Naval Warships Following

The Big Top sailed through the hazy sea mist toward Gravity Island, while not far behind its stern, a Marine warship could be seen trailing in its wake.

Captain Nezumi stood on the deck of the warship, ordering the helmsman to stay close to the ship ahead. The thick fog over the sea shrouded the warship's presence; it felt as if the heavens themselves were helping him hunt down the detestable great pirate of the East Blue.

It was only after receiving intelligence from a Den Den Mushi carried by a scout that Captain Nezumi learned Buggy himself was not on the pirate ship, but was instead living on an uninhabited island.

He squeaked with a laugh, "Who would have thought? As a captain, not only is Buggy absent from his own pirate ship, but he has also been living on a small island for over a year, leaving even the procurement of food to his underlings... Even for a retirement, this is far too incompetent. Sergeant, why do you think he would do such a thing?"

The sergeant, whom he considered his confidant, replied cautiously, "Buggy is afraid that his bounty is too high, so he wants to disappear from the Navy's sight for a while. Once some time has passed and the Navy has shifted its focus away from him, he intends to rise up and stir up trouble again."

"Your words don't align with my thoughts at all," Captain Nezumi said. "Besides, as a pirate, he actually buys food and supplies from nearby islanders instead of plundering them. It's clear he intends to stay for the long term and is making sustainable preparations. As for why he would be willing to do this, it can only be because the benefits outweigh the costs, so..."

Captain Nezumi swallowed hard, his voice growing heated, "There is a high probability that there is more than one pirate treasure on that island, or perhaps he has discovered a substantial gold mine..."

The sergeant suddenly realized, "No wonder the notorious Buggy has stayed on one island for so long!"

Captain Nezumi trembled slightly, "Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. Treasure, endless treasure, squeak!"

Buggy and his three companions walked toward the edge of the island, feeling the gravity gradually weaken along the way and slowly adjusting to the discomfort in their bodies.

After about twenty minutes, they finally reached the shore. Having adapted to three or four times the gravity, the two-fold gravity felt wonderful, making their bodies feel light, as if every pore were breathing.

The twelve pirates remaining on the ship struggled to transport the supplies and food onto the beach. Despite having done this many times, the two or three times the weight made them extremely uncomfortable.

Suddenly, a strange sound came from the hull of the pirate ship. The pirates dropped their supplies and looked up to see over a dozen iron grappling hooks latching onto the ship's masts and railings, with four or five harpoon-like tips deeply embedded in the hull.

The Big Top rocked from side to side, kicking up layers of waves.

What is going on?! All the pirates stood frozen in place. Buggy frowned, while Shuma's eyes widened at the sight of something novel, seemingly finding it quite interesting.

The shadows of the chains on the pirate ship slowly became clear. Through the sea mist, the Marine warship connected to the other end of the chains cut through the waves, approaching the shore.

On the deck of the warship, an officer wearing a mouse-eared cap revealed half his body, looking down from above at the pirates on the beach who were shocked and at a loss. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Nezumi of the Marine 16th Branch, squeak."

As soon as he finished speaking, the stunned pirates below erupted into an uproar.

"Damn it, they tracked us!"

"Curse these Marines, when did they set their sights on us?!"

"Our weapons are still on the ship, we're finished..."

Cabaji shouted in a deep voice, "Stop the noise! It's just one warship."

"Squeak." Nezumi found this pirate, who didn't tremble like the others, somewhat interesting. He waved his right hand lightly, and two or three soldiers poked their heads out, pulled out their military rifles, and aimed at Cabaji.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three bullets instantly fired from the barrels, flying toward Cabaji at a speed invisible to the naked eye. However, due to the gravity on the island, the bullets that were originally aimed at his head veered toward his chest.

"Paper Art!"

Sensing the change in the surrounding airflow, Cabaji's body shifted at will, like a thin piece of paper fluttering in the wind. His body bent, easily dodging the three bullets. He then drew his Sakura Blizzard, pointed it straight at Captain Nezumi on the warship, and said gloomily, "I will kill you."

Captain Nezumi's pupils shrank, and he couldn't help but take two steps back. Despite the distance, why was there such a heart-stopping presence? For a split second, he felt as if the sword in the man's hand was about to touch his throat.

Supported by a few quick-witted personal guards, Captain Nezumi felt he had lost all face in front of his subordinates and roared, "Reckless pirates! Open fire! Open fire!"

A large cannon on the bow of the warship aimed at the pirates' position on the beach. The fuse was instantly lit, the cannon hummed, and the shell shot out with a whistle.

"Leave it to me." Mohji consciously stood in front of the group, crossing his arms over his chest. "Iron Body. Impact Storage."

The cannonball streaked in and slammed into Mohji's crossed arms. Like hitting a spring-loaded cushion, it returned along its original path at the same speed.

BOOM!!

The massive shell struck the hull of the warship, causing a tremendous explosion that sent the vessel rocking and swaying amidst the surging waves.

"Lord Mohji is mighty! Lord Cabaji is mighty!" the surrounding pirates cheered excitedly. Even a Marine warship could hardly get the better of these two officers!

Cabaji frowned and glanced at Mohji, "Hey, I was the one who acted first, why are they praising you first?"

Mohji said smugly, "Can the power of a bullet compare to a cannonball? One-eyed dragon, everyone can see whose attack is stronger!"

Cabaji: "You idiot, you only know how to steal credit. If you hadn't blocked my way, I would have sliced that cannonball in half."

Mohji: "So, you don't admit the fact that I'm stronger than you?"

"Hmph."

"What does that 'hmph' mean? It sounds like you want to spar with me?"

As their strength increased, these two officers seemed to have become much more hot-tempered. Buggy stepped in to smooth things over, "Alright, alright, let's be civil. Mohji, you're being too rude. What if Captain Nezumi was just joking with us..."

The two officers turned their heads away, "Yes, Captain Buggy."

Buggy continued, "That's better. Shuma, go 'invite' Captain Nezumi down, and be sure to treat him well."

"Oh..." Shuma stepped on the air using Moonwalk, kicked off with a "whoosh," and leaped onto the warship in two or three bounds, disappearing into the smoke that had yet to dissipate from the explosion.

A chaotic and panicked sound came from the warship. In the blink of an eye, Captain Nezumi, his face bruised and swollen with two front teeth knocked out, was dragged down like a helpless child by Shuma and thrown heavily onto the ground.

The two officers wiped cold sweat from their foreheads. Why was Shuma able to understand Captain Buggy's meaning? And besides, Captain, you can't call this being civil at all!