Chapter 88: Encounter with the Navy, Tina [First Update]

"My wife is even more beautiful than any of them!"

As he watched Nico Robin disappear into the distance, Shu Mingyuan withdrew his gaze and set out once more on the journey to leave Alabasta. He had now met almost all the characters from the original story whom he was supposed to meet or had wanted to meet. Yet, as he truly began to grow stronger, the once restless heart within him gradually became calm.

He could flirt with other women and even take some liberties with them, but when it came to truly behaving like a stallion and eagerly pursuing conquests, he found it meaningless. At least, this was not the life he desired at present. For him, only the pursuit of strength was the unchanging truth.

He stowed away his frivolous heart and gradually stepped into the darkness.

...

"Reporting to Colonel Tina! The Ghost Hunter has been sighted—he's heading out of the city alone. Judging by his appearance, he's planning to flee under the cover of night."

"So, Monkey D. Shu Mingyuan, the Ghost Hunter, really was hiding in the Alabasta royal palace. Now that he’s lost the protection of the royal family, let’s see how he plans to escape. Follow him—don’t alert him yet. Once he leaves the capital, finish him off in the outskirts."

"Yes, Colonel Tina!"

Below the city of Alubarna, a desert stretched endlessly. Even after three full days of rain, walking through the sands was still a parched experience.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out abruptly in the night. The bullet burst through the darkness, a spark of fire aimed straight at the young man striding across the sands.

Shu Mingyuan tilted his head slightly. The bullet grazed his cheek, but he acted as if nothing had happened, continuing his leisurely walk on the desert floor.

Bang! Bang!

Suddenly, gunfire erupted everywhere. The first shot had been a signal—now, a string of muzzle flashes split the black night, and countless bullets ripped through the air, racing toward Shu Mingyuan.

It was as if the boy had eyes in the back of his head—his movements became strangely ethereal. He seemed to maintain his pace, but within that instant, he had shifted positions countless times.

Using the high-speed movement of Soru, he weaved and dodged with a single step. His speed was so great that he left behind a trail of hazy after-images.

The bullets tore through nothing but those after-images, not harming him in the slightest.

"Is this guy a monster? Even such a barrage of bullets can't touch him..."

"What terrifying reflexes! Is this the strength of a pirate with a bounty of 350 million?"

"Stay alert, everyone—this man escaped from Impel Down and even killed Shichibukai Sir Crocodile. His abilities are unimaginably powerful."

"Yes, sir!"

Shu Mingyuan had long since noticed these Marines encircling him. After awakening his Conqueror's Haki, his Observation Haki’s range had exploded from thirty meters to fifty, nearly doubling the distance.

To him, these ordinary Marines were hardly worth glancing at. Of all the presences he sensed, only one woman warranted his attention.

She had soft pink hair cascading down her back, a symbol of justice’s Marine cap atop her head, and a rose-red professional outfit that accentuated her voluptuous figure. Her cool, aloof aura was unmistakable—among the Marines, there was only one woman who dressed like this.

Black Cage Tina!

Shu Mingyuan’s eyes lit up in surprise. The mature allure of a woman like Tina was far beyond what someone like Vivi could offer. He hadn’t expected to run into her. The young man couldn't help but touch his nose, starting to wonder if he’d been extraordinarily lucky today—how else could he have met several of the most popular heroines from the original story all in one day?

There was no doubt these Marines had come to apprehend him, but he had neither the mood nor the desire to play along.

Hundreds of Marines surrounded him, all their guns aimed squarely at him. Shu Mingyuan didn't even furrow his brow—he strode forward at a steady pace, his sand cloak billowing gently in the night breeze.

"Ghost Hunter Monkey D. Shu Mingyuan, you are surrounded! Surrender at once!" Tina commanded sharply.

"Step aside." Shu Mingyuan’s voice was deep and low, his gaze unwavering and almost frighteningly calm.

Tina inhaled deeply. She felt an oppressive force radiating from him, but instead of retreating, she stepped forward. "When Marines confront pirates, we do not back down. Even if you were one of the Emperors, I would arrest you today."

Shu Mingyuan let out a sneer. "I have no time to waste on these dull games with you. Anyone who stands in my way dies. If you doubt me, come and see for yourself."

Though his voice was cold, to the assembled Marines it sounded like the call of the abyss. They’d all heard countless tales of the Ghost Hunter in recent days—his power was said to be beyond imagination.

Thus, a strange scene unfolded in the desert. Other than the synchronized footsteps, no one dared to make a sound. With every step Shu Mingyuan took, the Marines matched him, keeping him in their encirclement, yet none dared to make the first move.

The absurdity of the stalemate amused him. What could these Marines possibly do? They didn’t dare attack—nor did they want to let him go. Were they just going to keep this up forever?

At last, one Marine could no longer bear the suffocating pressure. Trembling, he raised his gun and fired at the back of the young man's head.

Bang!

Shu Mingyuan stopped in an instant. Between his fingers, a bullet was caught securely.

Suddenly, the sand behind the Marine began to swirl, gathering into a current that wrapped around his legs and, in a flash, dragged him beneath the desert’s surface. His terrified cries were soon swallowed by the emptiness of the desert.

"Damn it—what did you do to him? Let him go, now!"

Shu Mingyuan lifted his eyelids, casting a disdainful glance at her. "Insects," he said coolly.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then snapped them open. His deep pupils instantly turned blood-red, the three-tomoe Sharingan spinning fiercely. An overwhelming aura surged from him; the hundreds of Marines froze, the color fading from their eyes as they collapsed to the ground.

Only Tina, a Marine Headquarters Colonel and Devil Fruit user, remained conscious. Though her mind felt battered, it was still within her capacity to endure.

"So the rumors were true… This man suppressed a million people with sheer presence alone, and thus the Alabasta rebellion was ended. What terrifying power..."

"Tina is so scared..."

Shocked, Tina watched as Shu Mingyuan stepped over the bodies of the Marines, still advancing unhurriedly.

"Ghost Hunter, you’ve injured so many Marines—you won’t leave here today!"

Tina flashed before him and, with a grip of her hands, two iron bars materialized out of thin air, blocking his path.

"That Marine is now ten meters underground. If you don’t hurry to rescue him, he really will die."