Hina held a cigarette between her fingers, her cool expression softening into a faint smile as she glanced at Nami.

"Nami, how many times this month has someone disturbed you? If you keep breaking the walls every time, your sister will be the one suffering."

Nami immediately hugged Nojiko's arm, putting on an innocent, spoiled act.

"No way, Sister loves me the most, doesn't she?"

Nojiko gently stroked her younger sister's hair, laughing softly. "Sorry, Colonel Hina. I'll trouble you again this time."

Hina waved off the apology. "It's fine. Maintaining public order is my duty."

Before arriving, Gion had specifically told her about these sisters, reminding Hina to look after them since they were close to Chiga. At first, Hina thought it would be troublesome, but after spending time with Nojiko's gentle temperament and Nami's spirited personality, she had grown fond of them. Eventually, she even trained them herself, promising to send them to Navy Headquarters when the time was right. With Chiga's influence, such arrangements would never be an issue.

After a brief chat with Nami, Hina's gaze shifted to the boy in the straw hat, surrounded by Navy soldiers. Unlike the countless criminals she had arrested before, he wasn't panicked. Instead, he grinned as if the situation amused him.

"Is this guy an idiot?" Hina thought, narrowing her eyes. "He's about to be arrested, yet he's still smiling."

She flicked her hand in command. "Take him."

The soldiers moved in swiftly, but before they could restrain him, Luffy pressed down his straw hat with one hand. His other arm suddenly shot outward, stretching and swinging like a whip, hurling the soldiers back before they could even touch him.

Gasps echoed around the street. Hina frowned.

"A Devil Fruit user… Paramecia, by the looks of it."

Luffy chuckled and bolted, clearly unwilling to waste time with the Navy. But Hina had no intention of letting him go.

Her eyes hardened as she snapped her gloves tight. "Gabble Feather Cage!"

Her arms transformed into long black iron bars that shot forward, twisting and locking around Luffy before he could escape.

"Eh? You're a Devil Fruit user too?" Luffy exclaimed, blinking at the iron bars wrapped around him.

Nami, standing beside Hina, looked at her transformed arms with wide-eyed curiosity. Even after seeing it before, the sight fascinated her.

"Hina-san, your powers always look so amazing," she said with wonder.

Hina smirked faintly. "Not the first time you've seen them, yet you still stare like it's brand new."

Nami pouted. "That's because it really is amazing! Way cooler than that lunatic earlier."

"You watched the broadcast of the Summit War, didn't you? Compared to what was shown there, my ability is nothing."

"Watching through a screen isn't the same as seeing it in person."

Hina raised an eyebrow. "If you want to see true strength, ask Chiga. He has more than one ability, each far more terrifying than mine."

At the mention of Chiga, a glimmer of admiration crossed Hina's expression. Nami's lips pursed into a pout.

"Hmph. He hasn't shown up in years. When I finally get to Headquarters, I'll pester him nonstop."

The two continued their lighthearted chatter, entirely ignoring the bound Luffy. But the boy suddenly roared, his body inflating like a balloon. With a pop, the iron bars around him snapped apart.

"What…?" Hina's eyes widened. She retracted her arms quickly. "What kind of ability is that?"

Nami immediately retreated to Nojiko's side, giving Hina space to handle the fight.

Stretching his limbs, Luffy grinned. "Your power's interesting, but let me test how strong you really are!"

He swung his arm back and launched himself forward like a slingshot, fist aimed directly at Hina.

The soldiers opened fire, but bullets bounced harmlessly off his rubber body, ricocheting into their own ranks. Cries rang out as men stumbled, wounded but not gravely injured—gunfire alone could rarely decide battles in this world.

Undeterred, the Headquarters-trained soldiers drew swords and charged. Yet Luffy's raw strength overwhelmed them. One by one, they fell, tossed aside like toys.

Hina's composure cracked. For someone who looked barely seventeen, his strength was extraordinary—comparable to top recruits at Headquarters.

"Gum-Gum Gatling!"

Luffy unleashed a flurry of punches, his arms a blur. Hina exhaled calmly, closing her eyes as she relied on Observation Haki. Her body shifted with precise steps, weaving between the storm of fists.

"So you're using Observation Haki," Luffy said, grinning as he pulled back. "My dad showed me that once."

Her attention sharpened at the word. In the East Blue, Haki was as rare as Devil Fruits. "Your father? Who is he?"

"Uh…" Luffy scratched his head. "What was his name again?"

Hina twitched, her patience wearing thin. "Are you making fun of me?"

She clenched her fist, anger darkening her expression. "Hina is very angry."

With a flick of her wrist, her ability shaped an iron rod into her hand. Though it bore some resemblance to Uchiha Chiga's Yin-Yang constructs, it lacked the same formidable quality.

She dashed forward with Soru, closing the gap in an instant, and swung down at Luffy's head. But he twisted just enough to avoid it.

Again and again, her strikes fell, but each time, he slipped away.

"You can use Observation Haki too?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes.

Luffy smirked. "Didn't I say? Dad showed me. And I can do more than just that…"

Before Hina's eyes, his fists darkened, coated in Armament Haki.

---

400 chapters!!!

Thanks for the support fam!