“Damn you! Bastard!”
The pirate hunter barely managed to free his hand from Shanks’ grip. Rubbing his reddened wrist, he cursed and prepared to leave with his comrades.
Unexpectedly, he turned and collided with a burly figure.
Bang!
The pirate hunters fell to the ground.
A huge shadow loomed over them.
With a face like a demonic spirit, it glared down at them and coldly said, “Who did you call Meat Bones?”
Zoe and the other pirate hunter turned pale. They suddenly noticed that the main hall of the ship had become eerily quiet.
Tron Pilot, bounty: 210,000,000 berries!
A notorious pirate feared throughout the West Blue!
The people around them whispered and exchanged nervous glances, occasionally mentioning Tron name as they gazed at his massive form and the fierce pirates that accompanied him.
“210,000,000? That’s a big catch.”
Liam, who had finished his meal, immediately pricked up his ears and looked over. Yes, quite big indeed…
“S-sorry…” The pirate hunters, their faces ashen, sat on the ground, sliding backwards under the terrifying pressure of the pirate in front of them.
Tron sneered before he spoke, “If ‘sorry’ was enough…”
His men sneered as well. He raised his giant foot and aimed it at Zoe’s face. “Why do we have to kill anyone?”
‘Damn, I should have kept my mouth shut!’ Zoe clenched his buttocks in horror and closed his eyes.
But his companion gasped. The excruciating pain Zoe was expecting didn’t come. He opened his eyes to see a pipe blocking the massive foot just inches from his face.
Shiori used her slender pipe to block Tron Pilot’s stomp. A lock of black hair fell over her forehead as she coldly said, “No fighting or killing on the pleasure ship, or… you’ll all be thrown into the sea!”
“Woman… do you think I’m afraid of you?” Tron Pilot asked coldly. “If it wasn’t for the flag on your ship…”
“Oh?” Shiori raised a finely arched eyebrow, pulled out her pipe and took a puff. “Then go ahead and stomp. Just as well…” She blew out a cloud of blue smoke. “It’s been a while since I killed a pirate or two. I could use the relaxation!”
‘Bullshit! You just killed a bunch of pirates yesterday!’ Many in the room mentally replied.
“Hmph!”
The fearsome West Blue Pirate Tron Pilot, his face gloomy, finally didn’t trample on the Pirate Hunter’s face.
“Call your girls over!” He walked away with his men, inwardly shocked: ‘Such a thin pipe, but I couldn’t move it at all!’
Shiori motioned to the girls to entertain the guests and walked leisurely away. As she passed, the girls of the cruise ship laughed and chatted while the male guests quickly moved aside.
Pirate hunter Zoe almost wet himself. He blankly remembered that Shiori hadn’t even glanced at him during the whole exchange.
Unbeknownst to him, a black “mask” with glowing white eyes flew over and followed the pirates.
Liam removed the faceplate from ‘B.I.B.’ and, closing one eye to aim, threw it at Tron Pilot, who was leading the girls away.
“210,000,000 and you think you can get away?”
The faceplate, wrapped in black Stand energy, floated gently and landed on Tron Pilot’s large back of the head.
Tron was completely unaware that a black “mask” with slightly glowing white eyes had appeared on the back of his head.
—
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Liam noticed Shanks’ gaze and shrugged innocently, “There’s no shame in making money.”
“Your trick is really unfair…” Shanks remarked. “Without mastering Haki, there’s really no way to deal with your ‘Ghost’. I’m beginning to understand why that Marine Vice Admiral wanted to take you away.”
“There are ways to deal with this without Haki, right?” Liam said nonchalantly. He stretched out his arm, and immediately the left arm piece of the faceless armor came off and fit his hand. Wearing the left arm piece, Liam teased the green Den Den Mushi lying on the table, “See, it can see and touch my ‘Ghost’…”
Shanks looked closely and indeed saw that the green Den Den Mushi, with its eyes narrowed, was rubbing against the black ‘ghost’ covering Liam’s hand without actually touching Liam’s fingers.
“If we assume that Den Den Mushi are naturally more likely to awaken ‘Life Return’ due to their simpler physiological structure and innate characteristics, then this little guy, which is an anomaly among Den Den Mushi, being able to see and touch my ‘ghost’ indicates…” Liam mused, “that a human master who has attained a higher level of ‘Life Return’ should be able to handle my ‘Ghost’ even without Haki!”
“You talk like you’re dealing with others…” Shanks tapped Liam’s head with a spoon, “Be careful!”
“Are you an old lady, nagging all the time?” Liam rolled his eyes and smiled, “Or is it because I paid the tuition, so you’re willing to keep reminding me?”
Shanks laughed too, “You think your little money is enough to pay tuition to me?”
“True!” Liam laughed, “Thanks, I’ll be careful. The ghost thing is just a trick for beginners. The most important thing is my own hard power!”
Shanks shook his head. This boy was too unpredictable and acted without restraint. Who knew when the Marines would catch up with him.
“By the way, do you know when we can get off the ship?”
“Not sure, probably have to stay on board another 1-2 days?”
They talked for a while and then parted ways.
Shanks went to find some girl. Liam, on the other hand, led the faceless ‘B.I.B.’, who now had to rely on his connection to the main body to walk, back to his cabin for some indoor training.
—
As the pleasure ship, flying the Pleasure District flag, sailed on the sea, it was accompanied by a two-masted ship with a pirate flag.
At dusk, the massive frame of Tron Pilot, along with some of his subordinates, returned from the pleasure ship to their pirate ship.
As they walked onto the deck, they all seemed a little unsteady on their feet, but had satisfied expressions on their faces.
“Little ones, set sail!” Tron Pilot waved his big hand as he spoke.
And at the back of his head, the eyes of the black mask glowed even brighter.
Like sinking into the sea, the black mask, wrapped in dark light, slowly sank into his skull.
……
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