East Blue, Cocoyasi Village, along the coast.
Ten enormous warships lined up across the sea. Their dark cannon muzzles resembled the eyes of Shinigami, coldly staring down at the once-peaceful village.
"No… it can't be…"
Bellemere stood in front of Nami and Nojiko, shielding them with her body. Her face was pale, yet a final trace of stubborn hope still lingered in her eyes.
She looked toward the seagull flag fluttering in the distance—the symbol she had once bled and fought for.
"That's a headquarters general! He represents the highest justice in the world!"
"Admiral Akainu may be strict, but he would never harm civilians!"
"Their target is you! You—the Pirate Emperor!"
Bellemere stared fixedly at Tobirama, as if trying to vent all her fear and panic onto him.
"As long as you leave… as long as we hand you over, the village will be safe! The Navy would never massacre innocent people!"
Tobirama stood on the high ground of the orange grove, hands clasped behind his back, the sea breeze fluttering his Hokage cloak.
He listened to Bellemere's naïve words, a cold, mocking smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
"Madness."
"You know nothing of what they call justice."
He offered no further explanation. Instead, he slowly raised a finger and pointed toward the flagship at sea.
"Open your eyes and look carefully."
"Let me show you how the justice you believe in will protect you."
…
On the deck of the Navy's Buster Call flagship.
Lava surged and radiated terrifying heat.
Akainu Sakazuki stood at the bow, one hand in his pocket, a cigar clenched between his teeth. Through the curling smoke, the eyes beneath his hat brim were utterly cold.
"Report to General Sakazuki!"
A rear admiral in charge of reconnaissance lowered his binoculars, rushed forward, and saluted sharply.
"Target confirmed!"
"Uchiha Tobirama has been sighted in the orange grove behind the village!"
"However… according to reconnaissance, a large number of civilians have not been evacuated yet!"
The officer hesitated. "General, should we first deploy ground troops to evacuate civilians or attempt a targeted arrest—"
"Evacuation?"
Akainu suddenly turned his head, his crimson gaze locking onto the officer as if he were staring at a fool.
The lava coating his arm boiled violently, dripping onto the deck and burning straight through the steel.
"Do you know who that man is?"
"He's the world's greatest evil—someone who can annihilate Celestial Dragons, cripple Admiral Kuzan, and crush Vice Admiral Garp!"
"Send ground troops? Do you want to send soldiers to their deaths?"
"But… the civilians…" the rear admiral stammered, drenched in sweat.
"Sacrifice is necessary for the stability of the seas!"
Akainu's voice was as cold and unyielding as iron.
"If that demon escapes, it won't just be this village that dies in the future—it'll be the collapse of the world's entire order!"
"Better to kill a thousand innocents than let a single guilty man go free!"
"Justice tolerates no weakness!"
Akainu raised his arm and pointed straight at Cocoyasi Village, roaring:
"Relay the order to the entire fleet!"
"Indiscriminate bombardment!"
"Erase this island from the map!"
"Uchiha Tobirama must die here!"
"Yes—yes, sir!"
The rear admiral trembled as he relayed the merciless command.
"Buster Call… activate!"
…
Cocoyasi Village.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With deafening roars that shook the earth, hundreds of heavy cannons from ten warships fired simultaneously!
A dense rain of shells blackened the sky, screaming downward toward the unsuspecting village.
The first volley landed instantly.
Rumble—!!
Explosions tore through the air.
Homes at the village entrance were blasted apart in an instant, wood and stone scattering everywhere.
Panicked villagers didn't even have time to scream before flames engulfed them.
"Help!"
"Why is the Navy firing?! We're civilians!"
"My house—my house!"
Cries, screams, and explosions transformed the orange-filled village into a living hell.
Flames soared skyward as thick smoke rolled across the land.
In the orange grove.
Bellemere stared blankly.
A stray shell struck a nearby orange tree—the one she had carefully tended for years—shattering it instantly. Burning branches fell at her feet.
"How… how could this happen…"
Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to her knees.
