Gazing again at the man still calmly sipping his drink with his back turned at the bar, the expressions of everyone in the tavern shifted dramatically – shock, awe, and threads of undeniable fear now colored their eyes.
The nagging sense of familiarity finally clicked into place. The headlines that had swept the seas just a short while ago… weren't they all because of the very man sitting before them?!
Bombing Impel Down! Participating in the Summit War! Clashing with Admiral Kizaru, and ultimately escaping successfully from Marine Headquarters itself! A man like that…
And they had just been speculating about his chances of survival…
The thought struck some as utterly ludicrous, making them inwardly mock their own assumptions. At the same time, they couldn't help but be stunned by Statta's behavior. That idiot knew he was provoking a Warlord and still charged in looking for trouble? Was he genuinely fearless or just missing a few screws?!
Amidst the shock, a tremor of dark excitement ran through the crowd. A Warlord… right here. All eyes fixed on the tall figure at the bar, eager to see his reaction.
Silence…
Wilder rested his arms casually on the bar top, continuing to drink, seemingly oblivious to the whispers and stares swirling around him. It was as if Statta, the figure everyone else feared, standing directly behind him, didn't even exist. He didn't so much as lift his head.
"Interesting," Wilder finally murmured after draining his glass. He set the cup down firmly on the counter, a smirk playing on his lips in the dim light. He hadn't expected the 'pest' he'd initially dismissed to actually have an 80 million Belly bounty – a rarity in the East Blue. Moreover, as Statta approached, Wilder sensed something new; the man's aura wasn't weak… although presence alone didn't equate to true strength. Perhaps… A calculating glint seemed to flash behind Wilder's lowered eyelids.
"Hey!" Statta's booming voice echoed again. "Are you Warlord Wilder or not?! Why won't you answer me?!" He was clearly furious at being ignored.
Jaws dropped throughout the tavern! Patrons nearly buckled at the knees in terror! This guy is certifiably suicidal!!! Faces paled, fear of getting caught in the inevitable crossfire palpable.
"Dammit!" Statta roared, his expression twisting with rage. He suddenly reached out with a massive, fan-like hand, aiming to grab Wilder's shoulder.
Wilder didn't move an inch, remaining seated with his back to the room.
Every eye in the tavern widened, time itself seeming to freeze…
Splat! A strange, wet sound broke the tension.
Statta's pupils constricted! The onlookers' faces shifted again! What was that?!
A chunk of Wilder's shoulder appeared to be missing. Statta's hand had closed not on flesh and bone, but on a thick, sticky mass of swamp. A cold, slick, and incredibly adhesive sensation instantly registered through his palm. The swamp began to slowly ooze and crawl, spreading up Statta's hand towards his arm.
Statta's face changed drastically. He tried to yank his hand back as the living mud reached his elbow.
But in the next instant! The swamp surged with predatory speed! Suddenly, a massive volume of it flooded onto his body. A heavy shadow pressed down from above! Statta's eyes widened in pure terror.
Within a second, the swamp spread from his arm to engulf his entire massive frame, like a monstrous beast swallowing him whole in a single gulp!
From the shadows obscuring his face, Wilder's smirk widened into a bloodthirsty grin. "Solidify."
The command was spoken flatly, almost casually, yet laced with a hint of dark amusement. Though quiet, the word resonated throughout the entire tavern.
The churning swamp instantly ceased its movement. A series of sharp crackling sounds followed as the seemingly soft mud rapidly hardened, imbued with incredible force, freezing the struggling figure within it completely solid!
Moments later, the crackling stopped. The swamp had fully solidified, transforming Statta's massive form into a towering, sturdy statue made of hardened mud.
The tavern was terrifyingly silent. Cold sweat trickled down every face. People instinctively shuffled backwards, staring in horror at the man still seated calmly at the bar—a man who hadn't even turned around, yet had instantly neutralized the 80 million Belly pirate, Statta, encasing him in an earthen prison.
"So this… is a Warlord…" one pirate stammered, stumbling back several steps, throat working convulsively, eyes wide with shock.
"This is the level of power a Warlord wields…"
Almost everyone felt the overwhelming urge to turn and flee. Who knew if they'd be next? Yet, they hesitated, unwilling to miss witnessing such power firsthand. Leaving now might lead to lifelong regret… besides, they'd be laughed out of every bar from here to the Grand Line.
"You bastard! What did you do to my brother?!" A figure suddenly leaped high over the crowd, descending towards Wilder from above. It was Statta's brother, Jari Beta!
Eyes blazing with fury, Jari Beta—with his shock of yellow hair looking every bit the street punk, despite his surprisingly handsome features and roughly two-meter height—wore a savage expression. He swung a large, curved sword downwards, the blade gleaming with cold white light, aimed directly at Wilder's head!
Wilder finally looked up, his eyes half-lidded. His coat seemed to stir without a breeze. The hand resting on the bar moved for the first time. Slowly, it reached out… then blurred! Spectators only saw Wilder's arm whip sideways like an afterimage! BANG! Jari Beta's descending body was violently slammed aside!
"Cough, cough…!" A ragged cough sounded as Jari Beta pushed himself up from the wreckage of shattered tables, glaring daggers, teeth clenched.
"Die! Great Wind Blade!" Jari Beta leaped high again! He swung the curved sword with tremendous force, launching a sharp blade of compressed air—a flying slash—straight at Wilder!
"Interesting," Wilder chuckled suddenly, finally rising from his stool and turning to face the attack. "I acknowledge you, kid." He raised his right hand, and a dense barrage of Swamp Bullets erupted from his palm.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Before the wind blade could even get close, it was intercepted mid-air by the swarm of swamp projectiles, which impacted violently, overwhelming and dissipating the slash completely. The swamp bullets continued onward, streaking towards Jari Beta, still airborne.
Jari Beta's eyes narrowed, a flicker of panic crossing his face before being forcefully suppressed. Gritting his teeth, he raised his sword again, unleashing a horizontal slash! Bang! Bang! Bang! The second wind blade managed to hold against the bullets for a brief moment before shattering, but Jari Beta used that instant to land back on the ground.
"Decent combat reaction, kid," Wilder praised as Jari Beta touched down. In the same instant, Wilder retracted his hand and appeared directly in front of Jari Beta, looking down at him from his superior height. "Work for me."
"You bastard…!" Jari Beta's eyes were bloodshot with rage. "After what you did to my brother… How could I possibly!" He swung the large curved sword viciously towards Wilder!
"Just like you said…" Wilder spoke unhurriedly, his expression impassive, eyes looking down dismissively. "What did I do to your brother?" As he spoke, a massive black serpent construct began to slither out from beneath his coat, its cold, bloodthirsty eyes locking onto Jari Beta!
"Urk!" The sword, about to strike Wilder's side, froze mid-swing. Jari Beta felt as if he'd been plunged into an icy abyss, the chilling fear instantly snapping him back to reality. "You mean…"