Chapter 55: The Hunt Ends
"Fall back!"
Someone—maybe all three of them—shouted it. They leapt backward simultaneously, their beast-like instincts screaming that being close to him was deadly.
"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue."
Satoru didn't care that they'd jumped away. They'd come back. Or he'd bring them back. As he activated Blue, all three captains felt a violent, inescapable pull on their bodies, dragging them toward a single point in the air.
"Damn it!"
Mid-air, with no leverage, they were helpless against the force.
"Black Flash. Three shots."
To the three captains, it was just a flash of black-red lightning. Then, excruciating pain exploded in their abdomens. The blow caused serious internal damage. Blood sprayed from their mouths as they were blasted over a dozen meters away, crashing to the ground in three different spots.
Luckily, they were seasoned fighters. Their combat instincts were sharp. At the last second, they'd coated their torsos in full-body Armament Haki. They'd seen the power of that punch earlier. A weak defense would have meant instant death.
"Holy... Boss, is that kid Satoru really that strong? Those are the Three Beasts! In his hands, they're like three house pets!"
On the pirate ship watching from a distance, nearly every crewman had a telescope trained on the battle at G-8. Their focus was entirely on Satoru. The other skirmishes held no interest.
"I told you," the man called 'Boss' said calmly, as if discussing the weather. "Because Satoru is very strong now."
"What kind of ability is that? Not just an untouchable defense... even his punching power is insane."
By now, the three captains had fully transformed into their beast forms. It boosted all their physical attributes—strength, speed, durability, even healing. They climbed back to their feet, bruised but unbroken.
Satoru wasn't surprised. If they'd stayed down from one punch, their bounties would have been a joke.
"But every ability has a flaw," Zachary snarled, wiping blood from his muzzle. "I don't believe his whole body has that same defense."
His body became a blur. He flashed around Satoru, attacking from every angle—front, back, left, right, above. Every time his claw met that invisible resistance, he'd change position and strike again.
Satoru just stood there, letting him wail away. His expression didn't change. That faint, infuriating smile never left his lips.
Meanwhile, Geert and Benraga watched intently, searching for a weakness in the ability. But they found nothing. Zachary landed hundreds of blows in seconds, testing every spot. No effect.
Geert and Benraga's hearts sank. What was this incomprehensible power? Was this really a Devil Fruit?
"You done?" Satoru asked, his voice cutting through the flurry of attacks. "My turn now, right?"
Zachary's beastly senses screamed. He tried to leap back.
Too late.
Satoru's hand—he didn't even see it move—was already clamped around Zachary's wrist. His left hand held the wolf-man's arm in an iron grip, preventing escape. His right hand became a blur.
It wasn't a fancy combo. Just simple, brutal strikes—fists and knife-hand chops. He wasn't using Black Flash, but his base physical power was already monstrous.
THWACK. CRUNCH. THUD.
After a few seconds, Zachary was a broken, bloody mess. He coughed up mouthfuls of blood, but not a single drop touched Satoru's uniform.
When Satoru finally released him, Zachary collapsed like a sack of meat. His breathing was shallow, ragged. He was one step from death.
Seeing this, Geert and Benraga felt the urge to run. No one wanted to die here. After witnessing Satoru's power, they understood. The Navy hadn't abandoned this base. They'd sent a monster to guard it.
If Zachary could be dismantled so easily, and the boy wasn't even trying... their own fates wouldn't be much better.
On the battlefield around them, the Marines and pirates saw their commanders' fight was decided. Morale shifted instantly.
The Marines' fighting spirit soared. Their commander had taken down a notorious captain in moments!
The pirates' will faltered. They'd come here boasting they'd take the base. Reality had slapped them hard. Just surviving this battle would be lucky. Seeing how Satoru handled Zachary, he clearly wasn't the merciful type.
"Don't even think about running," Satoru said, his eyes locking onto the lion and tiger. "You can't leave. Your speed is like a turtle's to me.
"However... if you surrender, I'll consider sparing your lives. You can spend your old age in Impel Down."
With their bounties, they'd be thrown into Level 5 or 6. They'd never see daylight again. They might even die there from the harsh conditions or other inmates.
Geert and Benraga exchanged a look. They understood each other perfectly.
"It seems you two aren't going to surrender," Satoru sighed, a hint of genuine disappointment in his voice. "In that case, it's a bit of a hassle."
Seeing their defiant stances, Satoru knew. They'd chosen to fight to the death. Even knowing they couldn't win, they'd cling to their pride. They were, after all, pirates with high bounties. They had the blood and dignity that came with it. They would die on their feet, not on their knees. The real fight was about to begin.
(End of Chapter)
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