Gurururu…
Splash!
Amid rising bubbles, Arthur's ship burst up from the sea.
Close behind, it sped straight toward the distant horizon.
Five days later—
Five massive vessels gradually approached Hachinosu.
As one of the New World's most infamous pirate dens, Hachinosu had always been a gathering place for countless pirates. But today, the island felt even more suffocating—everywhere you looked, men were poised like drawn blades, radiating murderous intent.
And yet…
An eerie balance held.
Everyone knew exactly what everyone else wanted.
Which was why—no one dared to make the first move.
One by one, sharp gazes locked onto the enormous ship that had just arrived.
"Is that a pirate ship?"
"Doesn't look like it…"
"Who is it?"
"They're coming…"
Arthur stepped down first, with Gareth and Galahad at his sides.
The moment those three figures appeared—
Every pirate's expression changed.
Their eyes turned heavy. Their breathing tightened.
Because the monsters had arrived.
A former member of the Rocks Pirates—now one of the most terrifying figures on the sea:
Arthur Pendragon.
In recent months, as his legend swelled, more and more people had begun calling him—
King Arthur.
Not because he had officially founded a nation, but because he had created Britannia, a power that the world already treated like a real country. And in that context, "King" didn't feel like flattery.
Today, Arthur had arrived first.
And after everything that had happened—Shiki, Ochoku, Silver Axe, Whitebeard… one after another had stumbled against Arthur or Britannia—
No one could afford to underestimate him anymore.
Tap. Tap.
Arthur walked forward, casually sweeping his gaze across the island.
"Mmm… it's been a long time since I came to Hachinosu," he said with mild amusement.
"Still looks the same as ever. Always chaotic."
He smiled faintly.
Hachinosu was always like this—countless pirates, endless lunatics.
And aside from Captain Rocks himself, it seemed no one had ever truly been able to dominate this island.
"Bastard—!"
The instant a pirate roared—
Gareth moved.
A flash of light cut through the air.
Her massive spear pierced straight through the man's throat.
"Hmph." Gareth's voice was calm, almost bored. "You should show a little more respect when you speak to the King. Otherwise… I won't mind ending your life."
Her killing intent sent a chill through the crowd.
As for the dead man—Arthur didn't even recognize him.
But pirates had enemies everywhere. If someone dared to shout at him like that, they were almost certainly his enemy.
Silence fell instantly.
No one expected Arthur's side to strike so cleanly, so ruthlessly—without the slightest hesitation. And Gareth's strength alone made everyone's faces tighten with caution.
Arthur only smiled, saying nothing.
To him, it wasn't worth discussing.
Tap. Tap.
He continued toward the island's interior.
Soon, he saw it—
A blood-soaked figure tied to the massive skull statue that loomed over Hachinosu.
If nothing else had changed, this man was the one who knew where Rocks' treasure was hidden.
Arthur stopped, studying him.
"Jordin. Long time no see."
"Cough—cough—cough…"
Hearing his name, the man slowly forced his eyes open. Through lids crusted with blood, he spotted Arthur standing below.
"Heh… heh…" Jordin's lips pulled into a weak grin.
"Big bro Arthur… I didn't disgrace Captain Rocks." His voice trembled, ragged. "I wanted to swallow the treasure for myself, yeah… but I held out."
"They didn't get anything out of me… not a word."
"Because… I wasn't going to let his treasure fall into anyone else's hands."
Arthur nodded solemnly.
That resolve alone deserved respect.
"Gareth," Arthur said calmly. "Get him down."
"Yes!"
Gareth moved at once—
And in that exact instant, multiple figures lunged from every direction.
After days of brutal torture, were they really going to let Arthur stroll in and take the prize?
Not a chance.
"Galahad," Arthur said without turning his head, "deal with them."
"As you command—my King."
Galahad dropped to one knee with perfect reverence—
And then his body vanished.
A streak of rushing light exploded across the battlefield.
His red-hilted sword flashed from its sheath, and the brilliance of his swordsmanship swallowed the entire scene.
Slash! Slash!
Five bodies dropped from the air.
Dead before they even hit the ground.
In the blink of an eye, Galahad had eliminated every threat and returned to Arthur's side, as if nothing had happened.
"So strong…"
"Terrifying…"
"Monster…"
The pirates' expressions grew darker.
Now they truly understood—
Arthur wasn't terrifying only because of his reputation.
He was terrifying because he had already grown into something unreasonable… and he carried equally terrifying subordinates.
Arthur, meanwhile, remained relaxed.
Gareth dragged the bloodied Jordin down and laid him on the ground.
"Cough—cough…" Jordin wheezed weakly.
"Big bro Arthur… what a shame. If I'd gotten Captain Rocks' treasure… maybe I could've surpassed all of you."
Arthur smiled. "Too bad you failed."
Then he crouched slightly, his tone still calm.
"So tell me—were you planning to take the secret to the grave… or are you going to tell me?"
