"Wald!!"
"Cough, cough!!"
Byrnndi World's elder brother, Byojack, could no longer hide his frustration. He coughed violently as he tightened his grip on Wald's collar and said urgently, "Hurry back to the ship! That guy named Ares is probably the one who swam toward our ship earlier!"
"Something might have happened on board!"
Byojack's reminder instantly darkened Byrnndi World's expression. With a hint of reluctance, he finally agreed. "Fine, let's go check the ship first."
With that, he leaped into the air.
His feet stomped hard against the air, creating ripples beneath him.
Like a cannonball, Wald shot toward his own pirate ship at lightning speed.
Moments later.
Byrnndi World and Byojack landed on the deck.
When they saw the wrecked deck, the shattered railings, and the injured officers, Wald's face darkened with rage. "Was this all done by that guy?!"
Byojack's pupils contracted sharply when he saw the unconscious Sebastian and Gairam being treated on deck.
His heart trembled.
"Sebastian!!"
"Gairam!!"
Byojack's concern showed immediately as he called out, "Neichin! How are they?!"
The two brothers' completely different personalities showed in how they handled the same situation: one was quick to anger and consumed by rage, the other cared about his companions' safety.
Neichin stood up and quickly replied, "They're stable for now. I've already treated their wounds. They just need a few days of rest."
"Captain, do you know what that… that monster's name is?"
When she recalled Ares' terrifying strength, her voice couldn't help but tremble.
There was no Marine bounty on him, and she had never heard of such a person from the Rocks Pirates. It caught her completely off guard.
This was a man whose strength could easily be worth a bounty in the hundreds of millions.
Even Byrnndi World's bounty was only 200 million Berries!
[This is still before the era of the Great Pirate Boom. The bounty levels for powerful pirates are much lower than in later years.]
"Hmph!"
Byrnndi World's eyes flashed with disdain. His sharp, fierce gaze swept over his crew, making cold sweat drip down their backs as their faces turned pale.
"You useless trash! A bunch of you couldn't even take down some no-name brat from the Rocks Pirates?!"
"That reckless idiot he's clearly a rookie!!"
"And you all actually got beaten by a rookie! Pathetic!!"
That guy didn't even have a bounty, not even a shred of notoriety, yet he managed to injure his top officers.
Where would the Wald Pirates' pride go now?!
Wald's thunderous roar made the entire crew tremble in silence, none daring to make a sound.
Even Neichin didn't try to argue. It was the undeniable truth. That guy really was terrifying. His monstrous strength and insane durability still left her feeling deeply afraid.
Only Byojack calmly tried to soothe him. "Wald, you can't blame them. They really did their best. That guy named Ares is just insanely strong."
"Maybe he's a core member of the Rocks Pirates, just one whose name hasn't made it to the surface yet."
He then suggested carefully, "Wald, we should really leave this place. That guy Ares…"
"Leave?!"
Before Byojack could finish, Wald cut him off, his eyes flashing with killing intent and an overwhelming, tyrannical will.
"Whether it's Marines or pirates anyone who stands in my way…"
"Will all be destroyed!!"
As he spoke, Wald gently lowered the panicked Byojack from his shoulder.
Byojack immediately shouted, "Wald!!"
"Cough, cough!! Cough, cough!!"
His shouting made his coughing worse.
But Wald didn't care. He simply said to Neichin, "Neichin, take care of Byojack!"
Then he sprang into the air, stomping hard against the sky, stepping rapidly toward the Marine battleship.
"Wald…"
Byojack could only watch helplessly as Wald disappeared into the distance.
Since childhood, Byojack had been sickly. No amount of treatment or doctors had ever helped.
His body had remained frail and stunted, aging quickly. He constantly suffered from illness.
That younger brother, who had once been about his size, had long since grown into a towering, brawny man now a famous pirate whose name shook the seas.
Byojack's eyes welled with tears. He whispered softly, "Our dream… our dream was…"
"To sail the world together, to seek… true freedom."
He, who had no fighting power, could only hope his brother Byrnndi World would return safely.
Meanwhile, moments earlier.
Wang Zhi struggled to push aside the shattered wooden beams pressing down on him. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, staining his long, black beard. He clutched his chest and slowly stood.
His ribs felt like they'd been smashed by a heavy boulder. If not for his sturdy golden armor, the injury would have been far worse.
"So this is the power of Byrnndi World, the World Destroyer… probably on par with Whitebeard and Golden Lion!"
He stepped out of the gaping hole in the cabin wall and onto the deck.
Seeing Wald retreat lifted some of the crushing weight from his heart, but the thought of Ares immediately tightened his chest.
"Damn it!!" Wang Zhi cursed in frustration.
He looked toward the Marine battleship and gave his order. "Head straight for them! We'll grab Ares and retreat immediately!!"
He had no other choice.
Right now, he really wanted to abandon Ares and flee, but…
He sighed deeply. "What a damn mess…"
Couldn't that brat just stay put on the ship?
Wait.
No.
He did stay put on someone else's ship!
Wang Zhi felt as if something was suffocating his chest. It was so frustrating. There was no outlet for his rage. He felt like he was about to explode.
On the Marine battleship.
Bang!!
Another thunderous crash.
Dragon watched numbly as Ares was sent flying again, muttering to himself, "That's the thirty-fifth time now. He's fallen into the sea four times, been forced back twenty-four times, and been blasted away seven times."
Ares' monstrous vitality and indomitable spirit left him utterly speechless.
If he had taken even a few of his father's punches like that, he'd have been rushed to the infirmary long ago.
Yet Ares still hadn't gone down.
Dragon also noticed something strange.
It felt like this pirate named Ares was actually getting stronger the more they fought!
This wasn't just his imagination.
That guy was really that bizarre.
On the other side, Garp's face was glowing with excitement. As Ares was sent flying once again, Garp casually picked his nose and barked at Dragon, "Dragon, look at him, then look at yourself. Don't you feel anything?!"
"If only this guy were my son instead!!"
Dragon's face immediately darkened.
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