"What can I say, I was saving Alabasta, and your boss was trying to destroy it," Zino said, shaking his head slightly. His voice was calm, but firm. "Besides, the Marines were the ones who managed to capture him. Not me."
The members of the Numbers Pirates frowned at that. None of them had seen Crocodile since their Alabasta operation fell apart. To this day, they didn't know the full story of what happened between their former boss and Zino. All they had were the headlines—headlines that credited Zino as the man responsible for bringing down Crocodile. Whether that was true or not, it left a bitter taste.
But none of them could argue. The results spoke for themselves. Crocodile was imprisoned, and Zino rose in notoriety with a bounty that rivaled the worst of the seas.
From behind the bar, Shakky exhaled a long stream of smoke, her gaze half-lidded but sharp. "Getting into Impel Down is already one of the most difficult tasks in the world. Getting out... that's another level entirely. But," she added, glancing at the group, "I happen to know someone who escaped before."
That got everyone's attention.
"Seriously? Who?" Drophy asked, eyes wide with surprise.
Shakky gave a small, teasing smirk. "You'll have to pay for that part. Even discounts have their limits."
A collective groan echoed from the Numbers Pirates.
"Heh, typical Rip-off Bar," Bon Clay muttered, slouching against the counter.
Zino stood up, brushing the dust off his coat with slow, deliberate movements. "Well, looks like you've all got your own quest. I won't get in the way. Good luck with it—you're going to need it."
Daz Bones eyed him cautiously. "You're not going to interfere again, are you?"
Zino glanced at him, then gave a small, amused smile. "Why would I? I've got my own business with Impel Down. So if our paths cross again... just don't get in my way."
With a polite nod to Shakky, Zino turned and began walking toward the door.
As he stepped outside, his pace slowed as he cast out his Haki to sense his crew. From what he sensed, Sanji and his group were in Grove 52, still moving for a shopping spree, thanks to Nami.
On the other hand, he found Usopp and the others were at Grove 32, having conversations with Luffy and his Straw Clown Pirates.
Next, he sensed the Silent Orca still in Grove 46. Zoro and the others just finished fighting against some pirates that tried to rob the ship.
Just then, he sensed something else. His expression darkened just a little—subtle, but noticeable.
"…Looks like the Marines are here," he muttered.
The words made everyone inside the bar freeze for a beat.
"Marines?" Daz Bones frowned.
"…There are a lot of them," Zino said. "Too many for this to be a routine patrol."
That made the Numbers Pirates tense immediately.
"If you want to stay safe, I suggest you leave now," Zino continued, his voice quiet but firm. "A Marine Admiral is here. He just arrived."
"What?!" Bon Clay nearly shouted, eyes bulging. "An Admiral?!"
"No way, why now?" Zala hissed.
"Is it a coincidence or…?" Mr. 4 began, but trailed off, suddenly very pale.
Shakky watched Zino with more interest than worry. "So, you're capable of using Haki. Not many rookies have trained their Observation that sharply. You're really not like the others."
Zino gave her a small smile. "I call it coming prepared."
And then, without another word, his body surged with power. A bright flash of energy lit up the street outside as he transformed into a bolt of crackling lightning—and in an instant, he shot into the sky, vanishing from view.
"He… he just turned into lightning!" Mr. 4 stammered, stumbling backward in shock.
The others stared in disbelief. Even Daz Bones, who usually remained calm, was left speechless.
...
Grove 32
A streak of brilliant lightning tore through the sky and struck the ground near the amusement complex with a crackling boom. Sparks danced for a moment, then the lightning coalesced into a human form.
It was Zino.
"Zino!" several voices shouted in surprise.
Both the Orcas and the Straw Clown Pirates turned to look at him. The sudden arrival caused a brief stir among the nearby civilians, but most were too distracted by the lively attractions to notice anything out of the ordinary.
Zino glanced around, quickly locating his crew and the Straw Clown Pirates in the crowd.
"Guys, it's time to retreat," Zino said, his voice clear. "Marine warships have arrived. And there's an Admiral on board."
Everyone's expression shifted instantly. The air grew tense.
"Admiral?" Usopp asked, eyes wide. "Is it Aokiji?"
Zino shook his head. "No. It's not Aokiji. It's another Marine Admiral. You don't want to be here when he makes landfall."
Luffy looked at him seriously, then nodded. "Alright."
He turned to his crew. "Let's go. Now."
"But we haven't found Rayleigh yet," Chopper said. "And our ship isn't even coated!"
"You'll find Rayleigh at Grove 1," Zino replied quickly. "But you won't get the chance to meet him if you're caught. If you stick around too long, forget coating your ship—you'll all end up in Impel Down."
"…Let's leave first," Luffy said, his voice calm but firm.
Without wasting another moment, the Straw Clown crew began moving quickly, blending into the crowd as they made their escape. Zino watched them go for a brief moment, then turned to his own crew.
"You guys head back to the ship," he said.
"What about you?" Chloris asked.
"I'm going to find the others first," Zino said. "Once we regroup, we'll head back together."
He didn't wait for further questions. In a flash of blinding light, his body turned into lightning again and vanished. The ground sparked lightly from where he had just stood.
The remaining Orcas—Usopp, Mikita, Binko, and the others—stood frozen for a second, still feeling the charge in the air.
"…You heard him. Let's go," Usopp said, tightening the strap of his bag.
They then hurried off toward Grove 46.
Meanwhile, Zino zipped through the sky as pure lightning, the cityscape below flashing by in an instant. In just a second, he arrived at Grove 52.
He landed in front of a boutique clothing shop, his body crackling softly as it reformed from lightning into solid flesh and bone.
