Chapter 7: The Threat
Thump!
A heavy sound cracked through the air.
An axe slammed into the ground—its blade buried deep in the soil, blood splattering across the dust.
All eyes turned toward it.
Toward the weapon that had just split a pirate clean in half.
Silence swept through the dock like a wave.
Who could have done that?
Then someone stepped forward.
The villagers watched as a lone figure approached, calm and unhurried. He grasped the axe's handle with one hand and pulled it free as if it weighed nothing at all.
When they saw who it was, recognition lit up every face.
"It's Eiger!"
"Eiger's here!"
"Thank the heavens—Eiger used to be a Marine officer! We're saved!"
"With Eiger around, no pirate can stand a chance!"
The shouts of hope rippled across the chaos.
Eiger rested the axe on his shoulder, his expression unreadable, and turned his gaze toward the looming pirate ship. His brow furrowed slightly.
"...The Giant Bear Pirates, huh?"
At the mention of the name, the massive pirate captain—Giant Bear himself—finally noticed the man standing between his crew and their prey.
The way this stranger carried himself was nothing like the panicked villagers. The pressure in his stance, the calm in his eyes—it made even the battle-hardened raider pause.
That swing earlier… it had power. Real, disciplined power.
Still, Giant Bear wasn't intimidated. A single man couldn't scare him—not when he was the captain of a crew worth 60 million Beli.
A low laugh rumbled out of his chest. "Not bad, kid. You've got some fight in you. How about it?" He grinned, showing rows of sharp yellow teeth. "Join my crew, and I'll spare these pathetic villagers."
If he could recruit this man, the Giant Bear Pirates would only grow stronger—another step toward his dream of conquering the Grand Line.
But Eiger's expression didn't change.
"I'm not interested in becoming garbage."
His tone was calm—almost casual—but his words cut sharper than steel.
Before Giant Bear could even react, Eiger moved.
His axe blurred in a wide arc—
four pirates fell in an instant, cleaved apart like straw dolls.
He didn't slow down.
Each step carried him forward, steady and cold, closing the distance toward the hulking captain.
"You arrogant bastard!" Giant Bear roared, his face twisting with rage. "Do you know who you're talking to?! I'm worth sixty million Beli! You think some retired Marine can stop me?!"
He swung his arm in fury. "Beaumont! Rory! Teach this fool a lesson—show him what happens when he insults the Giant Bear Pirates!"
"Understood, Captain!"
The two men beside him stepped forward.
One—a thick-armed brawler with fists wrapped in iron.
The other—a lean swordsman with a jagged blade and a predator's grin.
The dock trembled under their heavy steps as they approached.
But Eiger didn't flinch.
He simply adjusted his stance.
His legs spread slightly apart, knees flexed.
His torso tilted forward in an easy, practiced motion.
The axe came up, its blade gleaming faintly red.
His right hand drew it back; his waist twisted—smooth, deliberate, fluid.
The air itself seemed to tighten around him.
No words.
No wasted movements.
Just a man standing before two killers—
and the calm, unshakable resolve of someone who had fought far worse than pirates.
Even the villagers, still trembling in fear, could sense it now.
This was no ordinary man.
This was a soldier.
The moment the two pirates lunged forward, Eiger's body moved with impossible precision.
His waist, which had been twisted in that almost exaggerated stance, suddenly snapped back into alignment—
and the right arm that had been coiled behind him unwound like a whip.
There was no shout, no warning—just a clean, fluid swing.
Whoosh—!
A blade of compressed air erupted from the axe, cutting through the air like a spiraling whirlwind. The pressure alone split the ground beneath his feet, forming a circular barrier of sheer force around him.
The two pirates who had been rushing in froze mid-step—then their bodies fell apart cleanly at the waist, blood splattering across the dock.
And they weren't the only ones.
Several others who had been too close met the same fate, collapsing before they even realized what had happened.
A single strike—
and half a dozen men were dead.
