How Could Evil Run Rampant Before Justice?

With a series of earth-shattering booms, one side of the Baratie Sea Restaurant suddenly erupted!

More than a dozen of the Krieg Pirates' warships were pierced straight through by a terrifying, invisible force.

As the hulls rocked violently, the cannons that had been aimed at Baratie veered completely off course. A hundred cannonballs skimmed past the restaurant's edges and smashed into the surrounding allied warships instead.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Explosions from the successive friendly-fire hits rang out, and flames and thick smoke instantly engulfed several pirate ships.

Decks broke apart, masts collapsed, and seawater poured into the holds. Several ships soon lost their ability to fight and slowly sank toward the seabed, trailing black smoke.

"Bastard, who the hell did that?" Don Krieg's eyes were wide with rage as he roared, "Who dares interfere with my plans?!"

Just then, a flippant voice suddenly rang out from high above, reaching everyone's ears:

"Before justice, evil will not be allowed to run rampant!"

Before the words had faded, a figure descended from the sky with the sea breeze.

The man wore a justice coat, his short black hair fluttering in the wind and a pair of round sunglasses on his face. He was a marine officer!

The instant he landed, the few remaining cannonballs about to strike Baratie suddenly stopped in midair!

After a brief pause, the cannonballs seemed to be shoved hard by an invisible force. They reversed direction and hurtled back toward Don Krieg's warships at several times their previous speed!

Another series of thunderous blasts rang out as flames soared into the sky. Several warships broke apart one after another in the explosions, their shattered planks tumbling into the sea.

The cannonballs that had left Zeff and Sanji helpless were as fragile as bubbles before this marine who had suddenly appeared.

This was power on an entirely different level!

As the smoke cleared, the newcomer appeared before Sanji and the others.

Normally, upon seeing this handsome, powerful, and obnoxious marine, Sanji would probably have felt nothing but irritation.

But in the current situation, Sanji only felt his heart pounding and a joy unlike anything he had ever known.

We're saved!

Baratie is saved!

"Ensign Ivan!" Sanji hurried to Ivan's side and said gratefully, "Thank you for stepping in and saving us."

"No need to thank me. Protecting the weak is a responsibility the strong should bear!" Ivan said. "Oh, right, you should call me Captain Ivan from now on. I was an ensign months ago. Read the news more often, or you'll look ignorant."

The moment Ivan said that, most of Sanji's gratitude went cold.

The corners of his mouth twitched despite himself, and he grumbled inwardly, This guy is as obnoxious as ever!

Although Sanji was a little annoyed, he wasn't really angry, and his gratitude toward Ivan hadn't diminished in the slightest.

After all, without Ivan, Baratie would very likely have been destroyed this time. Ivan had saved his life, the old man's, and the lives of many of their companions!

When the man had saved his life, how could Sanji bicker with him?

After grumbling inwardly for a moment, Sanji smiled and nodded. "Yes, yes. Once this is over, I'll read more newspapers, especially ones about Captain Ivan!"

"Mm, good. You can leave now. I'll deal with the Krieg Pirates!"

Sanji was puzzled. "Wait, don't you need our help? These are the Krieg Pirates, with five thousand men!"

Sanji still didn't know how vast the world was. He hadn't seen those monsters, or even Hawk Eyes.

So as far as he was concerned, even if five thousand men stood still and let someone cut them down, it would take a long time. There was no way one or two people could deal with them.

Ivan looked back and chuckled. "Don't worry. In the East Blue, I'm the strongest now!"

As soon as he spoke, he vanished from where he stood and appeared aboard the pirate ship ahead.

Before him stood the target of his trip: Admiral Don Krieg, a man with a bounty of seventeen million Beli!

Looking at the man before him, who stood 2.4 meters tall and wore golden armor, Ivan chuckled. "Hey, so you're Don Krieg?"

Even after seeing Ivan sink several warships with a single attack, Don Krieg showed not the slightest fear.

People could never understand power beyond their own experience. Just like this overlord of the East Blue, who could never imagine the terror of those true monsters.

His pride and arrogance had long since confined his vision to the East Blue.

Don Krieg glanced at Ivan. Instead of answering him, he arrogantly asked:

"Hmph, interesting. That ability you just used to send the cannonballs back was one of those legendary Devil Fruit abilities, wasn't it?

"You're not bad. Get on your knees and beg for mercy, and I might let you join me as one of Admiral Don Krieg's subordinates. Otherwise, you'll die here today!"

The other members of the Krieg Pirates had been somewhat afraid, but seeing their boss so confident, they immediately began shouting.

"Hahaha, that's right! Get on your knees and beg for mercy!"

"What marine? You're all ants before Boss Don Krieg! Boss Don Krieg is invincible!"

Hearing that, Ivan looked a little bemused and raised an eyebrow with the hint of a smile. "Are you always this confident?"

Don Krieg snorted. "Hmph, who do you think I am? I'm Admiral Don Krieg, overlord of the East Blue! Ants like you should be kneeling before me!"

"Overlord of the East Blue?" Ivan scoffed, slowly flexing his wrist. "You're nothing but a frog at the bottom of a well. Enough talk. Come on, try to last as long as you can. Don't bore me too much."

"Fool, you've chosen a dead end after all." Seeing that Ivan wanted to fight, Don Krieg sneered. "Gin, deal with him."

"Yes!" Gin the Demon had remained silent ever since Ivan appeared. Only when Don Krieg gave the order did he step forward.

Crutches in hand, he pushed off and charged at Ivan like an arrow loosed from a bow, shouting, "Demon Fighting Style: Heavy Hammer!"

Gin had a bounty of twelve million Beli. In the anime, he was a pirate who valued loyalty and affection, but in Ivan's eyes, he still deserved to die.

What did a little sense of honor matter?

His hands were already stained with the blood of civilians. For such evil deeds, he deserved nothing less than death!

Seeing that Ivan hadn't moved an inch or even drawn his sword, the charging Gin couldn't help mocking him. "What's wrong? Not going to fight? Are you scared?"

Ivan tilted his head and chuckled casually. "Sorry, you're too weak—so weak you don't even deserve to make me draw my sword!"

"Arrogant fool!" Gin was instantly enraged, and his killing intent grew even stronger.

But as soon as Gin spoke, Ivan merely raised a finger and said softly, "One Sword Style: Red: Sky-Rending Slash!"

A streak of black and red flashed past, accompanied by a piercing sound as it cut through the air. Before anyone could make sense of what they had seen, Gin's head shot into the sky, blood gushing from his neck like a fountain!

Amid the bloody mist that filled the air, not a single drop stained the hem of Ivan's coat, which remained as clean as new.

His tone was still lazy, with a hint of impatience. "Is that all? What a waste of my time."