Valencia Town,
This is an ordinary town on the Grand Line.
Ordinary residents, ordinary geography, ordinary Marine station, and:
Ordinary pirate attacks!
When Roman led the two squads speeding towards the town, they only saw several pirate ships with skull flags docked outside the port, with empty decks.
This was to be expected, as the pirates had already rushed into the town, mixing bloodthirsty shouts and arrogant cries. For the sake of their loved ones and homes, the townspeople fought back! The entire Valencia Town was engulfed in blood, smoke, and war.
"Damn pirates..."
Standing at the ship's edge, Nami clenched her fist, holding back the rest of her words. — After all, she was still the navigator of the Straw Hat crew, and the Captain's coat she wore was casually draped over her by Roman.
But don't forget, Nami once hated pirates the most!
However, after joining the Straw Hat crew, it was either fighting pirates or exploring, and her free time was spent training under Roman's supervision. She gradually forgot the true nature of pirates. — Burning, looting, and committing all sorts of evil, most pirates are just destroyers.
"Don't mind it, scum is scum, it won't change because of their profession."
Roman patted Nami's shoulder, bringing the orange-haired girl back to her senses.
"That's right, I always knew pirates were full of scum..."
It's just that she subconsciously forgot these harsh realities while with the Straw Hat crew.
"Let's take them down!"
Facing the enthusiastic Nami, who controlled the warship to drift and dock at the shore, Roman snapped his fingers! The paper covering the warship immediately spread out, forming a bridge connecting to the port.
"Quick, quick, quick!!"
"Don't act like a girl... cough cough," Bolkin coughed as two pairs of eyes glared at him from behind, "Don't act like a weakling, get up quickly, the townspeople ahead are waiting for us to save them!"
The seasick Marines were hurried off the warship and quickly formed a battle formation—
The loudest shouts and cries came from the Marine base in the town center. Although the tall and sturdy base and turrets were intimidating, the increasingly faint sounds of battle suggested that the Marines were in trouble.
————
"Captain, Marine reinforcements have arrived!"
Facing the words of his subordinate, the man in the largest room of the Marine base snapped open his pocket watch.
"Fifteen minutes and thirty-six seconds."
"Such quick reinforcements," the pirate captain looked up at the slowly calming storm and waves on the horizon, "it seems the other side has someone who can 'control the weather.'"
But it doesn't matter, now his pirates are mixed with the townspeople, the other side wouldn't dare, and wouldn't, launch a large-scale weather attack!
"Give the order, execute the 'plan.'"
Glancing at the approaching warship, the young pirate captain with a sunny appearance smiled.
"Three officers, I'll use your downfall to add to my 'supernova' bounty!"
As he turned, a Marine nailed to the wall in the room full of sword marks came into view. It was a tall man wearing a Captain's coat.
Marine Headquarters Captain 'Shura' Coil, a master of four-sword style who had participated in the Summit War and survived!
But now he was just a corpse.
"Captain? Not much."
The sunny young captain strode out of the room, ready to hunt the next three Marine officers!
'Phantom' Klein, a master with a bounty of 99 million Berries.
---
"Cough, cough, cough~~"
"Help, help me—"
"Mom, mom!!"
The once bustling streets had become blood-filled ditches, the blazing fire reflecting the screams and cries, the ground covered with ordinary people in pools of blood. It was clear: the pirates had just ravaged this town that had been peaceful for over ten years.
Marine Headquarters Captain 'Shura' Coil was no weakling, but when an ambitious person used his head to make a name for himself, the town he protected faced destruction!
After landing, facing the civilians crying and groaning on the ground, although the Marines still formed a proper defensive formation, their unwilling expressions and lowered eyes made it clear that if Roman hadn't ordered otherwise, they would have rushed to help the wounded.
"Roman, why aren't we saving them?"
For the Straw Hat crew, a pirate's life is about adventure and friendship, but for normal pirates, it's just killing and looting.
"Hmm, this pirate captain is somewhat smart."
Facing Commander Isuka biting her lower lip, Bolkin looking distressed, and Nami who would have rushed out if he hadn't held her wrist, Roman calmly raised his chin.
"There is so many injured civilians, but not many dead, don't you find that strange?"
Roman's words made everyone's faces change, an ominous thought rising in their minds.
