Seeing that only twenty or thirty townspeople, led by the mayor, had the courage to resist — all armed with rusty swords and farming tools — Bucky couldn't help but laugh.
"Do these idiots really not understand what it means to smash eggs against a rock?" he muttered under his breath. Then, raising his voice, he shouted, "Fire! Blast them to pieces!"
At his command, the pirates loaded the cannons, pushed the heavy cannonballs into the barrels, and lit the fuses. A moment later, a dark round shot roared through the air.
The first volley of five shells landed just beside the charging townspeople, exploding in bursts of flame and smoke. With a thunderous BOOM, shrapnel and fire ripped through them, turning their resistance into a scene of carnage.
As Bucky stood on the deck, watching the townspeople's blood splatter the cobblestones, he stroked his bright red nose and grinned with satisfaction.
The pirates, emboldened by the devastation, cheered."Captain, let's go down there and finish them off!" one shouted eagerly.
Bucky raised a hand, still smiling."Don't get ahead of yourselves. Let me give them another taste first."
With that, Bucky raised his right foot. Three small circular openings appeared in his shoe."Special – Muggy Ball!"
A tiny cannonball, no larger than a bean, shot out of his shoe and soared into the residential area. A split-second later, an explosion far more powerful than the previous volley erupted, leveling several buildings and sending thick, black smoke spiraling into the sky.
Bucky had always favored shells to massacre his enemies, and this custom-made Muggy Ball was one of his most destructive creations.
"Little brats! Get down there and take this town! Kill, loot, and burn everything to ash!"
"Woohoo!" the pirates shouted, as if intoxicated by the bloodlust.
With muskets and cutlasses in hand, they stormed off the ship like a pack of rabid wolves. The sound of steel slicing through flesh, the crack of gunfire, and the wails of townsfolk filled the air.
It was not a battle — it was a slaughter.
Back to the present.
Because Raion had exhausted himself yesterday and fallen asleep late, he hadn't heard the morning's chaos.
Now, having broken out of the lower deck, Raion frowned at the devastation of Orange Town. Smoke, blood, and flames filled the streets.
Bucky's order had been to lock him in the cabin for two nights, but naturally, no one cared to check on him. Most of the pirates were busy pillaging the town. Raion leapt down from the ship and began making his way toward Orange Town.
"Hey! Who said you could come out?" a group of pirates barked when they saw him.
Raion tilted his head indifferently, his tone calm but mocking."With that flimsy wooden door? Did you really think it could keep me locked in?"
Bucky, who had been counting his "spoils of war," turned when he heard the voice."You little brat… You actually broke out?"
Moqi stepped forward with a dark grin."Captain, this guy dared to defy your orders. We should just execute him on the spot."
"Yeah, yeah, kill him!" the pirates echoed eagerly.
Their bloodlust hadn't yet faded from the massacre in town, and Raion — weak and defiant — was now an easy target to satisfy their urge for violence.
Raion smiled faintly."Honestly, I'm not trying to insult you guys, but you scumbags and rotten eggs are no threat to me."
What?!
The pirates froze for a second, then burst out laughing.
"Is this guy serious? Did he get hit on the head or something?"
"Pfft… I can't stop laughing!"
"Did he really just say we can't lay a finger on him?"
"Guess being bullied broke his brain!"
Their laughter rolled like waves. Some pirates doubled over, clutching their stomachs from laughing so hard.
Raion's gaze turned cold.Laugh all you want… You'll be crying soon enough.
Kabaji, unable to stomach the insult any longer, pedaled forward on his unicycle, his eyes glinting with cruelty."Captain, let me handle this weakling. I'll finish him off myself."
Bucky crossed his arms."Go ahead."
Kabaji raised his Western sword and lunged forward, aiming a deadly thrust at Raion—
—but Raion sidestepped smoothly, his movements faster than anyone could track. He drove his fist directly into Kabaji's ribs.
WHAM!
Kabaji flew several meters, tumbling off his unicycle, and crashed to the ground with a cry of pain.
This was no ordinary punch. Raion had infused his fist with chakra, multiplying its destructive force.
What?!
The pirates stared, their eyes wide in shock.
Bucky's jaw dropped, his painted clown face twisting into disbelief."What the hell did you just do to Kabaji?"
Raion clenched his fists and sneered."Are you blind? Or just stupid? You saw it yourself."
Bucky's expression darkened."You've got guts, brat. You dare to talk to me like that?"
"What's wrong with me talking like this? I've put up with you long enough, you stupid big red nose!" Raion shot back, his sharp gaze fixed on Bucky.
HUH?!
The pirates gasped in unison.
This was the second time in three days someone had dared to insult Bucky's nose to his face. The last fool who tried it was torn apart.
In their eyes, Raion had just signed his own death sentence.
"You… You dare call me a red nose?! I'll blow you to bits until there's not even a bone left to bury!"
"Come at me, big red nose!" Raion yelled.
Bucky's face twisted with rage."Fine… FINE! I've changed my mind! I'll kill you myself, right here and now!"
He pulled four throwing knives from his belt, his hand flicking with precision."Split – Cannon!"
The knives shot forward like bullets.
But Raion didn't dodge. It was time to show them the power of his newly acquired ninjutsu.
"Lightning Release – Chidori Current!"
In an instant, Raion's entire body lit up with crackling arcs of electricity. The darkened sky seemed to flash with his energy as he raised his right hand in a defensive stance.
The moment Bucky's throwing knives touched the field of lightning, the current surged back into his separated hand. Sparks flew, and Bucky's body spasmed violently as the electricity coursed through him.
Even his infamous red nose was scorched black.
Bucky's Chop-Chop Fruit may make him immune to blades and slashes, but that didn't mean he could resist elemental attacks like fire or lightning.
"Captain Bucky!" his men cried, rushing forward with swords drawn.
Raion's eyes narrowed.All of you want to die? Fine. Come, then.
Electric arcs leapt from his body as he charged forward, channeling lightning into the pirates who dared to attack him…