456-460

Chapter 456: Iron Fist Hody Bo (Fullbody) 

And at this moment, when Kazama saw that he was actually on a wanted poster, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 

He immediately turned to this "Iron Fist Hody Bo" (let's call him Fullbody, sounds about right for a Marine, eh?) and said, "Let me ask you, where did you get this wanted poster? I, Kazama, have never done any of that burning, killing, or pillaging stuff. Logically, you Marines shouldn't be after me, right?" 

"Cut the crap with me! Let me tell you, this order to capture you came straight from Marine Headquarters! And it was jointly issued by our top Marine leaders, Aokiji and Kizaru themselves! The goal is to grind your bones to dust! Plus, this wanted poster even says, dead or alive, whoever brings you back to Marine HQ gets a reward of one hundred million Beli!" 

"Heh heh, so it was those two punks!" 

Once Kazama heard it was Aokiji and Kizaru, those guys he'd already defeated, who were pulling this stunt... 

A cold smirk immediately spread across Kazama's face. 

Then, Kazama spoke again to this so-called "Iron Fist Fullbody," "Let me tell you, now that I have a bounty of one hundred million Beli, you should have a pretty good idea of how strong, how sugoi I am. There's no way a guy like you is a match for me. So, I advise you to leave right now. After all, I, Kazama, am a man of honor, an iron-willed otoko, and I don't want to waste too much effort on you!" 

"Stop your damn posturing!" 

Before Kazama could even finish, Iron Fist Fullbody immediately ordered his men to set up dozens of cannons, aiming directly at Kazama's and the others' ship. 

"I'm telling you, Kazama, you little runt! I don't care how strong or sugoi you are! Even if you're incredibly powerful, can you be stronger than one of the Yonkō (Four Emperors)? You're just one guy! I have thousands of men here! I refuse to believe we can't take down a little punk like you!" 

At this point, in Iron Fist Fullbody's eyes, Kazama was no longer just Kazama; he was a walking pile of Beli. 

So, Iron Fist Fullbody had already made up his mind: he was going to turn Kazama to dust. 

He figured, no matter how sugoi Kazama was, there was no way he could handle dozens of cannons. 

But what he didn't know was that Kazama could indeed handle those dozens of cannons. 

And not only could Kazama block those dozens of cannons... 

He could also send every single one of those cannonballs flying right back where they came from. 

"Alright, boys! Blow these pirates to bits!" 

Following Iron Fist Fullbody's order, in an instant, dozens of cannons fired at Kazama and his group. 

But at this moment, Luffy, Zoro, and the others showed no signs of panic. 

Although they didn't really have the ability to stop dozens of cannons themselves... 

They all knew Kazama definitely had the power to do it. 

And sure enough, just before those cannonballs could hit Kazama... 

In a flash, Kazama unleashed his Shinra Tensei (Almighty Push)! 

Then, with incredible ease, he sent all those cannonballs flying right back at their senders. 

And this time, Iron Fist Fullbody and his men weren't spared. 

They were all knocked into the sea by the cannonballs Kazama had reflected. 

At that moment, Iron Fist Fullbody truly, truly witnessed Kazama's power. 

He absolutely never would have guessed that Kazama, all by himself, possessed the ability to reflect all of his dozens of cannons right back at him. 

This completely shattered his understanding of the world! 

Thus, this Iron Fist Fullbody was instantly furious and immediately prepared to attack Kazama again. 

Chapter 457: The Birthplace of Pirate King Roger 

Unfortunately, there was no way he could be a match for Kazama now. 

With just one move, Kazama completely obliterated Iron Fist Hordibo’s twin iron fists, reducing them to nothingness. 

“I’ll tell you something,” Kazama said coldly. “The only reason you're still breathing isn't because you’re strong—it's because I don’t believe in senseless slaughter. Now get lost and scurry back to Marine Headquarters. Tell them this: I, Kazama, am a man of unwavering steel and pride. They have neither the right nor the qualifications to act all high and mighty in front of me. So go! The farther the better!” 

