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Chapter 53 is out!!!! +40 advanced chapters monthly
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Baishui lay leisurely in the small dinghy, humming an unknown tune.
Beside him sat Aki, looking utterly terrified. Her face was pale, and she clung tightly to Baishui's hand, refusing to let go.
Every now and then, massive Sea Kings would swim past their little boat. Whenever she caught sight of one, Aki would panic—she was absolutely terrified of the beasts.
At the front of the boat, a Sea King with several large lumps on its head was miserably towing them along. Its lantern-sized eyes were filled with absolute grievance.
Resting on top of the beast's head was a Den Den Mushi, lazily basking in the sun and completely off the clock. No wonder no calls were getting through.
"Don't be afraid, Aki. It's okay. With me here, those Sea Kings wouldn't dare try anything!" Baishui gently took her soft hand, pressed it against his chest, and patted it with a reassuring smile.
Perhaps it was the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat, or maybe his words simply offered her a sense of security. Either way, color slowly returned to Aki's face, and her stiff posture relaxed slightly.
"You'll get used to it after a few more trips. They're just overgrown fish. You've eaten them before, haven't you? Nothing to be afraid of!" Seeing that she was still a bit skittish, Baishui sat up, pulled her into his arms, and gently patted her back, coaxing her softly.
"Mhm," Aki murmured. Surrounded by his warmth, her tense body finally went limp, her expression softening into something much more natural.
ROAR!
Of course, there is always one blind Sea King out looking for trouble.
Directly in front of their small boat, a serpentine Sea Beast breached the surface, casting a shadow that covered a fifty-meter radius. Its eyes were filled with violent hunger. Glaring down at the pair, it let out a furious, deafening roar that sent violent tremors across the water.
"Ah!" Aki screamed. She immediately scrambled behind Baishui, her entire body trembling like a leaf.
Baishui's good mood evaporated instantly.
I finally get to take my wife out for a nice trip, and you dare pop out to scare her? You must have a death wish! he thought angrily.
His gaze turned sharp and utterly merciless, radiating a brutal aura. Raising his right hand, he pulled an imaginary trigger.
"Light Particle Cannon!" Baishui muttered.
A beam of thick, white energy blasted from his fingertip, tearing through the air like lightning and smashing directly into the sea monster.
"Roar—!"
Sensing the sudden threat of death, the Sea Beast let out a shrill shriek of terror. But it was too late.
BOOM! The energy blast struck it dead-center in the head, piercing clean through its skull before shooting off into the horizon, leaving a pristine white contrail in its wake.
SPLASH! The Sea King's massive corpse crashed back into the ocean, kicking up a tsunami-like wave. The tiny boat rocked violently, threatening to capsize.
Aki's face drained of color once more. Having grown up by the sea, she knew exactly how terrifying a tsunami could be.
"Keep pulling the boat! Or do you want to sit there and watch me get swallowed by the ocean?" Baishui snapped at the Sea Beast towing them. His voice was freezing, dripping with a murderous intent straight from the depths of hell that would make anyone shiver.
"Wooo..." The subjugated Sea Beast whimpered, instantly paddling with all its might to drag the small boat toward calmer waters. It could feel the bone-chilling hostility radiating from the human behind it. One wrong move, and it knew it would end up exactly like the dead serpent.
Once they reached calm waters, Baishui finally noticed that Aki had completely collapsed against his back. Her arms were wrapped in a vice grip around his waist, her face utterly pale.
"Alright, it's over now. The sea is just like this—always full of unexpected dangers."
"With me here, nothing is going to happen to you. If they want to hurt you, they have to go through me first!" Baishui gently patted her back, his voice soft and soothing.
"Here, if you're tired, just lie on my chest and get some sleep. We're going home," he said, feeling a pang of guilt.
Aki was in no state to continue sightseeing. If they stayed out here any longer, he feared she would develop permanent trauma.
"Mhm," Aki gave a soft hum of agreement. She leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes.
Baishui was starting to regret taking her out on such a tiny dinghy.
Next time I take Aki out, he promised himself, we're taking a real ship. A large ship, one that belongs exclusively to the two of us. The thought naturally drifted to Water 7, the greatest shipbuilding island in the world. They could definitely build the perfect vessel for them there. It was far, sure, but with Baishui's travel speed, distance meant nothing.
Meanwhile, on Ship-Cutter Island!
Pfft!
Captain T-Bone was sent flying backwards once again by Chris. Coughing up a mouthful of blood, the Marine's face was terrifyingly pale. He was covered in gashes the width of a finger, making him look completely gruesome.
"Gyahaha! Give it up, T-Bone! You're no match for me. Surrender now, and I might just spare your life!" Chris mocked. He was entirely unscathed, completely dominating the fight.
The situation across the rest of the island was much the same. The Fierce Tiger Pirates had absolute control over this invasion.
