"Don't come over here."
Roy also wanted to test whether his current physical strength could match a physical monster like Bullet.
Instead of retreating, he charged forward and threw a punch of his own.
"Boom!"
Their fists collided with a dull thud. A blast of air rolled outward, making the campfire flicker wildly.
Their fists remained locked in midair for a moment before Roy slid back several meters, his feet plowing two furrows into the ground. He shook his numb arm.
When Roy came to a stop, Bullet was still standing firmly in the same spot.
There really is still a bit of a gap in strength. But compared with a physical monster like Bullet, who'll be able to take out Supernovas with one punch each in the future, I'll be able to do that someday too. The thought made him happy.
A flash of surprise crossed Bullet's eyes. He hadn't put all his strength into that punch, but it still wasn't something an ordinary person could easily take.
"You really do have some skill!"
"Again!"
Bullet licked the corner of his mouth, the fighting spirit on his face growing even stronger.
He flashed forward and lunged again. Fists, feet, elbows, knees-every part of his body became a weapon, and his attacks engulfed Roy like a violent storm.
"Boom!"
"Boss..." Seeing Roy sent flying again, Tesoro couldn't help starting forward to help.
"Tch. If that's all you've got, then we're done for today."
Bullet folded his arms and gave Tesoro an arrogant glance before speaking to Roy.
Roy got up and patted the dust off himself, recalling their physical exchange. Even if his physique wasn't much weaker than Bullet's, compared with Bullet, who had honed himself on the battlefield since childhood...
Bullet was far stronger than him in combat awareness!
Roy's expression remained calm. "We're only just getting started, Bullet!"
With that, he unleashed his Observation Haki. His psychic power broke through the air in front of him, and his speed suddenly surged as he engaged Bullet again.
Facing Bullet's attacks once more, Roy combined his Observation Haki and psychic power to the utmost, weaving through the attacks and skillfully neutralizing Bullet's assault.
His Observation Haki probed Bullet's mind and predicted his next move, while his psychic power invaded Bullet's brain and disrupted his rhythm.
Their fighting styles were completely different. Bullet relied on overwhelming strength and physical techniques; every move and strike was direct, fierce, and domineering.
Roy, on the other hand, leaned more toward technique and interference through Haki and psychic power, making his attacks more nimble.
For a time, their figures darted back and forth in front of the camp, the sounds of their bodies colliding never ceasing. The shockwaves of their battle forced Tesoro and the others to retreat farther away!
Tesoro watched with his heart pounding. Since escaping Sabaody, aside from suffering serious injuries after fighting the Marines, Roy had dealt with every opponent easily. This was the first time Tesoro had seen anyone fight Roy to this extent.
Savi was even more dumbstruck. In his eyes, the fight between the two had gone completely beyond his understanding. They were practically two monsters.
Stella gripped the roasted meat and table knife tightly in her hands, watching the fight with concern.
"Hahaha!"
"Not bad. You really are an interesting opponent, much stronger than those worthless men in the barracks."
The fight went on for several minutes, and Bullet grew more excited the longer they fought. The guy in front of him kept giving him "surprises."
His explosive bursts of speed, his Observation Haki that seemed able to read minds, and those strange psychic attacks that occasionally made him lose focus for an instant, throwing his attacks off course.
"Haha!"
"You're not bad yourself! It was worth all the trouble I went through to lure you here!"
Roy laughed in reply. He used his psychic power to interfere with Bullet at full force, coated his fist in Armament Haki, and sent Bullet flying with a punch.
Bullet got up from the ground, shook his head, and glanced at the Armament Haki coating Roy's fist.
"What kind of power is that?"
"This?" Roy waved his fist. "Armament Haki! Want to learn it? I'll teach you!"
"Hmph! Who needs you to teach me? My body is the strongest weapon!"
Seeing that Bullet had no intention of attacking again right away, Roy hurriedly asked the others who had been watching to set out the food.
Once everyone had sat down by the campfire, Bullet was still standing where he was, so Roy beckoned to him.
"Don't be so cold, Bullet! Everyone's waiting for you."
A trace of hesitation flashed in Bullet's eyes, but he still walked over. Stella put some roasted meat in front of him, and only after seeing everyone else start eating did he pick it up and tear into it.
Watching Bullet eat his roasted meat in silence, Roy knew that their fight had already "earned" him some initial recognition. All that remained was figuring out how to build a bond and get Bullet to join his team.
"You're not from this country, are you?" Bullet asked curiously after finishing the meat in his hand, though there was no sign of curiosity on his serious face.
"Hahaha, none of us are from this country except Savi." Roy pointed at Savi. "But this little guy really looks up to you."
"Tch! Who'd care about being admired by such a weak brat?"
Though Bullet talked tough, the flash of pride at the corner of his eye gave him away.
"All right, all right, let me introduce everyone first."
"My name is Roy, Ronamiru Roy. I'm eleven, and I'm a pirate now. Much as I hate to admit it, we really are wanted by the Marines."
"This is Tesoro. He's eleven too, and he's my companion." He then pointed at Stella. "She's Stella, an excellent navigator. A girl's age is a secret."
When Bullet looked at her, Stella smiled and nodded to him.
Roy threw an arm around Savi's neck and said with a grin, "As for this one, he's the youngest, only eight. Like I said earlier, this brat only joined us recently."
After hearing Roy's introductions, Bullet nodded to each of them in response.
"Your objective? Why did you lure me here?"
"My objective is simple."
Roy looked seriously into Bullet's eyes.
"I want to invite you to join our team."
Roy's answer made Bullet pause. Then he pointed at Roy as if he had heard some funny joke.
"Hey! What are you laughing at? Our boss is sincerely inviting you."
Tesoro stood up angrily and pointed at Bullet, looking ready to pounce unless he got a satisfactory explanation. He knew he was no match for Bullet, but he wouldn't stand for an insult to his boss.
Bullet shot Tesoro a contemptuous glance, then pointed at Stella and Savi.
"Join you? With these people?"
"Do you know who I am? Douglas Bullet, the hero of this country. I'll soon bring peace to this country, and you want me to go to sea and be a pirate with you? Why should I?"
"You can't end the war on this island."
Roy's voice was calm. "Besides, a lot of people will try to stop you. With your current strength, you can't stop them."
Bullet's gaze turned cold. "What did you say?"