"Let's go. Head into the town first."
Sriya fell silent for a moment, then took a long stride forward, leading the group.
The group of men left the coast and headed towards the small town. Seeing the intimidating group—Sriya, Edmond, and the others, all holding weapons and wearing fierce expressions—the surrounding civilians didn't dare to get close. They kept their distance, whispering and pointing at them from afar.
The group entered the town and stopped at a crossroads.
"What now?" Edmond asked, looking around.
"We go straight for him, of course," Sriya replied flatly. "This town isn't big. Strangers are easy to spot and ask about."
"Figures. A former Marine Captain's mind works fast," Edmond said with a grin.
"Less talk," Sriya's expression darkened, and he said coldly.
"Heh heh heh," Edmond chuckled.
BOOM! BOOM!
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Suddenly, two loud explosions rang out. Two scorching, flaming black cannonballs came whistling out from between the buildings on either side, landing instantly beside them.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The ground shook, flames soared, and smoke filled the air. Two craters were instantly blasted into the street. A shower of rubble flew everywhere, and at the bottom of each crater lay one of their men, spitting blood, their bodies scorched black and clearly suffering from serious injuries.
"You bastards!"
The sudden attack, especially the sight of his two subordinates severely wounded, sent Edmond into a rage. With a schwing, he drew the greatsword from his back. These men were members of the newly formed Elite Strike Team. Each one was a "super soldier" with a Doriki (Power Level) over 500, and there were only twenty of them in total. Losing even one of the fifteen they had brought with them was a massive blow.
"A land-based 12-pound cannon. Fired at this range, it means we were ambushed!" Sriya was shocked as well, immediately taking a defensive stance.
Only a cannon more powerful than a standard 8-pound one could severely wound a "super soldier" with a Doriki over 500 in a single shot. Neither Edmond nor Sriya wanted to take a hit from a cannon at such close range.
"Ah! It's a cannon!"
"Run! The pirates are fighting!"
"Help! Run!"
"Flee! The farther the better! You'll die if you get caught up in it!"
The sudden cannon fire sent the townspeople screaming in panic. They scattered in every direction, and the entire town was plunged into chaos.
"Kill!"
"Kill them all!"
"Fire! Fire! Kill them!"
"Surround them! Don't let those bastards escape!"
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang...
Accompanied by a chorus of battle cries, dozens, if not a hundred, fierce-looking pirates rushed out from both sides of the street. Each held a weapon. From the rooftops, another twenty or so pirates appeared, continuously firing their flintlocks. The gunfire erupted, and the smell of gunpowder instantly filled the air.
Facing the sudden attack, Edmond, Sriya, and the others reacted instantly. Each of them leaped with superhuman agility, covering dozens of feet in a single bound. Some charged into the pirate crowd, while others jumped onto the rooftops.
CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH...
SLASH, SLASH, SLASH...
Against a dozen "super soldiers" with Doriki over 500, the pirates were no match at all. They were either smashed to death by heavy hammers or split in two by giant axes. Some members of the Elite Strike Team didn't even use a weapon, simply beating their opponents to death with their bare fists.
"Tch, what a bunch of trash!"
Seeing his subordinates effortlessly dominating the enemy, Edmond curled his lip in disdain.
"It's not that they're trash, it's that our men are too strong. Their strength is on par with the Marines' elite. Normal pirates and Marines are no match for them," Sriya said flatly. "In the Navy, a soldier with a weapon has a Doriki of ten, while a 'superhuman' is over 500. Even under a Yonko, there's no pirate crew that could withstand an attack from a dozen 'superhumans.'"
"Then this is a good chance to record their combat data. It's Dr. Dalt's mission, too, isn't it? Might as well check the stability of the XT Drug," Edmond said with a casual laugh, but there was still a hint of awe in his eyes when he mentioned Dalt.
"You damned dogs! Get out of my way!" a furious roar bellowed.
THUD! THUD!
With two successive dull thuds, two members of the Elite Strike Team were sent flying back as if they had been hit by a heavy blow. They slammed into the street, shattering the bluestone bricks beneath them and leaving a network of cracks in the ground.
"The real deal has arrived!"
Edmond was stunned for a moment, then instantly realized what was happening. Only the pirate captain could have taken out two of the Elite Strike Team members so quickly, and he was their target.
Edmond and Sriya looked up, fixing their gazes on a figure who had appeared on a nearby rooftop. It was a gloomy-looking young man with black hair. His bare torso was covered in all kinds of scars—wounds from blades, bullet holes from firearms, and even claw marks from wild beasts. His bronze skin and explosive muscles were brimming with power, and a chilling aura radiated from him. On his back was a tattoo of a skull with two crossed revolvers and a pair of dark brown wings.
"Heh heh... the second captain of the Flying Shot Pirates, with a bounty of 240,000,000 Berries. Vatis the Beastclaw," Edmond said with a cold laugh, looking at him. "You're good at hiding, running all the way to the South Blue. Why didn't you go to the New World... are you afraid we'd tear you to shreds? Hahahaha!"
The black-haired young man known as Vatis looked down at his heavily injured and dead subordinates, his face growing even darker. He shot back, "You mad dogs, you really don't give up, do you? Did your master not feed you enough, so you've come here looking for bones?"
"Such a foul mouth! Looks like I'll have to tear it off myself!" Edmond said coldly, rotating his greatsword.
"I'll kill you all today! ROAR!"
Vatis let out a low growl, and his body suddenly swelled. His skull elongated, and his muscles bulged as if they were being inflated, tearing through his clothes. He transformed into a beast nearly thirteen feet tall with brown fur and a white head full of razor-sharp teeth. His powerful limbs moved on their knuckles, and his long, sharp claws effortlessly left deep gouges on the rooftop.
"Why waste so much time talking? Don't forget what Arlan-dono told us to do!"
Sriya watched Vatis transform into his Beast form with an indifferent expression. He pushed off the ground, rocketing forward and leaving a deep footprint in his wake.
CRUNCH!
CRACK!
The air trembled, and a powerful gust of wind blew outward. Vatis's sharp claws collided with Sriya's right foot. The immense force shook the rooftop beneath Vatis, causing cracks to appear.
"You're a bit impatient."
Edmond curled his lip, but his movements were just as fast. He swung his sword through the air.
SHING!
An invisible slash instantly tore the roof off the building in front of him.