With that, Kazama launched a powerful kick, sending Iron Fist Hordibo flying hundreds of meters away. 

Kazama then turned back to Luffy and the others. “Everyone, I’ve now been officially added to the Marines' most wanted list. That means the enemies we’ll face from here on will be stronger, tougher, and even more dangerous. If any of you are scared, you’re free to leave now—I won’t hold it against you.” 

“Heh, Kazama-aniki, what kind of talk is that?” Luffy replied with a grin, and Zoro and the others followed with a chuckle. 

“Since the day we chose to follow you, we were ready to walk through fire and blades for your sake. So what if the Marines are after you? Even if the whole world put a bounty on your head, we’d still fight alongside you!” 

“Yeah! You’re a true man of honor, not some bloodthirsty monster. We’d never betray someone like you, Kazama-aniki!” 

“That’s right, Kazama-aniki! You’re crazy strong now. Even Marine Headquarters doesn’t stand a chance against you!” 

“Damn right!” 

Hearing the unwavering support from Zoro, Luffy, and the others, Kazama gave a hearty smile and nodded in approval. 

Then he turned to their navigator, Nami. “Nami, how far are we from the Grand Line?” 

“Don’t worry, Kazama-aniki. We’re heading straight for it. At this pace, we’ll probably reach it in a few months. But... our supplies are running dangerously low.” 

“Oh? If that’s the case, isn’t there a small town marked on the map nearby? Let’s stop by and restock our provisions.” 

“About that...” Nami’s face turned uneasy the moment she heard Kazama’s suggestion. 

“What’s wrong?” Kazama asked, noticing her hesitation. 

“Kazama-aniki... maybe you don’t know, but that town is the birthplace—and also the place where he died—of the real Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. To us pirates, that place is seen as a bad omen. Are you sure you want to go there?” 

Kazama laughed. “Of course I do. I’m not the type to believe in superstition. Besides, I’ve heard of Roger’s name for a long time—I’d like to see the hometown of the Pirate King with my own eyes.” 

“Alright then, no problem!” 

Luffy and the others, hearing this, were immediately intrigued and excited. 

And just like that, in the blink of an eye, they followed Kazama toward Roger’s birthplace. 

What they didn’t expect, though... 

...was that the town turned out to be incredibly, incredibly small. 

Chapter 458: The Smoke-Smoke Devil Fruit 

Because of Gol D. Roger—the fearsome, world-famous Pirate King who once emerged from here—the Marine Headquarters now keeps this small town under heavy guard. 

They even stationed a Marine officer who strikes fear into the hearts of many pirates: Smoker. 

Smoker is a Devil Fruit user—specifically, the one who ate the Smoke-Smoke Fruit. 

He can turn his body into smoke, making him formidable both offensively and defensively. 

He's defeated countless pirates who dared to pass through. 

You see, this town isn't just the birthplace of the Pirate King—it's also a place idolized by many pirates, a symbol of ambition. 

More importantly, it's a key checkpoint on the way to the Grand Line. 

Because of that, Smoker has been stationed here for years, and he's taken down plenty of pirates in that time. 

But right now, Kazama and his crew—being newcomers—don’t know much about the town’s situation. 

Nor are they aware that Smoker already has his sights set on them. 

After all, Kazama’s wanted poster was officially issued by Marine Headquarters. 

As the commanding officer stationed here, Smoker naturally received it. 

And Smoker is infamous for his arrogance and aggressiveness. 

When he saw that Kazama hadn’t even been a pirate for a full year, yet already had a bounty of 100 million Berries, he was completely stunned. 

Smoker muttered to himself, “There’s no way... That scrawny kid Kazama doesn’t even look threatening. Why the hell is his bounty so high?” 

At that moment, one of his subordinates chimed in. 

