Chapter 26 – Loguetown Lockdown and the Arching of the Marine Cabbage
With this little crew, even a Yonko would have to leave in tears.
Of course, Aike wasn't wandering alone.
Kuina and Tom chose to stick with him.
"Oh, right. You might get a surprise in a little bit."
Aike suddenly turned to Kuina with a mysterious grin.
"A surprise?"
Kuina's eyes flashed.
Could Zoro be here too?
Meanwhile.
The moment the Libra docked, Loguetown's Marine base received the report.
Along with one extremely unexpected piece of intelligence.
"You're saying Sergeant Major Tashigi is with them?"
"Yes, sir!"
"According to the scouts, after the Devil Merchant's crew disembarked, they split up.
Sergeant Major Tashigi is currently walking with the Devil Merchant Aike and a blue cat that stands on two legs. They look… very…"
The reporting soldier trailed off, unsure how to continue.
"Hm?"
Smoker shot him a cold glare.
The soldier swallowed his pride and spat it out.
"Very close! Like old friends!"
Even Smoker froze for several seconds.
Close?
Old friends?
Since when?!
He had personally watched Tashigi climb the ranks.
Aside from being a little air-headed, the girl was a complete sword nerd with zero social life.
Where did she get "old friends" from?!
"Could they have known each other before she joined the Marines…?"
Smoker clenched his cigars, brows furrowed.
He suddenly felt like his prized cabbage had been stolen by a pig.
"Doesn't matter. Branch 16's massacre still needs to be answered for!"
Smoker made up his mind and stood.
"Pass the order: seal the harbor!
The rest of you, follow me. We're arresting the Devil Merchant and his entire crew!"
"Yes, Colonel!"
With Smoker's command, the entire Loguetown Marine base sprang into action.
In minutes, perfectly organized platoons flooded the streets.
"What the—?"
"Is the whole base mobilizing?"
"Did Creek's armada show up or something?!"
Panic spread through the town like wildfire.
Ever since Colonel Smoker took over, he had crushed pirate activity so hard that the streets had been peaceful for months.
A full-base deployment hadn't happened in forever.
The civilians immediately assumed some infamous pirate had arrived.
In less than twenty minutes, the once-bustling streets turned dead silent.
Shops slammed their shutters, stalls vanished, and the crowds evaporated.
"What's going on?"
"Why is everything closing?"
Nami and the other girls, still in full shopping frenzy, looked around in confusion.
"The Marines are moving."
Izumi's Sharingan caught dozens of uniformed soldiers sealing off intersections in the distance.
Nami and Carina, now with awakened Observation Haki, felt the net closing in as well.
"Is it because of Aike?"
The two spoke at the same time.
"Probably about that rat colonel from Branch 16."
Nojiko guessed.
"If we can't shop anymore, let's just regroup with the boss."
Hikari said, visibly disappointed.
"I already bought enough books and medicine to last ages anyway."
Kaya lifted her mountain of bags happily.
"Then let's go!"
"I kinda want to test my new strength on this island's colonel anyway."
Carina cracked her knuckles, tiny sparks of electricity dancing between her fingers.
Meanwhile.
Inside a weapon shop.
Tashigi, who had been lovingly polishing her Shigure, noticed the sudden silence outside and spotted dozens of her fellow Marines rushing past.
Her expression instantly turned serious.
"Shopkeeper, I'll leave my sword with you for now!
Also, lend me one of your blades—I'll return it later!"
Ignoring the owner's frantic protests, she yanked a random sword from a barrel and bolted out the door.
Execution Square, Loguetown.
"That's where the Pirate King was executed?"
Kuina stared curiously at the simple wooden platform standing in the center of the plaza.
"It looks… kinda plain."
"It's just a scaffold. The meaning is what matters."
Aike ruffled Kuina's hair.
Under her slightly blushing face, he smiled and continued explaining:
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