The dock fell silent.
The Giant Bear Pirates—men who had butchered sailors, burned towns, and fought bounty hunters—stared in horror.
Their captain's pupils dilated, disbelief twisting his face.
What kind of monster is this?!
Was this really just a West Blue Marine lieutenant?
A retired lieutenant at that?
He had thought this would be an easy raid, that one swing of his mighty fists would crush this village. But now… even his massive frame felt small.
Eiger straightened, axe dripping red. His gaze was calm but heavy as he stepped toward the pirate ship.
The captain's composure cracked.
"Everyone! Get him! Stop that bastard now!"
"C-Captain, he's a monster!" one pirate screamed. "He killed the vice-captains in a single swing!"
"Yeah! Let's get out of here!"
"Run?! You think we can run?!" Giant Bear roared, veins bulging in his neck. He could see the truth—the moment they turned their backs, that axe would cut them down before they even reached the ship.
"Shut up, all of you! Charge! He's just one man—a retired Marine! You think he can stand against the Giant Bear Pirates?!"
"Charge, damn you!"
Fueled by their captain's rage, the pirates rallied, their fear twisting into desperation.
"Kill him!"
"It's one guy—we can take him!"
"Wine, women, and treasure are waiting!"
They rushed forward, a disorganized wave of steel and noise.
Eiger exhaled through his nose and adjusted his grip. For the first time, his face hardened into something serious.
Too many… he thought grimly. If I'd mastered Conqueror's Haki, this would've been over in a heartbeat.
But this wasn't the Grand Line—he couldn't afford to waste energy here.
On the sidelines, Village Chief Marin watched the chaos unfold, heart pounding. He wanted to trust Eiger, but one man against an entire pirate crew—
how long could he hold?
Then Marin's hands tightened around the makeshift pitchfork he was holding. His jaw clenched.
"No!" he shouted suddenly. "We can't just stand here!"
The old man's voice rang across the dock.
"Everyone! Help Eiger! Drive these bastards out of our village!"
"Drive them out!"
"Don't let them think Sibia Village has only one man!"
"Kill the pirates!"
One by one, the villagers rallied. They picked up whatever they could find—shovels, hammers, knives—and roared as they charged into the fray.
The dock exploded into total chaos.
The villagers, though untrained, threw themselves at the pirates with desperation and fury.
Eiger caught the movement from the corner of his eye—and a small smile tugged at his lips.
Foolish, but brave, he thought.
And truth be told, their interference helped. Dozens of the pirates turned to deal with the villagers, giving him space to focus on what mattered most—
—the captain.
He raised his axe, his gaze locking on the massive man barreling toward him.
Time to end this.
But something was wrong.
The Giant Bear captain wasn't closing in. His movements were off—slower, heavier… turning away?
Then Eiger's eyes widened.
The pirate was running.
"Damn it—!"
Eiger lunged forward, feet slamming against the dock as he sprinted, closing the distance in seconds.
But he was too late.
The captain turned, laughing wildly, one arm wrapped around a small struggling figure. A little girl—red braids tangled, face streaked with tears.
Della.
"HAHAHA!" Giant Bear's laughter thundered over the din. He pressed a jagged blade to her throat. "Stop right there, Marine!"
Eiger froze, eyes narrowing.
"Drop your weapon, or she dies!"
He tightened his grip on the terrified girl, his grin manic. "You hear me, marine? One wrong move, and I'll paint this dock with her blood!"
Around them, everything fell silent again—villagers stopped mid-fight, pirates hesitated, eyes darting between their captain and the man with the axe.
"Don't move!" Giant Bear bellowed, glaring at Eiger. "Now… drop it!"
He sneered, voice dripping with triumph.
"You think you're strong, huh? You think you're a hero?"
His expression twisted into something cruel.
"Let's see how a hero looks when he chooses between his pride—"
He yanked the girl closer, the knife pressing against her pale skin.
"—and a child's life."