If You're Not Satisfied, Then Train Harder / The Buster Call

If the defense fails, then of course...

Thinking of this, the sadness in his eyes deepened.

No matter how unbearable or unfortunate their past may be.

At least during their time as CP0 members, they truly felt alive.

Although this kind of life is far from what they wished for when they were children in the orphanage.

But!

They have no regrets.

Because they would rather be needed than be unwanted!

Those who are not needed are already dead.

Hearing footsteps approaching from ahead, Sada struggled to his feet.

He slowly pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.

They rarely smoke when on missions, because it leaves a scent.

But when you're about to die, who cares about all that anymore!

He glanced down at Kuru one last time, then Guotou, his eyes fixed firmly ahead, and with a powerful leap, charged towards Kuina.

"Wait for me, brother, I'm coming right away."

They grew up together, never separated their whole lives, even in death...

One piece too.

Chapter 40 Since you're unwilling to accept this, then work hard to cultivate.

The largest battlefield on the beach of Ore Island.

The entire battlefield was shrouded in a cloud of smoke and dust, but in the center of the battlefield, not an inch of soil was raised.

The entire battlefield descends in a spiral shape. Although it is a beach, apart from a layer of sand on the outermost edge, the rest is basically rock.

"Well, old man, looks like you're not up to the task anymore!"

Kuta was shirtless, his chest covered in bruises from being punched by Melason.

As expected of a veteran powerhouse on the Sea, this was the first time he had been injured since setting sail. Although it was just a minor injury, which was practically nothing to him, the fact that someone could defeat him and leave a mark on him was already quite remarkable.

Of course, this was also his own choice, which allowed Melason's attacks to land on him.

He'd lowered all his defenses to fight this guy!

He tore off the Wine Gourd, tilted his head back, and took a sip.

Glug--!

"Phew~"

Then he looked down at Melason, who was leaning on his knees, panting heavily.

"Old man, thank you so much!"

"If it weren't for you, I don't know when I would have been able to master 'Ryuo'!"

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and clenched it tightly. His fist was instantly covered by black Armament Haki. Then, he exerted force again, and the Armament Haki covering his fist began to flow irregularly, looking as if a layer of water had been wrapped around his fist.

He already knew the technique of "Ryuo Armament Haki.

Although he didn't manage to master it during his previous battle with Golden Lion, it greatly enhanced his Armament Haki. Now, after fighting for half a day with Melason, a pure physical combat expert, his Armament Haki has finally advanced to the level where he can master Ryuo.

So it came to mind naturally.

Melason straightened up, looking at the Armament Haki on Kuta's fist with an unprecedentedly serious expression.

As soon as they clashed, he knew Kuta's plan.

This guy has been using him as a whetstone, and now that whetstone has sharpened the blade, Kuta is going to use that blade to kill him!

Judging from Kuta's ability to instantly kill Corus and Black Gun, he could have killed him much earlier.

After all, his strength lies in Armament Haki, while his Observation Haki is only average.

If Kuta had used his Teleportation ability to fight him from the start, he probably wouldn't have lasted more than a few rounds before being defeated.

This is not pessimism.

This is self-awareness.

Before meeting Kuta, he was confident in capturing Kuta, but after witnessing Kuta's silent Teleportation ability and the Conqueror's Haki Coating that only the world's top Pirates possess, his confidence had long since shifted from capturing him to not being easily defeated.

Kuta loosened his clenched fist, his Armament Haki dissipated, and he raised his Wine Gourd, taking several large gulps.

"Old man, my intuition tells me you are a true Justice man, so I will not kill you today. Go!"

"Um!"

Melason looked up at Kuta, paused for a moment, then veins bulged on his forehead and his eyes turned bloodshot with rage.

"What did you say?"

"I said, I don't dislike people like you, so you can leave!"

"Kid, don't be so arrogant!"

Melason stared at Kuta, his breathing, which had just returned to normal, suddenly becoming rapid.

"Do you even know how humiliating it is for a Marine to be let go by Pirates?!"

"Oh..."

"Want to die?"

Kuta stopped holding the Wine Gourd and looked at Melason curiously.

"Old man, dying is simple, one stab will end you, but I don't understand!"

"What?"

"I don't understand where your inexplicable pride comes from. Wouldn't it be better to keep your life useful and do more things you're committed to?"

