Mock Town was silent, with no street fights, no curses or insults, no people pointing guns at each other's heads—only peace.
This might have been the most peaceful moment this lawless town had ever experienced.
Of course, Allen didn't care. These fierce pirates were nothing more than filler mobs. After thinking about it, they didn't even have enough worth to become his subordinates.
Allen had made it clear that he had no problem raiding ships, killing his enemies, or standing against the law, but he had his limits, and many of these pirates were what he considered scum.
"How can the Marines allow a place like this to exist?" Uta said as she looked at a man who had been stabbed in an alley.
"I don't know if you're aware, but there are at least twenty million islands in the world. The Marines don't even have enough personnel to station a single Marine on each one, so many places inevitably end up without our presence," Hina sighed. "Besides, even if the Marines came here and wiped this place out, another Mock Town would simply appear on a different island."
"I see," Uta said in understanding.
"Don't worry," Allen said with mockery and disdain toward those watching him from the windows. "All I can see in this place are corrupt eyes and malicious intentions. There aren't any civilians here."
"In that case, we can destroy the place!" Tashigi growled as she grabbed the hilt of her katana.
Robin shook her head.
"Just as Hina-san said, if we destroyed this place, they'd simply create another one somewhere else. They might even take over an ordinary town, and then innocent people would be put in danger."
Tashigi looked like she had just swallowed a bug. Seeing this, Hina couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl.
"A harsh truth every Marine learns is that we're not heroes. Many times, we have to turn a blind eye to crimes for the sake of a greater good."
Nami scoffed. "A greater good, or whenever some Celestial Dragon decides they need a new slave."
"Ugh... Hina is shocked." Hina forced an awkward smile.
"Don't tease Hina-san, Nami-san," Vivi said with a laugh while covering her mouth.
Allen and his crew arrived at the bar. It was the only place in all of Mock Town where people hadn't gone into hiding, but only because they hadn't realized Allen had arrived yet.
As they pushed open the door and entered, most of the girls—except Robin and Hina—frowned at the overwhelming smell of alcohol and tobacco. Of course, being pirates, and with Hina aboard, they were already used to those scents, but the smell here was far too strong, mixed with cheap liquor and low-quality tobacco.
Every eye turned toward them, though there was only one group inside.
It was Bellamy the Hyena's pirate crew. Known as the town bully, with a bounty of 55,000,000 Berries, no one dared stand against him.
"Fwee~ Look, Captain! A bunch of beauties just walked in!"
"Hey, did you get lost, big sister?~"
"How about spending a good time with me, blue-haired girl..."
"Kweeh!"
Karoo became angry, but Vivi calmed him by stroking his head.
"Look, even a duck has more guts than that brat."
"What's the point of being handsome if you're a coward?!"
"I'm gonna slice your face off and wear it as a mask! Hahaha!"
The vulgarities worthy of a lawless town quickly filled the room, yet despite everything they heard, none of the girls reacted beyond showing a little disgust. They all knew what was about to happen.
Insult Allen? Insult his crew?
These idiots had no idea that Allen had defeated a Warlord for Vivi and stood against Garp himself to protect them!
....
Among Bellamy's men, a blond man wearing sunglasses and drinking with two women at his sides silently observed Allen before narrowing his eyes. This was Sarquiss, Bellamy's first mate.
Like the rest of the crew, he enjoyed acting like a bully in town, knowing that almost no pirate who arrived would dare oppose Bellamy. Even worse, if a pirate strong enough to defeat Bellamy did show up, they still wouldn't act because Bellamy sailed under Donquixote Doflamingo's flag.
But this time, there was something different about the crew that had arrived, and it wasn't just because it consisted of beautiful women and a single handsome white-haired man...
"...!"
A chill ran down Sarquiss' spine. Beautiful women, an unbelievably handsome white-haired man... There was only one crew on the seas that matched that description.
'The White-Haired Demon!'
"Haha, come to daddy, blonde girl. I'll show you what a real man is!" said an ugly man with an enormous mouth as he leered at Mikita.
Rather than getting angry, the girl dressed in yellow looked at him with nothing but disgust and contempt, as if he were a dung beetle pushing a ball of filth.
Feeling her disgust, the man froze for a moment before becoming furious—not at Mikita, but at Allen, whom he believed was just a pretty face and hated him for being surrounded by women.
"Bastard! Get over here! I'll cut your throat!"
When the man, who stood over two meters tall, got to his feet, the rest of the pirates began cheering mockingly.
"Hey! Are you listening to me?!"
"Captain, is there any particular reason we're here?" Mikita asked.
The girl dressed in yellow disliked both the town's atmosphere and its inhabitants.
"Well, not really. We're just passing through on our way to Skypiea," Allen said.
[I'm surprised you're taking this so well. I mean, they're insulting your harem.]
'Get angry? Why would I get angry at a corpse?'
[...]
"He... Hahahahaha!"
All the cheering was interrupted by loud laughter coming from the counter.
