"Zabuza, you go first.
Remember—leave the highest-ranking one alive."
Adrian issued the order calmly.
"Yes, Boss."
Zabuza didn't hesitate for even half a second—
he simply leapt straight off the ship.
"H-hey! This is the se—"
Nami reflexively tried to warn him.
But before she could finish,
Zabuza had already landed on the water…
…and started running.
Nami's brain froze.
What…
What kind of creature was that man?!
Why could someone run on the sea?!
Her large eyes quivered with disbelief.
Adrian, of course, understood perfectly.
Chakra.
Zabuza was manipulating chakra beneath his feet, creating footing on the surface.
For shinobi, walking on water was a basic exercise.
If one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen couldn't even do that,
he'd be disgracing his entire village.
On the Navy vessel…
"FIRE! FIRE!!!"
The man giving orders—
Colonel Nezumi of the Navy's 16th Branch—
was completely worked up.
During the half-day Adrian had waited for Nami and Nojiko,
Nezumi had received news:
The Arlong Pirates… annihilated.
He ran men to verify it.
The moment they returned confirming every fish-man was dead,
Nezumi personally set sail.
Not because he cared about justice—
please, that wasn't in his vocabulary.
He was coming to collect Arlong's treasure.
Years of corruption with Arlong meant he knew exactly how much wealth Arlong had.
Arlong collected protection money—
and Nezumi took 30% of it every year.
He knew the exact value of the hoard.
Billions.
Tens of billions.
Over a hundred billion.
So when he arrived at Arlong Park and found nothing—
not a single berry left behind—
He lost his mind.
He sent patrols to the nearby sea,
waiting for news.
Finally—
a report came.
Arlong's ship had been spotted on the water.
Nezumi didn't even question it.
He immediately ordered his ship to chase.
Whoever killed Arlong must have taken his treasure.
He wasn't going to let them get away.
All logic evaporated under sheer greed.
He ignored the fact that the people capable of wiping out Arlong must be stronger than Arlong.
He didn't care.
He only saw money.
"Sink them!
Sink those pirates and the treasure is all mine!"
He shouted as cannons thundered.
Shell after shell roared toward Adrian's ship.
But…
They did nothing.
Adrian's physique was already Castle-Level.
And Yoriichi stood on deck—
every incoming cannonball sliced cleanly in half before reaching them.
By the time Nezumi's gunners reloaded another volley,
Adrian's ship had already turned and was sailing straight toward them.
"Colonel Nezumi! A man—there's a man running on the sea toward us! I think he's from their ship!"
One marine came rushing up, pale-faced.
"Running on the sea?
Do you take me for a fool?"
Nezumi glared murderously.
A human running on the ocean?
Did this sailor think he had no brain?
But—
"Colonel! I swear it's true! Look, look there!"
The soldier pointed frantically.
Nezumi looked.
And froze.
"...???"
His eyes nearly popped from his skull.
A man—
a real, living man—
was sprinting over the surface of the sea, closing in fast.
"What kind of demon—?!"
Even as a veteran officer, he had never seen something so absurd.
"Shoot him!
Don't let him board!"
Nezumi snapped back to reality and screamed orders.
Gunfire erupted.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets tore through the air—
but Zabuza simply raised the massive Decapitating Blade,
shielding himself as he barreled forward.
Then—
He flicked his arm.
The Executioner's Blade spun like a deadly boomerang,
slicing through several marines and splattering blood across the deck.
The remaining soldiers fired in panic.
Too slow.
Zabuza's foot touched the hull—
chakra anchored him—
and with a second step, he vaulted onto the deck.
A ghost in the mist.
Silent.
Lethal.
"You dared attack my Boss…"
His voice was cold, dripping with murderous intent.
"For that—
you all die."
Translator's Thoughts:Colonel Nezumi might be the single bravest—or dumbest—man in East Blue. Charging at the guy who massacred Arlong's entire crew just because he wants his cut of the treasure? That's not courage. That's greed-induced insanity.And the way Zabuza sprints across the ocean like it's solid ground? Nami is learning very quickly that Adrian's "crew" operates on rules that make zero sense in the One Piece world.Yoriichi casually slicing cannonballs, Zabuza boarding a Marine vessel like a horror movie villain…Yeah.Nezumi is about to realise he didn't chase the treasure—He chased the people who killed the ones who collected it.Next chapter: the marine ship learns why you never, EVER fire the first shot at Adrian's crew.
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