"That's right, Mihoko will be one of us from now on," Rodin said, looking at Crocodile. "And you have your memories, you just have a new purpose—loyalty to me."
Crocodile gave a slight glance to the newcomer.
"It is an honor to serve Captain Rodin," Mihoko said with a smile.
"Get up. A lady shouldn't be kneeling on the ground," Rodin said, quickly helping her to her feet.
As he did, a white flash caught his eye, a distracting glimpse of skin. He remembered the original Mihawk's open, wine-red trench coat, showing off his pecs and abs. This version of Mihawk had a similar style, but with a different set of anatomy.
Rodin swallowed and forced his eyes away. "There are some spare clothes in the cabin. You might want to put something on underneath." Going out dressed like that would immediately attract unwanted attention.
"But I'm used to it. Besides, it's so beautiful," Mihoko said, flicking her hair. In her world, it was perfectly normal. "But of course, I will obey my captain's orders." She smiled, and Rodin let out a sigh of relief.
The warship docked, and a long gangplank was extended. Below, dozens of Marines were waiting with guns drawn. A woman with a sword at her waist and red-rimmed glasses, Sergeant Tashigi, ran up to them.
"Sergeant Tashigi, isn't Colonel Smoker here?" the leading Marine asked.
"He's busy, but he'll be here soon," Tashigi said, her eyes fixed on the warship. She drew her famous sword, "Shigure," and pointed it at the ship.
Only three people walked down the gangplank: two women and a man in the middle. The Marines held their breath.
"Stop!" Tashigi yelled. The other Marines raised their rifles. The three figures didn't stop. The tension was palpable.
A crowd of onlookers had gathered. "Pirates? Coming here? They've got some nerve," one person said.
"Hey, why are there only three of them? The two chicks aren't bad-looking," another said.
"Heh... look at the one on the right. She's carrying a sword that's way too big for her. Do you think she can even lift it?" a man snickered.
Mihoko glanced over at the crowd, her sharp eyes cutting through the air. Several people suddenly fainted, as if struck by an invisible force. The rest of the onlookers, feeling a chilling wave of murderous intent, quickly sat down, some of them trembling uncontrollably.
The Marines, however, were focused on the three figures walking towards them. Tashigi took a few steps forward. "If you don't stop, we will arrest you!"
She was a little surprised by the dress of the woman on the right, but upon seeing her face, she realized it wasn't the man she was thinking of.
The three of them were now less than six meters away from her.
"What a courageous little girl," Mihoko said, her voice calm. "You should know what it means to point a sword at me."
"What?" Tashigi was confused.
"Don't you know who I am?"
"Who are you? Mr. Hawkeye's imitator?" Tashigi's grip on her sword tightened. She admired the world's greatest swordsman, but she had never seen anyone go to such lengths to copy him.
"Imitator?" Mihoko shook her head and removed a small cross-shaped knife from her neck. She looked apologetic, as if to say, "This is the smallest sword I have."
"How dare you!" Tashigi snapped, her face flushing with anger. It was the first time she had met a woman so arrogant.
"Small... knife?"
"She's going to use that thing against us?"
"Is this woman crazy?" The Marines' serious expressions gave way to barely-contained laughter.
"Haha, pirate! Do you accept the challenge?" a Marine taunted. "Sergeant Tashigi is the strongest female swordsman in our branch!" They were all eager to see the show.
The lead Marine quietly asked, "Do we open fire?" He didn't think it was necessary to shoot at three people, two of them women.
"Our first priority is arrests," Tashigi replied, then rushed forward. "I'll take down this loud-mouthed woman first!"
WHOOSH... CLANG!!
Mihoko casually swung her knife, knocking Tashigi back three meters. Tashigi's shoes left scuff marks on the stone floor.
"This power," Tashigi gasped, horrified. But her will was firm. She put all her strength into a tricky, angled slash. Again and again, she was easily knocked back.
Mihoko, on the other hand, hadn't moved an inch. She just shook her head slightly. "Are women in this world so weak?"
The Marines, who had been relaxed moments before, now stared in disbelief. They had all sparred with Tashigi and knew she was a formidable swordsman. And yet, this woman was defeating her with a tiny knife.
"I will definitely defeat you!" Tashigi roared, preparing her strongest attack.
"What is your goal?" Mihoko asked.
"To take back all the famous swords stolen by pirates!" Tashigi replied, her focus absolute.
Mihoko glanced at her sword, then smiled. "A ridiculous goal."
"Cut Shigure!" Tashigi yelled, rushing forward and delivering a powerful slash.
CRACK...
The sound of a snapping blade echoed in the air. Tashigi's sword, "Shigure," shattered against Mihoko's tiny knife. Tashigi's heart shattered with it. She fell to the ground, a look of utter disbelief on her face.
"Shoot her!" the lead Marine yelled, his scalp crawling. The Marines opened fire, but Mihoko simply waved her hand, and the bullets reversed course, striking the shooters themselves. The Marines fell like dominoes.
"It's really pointless," Mihoko said, a cold light in her eyes. "You're no match for me."
WHOOSH...
A thick cloud of smoke suddenly rushed in, covering the dock.
"Colonel Smoker!" a Marine exclaimed.
"Thank goodness, it's Colonel Smoker!" another said.
A silver-haired man with two cigars in his mouth and a fluffy coat on his back emerged from the smoke. "Hmph, am I late?" he said, drawing his "Ten Hands" with its Seastone tip.
"Not at all!" the remaining Marines said, their eyes lighting up with hope.
"Let me handle this," Crocodile said, stepping past Mihoko. Her right hand transformed into a giant sand blade, and she charged.
The dock became a whirlwind of smoke and sand.
"How? He's a Logia user just like the Colonel!" a Marine yelled.
"Don't worry, Colonel Smoker won't... Ugh..." a Marine said, before collapsing.
When the sand and smoke cleared, Smoker was on the ground, pinned down by the woman with black hair.
"Haki?" Smoker grunted, his chest throbbing. "Who are you? Your ability is just like the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile." He hadn't been this helpless in years. To be defeated by a woman who looked younger than him... The humiliation was immense.
"I've heard those words countless times," Crocodile said, a twitch in her mouth. "It's getting annoying."
"Sand Dungeon!" A cloud of sand erupted from her body, sucking the moisture out of everything around it. The Marines collapsed, completely desiccated. Smoker, unable to elementalize, tried to move, but he too was being sapped of all his moisture. He was completely helpless.