One Piece: It All Started When I Found Shanks' Arm

Chapter 48: I'm a Soft-hearted Person

"The Marines are confiscating the pirates' remains. Isn't that a matter of course?!"

Nezumi flicked the safety off his pistol and said sinisterly, "You brat, you've been uncooperative, sneaky, and have a terrible attitude from the start. Now I suspect you're not clean yourself. You're probably hiding some unspeakable crimes! Men, impound this ship and arrest these people! Take them all back for a thorough inspection and interrogation!"

"Captain!" his second-in-command couldn't help but speak up. "This... doing this seems a bit inappropriate..."

"Shut up! Are you the officer, or am I?!" Nezumi, flustered and exasperated, backhanded him. The lieutenant took the slap solidly and lowered his head, not daring to speak again.

When Nezumi turned back, he saw Shane looking at him as if he were an idiot. "Is there something wrong with your brain?"

"Hm?" Nezumi was taken aback, then flew into a rage. "You dare insult a Marine officer?! I see you're tired of living!"

"See, you still don't get it. You were so afraid of the Arlong Pirates that you didn't dare to provoke them, only daring to come out and pick up the scraps after they were dead."

Shane sighed softly and flexed his right hand. "So here's the question. Where did you get the guts to provoke me, who is even stronger?"

"Could it be that because I'm a civilian, you thought I wouldn't resist and would just surrender obediently?"

Near the shore was a giant boulder, four or five meters high, with the words "This Way to Cocoyasi Village" inscribed on it.

With a casual grab, Shane lifted the boulder from the ground with a rumble. He hefted it in his hand and then, under Nezumi's incredulous gaze, violently hurled it towards the warship!

WHOOSH—BOOM!!

Just as the boulder was about to hit the top of the mast, Shane nonchalantly lifted a fingertip and followed up with a Finger Pistol. The boulder instantly exploded in the air above the warship, turning into countless fine stone particles that rained down.

"Th-this..."

The Marines still on the deck all kept their heads raised, staring dumbfounded.

Nezumi's jaw dropped so wide you could have fit half a Chopper in it.

"I forgot to tell you, the entire Arlong Pirates didn't even last twenty minutes against me," Shane said with a smile. "I wonder how many minutes you, a Marine Branch Captain, along with all the Marines on this warship, can last?"

Nezumi shuddered, finally snapping back to reality.

In that moment, he finally understood.

—Standing before him was no simple-minded, sturdy villager, but a ruthless monster several times more terrifying than Arlong!

"A misunderstanding!" Nezumi's face twitched, and he barely managed to squeeze out a smile that was uglier than crying. "A misunderstanding, it was all a misunderstanding! Please, go wherever you want. How could we dare to stop you? We'll leave now, we'll leave right now!"

After speaking, he hurriedly turned and ran towards the warship. He stumbled and nearly sent a shoe flying, but he couldn't care less, scrambling and tripping his way into the ship's cabin. It was as if he were an ostrich; only when he couldn't see Shane anymore did he finally calm down. His shrill roar came from behind the door:

"What are you all standing around for?! Get moving! We're returning to base!"

Hahaha! The villagers watching from a distance burst into uproarious laughter.

The Marines all lowered their heads, unable to hide their shame as they filed onto the deck. The second lieutenant sighed deeply and quietly pulled up his collar to cover half his face.

"Following an officer like that, you'd probably feel inferior whenever you meet colleagues from other bases," Manba said, leaning on the railing and clucking his tongue. He then looked at Shane, who was walking up the gangplank. "Boss, should we set off too?"

"No, you guys go ahead," Shane said, shaking his head slightly and glancing in the direction the warship had gone. "I have some business to attend to."

He's going to?

Manba's eyes widened. He then saw Shane wave them all over. "After you arrive at the Branch 77 base, do this, and this... and then just wait for me to come back. Understand?"

"Yes, Boss!"

Manba shivered. As expected of the Boss, this is ruthless. But he's not wrong to do it. He supported the decision from the bottom of his heart.

The night grew deeper.

On the moonlit sea, a warship with white sails cut through the waves, heading at full speed towards the Branch 16 base. They were completely unaware that, just out of sight, a small boat had been quietly following them for some time.

On the small boat, Shane took a sip of liquor, his face indifferent as he watched the blurry black dot in the distance.

He was a soft-hearted person, but once he hardened his heart and truly believed someone needed to die, it wasn't so simple to make him spare them.

Nezumi was on that list.

Don't be fooled by how he was scared to the point of nearly wetting his pants by a single threat today. Once he returned to his base, sat at his desk, and got used to the feeling of being in a high position and giving orders again, his resentment towards Shane would quickly surge.

And this guy just happened to be the commander of the Marine branch closest to Cocoyasi Village, practically the local magistrate. From that position, there were countless ways he could cause trouble. And when Shane officially set out to sea in the future, who knew how he would retaliate against Cocoyasi Village?

It was better to strike first. There was no logic in guarding against a thief for a thousand days when you could catch him in one.

After confirming the wind direction and currents, Shane paid no more attention to the warship ahead. He sat cross-legged and began to meditate quietly. The warship's speed was no match for his small boat. If he chased it now, the distance would only grow, and he would never catch up. So, he couldn't act just yet.

However, the monk can run, but the temple can't. After sunset tomorrow, both ships would arrive at the Branch 16 base one after another. When the moon was dark and the wind was high, he would have plenty of time.

More than twenty hours later.

In front of the gates of East Blue Marine Branch 77.

The large ship, formerly belonging to the Arlong Pirates and now renamed the "Orange Grove" by Shane, was docked in the naval port.

Manba led Nami, Nojiko, and the others off the ship. Before they had even set foot on shore, they were greeted by enthusiastic applause and a welcoming party.

"You've arrived early, everyone! Several hours ahead of the time you mentioned on the Den Den Mushi!"

A female captain with a mohawk, a cigarette dangling from her lips, came forward with a hearty laugh. "I'm Sophia, the base commander of Branch 77. Welcome!"

"You're too kind," Manba said, hurriedly shaking her hand. "Does this mean you were also waiting here for several hours in advance?"

"No, I just received the news and rushed over," Sophia answered truthfully, laughing. "But it's right to come early. No amount of courtesy is too much for the heroes who killed the Arlong Pirates!"

"To be honest with you, ever since I received intel that the Arlong Pirates were in this vicinity, I've been so worried I couldn't sleep well. I originally wanted to join forces with Branch 16 and our colleagues from Branch 24 to the north to catch them off guard."

Sophia rubbed her temples, looking a little troubled. "But who knows what that new guy at Branch 16 was thinking. He kept making all sorts of excuses and delaying, and because of that, we missed the best window of opportunity."