"Since the item has been delivered, I should get going."
Having completed the transaction, Kuma had no intention of staying any longer and slowly stood up.
Just as he was about to leave, two figures rushed into the tavern from outside, looking completely panicked.
"Captain! A really strong guy is coming to cause trouble for us! It's the Kid Pirates!"
"They're asking around town about us! They've already injured several of our brothers and are heading this way right now!"
Before they could even catch their breath, the two crew members frantically shouted one after the other.
Hearing this, the tavern hall instantly fell silent.
"Tch, we haven't even been ashore for half a day, and this is already the second wave."
Sanji took a drag from his cigarette and slowly exhaled a plume of smoke. He turned to look at Allen, his tone teasing and playful.
"This Warlord of the Sea title seems to cause more trouble than you do. We haven't done a thing, yet trouble just keeps knocking on our door."
Allen gave a mocking smile. He turned around and leaned his back against the bar counter, holding a glass of liquor in one hand while resting his other arm on the surface.
"Everyone acts so dismissive whenever the Warlords are mentioned, but the moment they actually run into one, they all want to challenge them. In the first half of the Grand Line, this title is practically the same as the Four Emperors in the New World."
"Kid... Is it Eustass Kid? That name has been quite active in the newspapers lately."
A calm voice came from the corner. As Robin spoke, she turned the newspaper in her hands around to show everyone.
In the newspaper photograph, an arrogant figure stood amidst a ruined street, with the word "Ruthless" glaringly prominent in the headline.
There was also the bounty section marked with [300,000,000.00]. That long string of zeros made many crew members widen their eyes and gulp nervously.
The corners of Allen's mouth curled up.
He truly hadn't expected to run into Kid here. There were seven different routes in the first half of the Grand Line, and he had already encountered two Super Rookies before even making it halfway.
However, since they had crossed paths, it was entirely expected that Kid would come looking for trouble. After all, that guy's ability to stir up chaos was top-tier.
What a pity.
He could have come sooner or later, but he just had to show up right after Allen had eaten his Devil Fruit and was itching to find a durable punching bag to test his new powers.
"Let's go. Come with me to see what level this Super Rookie is at."
Allen grinned, his eyes burning with excitement. With a sweep of his cape, he stood up and led the crew out the door.
"From morning till night, we're either fighting or on our way to a fight. We haven't even been ashore for half a day. Sigh."
Nami sighed, feeling mentally exhausted.
It was rare to come across a Spring Island, let alone such a bustling town. Before they could even enjoy it, they were about to become infamous.
She couldn't help but look down at the Clima-Tact in her hand and said righteously,
"Ahem, you all better protect me properly during the fight later, got it?"
"Don't worry, Nami-chan! Even though I can't beat the boss, I'm still super strong!"
The spherical end of the Clima-Tact transformed into the head of the Teru Teru Bozu, speaking with a proud and confident expression.
*A Super Rookie with a bounty over 300 million, huh...*
Kuma watched Allen's group depart, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
If the two sides clashed in this bustling town, it would likely cause numerous innocent civilian casualties.
*Since I don't have anything pressing to do, I might as well stay and watch the battle. While minimizing civilian casualties, I can also see exactly what level Allen's strength is at,* Kuma thought to himself.
...
St. Prince Square.
In the center of the square was a massive circular fountain. Elegant statues of goddesses stood along the edge of the pool, as if watching over this beautiful town where spring was eternal.
A clock tower that had witnessed a century of history stood in the middle of the fountain. The submerged areas were covered in moss, and the peeling walls on all four sides bore the etched marks of time.
However, the civilians who should have been spending a leisurely afternoon here were now wearing panicked expressions, frantically running away from the square with hurried steps.
The square had four main streets in total. The civilians madly flooded into the north and south streets to escape, while the east and west streets were the exact opposite—two groups of people were marching aggressively toward the square from each direction.
"Is that them? The newly appointed Warlord of the Sea. It seems they couldn't wait either."
Kid said with a wide grin, his burning gaze fixed on the street opposite him.
Walking toward them was none other than the pirate crew and their top executives, led by Allen.
"They sure have a lot of people. Killer, Heat, Wire—I'll leave those guys to you. Don't let them get in my way."
Kid let out a wild laugh. He raised his arm horizontally, his fingers curling loosely as several arcs of electricity flickered, followed by a ring of magnetic energy spreading outward.
Soon, the vendor stalls on both sides of the street began to shake. Various pieces of metal hummed, vibrating violently before levitating into the air.
Then, those metal objects flew rapidly toward Kid, attaching themselves to his arm in a chaotic, haphazard manner, enveloping his right hand into a giant mechanical arm.
"Just focus on your fight, Kid. We'll handle the rest."
A deep voice echoed from within Killer's helmet. Curved blades popped out from the mechanical devices on the back of his hands, beginning to spin at high speeds with a loud buzz.
Soon, both sides entered the square at almost the exact same time.
"It's time to test the results of your training."
Allen's eyes blazed with fighting spirit. He stared at Kid across the square and sneered,
"There's only one goal: beat them all into the ground!"
"Simple and brutal. Still, it feels pretty good not having to use my brain for once."
Sanji kept one hand in his pocket, a cold smirk lifting the corner of his mouth around his cigarette.
Once all the members from both sides had entered the square, the civilians had essentially all fled, leaving only a small handful hiding in the peripheral corners, preparing to watch the battle.
"Everyone, follow me!!"
"Beat them into the ground!!"
"Uwooooh!!"
"Kill them!!"
Accompanied by two loud roars, both sides erupted simultaneously. The two crews of vicious pirates charged forward with swords drawn and guns raised!
Allen and Kid's eyes darkened. Their legs pushed off the ground violently as they took the lead, sprinting straight toward the base of the clock tower in the center of the square!
"Punk Gibson!!"
Kid roared loudly. Under the control of his magnetism, the mechanical arm unleashed terrifying power. The giant mechanical fist, comparable to the size of a house, surged forward like a bulldozer, plowing through the earth!
Facing this devastating attack, a flash of red light gleamed in Allen's eyes. Armament Haki surged like a black tide, rapidly coating his strong, muscular wrist.
"Sonic Soul Explosion!!"
*Bang!!*
With a loud shout, Allen's fist broke the sound barrier, furiously smashing into the giant iron fist!
The collision of the two fists unleashed a powerful shockwave, kicking up dust and debris from the ground as it violently expanded outward from the center of the square.
At the same time, Allen's punch forcefully pierced through the assembled metal components. His entire arm plunged into the giant steel fist, and his Armament Haki erupted fiercely. The mechanical arm, held together by magnetic attraction, rapidly crumbled from the inside out!
*Boom!!*
Following a deafening explosion, Kid's pupils dilated in shock as his giant mechanical arm violently blew apart, shattering into countless parts that scattered into the sky!
A powerful strike comparable to a Giant's, a mechanical arm that had never failed him, was actually obliterated by a single punch!
*So this is... the strength of a Warlord of the Sea...!*
A flash of astonishment crossed Kid's eyes, but then the corners of his mouth lifted, and a fanatical fighting spirit reignited in his gaze.
After exchanging just one blow, it was enough for him to conclude that his opponent's reputation was not unearned. However, this didn't make him want to retreat; instead, it made him even more zealous.
"As expected of someone chosen by the World Government to be a Warlord of the Sea. You were worth the trip."
Kid grinned, baring his white teeth. The aftershock of the impact blew his red hair wildly in the wind, making his face look even more arrogant and ferocious.
Today, he was going to step over a Warlord of the Sea and carve his name into the New World!