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The cards are judged based on strength, speed, and unknown variables. Yet the outcome caught Hawkins completely off guard.
This Marine—someone he'd never met and had no data on—still registered as an opponent against whom there was no chance of survival.
"Who is he?" Hawkins asked with a trembling voice. He had great faith in his Devil Fruit's abilities, and they had never failed him before.
That only meant one thing—this Marine's power was in a league beyond them.
Zzzt!
Just as fear gripped him, the slowly approaching Marine flickered.
A lightning bolt flashed in the air, and in that instant, Arashi appeared right before Urouge. The terrifying speed and surreal entrance made Urouge flinch.
"Mad Monk Urouge?" Arashi smiled, but his eyes were cold.
"And you are?" Urouge couldn't foresee things like Hawkins could, but every instinct screamed at him that this man was pure danger.
The moment Arashi got close, Urouge's hair stood on end. His body reacted like a prey animal had just encountered its natural predator.
Soul and flesh alike were overwhelmed with fear. "My name is Arashi. Regretfully, I must inform you—your pirate journey ends here."
He spoke with a sigh. His body barely moved, but suddenly, his right leg swept through the air.
"So fast!" Urouge's pupils shrank—he couldn't even see the attack.
It felt like a mountain slammed into his waist, sending him flying instantly.
Thud!
Blood sprayed midair as he was launched. Bones cracked in dozens of places, impossible to count.
He crashed through building after building like a cannonball until finally landing in a heap at the far end of the street.
The surrounding pirate captains stared in shock, frozen in place. Urouge lay there, covered in blood, eyes rolled back, completely unconscious.
"One of the Eleven Supernovas… taken out in a single blow?!" A horrified scream rang out from among the pirates.
The expressions of every Supernova in the area darkened. To see one of their own defeated so decisively shook them to the core.
"Who the hell is he?" someone shouted, trying to mask the fear in their voice.
"Marine Headquarters Admiral—Arashi! Once a legend… no, still a legend!"
X Drake spoke in a low voice. Years ago, he saved him and Trafalgar Law on Minion Island, and the memory was burned into his mind.
"An Admiral?" The pirates' eyes went wide in disbelief.
"No wonder his appearance alone was so overwhelming!" Scratchmen Apoo gasped, then immediately leapt away and turned to flee.
Arashi stood calmly, sweeping his gaze across the field, a trace of thought in his eyes. "Now then… who should I deal with next? Such a difficult choice…"
The remaining pirates stiffened, their faces heavy with tension. "Magician Basil Hawkins," Arashi said suddenly with a grin.
"You're quite the interesting one." His piercing eyes locked onto Hawkins by the fountain.
Hawkins' face changed instantly. Beads of sweat poured from his forehead.
Zzzt!
A lightning bolt surged straight at him, giving him no time to react. In the blink of an eye, it halted—transforming into a tall, looming figure.
"Have you calculated your survival rate, Basil Hawkins?" The question came with a light chuckle, but it made Hawkins shudder.
He took a deep breath and raised his head to look at the tall man before him.
"Zero percent."
"Oh?" Arashi raised an eyebrow, leaning in slightly. "In a way, I suppose your Devil Fruit ability is useful."
"At the very least, it lets you see how massive the power gap truly is." Hawkins' lips trembled, but he dared not move.
His cards had made it clear—no outcome would raise his chances of survival. So, he did nothing.
Arashi smiled faintly and raised a finger to Hawkins' forehead. "Sitting still won't change what I've already decided."
A brilliant flash of lightning erupted and pierced straight through his forehead.
A straw doll tumbled from Hawkins' chest as his body stiffened, scalp tingling. "Interesting," Arashi mused.
"So you use these straw dolls as substitutes? Let's see how many of them you've got." His fingertip crackled with electricity.
Zzzt!
The lightning flared again and again. Hawkins trembled, smoking, each strike knocking loose another doll from his coat.
More and more straw dummies littered the ground at his feet. His fear deepened with every second.
It was as if this Marine could see straight through him. Another bolt of lightning flashed. Hawkins swallowed hard. He was down to his last life.
"So this is the end," Arashi said quietly, retracting his finger.