As he spoke, his eyes narrowed, and he looked at Melason, his tone becoming more serious. "Do you know how many people in this world are struggling desperately, just for that sliver of hope to survive?"

This guy felt humiliated just because he was spared by a Pirates, which reminded him of Bada, who had given up everything to survive!

Glug--!

Kuta put down his Wine Gourd and looked at Melason.

"And another thing! Old man, do you even know the greatness of life?!"

"If you really want to die, then don't bother me!"

Melason looked at Kuta, the anger in his eyes gradually dissipating.

Although he didn't know why Kuta suddenly became so furious about his sense of shame, he sensed something else in Kuta's tone.

Is life great?

He couldn't die so easily; he wanted to see for himself what secrets lay hidden on this deserted island near the G-1 Branch, which he had guarded for decades.

Thinking of this, he took out Cigar, lit it, and...

He took a breath to soothe his fatigue, then silently walked toward the navy officers standing on the perimeter.

Although Kuta let him go, he was a Marine, so he wouldn't say thank you or anything like that to Kuta.

Half a day was enough time for these naval soldiers to regain their senses.

"Vice Admiral General, are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

Melason glanced at Daiwei's chest. "But you, how's your wound healing?"

"Good."

Daiwei pushed up his glasses, glanced at Kuta standing in the air behind him, and felt a lingering fear.

During a lull in the fight between Melason and Kuta, he attempted to launch a sneak attack on Kuta, but was instead slashed by Kuta.

He touched his chest, his eyes filled with resentment.

He could sense that if Kuta hadn't held back at the last moment, he would have followed in Corus's footsteps.

Are you unwilling to accept this?

Daiwei turned to look at Melason, his eyes welling up with tears.

"I'm so unwilling to accept this!"

Melason continued walking forward without stopping, but judging from his trembling shoulders, his inner state was clearly not as calm as his tone suggested.

"You're not reconciled, and neither am I! In my decades-long naval career, I've captured countless Pirates, and I've even fought the Pirate King 'Roger,' but alas!"

Melason paused, then continued resolutely forward. "But you know what this kid said? Life is great!"

"Since this brat has let us go, we'll preserve our lives to uphold our sense of Justice."

"I know, but I'm still not reconciled!"

Daiwei took off her glasses, and tears welled up in her eyes.

He didn't have Melason's magnanimity; being let go by Pirates made him feel an unprecedented sense of humiliation.

Melason, smoking a cigarette, turned to Daiwei and roared, "Stop crying! That's a sign of weakness. If you're not reconciled, then train hard so you can fight and capture more Pirates!"

"I... I will."

Daiwei wiped away his tears, put his glasses back on, and his eyes were filled with fighting spirit.

He is still young, and he firmly believes that he will be able to uphold his own Justice, instead of being powerless against Pirates like he is today.

Just then, two of Bada's henchmen came running towards them from the pile of rocks ahead.

He ran while shouting, "Silver Hair brother, Silver Hair brother..."

Chapter 41 The Buster Call

"Well!"

The two underlings, seeing the circle of sailors surrounding the beach, immediately slammed on the brakes, stopping abruptly and staring ahead with wary eyes.

Just then, the space in front of them suddenly rippled like water, and then a figure appeared silently.

Upon recognizing the figure, their eyes lit up, and they shouted, "Silver Hair brother, we've rescued the people from the mine!"

"Oh!"

Kuta took a sip of his drink, gazing absently at the mountains behind the pile of rocks.

"The mine shaft."

It seems this is a mine owned by the World Government. I wonder just how important it is to World Government.

If it's very important...

Thinking of this, he looked down at Bada's two underlings and said, "Now that you've rescued them, why don't you come and join us?"

"Lack of ships."

"Lack of ships?"

"Um!"

One of the henchmen quickly said, "We've rescued no fewer than 10,000 Bass Islanders from the mines, and if we add the freed slaves, the total is conservatively estimated at 20,000."

"So many?"

Kuta paused in his drinking, then asked, "There should be a dock on the island, but aren't there any boats there?"

"Yes, I have!"

Another henchman spoke up, "Boss, we've seized all the navy's Navy Warship, but it's still not enough. There weren't many ships on the island to begin with, and even with the navy's Navy Warship, we can only carry a little over 10,000 people at most. So, to rescue everyone on the island, we'll have to add the ship we came on to barely make it."

"Oh!"