"The Plunderer…"
Bellamy lifted his battered face from the floor, his expression twisted with rage. He trembled as he glared at Shirogai standing by the tavern door. That calm, mocking smile on Shirogai's face made him feel like nothing more than an insect.
Grinding his teeth, Bellamy roared,
"Shirogai, do you only know how to ambush?! Deactivate your ability and fight me one-on-one if you dare!"
"One-on-one? Heh…"
Shirogai let out a short laugh. He stepped forward, planting his boot firmly on Bellamy's head. With casual force, he pressed the man's face toward the floor, speaking softly,
"Sorry, Bellamy, you're not even worthy."
"Damn it! Bastard! Let me go if you dare! I have the Donquixote Family behind me! Doflamingo-sama won't let you off!"
Shirogai raised a brow, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Oh? Interesting. So everything you've done was ordered by Doflamingo?"
Bellamy, desperate for leverage, sneered and said with a hoarse, taunting tone,
"That's right! Young Master told me to test you! If you're smart, you'll— Aghhh!"
Shirogai pressed his toes harder, cutting off Bellamy's threats and leaving him gasping for air.
"Doflamingo thinks that with Kaido backing him, he can provoke me?" Shirogai chuckled coldly, watching Bellamy writhe under his foot. "In that case, I'll settle this debt with Doflamingo myself."
Bellamy's eyes widened in terror. Hearing Kaido and Doflamingo's names spoken with such disdain, his heart sank. Only now did he realize—he had offended someone far beyond his league.
Around them, pirates inside the tavern swallowed nervously. The fear they once felt toward Bellamy had shifted entirely onto Shirogai. Slowly, deliberately, Shirogai stepped off Bellamy, each movement carrying weight, before walking deeper into the tavern.
…
The moment Shirogai left, the suffocating aura of Haoshoku Haki vanished.
The townsfolk of Mock Town collapsed in relief. Those outside, covered in heaps of snow, crawled free from the icy blanket. Shivering, they scrambled into nearby taverns.
"Quick! Get me something strong, I'm freezing to death!"
"What's going on?! This is Mock Island, how could it snow like this?"
Inside, pirates pressed their faces to the windows, staring in disbelief at the street buried under thick snow. Alcohol dulled their fear, and they began whispering excitedly.
"Did you hear that voice just now?"
"Aye. Bellamy must've angered some sea monster of a pirate. Whoever that was, he crushed Bellamy like nothing."
"That power… he froze everyone in place with just his presence! If I had that kind of strength, my bounty would be worth hundreds of millions of Berries by now!"
…
At the docks, aboard the Going Merry—
"Hey! Usopp! I'm still missing a carrot here!"
Luffy, covered in scrapes and bruises, had already forgotten the earlier chaos. He happily built a snowman with Usopp and Chopper.
"Strange… shouldn't this be a Spring Island? Why is it snowing?"
From the orange grove on the second floor, Nami adjusted her telescope, scanning the horizon.
"Huh?"
A flash of reddish-yellow light caught her eye. Before she could call out, the light drifted down and materialized on the Merry's deck.
It was Admiral Kizaru.
Nami froze, staring at the tall man in his striped yellow suit and Justice coat. For a moment, her mind went blank.
Kizaru looked around the snow-covered town and sighed in his lazy, drawn-out tone,
"Ohhh my~ Is it snowing? Seems Shirogai has made his move."
Turning back, he smiled at Nami.
"It's chilly here. Little girl, would you be kind enough to fetch an old man some tea?"
The Straw Hats instantly bristled.
Zoro drew two swords, his eyes sharp. "Enemy. Everyone, be ready."
Sanji leapt to Nami's side, shielding her. "Don't worry, Nami-san. I'll protect you!"
"Hey, Marine! You're not welcome here!" Luffy shouted, fists raised.
"Level one alert! Level one alert!" Usopp and Chopper hid behind the mast, trembling as they peeked out.
Kizaru chuckled, raising his hands as if in surrender.
"Oh dear, I'm surrounded. How scary~ Can I surrender?"
Though his words sounded carefree, Kizaru's senses sharpened. He could feel it—the cold edge of killing intent brushing against him. If he showed hostility, Shirogai would appear instantly.
For now, he had no reason to fight. He was here only to deliver the Gorosei's message.
The Straw Hats blinked in confusion.
"…Surrender?"
"What's wrong with this guy?"
They hadn't even seen how he appeared, and now he was giving up? Only Nami, who had witnessed the strange transformation of light, realized the truth.
Her face drained of color. "Oh no… this man… he's Admiral Kizaru, one of the Navy's top powers."
Without Shirogai here, there was no way they could win.
"Wait, Sanji! Don't attack!" Nami grabbed Sanji's arm, her voice trembling. "Just… just get him some tea."
Though reluctant, Sanji obeyed.
"Thank you, kind pirates."
Kizaru took the cup, sipping leisurely. "Mmm. Good tea. Since I'm warm now…" His eyes glanced back toward the dock. "I won't trouble you further. Farewell."
In a flash of golden light, his body dispersed, shooting back toward Mock Town.
"Light…!" Robin's earlier warning echoed in their minds. This was the ability of Kizaru, one of the Navy's three Admirals.
Sanji nearly dropped the teacup. "That perverted geezer was Admiral Kizaru?!"
"One of the Marine's top fighters?" Zoro muttered, his grip tightening on his swords.
Usopp panicked, waving his arms. "If Admiral Kizaru is here, then where's Shirogai?! Did he get captured already?!"
"No. Shirogai is still in Mock Town."
A calm voice came from the dock as Robin walked aboard, clutching her chest as she caught her breath.
Sanji spun excitedly toward her. "Robin-chwan! Welcome back!"
Ignoring him, Robin's gaze turned serious. "What exactly did Shirogai do for an Admiral to come after him…?"