"Brian…"
Mary's face was full of worry, but there was nothing she could do.
She had followed Brian here, hoping the situation wouldn't escalate, but things didn't turn out that way after all…
At that moment, Mary felt a tug on her clothes.
She turned around and saw a boy with short black hair, cute and innocent-looking, smiling at her from behind.
Mary's eyes widened. "Ron?!"
"It's me, Aunt Mary."
"What are you doing here? This place is dangerous! Go back immediately!" Mary said anxiously.
"Don't worry, Aunt Mary, I'm actually pretty strong."
Ron smiled at her.
Though his words were true, to Mary, it seemed like a joke.
After all, standing in front of her was just an eight-year-old boy who barely came up to her waist, his small frame not even as thick as the arms of some of these pirates.
"Stop fooling around. This place is dangerous! Get back right now!" Mary said, sternly.
Ron wanted to say more, but when he saw her anxious expression, he held his tongue.
He nodded, "Alright, I understand. I'll head back now."
Hearing this, Mary finally breathed a little easier.
"Good kids listen. Now hurry back."
Ron nodded and jogged down the street.
Only then did Mary turn her focus back to the chaotic battle in the street.
Harris blocked a pirate's iron club with his arm, his expression unchanging, and punched the pirate in the face, smashing his head so hard it caved in.
"Got him!"
A pirate leaped into the air, gripping his sword in both hands, and slashed down at him.
But midair, he was intercepted by Brian with his fish-slicing knife.
The two friends exchanged glances, silently trusting each other as they focused on the enemies before them, watching each other's backs.
"Damn it! How dare you ambush me!"
Samoatti rubbed his swollen face and glared at Harris with murderous intent.
He raised his gun and aimed at Harris.
"Die!"
Mary's pupils shrank as she saw the scene unfold.
Harris caught sight of the danger from the corner of his eye and tried to dodge, but it was too late.
Bang!
Even with Harris's best effort to avoid it, the bullet grazed his arm, tearing his skin.
He gripped his wound tightly, but blood still flowed from it, dripping onto the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, a nearby pirate struck his leg with an iron rod, causing Harris to cry out in pain as he collapsed to one knee.
"Missed, huh…"
Samoatti sneered as he aimed his gun at Harris's head.
"This time, I'll take your life."
"Harris!"
"Harris, big brother!"
Brian and the others tried to rush to Harris's aid, but the pirates kept them locked in combat.
"Kekeke, I'll use your death to send a message to the people of this island. Let them see what happens when they defy Samoatti!"
Samoatti grinned wickedly, tightening his grip on the trigger.
"No… don't…"
Mary, filled with despair, was in tears.
"Time to die."
Bang!
A loud noise echoed, but it wasn't the sound of gunfire. It was more like something heavy hitting the ground.
"Dad, I've come to save you."
A young boy's voice rang out in the middle of the fight.
"That voice…"
Brian and Harris looked up sharply.
What they saw shocked them—Samoatti, the fearsome pirate worth 1.5 million berries, his head completely buried in the ground.
Sitting on top of his buried skull was a small boy with black hair and black eyes.
Brian and Harris stared at the boy, their mouths hanging open, completely dumbfounded. Their jaws practically hit the floor.
"Wha—what… Ron?!"
Mary, who had been sobbing, looked at the small figure in utter disbelief.
How was Ron standing there?
"Captain!"
"Boss!"
The pirates, looking at their leader Samoatti's head buried in the ground, were enraged.
"Damn kid! Get off the boss's head!"
A burly, shirtless pirate with a meaty face and wielding a large sword charged at Ron.
"Watch out!" Mary screamed in panic.
But what happened next left everyone, including Mary, speechless.
The small boy lightly hopped to avoid the pirate's sword slash. In midair, he spun gracefully, delivering a powerful, swift kick to the pirate's neck.
The burly pirate, his vision instantly black, heard a cracking sound from his neck.
Then, this massive pirate, easily over two meters tall and weighing more than 200 kilograms, was sent spinning through the air before crashing to the ground, unconscious and foaming at the mouth.
The entire street fell silent.
The pirates, the townspeople watching, and even Harris, Brian, and Aunt Mary stood there, eyes wide as saucers.
"Wha—What?!!!"