"Heh… heh…" Jordin's voice was faint, but his grin persisted. "Don't look down on me…"
"You think I'd let Captain Rocks' treasure vanish just like that?"
"I held on this long because I believed… I believed the big bros would come."
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
He leaned in.
Jordin whispered something so quietly that even the pirates straining their ears couldn't catch a single word.
After a moment, Arthur straightened.
Jordin's chest had gone still.
He had stopped breathing.
Arthur stared at the corpse, expression unreadable.
"Then sleep here forever."
He stamped his foot.
The ground collapsed into a pit. Arthur tossed Jordin's body inside as if burying a scrap of trash.
Then he stood.
He didn't even spare the surrounding pirates a glance.
To him, they weren't worth looking at.
Just garbage.
He simply waited.
Because by his estimate…
the others should arrive soon.
"Bastard!"
"Give us the information!"
"Die—!"
The crowd finally couldn't hold back. A few pirates surged forward—
And then—
A figure shot past like a storm.
"Shahahahaha—!"
"Trash!"
"What do you think you're doing with Captain Rocks' treasure?!"
With a laugh as wild and booming as a lion's roar, a golden silhouette descended.
Twin blades in hand, he moved so fast the eye could barely track him. The pirates who rushed forward were instantly cut down—throats opened cleanly in a single sweep.
Captain of the Flying Pirates—"Golden Lion" Shiki.
One of the former Rocks Pirates' top men.
Now he hovered in midair, swords dripping with blood, grinning like a demon.
"Oi, oi… trash." Shiki's eyes burned. "No matter how you look at it, this treasure has nothing to do with you, does it?"
Arthur greeted him casually.
"Yo, Shiki. Long time no see."
Shiki threw his head back, laughing loudly. "Arthur, you bastard! It really has been a while!"
"I still remember what happened last time."
"But damn… you've grown fast."
"You beat Ochoku, drove off Silver Axe—your sister even fought Whitebeard to a draw?"
Arthur smiled. "Well, when my opponents are monsters like you, I have to grow fast. Otherwise it's miserable."
"Shahahahaha—!"
Shiki pointed a sword at him, grin savage. "Kid—watch yourself. After this is over… you're next."
Arthur's smile didn't change. "Maybe. Sounds fun."
The two exchanged a look—
Battle intent colliding in the air.
But today wasn't about settling grudges.
Today—
Rocks' treasure would not be taken by outsiders.
It didn't matter who got it, as long as it stayed among the Rocks Pirates' former core.
If even a single coin ended up in an outsider's pocket…
That would be humiliation.
A stain on their name.
Unacceptable.
BOOM!
BOOM!
Flames roared. Lightning crackled.
A terrifying presence stepped forward—
Hair blazing like living fire, feet planted on a thundercloud, a giant saber slung over her shoulder as she advanced, grinning with feral cruelty.
"YOU BASTARDS—GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
"Want to die by my hand?!"
Her voice thundered across the island.
Charlotte Linlin.
She marched closer, aura crushing the air itself.
Tap. Tap.
Linlin stopped near them and grinned. "Shiki! Arthur! Long time no see!"
Arthur looked her up and down, then chuckled.
"Linlin… you've gotten a little chubbier."
It had only been a few months, yet her figure had already started thickening. Not dramatic—but noticeable.
For most women, that would've been unforgivable.
"MAMAMAMAMA—!"
Linlin laughed without a care in the world.
"I DON'T CARE!"
"This time, Captain Rocks' treasure is going to be MINE!"
"Arthur, Shiki—are you going to stand in my way?"
Arthur smiled politely. "Try it and see."
"Shahahahaha—!" Shiki's grin only widened.
For a heartbeat, the three of them stood like a drawn triangle of violence—ready to explode.
Then—
They moved.
At the same time.
In an instant, Arthur, Shiki, and Linlin unleashed overwhelming power.
The surrounding pirates were swept away like wheat before a scythe—cut down in waves. Bodies fell so fast it became impossible to count.
This wasn't a battle of the same level.
This was slaughter.
In only moments, sixty percent of the pirates around them were erased.
And those pirates—
Were nothing but trash.
"MAMAMAMAMA—!"
Linlin laughed loudly, eyes blazing. "Oi, oi! You trash think you can take a piece of this?!"
Shiki raised his chin arrogantly. "This is Captain Rocks' treasure. It's not your place."
Arthur flicked his sword—blood splashing onto the ground—and spoke with calm certainty.
"This treasure will never belong to you."
"If outsiders get it… we'd be the ones losing face."
The three of them looked down at the remaining pirates like kings looking at insects.
To them, the amount of treasure didn't matter yet.
What mattered was this:
Even if the Rocks Pirates had disbanded…
Some things were still sacred.
And garbage like these pirates had no right to reach for it.
If they dared to stretch out their hands—
Those hands would be cut off.
That was the Rocks Pirates.
Tyrannical. Absolute. Unforgiving.
--------------------------------///
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