Time flew by. Three days later.
Sabaody Archipelago, Area 13, on the edge of the lawless zone.
"Boom! Boom!"
Explosions rang out one after another as thick smoke billowed into the sky.
A pirate ship flying a Jolly Roger had crashed ashore, smashing half a commercial street to smithereens.
"Gyehahahaha! Nobody move! I'll crush these pigs if anyone makes a move!"
Inside the shattered hall of an auction house, a pirate captain in a studded leather jacket and a mohawk laughed maniacally.
His legs had transformed into giant metal springs, and he was continuously compressing and bouncing in place. Each time he landed, he smashed a deep crater into the marble floor.
Dozens of trembling civilians knelt at his feet. Several women and children had knives held to their necks by his subordinates, their cries filling the air.
Outside, the Marines had already set up a cordon.
"Quick! Evacuate the crowd!"
"Snipers, get in position! Do not provoke the pirates inside!"
A warship had just docked at the shore.
Kane, Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan stood at the bow, their expressions varied.
This was a sudden combat mission.
Zephyr had intended for them to adapt to their newly acquired powers, but he hadn't expected them to run into such a tough situation as soon as they arrived at Sabaody.
"The situation is dire."
A Lieutenant Commander from the local branch, in charge of the scene, ran over. Seeing the four elites from Headquarters was like spotting a lifeline. He reported, drenched in sweat:
"The pirates inside are the 'Flea Pirates.' The captain is Galdino, with a bounty of 68 million Belly. He's a user of the Paramecia-type Spring-Spring Fruit."
"They've taken over a hundred civilians hostage in the auction house and have planted a large amount of explosives at the entrance. They're threatening to start killing hostages if we don't prepare a coated ship and five hundred million Belly in cash within ten minutes!"
The Lieutenant Commander's voice trembled. "Just now... they already threw out two bodies."
"A boring little trick."
Sakazuki snorted coldly, taking off his Marine cap. His arms, which had been wrapped in bandages, were now fully recovered.
Not only that, but as his emotions fluctuated, the surrounding temperature rose sharply. Even the deck beneath his feet began to emit black smoke.
"Scum like this don't deserve to breathe. Let me go in and burn them all to ash, along with this sinful place!"
"You can't, Warrant Officer Sakazuki!" The Lieutenant Commander's face turned pale with fright. "It's full of civilians inside! If the explosives go off, the consequences will be unimaginable! The order from above is to 'preserve the hostages as much as possible'! And the target is a Devil Fruit user; he needs to be captured alive and sent to Impel Down!"
Sakazuki gritted his teeth, his fists cracking.
The feeling of wanting to destroy evil but being constrained by rules and regulations made him sick to his stomach.
"As much as possible?"
Kane leaned against the railing, fiddling with a gold-plated lighter he had swiped from Zephyr. "So, as long as it doesn't turn into a total disaster, it's fine, right?"
The Lieutenant Commander was taken aback. "Uh... theoretically, yes, but..."
"Since this is a combat mission, that means we're allowed a certain degree of freedom to act, right?"
Kane turned back and gave the three monsters beside him a pure, innocent smile.
Sakazuki glanced at him, instinctively taking a step to the side. "What are you planning?" he asked warily. "I'm warning you, if you dare pull any of your usual nonsense at a time like this..."
"How could I? I'm a Marine who cares for civilians the most."
Kane adjusted his tie. "I'll go negotiate. After all, none of us want to see bloodshed, right?"
Before Sakazuki could react, Kane had already vaulted over the side of the warship.
"Wait! Warrant Officer Kane! The negotiation expert is still on the way..." the Lieutenant Commander shouted in panic.
"No need."
Sakazuki suddenly spoke, his gaze fixed on Kane's back with a complicated expression. "That bastard may have a terrible character, but he wouldn't go too far."
...
The auction house doors were shut tight.
From within came arrogant, wild laughter.
"Boing~ Boing~! Listen up, you Marines outside! My patience is limited!"
Galdino, his legs turned into springs, bounced around off the ceiling, a trembling noblewoman in his grasp. "In three more minutes, if I don't see that ship, I'm going to snap this woman's neck!"
"Hahahaha! Is this all the Marines are? A bunch of trash!"
The surrounding pirate lackeys joined in the jeering. Some brandished their blades in the hostages' faces, while others were moving crates of explosives.
The hostages huddled in a corner, crying out in despair.
Just then.
Thud, thud, thud.
A dull, rhythmic knocking sounded at the door.
"Who is it?!" Galdino stopped moving, staring warily at the main entrance.
"Delivery."
A gentle voice came from outside. "Someone ordered five hundred million Belly in cash and one ship. Please sign for it."
Galdino froze, then was overjoyed. "So they know what's good for them! Open the door!"
The heavy iron door was pulled open a crack.
Sunlight streamed into the dim hall.
Standing at the door was a single, young Marine.
He wasn't carrying a gun, nor were there any cash boxes in his hands. All he had was a smile on his face that was as warm as a spring breeze.
"Where's the money? The ship?" Galdino's eyes widened. Seeing nothing behind the Marine, he flew into a rage. "You dare to mess with me?!"
"Don't be so hasty. The procedures are a bit complicated, but it's being processed."
Kane stepped into the hall, ignoring the dozens of firearms pointed at his head as if he were strolling into his own backyard.
His gaze quickly swept across the scene.
Over a hundred hostages were gathered on the left. Twenty-some pirates were scattered around. The explosives were piled by the main entrance.
Tsk, the hostages and pirates are all mixed together. This is going to be tricky...
Kane calculated in his mind. I need to find a way to separate them.
He walked to the center of the hall, looking at the pairs of eyes filled with hope staring back at him.
Then, he took out a megaphone, took a deep breath, and shouted at all the hostages:
"Everyone, listen up! I am Warrant Officer Kane of Marine Headquarters!"
A glimmer of hope ignited in the hostages' eyes.
"Due to the exorbitant amount demanded by the kidnappers, after a full minute of friendly negotiations between Marine Headquarters and them, we have decided—"
Kane paused, a look of regret on his face.
"We have decided not to pay! Furthermore, in order not to encourage the insolence of pirates, Headquarters will commence an indiscriminate artillery barrage on this location in thirty seconds!"
"Please rest assured, hostages! If you are unfortunately killed, I will personally apply for the highest-grade... wreaths for you! I will also have your names carved on the back of the memorial monument!"
"Now then, the final thirty-second countdown begins! 30, 29..."
The next second.
"Ahhhhh—!!!"
Screams ten times more desperate than when they were first taken hostage erupted from the hostage area.
"No!!"
"Are the Marines insane?! Indiscriminate artillery?!"
"Help! I don't want to die! I have money, I can pay! Just don't open fire!"
The noblewomen fainted on the spot, while the men collapsed to the ground in terror, the smell of urine and feces spreading through the hall.
The few hostages who had been thinking of escaping during the chaos now found their legs too weak to even stand, and could only curl up in the corner, clutching their heads.
[Ding! Intimidated civilians, causing mass extreme panic!]
[This action severely violates Marine regulations!]
[Violation Value +100! +100! +100... (Continuously scrolling)]
Even the pirates were stunned.
The cigar in Galdino's mouth fell to the floor, his spring-legs forgetting to bounce. "Hey... this isn't right, is it? Aren't you Marines supposed to stand for Justice? You'd blow up the hostages too?"
"Justice?"
Kane tilted his head, looking up at Galdino on the ceiling. "Eliminating pirates is the greatest Justice. As for sacrifices... they are merely the necessary paving stones on the road to Justice."
"You... you lunatic! You're more of a pirate than I am!"
Galdino was enraged. A sense of humiliated fear made him tremble all over.
"Men! Do it! Kill this crazy Marine! We'll fight our way out!"
Galdino violently compressed his legs, his entire body coiling like a cannonball as his killing intent erupted.
"Yes, sir!"
Kane's words had also scared the pirates out of their wits. If they didn't fight for their lives, they would be executed by cannon fire any second!
With savage expressions, they pulled their triggers or raised their blades and charged toward Kane in the center of the hall.
On the ship, the Lieutenant Commander, observing through a spyglass, screamed in terror, "Oh no! That bastard Kane has provoked the criminals! We have to storm them! It's over, it's all over!"
A flash of fury crossed Sakazuki's eyes. Magma erupted from his body as he prepared to charge in and beat up Kane along with the pirates.
However.
Faster than him was a golden flash of light...
Inside the auction house.
The moment all the pirates made their move, the smile on Kane's face vanished.
In its place was a bone-chilling indifference.
"They're not even bothering with the hostages anymore. This makes clearing the room... so much easier."
"Shave - Instant Hell Murder."