East Blue, Loguetown.
Since the public execution of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, the plaza in Loguetown had not seen such a massive gathering of people as it did today.
In the center of the plaza, next to the execution platform where Roger had once met his end, two enormous screens had been set up. Locals, traveling merchants, and all manner of onlookers gathered here. Yet, the entire plaza was eerily quiet, with a heavy tension hanging over the crowd.
Earlier, the scene of William lifting Smoker by the neck with one hand had been faithfully captured by the Den Den Mushi and broadcasted live. It was then that people realized that even a Marine Headquarters Commander, a fellow Logia Devil Fruit user, was utterly powerless against William. And now, one of the four vice admirals dispatched by Marine Headquarters, Dalmatia, had been defeated, his arm severed and his combat capabilities rendered useless.
At this point, everyone watching the broadcast understood: though Morgan William had been out of prison for less than an hour, Kalmar City had already fallen back under his control.
Bartolomeo, breathing heavily with excitement, trembled slightly, his bright green mohawk quivering. The image of William's release from prison—Gin draping a coat over his shoulders and Ronnie lighting his cigar—played over and over in Bartolomeo's mind. William's relaxed and confident demeanor, even under the gaze of countless onlookers, was something Bartolomeo could only dream of possessing.
Bartolomeo glanced down at his left arm, which was wrapped in bandages and hung in a sling. It was an injury he had sustained recently during a gang clash with other factions in town.
Though only fifteen years old, Bartolomeo was already the leader of a gang that controlled two streets in Loguetown. His gang had gained some notoriety throughout the town. Yet now, for the first time, he realized how childish his past actions were. Compared to the true giants of the world, his and his companions' exploits were nothing more than children playing house. In terms of influence and grandeur, they were laughable in the eyes of someone like William.
Even while imprisoned, William's influence had stirred unrest across the entire East Blue. And now, after being convicted by Marine Headquarters, he had been welcomed out of prison by countless civilians.
Bartolomeo knew that if he stayed in Loguetown, spending his days fighting for turf, he would never achieve the power and status that William possessed.
"How about we set sail?" Bartolomeo asked his companions in a low voice.
His companion, Gambia, widened his eyes in shock. "Set sail? We don't know the first thing about the sea! And with how chaotic it is out there right now—William's men and the Marines are everywhere—it's way too dangerous!"
"That's exactly why it's exciting! Let's go join Morgan William, right now! While he's fighting the Marines!" Bartolomeo exclaimed, his excitement showing no consideration for the possibility that they might be captured by the Marines and thrown into prison as soon as they set sail.
Bartolomeo held considerable sway within his gang, and his companions were just as reckless as he was. Except for Gambia, who hesitated, the others voiced no objections.
While Bartolomeo and his companions planned their departure to join William, another group in Loguetown had a starkly different reaction.
Zeff rubbed his face vigorously, but it didn't erase the heavy expression he wore.
The Baratie, the floating restaurant, had been closed for quite some time now.
Though Zeff, once a pirate captain, was skilled and fearless of the pirates roaming the East Blue, the recent chaos caused by pirates had grown too severe. They had even begun attacking Marine bases. Zeff had no choice but to lie low. After all, in the current climate of constant battles between pirates and Marines, no one would risk their lives to dine at a floating restaurant in the middle of the sea.
With danger looming and no business to run, Zeff had decided to temporarily close the restaurant. He had hoped that after today, once William was executed, the East Blue would gradually return to peace and the restaurant's business would improve. But now, it seemed the situation would not only fail to improve—it might become even worse.
"Go inform the others on the ship. The seas will only grow more dangerous in the future. We'll likely need to stay on land for a while longer," Zeff said with a sigh.
"Captain?" The old crew members surrounding Zeff voiced their confusion.
Zeff's tone grew heavy. "Things have escalated too far. Neither Morgan William nor the Marines will let this go. You all know what kind of man William is. After being imprisoned by the Marines and nearly executed, he won't just let it slide. And the Marines won't either. William escaped from prison in front of countless witnesses in the East Blue, severely injuring a vice admiral in the process. Even if Marine Headquarters stays silent, the remaining three vice admirals in the East Blue will feel humiliated and won't let him off easily. The East Blue won't see peace anytime soon. And frankly, neither will the land."
Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the plaza. One of Zeff's chefs pointed to the large screen and called out, "Boss, look!"
Zeff turned to see that the screen had gone completely black. The Den Den Mushi signal had somehow been cut off.
Across the East Blue, viewers of the broadcast were filled with confusion, unsure why the signal had been lost. In truth, it was because William had ordered the Den Den Mushi on his end to be turned off.
William instructed his men to retrieve the Seastone handcuffs and shackles he had left in his cell. These were then used to restrain the unconscious Smoker and the one-armed Dalmatia. A team was left behind to guard them and provide basic first aid for their injuries.
Meanwhile, through a Transponder Snail, William directed Edmond, Dampier, and other key figures at the port to storm another prison holding members of the Morgan faction and rescue them. William himself led his forces toward the royal palace.
Having learned from past mistakes, Norton I had taken greater care in selecting members of his royal guard after his reinstatement. Thus, the palace wasn't solely guarded by William's garrison forces but also by soldiers loyal to the king and nobles.
Moreover, to avoid alarming the enemy, William hadn't contacted the garrison forces stationed at the palace in advance. They were still in the dark.
However, when William and his forces arrived at the palace, they were met with the sound of fierce battle cries echoing from within.
(Only one chapter today—apologies. Tomorrow, there will be three updates.
Additionally, regarding Logia Devil Fruit users and Armament Haki, here are two points of clarification:
Logia users, like anyone else, can use Armament Haki.When a Logia user employs Armament Haki, only the parts of their body covered by Haki are solidified. Other parts can still remain in an elemental state.
For reference, see the fight between Smoker and Vergo in the original series. Although Smoker was outmatched, he did use Armament Haki. There's a clear scene where Smoker's fist and part of his forearm are covered in Haki, maintaining a solid form, while the rest of his arm remains in an elemental state.)
(End of Chapter)
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