The sheer power, the speed too fast to react!
A furious pirate was kicked back by Beckman, who extinguished his rage with a single, powerful strike. Realizing the vast gap in strength between them, he understood there was no way to win.
A true master!
He glanced around, signaling his remaining comrades to abandon the fallen and make a run for it. In the world of pirates, loyalty meant nothing when survival was at stake.
Seeing the pirate's intent to escape, Luffy reacted quickly, firing off two shots. The bullets tore through the pirate's midsection, making him drop his sword with a scream.
"I just grabbed some supplies from the Marine base," Luffy explained casually, pulling the trigger and taking down another trembling pirate who was still standing. He then calmly cleared out the gunpowder residue from his barrel and reloaded.
Beckman scanned the area. There were still five or six pirates on their feet, and more were pouring in from a distance. In the East Blue, these low-level pirates might not have the best weapons, but they certainly had the numbers.
"Time to go, Luffy. The ruckus you've stirred up won't go unnoticed. Marines from the nearby base are bound to show up soon," Beckman said.
"No rush, Beckman," Luffy replied with a grin. "I already used my Conqueror's Haki back at the Marine base, so they're probably still in chaos themselves. Besides, you showed up too soon. I wanted to test my strength a bit."
"You're really planning on taking down an entire pirate crew by yourself?" Uta exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Remember, Luffy, the impact of Conqueror's Haki is strongest the first time. Using it again will have less effect," Beckman warned.
"I know," Luffy replied, his gaze steady as he looked at the group of pirates before him. "Just stand back and watch, Beckman. The best way to grow stronger is to test yourself in real battles."
Reloading his gun, Luffy took a deep breath, preparing to release another burst of Haki.
"No using Conqueror's Haki!" Uta shouted, clinging to Beckman's neck. "I'll end up fainting, too, you idiot!"
Uta had grown familiar with the subtle shift in Luffy's stance before he unleashed his Haki and had instantly caught on to his intention. She didn't want to black out again, only to wake up somewhere else with no memory of what had happened.
"Alright," Luffy drawled, reluctantly lowering his gun.
"Are you the brat who took down our crew? Kill him!" one of the pirates yelled, brandishing his sword in Luffy's direction.
This was a classic brawl in the making.
"Oh, things are heating up," a pudgy pirate munching on a chicken leg commented, watching the fight erupt in the town square. The nearby shopkeepers were already pulling down their shutters, hoping to keep the bloodshed out of their stores.
Boom!
Luffy lobbed a small black grenade, which exploded with a loud blast, filling the area with smoke. Using the cover, Luffy ducked behind his cart.
The chaotic sounds of footsteps rang out as the injured pirates stumbled out of the smoke, furious.
"There! Get that brat!"
"Forget him, let's cut down the big guy first!"
The pirates, blades raised, moved toward Beckman.
"Whoa now, I'm just an innocent bystander here," Beckman remarked as he effortlessly jumped to a rooftop, looking down on the scene below.
Uta watched as Luffy gripped a long blade from his cart, slashing it across a pirate's neck.
"Just a bunch of small-time pirates who can't even afford guns," Luffy muttered, finishing off another pirate with a quick slash. His blade cut through bone and flesh, snuffing out yet another life. In the East Blue, pirates primarily relied on swords and other melee weapons since guns were a rarity.
"Damn brat!" Another pirate charged at him, and their weapons clashed with a loud metallic clang.
Clang!
Luffy quickly ducked, swung his blade upward, and slashed the pirate's knee. He evaded a downward slash, feeling his heartbeat quicken as adrenaline surged through him.
Another pirate tried to sneak up from behind, slashing at Luffy's shoulder. Although the pain was dulled in the heat of battle, he spun around, slicing the attacker in half.
More and more pirates swarmed him, the air thick with the stench of blood and sweat. Luffy could see their crazed eyes and bared, uneven teeth as they closed in. There was no room left to dodge; he was completely surrounded.
Iron Body!
Luffy braced himself, his muscles tensing as he held his breath.
The pirates' blades struck his skin but couldn't penetrate, as if they were hitting solid steel. The shock of the impact reverberated up their arms, making them stagger.
"What the hell? His skin's like iron!"
"It's not cutting at all!"
The Iron Body technique, one of the Navy's secret arts, stunned the low-level pirates. Luffy's seemingly ordinary body was defending against a barrage of attacks.
Exhaling slowly, Luffy swung his blade in a wide arc, slicing down the surrounding pirates. But the Iron Body technique had its limits; once he moved, he could no longer maintain it, and a blade managed to graze his arm as he turned.
The Iron Body was most effective when holding a fixed stance, serving as a powerful but temporary shield. For now, he settled into another stance, lifting his blade again.
Iron Body!
The remaining pirates, driven mad with rage, plunged their weapons toward him.
"Die, brat! I'll kill you!"
Their blades tore through Luffy's clothes, revealing his solid, muscular frame, his eight-pack glinting under the sun.
"It's useless!" Luf
fy shouted, refocusing himself as he brought his blade down in a powerful, finishing slash.
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