Bab 19: 19
At the 16th Branch of the East Blue, a naval base known for keeping order in the region, today was not going to be just another day. Two figures approached the base: one, a strikingly beautiful girl, and the other, a masked man dressed in a black cloak adorned with red clouds.
"Lord Kakuzu, this is the place... the Naval Branch," Nami said hesitantly, pointing towards the imposing structure.
"Are we really going to attack a naval base, Lord Kakuzu? If we do this, the World Government will put a huge bounty on our heads," Nami asked nervously, her fear evident as she glanced between Ryō and the base.
"Hmph. No one takes my money. Not even the Navy," Ryō replied coldly, showing no concern as he marched forward without hesitation.
"This is insane," Nami thought, biting her lip. She loved money, but this was a level of greed she hadn't expected. Attacking a Navy base just for the sake of reclaiming some bounty? She couldn't believe she had ended up in this situation. Yet, she had no choice but to follow Ryō; any sign of disobedience and she knew she would meet a swift end.
As she walked behind him, Nami silently prayed for an opportunity to escape. "Maybe if the Navy puts up a good fight, I can slip away during the chaos," she mused.
But those hopes were quickly dashed.
"Halt! Identify yourselves!" one of the Navy soldiers shouted, spotting Ryō and Nami approaching the base.
Ryō, as always, didn't bother with words. He raised his hand and unleashed his attack.
"Wind Style: Pressure Damage."
A swirling vortex of wind formed into a massive projectile and shot towards the naval base like a cannonball. The force of the blast tore through the air with a thunderous roar, obliterating the front of the base in a single, devastating strike. The building crumbled, and in an instant, the entire branch was reduced to rubble. Many of the Navy personnel inside had no chance to react and were buried under the debris. The few who survived were left severely injured and in complete shock.
"Help! We're under attack!" one soldier cried out, scrambling to find shelter amidst the wreckage.
"Who did this!? Who would dare attack a naval branch?" another panicked soldier yelled.
Then, someone pointed toward Ryō. "Look at his cloak... That's the insignia of the Akatsuki... that terrorist organization from the Grand Line!"
"We need to report this to headquarters immediately!" another soldier barked, grabbing a transponder snail. "Headquarters! This is the 16th Branch. We're under attack by a member of the Akatsuki, and there's another person with him! We need immediate reinforcements!"
"AHHHH!" The transmission was cut short by another explosion as Ryō continued his merciless assault.
Within minutes, the naval base was in ruins. Ryō had effortlessly crushed all opposition, and no one was left standing. Nami, who had hoped for a long, drawn-out battle to make her escape, stood there dumbfounded.
"I... I can't believe it," Nami muttered, staring at the destruction. "He really destroyed the entire base..."
She was starting to feel the weight of her choices. "What am I supposed to do now? I'm going to be wanted by the Navy... they'll never stop hunting me down."
For Nami, the Navy had always been an untouchable force, an invincible entity. Now, she found herself on the wrong side, possibly about to be chased with a bounty on her head. The realization filled her with dread.
Ryō, as usual, seemed unfazed. "Stop standing around, girl. Gather up all the money from the base," he ordered, his voice as cold as ever.
"I... I understand, Lord Kakuzu," Nami replied, suppressing her reluctance. As much as she hated being ordered around, she knew better than to resist. Reluctantly, she began scavenging through the debris, searching for anything of value. Her years as a thief made her highly adept at looting, and soon enough, she had gathered all the money and valuables she could find.
Meanwhile, Ryō continued his meticulous counting, stacking gold coins one by one, oblivious to everything else.
---
Meanwhile, in Loguetown—the town where the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was both born and executed—Colonel Smoker was overseeing operations at the East Blue Navy Headquarters.
"Colonel Smoker, urgent news!" A Navy soldier ran up to him, panting. "The 16th Branch of the East Blue has been destroyed. It was attacked by members of the Akatsuki organization!"
Smoker's eyes narrowed. "What?! The Akatsuki? Damn that organization..."
"Yes, sir. They identified one of the attackers by the red cloud insignia on his cloak. The survivors are requesting immediate backup."
Smoker gritted his teeth. "Assemble the troops. We're going after them," he ordered, his voice filled with determination.
"But, Colonel Smoker, we have another mission to complete first. The operation to wipe out the pirates of the East Blue is already in motion, and we can't stop now," one of the officers reminded him.
Smoker clenched his fist, but he knew the officer was right. The "Plan to Eliminate Pirates in the East Blue" had been years in the making, and they were on the verge of completing it. They couldn't afford to abandon it now.
"Damn it..." Smoker muttered, his frustration evident. "Fine. We finish the mission first. After that, we go after the Akatsuki."
With the rise of the pirate era, the number of pirates had exploded, even in the East Blue, the weakest of the seas. Dozens of notorious pirates, many with bounties in the tens of millions, had emerged. In response, the Navy had devised a plan to lure all the pirate groups into one location, allowing the Navy to crush them in one decisive strike. The plan was nearing its final stages, and Smoker knew they couldn't afford to fail now.
But once the plan was complete, he would hunt down the Akatsuki members responsible for the destruction of the 16th Branch. Smoker wouldn't rest until justice was served.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone