Hello everyone! It's been a little while, huh? This chapter is a little on the short side, but what can you do? It's more about wrapping up this arc than it is moving on to the next. Either way, I hope you enjoy it!
Update: Fixed the broken error codes, for whatever reason they were there.
Cobra was taken aback by the blatant move to his throne. Something that Crocodile had worked on for years in the shadow this boy was doing in moments in the blazing Alabastian light of day. It was so damn direct it left him speechless. What could he do? He couldn't turn it over, obviously, but what was the alternative? He didn't have anything comparable to his kingdom in value. The treasuries were hurt from the conflict as they stood, and the nation still needed aid to recover from this war. Just giving him a reward would prove a challenge to the recovering country. The boy was surely deserving of something, but what could he turn over to satisfy him? Worse, what if there was nothing?
"Young man I can't. I can't give you my kingdom. My people they-" Before Cobra could get to the portion of his talk where he begged him to reconsider Luffy cleared the confusion.
"What? I don't want your kingdom. I want to be a Pirate King, not a hot country king. I want your throne! Big fancy chair. It'd be so cool to have an actual king's throne on my ship! Shishishi." Luffy's mouth was stuffed with food at the start of the explanation but he swallowed it down to show off his pearly whites and let out a big laugh, finding the mix up to be funny.
Cobra breathed a sigh of relief. "That is much more doable. I doubt I'll be sitting upon a throne looking Kingly for some time. In that time, I'm sure I can have one throne replaced." Cobra sank back in his seat as his heart steadied itself in his chest. The boy had simply wanted an ornate seat to put upon his ship. One truly fit for the next Pirate King. That honestly made more sense now that Cobra thought about it. He wouldn't become Pirate King sitting around here ruling a country. Unless… "Excuse me for a moment, Luffy. I'll see about getting you your throne."
"Awesome! More meat to celebrate!" Luffy dictated as was his power as king of the table.
"A nice bath is exactly what we need. Thank you again, Vivi." Nami gave her thanks to the princess for offering something they were all in desperate need of since their arrival. Baths.
"No need to thank me. I owe you all so much, this is hardly worth thanks." Vivi was leading all the women to the bathing area and had someone fetch up the men of the crew to show them the way.
"You wouldn't say that if you'd truly lived as a pirate. A nice hot bath would have been worth a crew member to me back in my glory days." Alvida commented as they reached the door.
"I imagine they would have traded you for a cold bath with a sea-snake," Bellemere commented on Alvida's lack of concern about her previous crew.
Before Alvida could come back with something hostile about who and what Bellemere would share a bath with, they were all stopped in their tracks by royalty.
"Nico Robin. Could I impose upon you for a moment?" Cobra asked, wanting to get his questions in as soon as possible.
"I suppose, your majesty. You did go through the trouble of getting to me before I was in the bath after all. A delay is better than an interruption." Robin waved the girls off and assured them she'd be right along.
"Thank you for indulging my impatience. I simply could not wait on the matter." Cobra said, walking with her away from the baths in hopes of gaining privacy.
"Then that means this must be important. I've seen you work with great patience." Robin stopped to look at the man when she assured they were alone. Her time spent in Alabasta allowed her to carefully observe the king, and she knew he could stall and hold if needed. If he wanted to act quickly it was over urgent matters.
"It's possibly the most important thing in this country's history. You read the poneglyph. Crocodile was certain it contained information of an Ancient Weapon." Cobra took a pause, waiting for Robin to answer a question he didn't want to ask.
"Yes, he was certain of it. Do you suddenly seek this weapon as well?" Robin asked, crossing her arms and staring at the man. She had all but accused him of being just as bad as Crocodile with that question and her gaze.
"No. At least. Not for power. I do not wish to wield the weapon. I want it destroyed. Crocodile… He nearly destroyed this country with both his devious plotting and terrifying power. I do not want anything else to threaten it or its people. Just. Tell me. Did the Poneglyph say nothing of it like you said, or were you lying to him?"
