Unexpected

Awoo...!

Reg did not ignore the wolf that had appeared... instead, it howled, directing part of the pack to intercept him.

It continued relentlessly pursuing Jabra itself.

Whoosh... Knowing this was not the time for a standoff, Reg took the initiative to attack.

The brown wolf he had targeted cleverly tucked away its fangs and met the attack with the top of its head.

Several wolves around it paced back and forth, staring fixedly at Reg... the moment the two collided, they would launch their attack.

Reg naturally knew what he would face next... yet he still extended his dagger.

Clang... The instant the crisp sound rang out, the wolves pounced from all directions.

"Hmph."

With a soft snort, Reg used the dagger as a pivot and sharply shifted his body aside... he had put very little force into that strike precisely for this moment.

Slash, slash... Reg, having gathered all his strength, darted swiftly through them, cutting open the waists of three wolves before quickly rushing toward Jabra.

Awoo...!

More wolves were dispatched... while Jabra, pursued by the white wolf, was gradually handling things with greater ease.

The reason he had fled for his life earlier was because of the rest of the pack.

Reg glanced at Jabra... this guy probably had 00 Doriki, or there was no way he could have survived this long.

Reg had nothing to be jealous of... after all, he was a late starter.

Jabra might have been on this island since he was one year old... with an extra year of training, such a gap was not too outrageous.

While the two of them fought the wolves according to their own division of labor... the two unscrupulous instructors in the distance watched with great interest.

"I didn't expect that thing to appear here..." Henry, with his mohawk, wore a strange expression.

"Don't tell me you're tempted?" Colin smiled.

"How could I be... Jabra's father isn't someone to mess with." Henry withdrew the longing from his gaze.

"That's good... How will things develop from here? This is truly interesting."

Colin watched Reg's agile figure weave through the pack and grew even more satisfied... earlier, he had thought this brat lacked passion, but now he was showing it.

With every wolf he killed, the expression on his face became a little more bloodthirsty... sure enough, humans were all the same.

No matter how gentle or calm they usually appeared... once they saw blood, the cruelty hidden in their bones would erupt uncontrollably.

As time passed, blood gradually stained the ground around them... several long, narrow wounds appeared on Reg's body as he moved through the pack, but that was all.

He had suffered no more serious injuries... and even those wounds had been deliberately taken by Reg.

Jabra was having nowhere near as easy a time against the white wolf... he had far more wounds than Reg, and they were much more severe.

"Still not retreating?"

More than 0 wolves already lay around them, and Reg had begun to pant... the pursuing pack had only numbered a little over 50, and now nearly half were gone.

Slash, slash... At the cost of another wound on his arm, Reg killed two more wolves.

As blood surged forth, the white wolf howled once more... the casualties seemed to have reached the limit of what it could tolerate.

The wolves began to close ranks. The white wolf bared its teeth and let out an enraged growl, its blood-red eyes locking onto Reg... its hatred had actually shifted to him.

Dagger in hand and drenched in blood, Reg remained on guard, meeting its gaze without hesitation... he would not show weakness at a time like this.

If he retreated, if he became afraid... then he would likely face even more pursuit from the wolves in the days to come.

Freed from the white wolf's attention, Jabra clutched his arm. The dagger in his hand was covered in cracks... thankfully, the battle was over.

Otherwise, once the dagger shattered... he might not have survived.

Awoo...!

After a brief standoff, the white wolf withdrew its icy gaze... then raised its head and howled.

Rustle, rustle, rustle... Dense sounds rang out as the pack began dragging away their companions' corpses.

"Can you still run?" Reg came to Jabra's side.

"I'm so hungry I have no strength left... grrrumble." As he spoke, Jabra's stomach began to rumble.

"Let's change locations first... we can't stay here."

Reg helped him up... the white wolf's gaze had been resolute. This was not over: nighttime was the wolves' domain.

"Don't move around... your wounds will split open."

Reg, training while roasting a bear paw, spoke up to remind him.

Jabra, covered in layers of bandages, scratched his head, his face full of gratitude. "It's all thanks to Reg... Good thing you brought everything we needed, or I might really have died."

"You know that now... Think about how we'll get through the next few hours. Let me warn you first... the wolves will definitely come again. If I can't hold them off, I'll abandon you without hesitation."

Reg was very pragmatic... Even without his rescue, Jabra probably would not have died. After all, he had lived until the time Luffy set sail.

Jabra pressed his lips together, his expression conflicted... Reg found it baffling. For a child from this island, he should have been able to accept something like this, right?

The atmosphere grew heavy as the aroma of roasted meat wafted into their noses... Reg handed the roasted bear paw to Jabra. "Even if we're going our separate ways, fill your stomach first."

"Okay... Aah, nom."

Jabra took a huge bite. Reg shook his head... Being alive really was a blessing.

"Waaah, waaah... I'm sorry!"

As he ate, Jabra suddenly burst into tears... leaving Reg completely stunned.

Was that all it took to win him over?

"Why are you apologizing?"

Reg still did not suspect anything... After all, killing wolf cubs truly was an unforgivable offense to a wolf pack.

"Waaah... nom... I saw a Devil Fruit at the wolves' gathering place. I tried to steal it, but I couldn't get it out, and instead..." Jabra finally revealed the secret he had discovered.

"I see..."

Reg finally understood... No wonder this guy had been reckless enough to provoke such dangerous creatures as a wolf pack.

"Then why bring it up now?"

Reg's gaze flickered... It would be a lie to say he was not tempted by something like that.

But he had no choice but to suppress that desire... What kind of fruit had Jabra found?

There was a ninety-nine percent chance it was a Zoan-type, a wolf fruit... That was not what Reg wanted.

"I want to work with you... No matter what kind of fruit it is, one of us will gain tremendous power by eating it." Jabra wiped away his tears.

"Then who gets to eat it... You?"

The corners of Reg's lips curled up... He raised his hand in a salute. After all, the two instructors outside were eavesdropping.

If Jabra did not agree, Reg would abandon this plan... A fruit like that would never fall to nobodies like them, people without any backing.

Jabra was no fool. He nodded. "My life..."

Reg made a shushing gesture, then held out his fist and mimed scissors and rock... Jabra's tears immediately came pouring out. What a good person!!

Reg smiled awkwardly... He really was hypocritical, but this was good too. He could gain another utterly loyal friend.

"You saved my life... but I found the fruit. To be fair, let's settle it with rock-paper-scissors!" Jabra quickly came up with this suggestion.

Reg nodded in satisfaction. "Barely fair enough... Come on."

Outside the cave, Colin shook his head. "Too naive."

"Yeah... That's a Devil Fruit from legend, after all."

Henry once again heard that man's voice in his mind... and instantly lost his nerve. That was a member of P0.

Unless he could silence Colin in front of him and kill the two kids inside as well.

Otherwise... he could forget about getting that fruit.

The price was far too steep to pay for a Devil Fruit whose type was still unknown.