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"What? They still dare to approach?" Rockwell felt a surge of anger, his voice rising a notch before he glanced at the sleeping Arthur and suppressed his rage.
He had chosen to have the helmsman steer clear specifically to avoid leaving a bad impression on Arthur, yet the other side still dared to deliver themselves to his doorstep.
Having dominated the Underground World's slave trade for over a decade and controlling nearly all slave trafficking in the North Blue, he was a kingpin in his own right. Except when in front of Arthur or someone of equal status, he always had a violent temper!
"The Cook Pirates. Their captain seems to be someone called 'Red-Leg' Zeff. His kicking techniques are astonishing, and he's quite famous in the Grand Line!" Rockwell recalled the intelligence on various pirates in the Grand Line and the New World, then ordered his combatants, who were already sharpening their blades.
"Send someone over to negotiate. Passing by peacefully is best for everyone. If they disturb Lord Arthur's rest... kill them all!"
Rockwell spoke in a low voice, but his killing intent was palpable. His eyes flashed with a cold, metallic sheen, and his thick arms instantly transformed into hard steel. Not only that, but the steel began to emit high heat, glowing red like a branding iron in a forge.
The Steel-Steel Fruit (Iron-Iron Fruit)!
When Rockwell collaborated with Doflamingo, he heard that Arthur was collecting Devil Fruits. Over the years, he actively sought them out and presented a total of nine fruits.
He himself only trained in Taijutsu (physical arts) and Armament Haki, saving the Devil Fruits to give to Arthur.
A few days ago, Arthur tested Rockwell's strength and found that while he was strong enough to thrive in the Grand Line and even the New World, his potential had plateaued. It would be difficult for him to improve further, and he lacked suppressive power.
So, Arthur selected one of the nine gifted fruits that matched him well and had him eat it. This not only enhanced his strength but also made him comparable to captains like Vasco Shot and Avalo Pizarro.
The Steel-Steel Fruit was simply perfect for a pirate specializing in Armament Haki and Taijutsu. Rockwell was a head shorter than Arthur, but his muscles bulged like a great black bear, and his physical skills were excellent. This fruit suited him perfectly.
It not only gave him indestructible defense but also significantly amplified his Taijutsu. The red-hot iron blocks added burning damage, increasing his attack power several times over.
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The crew member Rockwell sent to negotiate took a small boat and successfully made contact with the Cook Pirates!
However, the Zeff of this moment had not yet experienced the crucial transformation that would lead him to abandon piracy. Currently, he roamed the Grand Line with a cruel and ruthless nature. He trampled on countless pirate lives, dyeing his entire leg red with blood—hence the name "Red-Leg" Zeff.
With his cold and merciless temperament, he was impossible to negotiate with. The talks collapsed instantly, and Rockwell's messenger was kicked directly into the sea!
Rockwell, watching through a telescope from his ship, saw this clearly and was instantly furious.
Dozens of combatants around him also surged with anger, looking ready to kill...
"Captain... let's go over and kill them!"
"A small-time pirate crew like that dares to provoke us?"
"Let's board them!"
The crew members could bear it no longer. They were now members of the Thunder God Pirates—couldn't these fools recognize the obvious mark on their Jolly Roger?
"It's too late!" Rockwell shouted in a low voice, his eyes widening like copper bells. "It's over. Those bastards... they're trying to ram us!"
Ramming them wasn't the main issue. But if the impact woke up the person sleeping... All the pirates on deck involuntarily looked toward Arthur, who was sound asleep nearby.
Perhaps due to extreme mental exhaustion, or simply the boldness that comes with immense skill, he slept like the dead. He seemed completely unguarded against them, as if he had no fear that someone might suddenly stab him. He was completely immersed in slumber.
If he were woken up...
They recalled the terrifying scene from ten or fifteen days ago: lightning piercing the sky, storm clouds blotting out the sun, and endless bolts raining down as if to destroy the world. An entire nest of Sea Kings on the ocean floor had been electrocuted into charcoal. They involuntarily shuddered.
The Cook Pirates' ship was getting closer. Rockwell's crew wanted to stop them but were terrified of making noise and waking Arthur. For a moment, they were paralyzed, not even daring to fire the ship's cannons. They could only watch helplessly as the enemy ship slammed into theirs.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Because they were sailing against the wind while the enemy had the wind at their backs, the massive ship rocked violently upon impact. The lounge chair tipped over, and Arthur, sleeping like a corpse, crashed onto the deck.
Struggling to steady themselves on the tilting deck, Rockwell and his crew didn't even have time to be angry. Cold sweat poured down their faces as they huddled together for safety, holding their breath as they watched Arthur's eyelids begin to twitch.
"Rockwell Pirates? Where did you lot crawl out from, daring to tell my Cook Pirates to move aside?"
Someone shouted at the top of their lungs, but Rockwell and his men didn't react to the arrogant voice. They stood frozen together, bracing themselves like children about to be scolded.
Clatter—Clatter—
Iron chains were thrown from the Cook Pirates' ship, linking the two vessels.
Pirates wielding swords and guns jumped onto the chains, shouting excitedly as they charged over!
"Bwahahahaha! Look at these Rockwell Pirates! They're scared stiff by us Cook Pirates!!"
"Have you heard the great name of Captain 'Red-Leg' Zeff?!"
They raised their long swords, looking at Rockwell's crew like lambs to the slaughter, welcoming their captain who followed behind—a tall, robust man with somewhat messy blonde hair and a braided mustache—Zeff!
"Those idiots!"
"We're doomed... Lord Arthur is awake!"
Ignoring the suicidal fools entirely, every member of the Rockwell Pirates looked as if the sky were falling.
Under their terrified gazes, the sleeping Arthur on the ground reached out, grabbed the wide-brimmed hat covering half his face, and revealed a complexion as dark as thunderclouds. His open eyes were bloodshot and utterly haggard.
"Rockwell, what is going on?" His tone was calm, without a ripple of emotion, yet the oppressive pressure was suffocating.
"Lord Arthur, these fools..."
"Kill them... No!" Arthur cut off Rockwell's explanation. He was so tired he didn't even have the strength to lift a finger, but every word he spoke was stifling.
"Capture them alive!"
The surgically altered Devil Fruits were just lacking a batch of experimental subjects. Since they had delivered themselves to his door, wasn't that even better? He could start immediately after he woke up.
He had originally planned to fly back to the Thunder God Pirates to conduct the experiments, but now it seemed that wasn't necessary.
Having casually issued the order, Arthur didn't even want to stand up. Ignoring the dumbfounded pirates, he lay directly on the deck, covered his face with his hat, and fell back into a deep sleep!
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