The Wind-Chasing Youth and the Berserk Brown Bear

The three of them tumbled down the hillside like rolling stones.

ROAR!!!

The massive grizzly let out a violent, thunderous sound, chasing after them with astonishing speed that completely defied its hulking frame.

Finally reaching a relatively flat patch of ground, the three of them scrambled to their feet, covered in dirt and grime. Daring not to lose focus for even a second, they bolted into the jungle in a sorry state.

Having lost his momentum and the initiative, Buggy ran while being pursued by the grizzly, asking Shuma, who was sprinting alongside him, with great annoyance, "Why did you do that?!"

"It won't do. We cannot harm Lord Bear Spirit," Shuma said stubbornly. "Absolutely not!"

Buggy took a deep breath and looked ahead, dodging a thick tree trunk in his path. He felt a moment of hesitation—could he really recruit this guy onto his ship?

Still, if it was a belief ingrained in his mind since childhood, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible. Forget it, now wasn't the time to think about that...

Because of its massive size, the grizzly pushed aside the chaotic and obstructive trees one by one with its enormous paws, sending them crashing to the ground with a thunderous rumble. Yet, its speed did not slacken; the sound of falling trees grew closer and closer, inevitably stirring a sense of crisis.

Buggy glanced back: "Then tell me what to do! We can't just keep running forever, can we?"

"As long as it runs until it's tired, its stomach will get hungry, and then we'll make a pot of food. Isn't that a great idea? Hehe!" Shuma seemed amazed by his own thought, his voice, carried by the wind, filled with joy.

This natural-born idiot is beyond saving, Buggy thought to himself. Of course, he desperately wanted to harden his heart, escape, return to his ship, and set sail. He had already obtained the local island charts; as long as he went back to compare and study them against his own sea chart, and provided his luck wasn't too terrible, he should be able to find a viable route to his original destination.

However, having reached the final step, being so close to recruiting this youth with excellent physical fitness and formidable combat power into his crew, Buggy was truly unwilling to give up now. As an opportunist in his past life, the thing he hated most was abandoning a plan halfway through just because of the circumstances.

"I... got it..." Buggy said through gritted teeth, his heart a tangle of helplessness and frustration.

"Captain Buggy... Shuma..." As a beast tamer, Mohji felt for the first time the deep fear of being dominated by a wild animal. Moreover, his stamina and energy were nowhere near those of Buggy or Shuma, who had lived in the jungle for years. He was panting heavily, drenched in sweat, yet he dared not slow his pace. He could read the message in the grizzly's eyes, which radiated a predatory hunger: If I catch you, I will crush you into a pulp!

Why? I'm a beast tamer, why am I being threatened by a beast? Mohji wept internally. The face of the acrobatic swordsman flashed through his mind, grinning gloomily at him: Stupid Mohji, just gloriously become my stepping stone. I'll burn incense for you this time next year!

No, I can't lose to that guy who wears a cape and acts cool! Mohji felt an unknown surge of strength erupt within him and he sprinted forward: "I was the one who joined the Buggy Pirates first! I am the vice-captain of the Buggy Pirates, how could I let a guy like you succeed!"

Watching Mohji overtake him in an instant, Shuma shouted excitedly: "So fast, so fast! It looks like Mohji is going to compete with me for the top spot, but I won't lose to him!"

Seeing the wind-chasing youth suddenly filled with fighting spirit and accelerating ahead, Buggy decided he didn't want to speak, ceasing all observation and contemplation of their behavior.

The hour spent being chased by the grizzly was a long and arduous process. Buggy, who had really wanted to leave a few scars on the beast, secretly retracted his dagger. Although he felt incredibly stifled, the thought of having a decent combatant on his ship in the future helped his emotions slowly stabilize.

As for Mohji, he was drenched in sweat from head to toe. Ever since he became the vice-captain of the Buggy Pirates, he had never engaged in such intense exercise. His head was spinning so much he could barely see the road ahead. No... I can't go on, I'm going to be killed...

"Are we back?" Shuma looked at the large pot sitting undisturbed in front of them, though it no longer held any heat, and said with some curiosity.

"Seems we circled back," Buggy replied perfunctorily. He looked back at the grizzly still persistently chasing them, feeling quite resentful. Just what did this idiot put in that pot to make this grizzly so furious? And who knows how much longer we'll be chased...

Due to his physical limitations, Mohji's pace gradually slowed until he finally had no strength left. He collapsed, supporting himself on his hands and knees, gasping for air like a drowning man who had just reached the surface, wishing he could pull his lungs out to use them.

Thump! Thump!

He had stopped, but the grizzly's footsteps behind him had not. The beast didn't rush over immediately, instead toying with its prey; each heavy step felt as if it were landing on Mohji's heart.

Mohji turned around quickly. In his years of taming beasts, he knew that wild animals were far more terrifying than humans. Humans had compassion and might spare a pathetic, cowardly person out of pity, but beasts would not. In the eyes of a beast, there was only strength and weakness—they feared the strong and hunted the weak.

And he was the weak one in the eyes of this grizzly!

"Don't come over!!!"

Mohji scrambled on the ground, throwing a bundle of bamboo, the remaining half of the wild game, and a set of neat kitchen utensils at the grizzly. He feared death, but he feared dying a humiliating death at the hands of a beast even more.

The grizzly swiped its paw, batting the miscellaneous items aside, and continued to approach with its massive, terrifying presence.

"Damn it!"

Seeing Mohji fall behind and witnessing the scene, Buggy frowned tightly. Mohji was an officer who had been with him for years; if he hadn't contributed, he had at least put in the effort. He couldn't just let this guy be killed by the grizzly.

"Bu... Buggy." Shuma was also at a loss. His subconscious told him that Lord Bear Spirit was sacred and inviolable, but his reason told him that Mohji was a friend, unlike any he had met among his own tribe.

"Don't stop me, Shuma!" Buggy's tone was colder than ever, leaving no room for negotiation. Even if it meant offending Shuma or the entire Kumat Tribe, he had to stop this violent grizzly, even if the one he was saving was just a weak beast tamer.

Buggy darted forward, his dagger hidden in his sleeve ready to strike. As long as this grizzly dared to swing its foolish paw, its vulnerable neck, exposed by the movement, would be its fatal weakness!

Staring intently at the brown bear, Buggy suddenly froze. The unexpected happened...