Eliminate Captain Nezumi

The moment they spotted the Marine warship.

The pirates aboard the Dreadnaught Sabre weren't afraid. Lawless pirates like El Drago were even a little excited. After all, attacking the Marines meant a huge increase in their bounties!

And Kuro of a Hundred Plans, who had once wiped out an entire warship, didn't take the Marines of the East Blue seriously at all.

The old him might have let the warship go to avoid trouble.

But now, Daddy had said he wanted to take the most dangerous path to rapid growth. If they took out a Marine warship, they wouldn't have to worry about Marine officers coming after them!

"Captain Daddy, are we really going to attack the Marines?"

For a timid girl like Nami, attacking the Marines first was indeed a little terrifying.

"Nami! Even if you're only the navigator, I don't want you to keep acting so cowardly!

You need to learn to get stronger!

Besides, Captain Nezumi over there is the Arlong Pirates' shield. He gets a share of the protection money you pay, too!

For all we know, they're on their way to deal with the people of Cocoyasi Village right now. They wouldn't dare let anyone cut off their source of income."

Daddy glanced at Nami and deliberately provoked her. She wasn't lacking in combat smarts; it was her personality and shortcomings that often left her playing the part of a cowardly bystander.

Still, she had managed to defeat plenty of enemies on her own!

"What! The Arlong Pirates have the Marines protecting them too?! No wonder! No wonder!!"

Nami's face instantly twisted with rage. That meant the Marines at this branch were partly responsible for Bell-mère's death, too!

"Brother El Drago! Hurry up and blast them!!"

Nami shouted at once, making sure to bring Daddy into it, since she knew the crew only listened to him.

El Drago, who had taken up the role of sniper and gunner, didn't refuse the order to bombard the Marines, either.

When two ships met, the gunners struck first!

Seeing that the Big Daddy Pirates' ship was even larger than the warship assigned to a branch captain like him, Captain Nezumi realized he might have run into a tough opponent!

The next moment, a blue-white laser cannon shot toward them, making Captain Nezumi tear off his own moustache in panic.

"It's the Big Daddy Pirates! Retreat!!"

From that far away, the Marines still hadn't made out the flag of the pirate ship with no sails. Their cannons weren't even in range, yet the enemy had already opened fire.

The moment Captain Nezumi saw the Sonic Cannon, he knew which pirate crew they were facing!

"Boom!"

The warship's main mast was blasted apart. With its sails no longer able to propel it, the ship was stranded in place, and the Dreadnaught Sabre, pulled by a Sea Beast, charged straight toward it.

"Requesting backup! Requesting backup!! Captain Nezumi of the 16th Branch here! Our ship is under attack by the Big Daddy Pirates! Send help immediately!!"

Captain Nezumi shouted in panic into the Den Den Mushi. Knowing that the Big Daddy Pirates had wiped out the East Blue's strongest pirate crew, his beady eyes filled with even more fear.

They were butcher pirates, devil pirates who had slaughtered thousands of pirates and used extremely vicious methods!

After calling for Marine reinforcements, Captain Nezumi realized that help from far away wouldn't arrive in time. He desperately tried calling Arlong, hoping the man would pick up and come save him!

But there was no chance of getting through. Arlong had already gone to hell!

"Bang!"

The warship rocked violently as a huge Cow Sea Beast rammed into it. The enormous three-decked pirate ship had already pulled alongside and connected with the warship.

"You dare openly attack a Marine warship? Are you tired of living?!"

Even though he was terrified, Captain Nezumi still roared at them with bluster, matching the Big Daddy Pirates' savage reputation in sheer bravado.

"They've already called for help. We've attacked a warship, so there's no denying what happened. We might as well wipe them all out!"

Kuro of a Hundred Plans pushed up his glasses with one hand, his gaze turning dangerous. Then he spoke calmly to Daddy.

The words scared Captain Nezumi so badly that he nearly wet himself. Two years earlier, that devil Kuro had wiped out a warship, too. That despicable Captain Morgan had been even more brazen than Captain Nezumi—he'd dared to lie and claim credit for the deed. What a piece of trash.

"Then let's wipe them out!"

Daddy looked at Captain Nezumi and his Marines. Over the years, they had taken plenty of bribes from the Arlong Pirates and done their best to cover up their crimes.

Some of the Marines might have taken part willingly, while others might have been forced into it, but they had all pocketed a share of the dirty money.

They had been leeching off more than twenty villages. Not only had they failed to perform their duty as Marines, they had become the Arlong Pirates' shield. They deserved to die!

"No! My cousin is Momonga, a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral! He's a famous hard-liner! You can't kill me, or you'll face an endless hunt!!"

Captain Nezumi threatened them in terror. He couldn't count on anyone else to save him, so all he could do was keep trying to scare Daddy and the other lawless, brutal pirates!

"Are you sure you're not making that up? Would Momonga have a useless relative like you?

But your real backing should be the entire Navy. You don't need to use a Vice Admiral to scare me!

You might as well say your teacher was former Marine Admiral Zephyr!"

Daddy slowly drew Sandai Kitetsu. He was already a wanted man, so why should he fear a Marine pursuit?

"How did you know?! Zephyr really is my teacher! You can't kill me!"

Seeing Daddy draw his sword, Captain Nezumi had already lost all sense. He grasped at any connection he could, whether it was true or not. He didn't even know Momonga or Zephyr.

But he really had used Vice Admiral Momonga's name to scare Arlong into leaving him alone. In the end, Arlong had offered him a large sum in bribes, and they had struck a deal.

"Zephyr had his hand cut off by pirates. Why don't you follow his example?"

Daddy slashed at Captain Nezumi, who was spouting nonsense, and one of his hands fell to the deck in the blink of an eye.

A second later, Captain Nezumi finally reacted. He screamed in pain, clutching his spurting arm.

"Too loud!"

A flash of his blade, and Daddy sheathed Sandai Kitetsu and returned to the Dreadnaught Sabre. Captain Nezumi clutched his neck and crumpled to the deck, writhing in despair!

The other crew members quickly finished off the remaining Marines, seized their supplies, and set the warship ablaze. Only Zoro and Nami remained aboard their own ship, taking no part in the slaughter.

Zoro didn't care. The opponents had been too weak to bother with. Nami, on the other hand, had gone a little pale; she couldn't quite accept such brutal violence.

But when she remembered that Captain Nezumi had been the Arlong Pirates' shield, she let go of her sympathy for the Marines.

The Big Daddy Pirates didn't stop. They continued onward, leaving only a trail of smoke behind them.

Meanwhile, Smoker in Loguetown could no longer tolerate the Big Daddy Pirates' lawlessness. They had actually dared to openly slaughter Marines! He took his men and charged out of their post, ignoring his superior's orders!

A pirate story by Great Wildfire.