One Piece: Fist of the World

Chapter 21: "Acquaintances" in the Navy

Due to the preceding battle, the town was now deserted, starkly contrasting with when Rhode and his crew first landed on the island.

"Rhode, are we going to deal with these two guys now?"

Rhode approached from the side, carrying the unconscious Gladius in his hand. Bepo was holding the unconscious Edorad Manudo beside him.

Looking at the painting, Law, Rhode shook his head.

"You still need to continue training your physical stamina, Law. It was just one fight. The monsters in the Grand Line can battle continuously for ten days!"

"Asshole, I used my ability multiple times after the battle!"

After the fight, Law used his ability to treat Gray as quickly as possible, and then he also tended to some passersby who had been injured by Gladius's explosions earlier. At this point, he looked utterly exhausted.

"Okay, okay, you're right."

Rhode said dismissively, carrying the box and walking forward.

Then, before the agitated Law could retort again, he freed a hand and patted his shoulder.

"Take these two with you first. I think our previous experiment might have had a significant element of luck. I'll do some calculations later and try again on a more auspicious day."

"You can calculate that?"

Law and Bepo followed Rhode and walked towards the shore together.

"Maybe just blindfold yourself and draw randomly."

Neru was being mischievous.

"Just tell me if you can calculate it. It must be a lucky day for me to draw it."

"You're lucky? You've never won a prize before! I think it's better to let Neru draw it."

Law was also teasing him.

"Neru can't do it. He'll passively cheat."

Neru smiled but remained silent.

Suddenly, the smile on Neru's face vanished. Noticing his change in demeanor, Rhode and Law exchanged questioning glances.

"There's a ship approaching this way. It's the navy!"

"Very strong?"

Rhode, well aware of Neru's perceptive nature, glinted in his eyes.

If it were just an ordinary navy vessel, Neru wouldn't have reacted this way.

"There's a powerful individual among them, and three others below him whose strength shouldn't be underestimated."

"How long until they arrive?"

"Ten minutes!"

"Get everything ready on the ship first, and make sure we can set sail at a moment's notice."

Rhode grinned widely.

He had been slightly disappointed that his fight with Gladius hadn't been more engaging, a bit of a letdown as a prelude to their debut.

However, having a few navy officers witness their departure wasn't bad either!

As they spoke, they quickened their pace and hurried towards the Polaris.

On the other side, aboard the approaching warship.

The situation on the island was becoming visible. The people on the warship looked at the town center, which was almost completely reduced to rubble, in shock.

From the warship, the center of the town appeared as a destroyed, scorched wasteland, a stark contrast to the relatively untouched streets on the outskirts.

Rear Admiral Bastille became alert.

According to the information he had seen previously, the Donquixote Family's executive in the North Blue should be Gladius, the user of the Bomu Bomu no Mi.

The opponent had been rampant in the North Blue for several years, boasting a bounty of 31 million Berries. Having trained in the New World, his strength would undoubtedly have improved, and he was definitely not someone ordinary North Blue pirates could handle.

Could it be Germa 66?

This thought was quickly dismissed from Rear Admiral Bastille's mind. If it were Germa 66, the entire town would likely have been obliterated.

The warship slowly approached the shore. Lieutenant Commander Corlaw and Captain Barstow led their soldiers to disembark as soon as the warship docked and quickly rushed towards the center of the town.

During the warship's approach, they had confirmed that a large number of people were lying in the town center. Judging by the rise and fall of their chests, they were likely still alive. There was no doubt that those people urgently required their medical attention.

"Those guys are really bold."

Colonel Barrow's eyes swept over the ships anchored in the port and noticed a few teenagers staring at them, a trace of displeasure flashing in his eyes.

As a colonel from the Navy Headquarters, he had commanded an entire Navy branch in the North Blue for the past two years. Even the kingdom's nobles had to show him deference, let alone such rude stares.

Hearing Colonel Barrow's whisper, Colonel Drake also turned his gaze.

"That is..."

Seeing the people on the dark red sailboat not far away, Drake was slightly taken aback, and then his pupils suddenly contracted.

"Gladius!"

"Where is that Donquixote Family executive?"

Hearing the name uttered by Drake, Hina tilted her head slightly and cast her gaze over there.

"Are you kidding me... Did these teenagers do this?"

On the deck of the dark red sailboat, there was a large fish tank, but instead of fish, it contained two headless torsos.

The two torsos were submerged in water and completely limp, likely from soaking for too long. Next to the fish tank were two bald heads.

Although one of them looked different from the portrait she had seen before, it was still identifiable by the mask and goggles on his face. He was the Donquixote Family executive, the Explosion Human Gladius!

"Hina is very curious. Did you kill that guy?"

Also recognizing Gladius's head on the side, Lieutenant Commander Hina took a step forward and addressed Rhode and the others first.

"What a peculiar way of speaking."

Looking at the warship over there, Rhode's eyes widened in surprise.

Unexpectedly, a few "acquaintances" were arriving.

"Black Cage" Hina, the user of the Ori Ori no Mi, capable of trapping people with black bars, a popular and beautiful navy officer; "Red Flag" Drake, the user of the Ryu Ryu no Mi, Ancient Model: Allosaurus, one of the later Supernovas, actually a Navy undercover agent; the one with the horned mask seemed to be a future Navy Vice Admiral, whose name escaped him, but judging by his aura, he was the strongest among the group; the remaining one, he didn't recognize, but his strength should be decent.

"You... are pirates!"

Hina leaped onto the warship's railing, adjusted her gloves, and looked down at Rhode and the others from her elevated position.

"Although I am quite displeased with those thugs, these appear to be just ordinary, ignorant teenagers."

Colonel Barrow then began to rationalize on behalf of Rhode and his crew.

"There's no flag on their ship."

"They're about to put one up, aren't they?"

Hina tilted her chin slightly and gestured. Colonel Barrow looked over and saw two boys wearing hats standing on the lookout at the top of the mast, holding a black flag in their hands and preparing to hoist it.

Although the emblem on it couldn't be seen clearly, everyone on the sea knew that only pirates used black flags!

"It's a pirate ship!"

Colonel Barrow exclaimed, as if waking from a dream.