Chapter 247: The Ward Pirates Are Annihilated Again
On Island Four, after a flash of red light, Stussy and the other five raised their heads to see only faint trails of black smoke dispersing in the sky.
The island remained untouched. Even the massive explosion just moments ago had not stirred the wind.
"We're safe..." one of them whispered.
The man with serpentine eyes, wearing a red hairpiece and a suit, spoke quietly.
"Was it Captain Tuck who protected us from that blast?" Stussy asked curiously.
Her Observation Haki had covered the whole island, and aside from the seven of them, she hadn't sensed anyone else.
The other five underworld leaders also turned to Tuck, their gazes questioning. To block such a colossal explosion—now that was not ordinary strength.
As expected of the Green Demon Tuck, captain of one of the three great pirate crews under the Blue Demon, they thought silently, though their faces remained calm.
"That wasn't me," Tuck chuckled. Then, proudly added, "That was Lord Luo Han. He contained the blast with his powers."
The six fell silent at that.
"Lord Blue Demon is nearby?" Stussy asked cautiously.
Oh? Tuck glanced at her. She had sharp instincts—it seemed her Observation Haki covered the entire island.
"Let me put it this way," Tuck said with a grin. "Lord Luo Han's Observation Haki can cover all of Nightless City."
"All of it?!"
The six couldn't hold back their astonishment. After a pause, they could only offer wry smiles. "As expected of Lord Blue Demon…"
Stussy's eyes lit up in understanding. No wonder when she had tried to contact Hebi before, Hebi hadn't responded—instead, it had been Hebi who contacted her. This kind of all-encompassing Observation Haki explained everything.
Even if he couldn't hear specific words, such power demanded caution.
At that moment, a few figures flashed through the sky above Island Four.
"Oh! The boss is making a move himself!" Tuck's face lit up. He activated his Mindforce Armor Mode and flew toward the outer ring current.
He'd been waiting to see Lord Luo Han fight after his Devil Fruit awakening.
"Blue Demon is taking action personally?!"
"This could be our only chance to glimpse his true strength!"
"Let's go!"
Chattering with excitement, Stussy and the others headed for the shore and boarded a ship, sailing toward the outer current.
…
Beyond the ring current, an island-like ship approached. At its center was a giant cannon, making the whole structure look like a mobile artillery base.
The cannon was aimed directly at Island Four.
BOOM!
Another massive shell launched from the cannon.
But before it could expand, a bolt of lightning flashed through the air—
KA-BOOM! Akatsuki had intercepted it mid-flight.
"Captain, the Red Queen has arrived!"
"And Blue Demon too!"
Inside the control room of the giant cannon-ship, Bundy Ward watched the screen grimly.
Displayed on it were three figures—one of them was Akatsuki, the very woman who had nearly wiped out his entire crew in the past.
"Keep targeting that island," Ward said to his subordinates. "I'm going outside. Fire on my command."
"Yes, Captain!"
Turning to his shoulder, Ward spoke to the small figure perched there, "Big Brother, you stay here."
"Be careful, Ward…"
"Relax." Ward smiled slightly, set his brother down, and left the control room. He stood on the deck beneath the cannon's massive barrel, eyes fixed on the distant trio.
"Die by my power," he muttered to himself.
"Fire!" he shouted.
The crew inside moved to press the launch button—
CLACK… CLACK…
"What's going on?! The button won't press!"
Before they could panic further, everyone in the control room froze, terror etched on their faces. Only their eyes could move.
"Fire, damn it!!" Ward bellowed, unaware his crew was already immobilized.
In the sky, Luo Han hovered silently.
Seriously? Another cannon? Did Ward not learn from last time?
Blocked once. Intercepted by lightning the second time. Did he not realize this strategy wasn't working?
"What a weirdo," Luo Han sighed and teleported directly above Ward.
THUD!
He landed beside the cannon barrel, shaking the island-ship violently.
"Did you mess with the control room? They've gone silent—it's your doing, isn't it?!" Ward snarled, already sensing a crushing pressure locking him in place.
No matter how much Armament Haki he used, he couldn't move.
"What should I do with him?" Akatsuki landed calmly. "Kill him?"
"…She's still that bloodthirsty, huh?" Luo Han thought, casting her a sidelong glance.
He shook his head. "No. He's still useful. Strong enough to be an asset."
"You think I'll submit?!" Ward growled, refusing to yield to anyone—especially not to the Red Queen, the woman who humiliated him before.
"I'd rather die than bow!"
"Fine," Luo Han shrugged. "Then I'll beat the submission out of you."
He raised a fist larger than Ward himself.
CRACK!!
Ward's eyes widened as the fist crashed down.
With his perfect Armament Haki, reinforced psychic barrier, and immense strength, Luo Han flattened him like dough.
When he withdrew his fist, Ward slumped to the ground, a mangled heap leaking blood from every pore.
"Gross…" AEllis descended beside him with a look of disgust.
"Oops. Forgot he's not like Big Mom," Luo Han muttered. "She took this punch head-on and kept going. Even split off a bit of her soul afterward to make a Sea God. Her rubber-ball body is something else…"
FLASH! Tuck appeared beside them.
"This is… the World Destroyer?" he asked, looking at the puddle that used to be Bundy Ward.
The face looked right—but the condition…
Tuck shuddered. "Is he still alive, boss?"
"Of course," Luo Han smiled. He lifted the entire island-ship with his mind and flew it back toward Arknight Island.
…
Meanwhile, Stussy's group had just reached the ring current by boat when they saw an island-shaped ship flying toward them.
It wasn't flying high—and they could vaguely make out a head on the deck.
"That's… the World Destroyer…"
"Bundy Ward!"
"Defeated already?!"
The six were shaken. They hadn't seen the battle, which somehow made it even scarier.
To the public, it was believed that Akatsuki had destroyed the Ward Pirates single-handedly.
But they knew better. She'd only tied down Ward in battle—allowing King Ochoku (Wang Zhi)and Kyo (Silver Axe) to slaughter his crew.
He had fled only to save his brother.
In terms of strength, Bundy Ward was no pushover.
And yet in Luo Han's hands, he hadn't even made a ripple.
(END CHAPTER)
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