"If I told you what I read…" Robin stepped towards the king, her eyes cold as she started to explain the gravity of the situation. "You would be killed. Vivi would likely be imprisoned. Your country would be sunk, and its history erased. That is the price of the knowledge etched into those poneglyphs. But I will say this. If that weapon exists, and it was in a place I believed someone could find easily without the aid of knowing its location you'd have no need to worry about it anyway." With that, Robin began to walk back to the baths.
Cobra was left stunned and could not stop himself from asking. "Why? That is my exact fear."
"Because. I'd simply tell my Captain where we could go to get it." Robin's voice was light as she let go of that heavy bit of information and headed to the baths.
"But you don't get it, this was the biggest crab the ocean had ever seen! I only had a nail, a shoe, and three, no two, no just one match. But by the time I was done with it, I had enough crab cakes to feed an island!" Usopp was regaling Chopper with one of the stories of his adventures on the seas. Stories that Chopper loves to hear almost as much as Kaya.
"Wow! How'd you do it Usopp?" The reindeer asked with big star-filled eyes full of complete belief in the preposterous story.
"Why isn't it obvious? No crab is a match for the great Captain Usopp! I hammered the nail in with the shoe and set it ablaze with one match! Sea crabs are incredibly flammable, you know?" Usopp was by no means the strongest, smartest, fastest, or most skilled crewmember, but no one had him on creativity.
Sanji wanted to beat the snot out of that long nose of him for the factual inaccuracy of deep-sea crabs. They were by no means flammable! He was giving Chopper terribly bad information. But seeing as the girls were on the other side of the wall, it wouldn't have done him much in the way of gaining favor by beating up someone telling children's stories to Chopper.
"So. How'd your fights go?" Zoro asked both sides of the bathing wall. He was curious how everyone else had gone about dealing with their foes. Particularly if anyone else had felt…whatever it was that he experienced against One.
"Ha. Well luckily Chopper and I had Alvida. She got so angry about them shooting bombs at her that we didn't do much of anything other than. Well. Watch…" Usopp realized how lame that sounded in hindsight. But what was he supposed to have done in that situation?! Two insanely powerful people were swinging clubs like crazy, a freaky mole lady kept making sinkholes, and guns can eat devil fruits now!
"That woman with the afro put up one heck of a fight. But like I thought, she didn't have any protection against gunfire so after I saw we were just fighting to a standstill I pulled out my gun." Gin said, having no trace of shame from his action like Zoro thought would be there.
"All I had to do was defend Kaya from some of the thugs that got stirred up from the bombing of that damn casino, so it was hardly eventful," Sanji said, pride in his voice for defending a lady.
"We just watched Luffy fight Smoker then followed after him." Bellemere and Nami chimed in across to answer Zoro's query.
"No one but Luffy could have fought Crocodile," Robin answered, following up on the mother-daughter duo's comment.
"Wish I could've seen that." Gin said, lamenting the fact that he missed such an incredible feat by his captain as taking out a Warlord of the Sea.
"Oh, but you can!" Vivi responded, much to everyone's surprise. "We have quite a few reporters who were covering the war. I'm sure they got video-mushi footage of at least some of the fight."
"Hmm. You guys thinking what I'm thinking?"
Luffy patted his extended gut contently. The food at this place was great! Though he couldn't help but think it was missing something… Oh well. Probably just that it wasn't Sanji's. He was getting a bit spoiled. "You guys! Where are you! They got us food, you gotta try it!" Luffy yelled as he walked down the halls.
He found them all in a large room with a long table and a video projector, albeit after bursting into a good half-dozen rooms prior. Inside his crew were all watching the shaky footage gathered by some no name, terrified reporter.
The image on the screen was a low angle shot of the Warlord Crocodile amass a terrifyingly large mass of sand. There was some jarring before a zoom-in for a closer shot that showed the Sand-Man with his hair all over the place. He looked disheveled, angry, and he was breathing heavily. The video then moved to Luffy.
The Luffy present in the room was going to speak up, but then realized it may be best to stay silent and watch. Watch as the past Luffy absorbed an immeasurable amount of blood. That of every wounded or killed man in the city. Enough that it changed Luffy from a lanky boy to a towering monster. Suddenly he was out of frame, and the stone he was standing on was crushed.
