Strawberry asked:
"What should we do next?"
"Vice Admiral Borsalino."
Borsalino scratched his cheek.
"Mm... let's first look for traces of the Sun Pirates~"
"Make the preparations before taking action~"
"After all, those Fishmen... each one of them is as strong as a monster~"
Strawberry was a little speechless.
"Uh... yes."
He lowered his head, turned around, and went out to make the arrangements.
Sitting in his office, Kizaru picked up the mission report on his desk.
Flipping through a few pages, he exclaimed:
"Scary~"
...
North Blue, Windflower Island, Navy Branch 194 Recruitment Office
The already retired Jorrison lay on a rocking chair not far from the clerk recording names, cheerfully watching the new recruits coming to sign up.
When he was young, he went from the North Blue to the Grand Line, and after being injured, returned from the Grand Line back to the North Blue, guarding Windflower Island for decades.
All his life, circling around like this, the happiest days were still here. Even after retirement, he couldn't leave this place.
Seeing the Navy grow stronger by the day filled him with indescribable joy.
Suddenly, spotting a stern and disciplined young man, Jorrison's eyes lit up.
From his many years of experience, this... was a good seedling!
He slowly stood up and walked over to the young man in line, sizing him up.
"Not bad, not bad."
"Young man, what's your name?"
The young man, with a few grains of rice still stuck to his cheek, turned his head.
After a brief thought, he answered honestly.
"Vergo."
...
East Blue, Reverse Mountain.
Ten warships were charging down from above.
Enel sat cross-legged on one side of the railing, one leg dangling down.
His right hand propped up his chin as he looked helplessly at Bullet, who was lovingly caressing a missile.
"Bullet, they're all yours, you don't need to touch them like that."
Ever since, back in the South Blue, when Enel had made a few missiles powered by lightning out of boredom—and the explosions after throwing them caught Bullet's eye—
He'd become like this ever since...
Bullet let out a grin.
"This is a man's romance."
Saying that, he picked up a half-man-tall missile from the pile and slung it over his shoulder.
This feel, this weight—perfect!!!
Enel facepalmed.
"That's not how you're supposed to use it."
"What about the launcher?"
Bullet laughed.
"That thing's too troublesome, I tossed it."
"The launcher isn't as fast as I am."
Enel's face twitched with dark lines.
"True, it isn't as fast as you..."
As for Bullet's launch method... there was no way to evaluate it.
Moments later.
The exit down Reverse Mountain came clearly into view.
Bullet suddenly gave a savage grin, stomped down, and disappeared instantly with the missile on his shoulder.
Enel turned his head and offered a short prayer for the nameless pirate crew below.
In your next life, cross paths with me instead. I'm not that cruel... I just fry people to ashes.
On the sea below—
Bullet, who had just vanished from the warship, suddenly appeared above the pirate ship.
Gripping the missile with both hands—along with himself—he slammed down hard...
BOOM——!!!!
A mushroom cloud dozens of meters high erupted.
The massive blast wave sent several-meter-high waves surging in all directions...
On the warship, Enel sighed helplessly.
Yes, this was Bullet's launch method.
Carrying the missile himself... and ramming it in.
After all... with current technology, no launcher could be faster than a physical powerhouse like Bullet.
A suicide-style aesthetic of violence... which Bullet had perfected to the extreme.
With the high-voltage current and powerful explosives packed inside the missile, when it hit, there was only one word: death.
Not even a ship would remain—everything reduced to debris.
Swoosh——
Bullet reappeared on deck.
His clothes were a little torn, but Bullet, completely unscathed, wore a ferocious grin.
"Now I get why that old man Garp loves smashing people with cannonballs."
"This explosive feeling... it's too damn good."
"But that old man's cannonballs don't pack half the punch of ours."
"Nor are they as accurate as me."
"Hahahahahaha!"
Enel shook his head with a wry smile.
"True..."
"Those who can stop you, Bullet, can be counted on one hand."
"Lugging a missile and smashing it straight down—whether they die or not—"
"The ship's definitely gone."
"Even ironclad warships would be scrapped."
"Not to mention pirate ships made of wood."
"Eh, here come two more."
"Are there really that many pirates in the East Blue?"
Bullet looked at the two pirate ships approaching from afar, grabbed two missiles, and vanished again...
BOOM——
Another mushroom cloud rose up.
Enel stroked his chin, clicking his tongue.
"The power's still a bit low. Against real strong ones, it's useless."
Looking at Bullet, unscathed as ever, Enel fell into thought...
...
On another pirate ship—
The crew stared in horror at the scene.
That man carrying those strange objects threw one onto the other pirate ship.
In an instant!
That pirate ship vanished! The shock was indescribable, but what followed was sheer terror.
Because that man... was coming their way!!!
The pirate captain, terrified, swung his sword in panic.
"Quick! Fire!!!!"
Bang bang bang——
A barrage of gunshots rang out, while he himself quietly slipped behind his crew, slowly floating upward.
Sensing this, both Enel on the warship and Bullet, now in the air above the pirate ship, froze.
"That ability..."
Though stunned, Bullet's hands still subconsciously slammed the missile down.
BOOM——
Another mushroom cloud rose.
In the very next instant, Bullet vanished and reappeared right in front of the pirate captain who was floating backward.
His massive frame blocked the shockwave as he grabbed the captain and leapt far away.
The pirate captain was utterly dumbfounded.
"Th-thank you ahhhh——!!!!"
Crack crack.
With a few crisp snaps, Bullet crushed all four of the captain's limbs, then pressed his hand against the man's chin.
"Shut up."
He crushed the entire jaw, shoving it inward so he could no longer make a sound.
Carrying the pirate captain, Bullet returned to the warship and casually threw him to the ground.
Enel jumped down from the railing, looking at the pirate.
"If I didn't see wrong, he floated just now, right?"
Bullet nodded.
"Yeah, he definitely floated."
"And he even actively flew outward."
Enel chuckled lightly.
"The Float-Float Fruit, huh?"
"Interesting."
He beckoned to two soldiers.
"Bring Seastone chains."
"And have the medics patch him up. Don't let him die."
Watching the pirate being dragged away, Enel smiled at Bullet.
"An unexpected bonus."
"This Devil Fruit ability is ours."
Bullet was a bit curious.
"Has Dr. Vegapunk developed something new?"
Enel grinned.
"Nope, nope, not yet."
---
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