"So it was you… You were the one who dealt with those pirates!" Tashigi's body trembled as she looked around at the fallen figures, her voice shaking. Under Moonlight's Conqueror's Haki, she was barely able to stand, but even then, she was on the verge of collapse. She couldn't muster any fighting spirit in the face of Moonlight's overwhelming presence.
"Damn it!" Smoker roared, but his struggles were futile. No matter how much he tried to use his abilities, he remained pinned under Moonlight's foot, unable to move. The gap in their strength was simply too vast.
"Conqueror's Haki… How is this possible? Someone in the East Blue has such power?" Buggy's eyes widened in shock. This was a power that only one in a million possessed—the chosen ones. Even on Roger's ship, those with this ability were few and far between. And now, someone with this power had appeared in the weakest of the Four Seas?
"Alright, Captain Smoker, this ends here. If you plan on continuing the chase, I won't be so polite next time." Seeing that Luffy and the others had left Loguetown and headed toward the sea, Moonlight released Smoker and glanced around before speaking calmly. He then leaped away at incredible speed, vanishing from sight. No one could track him, let alone catch him. And at this moment, who would dare pursue him?
"Damn it!" Smoker stood up, glancing at the fallen figures around him, feeling a lingering fear. The power he had just experienced was too overwhelming. Before he could even react, he had been struck down and trampled underfoot, utterly powerless. In front of that man, he was nothing but a joke.
"Captain Smoker!" Tashigi called out, but she could no longer hold on. With a thud, she collapsed to the ground, unconscious. For someone of her strength, lasting this long was already an impressive feat.
"…" Smoker looked at the sea of unconscious bodies around him, inhaling deeply from his cigarette. He exhaled a long puff of smoke and slumped to the ground, abandoning the chase. He didn't even bother with Buggy anymore. He had always believed in his sense of justice, but when faced with overwhelming strength that tore his justice to shreds, he realized he was still far too weak.
"Luffy, do you think Moonlight will be alright?" As Luffy and the others ran toward the Going Merry, Usopp glanced back at the square, worried. Besides Smoker, a formidable Devil Fruit user, there were so many other enemies. Moonlight would have to fight against a hundred foes. Could he really handle it?
"Yeah, Luffy, wasn't it a bit reckless to leave Moonlight alone back there?" Nami added. Moonlight was strong—one-on-one, she had no doubts about his capabilities. But this situation was different; the numbers were just too overwhelming.
"You're underestimating him. Those people are nothing to Moonlight. Didn't you see how he took down that Navy captain in seconds?" Zoro smirked, unconcerned. He had absolute faith in Moonlight. After all, this was the man who had faced the world's greatest swordsman, Mihawk, without losing. Could someone like that really be defeated?
"Instead of worrying about him, we should be more concerned about ourselves. We haven't escaped danger yet," Sanji said, his gaze shifting to the sea. Several large Navy ships, at least twenty, were approaching, each armed with cannons. Leading them were three captains, each no less formidable than Smoker, advancing with an ironclad formation to block their escape. It was as if a monstrous beast was bearing down on them.
Instantly, the entire island of Loguetown was locked down. The Navy had received Smoker's distress signal and sent reinforcements to round up the pirates gathered there.
"There are so many of them! We're surrounded!" Usopp screamed.
"They got here fast," Zoro muttered, annoyed.
"Tch!" Sanji sneered, dashing toward the Merry with Zoro. While the Navy's forces were strong, they didn't seem to have any particularly skilled fighters, so they weren't overly concerned.
"Quick, get on the ship! Luffy, you take the front and hold off the enemy. Usopp, take the helm. Sanji, set the sails. Zoro, guard the perimeter!" Nami barked orders as she jumped aboard the Merry. She glanced up at a dark cloud overhead, brimming with confidence.
"With me as your navigator, it doesn't matter if there's a wall of iron ahead—we'll get through it."
"Nami, do we even stand a chance?" Usopp asked, astonished. From his perspective, they were doomed. Still, he followed orders swiftly, adjusting the helm and steering the ship.
"Absolutely! Nami-swan, you're perfect!" Sanji's eyes sparkled with admiration as he gazed at her. He was completely captivated by her confidence and skill.
Zoro and Luffy kept a watchful eye on their surroundings, ready for any sudden danger. The Merry began to move, driven forward by their combined efforts.
"We've spotted the Straw Hat crew!" The Navy sailors shouted, eyes fixed on the Merry.
"With criminals like these on board, they're extremely dangerous. Prepare to engage and take them down as an example to all!" The three captains conferred briefly and issued their orders. As per protocol, they would fire warning shots first, offering the pirates a chance to surrender. If they refused, they would be eliminated without mercy.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A volley of cannon fire erupted, with ten shots simultaneously tearing through the air and landing near the Merry, sending waves crashing around the ship and making it rock precariously.
"Such powerful firepower! The Navy doesn't mess around," Sanji muttered, visibly shaken.
"Luffy, protect the ship! Usopp, adjust the helm thirty degrees to the left and break away!" Nami ordered calmly.
"Got it!" Luffy nodded, growing serious. The Merry couldn't withstand many hits like that. Usopp immediately adjusted their course, steering the Merry along the coastline. Using the shockwaves from the cannon blasts, the ship surged forward like an arrow, breaking free of the Navy's firing range.
"Nami, you're amazing!" Usopp gave her a thumbs up, grinning.
"You're incredible, Nami-swan!" Sanji exclaimed, his admiration reaching new heights.
"Alright, let's keep pushing and leave them behind!" Luffy cheered, pointing ahead.
"Leave it to me. I'm the best navigator around!" Nami declared proudly.
"Damn it, they used the currents from our cannon fire to escape. Their navigator must be extraordinary!" A Navy captain in white muttered angrily as he watched the Merry pull away.
"Don't worry; they won't get far. We've prepared for this!"
"Exactly. They're too naive. Do they really think they can break through our blockade just by using the currents? They're underestimating us!"