"What the hell!?" The pirates in the cabin were first startled, then caught a whiff of a strange fragrance. The scent made their minds foggy, their heads heavy and feet light.
Instantly, someone realized something was wrong. "Damn it, it's poison gas! Cover your noses, quick!"
"It's useless! The cabin is a sealed space, the gas won't dissipate!"
"Then what do we do?"
A gloom fell over the group of pirates. The first mate frowned. The bastards outside were disgusting, resorting to this kind of trick to force them out.
---
Deep inside the ship's brig.
"Gas!?" Hancock and her two sisters caught the strange scent in the air and immediately changed expressions.
"What do we do?"
"Are we going to die?"
Sandersonia and Marigold clung to Hancock in fear. But before they could say much more, their strength gave out. Their heads drooped, and they collapsed into unconsciousness.
"This isn't the work of the Kuja." Hancock forced a bitter smile. She only managed to hold on a bit longer than her sisters before fainting as well.
The three of them were still just children, their bodies weren't strong enough to resist poison gas.
---
Thud, thud, thud...
One by one, four pirates collapsed unconscious.
The others saw this and dared not hesitate any longer. Gritting their teeth, they charged out of the cabin. If they didn't rush now, they wouldn't get another chance.
"Ahhh!!" They shouted as they bolted through the hatch.
Bang!
Outside the hatch, gunshots rang out at just the right moment.
Junichi calmly raised his gun and aimed at the pirates emerging from the cabin, then pulled the trigger.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
At close range, each bullet hit them between the eyes.
The Uchiha clan, even without awakening the Sharingan, had naturally sharp eyesight. Using a gun was a different matter, but then again, which boy hadn't played with airsoft or paintball? Aiming and hitting was not a problem for him, not with his Uchiha genes.
"Don't... don't shoot!"
"I surrender!"
"Spare me!"
"I didn't want to rape and plunder! I was forced into this!"
The pirates who made it out pleaded loudly, hoping Junichi would stop.
What the fuck? How can you be forced to do that?? But Junichi remained unmoved. He knew full well—their pitiful, sheep-like pleas were just a disguise.
The moment he stopped shooting, the wolves would shed their sheep's clothing and reveal their true, vicious nature. They might not pose a threat, but they were still a hassle.
He didn't want the trouble, so he simply took them out one by one with precise shots.
Not long after, the cabin fell silent once again. It was as if all the pirates inside had rushed out and been killed.
---
Inside the cabin, the first mate held a wet cloth over his nose and mouth, his face twisted with rage like a wild beast.
He hadn't run out. He was waiting.
Waiting for the enemy outside to come in.
"Ammunition isn't unlimited. You'll have to come in and search eventually—and that'll be my chance!!" he muttered in a low voice.
He had confidence. On this ship, though the captain had the highest bounty, in terms of raw strength, he was actually stronger.
It was just that Hound had secured smuggling channels and could make money for the crew. That was why he was the captain.
But in a one-on-one fight? Hound would surely die by his hands.
Everyone on the crew knew that.
---
Outside the cabin, Junichi set down his empty gun and casually reached into his ninja tools pouch.
Seems like there's no one left, huh?
He pulled out three more gas grenades from the pouch.
But I don't buy it. And I'm not planning to take any risks. This isn't a mission where I have to consider payment or conserve tools... what matters most now—is safety.
He threw the three freshly grabbed gas grenades.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The grenades flew into the cabin and hit a wall, bouncing off.
Bang!
Instantly, the grenades burst open, releasing a fresh wave of poison gas.
Inside the cabin, seeing that it wasn't people entering but three more gas grenades, the first mate's face twisted in rage.
He couldn't help but curse aloud, "Goddamn bastards!! Still using poison!? You people have no guts, do you!? Come and fight like real men!"
Hisssss—
As the gas continued to spread, the concentration of poison in the cabin rose. Even he started feeling dizzy and lightheaded.
He couldn't hold out anymore.
"Damn it!"
He could no longer stay hidden. Enraged, he grabbed his large blade and pushed an empty barrel toward the cabin door. But he didn't rush out immediately—first, he kicked three empty barrels through the doorway.
Then he dashed out behind them.
Unfortunately, Junichi had long sensed movement inside and remained alert. The moment he saw the barrels fly out, he instantly dodged. That kind of trick was far too basic to fool a ninja.
His focus never left the cabin entrance.
As soon as the first mate's figure appeared, he flicked his wrist, skillfully throwing a kunai, while quickly closing the distance.
Whoosh!
The first mate heard the sound of something slicing through the air and instinctively raised his blade to block.
The next moment, the kunai struck the blade with a sharp clang, sending sparks flying.
"!!"
His eye twitched, if he hadn't blocked in time, his neck would've been sliced open. But he wasn't given even a second to breathe.
Almost simultaneously, the air let out a low, grinding sound.
A flash of cold steel slashed toward his head like a leaping arc of light.
Bang!!
The first mate's hands trembled violently as the force of the blow drove him downward. The power behind that strike was terrifying.
He looked in shock at the youth before him. How could someone who barely looked old enough to sail be so strong?
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Junichi's expression was cold as he unleashed a flurry of strikes. Chakra surged through his arms, enhancing his strength and explosiveness. Blades of light, shaped like crescent moons, streaked through the air—sharp and merciless.
"Wait…" The first mate, forced to retreat step by step, had the skin of his palms torn open. He quickly shouted in surrender:
"I surrender! I'm willing to surrender!"
Swish!
Junichi's answer was a more aggressive slash.
A blade swept out, and to the first mate's horror, orange-red flames danced along its edge—like a serpent of fire—lashing out toward his eyes.
"A Devil Fruit user!?"
The first mate shrieked and shut his eyes in panic. But that moment of distraction caused him to miss the next attack.
Junichi seized the chance, suddenly dropping his blade low and stabbing in from a cunning angle.
The first mate, still expecting another slash, reflexively raised his sword to block.
Thud!
A blade plunged straight into his chest—and with a brutal twist of the hilt, his heart was shredded on the spot.
"Ugh…"
His eyes flew open. His pupils shrank as he stared at Junichi in horror, who calmly withdrew the blade.
Thud—
The first mate's body collapsed onto the floor.
"That should be the last one," Junichi said, without even glancing at the corpse. He turned to look back at the cabin.
Still, to be sure, he tossed in two more tear gas grenades.
Once there were no further signs of movement, he stepped inside, blade in hand, and drove it into the hearts of every unconscious pirate he came across.
---
With every pirate in the cabin dealt with, he wiped his blade clean and walked deeper into the ship, toward a neat and tidy prison cell.
He raised an oil lamp and peered inside.
At first, his expression was casual—but then he froze, eyebrows lifting in surprise.
"Those three lovely goods... it's actually you?" he said in astonishment as he looked at the three unconscious girls inside.
Green hair, orange hair, and black hair.
And among them—the black-haired girl's face was strikingly familiar.
Hancock?
"Things just got interesting."
Junichi smirked faintly, glanced at them a few more times, then turned and walked away.
The situation inside the cabin was now under control. Next, it was time to search the captain's quarters.
As for Hancock and the others, he could talk to them once they woke up.