Chapter 177: Pirate Double-Cross
Unnamed Deserted Island - Transaction Point Center
In the scorching sunlight, the clearing bristled with gun barrels. The air was so thick it felt like it had solidified.
While Captain Red frowned, weighing his options—
The boy sitting on the briefcase, looking utterly bored and weary, spoke up again lazily. "I mean, seriously... a trade is a trade. Why are you pointing so many guns at me?"
His tone carried a hint of annoyance, like someone interrupted during a nap.
"Just bring out the fruit, take the money, and let's wrap this up early. Doesn't that sound nice?"
He sat there, swinging his legs, the brim of his hat covering his eyes, completely disregarding the dozens of guns surrounding him.
This attitude was the final straw that broke everyone's patience.
"You little brat... watch your tone!!!"
In the crowd, a hot-tempered pirate couldn't hold back anymore. He rushed out of the formation, pointing his flintlock straight at the boy.
"You dare talk to us like that?!! We are pirates!!!"
Ace slowly looked up, the smile fading from his face like mist.
His gaze fell on the man, his eyes shifting from lazy to icy cold in an instant.
"Pirates?" he repeated softly, as if tasting the word.
The pirate's heart tightened, hairs standing on end. He felt like he was being targeted by a colossal beast, every drop of blood in his body screaming a warning—don't move, don't speak, don't provoke him further.
But seeing so many of his brothers watching him, he gritted his teeth, hardened his resolve, and roared:
"You little brat, go to hell..."
"BANG!!!"
A gunshot shattered the silence. The bullet left the chamber, aiming straight for Ace's forehead!
Everything happened in a flash.
The sound of a bullet piercing a skull was crisper than imagined.
"Got him!" The moment the irritable pirate pulled the trigger, he thought he saw three billion Belly waving at him.
But the next second, everyone was stunned!
When the lead-gray bullet tip emerged from the back of Ace's head, it didn't bring out brain matter and blood, but a cluster of blue-green flames.
Ace's head remained pierced, the skin around the bullet hole curling up like burnt paper. But inside the tear, there was no white bone, only churning fire.
A bullet that should have been fatal had instead pierced through a human-shaped torch.
Ace stood up slowly, looking down at the pirate still holding the gun. His voice was cold. "That's why I said..."
"Pirates really are..."
"Disgusting."
"BOOM!!!"
His arm instantly ignited with scorching flames. The next second, the pirate who fired was blasted back several meters, spinning through the air before smashing heavily into the rock wall, turned into a piece of charred roast meat!
Smoke rose, and the heat wave dispersed the surrounding dust.
The entire clearing fell dead silent.
Red's face changed drastically, and he roared, "That brat is a flame ability user!!!"
"Is it Paramecia? Or Logia?!!"
"Kill him!!!"
Gunshots, shouts, and screams of terror erupted instantly. Dozens of flintlocks fired at once, a storm of bullets pouring toward Ace!
Ace ignored the ordinary bullets, pressing down on his hat as his body turned into fire. The bullets passed harmlessly through his flame form.
Red's pupils contracted. "Something's wrong... this guy's fire... it's a Logia!!!"
Ace stood in the center of the sea of fire, stomping his left foot lightly, cracking the ground around him with scorch marks.
He slowly took off his orange hat. Flames wound down from his shoulders, spiraling up his fingertips, blazing and dazzling.
"I really..."
He whispered, his voice emanating from the firelight, echoing in the terrified hearts of the pirates. "...just came here to deliver the goods."
His tone was flat, but it suppressed a thunderous rage.
"But you guys..." He looked up, his eyes devoid of warmth, the firelight reflecting a killing intent capable of burning mountains and boiling seas. "...insist on forcing my hand."
"Then none of you are leaving!"
"BOOM!!!"
He stomped heavily. Blazing flames erupted from the ground, tearing apart the surrounding earth and rocks. Scorch marks spread like spiderwebs, boulders cracking, sand burning!
"Attack him!! Hurry!! Use Haki-imbued weapons!! Don't let him get close!!!"
"Fire Fist... could it be that rumored... Marine's—"
"Don't worry about who he is! Kill him!!!"
