Still Discovered

At that moment, in Goldfish Port, a pirate ship flew black sails. Its pirate flag bore a skull with a forked horn growing from its head—this was the Unicorn Pirates. Their captain was a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user who had eaten the Rhinoceros Beetle Fruit, a unicorn beetle of immense strength!

"Men, seize that escort ship, then burn all the other ships! Carry away every bit of treasure and food in this port! We're setting sail!" Unicorn Arak held a Unicorn Club—the weapon looked exactly like the horn emblem on the pirate flag.

His ragtag crew, dressed in mismatched sailor uniforms, all burst into savage laughter. They smashed torches through the windows and hurled them inside. Flames rapidly rose, and the houses along the entire street were soon engulfed in blazing fire!

The incident had come without warning, and Goldfish Port's patrol guards had only just been reorganized. With the Dunhold Family's downfall, the original guards had either been killed or wounded, or disbanded on the spot. Taking advantage of this gap in the port's weakened defenses, Arak led his pirate crew in raiding Goldfish Port.

That was because Goldfish Port was also part of Dunkirk. Though it was far from the bustling districts, it was still rich in supplies.

These lawless scum, long accustomed to murder, arson, and plunder, had been unable to hold themselves back any longer.

More than a dozen ships were docked at the harbor: fishing boats, merchant vessels, and a temporary escort ship. It had originally been a temporary vessel used by the guards only when they needed to put to sea in an emergency, but now Arak had his eye on it!

It seemed Arak had come prepared. Both his chosen location and timing had been exceptionally well planned.

But no matter how thoroughly he had calculated, he had failed to account for one unexpected variable—Demon Bamboo Vergo, who had already arrived at the scene.

"Bang!"

"Crack!"

Gunfire erupted all around. Several pirates who had been killing and setting fires were shot dead in an instant. The others immediately became alert and sought cover, while Captain Arak faced Vergo, who was leading the charge, with a grave expression.

Meanwhile, Aeneas watched the two opposing groups confronting each other from a corner not far away.

"That pirate ran into Vergo. Perfect—I can use the chaos to slip aboard a ship!" Aeneas glanced toward the harbor and immediately spotted the small, elegant escort ship.

"They're burning the ships, but those vessels are all too big. I can't take one away alone. But that small escort ship should be manageable by myself. First, though, I need to find a way around them!"

Aeneas had no intention of showing himself here. He could worry about earning fame after he became stronger—only the living were winners!

Vergo's expression remained calm. He simply waved a hand, signaling his subordinates to shoot the pirates. Although the pirates' equipment was crude, they refused to back down and were still able to mount some counterattacks against the guards.

"I haven't seen you before. Are you a newly recruited Marine?" Arak was cautious and did not act rashly. Yet bullets had reached him as well, and one of his arms strangely transformed into a black claw covered in shell.

The shell was incomparably hard. Bullets struck it, sending sparks flying, before ricocheting away.

"Oh?" Vergo adjusted his glasses and said calmly, "Not bad defense."

It was impossible to tell whether he meant it sincerely or mockingly.

Seeing that his opponent had ignored his question entirely, Arak felt rage surge within him.

"Since when did every newcomer dare provoke a pirate with a bounty of ten million?" Arak's face darkened. He bent his legs, and this time it was not merely one arm transforming—his entire body changed. From the back of his head, where his cerebellum connected to his spine, a tremendously sturdy and sharp horn extended outward, its forked tips even lined with serrated blades.

Arak's body swelled to three meters tall. He became an enormous rhinoceros beetle, still gripping a Unicorn Club in his armored claws.

Without the slightest pause or hesitation, Arak leaped into the air. The horn atop his head and the Unicorn Club in his hand gleamed brilliantly as he struck straight at Vergo.

"Unicorn Cross Slash!"

Arak roared, his momentum overwhelming. The subordinates who had been somewhat fearful immediately revealed excited expressions as they watched their captain display his might.

"Go, Captain! Take down that Marine!"

"Show those useless guards what we're made of!"

With their captain showing his strength, the crew's morale soared, and they actually intensified their counterattack.

Yet the lieutenant leading the guards was immediately wounded in the forearm, struck by a flintlock bullet from an enemy sniper. Under his command, the guards were instead steadily driven back.

Seeing that Arak appeared fairly capable, Aeneas seized a moment of chaos and swiftly darted through the cargo piled around the harbor!

The lieutenant looked worriedly at his temporary superior.

"Mr. Vergo, they're difficult to handle! Let's seek reinforcements—the wounded have already been evacuated!" the lieutenant shouted. However, the silver radiance of Arak's Unicorn Cross Slash flared brightly, blurring his vision.

Vergo stood with both hands in his pockets, watching the Unicorn Cross Slash close in on him without the slightest concern.

He uttered only one casual word.

"Soru!"

Vergo's body vanished from where he stood in an instant, and Arak's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Where did he go?"

Arak had already unleashed his attack and could not withdraw it. The Unicorn Cross Slash chopped toward the ground, but at the same time, Arak's hairs stood on end as an intense sense of danger came from behind him.

Again, a casual utterance.

"Iron Body: Shatter!"

At some point, Vergo had appeared directly above Arak. He raised his right leg, and his right foot suddenly took on a black, glossy, block-like sheen. It carved a semicircle through the air before crashing down toward the back of Arak's head!

Arak's eyeballs bulged, foam spilling from his mouth. The horn on his head snapped clean off, and the immense force immediately smashed him into the cross-shaped fissure he had cut into the ground, shattering the earth into fragments.

A Soru followed by Iron Body—Vergo's Navy Six Powers had already begun to show their intimidating might at this point. In the future, they would only become even more formidable!

Aeneas caught sight of it and revealed a surprised expression.

"He's only in his twenties. No wonder he could become a vice admiral in just over ten years. If he hadn't become Donquixote Doflamingo's spy, Vergo might have even become an admiral through his own abilities!"

Aeneas cried out. He vaguely remembered that, in the original story, Vergo had once defeated some cigar-smoking smoker.

"Gah—terrifying. Looks like I can't underestimate anyone!"

Aeneas quickly lowered his head and picked up his pace, but in the next instant, he froze in place, tears nearly spilling from his eyes.

"You there, brat! Stop!"

Vergo easily dealt with Arak. Without even sparing Arak a glance, he turned his head toward Aeneas's location.

"Was I still discovered?" Aeneas was on the verge of tears.