The sporadic artillery fire and the chaotic shouts echoing through Shells Town had already alerted Raion and his companions.
East Port, Shells Town.
Raion halted his training, his sharp senses picking up the distant noise."Where's that sound coming from?" he asked calmly.
Joseph answered immediately, "Brother, it's coming from the north port. It must be Krieg."
"Let's go. We're heading there now."
"Yes, sir!"
Meanwhile, at the north port, Krieg had already marched his forces straight to the gates of the navy base. Colonel Short, completely terrified, had locked himself inside the command office, not daring to step out.
Cao Chief Monka, though bloodthirsty and naturally inclined to fight, was one of the few officers who stood his ground. Leading a small squad, Monka confronted Krieg's overwhelming force at the entrance of the base, engaging them in a desperate battle.
But courage alone could not balance the difference in numbers. Monka, after all, was only a mid-ranking officer with limited authority and resources. While he was slightly stronger than the average marine, he had no superhuman abilities. It didn't take long before the gate of the 153rd Branch fell.
Krieg swaggered into the naval base, his pirates cheering arrogantly as they quickly surrounded the compound.
What was once an organized battle had now turned into chaotic street fighting inside the base itself. Most of the navy officers had already fallen, and Monka was among the few still standing.
In stark contrast stood Colonel Short. With over twenty years in the navy, he had never faced such humiliation or fear. His spirit was crushed; all he could think about was escape. Unfortunately, Krieg's men had already surrounded the base, leaving no way out.
At that moment, Krieg himself stood in front of the office building, arms crossed, and shouted arrogantly,"What a pathetic excuse for a navy! You fight worse than ants! But I can't really blame you — after all, you're up against my Krieg Pirates! Ahahaha…"
To be fair, the 153rd Branch wasn't entirely at fault. The navy's elite forces were stationed along the Grand Line and in the New World. Even the G-3 and G-5 branches had far greater combat power compared to this outpost. The East Blue was infamous for being the weakest sea, which meant both its pirates and its navy were far less formidable.
Krieg, however, was no ordinary pirate, and his sheer numbers — almost five times that of the navy — made the difference insurmountable.
Krieg's original plan was to find those three upstart pirate hunters, execute them, and send a message of fear across the East Blue: "I am not someone to mess with."
But when he saw how weak this naval branch was, a new idea crossed his mind. Defeating an entire branch head-on would not only restore his pride but also serve as a powerful deterrent. It would make him infamous across the sea and help him recruit even more followers.
You dare kill my men in Shells Town? Can't find the culprits? Then I'll crush the navy first.
Colonel Short, realizing this, could only accept his misfortune.
The pirates stormed the office building, their cheers mingling with Krieg's mocking laughter. To Colonel Short, Krieg's voice was like the devil's whisper. He was trembling so much that if not for pride, he would have crawled under the table.
A major, seeing the colonel's pitiful state, shook his head in disgust. Rallying the last reserve unit, the major led the men to form a defensive line.
Standing at the front, the major shouted, "What's your purpose here? Why attack the navy?"
Krieg grinned with malice. "I'm just looking for three people."
"Three people?" the major asked, confused.
"Yes. Three bastards destroyed my warships and killed my men here in town."
"Then why are you attacking our navy?" The major's voice rose with anger.
Krieg sneered. "Because I feel like it! If I crush you, my title as the leader of the 'Strongest Pirate Group in East Blue' will carry even more weight!"
"What nonsense! Open fire! Kill him!"
At the major's command, the marines raised their rifles and fired. Bullets rained down on Krieg like a storm.
But Krieg didn't even flinch. He didn't bother to dodge. His wrist guards unfolded into a large metal shield, deflecting the bullets with a ding-ding-dang-dang! The rounds sparked harmlessly against his steel armor, leaving no damage.
Krieg chuckled coldly. "Fools rushing to die!"
In the next moment, his armor shifted — both armguards transformed into twin machine guns. He unleashed a brutal hail of bullets on the marines.
The unit was decimated almost instantly, screams echoing as men fell one after another, blood pooling on the ground.
The major tried to stand his ground but was riddled with bullets. His right arm and left leg were pierced, forcing him to support himself with his remaining arm as he glared at Krieg.
Krieg pointed a gun at him. "Didn't expect you to be so stubborn. I'll give you a quick death!"
But just as Krieg was about to fire, flames suddenly erupted near the entrance of the base — and the screaming that followed didn't come from the navy.
The pirates were the ones screaming.
Krieg turned sharply, eyes narrowing. From the flames, three figures emerged, walking slowly toward him.
The major, clutching his bleeding arm, stared in disbelief.
The three were none other than Raion, Joseph, and Johnny.
Raion, wearing his gray robe and carrying his Shinobi sword strapped across his back, stood calmly opposite Krieg.
Krieg retracted his machine guns, ignoring the major as he focused on the newcomers. "Who are you?"
Raion smirked faintly. "Weren't you looking for us?"
Krieg's expression darkened. "So, it's you! You're the brats who destroyed my three warships and killed my men in this town?"
"Yes!" Joseph stepped forward, answering without hesitation.
The pirates around Krieg began murmuring, one of them shouting, "Boss Krieg! That's him! He's the one who killed seven of our brothers!"
The one who identified Raion was the same pirate Raion had intentionally spared at the restaurant days earlier.
At this point, the navy forces, including Monka and the battered remnants of his squad, regrouped in the square before the office building. The pirates gathered behind Krieg, and everyone's attention shifted to the three newcomers.
Krieg frowned. "What was that fire at the gate just now?"
A pirate beside him stammered, pointing at Raion in panic. "Boss… it was that guy! I don't know what kind of demon technique he used, but he spat out fire from his mouth!"
"Fire? Flames?"
Krieg's face twisted in shock.Could this brat have eaten the Flame-Flame Fruit?!