Chapter 22: We Are All Real

Crack!

The Rat slapped Palu across the face, then, amidst Palu's utterly bewildered gaze, turned to look at Gao Wen with a sycophantic expression:

"I just remembered wrong."

"It's not unheard of within the Navy for a Great Line to return to the East Blue; for instance, Vice Admiral Garp frequently returns here."

"Looking at your... looking at your appearance, you don't seem like a pirate."

"Is that so?"

Gao Wen slowly sheathed his knight's sword, his expression indifferent; seeing the Rat's reaction, he knew this fellow had already figured out his identity.

Judging by his attitude, he probably didn't want to start a fight here either.

After all, even a scumbag like Arlong could easily handle him, let alone Gao Wen, whose bounty was more than double Arlong's and whose combat power far surpassed Arlong's.

"Then it seems this matter is a misunderstanding."

The Rat nodded vigorously.

The moment he recognized Gao Wen's face, he nearly wet himself on the spot, so of course this was a misunderstanding, and it could only be a misunderstanding.

What a forty-eight million bounty meant, he, as a high-ranking Navy officer in the East Blue, knew better than anyone.

That was a ruthless character only a Colonel from Headquarters or even a Flag Officer could handle.

In the East Blue, he was practically invincible; if things really escalated to the point where Gao Wen had to act, everyone present, without exception, would die!

At this moment, even the man standing beside Gao Wen, named Locke, who was sheathing his claw knives one by one, looked increasingly familiar.

Wait!

Ten-fingered claw knives, a cold and gloomy face, an aura of terrifying killing intent radiating from his entire body...

Locke... Keluo?

Is he Xiang Keluo, the Hundred Schemes?!

The Rat's heart skipped a beat; with the same fighting style as the rumors, there was no mistake, he was the real Xiang Keluo!

Recalling his own words just now, the Rat wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

What the hell!

Just blabbing some boastful nonsense, and the actual person is right here?

But just then, Keluo's gaze accidentally swept over the Rat; feeling the coldness in the other's eyes, the Rat felt his spine turn cold. This broken place couldn't be stayed in!

Thinking this, the Rat was about to open his mouth to try and bluff his way out, but he suddenly felt a wave of scorching air come from beside him.

The burning pain on his face made Palu tremble all over; he reached up and wiped his nose, seeing only bright red blood:

"Blood, I'm bleeding?"

Palu's face turned deathly pale as an invisible flame erupted from beneath his armor.

The flames were blue-green, obviously far hotter than ordinary fire; even from a great distance, everyone felt the flames licking their skin.

"Oh no!"

Jin's face turned black.

Palu's combat power under Krieg was second only to his own; relying on his full-body armor, even a direct cannon bombardment might not be enough to push him back.

But Palu had one fatal flaw.

Once injured, he would lose his reason and go berserk on the spot!

"This is bad!"

"Flame Palu!"

The flames around Palu exploded, his face nearly going mad. The pain on his face made him lose reason and enter an out-of-control state.

Without a word.

He swung the shield on his arm and smashed it toward the Rat!

"Sav... save me!"

The Rat squeezed a sound from his throat, then saw a withered figure suddenly appear before him.

The newcomer swung an iron crutch horizontally, using the massive momentum to smash it onto the shield on Palu's chest...

Boom!

The shield on Palu's chest was smashed open directly; the man was sent flying backward, landed, rolled his eyes, and lost consciousness.

The port guards looked at Jin, who had suddenly attacked, all showing expressions of fear; they instinctively protected Jasha and stepped back a few paces, while their gaze toward Jin became infinitely wary.

Someone who could shatter such a thick shield with a single strike was, in their eyes, no different from a monster!

The Rat, having regained his life, had his crotch wet.

"I... I'm alive!"

"Well done! I'll give you money, help you get promoted; no, I want to transfer you under my command!"

The Rat rambled incoherently.

Jin smelled the strange odor in the air and frowned:

"Commander, our identity doesn't need you to prove it!"

"Oh, right, identity!"

The Rat, ignoring the strange sensation coming from his lower body, flashed a sycophantic smile at Gao Wen, then looked at Jasha:

"I can vouch for them; both of them are real Navy officers."

Jasha looked at the Rat, then at Jin standing beside him, and frowned:

"Right now, none of you three are trustworthy!"

The Rat's face turned red, but he dared not act out due to Gao Wen's presence.

He could only, with a dark face, take a Den Den Mushi from his pocket, dial it, say a few words to the person on the other end, and then have his subordinate hand the receiver to Jasha.

"Father?"

Gasha paused, slightly taken aback:

"Colonel Mouse is an old acquaintance of yours?"

As he spoke, Gasha gave Mouse a strange look, a hint of undisguised disgust in his eyes, and lowered his voice:

"Isn't this guy a bad sort? Colluding with the local pirates in Coccoria? He deserves to die!"

"Alright, I understand. I'll rest easy."

Hanging up the call, Gasha returned the Den Den Mushi to Mouse and said to the crowd with a touch of apology:

"Since it's a misunderstanding, let's leave it at that."

"I apologize for my earlier actions, but this is a responsibility I must bear as the feudal lord. Please understand."

Gasha then waved her hand, dismissing the guards at the port. After taking a long look at Gao Wen, she turned and left.

The three factions facing off at the port all couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

None of them had wanted to fight directly, so this outcome was practically the best solution available for now.

With the tense situation defused, the three factions split off to carry out their respective actions.

Mouse stared at Gao Wen's figure from afar, shivered involuntarily, then said to the marine beside him:

"Let's go!"

"We're leaving right now!"

The marine hesitated, his expression somewhat troubled:

"Colonel, sir, the supplies on the ship can only last a few days, and the next port is at least half a month away. We…"

"If we stay here any longer, we'll all die!"

Mouse's voice trembled as he spoke. After calming down, he said:

"Contact the nearby base. Tell them our ship ran into trouble at sea and have them come provide support."

"As for these monsters…"

Mouse looked at Ajin in the distance, then at Gao Wen and Xiang Keluo, and said through gritted teeth:

"Let the monsters handle it!"

"Loguetown isn't far from here anyway, and isn't that bastard from Headquarters being awfully arrogant?"

"Then let him deal with it!"

With that, Mouse didn't even bother thinking about the supplies. The moment the crowd dispersed, he set sail immediately, giving off the distinct impression of fleeing in disarray.

……

At the port.

Xiang Keluo looked at the warship Ajin and the others had boarded and licked his lips:

"I know that Mouse. His own strength is mediocre, no real threat. But that marine who just made a move, the one called Ayin, has some real power—even I felt a hint of threat from him. He counts as a notable figure in the East Blue."

"He's not called Ayin."

Gao Wen shook his head and directly revealed the man's identity:

"Ghost Hand Ajin, bounty of 12 million Berries, the top general aboard Provincial Military Commander Krieg's ship."

(End of Chapter)