The next day.
Loguetown.
On a certain coastline, a group of pirates was frantically loading supplies onto their ships.
On the deck of one pirate ship, a middle-aged man with a pirate hat and a rapier at his side shouted gruffly, "Stop loading! Everyone, stop loading and get on board! We need to leave this cursed East Blue immediately!"
As the man's words fell, the pirates on the shore dropped their burdens and rushed onto the deck in a frenzy.
"Captain, Captain—"
At that moment, a pirate with a telescope ran up to the middle-aged man, his voice trembling as he stammered, "Navy... Navy warships... are coming!"
"Damn it!"
The middle-aged man cursed under his breath and grabbed the telescope from the pirate, turning to look out at the sea.
In the lens, two large Marine warships were slowly approaching Loguetown. Standing on the deck of the lead ship were none other than Xayuki, draped in the Fleet Admiral's coat, alongside Admiral Gion and Vice Admiral Ain.
"It's over, it's over!"
The moment he saw Xayuki in the Fleet Admiral's coat through the telescope, the middle-aged man panicked. "Stop standing around, change your clothes and head into the town!"
With that, he was the first to remove his hat and toss it aside, quickly rushing into the ship's cabin.
Moments later, the middle-aged man discarded his captain's coat into a trash bin, emerging in a suit with his hair slicked back, looking every bit the gentleman.
"Hurry, take the treasure and Belly into town!"
Leaving those words behind, the pirate captain, now transformed into a gentleman, leapt off the deck and dashed towards Loguetown without looking back.
Seeing this, the pirates on the ship hurriedly changed into fresh civilian clothes, discarding anything that might reveal their pirate identity, and followed their captain into the town.
They weren't walking into a trap; rather, they knew that if they fled to the sea in haste, they would likely be spotted by the Marine warships. Having spent years plundering on the seas, they understood the Marines' tactics well. As long as they blended into the town, the Marines would almost never find them.
Once the Marines left, they would return to their pirate ship and resume their pillaging.
Other pirate crews witnessing this followed suit, changing into fresh outfits and mingling into Loguetown.
Minutes later, the warship carrying Xayuki slowly docked at Loguetown's port.
Residents, having learned through various channels that the Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters was arriving, had gathered early at the port. Reporters from major East Blue media outlets were also present, eager to capture the Fleet Admiral's presence.
In no time, the port was packed with people.
Since most of the town's residents had gathered at the port, the pirates mingling in Loguetown dared not stand out and instead merged with the crowd, closely watching the warship's movements.
Of course, the more timid pirates dared not approach the Marines at this moment, especially since the iron-fisted Fleet Admiral who had seized power through a coup was about to disembark. Even a distant glance at him sent shivers down their spines.
As the warship docked, Xayuki's figure came into clear view, causing the already excited crowd to erupt.
"Is that the new Fleet Admiral Xayuki? He's so young!"
"He's so handsome! I wonder if I could have the honor of dining with him!"
"Wake up! He's the Fleet Admiral! Do you know what that means? All Marines across the Four Seas and the Grand Line obey his orders. A single word from him could shake the entire world! Would such a significant figure care to dine with you?"
"Fleet Admiral, look at me, look at me! I don't believe you'll ignore me."
The crowd was filled with the cries of women, as all the socialites of Loguetown and many wealthy businesswomen threw away their usual reserve, trying hard to catch the attention of the young Fleet Admiral on the warship.
Even some noble ladies, who happened to be in Loguetown, were now beaming with excitement, pushing to the front with the protection of their guards, ready to make an impression as Xayuki passed by.
"Gion, what's going on here?"
Standing on the deck of the warship, Xayuki scanned the surroundings, his brow slightly furrowed. "Not many should have known about our return to Loguetown. How did so many people gather here?"
"It might have been leaked by that merchant ship earlier," Gion replied, equally taken aback by the spectacle, especially by the continuous screams from the women on the shore. She was stunned!
If she remembered correctly, this should be Xayuki's first visit to the East Blue. Normally, not many in the East Blue would know about Xayuki's identity.
However, she quickly realized that aside from Xayuki's current status as Fleet Admiral, he had appeared on camera during the public execution of Whitebeard Jr., engaging in a brief conversation with the world.
Following that, newspapers worldwide had printed his image, and the Marine Headquarters' press office had also published a group photo of all Marine officers. As one of the most prosperous cities in the East Blue, it was no surprise that many in Loguetown had seen Xayuki through newspapers or broadcasts!
"Fleet Admiral, should we clear the area?"
Ain stepped forward, her expression serious. "If needed, I can make them step back!"
Xayuki quickly waved his hand, "No need, no need."
What a joke! Ain was a Paramecia-type Reverse-Return Fruit user. Anything she touched, whether object or person, would have its lifespan reversed by twelve years, and multiple touches could make them disappear entirely.
Most of the people here were residents of Loguetown, merely curious to see the Fleet Admiral. They had no ill intent.
"Fleet Admiral, did you misunderstand Ain?"
Seeing Xayuki's reaction, Ain remained serious. "I meant to make them step back, not reverse them!"
Upon hearing this, Xayuki laughed heartily, "Ahaha, seems like I misunderstood. But Ain, these are Loguetown residents... hmm?"
Before he could finish, Xayuki's brow furrowed slightly.
In the next moment, he silently activated his Observation Haki, covering the entire Loguetown without a sound.
As his Observation Haki enveloped Loguetown, the thoughts of everyone within flooded into Xayuki's mind like a torrent.
By filtering through these thoughts, Xayuki quickly identified the pirates hiding among the crowd.
His eyes flashed coldly as he muttered, "Did you think hiding among civilians would prevent me from finding you? Naive!"
Without another word, Xayuki stepped forward, unleashing his Conqueror's Haki.
A low-frequency tremor spread out, causing dizziness.
Before the disguised pirates could react, the overwhelming Conqueror's Haki, precisely targeted by his Observation Haki, descended upon them.
In the next second—
"Thud..."
"Thud, thud..."
A series of bodies hit the ground in succession.
In the blink of an eye, all the pirates hidden among the crowd collapsed, their eyes wide open, dead without peace.
To Be Continued...
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