“Well, sir, you may not know, but that kid might look harmless, but his strength is no joke. Seriously powerful. He took down big names like the female pirate Alvida and even Buggy the Clown—both are no pushovers. But neither of them could handle Kazama.” 

“And get this—even Admiral Aokiji and Admiral Kizaru got wrecked by him. Bruised and beaten!” 

“If you ask me, our best move right now is to pretend like we don’t know anything. We shouldn’t pick a fight with Kazama, or we’ll end up just like the others—bruised and broken!” 

Smack! 

Before the subordinate could even finish his warning, Smoker slapped him so hard he fell to the ground. 

The poor guy started trembling in fear. 

He’d followed Smoker for decades, and Smoker had never once hit him—until now. It left the subordinate feeling deeply hurt. 

He got up and said, “Smoker-sama, I’ve followed you loyally for decades, fought by your side through countless battles. And now you knock me down without even a word of explanation? Is it because you've risen in rank that you look down on me now?” 

“Cut the crap!” 

Smoker couldn’t stand his subordinate’s whining. 

In a flash, he beat him so badly he was left crippled. 

“I’m telling you,” Smoker growled, “you’ve been with me this long—you should know exactly what kind of person I am. I only get stronger when the opponent’s strong. I don’t care how powerful this Kazama brat is. I don’t care if Aokiji and Kizaru got their faces smashed in by him. That’s none of my damn business!” 

Chapter 459: Smacking Down the Crooked Merchants 

“My top priority right now,” snarled Smoker, “is to follow Marine Headquarters’ orders and tear that little punk Kazama limb from limb. So you'd better stop acting tough in front of me, unless you want your bones crushed into dust! Got it!?” 

“H-Huh…?” 

One of Smoker’s subordinates, startled by his overwhelming presence and sheer aggression, immediately broke into a cold sweat. 

He had honestly thought Kazama might be too much for the Marine captain to handle. But now, hearing Smoker talk so confidently and ferociously, all he could do was kneel and beg for forgiveness. 

“C-Captain! I was wrong—I was so wrong! I didn’t realize how strong you are! I believe it now—completely! You’ll definitely crush Kazama into pieces and grind his bones into dust!” 

SMACK! 

Before the man could even finish his flattery, Smoker sent him flying with a brutal kick. 

“C-Captain! I just said you were amazing—why hit me again!?” 

“Shut it! I don’t need some little punk like you to tell me whether I’m strong or not! Just go send word to the soldiers guarding the port—if they spot Kazama and his crew, they’re to report to me immediately. I’ll crush that bastard right in front of everyone. Understood!?” 

“Y-Yes sir! Absolutely, sir!!” 

The subordinate scampered off and quickly spread the order. 

Meanwhile, just as the command was being passed along, Kazama, Luffy, Zoro, and the others arrived at the town. 

The moment Luffy set foot on land, he shouted excitedly and ran off, eager to see the site where the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, had been executed. 

After all, Luffy had always seen Roger as the embodiment of his dreams—his ultimate role model. Naturally, he wanted to visit the legendary spot with his own eyes. 

Kazama simply gave a neutral nod at Luffy’s request. 

Seeing Kazama’s permission, Luffy was thrilled. Without wasting a second, he dashed off with childlike enthusiasm toward the execution plaza. 

Kazama and the others, however, weren’t in the mood for sightseeing. 

Their main reason for stopping in this town wasn’t just because it was Roger’s hometown. More importantly, they needed to restock supplies—food, water, gear, everything. 

After all, the journey ahead would take them through several months of barren seas. They had to be fully prepared to survive the long stretch to the Grand Line. 

So Kazama and the crew quickly began buying provisions from local shops. 

What they didn’t expect, though, was just how outrageously expensive everything in this town had become. 

Because this port town was a required stop for many pirate ships, the merchants had jacked up prices to absurd levels. 

For example—rice that would normally cost 10 beli per jin (a bit over a pound) was being sold here for 1,000 beli per jin! 

