We're All Genuine

Slap!

Rat slapped Pal across the face, then turned to Gawain with a fawning look amid Pal's bewildered stare.

"I remembered wrong just now."

"It's not unheard of for people to return from the Grand Line to the East Blue within the Marines. For example, Vice Admiral Garp often comes back here."

"Looking at you... looking at your face, sir, you don't look like a pirate."

"Is that so?"

Gawain slowly sheathed his Knight Sword, his expression indifferent. From Rat's reaction, he knew the man had recognized him.

Judging by his attitude, Rat clearly had no desire to start a fight with him here.

After all, even someone like Arlong could easily keep him in check, let alone Gawain, whose Bounty was more than twice Arlong's and whose strength far surpassed his.

"Then it seems this was a misunderstanding."

Rat nodded sharply.

The moment he recognized Gawain's face, he had nearly pissed himself on the spot. So of course this was a misunderstanding. It could only be a misunderstanding.

As a high-ranking Marine in the East Blue, he knew better than anyone what a 48 Million Bounty meant.

That was a vicious character only a Headquarters captain—or even a flag officer—could handle.

In the East Blue, such a person was practically invincible. If things truly reached the point where Gawain had no choice but to act, every single person present would die!

Even the man named Locke standing beside Gawain, sheathing his Claw Blades one by one, began to look increasingly familiar to Rat.

Wait!

Claw Blades on all ten fingers, a stern and gloomy face, and terrifying killing intent radiating from his entire body...

Locke... Kuro?

He was Hundred Plans Kuro?!

Rat's heart skipped a beat. The fighting style matched the rumors. There was no mistake—he was the real Hundred Plans Kuro!

Remembering what he had said earlier, Rat wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole.

What the hell!

He had casually made up a few boastful claims, and the actual person had been right there?

Just then, Kuro's gaze casually swept over Rat. Feeling the chill in his eyes, Rat's spine went cold. He couldn't stay in this damn place!

With that thought, Rat was about to speak and try to smooth things over when a wave of scorching air came from beside him.

The burning pain in his face made Pal's whole body tremble. He reached up and touched his nose, only to see crimson blood.

"Blood... I'm bleeding?"

Pal's face went deathly pale as invisible flames burst from beneath the armor covering his body.

The flames were blue-green, their temperature clearly far beyond that of ordinary fire. Even from a distance, everyone felt as though the flames were licking at their skin.

"This is bad!"

Akin's face darkened.

Among Krieg's men, Pal's combat strength was second only to his own. With the shields covering his body, even a direct cannonball blast might not have been enough to knock him back.

But Pal had one fatal flaw.

The moment he was injured, he would lose his mind and go berserk on the spot!

"This is going to be trouble!"

"Flame Pal!"

The flames around Pal exploded as his face twisted with near-madness. The pain in his face made him lose all reason and spiral out of control.

Without another word—

He swung the shield on his arm at Rat!

"Help... help me!"

Rat squeezed out a faint sound from his throat, only to see a gaunt figure suddenly appear before him.

The newcomer swung his Iron Crutch sideways, using its tremendous momentum to smash into the shield on Pal's chest...

Bang!

The shield on Pal's chest shattered at once. He was sent flying, rolled his eyes after hitting the ground, and lost consciousness.

The port guards looked at Akin, who had suddenly struck, with fear on their faces. They instinctively protected Gaza and retreated several steps, their gazes toward Akin becoming filled with wariness.

To smash such a heavy shield in one blow, someone like that was no different from a monster in their eyes!

Rat, having narrowly escaped with his life, had wet himself.

"I... I survived!"

"Well done! I'll give you money and help you get promoted. No, I'll transfer you under my command!"

Rat babbled incoherently.

Akin caught the strange scent in the air and frowned.

"Sir, we still need you to verify our identities!"

"Oh, right, identities!"

Ignoring the strange sensation from his lower body, Rat gave Gawain a fawning smile before turning to Gaza.

"I can vouch for them. Both sides are genuine Marines."

Gaza looked at Rat, then at Akin standing beside him, and frowned.

"None of you three are trustworthy right now!"

Rat's face reddened, but with Gawain present, he did not dare lash out.

He could only pull a Den Den Mushi from his clothes with a dark expression and make a call. After exchanging a few words with the person on the other end, he had a subordinate hand the receiver to Gaza.

"Father?"

Gaza froze slightly.

"Captain Rat is an old acquaintance of yours?"

As she spoke, Gaza gave Rat a strange look, undisguised disgust in her eyes. Lowering her voice, she said, "Isn't this guy a bad person? He colluded with the local pirates in Cocoyasi? He really deserves to die!"

"All right, I understand. I'll put my mind at ease."

After hanging up, Gaza returned the Den Den Mushi to Rat and apologized faintly to everyone.

"Since this was a misunderstanding, let this matter end here."

"I apologize for my earlier actions, but this was a responsibility I had to bear as the lord. I hope you understand."

Gaza then waved her hand, dismissing the port guards. After giving Gawain one long look, she turned and left.

The three sides that had been facing off in the port all breathed a sigh of relief.

None of them wanted to fight outright, so this outcome was practically the best possible solution for the moment.

As the tense situation eased, the three groups went their separate ways and began making their own preparations.

Rat watched Gawain's figure from afar and shuddered instinctively. Then he said to the Marine beside him, "Let's go!"

"We're leaving immediately!"

The Marine froze, looking somewhat troubled.

"Captain, the supplies on the ship will only last a few days, and it'll take at least half a month to reach the next port. We..."

"If we stay here, we'll all die!"

Rat's voice trembled. After calming down, he said, "Contact the nearby bases. Tell them our ship ran into trouble at sea and have them come meet us."

"As for those monsters..."

Rat looked at Akin in the distance, then at Gawain and Kuro. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Leave them for the monsters to deal with!"

"Loguetown isn't far from here anyway. Isn't that bastard from Headquarters arrogant as hell?"

"Then let him handle it!"

With that, Rat did not even bother gathering supplies. The moment the crowd dispersed, he set sail and fled, looking as though he were running for his life.

At the port.

Kuro looked toward the Warship carrying Akin and the others and licked his lips.

"I know that Rat. His own strength is mediocre, so he isn't much of a threat. But that Marine called Agin who acted earlier has some skill. Even I felt a trace of danger from him. He counts as someone noteworthy in the East Blue."

"His name isn't Agin."

Gawain shook his head and directly exposed the man's identity.

"Demon Man Gin. A 12 Million Berry Bounty. Admiral Creek's top commander."