Chapter 32: May He Bless Me Again!
"Circle around! Surround that house completely! That brat must die here today!"
"That cursed Navy devil—avenge our fallen brothers! Kill him!"
"Approach slowly! He's reloading! That weapon isn't standard Navy issue. Try to capture him alive—we might be able to use him!"
"Take him alive! Capture him!"
The pirates were yelling like it was a morning market. But despite their loud voices, every word trembled with fear. They were all intimidated by the weapon that had instantly wiped out several of their comrades.
Words have always been the easiest way to muster courage. A few grunts eager to earn favor stirred up the crowd, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
Gradually, more pirates closed in. There were now over thirty of them, forming a tight ring around the dilapidated house where Roel was hiding.
"Two rounds left—one to break out, one to ignite. Now then, damn pirates, let's play a little game of fate!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots echoed as probing rounds were fired from the windows outside. The bullets shattered walls and sent debris flying. Dust and fragments covered Roel's face.
One bullet even landed close to the explosives inside. A little closer, and they'd all have been vaporized.
"Hehehe..."
Roel, cradling his shotgun, let out a low chuckle. Eyes shut, he relied on his ears and instincts.
Tap tap... rustle rustle...
Footsteps—quick and light. A few bold ones were charging in.
BOOM!
Without hesitation, Roel turned and fired his first shot. Over fifty pellets erupted from the left barrel, instantly shredding two charging pirates like paper dolls.
"There! He's exposed! He needs to reload! Move in now!"
"Captain's waiting for us—we need to wrap this up!"
"Capture him! Rip off his limbs if you have to!"
The crowd of over thirty pirates surged forward, taking their chance the moment Roel fired.
CLANG!
Drawing his dagger, Roel sprinted toward the shattered wooden door with his shotgun in one hand. The door was riddled with holes from earlier shots.
Crash!
He rammed it open with his shoulder, splinters embedding in his skin. Unfazed, he pushed through the pain.
SHLICK!
One clean slash—Roel beheaded a pirate as soon as he stepped out. He wasn't some rookie; he was a killer through and through. He only needed a glimpse of a silhouette to know where to strike.
"Don't let him escape!"
Shouts came from behind while those ahead raised their guard.
Bang! Bang!
Two flintlock-armed pirates fired wildly, forgetting all about capturing him alive. Their only thought: survive.
But the goddess of luck wasn't with them. Both shots missed, whizzing past Roel.
"Hahaha! Come on, then!"
Laughing, Roel pressed the dagger against the side of his shotgun and charged like a battering ram.
Break through—again and again!
In just ten seconds, Roel created a breach with inhuman speed.
And then—
"Farewell, scum!"
BANG!
He jumped backward and fired into the defenseless house interior.
SHRIP!
A curved blade tore through the back of his coat—only to reveal armor underneath.
THWACK!
Twisting midair, Roel swung the shotgun in a wide arc, smashing the ambusher's skull into a spray of red and white.
No time to linger. Without a moment's pause, Roel sprinted down the street toward the outer edge of the district.
Seconds later, those pirates still in pursuit felt a shockwave surge from behind.
BOOOOOOM!
An earth-shaking explosion rocked the city.
A low, dense mushroom cloud rose into the sky. A 40-meter radius was leveled in an instant. A massive crater—ten meters wide—lay at the heart of the blast.
Blood and body parts rained down like a storm. Nearly thirty pirates vanished in a blink, leaving only a few survivors—those who had chased too quickly to be caught in the blast.
But Roel wasn't about to let even them get away.
Doubling back at full speed, Roel vaulted over rubble and locked eyes on the fallen pirates near the street.
He drew his dagger.
Quick, merciless, precise.
"The pirates have nothing to rely on. But I… I've long been blessed."
After finishing the last one, Roel looked around at the empty streets. He hesitated, then decided not to regroup with his allies.
Instead, he moved on alone.
"May He bless me again…"
With that silent prayer, he reloaded his weapon and crept forward, alert and careful.
---
Meanwhile…
The pirate captain leading the main group turned his head toward the sound.
They were already at the town's edge—just minutes away from the coast.
"That explosion… Damn it!"
Only a massive payload could make a blast like that. Why were there so many explosives in that zone?
Or worse—how did that kid sneak in with so much gear? What were the sentries doing, sleeping?
Since when were Navy brats this dangerous? Was he the one out of touch with the world? That boy was just a rookie—barely fit to wear a uniform!
What gave him the right?
The captain seethed, but didn't lose composure. Thirty grunts and two officers were nothing. He had over a hundred men. The Grand Line never runs out of lackeys.
What mattered now was setting up the ambush.
The Navy's firepower outmatched theirs fivefold—more ammo, better weapons. A direct fight was suicide.
Ambush was the only path to victory.
Run?
Never crossed his mind. Never. His boss was none other than the infamous Golden Lion—Shiki!
A dual-blade master of terrifying renown!
He wasn't running. He would prove he was the most qualified captain to serve under Shiki. He would become the first mate!
…Of course, if he could land a good fortune, maybe retirement in the East Blue wasn't a bad idea either.
He'd made up his mind: win small, stay a pirate. Win big, retire like a king!
"Boss! Our ships are in position. Scouts report three Navy vessels are about to dock. Judging by the size, at least a rear admiral's on board!"
A grunt rushed over with news.
Sure enough, three ships had already pulled close.
"Alright then… we still have time. Spread the ships out and dock sideways—look like we're ready for a fight. Gunners stay behind. Everyone else, with me—we're setting up the ambush!"
"We're gonna wrap them like dumplings!"