Though Mike had already left the scene, the Loguetown marketplace still buzzed with excited discussions about him.
People huddled together, recounting the battle with a fervor that bordered on religious awe.
"My god, did you see that move Captain Mike just pulled off?" one spectator asked, his eyes still wide.
"See it? I could barely follow the pirate hunter's movements, but when the Captain struck..." Another shook his head, a look of profound confusion on his face.
"All I heard was a thunderclap, then a sound like a dragon's roar, and then..."
"And then, the fight was over," a third finished, his voice hushed.
"A notorious bounty hunter like that, taken down in a single move. It's unbelievable!"
"Captain Mike truly lives up to his reputation as a Marine from Headquarters. He's insanely strong!"
"Wait, are all Headquarters Captains this powerful?"
"Are you kidding me? My cousin's an officer at Marine Headquarters," a man boasted proudly.
"And the gap between him and Captain Mike is like the heavens and the earth! Compared to Captain Mike, my cousin might as well be a clown!"
"Dude, does your cousin know you talk about him like this?"
"So what if he does? I paid for his training!"
The air was thick with reverence for Mike's overwhelming strength.
As the discussion deepened, people began connecting the dots to the rumors that had been circulating for days.
"I have a theory..." someone ventured. "You all read the East Blue Daily, right? About a Headquarters Captain earning the recognition of Mihawk, the World's Greatest Swordsman?"
A collective gasp went through the crowd.
"You're saying... Captain Mike is that Captain?!"
"Who else could it be?! That swordsmanship, that breathtaking strike—it was too perfect!"
The idea caught fire, spreading through the marketplace like a wildfire of gossip.
The vendors, never ones to miss an opportunity, immediately seized upon the new legend.
"Come and take a look, folks!" a street vendor shouted, thumping his chest. "Get your 'World Encyclopedia' (actually a porn) picture books! The same series Captain Mike—the man Mihawk himself praised—loves to read!"
"Captain Mike always drinks my tea when he's slacking off!" the tea seller next to him yelled.
"My desserts are the best! Captain Mike gets restless if he doesn't have one every day!"
The street erupted into a lively chorus of vendors shamelessly cashing in on their new local hero.
Just then, an adorable little girl clutching a cup of yogurt skipped happily toward home.
"Mom! Dad! The super cool, super strong big brother bought me yogurt!" she shouted, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"He said drinking yogurt will make me as strong as him, so now you can't stop me from having it every day!"
Amidst the bustling streets, the legend of Mike's single strike was already beginning to solidify.
Among the crowd, the Straw Hat crew made their way toward the docks.
Zoro, having received some basic first aid from a terrified back-alley doctor, could now walk, albeit with a slight stagger, thanks to his monstrous recovery ability.
His purpose in Loguetown was fulfilled; three swords now hung at his waist, the newly acquired Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri joining his beloved Wado Ichimonji.
But he wasn't in high spirits.
His mind was completely occupied by the technique Mike had unleashed—that impossible fusion of scorching flames and lightning.
"Thud—" He staggered slightly, bumping into Luffy's back.
"Ah, sorry," he muttered absentmindedly.
"Zoro," Luffy stopped and turned to look at him, his gaze surprisingly thoughtful.
"You're still thinking about that Marine's move too, huh? That 'Flaming Thunder God' thing?"
"Yeah..."
At this, Luffy's eyes instantly lit up with excitement.
"You also think that steam thing he did was super cool, right?!"
"Steam?" Zoro rubbed his chin, looking puzzled.
He closed his eyes, replaying Mike's movements.
Indeed, right before the strike, steam had erupted from Mike's body.
"Hmm... he must have accelerated his breathing, raising his body temperature and speeding up his blood flow," Zoro analyzed, his voice low.
"That would temporarily strengthen his body and enhance the explosive power of his slash."
"Increasing breathing... speeding up blood flow..." Luffy muttered to himself, the gears in his head starting to turn at a frantic pace.
The light in his eyes grew brighter.
"Then... with my rubber body... could I do something like that?"
The Gomu Gomu no Mi had turned his blood vessels into rubber tubes.
They could withstand extreme pressure.
If he used his limbs like pumps to force blood to circulate faster... he could accelerate his own blood flow and strengthen his entire body.
Not only would it be an incredible power-up, but he'd also release super cool steam!
"Then I'll be as cool as Mike!" Luffy stroked his chin, a wide, gleeful grin spreading across his face as he got lost in his imagination.
'Steam bursting from my body, my rubber muscles flexing... I'll send those Grand Line pirates flying with a single punch! shishishi!'
"STRAW HAT!!!" A sudden, furious roar shattered his daydream.
A red-nosed clown charged out from the crowd.
"Captain Buggy has finally found you!"
"At Orange Town, my base was destroyed by you!" Buggy shrieked, his eyes burning with resentment.
"Now, you'll pay the price!"
"Oh, who's this?" Luffy raised an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
"It's you, Red Nose!"
"YOU'RE DEAD!" Buggy nearly jumped in anger.
"Don't call me Red Nose!" He waved his hand.
"Attack! Show them the might of the Buggy Pirates!"
Alvida and her subordinates began to close in.
But just as Luffy and Sanji prepared for battle, Nami looked up at the sky.
Dark clouds were rapidly gathering, and the air grew thick and heavy.
"We have everything we need," she said, her voice calm and decisive.
"Zoro is injured; we've lost a key fighter. No more delays. Get back to the ship and prepare to set sail! A storm is coming!"
"Damn curly-brow, put me down!" Zoro protested as Sanji immediately hoisted him onto his back.
"Shut up, you damn moss-head!" Sanji retorted, carrying him without slowing his pace as the Straw Hats made a strategic retreat toward the port, with the Buggy Pirates in hot pursuit.
...
Near the Loguetown Marine base, Tashigi walked in a daze, her steps heavy, her eyes vacant.
"Liar... big liar..." she muttered unconsciously.
Ever since witnessing Mike's "Flaming Thunder God," she had been in a state of shock, her mind a tangled mess.
She finally had her answer.
Captain Mike was the great swordsman acknowledged by Mihawk.
And he had lied to her, saying his blade was just a decoration.
'Since when can antiques unleash an attack that reshapes the town square?!'
And all those times he had feigned weakness, letting Captain Smoker handle the pirates... it was all an act!
He had been hiding this immense power all along!
'Big liar...' she thought.
Then her brain finally caught up to the present.
'Wait, where did Captain Mike go?' She looked in the direction he had left... toward the street famous for its... entertainment venues.
'The Red-Light District of Loguetown?! So the rumors were true!'
Tashigi stomped her foot in pure, unadulterated frustration.
"That... That degenerate Captain!"
....
Meanwhile, just as Mike stepped into the lively, lantern-lit street of the Red-Light District, he suddenly sneezed.
"Achoo—"
'Yo, maybe one of the little ladies from Branch 186 is thinking about me?' he mused with a grin.
He shook his head and flashed a charming smile at the welcoming madam of the finest establishment.
"Get me a top-tier girl," he said, his voice smooth as silk.
"The wildest one with the biggest breast you've got."