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Before they could act, the pirate ships had already begun moving closer at a rapid pace.
It seemed the pirates had the same idea as them, they didn't want to destroy the ship by shooting it to pieces, as that would diminish its value.
The pirates took advantage of their numbers, and many were already on the deck, shaking their heads and shouting.
As the distance closed, dozens of guards immediately jumped into the air, using Geppo (Moonwalk) to fly quickly toward the pirates.
However, instead of panicking, the pirates calmly began preparing their cannons to attack.
Anos observed all of this. These pirates were clearly not like the Barlow Pirates he had encountered before. They appeared to be well-trained and battle-hardened.
On the largest ship, a man dressed in a black robe and a black hat, reminiscent of a Western cowboy, stood quietly at the bow. He calmly watched the guards approaching from the air.
Anos sensed that this individual might not be as simple as he appeared. His calm expression didn't seem to stem from the size of his crew.
"Have you identified all the pirates with bounties that I asked you to find earlier?" Anos asked Suzu beside him.
"We have, Your Majesty. The group across from us is known as the Devil Pirates, and their captain is Camolong. He's supposed to be on the Grand Line. I'm not sure why he's here," Suzu reported.
"Devil Pirates? What's the bounty on them?" Anos inquired.
"Your Majesty, Camolong's bounty is..." Suzu started, scanning the bounty posters in her hand. After a moment, she found it. "The bounty is 50 million Beris!"
Suzu could hardly believe it. In this era of pirates, a bounty of 50 million Beris was considered extremely high.
It wasn't like in the past when pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million were common.
Now, even pirates with bounties over 10 million were considered major threats.
Anos looked ahead with interest. He wasn't in a rush to take action, he had no concerns about his guards being easily subdued.
If Camolong had a bounty of 50 million, it was almost certain that he was a Devil Fruit user. But why would someone from the Grand Line show up here?
With questions in mind, Anos maintained his calm. The soldiers using Geppo continued their advance, unfazed by the projectiles heading their way.
"Captain, their techniques resemble those of the Marine. Could they be connected to the Marines?" asked a vulgar-looking man with long hair, stepping out from behind Camolong and respectfully addressing him.
"Let's wait and see. They don't seem like Marines, but they're probably connected to them. Just a bunch of pests. Nothing to worry about," Camolong replied with a dismissive smile.
Camolong's long-haired crewmate grinned sinisterly, eyeing the approaching guards with malicious intent.
Meanwhile, Anos used his observation skills to sense something unusual on the pirate ship a strong energy presence.
It was difficult to determine Camolong's exact intentions or why he had come to the East Blue.
"You stay on the ship. I'll go over and take a look," Anos said, smiling as he disappeared from the deck of the Tempest.
In an instant, Anos was speeding across the water, heading straight for Camolong's ship.
But just as he arrived on the pirate ship, a massive blade came slashing at him.
Fortunately, Anos reacted quickly, leaping back twice to avoid Camolong's first strike.
"Heh, didn't expect someone this strong?" Camolong smirked as he stared at Anos, gripping his large sword tightly.
From the power of that strike, Anos estimated that Camolong was at least as strong as a Vice Admiral.
"Is it supposed to be an honour to be called strong by a pirate? A 50 million Beris bounty is quite a bit of money. I wonder, would you be willing to follow me to the Marine Headquarters?" Anos asked with a grin.
"Haha! You're ridiculous. If you want to take me to Marine Headquarters, you'll have to show me your strength first. If you can prove yourself, then sure, I'll go with you!" Camolong sneered, showing no signs of worry.
"Let's see then!" Anos responded.
The two locked eyes, each sizing the other up. The rest of the pirate crew watched the scene unfold from hidden positions, curious about the upcoming battle.
Camolong remained calm, seemingly confident in his victory.
"For years, no one has dared to challenge me. You're the first. I've been chasing power on these seas, so show me what you've got!" Camolong said with a sinister grin.
As soon as he finished speaking, his massive blade came crashing down again. The force of the attack tore a long gash through the deck.
Though Anos dodged the attack, he was slightly distressed. He felt the ship should be his, and seeing it damaged like this annoyed him.
Despite Camolong's strength, Anos did not draw the demon sword Muramasa. Instead, he decided to rely on his fists and kicks to test the pirate's true power.
He charged forward, using his Rokushiki. As he approached, Anos shouted, "Finger Pistol!"
His finger shot toward Camolong, aiming straight for his chest.
Sensing the danger, Camolong retreated, parrying the attack with his blade. The basic Finger Pistol technique, though powerful, was meant more as a probing strike.
As his first attack failed, Anos quickly pulled back. Camolong responded by launching a barrage of small spikes from his body.
Anos narrowly avoided being pierced by the spikes.
The spikes weren't ordinary they carried a hallucinogenic effect. As they grazed Anos, he felt his energy drain, and his vision blurred.
"Hahaha! You knew my bounty, but you didn't research who I am? I'm a Stinger Fruit user from the Paramecia class. The spikes I shoot out also cause hallucinations!" Camolong laughed.
'Is he truly that foolish, or just blinded by arrogance?' Anos wondered, his eyes narrowing as his opponent recklessly unveiled his abilities in the heat of battle.
This battle highlighted his lack of experience. Although he had immense power, his combat skills needed refining.
Realizing his mistake, Anos summoned every ounce of his remaining strength and unsheathed Muramasa.
Instantly, a fierce, cutting aura surged across the sea, commanding the very air to tremble in its wake.
"Slash!"
In a blink, Anos disappeared, leaving no trace behind. A powerful slash followed, nearly splitting the entire ship in half.
But Anos wasn't aiming to kill Camolong. He knew that as a Devil Fruit user, Camolong wouldn't go down with just one hit.
Instead, Anos chose to destroy the ship, knowing Camolong would be forced to retreat to avoid falling into the sea.
As Anos landed back in the water, the spikes on his body dissolved in the seawater. Slowly, he swam back to the surface.
Luckily, Anos hadn't eaten a Devil Fruit, or he wouldn't have made it.
Lying on the debris of the destroyed ship, Anos panted heavily, watching as pirates floundered in the water.
Camolong stood on another ship, glaring at Anos with anger. He hadn't expected such a powerful attack.
Meanwhile, the guards who had been advancing earlier had all retreated, sensing there was no point in continuing.
There were too many pirates to engage in a direct confrontation, and Camolong's full strength remained unknown.
Anos, now lying on a plank, looked at Camolong with a smile.
Back on the Tempest, Anos gave no further orders to pursue the fight. Suzu, standing beside him, looked concerned for her king.
"Prepare to leave," Anos ordered calmly.
"Yes, Your Majesty..." Suzu replied, signalling to Barlow to set sail.
Barlow, standing at the bow, turned and shouted, "Raise the sails! Set course!"
As the crew hurried to prepare, the pirates on Camolong's side refrained from attacking again.
Camolong now understood that Anos still had plenty of strength left, despite the damage dealt to him.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Suzu asked worriedly.
As the distance between them and the pirates increased, Anos finally collapsed on the deck, unconscious.
Though the seawater had lessened the effects of Camolong's attack, the toxins were still in his body.
Despite the retreat, Suzu and the crew were relieved the pirates hadn't pursued them.
What they didn't know was that Camolong's crew wasn't interested in the minor treasures on the Tempest.
Camolong was more concerned with something hidden beneath the waters.
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