The thick tree trunk smashed into the ground ahead of him, leaving a shallow crater.
Mohji's eye twitched.
That had been close.
He raised his head and looked at the dark-skinned woman with short red hair standing opposite him. Her muscles were exaggerated even compared to his current fused form.
"Who are you?" Mohji lowered his stance slightly, his sharp claws gleaming coldly under the sun.
"A Zoan-type Devil Fruit user?" Miss Monday looked at him in surprise.
"This isn't a Devil Fruit ability," Mohji snorted proudly. "It's power granted to me by our captain!"
Since entering the Grand Line, he had learned a thing or two from Buggy about the legendary sea treasure known as Devil Fruits.
Miss Monday glanced briefly at the pirate ship docked by the shore. She tossed aside the tree trunk and slipped tiger-shaped knuckle guards onto her hands.
"Whether you're a Devil Fruit user or not," she said coolly, clenching her fists, "no man can match my strength."
"Mohji, hurry and deal with her—aaagh!" Buggy's scream echoed from behind.
Without the Chop-Chop Fruit, Buggy was already struggling against the sheer number of pirate hunters.
Whoosh—
A sharp gust cut through the air.
"Where are you looking?!" Miss Monday struck first, charging forward.
"Richie and I won't lose to you!" Mohji snapped back to focus. His legs tensed—and he vanished from her sight.
A silver arc flashed in the sunlight.
Miss Monday's eyes widened. Blood sprayed from her back.
"So fast—"
Mohji grinned, twisting his hips and driving a heavy kick toward her spine—
Bang!
A gunshot rang out from the side.
Mohji's grin froze. Pain contorted his face as he staggered back. A bullet hole opened in his shoulder, blood seeping through.
"Damn it—who was that?!"
He turned sharply toward the source of the gunfire—
And broke into a cold sweat.
Cabaji had already been captured.
Under the leadership of Mayor Igaram, a crowd of pirate hunters surrounded him, rifles raised.
Faced with so many gun barrels, even with his newfound strength, Mohji felt a flicker of fear.
Behind him, Buggy shouted hoarsely, "You underhanded cowards!"
With a clumsy roll, Buggy scrambled to Mohji's side, panting heavily as the pirate hunters closed in.
"What now?" Mohji muttered, scanning for an escape route.
"How should I know?!" Buggy snapped, his face pale. "There are too many of them!"
From the other side, Cabaji yelled desperately, "Don't forget the captain's orders!"
Buggy and Mohji stiffened.
"Oh? So this is Buggy the Clown? Doesn't look like much," Igaram said as he stepped forward. His gaze lingered on Mohji.
"Interesting. A Zoan-type?"
He gave a cold smile.
"Whatever flaw you think you saw, it doesn't matter."
"Attack."
The pirate hunters sneered.
On the Three-Eyed Flag pirate ship—
Thud.
Konrad dropped the last pirate hunter who had attempted to board, then returned silently to Yuuki's side.
"Seems I overestimated Buggy's crew," Yuuki said mildly, closing the magic language dictionary and shaking his head.
He had sensed everything happening in town.
He'd assumed Buggy and the others could handle a group of hunters. After all, in the original story, Roronoa Zoro had defeated them alone.
Apparently, he had overestimated them.
It wasn't that Yuuki couldn't perceive the difference in strength. It was simply that, to him, Buggy's trio, the hunters, even ordinary civilians—they all blurred together in insignificance.
That said, it did highlight something.
The Straw Hats had indeed been stronger than most pirate crews, even at the start.
"Blade of Judgement."
Yuuki raised his hand and flicked it lightly.
Back in town—
Buggy and Mohji stood drenched in sweat, surrounded by countless gun barrels.
Damn it!
To fall to pirate hunters—
That was unacceptable for a great pirate like Buggy!
A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. His ankle shifted slightly. Hidden inside his shoe was a miniature Buggy Ball—kept for emergencies.
"You bastards… prepare to die gloriously—"
He began to reach for it—
And then—
Golden light flashed.
Before anyone could react, swords of radiant gold pierced through the hearts of every pirate hunter present.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
No screams.
Only the dull sounds of bodies collapsing.
Four people remained untouched.
Buggy. Mohji. Cabaji.
And Igaram.
The three pirates stared, mouths agape.
All of them—gone in an instant?
If not for the glowing blades lodged in their chests, they wouldn't even have known what had happened.
So this…
This was their captain's true strength?
They had known Yuuki was powerful—but now they finally understood.
'How could such a monster exist in the East Blue…?'
Buggy swallowed hard.
"This… what is this…?!" Igaram staggered back, face drained of color.
"Miss Monday!"
Seeing her lifeless body, he trembled.
Fear gave way to desperate resolve.
He turned and ran.
He didn't know why he had been spared.
But he knew if he stayed, he would die.
He could not die—not before finishing what he had set out to do.
Run!
Igaram's sudden flight snapped the three pirates back to their senses.
He was the mayor.
The man their captain had ordered them to capture.
"You're not getting away."
Cabaji was the first to move. He grabbed a fallen sword and hurled it.
The blade flashed through the air—
And embedded itself in Igaram's left leg.
"AAAH!"
He fell hard to the ground.
"You were pretty arrogant earlier," Cabaji growled, kicking him in the chest.
Buggy and Mohji arrived moments later, grins spreading across their faces.
Not long after—
A battered and bruised Igaram was dragged before Yuuki.
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