th-There's... a situation!"

"Huh!?"

"What is it?"

Panther's eyes bulged as he glared at the trembling stammerer, furious at his uselessness. Among his crew, the only one who could read a few words—Yellow Tooth—was already considered elite talent.

"Straighten your tongue before you talk to me!"

The stammering pirate took a moment to calm down, then blurted out.

"The Navy's here!"

"What!!!"

"Why didn't you say so sooner?! Useless piece of trash!!!"

"Set sail immediately! Throw away any cargo that isn't packed!"

Watching Panther act like a startled bird, Yellow Tooth Pirate's eyes flickered with disdain as he asked Stammering Pirate.

"Are you sure it's the Navy? How many warships are coming?"

Stammering Pirate hesitated. "Definitely the Navy—I saw him in a Marine uniform... but... it's just a small boat, with only one Marine on it."

"One?"

"He's alone, what the hell are you scared of!"

Panther reached out and slapped Stammering Pirate across the face, then gave new orders.

"Keep loading the cargo. I want to see for myself who dares to mess with me, Double Hammer Panther!"

Found him.

Leon lowered his spyglass. A battered pirate ship sat not far ahead, with a smoking merchant vessel moored beside it. This looked like the target he was after.

"Bold move. I was afraid you'd already fled, but instead you're just sitting here out in the open."

"I hope your strength matches your arrogance..."

Leon paddled his small boat harder.

On the pirate ship, Panther saw that only one Marine had given chase and felt greatly relieved.

Panther waved his hand.

"Fire the cannons! Blast this reckless Marine into pieces!"

Scattered cannonballs flew out, tracing crooked arcs through the air. After a full volley, not a single shell even came within five meters of Leon.