"Truly worthy of being a major from the headquarters; such cunning, arranging the rhythm of the battlefield perfectly," praised Admiral Sam as he sat on his "throne," watching the smoky battlefield from afar.
However, these words made Krieg feel awkward. How is this cunning? Isn't this just a simple ambush? Are you praising the enemy to cover up your incompetence?
To Krieg, the most surprising aspect of this ambush was the Marines' combat effectiveness. Whether it was the Marines swimming swiftly in the sea or the highly skilled soldiers on the island, Krieg had never seen anything like it.
Krieg knew that any conspiracy was laughable in the face of absolute strength. Conversely, if the one scheming had sufficient power, it would significantly increase the success rate of their plan.
The Sam Grand Fleet was caught off guard by the Marines and suffered repeated defeats. Rather than the strategy's success, it was more about the Marines' overwhelming average combat power against the pirates.
"Krieg, take your elite squad and play with those shrimps in the sea. Show them why only our Sam Grand Fleet is the ruler of the East Blue!"
"Yes, sir!"
Krieg removed his upper clothes, revealing explosive muscles akin to a bodybuilding coach. "Boys, follow me to kill the Marines!"
On the other hand, the pirates, who had previously surged like a tide, seemed to have hit a dam and were unable to advance.
Standing at the forefront of the Marines, Hailan had piles of pirate corpses at his feet. His steel sword was stained red, making him look like a god of death, holding off countless enemies alone. The soldiers behind him quickly eliminated any pirates who tried to bypass him. None succeeded in breaking through the Marines' lines.
Behind the pirates, the "Treasure Hunter" Mad Treasure watched the growing pile of corpses at the Marines' defensive line with increasing excitement.
Mad Treasure was powerful—the most powerful pirate in East Blue with a bounty to his name. But as he claimed, he was a treasure hunter driven by interest. He sought not the treasure itself but the thrill of finding it, and this madman was willing to risk his life for that thrill.
To Mad Treasure, defeating Hailan, destroying the Marines, and seizing the treasure on the passenger ship was a treasure hunt.
"Lord Treasure, aren't you going to act yet?" Fisher, one of Sam's elite squad leaders, asked, his forehead covered in sweat as more pirates fell.
"Just wait a bit longer," Mad Treasure laughed strangely. "I'll challenge that Marine Major once his eyes are bloodshot from killing."
With Krieg's resistance, Lieutenant Bellemere's assault team encountered significant obstacles. Gradually, the remaining pirate ships of Sam's Grand Fleet approached the harbor, with more pirates desperately swimming toward the shore.
On the flagship, Admiral Sam turned to Eric the Whirlwind, "Mercenary brat, my men are dying left and right. Are you still not going to act?"
Eric spoke in a bizarre, creepy voice, "Oh, you're so annoying. Looks like I'll have to take action."
Eric extended his index and middle fingers, which were long and slender, with fingernails that were grown out like old ornaments. He was a Scythe-Scythe Fruit user, able to create wind blades that could cut through enemies like a low-tier swordsman's sword energy.
Scythe. Air Slash!
Without warning, a sharp wind blade slashed at Admiral Sam, sitting on his throne. The throne was instantly cut into three pieces, but when the wind blade hit Sam's golden armor, it only produced a crisp "ding."
"Mercenary brat... do you want to die?" Admiral Sam's voice was filled with extreme anger. He had never trusted Captain Roy, but he didn't expect Roy to attack at this moment. If he died, what would happen to those Marines in Loguetown? Would Roy send his fleet to wipe them out? Wasn't he afraid of being hunted by the Marine Headquarters?
"Impressive; East Blue's golden armor can even withstand my wind slash." Eric quickly created distance after his sneak attack failed. As Sam roared, Eric released another wind blade, but this time, it targeted Sam's squad leader, Schroeder. Schroeder tried to block with his sword, but his entire arm and weapon were sliced off.
Boom!
Krieg, wearing golden armor, leaped at Eric, but Eric dodged, causing Krieg to smash into the deck instead. "No more playing around!" Eric grabbed two boxes of Berries and jumped into the sea. Although a Devil Fruit user, he could quickly drift on wooden planks using his fruit's power. He also sliced the flagship's mast on his way out.
"Artillerymen, blow that plank to bits! I want him dead!" Sam roared.
"Admiral, bad news!" a pirate yelled.
"What now?"
"A-a-a-a... a fleet!"
"A fleet?!" Sam grabbed the pirate's telescope, but he didn't need it. Even with the naked eye, he could see countless warships on the distant sea. Captain Nelson Roy's 20 warships and 3000 soldiers were fully deployed!
Neither the Marines of Loguetown nor Sam's Grand Fleet were meant to survive. At the same time, on the island, standing opposite Hailan was no longer a ragtag group of pirates but the strongest pirate in the East Blue, "Treasure Hunter" Mad Treasure!
Seeing the face identical to the one on the wanted poster, Hailan asked, "Mad Treasure, if you didn't come to me, even I couldn't find your whereabouts. Have you given up on life?"
Mad Treasure laughed strangely, "Wealth? Fame? Power? The Pirate King has all these, but I'm not interested! All I want is the thrill and excitement of treasure hunting! And I'm not a pirate! I'm a treasure hunter!"
Mad Treasure's shamelessness amused Hailan. "Yes, yes, you kill, you burn, you rob, you commit all sorts of crimes... but you're not a pirate, you're just a treasure hunter!"