The rest was hard for everyone to figure out exactly, and in fact, they argued over exactly what Luffy was doing. The sky was red and Luffy was seemingly helpless in Crocodile's grasp. Then without warning the crimson red sky all centralized down to a point. Crocodile. The cameraman was hardly able to follow the scene as the Warlord was sent shooting down to the ground. No one was prepared for the sea of red that followed once he was there. Eventually, they stopped counting how long the assault lasted and just began to look away, something the field reporter was unable to do at that moment. Finally, after the blood ceased Luffy's body followed suit. Hitting with enough force to kick up some of the pool of blood he had waiting for him, despite the absorption of the sand.
No one said a word. No witty remarks. No terrifying outbursts. No shows of concern. What was supposed to be them all witnessing their Captain and Friend saving a nation and rejoicing over it became a somber, sobering experience.
"He. He can really do that?" Chopper finally asked, having been the first to look away from the footage, though having still peeked as a child was prone to do.
"Robin didn't you say he had already been stabbed?!" Usopp felt comfortable asking that question now as he looked to the woman in black. The silence was broken, and they were all watching the same video with their own questions.
"With a venom hook, yes," Robin said, trying to be as detached as possible. She was happy that Luffy had won. Happy with the direction things were heading. But seeing this did nothing to attribute to that happiness. Luffy nearly lost his life saving her.
"He just refuses to die, huh?" Alvida said as she thought about his mortality.
"I wasn't about to die to that guy." Luffy finally let his presence be known. He didn't want them all to start up this talk about how close he came to death.
Everyone turned to him, with a few like Chopper and Usopp responding with fear from surprise. Coupled with a little shame.
Rather than ask the obvious 'How long have you been there?' which has never been a question worth asking in a scenario like this, Nami stated. "Why did you do… All of that?" Her tone wasn't angry like normal. There was a sort of deep sorrow behind it over his actions.
"Well. I uh…"
Luffy was about to explain when Bellemere added on to the discussion. "And Smokey back at the Casino. You could have beat him right away, but you didn't. Crocodile could have been dead and dealt with as soon as we walked in but instead, you let him run off and nearly wipe out the country. What is wrong with you?"
Luffy took the awkward gap in silence to take off his hat. He had been so preoccupied he had failed to notice the blood that had seeped in and discolored a bit of the brim. He removed it and spoke up. "I'm sorry if I scared you, but I'm not changing."
Zoro looked at his captain and the way he eyed his hat. He knew the look in his eye. An overwhelming desire to get stronger. To surpass someone. He felt it himself and lived his life by it.
It wasn't just Zoro though. Usopp and Gin also wanted to be more powerful for their own reasons. To protect someone, to be useful.
"I'm not going to get any stronger if Luffy fights my battles for me," Zoro spoke up in defense of his actions. "Robin told me not to fight that iron guy. Well, I did, and I won. I wouldn't have gotten stronger if Luffy had swooped in for me."
"I know I don't need to protect my captain, he's capable of doing that himself. But you are all my friends and crewmates. I'm not going to go soft thinking everything is fine." Gin followed, unwilling to be left out on standing up for Luffy.
"I'm. I'm nowhere near as strong as you guys. But dammit, I'm not going to be a weakling! The world will know of the great Captain Usopp! One of the strongest amongst Pirate King Luffy's crew!"
Bellemere and Nami turned to the three and stared in disbelief. They were practically endorsing his reckless behavior! Surely someone reasonable would…son of a
"Luffy is a man worthy of my beauty. But he certainly didn't become one being cowardly. I'll take a scarred and bloody man over a pristine coward any day." Alvida chipped in, joining on Luffy's side.
"I don't think Luffy should be so risky…" Chopper said, tapping his hooves together. "He could really get hurt. But… As long as he's going to do that, I'll get better at bringing him back to health!" He didn't like to see Luffy get hurt, but he didn't want his friend and captain to be someone he wasn't just for his sake. He just had to get better at doing what he did best, so he could afford to be himself.
"I'm not sure if he's doing the best thing for himself, but he doesn't take as many lives if he gives people the chance to fight and surrender. The way you put it you want him to just… Take peoples lives as a precaution." Kaya hadn't wanted to speak on the matter, but she felt she had to. She wasn't for taking anyone's life. She knew the pain of having people taken from those they loved and didn't want to think about the impact taking a life recklessly could cause, and Luffy wasn't as bloodthirsty as pirates were known to be.
"Sorry Nami, but I've got to side with them on this. Luffy's an idiot but he's not going to let anyone get hurt if he can help it. He'll fight with all he can, and we should all do the same."
The two looked to Robin, the arguably smartest person among them now. Surely, she would agree.
"I think Luffy is right to fight," Robin said but followed up before she could be questioned. "But there's a time to stop fighting. Luffy, I have a question for you. Your power is to control blood, so you know you can kill people instantly, correct?"
Luffy looked to Robin with his big brown eyes and put on his hat. "Yeah. I learned it…early." It was a matter of unfortunate circumstance. He was too young to realize the consequence. He had been around bandits and pirates and marines. All people who made their lives hurting or killing others as the need arose. He saw it as a need to protect himself and his friends. But he was a mere child.
Robin crossed her arms and sprouted a pair on his shoulders and gripped his head in a position that would have allowed her to snap his neck if she were so inclined, but no one seemed phased due to knowing both her and their captain. "As do I. There is a time when ending a fight before it begins is the best course of action."
With her first point made Luffy acted right within her plan and turned his shoulders into their logia state, causing Robin's arms to vanish into cherry blossoms. "And when that doesn't work?" He asked, looking at the intelligent woman.
"That is the reason you fight," Robin said, looking to the mother-daughter duo. "There are going to be times when immediate and utter victory will be impossible for even Luffy. Some opponents are that powerful. So, if he doesn't fight like that kind of victory isn't possible, he won't be ready when it really isn't."
"You proved your point. We just. Don't want there to be any big risks okay?" Bellemere was getting tired of being the only one who had these kinds of concerns. Why was that her lot in the crew? She missed her carefree youth.
"It'll only get more dangerous from here. We've come across two Warlords since setting out, and both times someone nearly died from it." Zoro said, being the other one in question.
"He's right, Bellemere. It's only going to get worse. Now that Luffy's beat one of them, I can only imagine they'll get even more aggressive with us." Alvida said, knowing how pirates felt when their territory was getting encroached on, especially by anyone considered dangerous.
"Shishishi. Could you imagine if I had taken up that offer and became one of those guys?" Luffy asked the crowded room, expecting them to all think about how it would change their future.
Instead, he got a "WHAAAA?!" From almost every member of his crew. Though Tashigi and Vivi made up for the missing sound from Robin.
"Eh… What I say?" Luffy asked, puzzled. He knew the position was big and important in some regards, but why would he take it? Surely, they knew that.
"Why wouldn't you take the offer?!" Quite a few of them proved Luffy wrong with that question, Nami, Bellemere, Usopp, Sanji, and even Vivi questioned him as they got in his face.
"I didn't want to?" Luffy answered with a question as if he was asking if that was good enough. It wasn't the only answer, but when it came down to it that's the one that decided it.
"That's your reason to keep us from being hunted by marines?!" Bellemere was furious. Warlords and their crew had immunity, and as such, they could avoid having to fight any marines and making her fire at the group she was once a wholehearted member of.
"Or getting sweet sweet treasure?!" That was true to. Since they had that immunity, Warlords could pillage and loot without fear. A percentage was to be given to the World Government sure, but they had to prove there was money to turn over, and it was easy enough to hide.
"Protecting the ladies?!" Sanji…
"Protecting yourselves?!" Vivi had seemingly no reason to be in support of them becoming Warlords. They had just taken down one who was actively trying to overthrow her country. But there in lied the reason. If they took the spot, they would not have to fear retaliation for their deed. They'd be rewarded. They'd become heroes. "You. You saved me, my father, and my country. I will never be able to repay my gratitude to you all. But if you remain pirates unaffiliated with the Warlords… The World Government will not allow us to celebrate you as you deserve. They would keep seeing you as common criminals…" Vivi was on the verge of tears, so Nami stepped in.
