The next morning.
Curls woke up on time, and after washing up, he prepared to head to the Marine base in Loguetown.
The mirror in his wardrobe reflected his current handsome appearance:
Short black hair, blue eyes, a long face, and a high nose bridge with handsome features.
He was wearing the white Marine uniform issued by the recruitment office yesterday, looking particularly spirited with his height of 1.8 meters.
In the world of pirates, 1.8 meters was only average height, given the existence of the unique Giant race and some unusually tall humans.
Curls was quite satisfied with his height; at seventeen, he still had time to grow and wondered how tall he would eventually become.
After saying goodbye to his father and sister, Curls set off alone for the Marine base in Loguetown.
The villa was located in the western part of Loguetown, quite far from the Marine base, requiring him to cross over a dozen streets.
Ten minutes later, he arrived at the central street. Just a thousand meters ahead was the Marine base in Loguetown.
As Curls fantasized about his future as a Marine, he walked briskly. However, when he passed an alley, he suddenly stopped.
In the dark alley.
Blocked by walls, it was shadowy and unclear.
But as a user of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, Curls’ perception of shadows was far beyond that of ordinary people.
Passing by, he sensed two people hidden inside, targeting him.
Could these two not see his Marine uniform and dare to target a Marine recruit so close to the Marine base?
If they weren’t fools, there was only one other possibility…
They were premeditated!
From the shadow-covered alley, a tall thin man and a short fat man slowly emerged.
As the two stepped into the light, Curls saw the tall thin man holding a sharp long knife and the short fat man’s fierce face.
A bad premonition arose in Curls’ heart!
The aura these two emitted was far from what ordinary thugs could possess, possibly even seasoned “pirates”!
“Yadon, is this the fifth one?” the tall pirate asked his companion.
“That’s right, capturing him should be enough. Ardren, let me handle this Marine recruit,” the short fat pirate named Yadon replied while loosening his fists.
“Fine, but be quick. After capturing this Marine recruit, we need to regroup with the captain swiftly,” Ardren instructed.
“No problem.”
Yadon was confident.
The two didn’t even bother to speak to Curls.
But this was normal.
After all, to them, Curls was just a Marine recruit who hadn’t even undergone formal training yet. Capturing him would be a breeze.
However, if any Marines familiar with bounty posters were present, they would be shocked to discover that these two were wanted pirates.
Yadon had a bounty of 7 million Berries, and Ardren had a bounty of 8 million Berries!
“Kid, you’d better not resist!”
Yadon lunged at Curls, his fist the size of a sandbag like a fierce beast unleashed.
Thanks to his regular training, Curls swiftly dodged.
In no time.
Yadon’s punches couldn’t land accurately, leaving him puzzled.
As a seasoned pirate in East Blue, he couldn’t take down a Marine recruit?
How humiliating!
Yadon, his face slightly embarrassed, increased the force in his hands, determined to quickly subdue Curls.
But Curls, facing Yadon’s increasingly swift attacks, became serious.
This was no ordinary pirate!
The pirate before him was experienced in combat, a formidable foe who had seen real blood!
He had to find an opportunity to counterattack!
Moments later.
Yadon exposed a flaw, and Curls seized the chance, his right fist drawing back, power surging.
His fist struck Yadon’s face hard, the powerful blow deforming Yadon’s face, leaving a deep punch mark.
Blood spewed!
Yadon spat out a mouthful of blood, losing most of his teeth, and his body flew backward, crashing into a wooden crate and shattering it.
In the world of pirates, people had unique physiques, unlike those on Earth.
In simple terms, they were highly resilient!
Even after such a blow, Yadon didn’t scream.
Of course, it might also be because he didn’t want to alert others.
But either way, it meant today’s situation was getting more troublesome.
Seeing Yadon injured by Curls’ punch, Ardren frowned, “What’s wrong with you? Need me to handle this?”
“Just careless, no big deal! Go check the alley entrance, don’t let the Marines notice us,” Yadon growled.
Being injured by a Marine recruit was a great humiliation for Yadon.
He had to regain his honor personally!
Ardren, knowing Yadon’s temper, couldn’t stop him and could only keep watch at the alley entrance to avoid attracting Marine attention.
A huge wave of anger surged in Yadon’s heart. He stood up, wiped the blood from his mouth, and revealed a sinister expression.
“Kid, now I’m really angry!”
Curls was puzzled. Even a skilled pirate shouldn’t withstand his punch. How was Yadon still standing?
Could Yadon be a pirate with a bounty of millions?
“Which pirate crew are you from, daring to attack a Marine recruit? Aren’t you afraid of the Marines in Loguetown?”
Hearing this, Yadon just sneered.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
A punch was coming.
Curls quickly dodged, and a new opportunity appeared!
…
Bang!
Suddenly.
A gunshot echoed through the alley.
A black cat on a nearby rooftop was startled, jumping off the windowsill instinctively.
Ardren turned angrily, growling, “Yadon, who allowed you to fire? Don’t you know it will attract the Marines…”
But as he fully turned, his words stopped abruptly, his expression one of extreme shock, as if witnessing an unbelievable sight.
In the alley.
The Marine recruit was unharmed, while his companion Yadon was frozen in place.
Because behind Yadon was a black shadow, holding a flintlock pistol aimed at Yadon’s heart.
The gun barrel was emitting faint white smoke, contrasting sharply with the black shadow.
Thud!
Yadon’s body slowly fell, never knowing who had killed him.
After his shock, Ardren was filled with rage, “Damn, you’re a Devil Fruit user!”
The black shadow was clearly not alive, so Ardren guessed a rare possibility.
“That’s right!”
Curls stood calmly.
At this moment, his black hair covered his eyes, hiding his expression.
“I did eat a Devil Fruit. I didn’t want to use its power, but to avoid being late on my first day reporting, I have no choice.”
Curls raised his head, revealing his blue eyes beneath the black hair.
Simultaneously, his command to summon the shadow soldier echoed in the alley.
“Arise!”
Ardren witnessed the most shocking scene of his life.
Yadon, who had fallen to the ground, began to rise from his shadow.
Eventually, a shadow soldier identical to the pirate Yadon slowly formed!
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