One Piece: Saving Hancock with the Batto Batto no Mi

Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Battle Against a Super Rookie



Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 52.

Three pirate ships flying different flags slowly docked at a hidden beach, small waves breaking on the white sand. On the two-masted sailboat, a long-armed man with matted dreadlocks, two and a half meters tall, and a full beard, spoke with a serious expression to his pirate crew members: "Brothers, we have plenty of food and fresh water, and the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro frequently appears in the Sabaody Archipelago, so you don't need to disembark. After I find a coating mechanic to coat the ship, we'll head straight for Fish-Man Island." He was Viktor, a cautious Captain.

"Hahaha! Viktor, I didn't expect you to be such a coward..." A booming voice interrupted. "Are you really that scared of that Pirate Hunter? No wonder you came to the two of us for an alliance... You said back then that you wanted to join us to seize territory in the New World. In reality, could it be that you're just timid and afraid of trouble?" The speaker was a round, plump man two meters tall, Yatru Jones, with a bounty of 180 million Berries, a Paramecia-type Baku Baku no Mi user. As he spoke, he even "shattered" a sword several times and swallowed it into his stomach, demonstrating his Devil Fruit power. While taunting Viktor, he led his subordinates down from a three-masted sailboat wrapped in iron plates and headed towards the beach, his steps heavy and confident.

"Hahaha! Jones is right, Viktor, you're so timid, I really doubt how you got your 160 million Berry bounty..." Another voice chimed in, full of mockery. "How about this! Considering your bounty is decent, why don't you just join my Pirate crew?" The speaker was a burly, bare-chested man in black shorts, two meters nine inches tall, with a short black haircut. This man was named Gilman, a Super Rookie pirate with a bounty of 210 million Berries, a Paramecia-type Supa Supa no Mi user.

"If you insist on letting your men take risks, then go ahead!" Viktor stared coldly at the two pirate crews who had already disembarked, his tone laced with coldness and warning. "I am responsible for my subordinates." Temporary alliances between pirates were inherently very fragile, a bitter truth in the harsh Grand Line. If only he weren't trying to gain a foothold in the New World, a place where monsters roamed, and seize a piece of territory as a base, he wouldn't have associated with these two, who clearly underestimated the threat of the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro.

Suddenly!

After the members of the two pirate crews, numbering over a hundred, had walked a fair distance from the ships, a thick black mist abruptly filled the air around them, obscuring their vision in an instant. A dark area with a diameter of over a hundred meters immediately formed, engulfing them in chilling darkness!

"What's happening!!!" Jones's face showed an expression of horror. He subconsciously activated his Baku Baku no Mi ability, merging the ingested objects stored within his body with himself, transforming into an imposing metal robot. Two cannons grew on his shoulders, his left hand transformed into a machine gun, and his right hand became a large scimitar, ready for battle.

Among the crowd, Gilman was the calmest. He quickly transformed his entire body into sharp blades, thanks to his Supa Supa no Mi ability, and used Kenbunshoku Haki to sense every movement around him, trying to track the unseen enemy's whereabouts.

Seeing this situation, Viktor, who was still on the pirate ship, furrowed his brows and looked serious. He thought for a moment and finally decided to disembark and help the two. After all, they were allies, despite their frequent squabbles. If he just stood by and did nothing, once the two defeated the attackers, they might settle scores with him, or even attack him. Viktor leaped down, his feet landing steadily on the ground, ready to fight.

Immediately after, his body swelled and grew rapidly, transforming into a completely green praying mantis human—he was a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user. His originally slender hands transformed into two large forearms with deadly sharp blades, and a faint cold light flickered on the mantis axes he possessed.

"Immediately support them!" Viktor commanded his crew. Although the pirate crew members on the ship were somewhat reluctant, it was the Captain's order, so they could only choose to accept it and immediately jumped from the ship together, heading towards the black mist.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Amidst the thick black mist, a slender figure moved like a phantom. He held a standard sword—the Autumn Leaf Blade, now enveloped in a deadly aura—and moved swiftly through the pirate crowd. With each twist of the blade, all life was harvested by him. The opponent's attacks were decisive and clean, without unnecessary movements, and each strike hit a vital point, truly a cold and efficient killing machine!

