"You… what do you want?"
The two delinquents gulped hard.
They were just street thugs—bullies who preyed on the weak.
Compared to a man who opened with a gunshot, they suddenly felt like model citizens.
"What do we want? Isn't it obvious?"
Yasopp narrowed his eyes viciously.
"Oh! Oh! We get it, we get it!"
The boys glanced at Yasopp's rogue-like appearance and nodded frantically.
"Boss, you can go first! We'll take turns as fourth and fifth—ah no no, I mean last! Definitely last!"
"Ah! So you are that kind of person!"
The girl's eyes filled with tears as she screamed—finally recognizing the man posing coolly behind Yasopp.
Shanks froze.
Why am I getting blamed for this?!
"Eh?"
Yasopp scratched his head awkwardly.
Did he look that much like a criminal?
Sure, he was a pirate…
but being mistaken as the same kind of trash as these street punks was still insulting!
Shanks stepped forward, each footfall oozing dominance.
His gaze sharpened like a blade.
"I'm telling you scumbags to get out of my sight.
Otherwise… stay here forever."
"We—we'll go! We're going!"
Even without Conqueror's Haki yet, Shanks's raw presence overwhelmed them.
The delinquents collapsed onto their butts, stammering.
"Take the other one with you," Shanks added casually.
Hearing the tone of command, the two boys instinctively rushed back, grabbed their unconscious friend by the ankles, and dragged him off as if chased by demons.
Shanks ignored them and turned to the girl with a friendly smile.
"I—"
"Don't come closer!!"
The petite girl shrank back in fear.
The delinquents' earlier words combined with Yasopp's appearance clearly left an impression.
"No, really, I—"
Shanks was about to explain when—
A terrified scream cut the air.
"AAAH!"
The trio turned around.
The three delinquents now lay in a pool of blood.
At the street's end stood a Marine in a justice coat.
"AAAH! IT'S MAJOR LONGINUS!!"
The girl's scream was long, loud, and awe-struck.
If lung capacity translated to power level, she had at least ten thousand in her.
"That Marine again…"
Yasopp was depressed.
He was the sniper, yet the fangirl reacted faster than he did.
Was being lovestruck seriously a talent?
Even Beckman, who had been calm the whole time, grew tense.
This Marine was easily the island's most dangerous figure.
Longinus approached, voice warm and gentle—yet his words were cold as steel.
"Evil must be eradicated. For every hundred pieces of human scum, perhaps one could be redeemed.
But the disasters caused by the other ninety-nine can never be undone."
Sunlight glinted off his justice coat—spotless, untouched by blood.
To him, disposing of a few degenerates was no more meaningful than dusting off his gloves.
Shanks looked at him with interest.
"As a Marine who claims to protect justice… don't you think that's too hasty?
They were people too. Someone might mourn them."
"I protect the justice of people, not the justice of garbage.
Garbage does not count as human."
Longinus's steps were calm, measured—almost inhumanly consistent.
Nothing disturbed his rhythm.
Beckman narrowed his eyes.
Does this man even have flaws? It's as if the Marine code is carved into his bones.
Even in private, not a single lapse in discipline…
Terrifying.
"Major Longinus, it's all thanks to you! If you hadn't come, I—"
The girl nearly leapt toward him.
"Hey, I'm the one who saved you…"
Shanks muttered silently.
Worse still, the girl shot him and his crew a wary glare.
"Major Longinus… be careful of these guys. They look like trouble."
To ordinary eyes:
A red-haired man, a bandit-looking man, and a silent man = definitely shady.
Shanks and Yasopp nearly coughed blood from frustration.
Being a good person and getting treated like a criminal…
what kind of cruel joke was this?
Unexpectedly, Longinus spoke up for them.
"You misunderstand. They were indeed the ones who protected you."
"Ehh? Really?"
Her face turned bright red.
"I—I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to! I'm sorry!"
"It's fine. Just be careful next time."
Shanks and Yasopp sighed helplessly.
They couldn't exactly hold a grudge against a cute kid.
Yet the difference in treatment was soul-crushing.
Longinus spoke again, warm and gentle.
"My thanks as well. Without you three, justice would have arrived too late—and late justice is no justice at all."
Shanks blinked.
A Marine… chatting casually with a pirate?
And he wasn't even annoying.
"Haha! You're surprisingly honest for a Marine. I used to—"
"AHEM."
Yasopp immediately cut him off before he blurted the word "pirate."
"I used to… apply to join the Marines!" Shanks corrected flawlessly.
"But the officer in charge rejected me because of the scars on my face."
"That is unreasonable. Marine recruitment is not a beauty contest.
Even if you do look untrustworthy—"
"AHEM AHEM AHEM!!"
"…What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing. Wind's strong. My throat's itchy."
Longinus nodded.
"In any case, if you wish, come to the base.
With your heart for justice, I believe you'd become an exceptional Marine."
"All three of them began coughing violently at once."
"What's wrong now?"
"Wind's strong… throat itchy…"
Beckman and Yasopp shot Shanks looks promising murder.
Shanks panicked.
"Oh no! It's almost time! We have to hurry to the port—otherwise we'll miss our ship!"
"No need to worry," Longinus smiled warmly.
"If you miss it, I'll have a Marine warship escort you."
"W-WARSHIP ESCORT?!!"
"Cough! Cough! Thank you, Major, but we really have to go! Another time!!"
The trio fled the alley like scared animals.
Longinus watched them leave.
His smile slowly faded.
"To think I would meet a future Yonko here…"
He murmured softly.
"But right now, he's insignificant.
Even if I reported him, no one would believe an apprentice of Roger would become a world threat."
"If I pushed for it, I could mobilize G-2's fleet and crush them…
but that would only earn ridicule and resentment.
A waste of effort."
"And besides…
Light exists only because of darkness."
"As long as the Four Emperors threaten the world, the government will tolerate the rise of the Marines.
Only a stronger Marine force makes my plans meaningful."
"Of course… raising wolves may lead to being eaten later.
We'll see whose methods prevail."
"Red-Haired Shanks—
the day we meet again won't be far."
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