In an instant, with Moonlight at the center, all pirates within a 300-meter radius suddenly jolted, then collapsed to the ground one by one. Some fainted, others foamed at the mouth, and a few were left unconscious, unable to stand. Even the pirate leader was on his knees, his entire body weak and powerless, unable to utter a single word as he stared at Moonlight.
With his Conqueror's Haki at level 2, the range had tripled, and its power was far more terrifying than before!
"Captain, it's here! Someone spotted pirates in this area!" Suddenly, a woman's voice rang out, and a female swordsman wearing glasses appeared, shouting toward the outside.
"Tashigi? That means the person coming is White Hunter Smoker!" Moonlight thought to himself, and in an instant, he disappeared from the street.
Shortly after, a man on a motorbike arrived, followed by a large number of marines.
"Huh? What's going on? They've already been dealt with?" Tashigi looked in shock at the pirates sprawled on the ground, surprised at the scene before her.
"Did we arrive too late? Who did this?" Smoker, equally astonished, stared at the sight.
"We came as fast as we could from the moment we received the report. It's only been about ten minutes. Captain Smoker and Tashigi got here even faster. Who could have the ability to take down these pirates in such a short time? These guys were formidable!"
"They have no visible wounds, and there are no signs of a fierce battle. It looks like they were taken down in an instant by some kind of power. This is too much!"
After inspecting the pirates, the marines were astonished. The pirates showed no signs of injury, and there were no battle marks on the scene, indicating that they had all been taken down in a single moment by some unknown force.
"This is too strange. Could it be a Devil Fruit user? But unless it's a Logia user like the Captain, there shouldn't be no trace left! Captain Smoker!" Tashigi was stunned, unable to believe what she was seeing.
The scene before her was beyond anything she could comprehend.
"Conqueror's Haki!" Smoker took a deep drag on his cigar, exhaling a ring of smoke. As a captain, he had access to certain classified information, and what he saw could only be explained by this power.
Even Logia users would leave traces behind, but this… he knew it well.
"Conqueror's Haki? What is that?" All around, the marines were puzzled, hearing the term for the first time.
"It's a power found only on the Grand Line, something I've only read about in classified documents. Those with this power don't need to lift a finger; they can intimidate, frighten, or even knock out opponents with just their presence. It's a power that only one in a million possesses," Smoker explained seriously.
"What! Only one in a million can possess it?" Tashigi was stunned. What kind of people were they talking about? This was practically the power of a chosen king!
"Unbelievable. You don't even have to fight, and you can make your enemies faint, lose consciousness, or become powerless. This power is terrifying!"
"The power of a king—someone with the potential to become a ruler. And only one in a million? There are actually people like this in the world?"
"If someone like that were responsible, this would make sense!"
The marines collectively gasped, feeling a wave of shock.
"No matter what, a figure like that is in Loguetown, and we don't know if they're friend or foe. Plus, the Straw Hat crew is here, along with other pirates. We're outnumbered. Tashigi, notify headquarters and request reinforcements. The rest of you, follow me." Smoker's eyes were sharp as he gave his orders.
"Yes, sir." The marines immediately sprang into action.
"They've been discovered? This isn't good!" Moonlight, watching from a rooftop, frowned. Smoker was formidable, and if Luffy and the others encountered him, things could go badly. If they didn't wrap up their errands soon, they'd be surrounded once marine reinforcements arrived.
"Observation Haki!" Moonlight activated his Haki to sense Luffy and the others' movements. At level 4, his Observation Haki could actively sense people. Although it wasn't on Rayleigh's level of covering an entire island, half a town was within reach.
Invisible waves spread out from Moonlight, and in his mind, images of different locations appeared as he sensed their auras.
Loguetown was just a small town, and it didn't take long to locate them.
In the East Street, Usopp was dueling a bounty hunter named Daddy Masterson…
Zoro was at a weapons shop, picking out new swords…
Sanji had encountered a beautiful female chef and was now competing with her over a rare ingredient…
As for Luffy, he was climbing up the execution platform in the town center, the very place where the Pirate King, Roger, had been executed. Meanwhile, Buggy, Cabaji, Alvida, and the rest of the Buggy Pirates were making their way there, aiming to get revenge and kill Luffy!
Luffy was in danger!
Moonlight's mind raced as he dashed towards the center of town.
At the center of town, the execution platform where Gol D. Roger, the former Pirate King, had been executed, Luffy had climbed to the top. Standing at the highest point, he looked down at the crowd, feeling a sensation unlike any he had felt before.
"Two Pirate Kings, standing together!" Luffy smiled.
But his actions had drawn the attention of everyone around, and they quickly gathered around.
"Look, someone's on the execution platform! That's where the Pirate King Roger was executed!"
"That guy in the straw hat… what's he trying to do?"
"Is he a pirate too? This place is under strict marine surveillance!"
"No one's been on the execution platform in a long time. Who is he?"
The crowd murmured in astonishment.
"Hey, everyone! My name's Luffy, and my dream is to become the Pirate King!" Luffy greeted with a big smile.
But no sooner had he spoken than a cold voice rang out, and a sharp blade was suddenly pressed against his neck.
"Hehehe, Straw Hat, I've finally found you!"