"Enemy!" "Kill him!" ...

Over a hundred pirates were trapped in the thick, dark mist, their hearts filled with endless panic! After hearing the commotion coming from their side, they subconsciously raised their weapons and began to shoot blindly, bullets scattering in all directions.

Thump! Thump! Thump!...

Gunshots rang out everywhere, and many bullets struck Gilman's blade body, splashing sparks, yet not harming him. Infuriated, he shouted loudly: "Stop, all of you!!!" "Quickly calm down!!!"

Compared to Gilman and Jones, both of whom had steel-like bodies due to their Devil Fruit abilities, Viktor was incredibly unlucky. The bullets coming from all directions left five gunshot wounds on his mantis-transformed body. Although his life was not in danger, his movements were affected by the pain and bleeding.

Just as he cursed inwardly and prepared to retreat and return to the ship to prepare, a figure wearing a black cape and a grinning mask—Roronoa Zoro's mask—suddenly appeared before him...!? The standard sword in the newcomer's hand, coated in pitch-black Busoshoku Haki, swung down fiercely, slicing into his chest, causing blood to spurt from his body as he collapsed to the ground, unable to get up.

Just as Sephiroth prepared to deliver another blow to the opponent's neck, Gilman moved! The short-haired man's body shot towards the youth like an arrow. The five sword claws on his open right hand were even covered with a layer of pitch-black Busoshoku Haki, ready to cleave his opponent.

Clang!

Sephiroth quickly changed his stance, parrying the opponent's claw attack with his sword. In a hurry, his body retreated half a step, feeling Gilman's incredible strength.

At this moment, Jones, who was a step slower, finally reacted. He quickly raised the machine gun in his left hand and aimed at both of them, unleashing a frantic barrage of bullets, not caring if he hit his own ally.

Sephiroth knew that if he continued to be stalemated with the short-haired man, he would surely be riddled with holes from Jones's gunfire. My apologies!

He endured the blade claws on his chest, which left five deep, bone-revealing wounds—a bold decision—just to evade the fat man's machine gun spray, and appeared more than ten meters away, leaving behind a trail of thinning mist.

Before he could fully stabilize his body, Gilman, who withstood the fat man's machine gun spray, rushed towards him again, with incredible speed.

This time, Sephiroth, who was already prepared, opened his mouth and emitted an invisible sound wave accompanied by a low growl—his Devil Fruit ability. With his left hand, he drew the revolver tucked into his right waist and wrapped Busoshoku Haki around the bullet.

Whoa!

A pitch-black bullet shot out from the muzzle, heading directly for the short-haired man's eyebrow. However, the man's Kenbunshoku Haki had predicted the bullet's trajectory, and he made an evasive move in advance, tilting his head slightly.

However...

Something strange happened!

The bullet actually curved!?

The bullet, originally fired straight, due to the interference of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the youth in front, suddenly curved its trajectory, veering off course, and shot towards the opponent's chest!

Kenbunshoku Haki was indeed a "listening" power, but unfortunately, when an attack approached the speed of sound, at best it could only predict the general trajectory trend in advance, and could not make real-time dynamic adjustments. To detect internal changes, at least an advanced level of Kenbunshoku Haki was needed to "see the future," like that possessed by some high-ranking Marine commanders or legendary pirates.

Clang~!

After hitting Gilman, the bullet only penetrated his clothes, leaving a shallow mark on his chest and generating sparks.

Seeing this, Sephiroth frowned slightly. He hadn't expected that after using Haki-infused sound waves to alter the bullet's trajectory, even if it hit the opponent, it wouldn't cause serious damage.

After Gilman detected the sound wave abnormality with his Kenbunshoku Haki, he was initially a bit nervous, but he hadn't expected the bullet's attack power to be too weak, he could completely ignore it!

On the other side, the fat man Jones walked closer to Viktor. When he saw that the other party hadn't died, he immediately grinned. He opened his mouth to a truly monstrous size, at least over a meter wide and more than two meters long! Immediately after, he actually ferociously swallowed Viktor whole into his stomach—a terrifying sight that showcased his frightening Baku Baku no Mi ability.


Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.