"Phew…" Hawkins exhaled in relief, his tense face easing slightly. It looked like Arashi was going to spare him.
But just as that thought crossed his mind, a powerful leg swept at him. Too fast to react.
Boom!
Like being struck by a monster, Hawkins was sent flying.
He tore through the ground like a missile, gouging a massive trench before going still. "It's clear now… he's not planning to let any of us go!"
"Ababababa—"
"Apoo! If we fight him, now's the time!" Apoo yelled from the rooftop, pounding his chest and head, rhythmically building up a beat.
Boom!
With a shout, an invisible sound explosion burst forth toward Arashi. The sudden attack made X Drake's eyes widen in surprise. Could a Supernova's assault hurt him?
But the flames around Arashi's body withdrew instantly in the next moment, lightning flickering across his form.
He reappeared before them, completely unharmed. Not even his clothes had a single wrinkle or tear.
Apoo's eyes nearly popped out of his head in disbelief. Then, a flash of lightning streaked through the air, forming into a towering figure.
Cold eyes. Massive build. Unimaginable pressure. It crashed down on them like a tidal wave. Without a single word, Arashi threw a punch.
His fist, as large as a boulder, slammed into Apoo's face.
Crack!
His nose shattered. His cheekbone caved. The sheer force spun his body like a top, smashing through an entire building.
X Drake flinched. He said a silent prayer for Apoo. Getting kicked by this man was one thing—you might survive. But if he punched you…
Drake's eyes locked onto Arashi, who was now turning to look straight at him.
Shfft!
No lightning this time, but Arashi appeared before him even faster than before. "X Drake," he said with a grin, leaning in.
"We meet again."
Drake fell silent at first. After a few breaths, he stood up straight and gave a Marine salute. "Admiral!"
"I heard you were on an undercover mission?" Arashi asked with a light smile.
Drake's mouth twitched slightly, a helpless expression appearing on his face. "Is that the kind of thing you can say out loud in public?"
Arashi smiled again. "They're sleeping quite soundly; if you want, that undercover mission can end here and now."
After a pause, he continued, meeting Drake's surprised gaze. "I think the Marines won't need you to carry out such missions anymore."
Drake looked shocked. "Is that an order from headquarters?"
"It's my decision," Arashi replied with a smile. "But it's not different from what HQ would say."
Drake went quiet, then nodded slowly after a moment of hesitation. "Understood."
Arashi gave a gentle smile and glanced at the three unconscious Supernovas lying on the ground, unsure if they were dead or alive.
"Then I'll trouble you to keep an eye on them." Drake nodded solemnly. In the blink of an eye, Arashi vanished without a trace.
Drake turned around and looked at the three collapsed Supernovas. Letting out a quiet sigh, he muttered to himself—that encountering Admiral Arashi here was simply their misfortune.
They still had a long road ahead as pirates. Not far away in a commercial district—
"No signs of Admiral Arashi yet?" Kuina walked to the front, her face serious.
Enel took a bite of an apple and chuckled, "No trace of Admiral Arashi, but I did find an interesting guy in the restaurant ahead."
"Who?" Kuina asked. She already knew Enel had eaten the artificial Rumble-Rumble Fruit and that his Observation Haki leaned more toward long-range detection.
Combined, the two enhanced his ability to perceive distant and clearer things. In contrast, Haki focused more on foreseeing the near future in her Observation.
"That big guy's name seems to be Kuma."
Kuina froze for a moment. "Kuma?"
"Yeah, in the restaurant just ahead," Enel pointed forward.
"Also, I think I saw three names from your list there, too." Hearing that, Kuina's eyes narrowed at once.
—Sabaody Archipelago, Area 24, inside a restaurant—
"Chomp!" The sound of someone biting into food echoed, followed by loud swallowing.
A woman with long, straight pink hair, wearing denim short overalls, a white half-sleeve shirt, and brown boots with low heels sat there, her eyes bloodshot.
While glaring at the massive figure in front of her, she stuffed food into her mouth.
"Captain Bonney~~" Unlike her, the pirates behind her wore faces of fear and tension. The atmosphere in the restaurant was simply too strange.
