Weighing the Scales

Cannonballs flew, bullets sprayed wildly, the salty sea breeze thick with the smell of gunpowder and blood...

Bullets struck the ship, sending wood chips flying, leaving shallow holes behind.

Cannonballs landing in the sea were manageable, just sending up water columns and a bit of rain, but those hitting the ship were trouble—each one blasted a large hole, killed people, and set the ship on fire, throwing everyone into chaos.

Two escort ships against four pirate ships were clearly at a disadvantage, and their firepower was weaker than the pirates', making things even worse. What truly spelled despair was that the escort ships were slower; two pirate ships had already flanked them.

Carlos took in the battlefield scene. At this rate, both escort ships would be doomed, and if they went down, he wouldn't be far behind.

He couldn't fly now, and having eaten a Devil Fruit, falling into the sea would be like a stone sinking straight to the bottom...

He had to think of something!

Long-range combat was useless; he had to fight up close to survive on his unknown upper limit of strength, or even turn the tide!

His eyes flickered, and Carlos had an idea. Grabbing a gun, he headed for the captain's quarters to request an audience.

Carlos was an honored guest, so getting to see the captain wasn't hard.

Once he met the captain, Carlos immediately used his Sharingan to hypnotize him, swiftly changing the strategy. He ordered the helmsman to alter course, not fleeing but charging straight at the pirate ships.

In this situation, the captain couldn't just give reckless orders, or the crew might not obey—after all, their own lives mattered more.

He gave two reasons for this seemingly suicidal command: first, their overall strength was completely outmatched, and if they kept running, the ships would sink and everyone would drown; second, he announced good news—there was a hidden powerhouse on board, and only by following him to crush the pirates would everyone have a chance to live!

With those reasons, the captain's authority and the grim reality made the helmsmen of both ships grit their teeth and carry out the order. The two ships turned and charged straight at the four pirate vessels.

"Let me weigh the measure of pirates in this era!"

Carlos muttered to himself, staring at the largest of the four pirate ships, where a burly, muscular captain with a bull-horned hat stood.

Meanwhile, on the deck of the largest pirate ship.

"Captain, look, they're charging at us! What a bunch of idiots asking for death!"

"Yeah, no kidding. Let me tear them apart one by one!"

"Captain, this haul is really worth it—we get two valuable merchant ships and future favors from the John Family."

"Getting in good with the John Family means better intel, easier dodging of the Marines, and more chances to make a fortune!"

"That guy Lucifer Carlos really doesn't know how deep the waters are, daring to offend the John Family..."

"Moo ha ha... Youngsters always need a beating from the world to grow up!"

"Captain, he won't get that chance, will he?"

"Of course not, moo ha ha..."

Boom! Boom!

The two battered escort ships finally collided with two pirate ships. The violent impact made everyone on board unsteady.

Boom! Boom!

Just as the shaking subsided, the other two pirate ships rammed from the sides, dealing another heavy blow to the escort ships. The hulls were severely damaged, beyond repair—fixing them would cost more than buying new ones.

"Charge, lads! Kill!" roared the Mad Bull Pirates' captain, Mad Bull, raising his long blade. His pale nose ring, rugged face, two-and-a-half-meter height, and bulging muscles radiated an oppressive aura!

"Whoo!"

The pirates on all four ships raised their guns and blades, roaring in response, blood pumping, their inner evil spilling out uncontrollably, their morale soaring!

The few dozen surviving escort crew members saw this and their spirits plummeted, terror spreading uncontrollably...

The captain in his brocade robe trembled on both legs, kneeling on the deck, panicked and bewildered. What had he done? What had his men done? How had they charged at the pirates? Which idiot, which bastard gave that order?

A thousand whys filled his mind—this was the end...

Just then, Carlos took off his sunglasses and tossed them aside. His two-tomoe Sharingan shifted to three tomoe, while his Byakugan remained active. The 360-degree, no-blind-spot vision was crucial in this encirclement. With a flicker, Carlos dashed toward the pirate captain's ship, drawing the eyes of everyone on both sides...

A counter-charge?

The pirates erupted in fury—who did this guy think he was?

The escort crew's expressions were mixed—admiration, excitement, pity—but their eyes were fixed on Carlos alone, that white figure...

A dozen pirates nearest to Carlos attacked immediately. Those with guns fired; those without charged with swords and axes, ferocious and menacing.

Carlos's face was cold. Left eye Byakugan, right eye three-tomoe Sharingan. His fingers curled into claws, Internal Energy circulating, Golden Bell Shield partially activated. The bullet trajectories were crystal clear to him. He swayed slightly left and right, and the bullets grazed past his body, vanishing somewhere.

The next moment, they clashed at close range. His eagle claw directly caught a long blade, focusing all his strength at his fingertips before unleashing it in an instant. Crack! The iron blade shattered into pieces. His other hand brushed lightly across that pirate's neck, and the man collapsed stiffly onto the deck, eyes rolled back.

After taking down one pirate, he slid his feet, easily dodging attacks from two others. Carlos narrowed his eyes slightly, deciding to get brutal. Killing by striking pressure points wouldn't be intimidating enough, nor would it ignite the escort crew's fighting spirit!

From then on, Carlos's attacks turned savage and bloody. With the three-tomoe Sharingan's powerful predictive ability and the Byakugan's 360-degree vision, the enemy's moves were always exposed; ambushes were useless.

Each fierce eagle claw strike tore off chunks of flesh, left deep finger holes, and carved vicious claw marks. Head, throat, heart, back, waist, joints—every vital point was targeted. Blood gushed like a waterfall, white bone fragments and brain matter splattered out.

Four words summed it up: too brutal!

Mixed in were occasional Twelve Road Tan Leg kicks, each strike carrying immense power. Bones cracked, and pirates were sent flying in all directions, some knocked straight into the sea.

In just a few breaths, Carlos had killed over a dozen pirates cleanly, each one meeting a gruesome end.

Carlos's white shirt and white casual pants were stained with large splotches and speckles of crimson blood. His hands hung naturally at his sides, fingers curled, blood slowly dripping from them, with bits of flesh and white pulp still clinging on. His killing intent was palpable, the stench of blood thick around him, one eye pale white, the other bloodshot red—like the most vicious and brutal demon to crawl out of hell.

This sight made even the battle-hardened pirates feel a chill in their hearts, not daring to move recklessly. The more timid among them unconsciously swallowed hard—a clear sign of extreme tension...

"My name is Lucifer Carlos. Come on, follow this Boss and fight—that's the only way you'll have a chance to survive!"

"Otherwise, no one can save you. The only ones who can truly save yourselves are you!"

With his actions and words, Carlos shattered their fear of the Mad Bull Pirates. The strong had arrived as promised, and their desperate will to live surged with courage, driving them to attack the pirates.

Although the pirates outnumbered them nearly three to one, a glimmer of hope for survival had taken root in their hearts.

The brutal close-quarters battle began. Real combat is far more savage than the sanitized fights in anime!

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