Combination Beast? No, an Infrastructure Maniac

"Truly arrogant, Austin..."

Bullet, wearing earmuffs, heard those words and revealed a sinister smile.

If anyone else had dared to say that, Bullet would have only thought they were overestimating themselves, or simply not taking him seriously.

But if it was Austin...

A cold gleam flashed through Bullet's eyes as overwhelming Haki surged continuously from his body.

"It's been years since I left the Roger Pirates. We haven't seen each other since then, have we?"

"Yeah..."

Austin's tall figure stood before Bullet, his Marine cape fluttering slightly.

"The you I see now doesn't look anything like that high-spirited young man from before."

Ever since Roger's death, Bullet had somewhat lost his direction.

He had once taken Roger as his goal and worked tirelessly to grow stronger, only for that goal to suddenly disappear.

It filled him with fury.

It was like a man dying of thirst in the desert, constantly moving toward an oasis ahead, only to discover in the end that it had been nothing but a mirage.

In his rage, he wanted to destroy the world.

The title of "World's Strongest" had already become his inner demon—or perhaps his shackles.

"A lonely powerhouse who became utterly cold after being struck by cruel reality?"

It was a very clichéd character setup, yet Austin somehow did not dislike it.

Austin slowly reached for his shoulder and removed the cape that symbolized Marine justice.

The sight left Bullet slightly stunned.

"What are you trying to do?"

"Nothing. What comes next isn't something I should do as a Marine."

Austin casually flung aside his Marine cape and draped it over a massive boulder nearby.

His muscles looked as though they had been cast from refined iron—not exaggerated, yet perfectly sculpted.

Combined with his tall, well-proportioned frame, he vaguely possessed the aesthetic of