Victory Banquet (Please Keep Reading!)

The surroundings fell deathly silent. Everyone was utterly stunned by the sight before them.

Ryan Hunter, a great pirate with a bounty of 250 million Beli, had actually been beaten to the ground by an obscure Marine brigadier general, without even room to struggle.

The pirates who had gathered nearby and dared to watch and jeer from afar could no longer suppress the fear in their hearts.

Their legs trembled slightly as their frantic gazes darted around. They quietly shifted their feet, intending to slip away amid the chaos.

"I haven't said you can leave."

Beiyuan Heng spoke slowly, his calm yet unquestionable tone instantly shattering the silence.

But those pirates had already been overwhelmed by fear. How could they possibly heed Beiyuan Heng's words?

Their boss had already been defeated. If they did not run now, were they supposed to wait for that terrifying Marine brigadier general to round them all up?

Besides, there were so many pirates here, while he was alone. No matter how strong he was, he could not possibly capture every last one of them, could he?

Clinging to that sliver of hope, several bolder pirates turned and sprinted into the distance.

Just then, a cool female voice rang out:

"Feather Cage!"

As soon as she spoke, pitch-black bars shot out from the corners of the street, weaving together like vines and instantly forming an impenetrable barrier. They trapped all the pirates trying to flee and cut off every route of escape.

"Sir, are you all right?"

Her pink hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall. Hina, dressed in a Marine uniform, emerged from a corner of the ruins.

Concern showed between her brows as her gaze carefully swept over Beiyuan Heng.

"I'm fine. They can't hurt me."

Beiyuan Heng gently shook his head. His tone remained calm as he glanced at the pirates trapped within the Feather Cage and gave a casual order.

"Since you're all here, arrest every one of these pirates. Don't let a single one go."

Hina nodded lightly and raised a hand to signal the Marine soldiers behind her.

The Marines immediately sprang into action, systematically subduing the trapped pirates one by one and escorting them toward the warships nearby.

Beiyuan Heng remained where he was, gazing at the ruins left behind by the chaos in the distance as he pondered to himself.

Running into Ryan Hunter today had been unexpected. He had originally only planned to clear out the scattered pirates in Area 5, yet he had stumbled across a great pirate with a bounty exceeding one hundred million. Still, the outcome was not bad.

This battle would most likely make his name known throughout the entire Sabaody Archipelago.

After all, he had defeated Ryan Hunter of the Beasts Pirates, a man worth 250 million Beli, cleanly and decisively as a Marine brigadier general.

That achievement alone was enough to establish his footing in these waters.

Moreover, after several consecutive days of high-intensity clearing operations, both he and the Marine soldiers under his command were exhausted. It was time to stop and rest.

He knew very well that, with his current strength and manpower, it was impossible to purge all the pirates from the entire Sabaody Archipelago.

Completely clearing out the pirates in Area 5 was already the limit of what they could do.

What was more, many hidden pirates still remained in those areas. They had not been eradicated, merely lying low and waiting for a chance to strike back.

From here on, all they needed to do was quietly hold this place.

Beiyuan Heng turned, his gaze falling on Ryan Hunter, who lay on the ground barely clinging to life.

Feeling Beiyuan Heng's cold gaze settle on him, Ryan Hunter's face instantly darkened, his eyes filled with unwillingness.

"What are you planning to do with me?"

Ryan Hunter's voice was low and hoarse as he made one final attempt to struggle.

"I'm with the Beasts Pirates... Let me go, and I'll pretend none of this ever happened. I'll never cause you trouble again!"

"In front of me, you're just a pirate."

Beiyuan Heng spoke calmly, without the slightest ripple in his voice.

As he spoke, he turned to Smoker at his side and ordered, "Lock him up. He's an important figure. He'll be sent to Impel Down later."

Beiyuan Heng knew that, as a Devil Fruit user, Ryan Hunter possessed extraordinarily tenacious vitality. If he wanted to kill him completely, beheading him was likely the only option.

But compared with that, capturing a pirate worth over one hundred million who also belonged to the Beasts Pirates was far more beneficial to him.

Sending him to Impel Down would not only demonstrate Beiyuan Heng's achievements, but also let the people inside Impel Down learn his name, accelerating the growth of his strength.

