Wapol watched as Krogh was sent stumbling back by a single punch, then turned his gaze to Dalton, who radiated a wild aura before him. He merely let out an even more maniacal laugh:
"Is that all you have to say? Quite the bold talk! But I've returned anyway—what are you going to do about it, Dalton?"
With a grand sweep of his hand, he ordered the soldiers behind him: "Come on, I'll give you a chance to prove yourselves. Kill this former captain of yours!! Whoever succeeds will be richly rewarded!!"
A flicker of hesitation crossed the soldiers' faces, but it was quickly overwhelmed by greed for the bounty and fear of Wapol.
They raised their rifles in unison, the dark muzzles all aimed squarely at Dalton.
"Fire!" Wapol commanded.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dense gunfire erupted simultaneously, dozens of bullets streaking toward Dalton!
Yet Dalton, transformed into his Minotaur state, displayed agility that defied his massive size!
His enormous hooves dug into the snowy ground, his hulking form leaving afterimages as he dodged with bizarre, swift trajectories.
"Flanking maneuvers!!" The bullets didn't even graze his fur, merely striking the snow behind him and kicking up flurries.
After the volley, the soldiers were in the brief lull of reloading their ammunition.
Dalton seized the opportunity instantly!
"Even if you were once my subordinates, now! As long as you stand by that man, I won't hold back!"
He let out a low roar, his entire body's muscular power erupting. Like a wild bull at full charge, he launched into a frenzied assault toward the soldiers!
"Urgh!"
"Scatter, now!"
Screams rang out one after another. Wapol's soldiers had no time to react before being struck head-on by this unstoppable force!
Dalton didn't even throw a punch; relying solely on his charging momentum and his Zoan Fruit-enhanced body, he plowed through the entire soldier formation, sending them tumbling!
Their rifles flew from their hands, and the soldiers were flung in all directions, collapsing into the snow, unable to get up for some time. Instantly clearing the path to Wapol, Dalton didn't pause, his furious eyes locked firmly on the root cause of it all.
He pointed at Wapol and let out a deafening roar, his voice saturated with a resolve to protect the citizens and this nation in the midst of rebirth:
"Now it's your turn! Get out of this country!!!"
Dalton's massive Minotaur form gathered strength again, the snow cracking under his hooves as he prepared to launch his final charge at Wapol!
"Quite the arrogant tone, Dalton, but you're facing us, whom you've known for so many years."
Chess's calm voice cut through. Unnoticed, he had already drawn his bow and nocked an arrow, but the arrowhead wasn't aimed at Dalton—it was pointed at the villagers behind him, armed with crude weapons.
"Now, can you protect everyone at once?"
Whoosh—!
Three arrows left the bowstring, transforming into streaks of shadow as they shot straight toward the villagers in the crowd who held guns, determined to defend their country!
In that instant, time seemed to freeze for Dalton. He should have been charging forward fearlessly, intent on taking Wapol's life.
But now! His charging footsteps came to an abrupt halt! Hooves left two trails in the snow.
No! They can't block Chess's arrows!!
But... Wapol is right before my eyes...
No... I must protect them!! Aaaaaah!!! You heartless bastards!!!
In that split second, Dalton's resolve solidified. Almost simultaneously with the arrows' release, his body twisted sharply, unhesitatingly abandoning the attack opportunity right before him.
He threw himself toward the arrows' trajectory without a second thought, without even time to assume a proper defensive stance—simply trying to use his own body to shield the villagers from this lethal strike!
He only wanted to protect the citizens behind him... those who, even after the king's desertion, still hadn't given up on this land and dreamed of building a better tomorrow.
At this critical moment!
"Special Attack! Gunpowder Star! Triple Shot!"
Usopp's shout came from the side and behind! Three Gunpowder Stars shot from his sling, intercepting the arrows' path with perfect accuracy mid-air!
Bang! Boom—!
The gunpowder exploded in the air, swallowing the arrows. Though it didn't completely destroy the sturdy arrows,
the blast's impact successfully knocked them off course, sending all three arrows skewing wildly before embedding in the snow several meters away from Dalton.
For a moment, silence fell over the scene.
Dalton stared at the scattered arrows and the long-nosed man brandishing his sling.
He hadn't expected this seemingly unimpressive pirate to actually possess such skill.
Usopp stood on a slightly elevated snowdrift, wearing his small goggles, wildly waving his sling for everyone to see.
Though a trace of nervousness still lingered on his face, his mouth had already broken into a triumphant grin: "Trying to harm innocent citizens before the Sniper King? You're a hundred years too early!!"
The perpetual smile on Wapol's face froze, then twisted into a dark scowl. His gaze swept over Usopp striking his pose, Vivi standing beside him, and Dalton who remained unharmed.
"So it's you... damn Straw Hat Pirates... To think you'd appear in my country. I'll show you my true power."
Wapol's voice turned icy as he opened his trademark large mouth, chomping down on an iron sword handed to him by a nearby soldier, crunching it like a biscuit.
"Everyone, hear my command! Throw all your guns to me to eat! Capture that long-nose and the blue-haired girl beside him alive!!"
"Yes!"
The soldiers who had been collapsed on the ground gradually rose to obey Wapol. They first gathered the rifles from the ground and tossed them all into Wapol's mouth, then turned their attention to Usopp and Vivi.
Krogh shook his numbed arm, his eyes first fixing fiercely on Dalton. Chess silently nocked three arrows again, his gaze shifting between the three targets as he sought his next opportunity.
Wapol chewed through the pile of rifles provided by the soldiers, his body beginning to undergo rapid changes as firearms continuously sprouted from his form.
"Gulp-Gulp Fruit: Super Musket Factory!"
His body swelled incessantly, transforming into a factory-like structure—massive and bristling with countless guns. Without hesitation, Wapol immediately opened fire on the villagers behind Dalton.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Gunpowder Star! Chain Scatter!"
Usopp gritted his teeth, firing Gunpowder Stars in rapid succession from his slingshot to intercept some of the bullets mid-air.
"Dammit... there are too many of them!" Beads of sweat had already formed densely on Usopp's forehead.
The factory-like barrage of gunfire had far exceeded what he could intercept with just a slingshot. Numerous bullets slipped through his defense, whizzing perilously close to the villagers.
-Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LegendaryTL
Thanks!