第47章 感谢"气质拿捏得死死的"投来的六张月票!

"You! Can't you show me a little respect?! I'm your superior officer!"

Watching the cannonball shoot from John's hand, wrapped in lightning as it turned into a beam of light midair, Reed leaped up from the deck in fury.

He had thought John was merely a bit of an asshole, but now it seemed he was a demon who did not care about innocent civilians' safety at all!

He was even worse than trash like him in the Navy!

He was completely beyond saving!

Boom—

A violent explosion erupted across the sea ahead. Swept up in roaring flames, the entire merchant ship shattered into pieces, countless wooden fragments and wreckage scattering through the air like fireworks.

Such terrifying power made Reed swallow the harsh words that had nearly left his mouth.

Th-this monster!

"What are you standing around for?! Hurry up and bring me some cannonballs!"

John turned toward the Marines gathered behind him and beckoned them over with a deliberately vicious expression.

The Marines recoiled in fright, but they all gritted their teeth and shook their heads, looking as though they were prepared to fight the demon to the bitter end.

"John, just wait for the court-martial! How dare you hurt innocent civilians!"

"We'll never become your accomplices! If you have the guts, kill us all!"

"Y-yeah! W-we're not afraid of you!"

Seeing the Marines trembling in terror, the ferocity on John's face gradually faded, and a trace of gratification flashed through his eyes.

If the Marines at God Valley had this much courage, the Navy's "justice" would not be worse than a pile of shit.

Then again, perhaps it was because his rank was low and he had clashed with these Marines before that they dared to resist him.

If Colonel Burns had done this instead, perhaps they would have gladly gone along with it?

At that thought, John truly became angry and cursed at these Marines for treating people differently.

"You bunch of cock-guzzling sissies! You disgrace 'justice'! You're shrinking back just because there are hostages—go jump into the sea and kill yourselves!"

"I uphold absolute justice! Whoever dares make my justice bow to evil, I'll kill him!"

At that moment, John somehow felt a little kinship with Sakazuki, who had bombarded civilians.

His Mantra had shown him everything happening aboard the merchant ship in advance. Unfortunately, he was still too late. By the time he saw it, the only innocent person had been humiliated and tortured until only a final breath remained.

Even if he flew over there, East Blue's medical care could not save them.

Death might have been a release.

Setting aside philosophical questions like "the winner is justice" and "the victor becomes king while the loser is condemned," John knew he was a bad person without principles or scruples.

But even he would not be so cruel to someone who had never provoked him.

Out of respect for life, even if he had to kill an innocent person, he would only give them a quick death.

Just as humans slaughtered pigs, cattle, and sheep—killing them in one blow whenever possible. Eating meat was for survival, not amusement.

This was the final bottom line of an intelligent life-form!

"No one made your justice bow to evil. You're just being too impulsive!"

Reed moved closer to John, making one last attempt to persuade this rising Navy star to turn back.

John glanced sideways at him and stared at Reed coldly, making Reed's legs tremble.

"If I say there was, then there was! No arguing!"

Mantra was his secret. If it was exposed, people might connect it to Sky Island, or even the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.

He could not explain it, so he could only crush all doubts through tyranny and force.

"Anyone who objects again will be treated as a pirate accomplice and executed on the spot!"

"You!"

Reed was furious, but looking at John like this, he really might kill everyone aboard the warship.

Left with no choice, he beckoned to the Marines.

"Give him the cannonballs."

They absolutely could not force such a terrifying monster into becoming a pirate. Otherwise, he would become a great disaster for the world!

Seeing Reed yield, John's expression instantly turned gentle.

"That's more like it. You'll understand why I did this soon enough. It definitely won't disgrace the name of 'justice.'"

"After all, I'm a Navy man of absolute justice!"

"..."

Just as Reed was rendered speechless by that face as thick as a bronze wall, he saw that the Marines were still standing there without moving.

"Hm? You won't even obey my orders now?!" Thick veins bulged across Reed's forehead.

It was one thing for John to bully him. Whether because of the twenty million Beli or John's monstrous strength, he could only endure it.

But these Marines wanted to walk all over him too? That was absolutely intolerable!

"Captain Reed, you misunderstood."

One Marine hurriedly waved his hands in explanation.

"While you two were arguing, the cannonballs aboard the warship were secretly thrown into the sea."

"Oh? Then there really is nothing we can do."

Reed's expression instantly changed from anger to delight. As though he had finally won back a round, he smugly raised his eyebrows at John.

How unfortunate, hahaha!

That infuriatingly smug look nearly made John slap him. Suppressing his impatience, he roared at the Marines.

"Then what are you standing around for? Get to the sweep oars and row! Bring the warship alongside!"

"O-oh!"

Seeing John thwarted, the Marines cheered as though they had won a battle and rushed down to the lower deck to row.

At the same time, aboard the pirate ship.

The merchant ship's explosion had badly damaged the nearby pirate vessel, but it also ignited the desperate will to survive in the pirates, who had been thrown into chaos.

"Raise anchor! Set sail! Extend the sweep oars and row!"

"Row faster! That monster who throws cannonballs with his bare hands is catching up!"

The pirates had no thought of fighting back. They only wanted to flee, getting out of this cursed place as quickly as possible.

That merchant ship had been a three-masted vessel. Even the smallest kind was over fifteen meters long, nothing like a single-masted sailboat only a few meters in length.

Under normal circumstances, a small fifteen-meter three-masted sailboat would need to take at least seven or eight cannonballs head-on in a naval battle before sinking.

Yet the cannonballs that Navy monster threw by hand not only flew farther than ones fired from cannons, their explosive power was several times greater!

If they did not run quickly, they would all be buried beneath the sea!

"You cowardly idiots! Stop the ship right now!"

"Those pathetic Marines? I can kill them all by myself!"

Savage Cat furiously charged at the helmsman. Hearing the wind whistle behind him, the helmsman quickly ducked beneath the claws reaching for him.

Then, before Savage Cat could launch a second attack, the helmsman hurriedly shouted.

"First Mate, Captain Morgan told us to lure the Marines to Soul-Loss Bay. You don't want to disobey Captain Morgan's orders, do you?"

Morgan!

At the sound of that name, the savagery in Savage Cat's eyes abruptly vanished, and his gaze became incomparably clear.

When the navigator had invoked Morgan's name to persuade him earlier, he had already intended to obey. It was only the sudden explosion that had stirred up his feral nature.

Now that Morgan's name had been invoked again, Savage Cat finally calmed down completely.

"Fine. Once we rendezvous with Captain Morgan, I'll skin that Marine alive!"

Thanks to "Fuluo ST" and "Book Friend 140322233704565" for the monthly tickets, and thanks to everyone who sent recommendation tickets! Muah!