The sudden crackdown in Logue Town sent ripples of fear through the shadows where the pirates lurked, forcing them deeper into their hiding places like rats fleeing a burning building. The naval operation had struck without warning, a coordinated sweep that turned the normally chaotic port into a military zone overnight.
Those with ties to the underworld understood the truth: this massive deployment was aimed at the infamous "God Slayer. But for the countless petty criminals and opportunists who called these waters home, the reality was far simpler and more terrifying. The Marines had turned Logue Town into a fortress, and anyone caught in the open risked being crushed under their iron boot.
The naval blockade proved equally effective. Pirates trapped within the city's borders found themselves unable to escape, while those prowling the surrounding waters discovered that approaching the island had become a death sentence. The legendary execution site where Gold Roger met his fate now promised a similar end to any fool brave enough to test the Marine's resolve.
What none of these desperate souls could have anticipated was that their supposed target would brazenly walk among them, recruiting allies from their own ranks.
Oboro moved through the underground networks with calculated confidence, Dom at his side as both enforcer and deterrent. The transformation they witnessed in their fellow pirates defied everything they thought they knew about the limits of human potential.
"We listen to you, all of us!" The pirate, who had just experienced his first taste of enhanced strength, prostrated himself before Oboro, his voice trembling with a mixture of awe and desperation. Fresh blood still stained his hands from the demonstration kill Dom had orchestrated moments before. "As long as you can get us out of this death trap... even if it means joining your crew permanently, we'll follow you anywhere!"
The man's enthusiasm was infectious. Around him, other members of the assembled group exchanged meaningful glances, their eyes reflecting the same hunger for power they'd just witnessed. Each had received a taste of the improvements, low-level experience cards, and blood cards that Oboro had distributed with calculated generosity. The improvements were real enough to inspire loyalty, yet deliberately limited to prevent any thoughts of rebellion.
Of course, the subtle threat of Dom's casual violence helped to reinforce their compliance. Several of the more problematic individuals had already been eliminated as examples, their bodies serving as stark reminders of what happened to those who questioned their new benefactor's authority.
"You must be one of those legendary figures from the Grand Line, right?" another pirate ventured, his tone carefully respectful. "Knovody in the East Blue could have such incredible abilities."
The assumption was logical enough. The East Blue, despite its reputation as the weakest of the four seas, still contained enough seasoned criminals to know true power when they saw it. If a warrior of Oboro's caliber had been operating in these waters for any length of time, word would have spread like wildfire through the underworld's communication networks.
That left only one reasonable explanation: their mysterious benefactor had sailed these waters before, returning from the Great Line with knowledge and skills that dwarfed anything the local population could muster. The possibility that he might be the Godkiller himself never occurred to her; after all, what legendary figure would waste time recruiting fodder like her when he could command the loyalty of far more powerful allies?
"I haven't formed my own crew yet," Oboro replied with a disarming smile, spreading his arms in a gesture of welcome. "But if you're interested in joining something bigger than yourself, I've come to the East Blue specifically to recruit capable subordinates."
His statement sent a thrill through the assembled pirates. Many of them had served as captains of their own ships, but the harsh realities of independent piracy made the prospect of joining a more powerful organization extremely attractive. The Grand Line was littered with the bones of crews who had tried to forge their own destinies without adequate support or resources.
"You really mean it? We could actually join you?" The excitement in the speaker's voice was palpable.
"Captain!" called another, already shifting his allegiance with practiced ease.
"My name is Zirkand," Oboro announced, his tone warm and welcoming. "Welcome to the crew that will remake this world. From this moment on, you are the founding officers and core members of something that will make history."
Dom studied the faces around them in the flickering candlelight, noting the mixture of genuine enthusiasm and carefully concealed calculation that marked seasoned survivors. These weren't naive dreamers, these were hardened criminals who knew exactly what kind of deal they were making. The promise of power and protection in exchange for absolute loyalty was a transaction they could all understand.
Fools, he thought with cold amusement. They have no idea what they've really signed up for.
The midnight streets of Logue City stretched empty and silent beneath the patrol routes of countless Marines. Smoker and Tashigi moved through the shadows with practiced efficiency, their footsteps echoing off the cobblestones as they coordinated the massive search operation that had turned their normally quiet post into a war zone.
"Report!" A Marine officer materialized from the darkness, snapping to attention with military precision.
"This sector has been completely swept, sir. No sign of the target or any suspicious activity."
Smoker exhaled a cloud of smoke through his cigars, the white vapor dissipating into the cool night air. His frustration grew as each search party returned with identical results. Their quarry had vanished as if it had never existed, leaving only rumor and speculation in its wake.
"Search again," he ordered, his voice carrying the authority of a man who had built his reputation on relentless pursuit.
"Sir?" The subordinate's confusion was understandable; they'd already searched every building, alley, and hiding place in this particular district.
"You heard me. Keep searching."
The intensity in Smoker's gaze brooked no argument. The officer saluted sharply and disappeared back into the night, already shouting orders to his men.
Tashigi had changed into her standard Marine uniform, the familiar weight of her sword at her side a small comfort in the tense atmosphere. She was about to speak when the den mushi in Smoker's cloak began to ring with urgent insistence.
The sound sent an instant chill through both officers. Emergency communications at this hour rarely brought good news.
"Captain!" The voice coming from the transponder snail was strained with stress and barely controlled panic. "We're under attack in the northeast sector, a large group of pirates, at least thirty strong! They were hiding somewhere in the district, probably waiting for a chance to break through our blockade. I'm leading reinforcements to assist the patrol, but..."
Smoker's grip on the receiver tightened. "What's the situation?"
"Before calling you, I tried to contact the original patrol. No response from any of them." The implications hung heavy in the static-filled silence. "I think they may all be dead, sir. These pirates are operating on a completely different level than the usual East Blue rabble. The attack was coordinated, brutal, and..."
The transmission ended abruptly with a muffled cry of agony.
Then nothing but empty air.
Smoker's pupils narrowed to pinpoints as the full implications hit him. Tashigi stumbled backward, her hand instinctively moving to her sword hilt as if the gesture could somehow protect her from what she'd just heard.
The reinforcement team had consisted of over a hundred trained Marines, led by one of their most experienced sergeants. For them to be eliminated so quickly, without even time to send a coherent distress signal, suggested that they were dealing with something far beyond ordinary piracy.
"Stay here and coordinate the remaining search teams," Smoker barked, already moving toward the motorcycle he'd parked nearby.
"Captain, wait," Tashigi began, but her protests were drowned out by the roar of the engine as Smoker stepped on the gas and roared off into the night.
She stood alone in the empty street, surrounded by the distant sounds of an increasingly desperate manhunt, knowing that whatever happened in the northeast sector would determine the fate of everyone on the island.
The storm that had been building around Logue Town was finally about to break.