"Halt!"
The pirates stationed along the ship's railing were the first to notice. Several figures abruptly leaned over, brandishing firearms as they shouted sharply.
But Ivan paid them no mind, continuing forward at an unhurried pace, his steps steady as if out for a stroll.
This instantly ignited the anger of the pirates on deck.
"Hahaha, another fool who doesn't know his place!"
"Daring to act recklessly before the Kid Pirates? Must have a death wish!"
The Kid Pirates erupted in raucous laughter. Lately, they had seen plenty of reckless challengers and had grown accustomed to it.
After all, their captain was the leader of the Supernovas, always attracting the attention of overconfident pirates.
Though constantly provoked by these small fries, the Kid Pirates were powerful enough to crush most crews. As long as they didn't run into other Supernovas, they had nothing to fear.
So, while these provocations were a nuisance, they also provided a bit of entertainment.
Soon, a burly figure stepped out from the crowd.
It was a brawny man standing three meters tall, with a shock of fiery red hair, bulging muscles, dark skin, and a face covered in vicious scars.
He was one of the Kid Pirates' main combatants, renowned for his brute strength—Explosion Head.
Explosion Head leaped down from the ship, landing in the shallows and sending seawater splashing around his feet.
He then strode toward Ivan, his gaze fixed intently on the spiral-patterned mask on Ivan's face, and sneered:
"Masked brat, daring to challenge the Kid Pirates? Today, you'll learn just how formidable we are.
Next, I'm gonna twist you into a pretzel!"
His words instantly set the Kid Pirates' atmosphere ablaze.
"Go, Explosion Head! Crush him!"
"Don't lose, or I'll look down on you!"
The pirates behind Explosion Head jeered and cheered, their tones mocking, not taking Ivan seriously at all.
Explosion Head thumped his chest, roaring with confidence:
"How could I possibly lose? A mere masked man—I'll crush him with one punch!"
Ivan remained silent, merely slowly raising his gaze. Through the slits of his mask, his eyes fell upon Explosion Head.
As time passed, the distance between the two grew shorter and shorter.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the shore, three figures quietly stopped, taking in the commotion.
Trafalgar Law stood with his hands in his pockets, his expression indifferent as he cast a detached glance toward the scene.
Scratchmen Apoo held his instrument against his chest, lightly tapping his fingers, a playful smile on his lips.
Jewelry Bonney stood with her hands on her hips, rolling her eyes in annoyance.
They were all Supernovas, who happened to be nearby and were drawn by the disturbance.
"Hey, who do you think will win—Explosion Head or this masked guy?" Apoo spoke first, his tone tinged with mockery.
"Is that even a question?" Bonney scoffed. "Obviously Explosion Head. That masked guy looks completely unimpressive—not even a decent aura. How could he possibly be a match for Explosion Head?"
Law remained silent, but a flicker of agreement passed through his eyes.
In his perception, aside from his upright posture, this masked man emitted no aura of strength—not even as strong as an ordinary pirate. Naturally, he believed Explosion Head would win easily.
They didn't know that Ivan's power had long returned to a state of simplicity. His Conqueror's Haki had reached its peak, capable of forming an Observation Kill that shielded his true strength from Observation Color perception, making it impossible for others to sense his real power.
In their eyes, this masked man was nothing but a clown, destined to be crushed.
But in reality, he was a tyrannosaurus rex in sheep's clothing!
"Hmph, no point in more talk. It's rare to have such interesting entertainment. Let's just watch," Law said calmly, quietly awaiting the outcome.
By now, Explosion Head and Ivan were finally about to clash.
Just before the moment of impact, observant onlookers were startled to notice a drastic change in the masked man's aura.
The previous ordinariness vanished without a trace, replaced by a gloomy and eerie presence, as if a Shura had emerged from hell, surrounded by an unshakeable chill.
But the most startling change lay within the slits of his mask.
His originally ordinary eyes had now shed their color, transforming into a pair of crimson, sinister pupils.
Intricate black patterns filled his irises, swirling like a kaleidoscope.
It was the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan—the Ultimate Eye Technique of the Uchiha Clan—making its explosive debut in this world of pirates!
Seeing those eyes, Explosion Head froze, a terror stemming from the depths of his soul suddenly seizing him.
His instincts screamed wildly, as if the next moment, he would be devoured by those eyes and perish.
After a brief daze, this fear was instantly replaced by overwhelming fury.
"Damn it, why would I fear someone like this?!" he roared, yanking a massive axe from his back and swinging it viciously toward Ivan.
However, just as the axe was about to strike Ivan, a sudden change occurred.
"Hot, so hot!" Explosion Head's expression changed drastically as he hurriedly looked down.
The solid iron axe was visibly melting, turning into molten metal that dripped away.
And upon the melting axe head, clusters of black flames burned wildly. It was these bizarre black flames that had melted the massive axe in an instant!
"Ah!"
The sight terrified Explosion Head out of his wits.
He frantically tried to drop the remaining axe handle, but it was already too late.
The black flames spread along the handle, instantly wrapping around his hand. The intense pain made him scream continuously.
Like a madman, he threw himself into the nearby seawater, desperately slapping his body in an attempt to extinguish the flames.
But the black flames were too bizarre—they didn't go out in water; instead, they burned even more fiercely.
Piercing screams echoed along the shore, lasting only a few short seconds before the black flames completely consumed Explosion Head, leaving not a single trace behind.
The sea surface returned to calm, and the eerie black flames quietly vanished as if they had never appeared.
At this, the entire scene fell deathly silent.
The mocking expressions on the faces of the Kid Pirates instantly froze. They stood rigidly in place, their eyes filled with unbelievable fear.
They never imagined this masked man possessed such a bizarre power!
Explosion Head, who had been boasting just moments ago, hadn't even lasted one move before being reduced to ashes by those black flames.
On the opposite shore, Law, Apoo, and Bonney also completely changed expressions.
Their gazes locked onto the masked man, waves of shock surging within their hearts.
They were wrong—terribly wrong!
This masked man was no nobody. He was a deeply hidden powerhouse!
The masked man's display made the Kid Pirates wary. They no longer dared to attack, instead planning to stall until their captain returned. As a Supernova, their captain could easily kill this guy.
Thus, they initiated conversation with the masked man: "Just who are you? Why are you attacking the Kid Pirates?!"
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