Splash.
Sai landed and looked at the naval battle with a serious expression.
The Komodo Merchant Guild's ships weren't mere armed merchant vessels; they were modified warships. They were uniformly equipped with 18-pound and 24-pound cannons, practically armed to the teeth. The three 32-pound cannons on the main ship, in particular, were capable of blowing a hole straight through anything they hit. The outer steel armor, over a meter thick, couldn't stop them.
The battle at a distance of several hundred meters prevented the Happo Navy's individual fighters from showcasing their power. This was why the Happo Navy was struggling to break through and had already suffered heavy casualties and significant losses to its fleet.
"Aniki, we need to move faster. The longer this drags on, the more Marine reinforcements will arrive," a long-haired man with a skull-like tattoo on his left arm and two war axes on his back rushed over, his voice filled with urgency.
"Damn that Komodo Merchant Guild! How dare they accept our Kano citizens as slaves? I'll never forgive them!" Sai swung his naginata and shouted orders. "All forces, advance! Don't worry about losses! We're going for a boarding attack!"
After giving the command, Sai pulled Boo aside. "Go tell Grandpa to get ready!"
"Got it!" Boo nodded and left.
Meanwhile, on the main ship of the Komodo Merchant Guild's fleet.
"Don't spare any cannonballs! Fire them all! I've already contacted Marine Headquarters, and they've dispatched a VIP to rescue us!" a middle-aged man with fair skin, light red hair, sunglasses, and a white suit shouted through a megaphone. In his right hand, he held an exquisite ivory flintlock pistol, which he waved frantically to give orders.
This was Dadanis Parodi, President and Director of the Komodo Merchant Guild.
"Parodi-san, the Happo Navy's ships are closing in! They want to board us!" At that moment, a large man in a brown coat ran over, his long scar on the right side of his face twisting like a centipede from his panicked expression, making him look terrifying.
This was Golaru, Chief of the Komodo Merchant Guild's fleet guard.
"What?!" Parodi exclaimed, quickly raising his binoculars to look into the distance.
He was right. In the view of his binoculars, five of the Happo Navy's warships were advancing rapidly, ignoring the cannon fire and taking heavy damage to close the gap.
"Golaru, you're the Chief of the Guard. You're in charge of everyone now! You have to hold them back!" Parodi knew he was a master of business but was useless in a fight, so he decisively handed command over to his Chief of Guard.
"Alright, Parodi-san," Golaru replied. "Have the four armed merchant ships, including the main one, line up and cover our retreat. We'll fight while we fall back. Then, have the remaining three transport ships lead the way and head for Stormy Island at full speed. There's a Marine branch there. While their strength isn't much, their defensive fortifications are excellent." Golaru gave a series of commands before hyping up his crew. "As long as we can stall for time, hold out until the Marine reinforcements arrive, and keep our goods safe, it will be a victory!"
Following Golaru's plan, the Komodo Merchant Guild's armed ships changed formation. The ships lined up and used their powerful cannons to create a dense net of fire, blocking the Happo Navy's advance.
"Hasshoken!"
Boom, boom, boom, boom...
Suddenly, with a bellow, a hulking, hunched-over old man leaped into the air. His beard flew in the wind, and his face was like that of a demon. Rings of expanding shockwaves burst from his fists and feet, instantly detonating a thousand cannonballs mid-air.
Plop!
Then, the old man plunged into the sea and swam swiftly toward the merchant ships.
"Oh, my God! How is that possible?"
"Th-that's... Chinjao! The 12th generation leader of the Happo Navy!"
"It's the great pirate with a bounty over 500 million berries, Chinjao the Drill!"
"Quick! Fire the cannons! Fire the guns! Stop him!"
"Damn it! Didn't he retire? Stop him, or we'll all die!"
Many veteran crew members on the Komodo Merchant Guild's ships recognized Chinjao. When his 500 million berry bounty was revealed, a wave of panic swept through the security detail.
Some turned and fled, while others fired their guns like madmen. Some panicking gunners even loaded multiple cannonballs into a single cannon, causing it to backfire. The massive explosion not only affected the surrounding ten-meter radius but also blew a hole in the ship.
"Hasshoken: Head-Arms!"
Suddenly, the surface of the sea exploded. A massive black figure shot out, creating a piercing sonic boom as it slammed into the outer steel armor of one of the Komodo Merchant Guild's armed merchant ships.
Rumble!
Like a clap of thunder, the steel armor was instantly torn apart. The entire ship lurched and tilted backward as the massive black figure tore a massive hole through its right side, piercing the deck and appearing before everyone.
"You damned little brats! Your level of cruelty is almost on par with Garp's!" Chinjao's beard billowed in the air, his face was like a demon's, and he snarled at the Komodo Merchant Guild's guards on the deck, his terrifying aura intimidating them to the core.
"We're... we're finished!"
"We're all going to die!"
Under Chinjao's horrifying aura, many of the crew and guards were scared out of their wits.
"Fire! Fire! Kill him!"
"If we kill him, we can live!"
"So what if he's a great pirate? He's just an old man now! We can overwhelm him!"
However, a few were unwilling to die and decided to fight back.
Bang, bang, bang, bang...
Gunfire erupted. The pungent smell of gunpowder quickly filled the ship as countless hot bullets rained down on Chinjao.
"Get lost!"
Chinjao roared. He didn't evade the barrage of bullets. His body, wrapped in an invisible Haki, charged forward.
Thump, thump, thump, thump...
Dozens of crew members and guards who had been holding guns were struck by an invisible force. Their bones broke as they coughed up blood. Their bodies were sent flying, smashing into the deck or the mast.
On the main ship, Golaru saw Chinjao's actions had created a gap in their firepower, allowing the Happo Navy's ships to close in.
"That damn Chinjao!" Seeing Chinjao go on a rampage on his ship, Parodi felt a pang in his heart. Those crew members and guards were his loyal elites!
"Hasshoken: Head-Arms!"
Chinjao roared, leaped into the air, and, headfirst, came crashing down on the warship like a meteorite.
Rumble!
With a deafening crash, the warship shook violently. The combined weight of his body and his own brute force caused Chinjao to rip right through the deck, completely penetrating the entire warship.
———————
Happy New Year everyone!
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