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Marco shook his head, wanting to act low-key by simultaneously slaying most of the members of the Blackbeard Pirates, sharply reducing the enemy's strength while also improving his own. His ultimate goal was to confront Blackbeard and defeat him. However, he was taken aback to see that this damned Akainu had issued a new bounty order so quickly—a staggering reward of 1.5 billion!
With the release of this bounty order, Marco feared it would attract the attention of many people.
A bounty of 1,555 million Berries!
He worried it might make him the most wanted man in the world!
Marco couldn't help but think that this bounty order was possibly Akainu's calculated move to draw attention back to himself. Akainu seemed to want to use the bounty to create a focus on him, prompting all enemies to think about eliminating Marco as soon as possible.
"Akainu… I'm not trying to provoke you; you're the one playing tricks on me!"
Marco understood that this bounty order was a strategy from Akainu, who wanted to turn all the enemies of the Whitebeard Pirates against him.
It appeared now that his list of enemies had expanded.
The Beasts Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, the Blackbeard Pirates, and the Navy Headquarters, led by Akainu—these had all become adversaries!
"Fine! Since Akainu wants to play this way, then I might as well calculate my next steps and save myself the trouble of searching for enemies!"
An idea struck Marco as he thought it over. Wouldn't it save him time if his enemies came to him instead?
"I have to accelerate the improvement of my strength so that even if Akainu, Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, or even Blackbeard himself come after me, I won't be afraid!"
With that, Marco's resolve strengthened.
"Lord Marco, we will soon reach our destination!"
A slave girl approached with a report. After witnessing Marco's fierce actions against their enemies, her gaze gradually shifted from simple respect to profound admiration.
"How long until we arrive?" Marco asked.
"In half a day, we will reach the destination," she replied.
"Okay, I understand. Go back and tell everyone that once we arrive on the island, their mission will be completed, and they will be free again; they will no longer be my slaves."
Marco spoke plainly, unsure if the enemies at this destination were just the two sub-captains of the Blackbeard Pirates. If there were other foes, he worried that these female slaves might hinder him.
The easiest solution was to free them. What would happen to them afterward? That wasn't his concern. He already considered it benevolent and righteous to buy them out and liberate them.
"Huh?!"
The slave girl looked dazed and surprised. Clearly, she didn't expect Marco to let them go so easily. In her mind, slave owners either worked their slaves to death or sold them off.
"Get out."
Marco waved his hand, signaling for her to leave.
"Thank you, Lord Marco!"
The slave girl quickly bowed and sincerely expressed her gratitude, retreating cautiously after her words.
As she left, the sun shone brightly, the sea breeze flowed gently, and the azure waves sparkled. Occasionally, pirate ships sailed by, creating ripples, while sea fish leaped against the waves, painting the scene with a picturesque beauty.
However, the world knew that beneath this seemingly calm sea lurked countless dangers, always ready to strike.
...
On Stanselt Island.
"X. Knox!"
Someone on a street gasped, recognizing a pirate who had just appeared before him. This outcry caught the attention of many pirates around.
"It's really X. Knox! The man with a bounty of 500 million! What's he doing on this island?"
"Did you hear? He single-handedly destroyed more than a dozen Navy warships?!"
"Rumor has it he's not just physically formidable but also possesses a powerful superhuman Devil Fruit ability!"
All eyes were on a towering figure with a muscular, bare upper body, resembling a dragon and standing an impressive five to six meters tall.
"You're X. Knox?"
Two figures approached him. One had horns on his head and thick blue hair, while the other had an exaggerated upper body but a surprisingly short lower body, with long purple hair cascading down his back.
The two confronted the notorious pirate, blocking his path.
"Oooo! Does someone want my head to collect the world government's ridiculous bounty?!" X. Knox, unafraid despite being stopped by unknown pirates, laughed thunderously, "Two… I advise you… I can kill!!!"
Rumble!
As soon as he finished speaking, X. Knox launched an attack, his massive body charging like a wild beast toward Abaro Pizarro. The ground shook violently with his movement!
"A man worthy of a 500 million bounty is truly fierce! He attacks before he even finishes speaking!"
"What terrifying power!"
Many pirates on the street instinctively stepped back, unable to tear their eyes away from the ensuing battle!
But in the next instant, everyone was left in stunned silence!
They saw the imposing X. Knox charge forward only to be struck down by Abaro Pizarro's punch. Boom! He was smashed through building after building, and when everyone looked again, they found X. Knox collapsed in the ruins, unable to rise!
His chest bore a gaping wound, seemingly drilled by a massive implement, and blood gushed forth heavily.
"Shhh!"
A collective gasp echoed through the crowd.
"The pirate with a bounty of 500 million, X. Knox… taken out in seconds!"
At that moment, everyone recognized the terrifying prowess of Abaro Pizarro's drill-like fists!
Burgess grinned, "Vehahahaha, you killed him with one punch, right?!"
"I can't die; I barely used half my strength." Abaro Pizarro casually shook his full blue hair, sounding almost lazy. "Save the rest for you! Drag him away!"
"That's fair! Waihahahaha!"
Burgess chuckled as he nonchalantly grabbed the incapacitated X. Knox, dragging him along like a hunter with his quarry. The distant pirates turned pale in fright and quickly retreated.
He casually spoke to Abaro Pizarro, "I heard the latest news about Marco."
"I've seen the bounty order—he now has a reward of 1.5 billion!"
Abaro Pizarro expressed his dissatisfaction, "The captain abandoned hunting them to pursue those more capable of being hunted, but I didn't expect that in just one month, the seriously injured and escaped Marco would dare to show his face!"
"It's a bounty of 1.555 billion!" Burgess dragged the fallen pirate, chuckling as he said, "After all, he has the ability of an Immortal Phoenix—a mythical Zoan. It makes sense that he could recover from serious injuries. Waihahahaha! I really look forward to the day I can deprive him of his ability!"
"That's an ability rarer than the logia type!"
Even Abaro Pizarro, a noteworthy inmate who had escaped the sixth layer of Impel Down, couldn't hide his enthusiasm at the thought of taking Marco's ability for himself.
"You guys… I'm afraid there won't be such an opportunity." A flat voice filled with menace suddenly interrupted, "Because… you will not leave here alive."
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