Slayer

August 8, 1519, Sea Circle Calendar

Captain Nezumi of the East Blue Marine 16th Branch learned that the fish-man Arlong's group had been wiped out and subsequently led three warships to the Evil Dragon Domain to investigate.

During the voyage, they encountered the powerful individual who had destroyed Arlong's group. He attacked Captain Nezumi's fleet, killing the Marines and destroying the warships.

The attacker was named Rody. He had red hair, stood roughly 2.3 meters tall, and bore strange markings across his face and body. He was suspected to be a Devil Fruit user capable of unleashing sharp slashes. Every person he killed had been cut into several pieces by those sharp slashes.

At present, all that was known was that he had suddenly appeared in Watermelon Town. After wiping out the Great Axe Pirates, who had been raiding Watermelon Town, he boarded their pirate ship with Nami, a pirate thief and an officer of the Evil Dragon Pirates. He then headed to the Evil Dragon Domain and destroyed fish-man Arlong's group.

Putting down the intelligence report submitted by the 16th Branch, Sengoku rubbed his brow in frustration. "Slashes... a Devil Fruit ability?"

"Damn Roger! They should have gagged him before his execution. If not for those words he used to incite people before his death, sending so many lawless bastards out to sea, how could the ocean have become such a mess?!"

After calming himself, Sengoku said to Brannew, "Slayer Rody, bounty of 50 million Beli. Little Thief Cat Nami, bounty of 5 million Beli. Issue these bounties!"

"Yes, Fleet Admiral."

"Rody, look! There are pirates ahead. They aren't attacking—they're approaching us," Nami said, pointing ahead at Rody, who was lying in a deck chair.

"Oh? Then let's wait until they come closer and see." Rody took a sip of the orange juice in his hand.

As the ships gradually drew closer, Nami saw the skull flag bearing a wolf's head and said to Rody, "The Wild Wolf Pirates. Their captain is Wild Wolf Disk, with a bounty of 20 million Beli."

"Captain Disk, our luck has been pretty great lately. We pulled off a big haul not long ago, and now we've found another decent ship to rob."

"Yeah, yeah!"

"The people on that ship aren't even running after seeing the Wild Wolf Pirates. Don't tell me they're scared stupid! Hahaha!"

Listening to his underlings' clamor, Disk calmly toyed with the two daggers in his hands. "Enough. The ships are close. Call everyone out and get the grappling hooks ready. Kill anyone who dares resist."

The moment he finished speaking, Rody leaped onto the deck of the Wild Wolf pirate ship, still holding a half-finished cup of orange juice.

"Who are you? You dare come aboard the Wild Wolf Pirates' ship?"

"Kid, whoever you are, you're dead!"

The shouting pirates drew their blades and slowly surrounded Rody. Disk walked at the front with daggers in both hands, staring at Rody as he continued drinking his unfinished orange juice, as though the Wild Wolf Pirates—and even their captain, worth 20 million Beli—were less important than that cup of juice.

Disk waved for his men to quiet down and stared at Rody solemnly. "Kid, state your name. You can't be some nobody, can you?"

By then, Rody had finished his orange juice. He casually tossed aside the empty cup and made a sweeping gesture with one hand, killing every pirate before him except for the one at the helm.

Rody glanced at the helmsman, who immediately ran over and dropped to his knees before him, trembling. "Sir..."

At that moment, Nami followed the thrown grappling hook onto the Wild Wolf pirate ship. Looking at the pirate kneeling on the ground, she said, "Take us to see what treasure you have."

The trembling pirate glanced at Rody. Seeing no reaction from him, he said to Nami, "Yes, ma'am."

Rody and Nami followed the pirate into the cabin, where they saw an old man of around sixty. He wore a suit whose fine fabric was obvious at a glance, though it was now disheveled, as was his hair. He looked utterly dispirited as he sat locked inside a cage.

"Who is he? Why is he locked in a cage?" Nami asked the pirate leading them.

"His name is Mike, ma'am. He was the butler of a family we raided. Our captain saw that he was fairly capable and wanted to recruit him."

"But everyone in that family except the butler was killed by our pirate crew. No matter what we said, he refused to join us, so the captain decided to lock him up for a few days. This is already the fourth day."

"Let him out."

Hearing that, Mike raised his head and looked at the man and woman who had entered with the pirate. The woman wore a short-sleeved shirt and a short skirt, her face carrying the innocence unique to a young girl. She was likely not yet twenty. The man was tall and powerfully built, with strange markings on his face and body, and an arrogance in his eyes that stood above all else.

Mike had seen many arrogant people. Whether high-ranking officials, nobles, or kings, their arrogance was like a bubble. They only dared display it before commoners and those with little power. Once they met someone of higher status or someone who dared resist, that arrogance burst at the slightest touch.

The arrogance of the man before him stood above nobles, kings, and even the Celestial Dragons. It was as though he were a god.

The cage was opened, and Mike stepped out. He smoothed his rumpled clothes and disheveled hair, then bowed to Nami and Rody. "Esteemed sir and madam, thank you for rescuing me. May I know your names?"

"My name is Nami, and his is Rody."

"Rody has already wiped out these pirates. Once we sail to an island with a town, you'll be free to leave," Nami told the impeccably composed old man.

"Thank you very much, Lord Rody, for saving my life and for avenging the Bruce Family by destroying the Wild Wolf Pirates." Mike bowed to Rody.

Nami tugged at Rody, who showed no reaction.

"I didn't destroy the Wild Wolf Pirates to avenge some so-called Bruce Family. I merely killed a few boring ants in passing." Rody looked down coldly at Mike, who was bowing before him.

"Of course. To Lord Rody, these pirates were nothing more than drifting dust that could be erased with a wave of your hand. But to me, this is a kindness I can never repay."

"I am sixty-eight this year. I spent my entire life serving the Bruce Family, but now every member of that family has been killed by the Wild Wolf Pirates. I have nowhere to call home, so I have a request. I hope to spend the rest of my life at Lord Rody's side in service, to repay Lord Rody's kindness."

"Please accept me, Lord Rody." Mike knelt before Rody with a sincere expression.

Seeing Mike kneeling there so earnestly, Nami could not bear it and turned to Rody. "Rody, let him stay!"

Rody looked at Mike. "Oh? Stay? Then what can you do?"

"Lord Rody, I served as the Bruce Family's butler for forty years. I have some knowledge of tea-making, cooking, flower arranging, gardening, washing, cleaning, and the care of animals and horses."

"Rody, he knows so much. Let him stay! He can even help me take care of the orange trees."

Rody looked at Mike, who was kneeling on the ground. "Get up. You can stay."