Chapter 11: The Glue Cannon Fires
"Mr. Kaizen Reiya was sent by the heavens to save our suffering village! He is our great savior! Today, he will lead us to attack the bandits! Anyone willing to fight alongside him, please step forward! With Mr. Kaizen Reiya leading us, we will surely defeat the evil bandits!"
"Victory will be ours!"
The Mayor grew more and more excited, finally raising his arms and shouting.
"Victory will be ours!"
"Victory will be ours!"
The crowd from Windmill Village immediately felt their blood surge, shouting and raising their fists.
Over three hundred villagers stepped forward on the spot. Among them were farmers who worked the land, apprentices from the blacksmith shop, and most were members of the village militia.
After the rousing speech successfully stirred the villagers' emotions, the Mayor suddenly turned and asked Kaizen in a low voice, "Mr. Kaizen Reiya, are you confident you can defeat the bandit Higuma?"
The Mayor saw that Kaizen was only a Level 8 Player, while Higuma was a Level 20 bandit leader with twenty to thirty thousand underlings, backed by a Level 30-plus Devil Fruit user.
"Defeat?"
Kaizen smiled arrogantly.
"No, it's not about defeating them. It's a massacre."
"A... massacre..."
The Mayor shivered. To be honest, he lacked confidence in Kaizen's strength. On the surface, at least, he wasn't on the same level as the bandit Higuma.
Not to mention the hastily assembled assault team was more of a rabble. The combat effectiveness these villagers had shown in previous conflicts was... lacking. If not for Luffy bearing over 90% of the bandits' assault, they would have been wiped out long ago.
At this moment, the Mayor felt like he was being swept along by Kaizen, his heart filled with anxiety. But the bold words had already been spoken; now he had to grit his teeth and follow Kaizen's lead.
After a headcount, a team of just over six hundred people was reluctantly assembled.
"Very good," Kaizen said after reviewing the team. "Now then, the massacre of Higuma begins. Brothers, let's move out." He spoke with a fierce grin.
By now, some veteran players and ordinary villagers had gathered in the square. The looks they gave Kaizen and his motley crew were like those given to dead men walking, full of pity.
A Level 8 Player leading a rabble of six hundred to attack a force of twenty to thirty thousand, with a Level 30-plus Devil Fruit user backing them...
"Are these guys insane? It's utter madness. This handful of people isn't even enough to be a snack for the Higuma Bandits."
"Where did this clown come from? It's too ridiculous. Look at his arrogant swagger. When he meets the Higuma Bandits, he won't know how he died."
No one was optimistic about Kaizen. Some people kept muttering scornful remarks.
Makino looked at Kaizen, her face full of worry.
"What's with these people? It's bad enough they won't join the fight against the bandits, but they have to make such nasty comments. Looking at us like that... are these really the same honest, kind villagers who were plundered by bandits?"
Kaizen organized the team, dividing them into squads, each with a designated leader. Then he waved his hand.
"Move out!"
At his command, the team set off amidst the pessimistic stares.
Simultaneously, the news spread. Other surrounding villages and various forces all laughed upon hearing it, waiting for word of Kaizen's annihilation.
...
Over three hours later, it was completely dark.
Within the fortress built from giant trees, rows of buildings in the Higuma stronghold were visible, brightly lit and filled with the sound of raucous voices.
This was the base camp of the infamous Higuma Bandits.
Typically, for ten miles around, it was a no-man's-land where no one dared approach. But now, under the starry night, a group of people was marching straight in, utterly unhindered.
In the eyes of the bandits in the stronghold, it looked ridiculous. They had already received the news. At first, they thought it was a joke, fake news. Who knew this bunch of clowns had actually come?
"It's exactly like the rumors. They really are a bunch of idiots. Moving at night, and they don't even bother to cover the glint of their swords and spears. You can see the reflections from a mile away."
The bandit patrol roared with laughter, laced with contempt, as if looking at fools.
"Brothers, let's go," Kaizen said. A Glue Cannonball condensed in his fist, flashing with a frightening light.
"What are these idiots doing? Do they really intend to attack? It's hilarious." The captain of the stronghold patrol laughed again.
"Glue... Glue Cannon shot."
BOOM!
Kaizen's whole body shuddered as the cannonball roared forth, crashing into the patrol team. With a deafening blast, it exploded.
The patrol captain, who had been sneering disdainfully, and several men around him, had their laughter cut short as they were torn apart by the violent explosion.
BOOM!
Kaizen fired another Glue Cannon shot, directly blasting a gaping hole in the fortress wall.
"Brothers, charge!"
Kaizen took the lead, killing his way inside.