Witnessing Bai Ye effortlessly defeat the 'Seraphim,' Kong Kong turned his gaze to the deck behind him.
Time seemed to pause.
Standing on the deck was a group of ten special forces operatives, divided into two teams. Each one exuded an aura of immense power. These were ten elite warriors, each eager for an "opportunity" promised by the World Government.
One of the long-armed men stepped forward and said playfully, "Marshal Kong, I heard all we need to do is participate in this battle? And if we manage to eliminate that sinner over there who dares to threaten the World Government, the person who lands the killing blow will be promoted to Marine Admiral, correct?"
"Yes," Kong Kong responded coldly. "This is your chance to make a name for yourselves. Do not disappoint the expectations of the World Government."
"Hey, old man, no need to worry! That position of Marine Admiral… it's mine to claim!"
The speaker was a hunchbacked middle-aged man with short blond hair. He was already wearing a Marine cloak, his eyes glinting with ambition. Without hesitation, he launched himself violently toward Bai Ye.
"Such a terrifying monster," he muttered to himself. "The World Government must be desperate to offer such a generous reward. But no matter how powerful you are, my Stun-Stun Fruit ability will make you kneel!"
As he spoke, the hunchbacked man crossed his fingers, emitting a yellow, dizzying light from them.
At the same time, the rest of the operatives grew furious.
"Hey, you b*****d!" one of them shouted. "You're trying to steal all the credit!"
"Stop right there!" yelled another. "The position of Marine Admiral belongs to me!"
In an instant, chaos erupted. The operatives, unwilling to let someone else claim the prize, began fighting amongst themselves.
Meanwhile, the hunchbacked man's yellow light reached Bai Ye first. The dazzling light enveloped Bai Ye entirely, and for a moment, Bai Ye felt a strange sensation of disorientation.
"The power of Devil Fruits… truly fascinating," Bai Ye thought. Despite his senses being disrupted, he remained composed.
"However," Bai Ye said, raising his head to look at the hunchbacked man, "if this is all you've got…"
The hunchbacked man, seeing that Bai Ye was seemingly affected, was overjoyed. He drew a short sword from his waist and charged at Bai Ye's neck.
"Hahaha! The head of this criminal is mine! The position of Marine Admiral is as good as mine!" he exclaimed. "You're completely disoriented now. Prepare to die!"
But just as the hunchbacked man closed in, a powerful slash emanated from Bai Ye's blade. The man's pupils dilated in shock as blood splattered, and he was sent flying backward, a deep wound tearing through his chest.
"If this is all you can muster," Bai Ye said indifferently, "you're far too weak."
The rest of the operatives breathed a sigh of relief. One of them, a muscular man with suspenders and wielding two double axes, stepped forward.
"Hahaha! That fool was too impatient," he laughed. Then, his expression hardened. "This head belongs to me, Lord Drey!"
Drey began spinning his body at high speed, creating a waterspout that rose from the sea and spiraled toward Bai Ye. The intention was clear: if Bai Ye was a Devil Fruit user, he would be at a disadvantage in the water.
"This is my chance to win," Drey thought.
But Bai Ye's expression showed nothing but disdain. As Drey's waterspout approached, Bai Ye stepped forward, his muscles rippling under his robe. Clenching his right fist, he punched forward with immense force.
The impact was instantaneous. The sea beneath Bai Ye's feet erupted, and the waterspout was obliterated. The shockwave hit Drey directly, crushing his chest and sending him flying. Blood spurted from his mouth as he crashed into the sea, unconscious.
The remaining operatives froze in terror.
"He's far stronger than I expected…" one murmured.
"And he's not even afraid of the sea. Could he not be a Devil Fruit user after all?" another speculated.
Suddenly, a high-pitched sonic wave cut through the air, heading straight for Bai Ye. The source was a long-armed man in a blue suit, the same one who had questioned Kong earlier.
"This is my chance!" the long-armed man thought gleefully. "No matter how strong he is on the outside, his internal organs can't be invincible. My Sonic-Sonic Fruit will tear him apart from the inside!"
The sonic wave closed in on Bai Ye, but he remained calm. Raising a single finger, he chanted, "The Fourth of Hadō… Byakurai!"
A beam of blue-white lightning shot from Bai Ye's fingertip, obliterating the sonic wave and striking the long-armed man. The explosion of lightning lit up the sea, and when it subsided, the long-armed man was left charred and lifeless.
The remaining seven operatives stood frozen in shock, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
"Lightning?!" one of them stammered. "Wasn't his power supposed to be fire-based?"
Even Kong Kong's expression shifted uneasily. Meanwhile, Bai Ye's gaze fell on the remaining operatives. He noticed a familiar figure in the distance—the future Marine Admiral Green Bull.
Bai Ye turned back to the operatives and spoke coldly, "If you're going to attack, come at me all at once."
His words snapped them back to reality, but fear and hesitation clouded their minds. None dared to take another step forward.