Another island down

"You don't have to be sorry. You and your friends have saved our village. It's us who should say sorry to you and thank you." Genzo said.

"You have thanked us enough with all the party and the food." Ken said.

"Hahaha... Got to tell you, even I am a little surprised by seeing the energy of the people here."

"That makes two of us."

Genzo didn't speak more and left to find Luffy since Luffy was the captain, he needed to give him the 'father talk'. Seeing that there was nothing else to do he left the roof as he needed to finish one work.

He flew away and entered the nearby forest. On one huge tree there were several people tied around by a very big and long rope. They looked very horrible, dehydrated and seemed like they would die at any second. All over their body were tomatoes, yolk of eggs and all kinds of filthy things attached.

It was very apparent that these people had just received a public denunciation. Of course, these people were Captain Nezumi and his subordinates. Unlike the fishmen who had fled, the marines weren't left easily.

And nor did Ken want them to escape so easily. The anger of fishmen was understandable till some point. They had been on the other side of hatred for a far long time. But not Nezumi. He was a scum in human skin and in no way Ken would let them leave easily.

In the past two days he had arrived here multiple times and had given them punches, kicks and even lightning attacks on these people. Since the Navy had decided to name him Punisher, then he would be one.

He would punish people, after all he needed to live up to his name. This time he came not for punching the ugly rat face of Nezumi but to give him some photos of Zoro and his crew members. Nezumi couldn't die here, if he did, then the village would be under scrutiny and the villagers might receive the flak.

There was another way to go around it and that was labelling the pirate crew of Straw Hats as more dangerous and put on a bounty. A bounty which would be on Zoro and Sanji. He was pretty sure that by now the East Blue had received the information of Don Krieg being taken down, and after Nezumi was released, the downfall of Arlong would also come into light.

So in order to borrow this limelight, it was better to give more popularity to his crew members instead of himself. After all it was only Luffy and others that had made moves.

"Wake up!! It's your release day." Ken shouted. Those words woke up the swollen eyes and cheeks of Nezumi and his subordinates. The last 2 days he had been on the receiving end of people's ire and wrath.

Hell, even a 10 year old kid came and kicked him in the nuts and he could only scream in pain. At times, he didn't even want to live after seeing the humiliation and pain. But somehow this devil of a man named Ken kept him alive.

Alive to torture him more.

When Ken shouted those words they thought that this was another kind of trauma but when the ropes fell off, he was half sure that there might be light at the end of the tunnel. After the ropes fell, several photos fell on the feet of Nezumi. He heard the devil say.

"Take these pictures, I am sure the first thing you would do after reaching the Branch would be putting bounties on us but we already have one. So you can only explain this to your superiors saying you escaped after being beaten by us. This will allow you to put bounties on my friends. Use these pictures. I don't want any other photos on the new bounties posters apart from these photos. Is that understood?"

Nezumi was dumbfounded seeing such an explanation of letting them go. But whatever the reason was, the main point was that he was being released. That was all he cared about now.

"Hai.. Hai.." Nezumi spoke through his broken teeth. He didn't have enough energy nor the face to speak at this point. He hurriedly picked up the pictures, thanked Ken for a bit and ran. Ran with all the remaining energy he had on his body and feet.

He needed to get the fuck out of here!! He was looking back to make sure that whatever was happening was not a dream and it really wasn't. He was free, but then he heard the shout of the Devil.

"You better not step foot here or give problems to this island, or else I will find you myself and throw you to the Calm Belt."

Nezumi almost tripped when he heard the threat of Ken. Honestly, he was thinking of taking revenge. He knew that he wouldn't be any help against the Straw Hats, but the people here also humiliated him. He wanted to soothe his anger but hearing the threat of Ken, all those hopes were dashed.

He promised himself never to set his foot ever near the waters of the island. Ken just looked at the running figure for one last time and flew away. His work here was done. Everyone got what they deserve, and soon it would be time to leave.

Meanwhile, there was a different situation happening in the New World. The world's strongest swordsman had arrived at the territory of Red Haired Pirates. No, he had arrived right at the island where the red haired pirates were holding their temporary camp.

The crew members of the pirate group were running around in fear and one person came and gave the news that the Hawkeye was here, but after he finished the words, Hawkeye was already standing behind him.

"Yo, Hawkeye, if you have come here for a duel, can we fight the next day? I am a little drunk."

"Tch!! Who cares fighting with a one-armed swordsman, it's an insult to my dignity."

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Read 21 more chapters on my p@treon.com/theligtedghost and expect 4 chapters on weekend if there is more than 1000 power stones