"Looks like we've encountered a big fish this time!"
"Big brother!"
Bundy World lowered the telescope and casually handed it to the man on his shoulder. The man was built like a dwarf and wore a helmet with one broken horn.
"Cough, cough..."
The man World called big brother, Binjack, coughed twice before raising the telescope with his emaciated hand. His expression changed instantly.
His face filled with shock and worry. After coughing twice, he tried to dissuade World. "Cough, cough..."
"That's the ship of the Rocks Pirates. We... We'd better not provoke them."
Whether because of his stature or the illness ravaging his body, Binjack's voice was somewhat soft when he spoke.
Bundy World gazed at the pirate ship in the distance, his expression resolute. "Who cares what Rocks Pirates they are? I, Bundy World, know only that their ship must be carrying plenty of supplies and treasure!"
"Big brother, how can we build the pirate ship of our dreams without money?"
"Whatever stands in my way, I, Bundy World, will make it disappear!!"
His booming voice shook the pirates on deck. Everyone fell silent in fear.
World turned to his three officers. His gaze was ruthless, and his voice cold. "Three minutes. Finish off the enemy within three minutes. Don't exceed the time I've set!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"······"
A blue-skinned fish-man with a huge build suddenly stood up. With intense confidence on his face, he said, "Three minutes is more than enough."
"Let's go destroy that ship!"
Whoosh!!
Fish-man Sebastian leaped up, jumping from the deck into the air. With a boom, he crashed into the sea, producing an explosion-like sound and sending a vast spray of sparkling water into the air.
He was a hybrid of a fish-man and a giant, which made his body several times larger than that of an ordinary fish-man.
On the deck.
The other two officers were just about to land on Sebastian's back when Binjack, perched on World's shoulder, cried out, "In the sea... There's an enemy coming through the sea!!"
Holding the telescope, he clearly saw a figure rapidly approaching the pirate ship by swimming.
"Huh?!"
Bundy World was instantly astonished, then burst into laughter. "Worororo... I never thought they'd still have the guts to fight back!"
"But no matter who it is, no one can stop me, Bundy World!"
"Men, fire the cannons!"
"Blast that fellow in the sea to pieces and turn him into fish food!"
At his command, the pirates on the ship immediately lit the cannon fuses. Sparks spread rapidly with a sizzling sound.
One cannonball after another was fired from the dark, cold barrels.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
······
In the cold seawater, Ares swiftly swung his arms back and forth. With a powerful kick of both legs, he sent up a huge spray.
He was the one rapidly approaching the World Pirates' ship through the sea!
"The captain said that battle can temper a person into an indestructible famous sword!!"
"After training for so many days, my body has long been unbearably thirsty for battle!"
"I want to fight!!"
Ares looked up at the sky. Cannonballs rained down, and he immediately dove deeper, changing course to evade the bombardment.
The splashing water and surging waves could not stop him in the slightest.
The thought of facing a powerful opponent made the blood in his veins boil, and even the icy seawater could not stop it from heating up.
As time passed, returning to one or two minutes earlier.
On the pirate ship.
When Ares heard Ochoku say that the other side was an extremely formidable opponent, his eyes immediately lit up, like a beast that had spotted a delicious prey.
Then, before Ochoku could react, he plunged into the sea with a splash.
"Nani!?!?"
Ochoku instantly froze in bewilderment. His hand jerked, nearly yanking off the black beard on his chin. He hurriedly shouted toward Ares in the sea, "Hey!!! Ares!!"
"Come back!!!"
But beneath the raging wind and roaring seawater, his voice became tangled with all the others, and Ares could not hear him clearly.
"Damn it!!" Ochoku cursed anxiously inwardly. "Now this is a real headache."
"This guy is unbelievably reckless!!"
In a fit of rage, he slammed his fist into the iron-clad railing, leaving a sunken fist mark.
That was too brave!
Too reckless!
The enemy was the World Pirates, renowned across the seas. The Navy had launched multiple campaigns to suppress them, only to return empty-handed—and even suffer heavy losses.
For Ares to charge over like this was no different from throwing his life away!
Ochoku's expression darkened, and he quickly made a decision. He immediately shouted to the pirates on deck, "Turn the ship around! Prepare for battle!!!"
After issuing the order, he turned to look at the sea.
His face was filled with worry and tension. "Ares, you can't get hurt!"
"If anything happens to you, Shiki and Newgate will tear this armor right off me!"
His heart was filled with anxiety and anger, worry and nonstop curses!
In the seawater.
Sebastian, an officer of the World Pirates, poked his head out of the water. A disdainful smile tugged at his lips. "What a foolish pirate. He actually abandoned his companions and chose to sneak into the sea alone to attack."
"In the sea, this is the domain of the Fish-Man Race!"
His expression was cold, and his face carried the confidence of someone certain of victory. Then his head vanished beneath the surface.
His entire body became like a launched torpedo, shooting through the seawater toward Ares at incredible speed.
As a descendant of the Fish-Man Race and the Giant Tribe, he had inherited the giants' enormous build and immense strength, as well as their enviable longevity!
At the same time, he had retained the characteristics of the Fish-Man Race. In seawater, four words described him perfectly—like a fish in water!
On the pirate ship.
World raised a hand and sneered. "Cease fire. Sebastian has made his move. That fellow won't last thirty seconds!"
He was extremely confident in the strength of his subordinate.
What was more, this was the open sea. Sebastian, a member of the Fish-Man Race, possessed an innate, insurmountable racial advantage!
His gaze settled on the striking figure in golden, gleaming armor aboard the other pirate ship—Ochoku. "Ochoku, an officer of the Rocks Pirates..."
He bared his teeth in a vicious grin. "I wonder how long he can last against me?"
But Binjack, perched on his shoulder, reminded him worriedly, "World... Cough, cough... Don't let your guard down!"
"The other pirate ship has turned around, which means the fellow in the sea is extremely important. Ordinary pirates..."
"Cough, cough..."
"They would have abandoned him long ago!"
He knew that the Rocks Pirates were an extremely ruthless and practical crew.
They would never give up their escape and start a head-on war for the sake of an ordinary pirate!
A smile spread across Bundy World's face, lifting his green beard. "It's too late. Sebastian has already reached that brat!"
As he spoke, he pulled out a pocket watch with great interest and checked it, marking the time.
He said with absolute certainty, "The outcome will be decided within ten seconds!"
Before you continue