Chapter 27: Battle Against the Marines (Part 1)
At this moment, Ryu's crew was navigating East Blue in search of the floating restaurant Baratie. Yesterday, he'd instructed Kilik to contact Baratie's staff and confirm their current location. Based on their current speed, they estimated arriving in two days.
On the other side, the Marines from Branch 16 had fully assembled.
Standing before his troops, Colonel Rat delivered a fiery speech. "Soldiers! You are about to face one of the most vicious pirates East Blue has ever known! But do not fear! It is our duty—and ours alone—to eliminate this menace. If we fail to act now, East Blue will suffer under his tyranny, and countless families will perish at his hands. Raise your right hand if you're willing to join me in this righteous mission! Those who refuse can leave immediately!"
Colonel Rat's impassioned words painted him as a paragon of justice, seemingly hell-bent on eradicating piracy. Inspired by his rhetoric, the Marines raised their hands in unison, some even moved to tears. Most of these soldiers still clung to their noble aspirations of fighting for justice—but alas, the higher-ups in these branches were often corrupt opportunists like Rat himself.
Satisfied with the display of loyalty, Colonel Rat nodded smugly. A bunch of naive fools, he thought. With so many elite soldiers, there's no way Ikano D. Ryu can stand against us. Clearly, Rat was shortsighted, having never encountered true strength. His actions amounted to sending these righteous Marines to their doom.
The next evening, Nami sat at the bow of the ship, gazing out at the endless sea. Leaving the village meant she wouldn't return for a long time, and sleep eluded her tonight. She decided to step outside for some fresh air.
Not long after, Ryu emerged from his cabin. Spotting Nami seated at the bow, he was mildly surprised. What's she doing up so late? Could she be training like me?
"What are you thinking about?" Ryu asked suddenly, startling Nami.
"You! Why aren't you sleeping? It's so late!"
"I don't sleep at night. I rest during the day and train at night."
"Why? That's strange. Is this also because of your family's condition?"
"Yes. During the day, I'm extremely weak. At night, I regain my strength. But it's improved compared to before. Once I absorb more Devil Fruit user blood, it'll get better."
"Oh." Nami nodded, though her understanding was vague.
They spent the next while chatting, learning more about each other. Their bond deepened significantly in that short time.
But such peaceful moments are always fleeting.
Unbeknownst to them, Colonel Rat's fleet had arrived unnoticed. Yes, a fleet—not just one warship but three. In Rat's mind, three battleships and all of Branch 16's forces guaranteed success against Ryu.
Ryu, however, noticed the approaching ships immediately.
"Marine patrol? Why at night?"
"Marines? Where?" Nami squinted into the darkness, seeing nothing.
"Right ahead. You'll see soon enough."
"Oh."
Elsewhere, a Marine spotted something and quickly reported via Den Den Mushi. "Colonel Rat, sir! We've detected two ships ahead. One appears to be Buggy the Clown's ship, with a bounty of 15 million Beri. On the other ship, we've identified Ikano D. Ryu's."
Upon hearing this, Colonel Rat's face lit up with delight. So he's working with pirates, huh? Though it wasn't uncommon for bounty hunters to commandeer pirate ships after capturing them, Rat seized the opportunity to twist the narrative. He immediately contacted headquarters, exaggerating the situation to paint Ryu as a dangerous criminal mastermind.
"We understand. We'll investigate further. Thank you for your efforts, Colonel Rat."
"Not at all! This is our duty. These evil scum will be brought to justice by our righteous Marines!"
"For justice!"
"For justice!"
With that, the call ended. A sly grin spread across Colonel Rat's face.
"Colonel, they're within firing range."
"Not yet. Move closer first—don't let them escape. Fire in one minute!"
"Yes, Colonel!"
Back on Ryu's ship, the rapidly approaching warships seemed odd. Their speed was unnerving, almost as if they were charging straight toward them.
"Something's off," Ryu muttered.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"Go wake everyone. Tell them we're about to be attacked."
"Got it!"
Nami hurried off. Moments later, the entire crew scrambled onto the deck, confusion etched on their faces.
Ryu addressed them sternly. "Listen carefully. Everyone except Nami, Buggy, Mohji, Kabaji, and Richie—board the Ship and head back to Boro Village immediately."
His order baffled the crew. They stared at him blankly, unsure what to make of it.
Ryu didn't have time to explain. Truthfully, he'd planned to send the civilians home sooner or later—the sea was far too perilous for them. And given the Marines aggressive approach, this confrontation was clearly aimed at him. Marine warships were built differently from pirate vessels, reinforced with Seastone at their hulls, making them nearly impenetrable.
Even Ryu couldn't easily breach them. With the Marines' superior firepower, protecting everyone would be impossible. Including Buggy's group, only four humans and one lion constituted his combat-ready crew.
"Captain, why?" someone dared to ask.
"No questions. Just follow my orders and leave. Now!"
Seeing Ryu's grave expression, the crew realized arguing was futile. Whatever his reasoning, they trusted him implicitly. Without further protest, they boarded the Ship "Bliking" and set course for Boro Village.
Only Kilik remained behind.
"Why aren't you leaving?" Ryu asked.