"Luffy. We're criminals. We can't stay here much longer like things are. Vivi… She won't even be able to say we're friends… It would cause her a lot of problems if anyone found out there was any relationship between us." Nami was concerned Luffy didn't grasp the benefits they would get from that title, however, she and everyone else there got to see this was misplaced.
"And if I accept then not only are we not free, we're dead. Bellemere said it herself." Luffy was referring of course to the news that had been given to them back when they met. He was a living crime in the eyes of the World Government. Anyone and anything associated with the pirate king was as guilty as he was. Friends. Family. Anyone who did business with the man was a collaborator who would be lucky to only serve prison time. A pirate bearing the same Devil Fruit power as the deceased king was as good as on death row waiting for the time the marines would come to take their life.
Bellemere slowly looked around the room, eyes on her now as everyone who was present reflected back on that moment. "He's right… The second they found out they'd move to take his life, title or no. Since new warlords meet with the higher-ups… It'd be a death trap."
"Which is why we're leaving. Now." Luffy said, still lacking in any of his usual silliness. He had hoped to keep things high spirited so the goodbyes wouldn't be as painful, but that wasn't an option anymore. That lady marine would likely keep her word about the twenty-four-hour period, but Smoker was looking for a fight and he could likely argue that he had already heard the refusal.
"Now? But we haven't even gotten paid! I mean… We just got here! Luffy can't we just." Nami, greedy as ever, watched as everyone started to get up and ready to leave. "Guys?"
"Captain said we're leaving. No point arguing." Gin said, leaving the room.
"What he said, but less of that dog like loyalty. Kinda turned off by the whole castle kingly thing anyway after that steel-jawed guy." Alvida said, being the second out.
Even Bellemere was getting prepared to bug out as ordered. "He's not wrong honey. If he was given that offer that means they think he's strong enough to be a warlord. And if they think that, they'll move to take him down if he refused."
Nami watched the room clear, till it was just her, Luffy, and Vivi.
"I'm sorry I can't come with you Luffy, Nami. My country…"
"No, don't apologize Vivi. We understand. You'll always be our friend, right Luffy?" Nami asked, looking to her captain.
His smile answered the question before he spoke, and the energy seemed to come back to him. "Duh! And we aren't going to try and take away a princess! But hmm… Prince… Ow! Nami!" Luffy yelled and thrashed when Nami grabbed him by the ear.
"Not another word you moron! You'll ruin it!" She chastised her captain/boyfriend with fire in her eyes. She was already aware of the thought in his head and was not about to let him try to make it a reality.
"I'll organize the Supersonic Duck Squadron for you all so that it may be a bit quicker. Should your lighter members ride double it should be enough!" Vivi said, walking out and then yelling to them as they walked down the hall.
Meanwhile, the displaced swordswoman marine Tashigi went to find, and confront, her captain. She had heard even more unsavory things about his deeds since the lunch incident. It was as if Captain Smoker she knew was still back at Logue Town and a monster bearing his name was sent in his place. With that image in her mind, it made her tremble at the sight of her Captain.
Smoker faced away from the entrance, eyes firmly planted on Crocodile. Even with the senseless beating given to him by Luffy, the lack of medical treatment, the salt-water soak, and Smoker's retaliatory strike he was still breathing. Barely conscious, yes, but there. Mind at work behind an expressionless exterior. Like a clock with turning gears but an unchanging face. "I knew you were scum before they ever took you as a Warlord. Being rewarded for your attacks on marines…"
"What about your attacks on innocent people, sir?" Tashigi responded almost reflexively. She was not defending the pirate floating in the tank. On the contrary, she found him deplorable as well, but he was being punished for his actions whereas the same could not be said for Smoker.
The grizzled man turned away, eyes wide with shock. He pulled both cigars from his mouth and threw them aside without a care as he walked to her at a frightening pace. The first thing he did was grab her shoulders and look her over in total disbelief. "Tashigi… You're alive." His grip tightened, and his eyes began to scan her. "You survived their torture? You're a damn fine sailor. I swear I'll make those Straw Hats pay for-"
"Captain Smoker I was not tortured! Aside from the initial confrontation with them as a hostile threat, they have seen to it that I've stayed safe with the intent of returning me unharmed. But you… Sir, how did you find me?"
