Slaughter

Second Bear hurriedly began treating Big Bear's wounds.

But at that moment, Big Bear grabbed Second Bear's hand and said tremblingly, "It was... it was them... who killed... Ruhua... and Master... avenge..."

"Big Brother, don't talk yet. Let me treat your wounds first."

"Revenge!" After finishing his words, Big Bear immediately passed out.

"Big Brother!" Second Bear cried out and began tending to Big Bear's injuries as quickly as he could.

"How is he?" After Carmen blocked the Marines' bullets, Locke turned back and asked Second Bear.

"He's fine. He just lost too much blood." After quickly stopping Big Bear's bleeding, Second Bear wiped the sweat from his brow.

Hearing this, Locke let out a small sigh of relief.

"Captain Locke, leave these people to us. I want to avenge the villagers who died." After treating Big Bear's wounds, Second Bear rose to his feet and spoke to Locke with determination written all over his face.

"Alright!" Seeing the resolute looks in Second Bear's eyes, as well as Panda's and the others', Locke nodded in agreement.

Locke nodded at Carmen, who was blocking the bullets nearby.

Phantom: Blade Slash

As soon as the words fell, the Marines on the other side cried out and threw down their guns. Countless wounds of different sizes suddenly appeared on their hands, blood pouring from them.

Carmen swept her outstretched hand to the side, and the guns scattered across the ground flew away.

"I'll leave the rest to you." Having done that, Locke stopped and spoke to Second Bear and the others behind him.

Roar! Roar!

Two bear roars rang out at once. Then Panda and a polar bear charged out from behind, rushing toward the Marines who were still clutching their hands and screaming.

"Stop howling! Draw your swords and prepare for close combat!" the Marine officer ordered nervously.

But it was already too late. Second Bear and Panda had charged into the Marine ranks and begun a one-sided slaughter.

Though these Marines were well-trained, how could they possibly be a match for two Devil Fruit users, even if the two had once been ordinary civilians?

Seeing that his side had no ability to resist at all, the Marine officer quietly retreated onto the warship before roaring at the Marines below, "Retreat! Get aboard, quickly!"

"Trying to run?" Locke looked at the officer, who had somehow returned to the warship. Purple light flashed in his hands, and a massive door appeared between the Marines and their ship, blocking their escape route.

"Set sail, quickly!" Seeing the Marines below blocked by the sudden door, the Marine officer hurriedly ordered the Marines who had stayed aboard.

"Oh? Are you calling for them?" Yun Zhinnan appeared behind the officer, carrying an unconscious Marine in each hand.

"Who are you? Don't kill me! I have money! All the money on the ship is yours! Please, don't kill me!" Seeing Yun Zhinnan behind him and realizing his orders were completely useless, the officer decisively dropped to his knees and begged for mercy.

"Of course I won't kill you."

Hearing Yun Zhinnan's words, the captain visibly relaxed.

"But they might." Yun Zhinnan pointed at Second Bear and Panda, who were fighting the Marines below.

"You... you can't do this." The officer completely broke down, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"Hmph! Stay here and behave yourself!" Yun Zhinnan ignored the officer after that.

"Ah! I'll fight you!" When Yun Zhinnan turned away, the officer charged at him hysterically.

"A feeble struggle." Yun Zhinnan did not even turn his head. He merely sidestepped the attack, then kicked the officer, sending him crashing onto the deck.

Before long, Panda and Second Bear had dealt with all the Marines below. Perhaps because they were too furious, they did not leave a single survivor.

Yun Zhinnan then brought the officer before Locke.

When Second Bear and Panda, who had just finished fighting, saw the officer, they wanted to rush over and finish him off. But Locke raised a hand and stopped them.

"Don't be hasty. I have questions for him first. You can deal with him after I'm done."

Hearing Locke's words, the two stopped moving. However, they continued glaring murderously at the officer, as though they wanted to devour him alive. The sight frightened him so badly that his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

"What's your name?" Locke crouched in front of the officer and asked.

"Please, spare me!" Seeing Locke stop the Bear brothers, the officer assumed this seemingly amiable man was their leader and hurriedly begged for mercy.

"He asked you a question!" Seeing the officer's behavior, Panda stepped forward and kicked him.

"My name is Sofira," the officer said fearfully after taking Panda's kick.

"Sofira, is it? What position do you hold in the Marines?"

"I'm a lieutenant colonel from the East Blue's 16th Branch." After being kicked, Sofira became much more obedient. He answered nearly everything Locke asked, so long as he knew the answer.

This gave Locke some understanding of the situation in East Blue. It truly deserved its reputation from the anime as the weakest sea. The highest bounty was only twenty million, and that pirate was Arlong of the Arlong Pirates—the one Locke had seen in the anime, who controlled Nami's village.

"Then one last question. Why did you attack this village?" After learning some of what he wanted to know, Locke asked again.

"It wasn't me! My superior ordered me to do it! I didn't want to!" Sofira began crying again.

"Just tell me who it was," Locke said again.

"It was Colonel Nezumi from the 16th Branch. He ordered me to do it. It really had nothing to do with me! Please, let me go!"

"So it was him." After getting the answer he wanted, Locke stood up and muttered.

"Alright, he's yours." Locke looked at Second Bear and Panda.

"No!" Sofira screamed desperately as he watched Second Bear and Panda approach him.

"Please, spare me!"

Ignoring Sofira's cries, Panda grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away.

"You pirates will pay for this."

"The Marines won't let you go."

"Reinforcement ships will be here soon. You'll all die in—Aah!"

Before Sofira could finish speaking, Panda dealt with him.

"I'd like to see how the Marines plan to keep us here." Locke dismissed Sofira's words with disdain.

After dealing with everything here, Locke returned to the ship to see how things were going. Although he had sent Annie back early, he was still somewhat worried.