"That's right, the other side deliberately 'injured' the civilians instead of killing them to distract us Marines. If a reckless commander split the forces to save people, they would fall into the enemy's trap."
In Roman's Observation Haki, pirates hiding in buildings, behind shops, and on rooftops were ready to strike, waiting for the Marines to show a flaw.
A simple, yet cruel trap!
"So, we... just ignore them?"
Isuka gripped her sword tightly, looking at the civilians struggling in the blood, their hands reaching out to the Marines, their eyes filled with hope, all so piercing!
Her parents had once begged for help like this, but in the end, they were burned along with the pirates by a Vice Admiral.
Is 'justice' really so powerless...
"How could we do that?"
Roman stepped forward and clapped his hands.
Clap, clap!
Whoosh~~~
From the warship and the bridge, countless pieces of paper flew out like snowflakes, passing over the injured civilians on the ground, and quickly forming into human shapes.
White warriors holding weapons appeared out of thin air! They quickly formed a defensive line: swordsmen charging with swords, archers with bows ready to shoot, armored soldiers with heavy shields in front. Each puppet had a faint metallic glow, making it clear they were terrifying killing machines.
"Paper Dance - Royal Guard!"
"Justice is stronger than evil, attack!"
With Roman's command, swords flashed, armor clanged, and the silent charge began.
All the paper soldiers drew their weapons and spread out like a landslide, targeting the pirates hiding in buildings and on rooftops!
Thud,
Clang!
"Ah!!"
"What are these things?"
"Damn it—"
With Roman's Armament Haki upgrade, he could now add a bit of Haki to the regular paper puppets, making these 'soldiers' much tougher and more deadly, like a group of fearless pirate captains with million-dollar bounties.
Though still ineffective against top fighters, they were perfect for clearing out the weaker ones:
Clang!
Weapons uselessly struck the paper soldiers, only to be countered and cut down.
Bang bang bang—
Bullets only sparked off the armor, and the shooter was pierced by an arrow.
What's the point of fighting?
"Ah, monsters!"
"Run, we can't beat them—"
Never expect pirates to 'fight to the death,' most pirates go to sea just to bully the weak and loot.
Only a tiny fraction have ideals. Though this fraction includes the true masters among pirates!
"A bunch of trash."
The sunny young pirate captain in the Marine base was indifferent to his subordinates' defeat. This 'trash' was plentiful, easily recruited at neutral ports. But:
"Didn't expect a Captain skilled in 'super creations.' If left unchecked, those trash might not hold up—?!"
As 'Phantom' Klein played with his pocket watch, thinking of how to defeat the enemy, the young Captain who released a bunch of 'combat puppets' jumped onto the roof and flew towards him, leaving others to help the civilians.
!
"Haha, so confident?"
Snapping his pocket watch shut, the young pirate captain smiled even more brightly.
"Let's see what you're capable of."
---
Snap,
Leaping into the Marine base, Roman looked up at the building and locked eyes with the young pirate captain behind the window.
Experts! X2
In an instant, both had the same intuition. But:
"Get down here, pirate!"
Roman wasn't one to 'look up' to others. A pure white spear appeared in his hand, and he prepared to throw it.
"Paper Dance - Hound!"
Roman's Haki covered the spear, giving it a strong metallic feel, and he threw it forward.
The spear shot out, white shockwaves exploding, like a supersonic missile towards the enemy behind the window, with a sound like a landslide!
The silver light pierced the room and shot out the other side of the roof! The sturdy Marine base was as fragile as tofu before Roman's spear. But:
Clap clap clap,
A slow, deep clapping sound, strong and penetrating, like a noble applauding a great performance.
?
Roman looked at the sunny young pirate captain who had appeared before him. Every move he made was filled with a deep elegance, like a descendant of an ancient noble family.
So:
"Teleportation Fruit? Or Flash Fruit?"
Facing Roman's calm question, the newcomer just waved his hand lightly.
"Although I have no obligation to explain my abilities to an enemy, I believe you'll understand after seeing it a few times. So—"
The elegant young man in the sunlight directly revealed the source of his ability.
"Swap Fruit, that's the name of the Devil Fruit I ate."
—This thing sounds like a lower version of the "Operation Fruit." I just wonder:
How far can this guy's "swap" reach?
In an instant, the two young men with very similar temperaments began to observe each other while slowly stepping to the left and right.
---
—————— ----
You can read 30 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu