Grove 32.
A sprawling leisure plaza sat at its heart, lush green grass, vibrant flowers, birds chirping in the trees. On normal days, this peaceful place was filled with locals walking their kids and pets, basking in the harmonious atmosphere.
But today, something was clearly off.
It was high noon. The sun blazed overhead. Yet the entire 32nd Half-Port was eerily deserted. Every home had shut its doors, and all businesses had closed. A chilling tension filled the air, putting every passerby on edge.
Most residents had already caught wind of what was coming and evacuated the area the day before.
Now, those who still remained in the plaza were no ordinary civilians, they were hardened criminals with hands stained in blood, each boasting bounties in the tens of millions.
Some pirates with slightly lower bounties had shown up too, hoping to try their luck.
And not everyone here had come to join the Reaper Pirates. A number of self-important captains and rogue crews, unwilling to serve under others, had arrived just to spectate.
But any pirate bold enough to loiter here wasn't one to be underestimated.
Within the crowd, a short but stocky man, built like a human bullet, casually patted the two pistols at his waist. He leaned toward the tall, cloaked man beside him and said quietly, "Boss, looks like the time's just about right. The scouts are back with words."
A moment later, the man under the cloak grunted in a muffled voice, "Good. If everything's in place, let's begin."
With that, the cloaked man turned and slipped away from the crowd. The short man hurried after him.
Luffy caught a brief glimpse of the two as they passed by, but didn't give them much thought.
Soon, the sun dipped lower in the sky. The five hundred-plus pirates gathered there grew restless. Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Around the plaza, various pirate crews had staked out their own territory. The captains stood watch, eyes narrowed, faces dark.
"Boss, if the Reaper Pirates really take them all in… won't they become a powerhouse in the New World overnight?" one underling said, awestruck by the scene.
"It's not that simple," the captain replied, his tone sharp with cynicism. "Don't forget, there are still the Four Emperors in the New World. If Reaper George tries to absorb all this talent, he might provoke the wrath of those giants."
The captain glanced toward the crowd. There were several pirates with bounties rivaling his own, all eagerly awaiting George's recruitment.
His expression darkened further, but he forced himself to remain composed. "Keep an eye out. See if there's anyone worth inviting to our crew. I've got an eighty-eight million bounty, Captain Zoyama doesn't answer to just anyone."
He gave a cold snort. "This might be the perfect chance to boost our strength. We'll see who has the last laugh."
Despite the bitterness in his tone, his envy was plain to hear, and it made the nearby pirate crews smirk. They were thinking the exact same thing.
Five more minutes passed. The noise swelled. Pushing and shoving broke out, and a few hotheads even started throwing punches.
Then, without warning, a shadow appeared atop the tallest statue in the plaza.
No one had noticed when he got there. He stood too far away for anyone to make out his features, only that he was bald.
"Hey, you maggots!" the bald man bellowed, arms stretched wide, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
"You've all been summoned here today!!!"
Luffy narrowed his eyes and looked up at the statue.
The bald figure began his speech, voice booming:
"This isn't just some random gathering.
This is about our dreams!
Wealth, power, everything we desire!
From this moment on, you'll be my subordinates!
I will be your supreme leader!
I will lead you, "
"FOUND HIM! HE'S HERE!!!"
Before the speech could finish, a loud voice shouted from outside the plaza.
"Mobilize!"
"Surround them! Now!!"
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
"All exits of Zone 32 are secured!"
"Reaper George! You're completely surrounded!"
The Marine had arrived, thousands of them, encircling the entire plaza with airtight precision.
Cannon after cannon aimed straight at the mass of gathered pirates.
"Damn! It's the Marine!"
"There's so many of them!"
"What do we do now?!"
Even the captains who'd just come to watch were thrown into panic.
Nearly 2,000 marines, armed to the teeth with heavy weaponry, it was nothing short of a death sentence.
At the center of the formation, a lone figure marched forward. It was none other than Captain Vincent "Great Axe," the same man who'd been chasing the Reaper Pirates since the Grand Line.
Vincent parted the ranks, raising his massive battle-axe high. He roared at the crowd,
"This is the end of the line, pirates!
Surrender peacefully, or die like dogs!"
Then, he looked up at the figure on the statue with a blazing fury in his eyes.
"Reaper George! Today, you will die!
I will avenge every last one of my fallen comrades!!!"
Vincent's bloodshot eyes burned with rage. He brought down his axe with a roar, the force of it sending a massive shockwave tearing through the ground.
BOOM!
Several pirates had no time to react, they were cleaved clean in half.
That scene… Vincent would never forget it.
The day he arrived at the naval base for resupply…
He found thousands of corpses piled at the gates. The base commander's severed head sat at the top of the heap, eyes wide in terror, mouth frozen in a scream. Not a single one of them had died in peace.
From that moment on, Vincent had sworn an oath:
He would personally bring Reaper George and his crew to justice.
Now, the time has finally come.
The previous chase had hit the Reaper Pirates hard. Desperate to regroup and prepare for the New World, they had made the fatal mistake of recruiting openly, and the Marine had taken the bait.
It was the perfect trap.
"All units, fire at will!" Vincent commanded.
"Mission: eliminate every pirate on the field!"
Instantly, gunfire and cannon blasts erupted, painting the plaza in blood and chaos.
Under normal circumstances, Vincent might have cared about military conduct or the Marine's image.
But not today.
Not after what the Reaper Pirates had done.
Today, he wanted them all dead.
Now, he finally understood why Admiral Akainu was always so ruthless,
This was absolute justice.
Justice that protected peace.
"Luffy, what do we do?!" Robin asked anxiously amid the chaos.
But Luffy said nothing, his jaw clenched tight. After a moment, he let out a frustrated breath and muttered,
"…We've been played."
"What?" Robin asked, confused.
Luffy didn't respond. He crouched low and sprang upward in a burst of speed, landing on the high platform in an instant.
He grabbed the bald man by the throat, eyes sharp and cold.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
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