East Blue, Near the Kalami Islands
Splash...
Splash...
Men struggled in the water, gasping for breath as they clawed their way to the surface, their drenched uniforms weighing them down.
Hiro stood at the edge of his ship's deck, watching them flounder with a look of steely indifference.
"You idiots better start swimming," he barked, voice cold and unforgiving. "Kalami Islands are in that direction. I expect you all to be there when we dock. And if you're late..." He smirked, a dark glint in his eyes. "You'll get to enjoy a much longer swim – to Loguetown."
One of the men tried to reason with him, stammering, "S-sir, please! We didn't know—"
But Hiro silenced him with a dismissive wave. He grabbed another crewmember, heaving him overboard with a powerful shove.
The failure was simple: Hiro had assigned them one job – to guard Nami. She'd been held on board, under watch, while he slept. But these morons had let her slip right past them.
Using one of the two lifeboats, Nami had made off with a small fortune, emptying his safe along with everyone's pockets and making her escape under the cover of darkness.
He felt his anger simmering beneath the surface, and it took every ounce of control to keep from taking it out on the nearest person in arm's reach.
'Breathe!'
He reminded himself.
He wasn't about to let one person derail his plans. After all, Cocoyashi Village was still her home, and her sister, Nojiko, was still there.
Nami would return eventually.
Until then, he had more pressing matters to attend to
Still, he could use a way to vent his frustration, and as if the world had answered his call, a flicker of movement caught his eye on the horizon.
He grabbed his naval telescope, extending it to get a better look. Through the lens, he saw it – a pirate ship, clumsily changing course in a bid to flee.
A smile crept across his face. "Finally," he muttered. He'd been waiting for a chance to test his newfound strength, and these pirates had just offered themselves as perfect target practice.
"Pirates!" he shouted, lowering the telescope. His voice rang out, drawing every Marine's attention. "Men, prepare for battle! Arm the cannons and ready the guns."
A shrill whistle sounded from the crow's nest as the scout echoed Hiro's call, the high-pitched sound cutting through the air and stirring the crew into action.
Men scrambled to their stations, cannon crews loaded their arms, and the deck came alive with the frenzied energy of battle preparations.
Hiro turned to his navigator. "Get us alongside that ship. They're not getting away."
The navigator nodded, steering the frigate with deft hands. Hiro's ship gained on the pirate vessel quickly; the lumbering, cargo-heavy ship was no match for a Marine frigate built for speed and maneuverability.
Within minutes, they were almost close enough to make out the pirates' frantic movements on deck.
"Raise the red flag!" Hiro ordered, watching as a bright scarlet flag unfurled at the top of the mast, signaling the pirates' last chance to surrender.
But the white flag didn't go up. He saw the pirate ship's sails shift slightly, attempting to make one last desperate turn.
"Fire a warning shot," he commanded. One of the Marines on the cannon crew ignited the fuse, and the roar of the cannon echoed across the water.
A geyser of water exploded just ahead of the pirate ship, close enough to make them flinch but not to damage their vessel.
Hiro's grin widened as he saw a flash of gunpowder from the pirate ship. "They're firing back," he murmured, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
'Good. Let's see what you've got.'
Splash!
The cannonball fell short, hitting the water a hundred meters ahead of his ship.
Hiro raised his hand. "Fire!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Four cannons thundered in unison, and the sea reverberated with the deafening roar. Water erupted around the pirate ship as cannonballs splashed dangerously close, causing chaos on deck.
Although none of the shots hit their mark, the panic setting in among the pirates was clear.
Hiro reloaded his rifle, observing the chaos through his telescope. He watched as men frantically shouted orders, some trying to return fire, others desperately manning their own cannons.
Each movement told him something about the enemy's state of mind. These pirates weren't well-trained fighters; they were simple raiders, hardly fit to even call themselves soldiers. His smirk deepened – this would be easier than he'd thought.
One of his crewmen shouted, "Direct hit!"
Hiro peered through the lens, spotting a hole splintered near the waterline of the enemy ship. A faint hiss of satisfaction escaped him.
The pirate crew scrambled, attempting to patch up the damage, but the Marines' aim was improving with each volley.
"Keep firing!" he barked. "Bring them to their knees!"
The cannon crews worked swiftly, their shots landing closer and closer to the mark.
Another volley hit its target, splintering wood and sending pirates tumbling. Smoke began to rise from the pirate deck, flames licking the wooden boards as the situation on the enemy's side grew dire.
Minutes later, the pirate ship raised a white flag, signaling surrender. Hiro motioned for his cannons to ceasefire as he watched the chaos unfold.
Pirates leapt from the burning vessel, some abandoning their weapons, others clinging to floating debris in the water.
"Protocol is clear," Hiro called to his men, his voice steely. "If they resist, kill them. Let's make an example out of anyone who thinks they can get away with defying the Marines."
He signaled to his boarding crew, who readied grappling hooks to pull the pirate ship closer. As his men closed the distance, Hiro made his way to the front, gripping his rifle tightly as he eyed the panicked pirates struggling in the water.
On the Pirate Ship
Aboard the smoking, shattered deck of the pirate ship, the Marines stormed across with ruthless efficiency. Hiro watched his crew work, every order executed with precise, cold precision.
Pirates who resisted were swiftly cut down, and those who surrendered were hauled back onto the Marine ship in chains.
One pirate captain, a grizzled man with a thick, wiry beard, spat at Hiro's feet as he was dragged before him. "You Marines... all you do is terrorize people! Just as bad as the World Government!"
Hiro's smile turned icy. "Maybe you're not entirely wrong." He leaned in, his gaze cold as he gripped the man by the collar, pulling him close. "But I don't care if I'm the villain in your story. You just had the misfortune of crossing my path."
With a swift motion, he tossed the captain aside, gesturing for the men to bind him.
The pirate spat curses as he was dragged away, but Hiro paid him no mind. His gaze drifted back to the smoking wreckage of the ship, a reminder of his newfound power.
This skirmish had proved that his training was working, and although there was much to be desired considering the fight was over before Hiro could even get his blood pumping, Hiro now knew that he could stand at the forefront of any fight without flinching.
But this was only the beginning.
As his gaze fell on the burning remnants of the pirate vessel, his thoughts drifted to Arlong, to Nami's escape, and to the challenges waiting beyond the East Blue.
He would find Nami, rein her back in, and use her to shape this world to his advantage.
But first, he had to secure his reputation in these waters. This was just a small victory on his path to total dominance.
Turning to his crew, he lifted his rifle high, a triumphant glint in his eye. "Remember this day, men. This is only the start. I'll make sure every pirate in these waters knows our name. They'll learn to fear us."
The men cheered, the sound carrying across the waves, echoing like a war cry.
This was Hiro's world now, and he would shape it with force, fire, and fear.
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