"Have you lost your mind, Tashigi?!" Smoker's teeth ground together without the cigars to keep them parted. "Initial hostile threat? They assaulted our town! Men were killed! That captain is a malicious monster. What did they do to you?" Smoker was honestly under the belief his subordinate had been brainwashed somehow. It would make sense now that he had seen the likes of Bellemere. It wasn't enough to kill, they wanted to recruit.
Tashigi had been unaware of the circumstances that led to Luffy becoming…Whatever he had been when they encountered him that fateful day. It was beyond anything she had ever seen and to her knowledge was not something he had control over. Knowing that much, however… "They acted far different than what I've been taught, what I've been told by you, pirates are. But you didn't answer my question, sir. How did you find me?!"
As they all made their leave of the palace the King accosted them, insisting on speaking with them all before they left. When Luffy and Nami finally arrived, to quite a few members amusement, the King began to speak. "I wanted to thank you all before you left. I regret that you'll be leaving us so soon. It feels as though we've hardly begun to repay you for all that you've done for this country… Know that no matter how this is spun, we will know your intent, and be forever grateful." With that Luffy, the young man who had just had his ear released from the iron clutches of a fiery redhead, was bowed to by a King.
Most people in the crew could hardly believe it. Sure, they expected some thanks, a meal, minor rewards extended as a courtesy. They were pirates, what thanks were they beholden to? But to have their captain bowed to by a King… If he could just not spoil the moment it would truly be spe-
"Stop bowing already. I just want that cool throne as thanks!"
A number of people were floored by that comment. Indeed, it left a crack in several places along the palace floor. But the King merely laughed. "The bow was necessary, Straw Hat. But the throne is ready for you to bring back to your ship."
"Oh yeah! It's going right on Merry's head!" Luffy cheered, picturing it now in his own head.
"You idiot! You don't put a throne on the figurehead of the ship!" Sanji objected to the idiotic idea that the throne of an actual King would be put on the riskiest part of a ship to put such a thing.
"I sit on the Merry's Head the most so that's where the throne should be!" Luffy's logical counter only led to more arguing about it, and there was, of course, the question raised of why the hell he'd ask for a fancy chair instead of money, but that was ignored in favor of more ideas on where to put the fancy chair.
Finally, the Straw Hat's agreed to perch it atop the centermost part of the ship so that Luffy could properly enjoy it and get a good view at the same time. With that settled they said their goodbyes to the royal family, the royal army, and the rebels. They couldn't give the public sendoff like they had wanted, given his criminal status, but a sendoff was given all the same.
"Wait! Strawhats!" The voice penetrated the small group of people saying their goodbyes to the pirates. It lacked the hostility expected of the booming volume of navy-men. Tashigi panted, having run a good distance through the castle and to their location to make it. "I. I wish to join you."
Everyone save for Luffy and Zoro looked shocked by the request, including the princess and king sending them off. No one could believe the marine was throwing away her life for piracy, and it incited some envy. Before anyone could voice their opinion on the matter Luffy boomed out "Sure! We already have heavy lady and the little girl, why not?" He laughed a bit while Grace and Valerie tried to avoid attention.
"Knew she'd want out," Zoro said smugly as people started to surround Luffy to ask him what he was doing taking in a marine, reminding him that they were supposed to just drop her off, and pointing out how this would only make things worse with the navy.
Then as if called upon by their fears a much angrier call rang out. "STRAWHAT!" The shout sent a few of the weaker members of the crew to the ground scurrying backward. Atop the stairs of the palace, marching down fast was the White Hunter himself.
Everyone but Luffy took a defensive step back, including Vivi and Cobra less they get caught up in whatever this was. Zoro, Sanji, and the other monsters knew they could do nothing against the Logia marine. "Huh? What do you want, Smokey?! I already said no!"
"I don't care about that. You will not be taking my subordinate!" Smoker's angry stomps were surprisingly quick, and in no time, he was halfway down with a third marine approaching from behind.
"Dammit, Smoker halt! He has immunity, if you attack him you're committing insubordination!" Hina ordered with a swing of her arm to attempt a physical restraint to prevent him from creating another incident on the island country the navy would be blamed for.
