"World!!"
"Cough, cough!!"
Binjack, World's older brother, could not hide his anxiety. As he spoke more sternly, he began coughing violently.
Forcing himself to endure the pain of coughing, he gripped Bundy World's collar tightly and said urgently, "Go back to the ship and take a look. That guy called Ares is probably the one who swam toward our ship in the sea earlier."
"Something might have happened on the ship!"
Binjack's warning darkened Bundy World's expression. With a heavy look, he compromised. "Then let's go back and take a look first!"
With that, he leaped into the air.
His feet stomped against the air with a series of bangs, sending ripples spreading through the air.
His entire body shot toward his ship like a fired cannonball.
A moment later.
Bundy World landed on the deck with Binjack.
When he saw the damaged deck, railings, and injured officers, he could not help frowning as anger appeared on his face. "Did that guy do all this?!"
Binjack, perched on his shoulder, saw Sebastian and Gai Ram lying unconscious on the deck while receiving treatment. His pupils suddenly contracted.
He was utterly shocked!
"Sebastian!!"
"Gai Ram!!"
Binjack shouted in extreme concern and asked, "Nightin, how are they?!"
Their completely different personalities caused them to focus on entirely different things when facing the same situation. One was extremely irritable and filled with rage, while the other was concerned about his companions' safety.
Nightin stood up and immediately replied to them, "They're temporarily out of danger. I've applied medicine to their wounds. They'll be fine after resting for a few days."
"Captain, do you know what that... that monster's name is?"
Thinking of Ares's fierce and powerful performance, her voice began trembling uncontrollably.
Not only was there no Marine bounty poster for him, but she had never heard of anyone like him among the Rocks Pirates before. He had truly shocked her.
With that level of combat power, he was practically a Great Pirate with a bounty of over a hundred million Berries.
Even Captain Bundy World's bounty was only 200 million Berries!
[This was not yet the later Great Pirate Era. Pirates had not yet appeared in explosive numbers, and even the bounties of powerful pirates were only worth a few hundred million Berries.]
"Hmph!"
Bundy World's face was filled with displeasure. His sharp, vicious gaze swept over his subordinates, causing cold sweat to break out on their backs. Their faces went deathly pale from fright.
He cursed furiously, "What a bunch of useless fools! You couldn't even deal with some unknown nobody from the Rocks Pirates?!"
"That reckless bastard was obviously a newcomer!"
"And you were actually defeated by a newcomer!! Useless trash!!"
That pirate did not even have the slightest bit of fame, nor did he possess a bounty, yet he had injured all of his officers.
Where was the dignity of the Byrnndi World Pirates supposed to go?!
World's thunderous curses, fueled by rage, left every member of the Byrnndi World Pirates afraid to even breathe loudly.
Officer Nightin did not argue either, because it was an undeniable fact. That guy was simply too strong. His terrifying Monstrous Strength and ability to withstand blows still left her with intense fear.
Only Binjack tried to console him. "World, you can't blame them either. They did their best. That guy called Ares must be very strong."
"He might be a core member of the Rocks Pirates whose reputation was merely overshadowed by the others."
Binjack then advised World, "World, we should leave this place first. That Ares guy..."
"Leave?!"
World interrupted Binjack before he could finish. A murderous glint appeared in his eyes as he released his fierce and overbearing will without restraint. "Whether it's the Marines or pirates, anyone who stands in my way..."
"Will all be destroyed!!"
As he spoke, he reached out and lifted the frightened World down from his shoulder.
World also shouted to stop him, "World!"
"Cough, cough!! Cough, cough!!"
His agitated shout caused him to start coughing again.
Bundy World paid no attention to that and instructed Nightin, "Nightin, take good care of Binjack!"
Then he suddenly leaped into the air and flew toward the Marine warship, stomping through the air with Geppo and producing a series of bangs.
"World..."
Binjack could only helplessly watch World leave. He had suffered from illness since childhood, and even after seeing countless famous doctors, nothing had helped.
Not only had his body failed to grow at all over the years, but he had instead remained frail and sickly, constantly coughing.
His younger brother, who had once been about the same height as him, had now grown into a burly man and gradually become a renowned Great Pirate.
The thought pained Binjack. Tears filled his eyes as he murmured, "Our... our dream was..."
"To travel around the world and seek... seek true freedom!"
With no combat power whatsoever, all he could hope for was that his brother Bundy World would remain safe.
A few minutes earlier.
Ochoku reached out and pushed away the shattered wooden planks pressing down on him. Blood flowed from the corner of his mouth and stained his black beard. Covering his chest with one hand, he slowly stood up.
His chest felt as if it had been struck brutally by a heavy object. If not for this sturdy armor, his injuries would have been even worse.
"Is this the strength of the World Destroyer, Bundy World? He's probably about as strong as Whitebeard and Golden Lion, right?"
He walked onto the deck through the large hole he had smashed through the cabin wall.
When he saw Bundy World retreating, the heavy pressure weighing on his heart eased considerably. But the moment he thought of Ares, Ochoku's heart clenched.
He cursed inwardly, "Bastard!!"
Ochoku looked up at the Marine warship and immediately ordered, "Steer the ship over. Rescue Ares, then retreat at once!!"
He had made an utterly helpless decision.
At that moment, he really wanted to abandon Ares and leave, but...
He sighed deeply inwardly. What a disaster!!!
Couldn't that Ares guy just stay on the ship obediently and quietly?
No.
He had obediently stayed on someone else's ship!
Ochoku felt as if a breath were lodged in his chest. It was stifling and irritating, yet he had nowhere to vent it. He felt absolutely miserable!
On the Marine warship.
A deafening bang rang out.
Dragon had witnessed Ares being sent flying so many times that he had become numb with shock. His expression was blank as he muttered, "That makes thirty-five times already. He's fallen into the sea four times, been knocked back twenty-four times, and been sent flying seven times!"
Ares's tenacious vitality and intense fighting spirit deeply shook him. If Dragon had taken even a few punches as fierce as those from his own father, he would have been lying in the emergency room receiving treatment long ago.
Yet Ares still had not fallen.
Dragon also noticed something strange. It seemed that this pirate named Ares was actually getting "stronger the more he fought"!
He knew it was not an illusion.
His opponent really was this "strange"!
Excitement also filled Garp's face. While Ares was sent flying, he picked his nose with his little finger, then turned to scold Dragon. "Dragon, look at him, then look at yourself. Don't you have any thoughts at all?"
"If only this guy were my son!"
Dragon's face instantly darkened.
Before you continue