There sat a blond man with short hair and a nasty, mocking grin that perfectly matched his nickname—Bellamy the Hyena.
He had remained silent until now, but he couldn't help laughing at Allen's words.
"Skypiea?! You mean the island in the sky?! You're an idiot! That's nothing but a legend!"
Everyone in the bar burst into laughter.
Meanwhile, Allen and the girls looked at them as though they were fools. Skypiea was real. Not only did it exist, but there was even a safe route to reach it, though it was reserved for nobles and high-ranking members of the World Government.
Hina had never been there herself, but she could guarantee that it existed.
"At first I thought they were merely vulgar, but they're also stupid. People like that don't live very long," Allen mocked.
He had heard enough from these people. Taking a step forward, Allen began walking toward Bellamy.
His words instantly transformed the laughter and ridicule into angry, hostile stares.
"Bastard!" The man who had insulted Allen earlier grabbed a saber and charged at him, intending to split him in half.
Allen ignored the attack as though it didn't exist. The pirates' eyes filled with anticipation, eager to see Allen's blood and hear the screams of his women.
But that never happened.
The instant the steel blade touched Allen's head, it shattered like glass, and metal fragments scattered across the floor.
Silence followed...
Disbelief...
Confusion...
And above all else...
Fear.
Sarquiss shot up from his chair, shoving the women beside him aside as his face instantly turned pale.
'NO, NO, NO, NO! WHAT HAVE WE DONE?!'
Sarquiss cursed the alcohol in his system, his own slow reaction, and his stupidity. He was the first mate, but ever since Bellamy had joined Doflamingo's crew, they had grown far too complacent.
"Y-you...!"
The man staggered backward, trembling in fear. He was bigger, more muscular, and looked far more intimidating than Allen, but appearances meant nothing in a world where strength wasn't measured by looks.
"Shigan..."
"...!"
The man froze. Looking down, he saw five holes punched clean through his chest.
"I don't want to die..." the man whispered as he collapsed to the floor, tears in his eyes and his pants soaked with urine. But it was already too late, He had been killed in an instant.
Allen didn't even spare him a glance.
That was simply who he was. Against pirates who deserved it, he was willing to show respect. But against bastards who couldn't display even the smallest amount of courtesy, who disrespected him and his crew, and worse, dared harbor vulgar thoughts toward his companions, only the coldness of the sea awaited them.
"Bastard!"
"Everyone, fire!"
The pirates raised their guns and aimed at Allen while Bellamy stood up overflowing with killing intent. That man might have been trash, but he was still one of Bellamy's men, and Bellamy intended to repay his death with blood.
"St-!" Sarquiss tried to shout and stop everyone, but it was already too late.
The guns fired dozens of bullets toward Allen.
Allen smiled, sending another chill through Sarquiss' body.
A wave of pale violet energy spread outward from Allen in every direction.
The moment it touched the bullets, they slowed to a crawl before stopping completely in midair.
Every pirate was left speechless.
"During my journey, I realized something."
Allen picked up one of the suspended bullets.
"Devil Fruits hide endless possibilities. However, to push them to their limits and awaken them, they require the right user."
Allen played with the bullet before flicking it with his fingers, sending it straight through a pirate's chest.
"While people like Whitebeard have pushed their Devil Fruits to the limit, there are users like Foxy, whose only technique with a fruit like the Noro Noro no Mi was barely developed."
To reach Ace's level of mastery over his own fruit, Allen had needed Level 5. To reach Whitebeard's level, he would need Level 9 Skills. But to surpass Foxy, the current user of the Noro Noro no Mi—the Slow-Slow Fruit—Allen had only needed Level 1.
It was tragic that such an incredible Devil Fruit had ended up in Foxy's hands in this life, but now that Allen had raised the Skill to Level 5, he could display power Foxy never even knew he possessed.
Allen smirked and clenched his fist.
The bullets immediately fell to the ground.
"W-who...?!" Bellamy growled, though his voice sounded more like the whimper of a wounded animal trying to hide its fear.
Allen smiled at him.
"You still don't recognize me?"
Bellamy shivered before charging in out of sheer panic.
His legs transformed into springs as he began bouncing throughout the bar. This ability came from his Devil Fruit, the Bane Bane no Mi, the Spring-Spring Fruit.
Allen didn't care that Bellamy had already activated his signature technique.
"With Foxy, the Noroma Particles temporarily interfere with the acceleration and speed of objects. However, I can steal that acceleration and—"
Allen vanished.
Bellamy froze before hearing Allen's voice behind him.
"And I can use that acceleration for myself. Have you ever been kicked at one hundred times the speed of sound?" Allen asked.
Bellamy felt a crushing impact strike his chest.
Before he could react, he was already flying across Mock Town, smashing through building after building before crashing into the forest.
Allen landed lightly.
"Well, the speed of a hundred bullets is pretty terrifying... but it's only good for one use," Allen laughed.
However, his smile soon turned cold, forcing the pirates to retreat.
"Finish them."
The moment Allen gave the order, the girls attacked.