After clearing out the remaining pirates in Area 5, Hina walked over to Beiyuan Heng and asked softly:

"Sir, what should we do next?"

Beiyuan Heng lowered his head in thought for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Let's hold a victory banquet. Successfully clearing out the pirates in Area 5 counts as a major accomplishment. Marines aren't machines. We need to rest and reward everyone for their hard work these past few days."

Upon hearing the news, every Marine soldier nearby broke into a delighted smile and began cheering.

The intense battles and searches had already left them physically and mentally exhausted. Hearing that they could hold a victory banquet and get some proper rest was undoubtedly the best news possible.

Several days later, Area 5 of the Sabaody Archipelago, Roger's Bar.

A few days ago, this had still been an unlawful place where pirates gathered and all sorts of unsavory people mixed together.

But today, groups of Marines in white uniforms filled the bar, creating a lively yet orderly atmosphere.

Quite a few bold civilians had also cautiously entered the bar, wanting to experience this rare peace and bustle for themselves.

"Did you hear? The one who defeated Ryan Hunter a few days ago was actually a Marine brigadier general. I heard he only took office recently, and he's still very young!"

"Heard about it? I saw it with my own eyes that day! The shockwaves from their fight alone destroyed several houses nearby!"

"I heard Ryan Hunter was with the Beasts Pirates, and his bounty was almost 300 million Beli. He was defeated by a young brigadier general?"

"It's only natural for Marines to fight pirates! I'd like to meet that young Marine brigadier general and see what he looks like. How could he possibly be so strong?"

Most of those discussing such topics were civilians who had come to attend the victory banquet.

The overwhelming majority of them had never seen Beiyuan Heng before.

When the battle took place a few days ago, most had hidden inside their homes and dared not go outside. They could only judge the situation from the distant explosions and screams.

Even in the chaotic, lawless Sabaody Archipelago, peace, stability, and order were what they desired most.

The arrival of the Marines led by Beiyuan Heng had not only cleared the pirates from the area, but also given them a rare stretch of peaceful days.

Furthermore, the fact that a young brigadier general had led his subordinates in clearing Area 5, a place overrun by pirates, carried a touch of legend in itself. It was no wonder the civilians discussed it so fervently.

The people who came to Roger's Bar were not limited to the Marines from Beiyuan Heng's warship.

After the Marines stationed in Areas 60 through 69 of the Sabaody Archipelago received word that Area 5 had been cleared and that Beiyuan Heng had defeated Ryan Hunter, they urgently dispatched personnel to reinforce Area 5's defenses, further reducing the Marines' search range.

Among the transferred Marines was even a vice admiral Beiyuan Heng recognized.

He wore an obnoxiously flashy yellow suit and a yellow mask, radiating laziness from head to toe, as though nothing could possibly interest him.

He was none other than Borsalino, known as "Kizaru," then a Marine vice admiral and candidate for admiral.

Kizaru, who was usually so lazy that he could barely be bothered to go to work, acted unusually this time and came to Area 5 of his own accord.

He claimed that he had heard a new Marine star had emerged here and had come specifically to admire him.

In reality, Kizaru merely met Beiyuan Heng briefly, casually praised him with a few words about how promising young people were, then sprawled directly across the bar's sofa with one leg crossed over the other, eyes closed as he rested in leisure.

Anyone with eyes could tell that the guy had obviously used this opportunity to slack off.

At the victory banquet, Beiyuan Heng gave a brief speech.

He did not boast about his own accomplishments. Instead, he emphasized that this victory was not his achievement alone, but the result of the entire Marine team's combined efforts, born from every soldier's courageous struggle and shoulder-to-shoulder fighting.

Among the countless spectators below, Beiyuan Heng's upright figure and steady voice were deeply imprinted in the hearts of those civilians who had long suffered from pirate harassment and yearned for peace.

Over the coming period, his name would spread widely throughout Areas 1 through 5 of the Sabaody Archipelago.

After the victory banquet ended, Beiyuan Heng did not make a grand show of himself.

Instead, he appeared from time to time in open areas around the district, ignoring the gazes of passersby as he practiced swordsmanship with complete focus.

Speaking of it, some regular patrons of Roger's Bar had seen the sword in Beiyuan Heng's hand from afar.

It seemed to be a famous blade.