Right before them sat one of the Seven Warlords—Bartholomew Kuma. In the corner, another Supernova, Capone Bege, sat in silence.
"And that loudmouth guy—he's Eustass Kid, another Supernova! Plus, that Marine who just walked in!" The pirates were trembling—they had never seen anything like this.
In a small restaurant, there were pirates, Marines, and a Warlord all gathered together. Even strangers, none of them spoke. It was dead silent.
The bartender seemed unaware of the tension and continued serving drinks with a smile. "Shut up! Whatever it is, wait till I finish eating!"
Jewelry Bonney, one of the Eleven Supernovas, shouted harshly. Her red eyes locked on the massive figure, someone much larger than any normal person.
Over in the corner, Capone Bege remained unusually quiet, eyes fixed on the person seated across from Eustass Kid.
"To think I'd live to see the boss again…" he muttered so softly it was almost inaudible. "Looks like my days as a pirate are over."
He knew full well—when that man vanished, he had his freedom. But now that he was here again, a collar was around his neck.
Against that man, he had no chance of resistance. At the table, Eustass Kid glared fiercely at the Marine, who was slowly spooning fried rice into his mouth.
"What the hell are you trying to pull? If you want to fight, do it already!" he shouted angrily.
Arashi calmly chewed a bite of fried rice before replying with a smile. "In such a hurry to die, pirate?"
"And for the record, I'm not deaf—so stop yelling." Hearing that, Kid grew furious and shot to his feet.
But in that instant, Capone Bege suddenly stood up from the corner and drew a pistol from his waist, aiming it at Kid.
"Hey, you bastard! You aiming that gun at the wrong guy?" Kid turned around, roaring in disbelief. Is a fellow pirate pointing a gun at him instead of the Marine?
"My aim is never wrong, Eustass Kid," Capone Bege said coldly. Arashi kept eating his fried rice as if nothing were happening.
"You…" Kid clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead. Jewelry Bonney stared, dumbfounded, unable to understand what was happening.
"This is insane. Has the world gone mad?" Capone Bege's eyes were ice cold, his finger tightening on the trigger.
At that moment, Arashi tapped his spoon against the plate. Clink! Bege's hand trembled and didn't pull the trigger.
"I'm eating," Arashi said with a sigh. "Must you turn this place upside down?"
"I'm sorry!" Capone Bege bowed deeply, apologizing at once. Even with others watching, he lowered his head as far as possible. That scene instantly changed everyone's expression.
"This guy… he's showing that much respect to a Marine?" Eustass Kid gritted his teeth, his expression shifting. For the first time, unease crept into his heart.
"I agree with you, Marine! Getting interrupted during a meal is the worst!"
Jewelry Bonney gave a thumbs-up while still chewing.
Arashi looked up and gave her a polite nod and smile.
"Who is this guy…?" Kid finally held back his anger, sat down, and clenched his fists, his expression grim.
Behind him, Killer and the others were visibly nervous. No one here was stupid.
A small restaurant packed with pirates, a Marine, and a Warlord. Yet they were all silently waiting as the Marine finished his meal.
"Capone Bege." Arashi suddenly spoke mid-bite. Bege immediately focused, listening intently.
"Why aren't you staying in the West Blue? What brings you here?" It was a casual question, yet it made the Supernova's whole body tremble.
Then he fell into silence. After a long pause, Capone Bege replied sincerely and honestly. "I wanted to see what the world outside looked like."
Hearing that, Arashi suddenly smiled and nodded. "I see. That's understandable."
"Then… have you seen enough?" Bege took a long breath and nodded again more seriously this time.
"Yeah. I've seen enough." Arashi chuckled and lowered his head to continue eating.
Kid turned to look at Bege, who looked completely relieved and sneered. "This world has gone mad."
"To think a simple question like that could shake someone to their core…"
But Bege didn't care about being mocked.
He understood—if he hadn't had enough of the view, he might not have lived long.
He stood upright and respectfully to the side, like a statue, not daring to make a sound.
"Hey! Kuma!" Jewelry Bonney suddenly noticed something was off.
The usually quiet and composed man showed a rare expression of seriousness and alertness.
"Don't speak," Kuma said in a low voice, barely audible.
