"The limited thinking of spies and assassins, who only dare make small moves in the shadows, has ultimately locked your future," Shirogai said, a faint smile curving his lips as he shook his head at Lucci's narrow-mindedness.
Bang!
The bullet flying toward the nearby crowd abruptly froze mid-air, suspended motionless, then lazily drifted to the ground.
"Bullets are useless against these two!"
Foreman Lulu, seeing her shot nullified and controlled effortlessly by Shirogai, set down the pistol.
"It's better to use these old friends; far more practical," she muttered.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Those weapons look seriously dangerous!" Luffy exclaimed, eyes wide, as all five foremen grabbed their saws, freed themselves from Barry's ropes, and dodged the flying iron nails hurled by Dalston.
"Your aim is still sloppy," Shirogai remarked casually, weaving gracefully between the flying nails and horizontal saws, his expression calm and almost amused, as if enjoying a delicate dance.
"Arrogant pirate! You're insufferable!"
The foremen's fury surged.
Abandoning most of their attacks on Luffy, they concentrated on Shirogai with renewed intensity.
"Shirogai! Luffy!"
Nami's eyes darted anxiously between her two companions, unaware of the eyes watching her from behind.
"Ah!"
She was suddenly grabbed by several Water 7 citizens.
"You… you came with them just now!" the workers shouted, gripping her tightly.
"If we catch you, we can use you to threaten them!"
"Pirates! If you want your companion to be safe, surrender immediately and don't resist!"
"Nami!" Luffy's eyes flared as he gritted his teeth.
"Shirogai, stop them, but don't hurt them!" he commanded.
"Leave it to me," Shirogai replied with a slight nod.
Dodging an incoming diagonal slash, he unleashed Haki, vibrating it outward silently.
"All of you, take a nap!"
Boom!
The Water 7 workers felt their vision darken before they collapsed unconscious to the ground.
Within moments, only a handful remained standing across Dock 1.
"Conqueror's Haki," Kaku muttered, watching the unconscious bodies.
"Exactly as the intelligence suggested. The Arrogant Emperor's Conqueror's Haki is top-tier. He can control it precisely, releasing and retracting it at will," he whispered.
"What sorcery is this!?" Dalston exclaimed, dumbfounded.
"Did he… kill everyone?"
"Relax, Dalston. He's on our side. None of them are dead." Barry's calm observation reassured them; Shirogai would not harm the shipwrights.
"Awooo! This is infuriating!"
Franky, sprawled on the ground, confirmed that Kiwi and Mozu, the sisters, were merely unconscious.
"You little pretty-boy Celestial Dragon! You dare bully our adorable sisters?!" Franky roared, charging back into the fray, launching his powerful attacks.
"Franky Super Strong Hammer!"
"Franky Bean Left!"
"Out of the way, Franky! You're interfering!"
His interference enraged the five foremen.
Franky's attacks were broad, occasionally striking them, igniting their irritation.
"Franky! Are you deliberately causing trouble!?" Lucci demanded, dodging Franky's projectile, the pigeon on his shoulder glancing sharply.
"Awooo! I'm not one of those idiot pirates! I'm super… perverted!" Franky shouted, striking a classic pose mid-air.
Kaku, rushing from behind, kicked him away.
"Out of the way! Stop being a nuisance!"
"Ah!"
Franky hit the ground face-first, landing hard on his rear.
"Bastards! Have you forgotten I started this fight?!" he shouted coldly at the five foremen, who barely spared him a glance.
"I'll go berserk!"
Before Franky could unleash his ultimate, Coup de Vent, Shirogai raised a palm.
A small tornado formed, growing rapidly.
"Sand Tornado!"
Whoosh!
The tornado expanded five or six times its original size, sweeping debris into the air, dust blinding the area.
"Damn! That power…" Franky muttered, abandoning Coup de Vent, scooping up Kiwi and Mozu, and decisively fleeing the shipyard.
"This is really unlucky. I have no choice but to retreat!"
"Be careful! Don't get caught in the tornado's center!"
Barry used ropes and iron nails to bind the five foremen to the ground, then turned toward the trio retreating near the tornado.
"They're getting away!"
"They cannot escape! Within Water 7, we'll track them down for sure!"
The pigeon on Lucci's shoulder muttered ominously, echoing his sinister intent.
"Next time, they won't get away!"
Foreman Lulu gritted her teeth, tugging at the ropes:
"Tell all of Water 7 that the culprits who attacked Iceberg Mayor were that Straw Hat kid and their Vice Captain, Shirogai!"
Barry smirked, addressing the group:
"Catch them and come claim your bounty! In addition to the pirate bounties, there's an extra reward of 300 million Berries!"
Lucci and Kaku exchanged a glance.
While the citizens weren't harmed by Shirogai publicly, the Straw Hat Pirates were now fully exposed in Water 7, becoming targets of public disdain.
They were one step away from having their reputations completely destroyed.
_____
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