The island was pristine, untouched—nothing like the aftermath of a pirate raid.
For a moment, Captain T-Bone felt like he'd been played. His brows furrowed deeply. Before he could vent his frustration, a nearby medic tugged at his pant leg, signaling for him to look in a specific direction.
T-Bone turned, his expression shifting from irritation to shock. He sucked in a sharp breath as his previously tense face slackened.
What did he see?
Amidst a pile of corpses, three stood out prominently. In front of this grim scene sat a young man, dressed only in a beast-hide skirt, calmly observing T-Bone. Behind the man, a group of terrified civilians huddled on the ground, trembling as if fearing him.
Their gazes met.
Though the young man was significantly smaller in stature, T-Bone felt as though he'd been locked in the sights of a colossal Sea King. The sheer intensity of the pressure forced him to take two instinctive steps back, his face pale with shock.
"Terrifying... At least the strength of a Vice Admiral," T-Bone thought, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
"This is bad," he mused grimly.
The young man clearly wasn't ordinary. Sitting nonchalantly among corpses without a trace of fear meant he was either a pirate or a bandit—definitely not someone on the right side of the law.
"He can't be a good person," T-Bone reassured himself, his hand slowly reaching for his sword.
While T-Bone kept a wary eye on the stranger, Shirayama (the young man) studied T-Bone with equal interest.
There was no mistaking that distinctive uniform. Shirayama recognized him instantly.
"So, this is the infamous 'Ship-Slicing T-Bone' from the Navy? Impressive," Shirayama thought. While he didn't know why T-Bone was stationed in the East Blue rather than guarding Enies Lobby, it wasn't his concern.
"Hey, Navy officers, aren't you going to comfort the island's residents? If you won't, I might as well step in," Shirayama said casually, raising his hands in mock surrender.
T-Bone, ready to put his life on the line, hesitated. His subordinates exchanged confused glances, unsure of what to make of Shirayama's sudden compliance.
Seeing their reactions, Shirayama chuckled. "What's the matter? Afraid of a mere kid?"
"Relax, I mean no harm. I only came to this island because I was hungry," he explained. "But I happened to stumble upon an interesting situation, so for my own safety, I intervened."
"If you don't trust me, you're welcome to slap a pair of seastone cuffs on me. I promise I won't resist."
His words were straightforward. Whether T-Bone believed him or not was up to the captain.
Still, Shirayama maintained his calm. "I really don't mean any harm," he reiterated.
"Captain, what should we do?" one of T-Bone's men asked cautiously, breaking the silence.
T-Bone considered his options. After a moment of thought, he nodded.
If Shirayama truly harbored no ill intent, he could apologize later. But just in case, T-Bone positioned himself close by, ready to act at the first sign of danger.
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