"Shoot! Quick, shoot!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A volley of gunfire erupted, and countless bullets rained down from below.
For an average person, such a dense hail of bullets would've meant certain death. But Akira, using his peak-level Moonwalk, twisted and turned mid-air, effortlessly dodging every shot.
In contrast, every one of his bullets landed true—each one severely wounding or killing a pirate.
Like a sword hovering above the battlefield, Akira's presence forced the pirates below to stay on high alert, afraid of getting sniped at any moment. They couldn't go all out against the others without exposing themselves.
As a result, Tina—despite being surrounded—managed to hold her ground with sharp, precise swordsmanship.
Soon, reinforcements from the Navy arrived, significantly easing the pressure on both of them.
"Junior, damn fine marksmanship."
Major Caesar, who had just arrived, was impressed. With only two of them holding off a large group of pirates, it was truly praiseworthy.
Bang!
Another lead bullet exploded a pirate's head like a hornless antelope's leap. Akira noticed that his accuracy was improving rapidly under life-or-death pressure.
"Still, my stamina's too low…"
Panting heavily, Akira landed on a rooftop. The exertion from using Moonwalk made him feel like he had just run ten laps around Navy Headquarters.
But the pirates were already bloodthirsty. Seeing that Akira had finally landed, they surged forward, howling:
"Kill that brat!"
"Damn Navy punk!"
Akira fended them off with his longsword as they climbed up after him.
Crash!
The house collapsed after the pirates below cut through its supports, sending up a huge cloud of dust.
"Akira!"
Tina rushed toward the rubble. Though she didn't exactly like this flirtatious man, she couldn't stand by and watch a comrade die.
"I'm fine. Take care of yourself," came Akira's voice, as he rolled out of the smoke. His right arm was bleeding from a gash caused by something sharp.
Seeing so many pirates still converging on Akira's position, Major Caesar twitched visibly.
"Does this guy have a built-in taunt effect or something?"
"Quick, those nearby, support him!"
---
Soon after, large numbers of Navy soldiers arrived and swiftly wiped out the remaining pirates in the area.
Boom!
Just as Akira finished off a one-armed pirate and was about to rest, a massive explosion from afar drew his attention.
"Was that Teacher Zephyr?"
He and Tina exchanged looks, then dashed toward the blast, ignoring their exhaustion.
When they arrived, they were met with a shocking scene.
"I'm the bloody axe Donald! A pirate worth 230 million! I'm destined to become the Pirate King! I won't fall here—not to some old man!"
The five-meter-tall, bloodied brute raised his massive axe—only to be punched into the ground by Zephyr. His fate was uncertain.
Boom!
Just as Tina thought it was all over, Donald's body suddenly exploded, engulfing Zephyr in a fireball.
"Teacher Zephyr!"
No one had seen it coming. Tina's pretty face was whipped by the wind from the blast as she stared, heart pounding, toward the flames.
While she was frozen in shock, a sword suddenly shot out from beneath the ground.
It was too fast and aimed from such an unexpected angle that Tina hadn't even noticed—until Akira pushed her out of the way.
Slash!
Blood sprayed.
Though he saved Tina, Akira's other arm was slashed in the process.
Tina realized only then just how close to death she had been.
"Tina's furious!" she shouted, plunging her sword into the ground where the attack came from—but it struck nothing.
"Stop stabbing. He's already gone," Akira said weakly, slumping to the ground. "I'm guessing he's a Devil Fruit user."
"How can you be sure the enemy has left?"
Tina's brows remained furrowed, eyes still scanning the dirt.
"Dummy—because Teacher Zephyr is here."
From the heart of the explosion, Zephyr emerged clad in full-body Armament Haki, even his clothing reinforced.
Only then did Tina's tense expression finally relax.
"Thank you. Tina feels guilty."
Seeing Akira's bleeding arm, Tina tore a strip from her clothing, knelt beside him, and wrapped it in a makeshift bandage, her expression remorseful.
"I can help you once, but not every time. Be careful," Akira said with a grin.
"Such a petty man." Tina's face flushed. That was exactly what she'd said to him earlier—and now it came back around so soon.
Still, Akira's teasing helped lighten the burden in her heart.
"Are you both alright?"
Zephyr's massive figure blocked the firelight, bringing a refreshing chill with his arrival.
"I'm fine. But Akira was injured while saving me," Tina said, shaking her head. "What caused that explosion just now?"
"That pirate had implanted a bomb inside his body. The moment his heart stopped, it detonated."
"When facing pirates like these, you must be extra careful. They're just as ruthless to themselves as they are to their enemies," Zephyr warned.
"Understood, Teacher Zephyr." Tina nodded, thinking deeply about how Akira had saved her.
Soon, the remaining pirates in the village were wiped out.
Rear Admiral Mole arrived, dragging along a man tied up like a dumpling, with shifty eyes and a rat-like face.
"Teacher, thanks to you, many villagers survived," Mole said, throwing the man to the ground.
"This guy's a Devil Fruit user. He's going to Impel Down."
If a Devil Fruit user is killed, their fruit will reappear somewhere in the world. To slow the rate of Devil Fruit reincarnation, the World Government mandates that any captured users be sent to Impel Down alive.
"What's his power?"
Seeing Akira ask, Mole replied, "Zoan-type. Mouse Mouse Fruit, Field Mouse form."
Hearing that, Akira walked up to the man with a "friendly" smile.
"You were the one who ambushed us from underground, weren't you?"
"N-No, it wasn't me…" the man gulped.
"But your eyes already gave you away."
Akira patted the man's shoulder amiably. "Before you're shipped off, I'll make sure nobody gives you food. Hopefully, you don't starve to death."
"..."
The man lay flat, hopeless, his whiskers twitching in despair—clearly envisioning his miserable future.
A few Navy personnel remained to handle follow-up matters, while the rest boarded the ship for the return journey.
---
Cut to the next scene: Akira lay in the warship's medical bay.
Tina's rough field dressing had been removed. Now, both his arms were neatly wrapped in clean, professional bandages by the ship's medic.
"All done. Don't strain your arms or get them wet until the wounds heal."
"Thank you, doctor."
---