"That's right, I'm just a treasure hunter!" Whether he believed Hailan's words or didn't care about the sarcasm, Mad Treasure grinned and attacked Hailan.
Mad Treasure was a Paramecia-type "Chain-Chain Fruit" user, capable of instantly generating chains from any part of his body and manipulating them as if they were his limbs. With a strange laugh, chains sprouted from Mad Treasure's hands like octopus tentacles, flying straight toward Hailan.
With a thought, the chains altered their direction like living snakes, aiming to strike Hailan from behind. "Come on, Major, let me see how strong a Marine from the Grand Line headquarters really is!" Simultaneously, another chain coiled around Hailan, ready to constrict and crush him.
Originally, Hailan planned to draw out the true mastermind by crushing Sam's Grand Fleet. However, an unexpected wildcard appeared—a treasure hunter. "Your appearance wasn't part of my plan, but since you're here, don't think you can leave at will!"
Soru!
Hailan's figure vanished, leaving only a residual image. Mad Treasure's chains ensnared nothing but air. Geppo! Leaping into the sky, Hailan propelled himself forward, hurtling toward Mad Treasure like a cannonball.
"Now that's more like it. The Marines in the East Blue are so weak that I don't even bother attacking their bases!" Mad Treasure didn't retract his initial chains but instead severed them. He raised his hands skyward, new chains bursting from his palms, striking like venomous snakes at the airborne Hailan.
At this moment, Hailan's body went limp, drifting like a piece of paper in the wind. The airflow from the chains brushed against him, but Mad Treasure couldn't touch him no matter how hard he tried.
Kami-e! (Paper Art)
This technique allowed the user to make their body as light as paper, evading all attacks by reading the air currents generated by the opponent's movements. With the system's enhanced "Perception" and "Calculation" abilities, Hailan mastered this technique to perfection. Thanks to "Perception," he quickly detected air currents. Thanks to "Calculation," he could subtly adjust his movements to use the enemy's attacks to his advantage.
Ding!
Hailan's sword slashed toward Mad Treasure's neck but was intercepted by Mad Treasure's chain-wrapped fist. As Mad Treasure prepared to counterattack, his vision dimmed, and he felt a searing pain in his left eye as if someone were gouging out his brain with a dagger.
Shigan: Tobu Shigan! (Flying Finger Pistol)
The air bullet, more lethal than a regular bullet, pierced Mad Treasure's left eye. The headquarters' Major incapacitated the strongest pirate in the East Blue in a single exchange. Fortunately, the "Flying Finger Pistol" was not a real bullet, leaving no physical remains in his eye socket.
"Arrghhh!" Mad Treasure went berserk, wildly unleashing his Devil Fruit powers. Countless chains erupted from his body, creating a metal storm blocking Hailan's next move.
In the rear, soldiers stared in awe. "Did you see that, Lieutenant? What moves did the Major use just now?"
To them, the fight between Hailan and Mad Treasure was a blur of lightning-fast actions. Before they knew it, the pirate was already half-blinded.
Wagner's eyes gleamed with excitement. "I couldn't see clearly either, but I guess the Major used Soru, Geppo, and Kami-e. I never imagined mastering the Rokushiki (Six Powers) would be this powerful. I must follow Major Hailan to the headquarters for further training!"
On the pirates' side, Fisher, one of Sam's elite squad leaders, watched in shock. "Mad Treasure is done for... can we even win this?"
"Wait, what's that?" Fisher spotted a massive fleet on the horizon. "Is Roy planning a double-cross? Everyone, follow my lead and support Lord Sam!"
"Hu... hu..." Mad Treasure panted, surrounded by his chain storm. Even Hailan couldn't approach easily, and the Marines' gunfire couldn't penetrate his defense. Yet, Mad Treasure wasn't exhausted; he was in agony from his injured eye.
"Damn Marine, don't you have any honor? Are all Marines just cowards who exploit others' weaknesses? What kind of justice is that?" Mad Treasure, a madman, could accept dying in battle against a stronger foe. But to be crippled in one round by a dirty trick enraged him.
"This isn't fair!"
"Fair?" Hailan smirked. "This is war, a fight to the death, not a duel in an arena. And you're talking about fairness? When you killed those defenseless civilians, did you talk about fairness?"
"Morality and fairness exist to limit the strong and protect the weak. Many people are good at turning power issues into moral debates because most people can't talk about strength but are great at talking about morality."
"If you think it's unfair, then get stronger! When you become the one benefiting from this unfairness, I bet you'll love it!"
Boom!
The cannons on the warships finally bombarded the island, raising clouds of dust and debris. With their forces divided, the remaining strength of Sam's Grand Fleet was no match for Roy's fleet. With Bellemere's squad's sabotage, fewer than ten pirate ships remained. The pirates were like ants before twenty well-coordinated warships. Sam's flagship seized the chance to flee.
Through his telescope, Roy grinned at the island being bombarded. "Captain Hoffman, as long as you're with me, we can issue a Buster Call anytime!"