"Captain… this Shells Town… there won't be any trouble here, right?"
In that instant, Tsuneo's crew of overwhelming, god-tier monsters all noticed the grim expression on his face—along with the slow, hesitant steps he was taking.
"Nope."
Tsuneo immediately tightened his brows, then deliberately forced a calm, dismissive look.
"With your captain here, what trouble could possibly happen?"
Well… that part wasn't wrong.
Even putting their captain aside—every one of these crew members was an unstoppable juggernaut. Hearing Tsuneo's words, they all nodded in confidence.
"However," Tsuneo suddenly changed tone, "your captain has said it before—I prefer to act low-key. When we step onto this island, keep your heads down. Don't cause any trouble. Understood?"
The group, who were just feeling good about themselves, stiffened at the sudden shift. They all nodded again—though a bit confused.
Maybe… maybe true powerhouses are supposed to act like this?
The stronger someone is, the stranger their behavior becomes.
And their captain was the prime example.
But regardless of how eccentric their captain acted, he was still their captain. And his word was absolute. Otherwise…
They'd end up kneeling in a row again.
That was an experience none of them ever wished to revisit in this lifetime.
But then
The moment they stepped into Shells Town and followed the captain's instructions to remain low-key and cautious…
They all did perfectly.
Unfortunately…
Their captain did not.
As they walked down the main street, a two- or three-year-old girl was playing nearby when suddenly, a vicious, lion-like dog burst forward, lunging straight at her. Several Marines struggled to restrain it but failed.
Just as the innocent little girl was about to be torn apart, Tsuneo—standing closest—instinctively moved. He swooped forward and pulled her tightly into his arms.
A wave of top-tier Conqueror's Haki leaked out without him even noticing.
"Get lost."
That dog, no matter how ferocious, could never withstand the aura of a king. In the blink of an eye, its eyes bulged, its body convulsed, and—
"Woof… woof…"
With two weak whimpers, it collapsed, foam spilling from its mouth. Its short, tragic dog-life ended just like that.
"A-ah! This is bad! Colonel Morgan's favorite pet has been killed! We're done for! He'll bring down his wrath on the whole town!"
The Marines responsible for the dog screamed in terror and bolted toward the base to report.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
At the news that Colonel Morgan's beloved lion-dog had been killed, the residents of Shells Town reacted instantly. Doors slammed shut. Windows locked. Within seconds—
The entire town, every street and alley, became completely deserted.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
Moments later—barely two or three minutes—a wave of synchronized footsteps echoed through the street. Raising their heads, Tsuneo and his crew saw Marine soldiers forming layer upon layer of encirclement around them.
From the center emerged a massive man in a Marine lieutenant colonel's coat, gripping an enormous battle-axe and exuding unchecked arrogance.
It was none other than:
Colonel Morgan — "Ax-Hand Morgan"
One of the East Blue's rising Marine officers, commander of the 153rd Branch stationed in Shells Town.
"Hahaha! You actually dared kill my beloved lion-dog? You filthy pirates dare make trouble in a Marine base? Watch how I hack every last one of you into pieces!"
Tsuneo stared at him, exasperated.
He turned around
Only to catch all his terrifying, elite crew members staring right back at him.
Captain, you seem to have caused trouble.
Weren't you the one who said to stay low-key?
You told us to behave… and then you're the first to stir up trouble.
Hehehe.
Well done, Captain.
…Damn it.
Tsuneo rubbed his forehead hard.
Yes… he had indeed told them to keep a low profile.
And yes… now he was the one who messed up.
But when he looked down again at the girl in his arms—blinking her big innocent eyes at him, giving him a pure, angelic smile—completely unaware she had just brushed past death…
Tsuneo suddenly smiled.
To live as a person—one must live without guilt.
He felt proud of himself.
So he caused a bit of trouble.
Low-key might be ideal.
It was only his second day of sign-ins.
But today…
Today, he didn't care.
Today, he would be high-profile.
So what?
Anyone have a problem with that?
Naturally
None of the monstrous crew behind him dared say a single word.
Besides…
For them?
Finally being allowed to go high-profile?
They were thrilled.