Inside, Nami was in the middle of a heated negotiation with the shopkeeper over the price of a stylish dress.
"I'm telling you, this cloth isn't worth ten thousand! I'll give you six!" she argued, hands on her hips.
The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow. "This is imported from Mariejois. You're lucky I'm not charging fifteen thousand!"
Suddenly, a thunderclap sounded just outside the shop, making the glass windows tremble slightly. A bolt of light crashed down at the entrance—and Zino appeared from it, looking composed but serious.
The shopkeeper recoiled in panic.
"Wh-Who are you?! What just happened?!" he stammered, nearly knocking over a mannequin.
Zino ignored him completely. His eyes locked on Sanji, Nami, Robin, Galdino, Stev, and Kaya.
"Let's go," Zino said bluntly. "The Marines are here. Including an Admiral. We need to retreat."
Nami's eyes widened. "What? An Admiral?!"
"Yes," Zino confirmed. "We leave immediately."
The urgency in his tone left no room for debate. Even Sanji dropped his casual posture and straightened up.
"Got it," he said, already moving.
The crew then stepped out of the shop, heading back toward the Grove 46.
...
Grove 27, Harbor
The calm waters near Grove 27 suddenly became a stage for tension. A formation of Marine warships appeared on the horizon, slowly approaching the coast. Their sails were marked with the distinct Marine insignia, and the presence of so many vessels caused an immediate stir among the pirates loitering in the area.
A buzz of unease spread like wildfire through the harbor.
"Why are they here? And with such... grand display?" a scruffy pirate muttered, shielding his eyes from the sun as he counted the ships.
"Must be after someone big," another replied. "You don't send this kind of fleet unless you're hunting something dangerous."
"I heard many famous rookies are here in Sabaody," a third pirate added. "If I'm not mistaken, there are eleven pirate ships that showed up, all with captains carrying bounties over a hundred million berries. Rumors say one of them even hit a billion."
The whispers grew louder as more pirates caught sight of the imposing fleet. Murmurs turned to panic when one of the lead warships adjusted its cannon—aiming not at another vessel, but at the island itself.
A cannon roared.
BOOM!
The projectile screamed toward the harbor. But just before it could hit the ground, a figure appeared atop the cannonball—riding it like a platform.
A flash of golden light illuminated the scene, dazzling everyone's eyes.
The cannonball exploded in mid-air with a deafening blast. Smoke and debris flew, but when the dust settled, a man stood calmly on the ground, his feet gently touching down as if gravity itself bent to his will.
He was tall, lean, and wore the standard Marine Admiral coat draped over his shoulders like a cape. Yellow-tinted glasses sat lazily on his nose. His expression was vacant, almost bored.
Admiral Kizaru had arrived.
"Finally… I've landed," he muttered lazily.
He raised his wrist, where a black Den Den Mushi nestled in a communicator strap. Pressing the receiver to his ear, he spoke into it casually.
"Moshi moshi... hello. This is Kizaru. I've arrived. Awaiting your response."
Silence.
No reply came through. The black Den Den Mushi blinked but remained quiet.
Around him, the harbor had exploded into chaos. Pirates were scrambling in every direction, pushing past crates and shoving others aside in their desperation to escape. Panic and confusion rippled through the crowd.
"It's a Marine Admiral! Run!"
"Admiral Kizaru is here!"
"Why is someone like him here?!"
"He'll kill us all! Don't even think about fighting!"
But not everyone was smart enough to run.
One particularly foolish pirate, young and overly confident, raised his pistol and took a step forward. His friend tugged at his sleeve in panic.
"Hey! What are you doing? Run while you can!"
"Hold on." The man steadied his aim. "Let me test him. If I can land a hit on an Admiral—no, if I can kill him—I'll be famous!"
He fired.
Bang!
The bullet streaked through the air like a flash and struck Kizaru right through the head—or so it seemed.
The bullet passed cleanly through, as though his body were made of light itself. There was no wound. Not even a flinch.
"Wh-what?" the man stuttered, lowering his pistol. "He didn't even feel it?"
His friend's eyes widened in horror. "You idiot, that's Admiral Kizaru! He's the Glint-Glint Man—he's made of light!"
Before they could blink again, Kizaru was gone.
"W-where did he—?"
[12/7, 1:16 PM] ChatGPT: Sure! Here's a slightly expanded version of your scene with improved flow and added detail, while staying true to the original tone:
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Suddenly, he was standing right beside them. No sound, no warning—just a flash of golden light, and there he was.
The two pirates froze, feeling the chill of death crawl up their spines. Kizaru tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable behind those yellow glasses. His voice, however, was calm and almost amused.
"Tell me… do you know where my nephew is?"
"GYAAAH!"
One of the pirates dropped his gun, the weapon clattering uselessly to the ground as his knees buckled. His scream echoed through the harbor. His friend didn't wait to ask questions—he grabbed him by the collar, yanked him up, and the two fled in a blind panic, shoving aside crates, barrels, and anyone in their path.
Kizaru watched them go, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Honestly," he murmured, "it was just a simple question…"
He gave a lazy sigh, then slowly leaned to the side and lifted his leg in an effortless motion. His foot glowed—brilliant, concentrated light gathering at the sole.
Then, with a flick, he kicked.
A beam of pure light exploded from his foot, screaming through the air in a straight line. It shot past the running pirates, narrowly missing them—
And then struck the side of a massive mangrove tree in the distance.
BOOOOM!!
A deafening explosion erupted, a blinding flash tearing through the area. The shockwave sent debris flying in every direction, throwing pirates off their feet as the ground trembled from the impact.
The fleeing pirates were swallowed in the blast radius—some tumbling to the ground, others screaming as they ran faster.