Hack stared at Ryukawa, eyes wide.
What the boy said sounded insane…
Yet somehow, it also made perfect sense.
Kill everyone, and no one knows who did it.
No witnesses.
No evidence.
No trail leading back to them.
Hack suddenly felt that this teenager's logic… was terrifyingly reasonable.
"I swear," Hack muttered, "the more I talk to you, the less you look like a rookie."
If he didn't know better, he'd never believe Ryukawa was just a teenager leaving East Blue for the first time.
Sabo, meanwhile, just stared blankly at Ryukawa.
Killing everyone…? Isn't that too violent? Isn't that… a lot?
This was far beyond the idealistic justice he imagined.
But Ryukawa paid no attention to Sabo's moral crisis.
"Where's their base?"
"It's confirmed," Hack nodded. "Follow me."
The group moved deeper into Octagon Town — a place lively on the surface, but chaotic and full of shady figures beneath the noise.
Ten minutes later, they stopped in front of a large tavern.
"This is their main hub on the island," Hack explained.
He was about to ask Ryukawa how they should infiltrate—
But Ryukawa had already walked straight in.
Hack froze.
…Right.
Planning? Stealth? Strategies?
Nonsense. He forgot. Ryukawa doesn't need plans.
When someone can bulldoze all of East Blue with brute force, strategy is optional.
"Follow him," Hack sighed, motioning the others.
They entered the tavern, where thick alcohol fumes and rowdy shouting filled the air.
"Too noisy," Ryukawa said flatly.
Without hesitation, he grabbed a drunken pirate beside him and hurled the man into the center of the tavern.
BOOM!
Tables shattered.
Wood splintered.
Silence fell instantly.
Dozens of hostile eyes fixed on Ryukawa.
"Much better," Ryukawa dusted off his hands, satisfied. "This saves us time."
Behind him, Hack and the Revolutionary soldiers exchanged looks and subconsciously raised their thumbs.
—Too domineering.
—Too reckless.
—Still strangely cool.
But as those murderous eyes swept over them, Hack couldn't help but wonder:
Why do WE look like the ones invading an innocent tavern?
Weren't we here to uphold justice? Why does it feel like we're the villains?!
He cleared his throat and forced himself to focus.
Ryukawa spoke again, ignoring the hostile crowd completely.
"Bring your boss out. I don't want to waste time."
"You brat—!"
A pirate began to shout—
Ryukawa moved.
The wooden sword rose… and fell.
A red arc of sword aura blasted forth.
PUFF!
Blood sprayed.
A body fell.
The pirate died instantly—
Killed before he finished speaking.
The tavern, filled with nearly a hundred pirates, became graveyard-quiet.
Their furious expressions shifted to fear and disbelief.
This kid…
What kind of monster was he?
"My time is valuable," Ryukawa said mildly.
At last, someone stepped out.
A young man with golden curly hair, sunglasses, and a long scar across his left eye. His expression twisted with fury.
"You brat… you come into MY tavern, kill MY men, and think you can walk out alive?"
"Do you even know who I am?"
"I am Bellamy the Hyena, with a bounty of 30 million Berries!"
"One of the great pirates of East Blue! And you—some snot-nosed brat—think you can act arrogant in MY territory?! I'll show you what real pain feels like!"
Ryukawa blinked.
"Bellamy? That explains it. He's one of the Donquixote Family's affiliated captains."
Then he asked casually:
"A 30 million bounty? Is that supposed to be strong?"
He turned to Hack.
"What rank is this?"
Hack thought for a moment.
He didn't want to sound rude—but honesty won.
"Well… calling him 'trash' might sound arrogant… so let's say… mid-tier at best."
Their voices were not quiet.
Every pirate in the tavern heard.
Bellamy's face twisted with rage.
He looked seconds away from coughing up blood.
Mid-tier?!
He was a 30 million Berry pirate!
In East Blue, that was considered incredibly high!
This was the greatest insult he had ever suffered.
"You've succeeded in making me angry," Bellamy trembled, killing intent surging.
"You're dead—every one of you!"
His legs began to coil—
Muscles twisting, compressing—
His lower limbs turned into springs.
Bellamy grinned wickedly.
"I'll kill you in one bounce!"
He was a Spring-Spring Fruit user.
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