Nami used her staff and superhuman strength to send several pirates flying into the walls.
Vivi drew her blades and cut down multiple pirates, while Karoo also joined in, slamming pirates with his powerful kicks.
Tashigi, who had been wanting to fight for a long time, showed no mercy as she cut down every pirate she saw.
Already irritated, Hina also entered the battle, displaying the strength expected of a Marine Captain.
Robin used her Devil Fruit to sprout arms around several pirates' bodies, mercilessly breaking their bones.
Mikita laughed as she kicked the man who had spoken to her earlier. She had discovered that by increasing her weight before striking, she could kick with the force of an elephant.
Normally peaceful, Nojiko didn't hesitate to shoot to kill this time. The looks those pirates had given her filled her with such rage that even she had reached her limit.
Kaya closed her eyes, unable to watch, but Uta, standing beside her, gently patted her shoulder.
"I understand how you feel, but these people are the kind who wouldn't hesitate to do horrible things to us if we were weaker than them. Don't pity them."
Kaya thought quietly for a moment before shaking her head and forcing herself to watch without looking away. She had stepped into a brutal world where lives were lost in every battle, where her crew was destined to spill blood in conflicts and fight bloodthirsty pirates.
She understood that... and remained resolute.
When Bellamy's last man fell, only the two women who had been with Sarquiss and Sarquiss himself remained, now kneeling before Allen.
"It looks like you tried to stop them but failed. Don't worry, it was already too late anyway."
Sarquiss stared ahead with empty eyes, but Allen didn't care. This broken man had ruined countless lives, and his misery wasn't going to earn anyone's sympathy.
Since the bar had been destroyed, there was no longer any reason to stay, so Allen walked out. In the end, the visit to Mock Town had been brief and ultimately meaningless.
....
Mock Town was filled with illegal goods. Unfortunately, nothing being sold there caught the girls' interest.
With no entertainment, no places worth visiting, and a thoroughly corrupt atmosphere, it definitely wasn't the best stop for them. They decided to leave the lawless town behind and continue their journey toward Skypiea.
Despite all of the above, Allen and his crew spent a night on that island.
The next day, they returned to town to buy supplies and prepared to set sail.
Halfway back to the Black Pearl, Allen suddenly stopped.
"Is something wrong?" Robin asked after noticing the serious look on Allen's face.
"Big Sister, take everyone back to the ship and get away from this island..." Allen ordered.
His words left no room for discussion, and even Robin chose not to question him.
"Let's go," Robin said as she led the way.
The girls looked at Allen with concern, but he reassured them with a mischievous smile.
"Don't worry. I'd never forgive myself if I died and left so many beautiful girls to another man."
Several girls blushed at his shamelessness, but others weren't fooled by his words and quietly approached him.
"If it's dangerous, just run," Uta whispered.
"Be careful," Nami said.
"Don't push yourself too hard," Kaya added.
"We'll be waiting for you," Vivi said.
Once the girls had left, Allen remained standing silently, watching them go.
The sincerity in their eyes, the honesty of their concern, the warmth in those gazes...
It filled his chest with warmth.
For someone like him, who had never known either a father or a mother, these girls were the closest thing he had ever had to a family.
"That's exactly why... I won't let anyone hurt them," Allen said as he turned around.
A man was standing there.
Tall, dark-skinned, with thick curly hair and a sleepy expression. Yet behind those lazy eyes burned an intense light.
He wore a white suit with a faint bluish tint.
"Arara... so you're the famous Allen Walker-kun..." the man said with a yawn.
"And you are?" Allen narrowed his eyes as he noticed the surrounding temperature rapidly dropping.
"Me?..."
The man didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he glanced toward the direction the girls had left.
A shockwave instantly erupted from Allen.
"Conqueror's Haki?" the man said, slightly surprised but completely unaffected. "Just as expected. You're a brat with the qualities of a king. No wonder you've been going around saying you'll become the King of the World."
A layer of ice began spreading beneath the man's feet.
"That's right... I still haven't introduced myself."
The man looked directly into Allen's eyes before speaking.
"My name is Kuzan, but you can call me Aokiji, and I've come for Nico Ro—"
Before he could finish, Allen appeared in front of him with an arm coated in jet-black Armament Haki.
Aokiji reacted instantly, coating his own arm in Armament Haki to receive the blow.
The clash between them created a shockwave that obliterated the surrounding buildings.
"Arara... what a troublesome situation..." Aokiji muttered as he looked into Allen's eyes, now overflowing with killing intent.
"Bastard! Say my sister's name one more time, and I'll rip that tongue out!"
Aokiji's sleepy expression disappeared as he finally took the fight seriously, though deep down he was surprised. According to Garp, Allen should only have been around the level of an average Vice Admiral, but this Allen was far stronger than that.
What neither Aokiji nor Garp knew was that Allen had spent his remaining six hundred million on all three types of Haki.
Whether that was enough to face an Admiral remained uncertain.
But there was no time to hesitate.
An unavoidable battle had begun!
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