Her move was useless, however, as he shifted his bottom half into smoke to allow his attack. "TO HELL WITH HIS IMMUNITY!"
Luffy let out a sigh as he watched the captain make such a predictable charge. "You need to learn some new moves." Luffy commented almost lazily as Smoker charged. Everyone looked in horror, and then abruptly in shock.
Smoker could picture the Seastone tip of his weapon pinning the boy down before he ever made contact. Though he never made contact, suspending mid-air a few feet away, Jinte barely out of reach. He could feel his heart beating, every inch on fire. His mind screamed that it shouldn't be happening. Screamed louder than his fellow marine.
"Captain!" Hina's legs stopped moving out of shock rather than some unseen force. One moment he was flying, the next he was suspended, motionless. Then in the next breath, he was slammed against the bottom steps aggressively.
"I told you I already know I can beat you, so I'm not going to waste any time. Hey Tashigi, you still want to join? He seems pretty angry after you're leaving." Luffy asked, redirecting his attention.
Tashigi looked at her captain, former and current, and nodded. "Yes… His anger…" She stopped and walked with to be with the rest of them.
Hina walked down, dumbfounded by how quickly the watchdog of the East Blue was put down by the rising rookie. From what Smoker had told her back downstairs after the boy left, Smoker would have arrested him if not for outside interference. This was baffling.
"Load up! I want us back on the ship by nightfall!" Bellemere yelled, her years of experience kicking in a driving her to get maximum efficiency. Partly due to how long it would take them to get back to the ship and partly because of her discomfort where they would soon be criminals.
"Have a safe trip, everyone," Vivi said quietly from her perch. Igaram, her father, and herself all watched their saviors leave. And when they noticed, they all stuck up their arms to, as Nami put it, prevent it from seeming as if they were on friendly terms with the royal family outside of the most arms-reach sense. The act still brought grateful tears from them all.
With the pirates heading off into the horizon, Hina rubbed her forehead. This operation was beyond awful, but still, it wasn't the worst. Those two bozos back on her ship assured that. She knelt down by the crater Smoker was in and looked at him. He wasn't dead. He was too damn tough for that. "Do you feel like acting like a marine, Captain?" She asked, under the assumption he was conscious.
Smoker let out a groan and pushed himself up. He couldn't move a muscle after whatever straw-hat Luffy did to him. Every appendage burned as if he just went ten rounds with a boxer. He took deep breaths from his permanently scarred lungs and stared off. "Marines don't show mercy on pirates." He said, clinching his weapon.
"Stubborn as ever. If you want to kill yourself over this, Hina won't stop you, but you know the old proverb about revenge." She said, taking out a cigarette from her case and lighting it. Offering the lighter for Smoker and his awful cigars, some with blood soaking into the leaves.
Smoker took the lighter and lit up both cigars, ignoring the iron smell that infused with the tobacco. "Dig two graves." He said, handing her back the lighter. "That won't be enough. I'll bury them all."
Guest- I hope this chapter explained the logic for Luffy not laying waste to everyone he comes across. Shanks warned him about relying on the power, and this is the root of it. If Luffy did not get any experience fighting people with his power, and instead just went for the instant kill every time, how would he handle the New World? One instance of a haki user who knows about him and he would be decimated without the prior experience fighting people. As for why he immediately floored Smoker, he says that too. He already fought Smoker. He lost when Smoker caught him off guard. He won when Smoker didn't. There is no benefit in another fight while Smoker is at his current level. Smoker may not see it that way, but Luffy does and doesn't want the bother. So a show of force that Luffy can beat him as-is is all he needs. For Crocodile Luffy needed the fight, mainly for himself. Besides, no matter what power you give him, suggesting Luffy won't want to fight "Bad Guys" is down-right OOC. Some people he fights but does not want to, but most of the time he WANTS to kick their ass to teach them a lesson and to get stronger. This has gone on for a while but I hope my thinking has come across. People weaker than Luffy or that Luffy has already proven he can beat, he will have no qualms about using his power to their fullest. But if they're stronger, he will try to beat them down and get there himself first.