At that moment, her faith shattered completely under the rain of artillery.
Is this the Navy she had once been proud of?
Is this the justice she had sworn to uphold with her life?
To capture a single person, they were willing to slaughter an entire village of elderly and children?
"Mom! I'm scared!"
Nami and Nojiko clung to Bellemere, crying uncontrollably.
In the sky, a second, even denser barrage of shells was already descending.
This time, the entire back mountain—including the orange grove—was within its range.
The shadow of death loomed overhead.
"No… no…"
Bellemere looked up at the countless black dots filling the sky and closed her eyes in despair.
She wrapped her arms tightly around her daughters, using her own body as the final, fragile shield.
Then—
Her gaze fell on the silver-haired man standing beside her, still calm and indifferent.
That was the final straw.
And the only remaining hope.
"Please…"
Bellemere raised her head, tears streaming down her face, her voice hoarse and broken.
She cast aside all dignity and pride and slammed her head heavily against the ground before the pirate she once considered an enemy.
"Save them…"
"Please! Save my daughters!"
"You're strong! You have to have a way!"
"Even if it costs my life! Even if I have to serve you forever—please!"
This was a mother's final plea born of despair.
Tobirama looked down at the shattered woman kneeling before him.
Then he glanced at the oncoming storm of shells.
"Oh…"
A soft chuckle rang out clearly amid the thunder of gunfire.
"How ironic, Bellemere."
He slowly raised his head, the Rinnegan in his eyes gleaming with cold mockery.
"The Navy that boasts of justice is slaughtering you."
"And you, a former Marine, are begging a pirate for protection."
"This is the truth of the world."
"The weak don't even get to choose how they die."
With that, Tobirama turned away.
He calmly instructed those behind him—Hancock, Robin, Kaya, and the others:
"Everyone, step back."
"Don't get burned by these cheap fireworks."
They immediately retreated, eyes blazing with fervor. They all knew—the Emperor was about to act.
Tobirama faced the incoming storm of steel.
A barrage powerful enough to erase the island.
He formed no hand seals.
He simply raised his right hand, palm facing the sky, and spread his fingers wide.
Chakra erupted within his body, boiling and transforming into pure fire, merging with the power of Yin–Yang Release.
Uchiha Fire Array!
Buzz—!
The ground shook violently.
Centered on the orange grove, a crimson pillar of flame shot straight into the sky.
After soaring hundreds of meters, it spread outward, curving into a vast, translucent dome of burning red.
Flames like liquid blood roared across its surface.
A gigantic fiery hemisphere sealed Cocoyasi Village—and the mountain behind it—within.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Countless shells slammed into the barrier.
And then—
A shocking sight unfolded.
The heavy artillery shells, capable of shattering mountains, vanished the instant they touched the thin wall of flame.
No explosions.
No impact.
They were instantly erased by the terrifying heat, dissolving into faint wisps of smoke that vanished into the air.
The barrage couldn't even cause a ripple.
…
At sea, aboard the Buster Call fleet.
"W-what… what is that?!"
The naval gunners froze, staring in disbelief.
Along the smoke-covered coastline, a colossal crimson dome enveloped the entire island.
It radiated an overwhelming chakra wave, devouring every attack.
"A… barrier?"
"How is that possible?!"
"Our shells… they're useless!"
Inside the barrier, the orange grove was untouched. Not even a leaf had fallen.
Bellemere stared blankly at the blazing canopy above her.
Through the translucent flames, she could see shells vanishing one after another.
The sight was nothing short of divine.
"It… it stopped them?"
"One man… stopped a fleet's Buster Call?"
Nami and Nojiko stopped crying, their mouths hanging open as they gazed at the silver-haired figure standing before them.
In that moment, to them, he was no longer a demon.
He was a god standing against the heavens.
Tobirama slowly lowered his hand and clasped it behind his back.
He turned to the stunned Bellemere, his gaze calm and mocking.
"Well?"
"Now do you see clearly…"
"Who is truly on your side?"