Bonney froze, shocked. Was that… concern? Nervousness? That couldn't be possible—from one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?
"You'll only have a sliver of hope if you stay quiet." Those nearly inaudible words entered her ears again, making her pupils shrink. What did that mean?
Suddenly, the restaurant door swung open. A figure walked in with two swords at her waist, a neat ponytail, and a sharp, clean-cut face.
"A Marine?!" Bonney instantly raised her guard. But what truly shocked her was the rank of Vice Admiral on the woman's shoulder.
A Vice Admiral was no ordinary officer. They were high-ranking elites of the Marines, possessing terrifying power and influence. To regular pirates, they were nearly unbeatable foes.
"Sensei?" As Tashigi walked in, she was stunned to see a familiar figure. Behind her, Enel's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Arashi, who was still seated.
"My Observation Haki… didn't detect him?" he whispered. "How is that possible?"
Then, Arashi placed the last spoonful of fried rice into his mouth, swallowing it calmly. He let out a long breath, visibly satisfied.
"I left in such a hurry, I didn't even get to eat properly," he muttered. Then he turned to Kuma. "You're footing the bill for this one. Consider it your thanks to me."
Bartholomew Kuma froze for a moment before nodding solemnly. "Thank you," he said. Arashi knew about his connection with Jewelry Bonney.
"What does that even mean?" Bonney became even more confused. "Who the hell is this guy?" she shouted at Kuma.
But before she could react, her pupils shrank sharply. The Marine, who had just been eating quietly, suddenly stood up. His right hand shot out—so fast it was invisible.
In the blink of an eye, the Supernova with the highest bounty among the Eleven—Eustass Kid—had his head seized and was lifted off the ground.
The crushing force made his skull creak with cracks. "KID!!" Killer and the other pirates' faces twisted in panic and rage, ready to jump in.
But Guina and Enel were faster. Their reactions were lightning-quick.
"Shing!" A blade flashed. Before Killer could even draw his weapon, Guina's sword was already at his neck, cutting a thin red line across it.
"In front of my teacher, you'd better behave yourselves," she said coldly.
She had fought countless days and nights in Impel Down against ferocious guards and beasts. Her heart had long since hardened like steel.
"So fast!" Killer thought, eyes wide in fear. "This woman, Vice Admiral, is terrifying!"
Arashi, still holding Kid up by the head, chuckled. "I've met a few loudmouths in my life," he said. "The last one was Golden Lion Shiki."
He pointed toward one of the Pacifista units near the door. "See? After he died, he's been working for me ever since."
Kid's eyes bulged, panic flooding them. He had been completely subdued in an instant. The fingers gripping his skull felt like they could crush it at any moment.
"A painful lesson helps you grow," Arashi said calmly. "Next time, don't shout so loud."
With a flick of his wrist, Arashi hurled him to the ground. "BOOM!"
The restaurant shook violently. Cracks spread across the walls. Kid lay there, eyes rolled back, limbs limp like his bones had been shattered.
Arashi rolled his neck and turned to Jewelry Bonney. She flinched under his gaze.
"No need to panic," he said with a light smile. "We do share similar tastes in food, after all."
Bonney blinked in surprise. The next second, Arashi turned around and walked away, leaving her completely untouched.
"Leave this island immediately," came a whisper. Bonney looked up sharply, but Kuma had already vanished—following after Arashi.
"Who… is that man?" she muttered, a chill in her voice.
"Marine Headquarters Admiral… Arashi," Capone Bege said quietly. Then he, too, chased after him.
Outside the restaurant, Arashi received a new report.
"Zone 12! The Straw Hat crew's been spotted in Zone 12!"
Kuina's Den Den Mushi echoed urgently, and everyone nearby turned toward the sound.
Arashi gave a small laugh. "A few whacks from Garp and Luffy awakened, huh? Maybe I'm a pretty good teacher, too."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "But I wonder… will I finally meet the legendary Nika today?"
Last time, they had only exchanged greetings. But with his advanced Observation Haki, he vaguely sensed something unusual—something beyond human.
He had considered guiding it, but ultimately chose to wait.
Today, fate might bring another chance. Whether it succeeds or not remains uncertain.
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