Sure enough, Shirakawa and Jorah turned and saw a large group of Marines approaching, seemingly the entire base's force.
The Marine at the front looked menacing. Judging by his coat, he was a high-ranking officer, likely the base commander, a Commander.
"You're the one who hurt my son?" the Commander demanded, confirming Shirakawa's suspicions about his abuse of power.
"If you're talking about that idiot, then yes, I did," Shirakawa replied, not backing down.
"You dare harm my son?!"
"I do. And I think that makes you a bad person. Otherwise, you wouldn't have raised such a spoiled brat."
The Commander laughed angrily. "You have no idea what you're dealing with, boy."
"And this one beside you. Is he your accomplice?" The Commander looked at Jorah.
"He is," Shirakawa confirmed. If he hadn't used Conqueror's Haki earlier, these Marines would have been trouble. It was good to have someone to share the burden, and Jorah, even injured, was more than capable of handling a few Marines.
Jorah looked at Shirakawa in surprise. 'When did I become his accomplice?' he thought.
"Don't worry," Shirakawa said to Jorah. "You owe me for that earlier interruption. Consider this a chance to repay your debt."
Jorah rolled his eyes but didn't object.
"Well then, neither of you is leaving this place alive!" the Commander declared.
Just as he was about to give the order to attack, his adjutant whispered something in his ear.
The Commander looked at Shirakawa intently.
"I didn't realize you were a pirate. That gives me even more reason to arrest you."
"You're a pirate?" Jorah asked, surprised. Shirakawa didn't look or act like a typical pirate.
"That's right. He's a big-time pirate with a 150 million berry bounty. And after today, that bounty's going to increase," the Commander said with a sneer.
"A pirate?" Jorah took a step back. He disliked trouble and wanted no part in a conflict between pirates and Marines.
But it was too late. The Marines already considered him Shirakawa's ally.
"Capture them alive!" the Commander ordered. The Marines who had been aiming their guns lowered them, switching to less lethal weapons.
Dozens of Marines charged at Shirakawa. Jorah, despite his injury, also found himself surrounded.
'I regret coming here,' Jorah thought, feeling a pang of frustration. Not only was he injured, but now he was also caught in a fight against the Marines. Today was turning out to be a disaster.
But the ordinary Marines were no match for Shirakawa and Jorah. Even with his injury, Jorah was still a skilled swordsman. A minor wound wouldn't hinder him much.
No matter how many ants there were, they couldn't defeat an elephant.
Shirakawa weaved through the Marines, his sword flashing. They fell one by one, but he avoided inflicting fatal blows. He had no personal grudge against them, even if they were on opposing sides.
'Even if they catch me, they won't kill me,' Shirakawa thought. 'At worst, they'll torture me a bit and then throw me in Impel Down. Maybe I can even negotiate my way out...'
He shook his head, amused by his own thoughts. But he continued to fight without killing any Marines.
Jorah, however, wasn't so merciful. He couldn't afford to hold back; any hesitation could lead to injury. The Marines, though weaker than him, were still trained fighters.
Shirakawa observed the scene, knowing he could easily end the fight with his Conqueror's Haki. But he wanted to limit its use and gain more experience in actual combat.
Soon, all the Marines were lying on the ground, groaning in pain. The Commander was the only one left standing, trembling in fear.
Shirakawa could tell the Commander was incompetent and had likely risen through the ranks due to his brother's influence.
"Stay back! My brother is a Rear Admiral at Marine Headquarters! If you harm me, he'll hunt you down!" the Commander threatened, tears and snot streaming down his face.
"A Rear Admiral? That explains how someone like you became a Commander. Your brother must have paid a hefty price for your position."
"But you're not living up to his efforts. He'd be so disappointed if he knew you were abusing your power here. Or maybe he's just like you."
"I'm sorry! I'll never do it again!" the Commander begged.
"You should be apologizing to the people you've hurt, not me."
"Yes, yes! I'm sorry!"
"Then go to hell and apologize to them. I'm sure they're waiting for you."
The Commander pleaded for his life, but Shirakawa was unmoved. He wouldn't let such a corrupt and cruel man continue to harm others. It wasn't about being a hero; it was about upholding his own sense of justice.