Several elite officers wielded longswords and axes wrapped in Armament Haki, rushing forward to surround him. A dozen others fired wildly, trying to suppress him with firepower.
But—
It was useless.
Bullets were deflected by the heat-distorted air currents the moment they approached Ace's body, or simply passed through his flame form, hitting nothing!
"Are you kidding me... this guy... is immune to bullets?!"
"I clearly hit him in the chest!! AAAHHH!!"
"Use Seastone bullets!!!"
"Keep dreaming! We don't have that kind of luxury!"
A pirate screamed in terror, only to be sent flying by a whip of fire the next second, smashing through a row of rock pillars!
Several officers swung Haki-coated longswords at Ace—
"Don't move!!!"
"DIE!!"
Ace slid his feet lightly. Observation Haki spread out like a web, instantly sensing everyone's attack trajectories.
His gaze sharpened. Flames erupted beneath his feet, and his body flashed like a fire snake, appearing behind the enemies in an instant!
"What? Where did he go?!"
"Behi—"
"Flame Dragon Spin!"
A spinning kick carrying blazing flames swept out!
"THUD!!!"
"CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!!"
Three officers, along with their Haki-coated weapons, were swept away. As they rolled on the ground, their bodies were scorched by flames, skin bursting!
"GAAAAHHHH!!!"
Ace walked slowly out of the firelight, the surroundings like a throne of flames stamped out by his feet. Dust floated and burned in the high heat.
He extended a hand, a cluster of blue-orange flame dancing on his fingertips.
"Fire Gun: Wild Dance!"
"BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM—!!!"
Dozens of high-speed flame arrows shot from his palm, weaving through the battlefield like meteors, precisely hitting several pirates attempting to sneak attack!
Some were hit in the shoulder, howling as they rolled on the ground;
Some had their weapons explode, faces charred black;
Others were pierced directly by flame arrows, collapsing instantly!
The sea of fire churned, the scorched earth cracked.
Heat waves rolled like a tsunami. The air smelled of burning sand and stone. Charred remains and wailing pirates littered the entire battle circle.
"Captain Red!! We're no match for him!!"
"It's too scary!! This isn't a trade... he's here to wipe us out!!!"
Some cowards began to flee, but the surroundings were already encircled by a barrier of rising flames, cutting off all retreat!
"No one leaves."
Ace walked forward slowly, his gaze indifferent and devoid of warmth.
"THUD!!!"
The next second, the earth exploded!
A violent wave of pressure burst from the depths of the sea of fire!
Molten rocks flew in all directions, sand and dust surging like black waves!
A figure wrapped in blood and Haki, like a raging beast released from its cage, leaped into the center of the battle circle with a boom!
"BANG!!!"
The moment he landed, a circular crater several meters deep was stomped into the ground!
Ace raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze finally fixing on something for a moment.
Blood Rage Red.
Nearly three meters tall, muscles knotted like iron cables, wearing a tattered cape. Black Haki veins flowed faintly under his skin. His entire right arm looked cast from black iron, gripping a pitch-black heavy blade fully coated in Armament Haki—broad, serrated, as if forged from magma!
His eyes were bloodshot, veins popping on his forehead, face covered in burn scars, yet his lips curled into a hideous, bloody grin.
"You think these trash are all I have?"
His voice was low and hoarse, his breath reeking of gunpowder.
"I, Red, am—"
"A man who survived slaughtering five pirate crews in the New World!!!"
He took a step forward, the ground trembling violently!
"A bounty of 628 million Belly is earned by blood, by the blade, by shredding the entire sea route, bit by bit!!!"
"You... want to challenge this height?"
He raised his blade. Haki condensed on the blade like scales, solid as an iron dragon.
"Stop playing with fire against those small fry."
Ace lowered his eyelids, slowly extending his right hand, flames gathering in his palm.
"Understood."
His tone was no longer teasing, but... solemn.
"Then—"
"Bring it on!"
Flames spread from his shoulder to his back like fiery armor. A cluster of blue-orange flame rose like a dragon's horn, his aura skyrocketing!
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