You Keep Arguing, I'll Leave First (Please Bookmark and Vote)

"Hm? People still dared to come here?" Having just finished observing a moment of silence for Buffett, Apophis looked toward the entrance and saw a large group of pirates running this way. "That attire... are they from the Flower Country?"

"That guy... is Apophis? What a terrifying gaze. Those eyes... is he really human?" Huajao, walking at the front, met Apophis's eyes head-on. The scarlet, blood-red gaze made his scalp tingle, but he refused to lose in terms of presence. "You're Apo—fuck, what is this?"

It seemed he had stepped on some round object. Huajao stumbled and nearly fell, leaving the subordinates who had been hoping to witness a clash between powerhouses utterly dumbfounded.

"Damn it, I was so nervous that I didn't even notice what was under my feet!" Huajao cursed inwardly. He had intended to establish his dominance, but it seemed he had only made a fool of himself. His gaze drifted toward the culprit that had embarrassed him.

"Wait... that's a human head? Skull Crusher Buffett's head!" Seeing the head of Buffett, whom he had only recently finalized a deal with, rolling at his feet, Huajao couldn't help but suck in a cold breath. He felt as though Buffett's eyes were staring at him.

As if blaming him for arriving too late, or perhaps cursing him, waiting for him to descend into hell alongside him.

Wolf Fang, however, thought further ahead. "Although one corner of the hall has collapsed, there are very few signs of battle. And Apophis doesn't even have dust on him. That means the battle likely ended in an instant!"

At that thought, Wolf Fang began to feel like retreating. "Skull Crusher Buffett wasn't weak, yet he was defeated with overwhelming force. Apophis may be even more terrifying than the rumors suggest! Leader Huajao is powerful, but he lacks combat experience. A life-or-death battle carries too many risks and uncertainties. It would be better to persuade him to abandon that unrealistic idea."

"Most importantly, Buffett, who invited us here to assist in battle, is already dead. Continuing to cling to this now would be utterly foolish."

After a brief consideration, Wolf Fang made his decision.

"Lord Apophis, we have no intention of disturbing you. We will leave shortly. Please pretend nothing happened!"

"Wolf Fang! I'm the leader. What right do you have to make decisions for me?" Huajao demanded angrily.

Though the will to fight had faded from his heart, Huajao was unwilling to simply leave like this. If he returned now, he would never escape the shadow cast by his father.

On top of that, Wolf Fang's decision on his behalf further fueled Huajao's rage. At last, he made his choice without hesitation.

"Leader Huajao, please be rational. Buffett is already dead. Do you intend to bring a powerful enemy upon the Eight Treasures Navy for the sake of a dead man?" Wolf Fang rebuked sternly.

"This is my business. You don't need to interfere. At worst, I'll fight in my own name. If I leave with my tail between my legs without saying a word, how could I still have the face to be a leader? The 13th Generation Pillar of the Eight Treasures Navy will never be a coward!"

"Leaders, I don't mean to interrupt your discussion, but... Apophis is about to leave. Should we stop him?" As the two continued arguing, one of the pirate subordinates ran over and asked hesitantly.

"What?" Huajao looked in the direction the subordinate pointed and saw that Apophis was already nearing the courtyard exit, as if he had not taken either of them seriously at all.

"Even you ignore me? Am I really nothing but a figurehead of a leader?" The humiliation and fury of being ignored surged into Huajao's heart. No longer hesitating, he let out a thunderous roar and charged forward.

Apophis turned his head slightly, killing intent surging in his eyes. His Sword Intent actually created an illusion of a Sea of Blood around them. Struck by that savage aura, Huajao's mind froze, and his charging steps halted involuntarily.

"This is bad! Leader Huajao has been affected by the enemy's aura!" Wolf Fang panicked inwardly. If he had known the enemy's Sword Intent was this powerful, he would have risked his life to stop Leader Huajao from acting so rashly.

Leader Chin had once mentioned that when he clashed with the Whitebeard Pirates, one of Whitebeard's subordinates had been a powerful swordsman who could also turn his Sword Intent into a tangible illusion. The only difference was that one was a sea of flowers, while the other was a Sea of Blood.

Huajao truly deserved to be someone personally trained by Great Pirate Qing Jiao. Though he lacked actual combat experience, he broke free from the mental assault after just one breath.

However, in a clash between strong individuals, a single breath was enough to determine victory or defeat.

When he came to his senses, the ghostly green flames reflected in his pupils rapidly grew larger. The fierce wind raised by the sword tip even sliced open his face. That demonic sword seemed ready to split him in two the very next moment.

"Ahhh!!!"

A shrill, agonized scream erupted, so terrifying that even the carrion vultures at the harbor outside flapped their wings and fled.

An arm fell to the ground, still twitching uncontrollably.

His back drenched in cold sweat, Huajao finally realized what had happened. At the final moment, Wolf Fang had shoved him aside and used one arm to take that nearly fatal strike in his place.

Yet Wolf Fang's howls had not stopped. Veins bulged all over his body, and sweat soaked him from head to toe, as though he had just been pulled from water.

"Wolf Fang, what's wrong? Pull yourself together, don't scare me!" Huajao knew full well that losing an arm alone could never cause Wolf Fang this much pain. A battle-hardened pirate like him should not have reacted like this.

"That sword... there's something wrong with it. You absolutely must not be... wounded by it. Otherwise, the pain that pierces into your bones... will make you lose your ability to fight!" Wolf Fang clenched his teeth and used every ounce of his willpower to finish speaking before continuing to roll across the ground and howl in agony.

The surrounding pirates watched this scene with pounding hearts. More than anyone, they knew how tough their vice leader was. Yet this man of iron had revealed such a miserable state, in so much pain that his tears and snot had mingled together.

"Those with weak resolve cannot look directly into your eyes?" Wolf Fang's suffering seemed to make Huajao mature considerably in an instant. He lowered his gaze. "Then I'll fight you by judging your footsteps. The injury you left on Wolf Fang, I will return to you exactly as it is. I swear it!"

Apophis lightly raised the Seven Star Sword before him. He remained indifferent and silent, as though he regarded his opponent's oath as nothing more than a boring joke, too lazy to offer even a single comment.

Wolf Fang clutched the wound on his right arm and struggled to stand, but the stabbing pain deep within his soul had already made him unable to see the blurry scene before him clearly. He staggered, about to collapse.

"Vice Leader! Vice Leader!" The nearby pirates hurriedly supported him, calling out in concern.

"Don't worry about me first. The leader likely won't be a match for the enemy. Hurry and support him. While he's fighting the leader, ambush him with firearms. Since we've decided to fight, don't hold anything back," Wolf Fang said decisively.

Thanks to Lonely You for the 100 reward, Rainy Night Carrying a Blade and an Umbrella for the 2000 reward, Messiah for the 100 reward, 15581138352 for the 1000 reward, and All the Flowers Have Been Spent for the 100 reward.