Sakazuki Had Indeed Forgotten Him

"How could there not be one? It's already been five days!"

"You've got to be kidding me!"

A furious roar rang out from the Tropical Grand Hotel, making quite a few pirates on the street turn toward it in confusion.

That sounded like the obnoxious Golden Emperor.

Inside the hotel, Chaos had Speck by the collar. If this had happened back when Chaos first arrived in Demon Valley Town, Speck would have sent him flying with a swing of his spiked club.

But now, he could only let Chaos hold him by the collar.

There was no helping it. Times had changed too quickly.

He couldn't beat this guy.

"Calm down, calm down!"

The smoking owner had left the bar and stopped smoking. Instead, he was trying to mediate, speaking with a little more deference than before.

"Damn Sakazuki."

Chaos angrily let go and slapped the table, his face dark with fury.

He had just asked Speck whether his wanted poster was out yet, only for the big guy to say no.

He had clearly told Sakazuki about it five days ago. Had that guy failed to report him to the Marines?

Damn it!

All his anticipation drained away in an instant.

This was forcing him to make the first move.

Chaos sat in his chair, with Golden Warriors seated opposite him and on either side. Quite a few pirates in the hall kept glancing at the three little golden men, unable to hide their greed.

But none of them had the guts to make a move.

The Golden Emperor was now famous throughout Demon Valley Town. Other than a few pirates who had just arrived and dared to attack him, even pirates with bounties over a hundred million had to think twice.

In an extremely foul mood, Chaos hurriedly filled his stomach, then asked the smoking owner about the whereabouts of some powerful pirates before leaving.

He'd get more practice with Armament Haki, then go cause trouble for the Marines and see if he could get his hands on the other six powers. After that, he'd head to Sky Island and train in seclusion for a while.

Then he'd return to the sea and make his legend!

Being arrogant, flashy, and recklessly courting death was a high-risk profession. It meant walking a tightrope all year long, and without a solid foundation, it was no different from suicide.

He took this very seriously.

Over the next ten days, Demon Valley Town was in chaos. Pirates with bounties under eighty million cursed and swore, while nearly everyone with a bounty above that fled town.

For those ten days, the Golden Emperor went on a rampage for reasons no one could figure out. He was either fighting or on his way to fight, leaving plenty of pirate crews on edge.

Crews like the Octopus Pirates, Zebra Killer, and Reaper Tesys all left Demon Valley Town, cursing as they went.

Chaos still hadn't received a bounty poster after ten days. He guessed that Sakazuki had probably forgotten him.

Just as he'd suspected, Sakazuki had indeed forgotten him.

He was busy rounding up pirates across the Grand Line. He had no time to remember who Chaos was.

The sky was clear, with clouds circling a thousand meters above.

A gigantic Golden Longsword suddenly shot through the sky, carving a path through the clouds before quickly disappearing over the horizon.

Chaos stood with his hands behind his back, his tousled hair whipping in the gale. His white shirt hung open, revealing his eight firm, well-defined abs. Tall and strikingly handsome, he looked every bit the dashing young man.

At least, that was what Chaos thought.

There was no one left in Demon Valley Town who could challenge him.

Life was just so lonely.

So he'd asked the smoking owner about the nearest Marine base, and now he was on his way there.

"Hm?"

After flying around seventy or eighty kilometers, Chaos suddenly looked down at the sea. Two large ships were racing across the endless blue waters, one chasing the other.

One was a pirate ship, the other a warship.

He hoped it would be a warship commanded by a captain or higher. At this point in time, Marines of lieutenant commander rank or above might know one of the Six Powers. Chaos had already learned Shave and Geppo.

He could say that he'd also mastered Finger Pistol. He only had Iron Body, Paper Arts, and Tempest Kick left.

Iron Body and Paper Arts were easy enough to understand. They might even help increase his chances of awakening Armament Haki and Observation Haki, so they weren't a problem.

That was what he thought, but Chaos still planned to ask the Marines for guidance.

"Pick up the pace!"

"Fire the cannons! Fire!"

"Damn Marines!"

On the choppy sea, cannonballs splashed water into the air. The pirates aboard the ship scrambled into action. Even though they'd spent years living by the sword at sea, there was still a nervous fear in their eyes.

Unlike the pirates, the Marines aboard the pursuing warship remained calm and organized. Some loaded cannonballs, others fired their guns, steadily wearing down the pirate crew.

That was the difference between a regular army and a rabble.

And the highest-ranking officer aboard this warship was a Rear Admiral.

When people watched the anime, they thought Rear Admirals were nothing special and seemed pretty weak.

But in reality, Rear Admirals were strong. Very strong.

They were more than capable of serving as the highest-ranking officer at a Marine base in a given sea.

And it wasn't just Rear Admirals. Marine officers like commodores, commanders, and lieutenant commanders were all formidable.

Some lieutenant commanders had mastered more than one of the Six Powers. Some might even have learned Haki.

"Rear Admiral Tobit, the pirates' return fire has weakened."

At the bow of the warship stood a burly man with a small beard, his Rear Admiral's coat of justice draped over his shoulders. He stood with his arms folded, watching the pirate ship ahead.

A Marine beside him lowered his binoculars and gave his report.

"Don't rush. Keep firing. If we can sink them, sink them. That way, we'll have fewer casualties when we engage."

Rear Admiral Tobit was calm, and the sort of officer who cared deeply for his subordinates. He had no intention of charging straight at the pirates. Instead, he planned to wear them down with cannon fire and pursuit.

"Yes, sir!"

The Marines around him looked at Tobit with heartfelt respect.

"Whenever we capture pirates, some of our men get hurt. Tell the doctor to get ready. No matter how expensive the medicine is, use it. Do everything you can to keep everyone alive."

Tobit turned and looked sternly at his adjutant. Whenever they fought pirates, he always gave the same order.

He would never abandon a single subordinate who followed him. Over the years, it had become second nature.

"The doctor is already preparing. We won't leave a single brother behind."

"Good!"

Tobit nodded, then turned his attention back to the pirate ship.

The justice coat on his back fluttered in the sea breeze.

The bombardment continued for several more minutes. The pirates' return fire grew weaker and weaker, and they had almost run out of cannonballs.

But Tobit remained cautious—or, more accurately, he didn't want his men to suffer heavy casualties—so he continued ordering the bombardment until the pirate ship lost the ability to sail.

"Despicable, shameless Marines!"

Flames soared from the pirate ship as thick smoke billowed into the sky. Many pirates wore looks of despair.

Out on this boundless sea, with their ship unable to sail, the Marines didn't even need to capture them. They could simply turn around and leave. Before long, the pirates would sink to the bottom of the sea.

The pirates had only three options now.

Surrender, kill the Marines and seize the warship, or perish beneath the waves!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The cannons aboard the warship kept firing. The pirates did their best to block the shots, but some cannonballs still landed on deck and exploded. Many pirates were blown to pieces, while those who were lucky enough to survive screamed in agony.

The smell of charred flesh mingled with the sharp stench of blood and gunpowder, making the choppy sea seem even more turbulent...