Kazama was stunned by the daylight robbery. 

And Nami, who was famously tight with money, was absolutely furious. Her face turned red with rage. 

Pointing straight at one of the merchants, she yelled, “You filthy crooks are unbelievable! You’re obviously ripping us off just because we’re from out of town!” 

The merchant chuckled, unfazed. “Oh my, such harsh words from such a beautiful young lady. I must say, I’m heartbroken. For your information, we treat everyone the same here—I never once thought of you as outsiders.” 

Chapter 460: Battle Against the Smoke-Smoke Devil Fruit User 

“Cut the crap, you bastard!” 

Before the shady merchant could even finish speaking, Zoro shouted angrily, “Do you think we’re fools?! We just saw a local buy rice from you for one Berry per jin, and now you’re trying to charge us a thousand Berries just because we’re outsiders? That’s straight-up scummy behavior!” 

“Heh... I’m absolutely fuming right now!” 

The merchant got even angrier when Zoro and Nami kept calling him out for being a lowlife. 

With his pride bruised, he sneered coldly and said to Kazama and the others, “Listen up, you broke pirates. If you can afford it, buy it. If not, get lost! Around here, we always jack up the prices for outsiders. You’re not locals or returning customers, so we’re gonna rip you off, plain and simple. Buy it or beat it!” 

Slash, slash, slash! 

Before he could finish talking, Zoro had already drawn his swords. In just a few swift moves, he sliced the merchant’s clothes into shreds. 

The merchant was instantly humiliated, wishing he could disappear into the ground. 

The surrounding merchants, seeing that Kazama’s group—outsiders—had dared to humiliate one of their own, were absolutely enraged. 

They stormed over, shouting angrily, “You arrogant punks! Don’t you know a dragon can’t overpower a snake in its own turf?! We can charge whatever we want! If you can’t afford it, then get lost!” 

“We’ve had enough of this!” 

Zoro, Sanji, Nami, and the others were all about ready to teach these sleazy merchants a lesson. 

Kazama, however, didn’t want to cause trouble with the locals. He stepped in and calmed everyone down. 

“We came here to stock up on supplies. There’s no need to waste time arguing with these kinds of people,” he said. “Let’s just leave.” 

Just as they were about to go, one of the merchants blocked their path again. 

He sneered and shouted at Kazama, “What, you think you can just walk away? One of your people injured our fellow merchant. That’s gonna cost you—at least a few hundred million Berries in medical fees!” 

“Hah! You’ve got to be kidding me!” 

Kazama was usually pretty patient, but he wasn’t about to let himself get ripped off. 

As soon as he heard this outrageous demand, he realized they were just trying to scam him like he was some fat sheep ready for slaughter. 

Sure, he had no problem paying compensation if someone really got hurt—but hundreds of millions? That was robbery. 

Furious, Kazama grabbed the merchant by the collar and snapped, “Listen up. I might not be a bloodthirsty killer, but I hate scum like you the most—people who take advantage of others without shame. You're no different from a leech. You know we need supplies badly, yet you jack up the prices just to squeeze us dry. Making money’s fine, but you should at least have a conscience. And now you’ve got the nerve to ask me for hundreds of millions in compensation? If I don’t beat some sense into you right now, you’ll never learn your place!” 

With that, Kazama landed a brutal punch that left the merchant swollen and battered, eyes crooked and lips bleeding. 

The other merchants, being cowards at heart who only bullied the weak, immediately started sweating in fear when they saw Kazama’s strength. 

None of them dared to act tough anymore. 

Just then, Marine Captain Smoker arrived with a squad of soldiers, grinning coldly as he stepped in front of Kazama and the others. 

Puffing on his oversized cigar, he growled, “You damn pirate punks! You’ve got some nerve causing trouble in my town! Men, arrest every last one of them!” 

As soon as he gave the order, hundreds of Marines armed with submachine guns, cannons, and mortars quickly surrounded Kazama, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and the others.