Wild Dog Colonel

"Ha ha ha..."

At that moment, Colonel Wild Dog burst into loud laughter, as if he had just heard the funniest thing in the world.

Bartolomeo's expression stiffened, because Colonel Wild Dog's laughter had truly provoked him.

It even gave him a deeply uneasy feeling.

"Shave..."

In an instant, Colonel Wild Dog vanished from where he stood. When he appeared again, he was already standing before Bartolomeo.

He was so close that a casual swing of the hand could hit the other man in the face.

"Six Powers..."

Moke, hidden in the shadows, could not help narrowing his eyes.

When it came to the Marines, the Six Powers were impossible to avoid. It could be said that most Marine officers, aside from swordsmen, knew at least a few of the Six Powers.

Even some swordsmen knew the Six Powers.

However, any Marine who had mastered the Six Powers was no weakling. The Six Powers were not something just anyone could train in; one needed to reach 500 Doriki.

Do not underestimate 500 Doriki.

For example, Doriki Values, which measured Marine combat strength, were also a standard for judging a person's fighting ability. The most ordinary Marine soldier in this world had a Doriki Value of 10. Anything over 500 counted as superhuman. Look at the members of CP9—some of them only had five or six hundred Doriki.

Of course, such a number was neither rare nor top-tier.

But in the first half of the Grand Line, it still counted as having some strength.

Not to mention the weakest sea, the East Blue. Here, he absolutely counted as a powerhouse, and one who could crush others with ease...

"Ah..."

Bartolomeo's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in fright.

He instinctively retreated, but how could he possibly be a match for a Marine who had mastered the Six Powers?

"Bang..."

Colonel Wild Dog kicked him directly in the abdomen. Under that tremendous force, Bartolomeo flew away like a kite with its string cut.

Colonel Wild Dog did not stop there.

"Shave..."

A kick flew out...

"Shave..."

Another kick flew out...

The same move, simple and direct, yet none of the small fry Bartolomeo had brought could withstand even one attack.

"Impossible! This is impossible!"

Bartolomeo, who had already been knocked seven or eight meters away, stared at the scene with shock and terror written all over his face.

Before long, nearly a hundred small fry had all fallen to the ground. Their legs, arms, or ribs had been broken.

It was clear that Colonel Wild Dog had not shown mercy.

At last, he walked toward Bartolomeo step by step. The corners of his mouth curled upward, revealing a mocking smile.

Bartolomeo sprang up from the ground in fright, enduring the pain as he backed away step by step.

At the same time, he still could not believe it. "How is this possible? You can't even beat that guy Xiping."

"Xiping?"

Hearing that name, Colonel Wild Dog seemed to recall something. Then he started laughing, clearly amused.

"I was wondering where a little punk like you got the nerve to attack me. So you know that guy Xiping!~"

Now that he thought about it, that made sense.

Xiping was from Loguetown, and just like the people before him, he had been a street thug.

It was hardly surprising that someone knew him.

But that guy had been his white glove!

That time he had lost to Xiping, he had merely been putting on a show. After all, that guy had pulled off a major job... he could not be kept around any longer.

Besides, they had happened to encounter each other at sea that time... he could not really capture that guy, could he?

Would that not just be asking for trouble?

After letting him go, he could find an opportunity to kill him silently. Then he would claim all the money Xiping had stolen for himself, using it to grease some palms.

Compared to that, what did a little loss of reputation matter?

Otherwise, how could he have secured the top position in the East Blue?

With that position, he could rake in even more wealth. Then he would have even more money to grease palms, and naturally, he would rise through the ranks faster.

What a perfect arrangement!

Yet he had not expected it to give this trash the illusion that he was weak.

Please...

He might not have been as strong as Smoker, but he had at least been in the same class of Marine trainees as Smoker. His strength might have meant nothing on the Grand Line, but in the East Blue...

Once Smoker left, who else could be his opponent?

There was not a single foe who could last one exchange against him.

Just like this rabble before him, he could wipe them out with a casual wave of his hand.

"I'll fight you to the death..."

At this moment, Bartolomeo had finally come back to his senses. Madness filled his eyes, while his face twisted ferociously. He understood that aside from risking his life in one final fight, he had no way out.

Even if he died, he had to die with some dignity. Bartolomeo lunged straight at Colonel Wild Dog.

Unfortunately, in Colonel Wild Dog's eyes, Bartolomeo's movements were as slow as a turtle's.

With a flash, Colonel Wild Dog easily dodged.

After Bartolomeo missed and passed by him, Colonel Wild Dog raised his leg and kicked him in the ass. Under that tremendous force, Bartolomeo was sent flying once again.

The corners of Colonel Wild Dog's mouth rose into a cold sneer. At the same time, he swept his gaze around.

To him, Bartolomeo was no different from those small fry. He could take him down in one move as well. He had created this cat-and-mouse situation only to intimidate everyone in Loguetown.

Whether they were local thugs or pirates from elsewhere.

He wanted them to understand that even after Smoker had left Loguetown, there was still Colonel Wild Dog. This was not a place where they could run wild...

However, he failed to notice that Bartolomeo was flying toward his own subordinates.

Those men were merely ordinary Marines. Before they could react, the flying Bartolomeo crashed straight into them.

They immediately toppled over in a heap.

At that moment, a box held by one of them fell to the ground. A fruit that looked somewhat like an apple rolled to Bartolomeo's side...

"Damn..."

Moke's eyes lit up.

Colonel Wild Dog's expression also changed. He likely had never expected such an absurd mishap. That was a Devil Fruit he had obtained by chance, one he had planned to use for greasing palms.

Bartolomeo froze for a moment, then snatched the Devil Fruit into his hand. Without a second thought, he shoved it into his mouth.

"You dare... Shave..."

Colonel Wild Dog vanished from where he stood in an instant. Yet no matter how fast he was, there was still some distance between them.

Perhaps in the original story, he had been one step too slow. Bartolomeo had thus eaten the Devil Fruit and turned the tables against the odds with its power.

Even if he could not defeat Colonel Wild Dog, he could at least escape safely.

But now, no one could move faster than Moke. Furthermore, he had prepared long ago, absorbing sunlight in advance. At that moment, he transformed into a beam of light before Bartolomeo could eat the Devil Fruit.

He arrived at Bartolomeo's side and snatched the Devil Fruit from his hand.

"Who are you..."

Colonel Wild Dog came to an abrupt stop, his eyes full of wariness as he looked at Moke. At a glance, he recognized Moke as a Logia user.

Furthermore, it was a power similar to Admiral Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit. He had no choice but to take it seriously, no choice but to fear it!