"Impossible! Even if I die in battle, I will never surrender! As long as I have a single drop of blood left in my veins, I will bring vicious pirate scum like you to justice!" T-Bone roared back, a flash of absolute resolve crossing his gaunt, intimidating face.
Beside him, a Den Den Mushi was continuously dialing.
Baishui, answer it! Come on, pick up! T-Bone screamed internally.
In his mind, Baishui was the only person left in the world who could save Ship-Cutter Island. Requesting Marine reinforcements would take at least four or five hours. Only Baishui could make it in time. With his speed, he could cross the distance in just half an hour.
But if he didn't answer soon, the island's final line of defense would shatter entirely.
The last barricade was being held by a desperate handful of Lieutenants, Lieutenant Commanders, and Commanders. The rest of the Marines had already fallen, lying in pools of their own blood, never to rise again.
God, please let Baishui pick up the phone! T-Bone prayed from the bottom of his heart. Baishui was his final lifeline. If they could just get through to him, T-Bone was confident they could capture the Fierce Tiger Pirates.
Perhaps the heavens were moved by T-Bone's sheer sincerity, or perhaps it was just dumb luck. But less than fifteen kilometers away, the very same Den Den Mushi Baishui had left sunbathing on the Sea King's head suddenly woke up.
"Puru puru puru!"
Baishui, who had been quietly admiring his sleeping wife's face, blinked in surprise. He turned toward the sound, watching as the snail opened its mouth and began ringing loudly.
Clang!
T-Bone was purely on the defensive now, constantly being knocked back as his wounds bled freely. The blade of his beloved sword was chipped, and under the relentless barrage of air blasts, visible cracks had begun to form along the steel.
He was completely suppressed. It wasn't even a fight anymore.
After exchanging blows, T-Bone realized he had severely underestimated Chris's strength. The power the pirate was displaying now went far beyond his 57,000,000 Berry bounty. Judging by this level of combat prowess, Chris's true threat level warranted a bounty of at least 70,000,000 Berries. This was his real power.
Crack!
The sword finally reached its limit. With a sharp snap, the blade shattered into several pieces.
T-Bone's pupils shrank in horror. Before he could even react, Chris closed the distance and launched a devastating kick.
CRUNCH!
The sickening sound of bones splintering echoed loudly. T-Bone coughed up a spray of blood as his towering frame was sent rocketing backward.
"Lion King Slash!" Chris roared. Twisting his waist in mid-air with near-impossible flexibility, he unleashed five sharp, claw-like waves of flying slashes that chased right after the falling Marine, offering absolutely no quarter.
Slash! Unable to dodge, T-Bone took the brunt of the attack. A gruesome set of claw marks was torn right across his chest. His vision was already beginning to blur.
Whoosh!
Chris tore through the air, appearing directly in front of T-Bone again. He clearly had no intention of letting his prey live. Shaping his fingers into a blade, he thrust his hand forward like a spear, aiming straight for T-Bone's heart.
"One-Inch Punch!" Chris muttered. His eyes flashed with a vicious light as an explosive wave of raw power erupted from his strike.
The impact caved in T-Bone's sturdy chest, leaving a massive, bowl-sized depression with a deafening sound like rolling thunder. Splintered ribs pierced through muscle and skin—a gruesome, bloody sight.
Cough!
T-Bone's vision went black. For a fleeting second, he could practically see the Reaper walking toward him.
Is this it? Is this where T-Bone dies? he thought desperately. I don't care if I die... but if I fall, who will protect the innocent people of this island?!
Baishui... you have to get here! I leave the safety of the citizens in your hands!
"Die!" Chris stepped forward, drawing his fist back. His right arm bulged with rippling muscle. The air screamed as he prepared to deliver the final, killing blow.
If this punch landed, T-Bone was dead. Not even the Gods themselves could save him.
"DON'T YOU DARE!"
Suddenly, an explosive roar erupted in Chris's ears, booming like a crack of divine thunder. It was so intense that Chris involuntarily shuddered, his pupils contracting instantly as his fist halted in mid-air.
He whipped his head around, only to see a blinding streak of white light rocketing toward them at breakneck speed. The sonic booms of its approach rolled across the sky—an absolutely terrifying display of power.
"Impossible! How could a powerhouse like that be in a backwater place like this?! You've gotta be kidding me!" Sensing the overwhelming Haki radiating from within that white light, Chris's eyes shrank to pinpricks، and he roared in disbelief.
"Why wouldn't it be possible?"
The streak of white light abruptly halted a mere twenty meters away from Chris. The man inside exhaled softly and asked with a deceptively calm smile.
"Damn it!" Chris cursed. "Zoan Transformation: Tiger-Man!"
He leaped backward، his body rapidly mutating mid-air into a massive، striped humanoid tiger. It was reminiscent of Rob Lucci's Hybrid form—though little more than a cheap knock-off in comparison.
"What, going all out? You need to actually have the qualifications to put your life on the line first!" Baishui chuckled.
With a flicker، his figure vanished، instantly materializing right in front of Chris to the pirate's absolute horror.
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