"My companions are behind me. They'll arrive soon," Gar said after a brief round of greetings.
"Most of the crew is resting on a nearby island. Only part of them came this time, but the captain and several officers are here."
"Really?"
Even with Gar present, the villagers could not completely relax. Pirates were pirates, and the Nightfall Pirates were among the fiercest on the seas.
They rarely targeted civilians, but their battles were merciless. Tens of thousands had already died at their hands, mostly Marines. Their reputation alone was enough to inspire unease.
"Don't worry," Gar added, seeing the tension in their eyes. "Besides coming back to see everyone, the main reason we're here is Slada."
"Slada, huh? That makes sense."
Mentioning Slada immediately eased their nerves.
Otherwise, why would the Nightfall Pirates be interested in this island at all, let alone arrive in such numbers? If it were only a visit, Gar alone would have been more than enough.
Even the so-called Dark Emperor, Marshall D. Teach, had come. That alone explained everything.
After all, Slada was recognized as the greatest monster of Hunting Island.
This island could no longer restrain him. Everyone here understood that. Slada himself understood it too. Leaving was only a matter of time, and joining the Nightfall Pirates was a natural path.
Hunting Island possessed its own methods of training Observation and Armament Haki. Without that foundation, surviving among so many ferocious beasts would have been impossible.
The island's residents were far from weak.
Most adult hunters had mastered at least one form of Haki. In Paradise, that would already be considered astonishing.
Take Rexa, for example. The legendary hunter stood calmly among the villagers, his aura restrained. Even so, he could easily be counted among the stronger figures of the Grand Line, not inferior to an ordinary Marine Vice Admiral.
Years of retirement had dulled his outward sharpness, and his natural talent for concealment made him appear almost ordinary.
To hide oneself so completely required genuine mastery.
Still, against the Nightfall Pirates, resistance was meaningless. That reality also made things simpler. The Nightfall Pirates had their own rules, and with Gar acting as a bridge, the villagers felt much more at ease.
They also understood Slada.
Even if he never said it aloud, his intentions were obvious. His strength and potential had long surpassed the limits of this island.
The jungle rustled again.
This time, it was closer.
The villagers could already make out figures between the trees.
Teach was the first to emerge, walking forward at an unhurried pace, a faint smile on his face.
He looked relaxed.
Yet for reasons they could not explain, the villagers felt an invisible pressure emanating from him, like an unseen tide. It made people instinctively want to lower their heads.
Rexa felt it most clearly.
His hunter's intuition screamed danger. Within Teach's body was a terrifying force, like an ancient beast sealed beneath calm waters, capable of erupting at any moment.
The last time Rexa had felt something similar was with Slada.
Since mastering two-color Haki, Slada's growth had been frightening. He had ventured deep into the island, challenging beasts that even Rexa approached with caution, or avoided entirely.
Sometimes Slada vanished for days. More than once, Rexa found him still fighting when he went looking.
Even so, the difference between Slada and Teach was obvious.
It was like comparing an adult beast to one that had yet to fully mature.
Teach noticed Rexa's gaze but paid it little mind. He already knew who the man was. This trip was never about reunions.
His Observation Haki spread rapidly, covering the entire island.
Hunting Island was vast, but it did not take long.
He found Slada.
Though they had never met, Teach immediately understood.
That aura was unmistakable.
"Beast-like," Teach thought, his eyes brightening as he licked his lips. For someone like him, this was pure enjoyment.
Judging talent was never easy. Potential could not be measured by sight alone.
But physical talent was different.
Teach had seen monsters like Edward Newgate, Kaido, and Big Mom. He knew what true physical gifts looked like.
On his crew, only a few stood out in that regard. Gar was one. Wallace was another, though Wallace relied heavily on the Steel-Steel Fruit, which continuously tempered his body like molten metal.
Slada was different.
This was the same type of natural monster as Big Mom and Kaido. His physique would continue to grow with time alone.
And if he trained seriously, his upper limit would be terrifying.
On the other side of the island, a young man nearly six meters tall stood before a massive beast.
Slada suddenly frowned.
A sharp instinct prickled his spine, as if someone were watching him.
"Oh? He noticed," Teach murmured with interest.
Back in the village, preparations were already underway.
Hosting so many people would have strained the village's resources, so the Nightfall Pirates had brought supplies with them. Along the way, several beasts had fallen under Teach's Conqueror's Haki, providing fresh meat.
Even Rexa had failed to sense Teach's Observation Haki.
Slada had not.
That brief distraction was enough.
The beast opposite him lunged.
It was a blood lion, nearly fifteen meters long. A tyrant of the island, feared even by other monsters.
Scars covered its body, proof of countless battles. Its claws were sharp, its fangs long, its deep red fur soaked with killing intent.
Slada reacted instantly.
He raised his four-meter-long anchor to block.
The blood lion's explosive power was terrifying. Weight, momentum, and raw strength crashed down at once.
Slada held his ground.
His legs sank into the earth as the anchor absorbed the impact.
The sheer force made Slada grin.
The blood lion roared, its maw wide enough to swallow him whole. The shockwave rippled through the trees behind him.
Slada remained unmoved.
Only the stench bothered him.
Saliva splattered across his body, thick and foul.
"Tch," Slada muttered. "Looks like I'll need another bath."
His expression sharpened.
Muscles bulged as he pushed forward.
The blood lion was forced back, shock flashing in its eyes.
In that instant, Slada tore his legs free from the cracked ground.
The blood lion refused to yield.
Haki surged instinctively through its limbs, coiling around its muscles. This was not skill, only raw awakening, but it was enough to amplify its strength.
With a furious roar, it lunged again.
This time, Slada dropped the anchor.
It struck the ground with a heavy thud.
Joy lit his face.
He charged.
At close range, everything happened in an instant.
Slada seized the blood lion's right paw with his left hand. Its claws pierced his skin, drawing blood.
The pain only excited him further.
The blood lion snapped toward his head, fangs flashing, already savoring the kill.
Slada did not retreat.
His right fist clenched, coated in deep black Armament Haki.
He punched.
The air exploded.
The blow landed squarely on the blood lion's head.
Its body convulsed.
Fear replaced bloodlust, but it was already too late.
The skull shattered.
The blood lion's head burst apart under Slada's monstrous strength, flesh and bone scattering in all directions.
The headless body flew backward and slammed into the ground, shaking the earth.
The overlord of Hunting Island had fallen.
All with a single punch.