"What kind of monster is that?!"
"A Sea King?! But… it doesn't look like a fish at all!!!"
Facing a gigantic bird that blotted out the sky, the East Blue Marines instantly lost all will to fight. One storm blast sent them scattering in panic, running for their lives.
Even the fortress batteries that could fire cannon shells were useless before that despair-inducing wind wall.
"Hahahaha!!! Thank you, big bird!!!"
"Yeah!!! You saved us!!!"
Nami and Usopp were ecstatic, waving and shouting at the Seagull King as they sprinted toward the Going Merry.
But the Seagull King only tilted his head and glanced at them once.
"Screee."
After that meaningless cry, it wrapped itself in a hurricane and dove straight toward the Marines.
A terrifying tornado swept everything up. Countless Marine grunts screamed, desperately grabbing for anything to anchor themselves, but in the end they could only flail like puppets as they were hurled into the sky.
"What is that?!!!"
That catastrophic wind disaster instantly drew the attention of everyone in Loguetown.
Including Smoker, who was in the middle of chasing Straw Hat.
His hand on the motorcycle throttle froze. He stared at the storm-bearing giant bird, cold sweat spreading across his face.
As a Logia user of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit, aside from the sea itself, nothing countered him more than violent storms like this.
"The wind… it's being swallowed…"
The man in the green cloak walking through the rain also turned his gaze toward the harbor. His expression grew heavy, as if something clicked in his memory.
That way of controlling wind, and that distinctive silhouette…
A few drops of sweat seeped down his face.
The Seagull King's existence was no secret on the seas.
On the contrary, because it had often appeared at Ozz's side in the past, and because it had been featured on the front lines of news for years, many people knew exactly what it was.
Its sudden appearance gave Dragon a terrifying guess.
"Don't tell me…"
After staring toward the distant horizon for several long seconds, Dragon walked straight in that direction.
Not far away, Luffy was fleeing toward the harbor with his crew. When he saw that heroic, godlike giant bird soaring overhead, his eyes instantly lit up, his mouth forming a perfect "O."
"Whoa!!! So cool! I've never seen such an awesome bird!!!"
"Hey!!! Wanna join my crew?!"
Before he could finish, a fist smashed down on his head from behind.
Zoro's knuckles were still steaming as he bared his teeth and roared, "You idiot! Is this the time for that?!"
Sanji didn't say anything.
He just stared at the giant bird in a daze, as if remembering something, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Straw Hat!!!"
A motorcycle skidded in and cut off Luffy's path.
"White Blow!!!"
A surge of smoke burst out, slamming Luffy into the wall.
Without Haki, he couldn't even hit Smoker's real body. In the end he was driven face-first into the ground, pinned down like trash.
"A thirty million berry pirate, and that's all you've got."
Smoker reached back for his jitte, but a larger hand pressed down on his arm first.
"Not necessarily."
"Who are you?"
Lightning boomed, and in that instant the flash illuminated the face beneath the cloak.
Monkey D. Dragon!
The most dangerous criminal in the world.
With the gale sweeping through, Luffy escaped. Every obstacle in the way was cleared clean.
Feeling that wind, the Seagull King lifted its head slightly, then slowly withdrew from its Devil Fruit form.
It rode the gale freely, then finally landed on an outstretched arm.
"What a perfectly timed gust," Ozz said with a light laugh.
Dragon's wind sent countless people flying and even wrecked cannons and fortifications, yet around Ozz and Mihawk, it was as if the storm didn't exist. Only the edges of their clothing fluttered faintly.
"Tch…"
Smoker's face was dark as he watched Luffy successfully get away.
And just his luck, perhaps because the wind had already spent itself, it blew Luffy and the others away… but Buggy was blown right to the harbor instead.
Buggy rolled a few times, scrambled up, and glared at Luffy's retreating back.
"Straw Hat, you bastard!!!"
But mid-curse, something felt wrong.
His body stiffened. Cold sweat dripped down.
Because Smoker's hostile gaze at his side made the air turn dangerous. Buggy swallowed hard.
"Uh… well… I should get going too… I've got stuff to do… probably…"
Muttering guiltily to himself, Buggy tried to slip away.
But with Armament Haki that worked when it felt like it, how could he outrun Smoker and an entire Marine unit?
"You think you can catch me?!"
"In your dreams!!!"
Buggy ran while bawling snot and tears, squeezing out every ounce of strength he had.
His body split apart, his legs still sprinting while his upper body hopped along, waving wildly like a lunatic.
And right then, Ozz was about to leave as well.
He just didn't expect Buggy to end up running straight toward him from a distance.
"Well… what a coincidence."
Ozz shrugged.
"Guess I'll help you out, while I'm at it."
Ozz did remember that Buggy wasn't supposed to end up in Impel Down this early. So he casually snapped his fingers.
In the next instant, the two men and the bird vanished from where they stood.
On the other side, Buggy ran a few more steps before realizing something was off.
Where were the shouts? The chasing footsteps?
He turned and looked.
The Marines who had been about to catch him were now absurdly far away, back at the coastline, right where it all started.
Buggy nearly cried from joy.
"Like this, you'll never catch your great Captain Buggy!!! I knew I wasn't destined to die!!!"
"Hahahahahaha!!!"
…
Elsewhere.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
After receiving Smoker's message, Fleet Admiral Sengoku accepted the report immediately.
"What did you just say?!"
"The colonel stationed in Loguetown, East Blue, sent an urgent dispatch. He encountered one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, 'Hawk Eyes' Dracule Mihawk, and…"
At this point, even a veteran soldier who'd served for years couldn't stop his voice from trembling.
"And… Dotor Ozz Saint, who has been missing for years, has also appeared in Loguetown!!!"
"What?!"
Sengoku shot to his feet, eyes bloodshot and heavy with dread.
"Is the information confirmed?"
His first instinct was suspicion. Like last time, was someone using Ozz's name to stir chaos?
But then he remembered the report also mentioned Mihawk being with him.
That alone told him he'd just asked a stupid question.
"Get out. Now."
Sengoku's gut twisted with a terrible premonition. Beside him, Tsuru's brows were knitted tight as well.
"In any case…"
Sengoku's voice turned grim.
"Report to the Five Elders immediately!!!"
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