With his internal energy circulating, Leon Fang easily overheard the surrounding discussions.
The entire incident was absurd to the extreme.
It had all begun because the little girl, who was now being shielded beneath the burly man, had wanted to sell a few flowers. She had mistakenly approached the wrong buyer. The noble-looking young man felt that her presence polluted his sight and immediately ordered his attendants to beat her as a lesson.
Then the burly man rushed out from the crowd and shielded the little girl with his own body.
For reasons unknown, he did not dare to fight back at all. He could only silently endure the punches and kicks raining down upon him from the noble's attendants.
Cruel—
but realistic.
In the world of One Piece, human life was as cheap as weeds. If one did not want to be swept away like dust, the only way was to seize control of the world's right to speak.
Hearing the young nobleman's arrogant words, many in the surrounding crowd showed traces of anger. However, knowing that naval patrols would arrive soon, they suppressed their impulses and waited for the nobleman to reap the consequences of his own actions.
"Lord Rex, it seems we've encountered a tough one," a servant who looked like a butler whispered nervously at Rex's side. "This man is incredibly strong. Our punches and kicks aren't doing anything at all."
He hesitated before continuing, fear seeping into his voice.
"If he suddenly fights back and hurts someone, we might be fine… but if he hurts you, Lord Rex, then we're finished."
They had already learned from the whispers around them what kind of consequences awaited those who caused trouble here. Naturally, they didn't dare escalate things further.
"What did you say?" Rex grabbed the butler by the collar, his face twisted with rage. "What are you afraid of? That lowly thing doesn't even dare fight back! Beat him—beat him to death!"
Pfft.
Were these people trying to be funny?
"Haha! First time I've ever seen someone get beaten this badly and still be too scared to fight back."
"Probably some fallen noble from a tiny country. All bark, no bite."
The murmurs from the crowd stabbed sharply at Rex's pride. His self-image as a "Celestial Dragon of the lower realm" felt utterly trampled. Coupled with all the frustrations he had suffered since leaving his homeland, the anger he had suppressed finally erupted.
Anger rose from the heart; malice sprang from the gall.
"Since you're so eager to protect this lowly commoner who dared offend a noble," Rex snarled, "then you'll die in her place!"
He drew his musket, the dark muzzle pointing directly at the burly man's back.
"Ah—! He's going to kill someone!"
The crowd exploded into chaos. No one had expected this slick-haired nobleman to actually dare commit murder at a naval base.
Did he really think he was a Celestial Dragon?
The burly man's face turned deathly pale as he heard the screams around him.
If he were facing the enemy head-on, he was confident he could use the sword strapped to his back to deflect the bullet. But now his back was turned, and he had no way to judge the timing. Worse still—if he dodged, the little girl beneath him would certainly die.
Inside the inn, Leon Fang narrowed his eyes slightly.
With his strength, he could have stopped that idiot nobleman before he even fired.
But—
Since he intended to join the Navy in the most flawless manner possible, why not make proper use of this opportunity?
Bang!
Rex didn't hesitate. His finger didn't tremble in the slightest as he pulled the trigger. Executing a lowly commoner who dared defy him only made his blood boil with excitement.
However, the ferocious grin on his face froze instantly.
A young boy with a tender face and resolute eyes stood before the burly man.
His hand was tightly clenched—
around the bullet.
Rex stared in disbelief.
He had seen monsters dodge bullets before, but this was the first time he had ever seen someone catch one barehanded.
The once-noisy crowd fell deathly silent.
Even in a naval base filled with powerful figures, such a heart-shaking scene was exceedingly rare. Using one's own flesh and blood to protect the "weak" behind them struck something deep within everyone present.
Leon Fang calmly loosened his grip.
The metal bullet casing dropped to the ground with a crisp clang.
Without sparing the dazed Rex even a glance, he turned around and asked softly,
"Why didn't you fight back? With your strength, dealing with these people should have been easy."
The burly man lifted his head.
A face so ugly it was almost frightening was revealed. Several people in the crowd instinctively stepped back. He seemed accustomed to such reactions and spoke with a mix of inferiority and yearning.
"Because… I want to become a Marine."
Though his words sounded abrupt, Leon Fang immediately understood.
The man was afraid that if he fought back, he would be labeled a troublemaker just like the noble—and lose his qualification to enlist.
"Your thinking isn't wrong," Leon Fang said gently, a faint smile on his lips. "But blind weakness only breeds more violence. The justice upheld by the Navy has never been earned through retreat and compromise."
He showed no surprise at the man's frightening appearance.
"You… you're not afraid of me?" the man asked in shock.
"Afraid?" Leon Fang shook his head lightly. "Why should I be? You have a heart purer and more beautiful than most people."
At that moment, Rex snapped out of his daze.
Humiliation and terror twisted his face as he screamed and pulled the trigger again.
"You bastard! Let's see how many bullets you can take!"
The instant Rex's finger touched the trigger, Leon Fang drew the Seven-Star Dragon Abyss from his waist.
Like a flash of lightning.
At such close range, there was no need for fancy techniques. The blade was thrust straight into the chamber at the exact moment the trigger was pulled.
Boom!
The gun barrel exploded.
Sparks flew.
A twisted arm fell heavily to the ground, accompanied by Rex's pig-like screams.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
The crowd stood frozen, mouths agape, their minds unable to process what they had just witnessed.
The burly man stared wide-eyed, his hand still gripping the sword hilt on his back, frozen in place. Deep admiration flickered in his eyes as he looked at Leon Fang.
"Is… is doing this really alright?" he asked uneasily.
Leon Fang replied calmly, "I only blocked his gun barrel with my sword. He pulled the trigger himself."
He glanced at the severed arm on the ground.
"What does losing a hand have to do with me?"
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T/N:
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