“Boss!”
Seeing the terrifying fangs close at hand, Xis screamed in fear, feeling as if his soul had left his body.
The rapidly rotating, gear-like teeth halted right in front of his face. The stench of rot hit him, making his stomach churn.
“What kind of monster is that?”
Law, holding his long sword, supported Ross, who had just appeared beside him and looked at Mig Jons in the center of the street with a grim expression.
Mig Jons’ head had transformed into a wrinkled white worm, with a gaping maw full of sharp teeth dripping viscous saliva. His face lacked eyes, a nose, or ears, replaced by a terrifying, gaping mouth.
Whoosh!
His elongated neck retracted, restoring Jons to his original form. He glanced coldly at the sweating Xis. “Xis, are you sleepwalking?”
Xis gave a bitter smile and gripped his dual swords tightly. “Sorry, Captain, I was careless.”
He then turned to look at Ross, Law, Drake, and Hawkins, who had gathered together. “But these guys aren’t weak. Where did they come from?”
At that moment, the street beneath them began to shake. Waves of pirates surged from all directions, wielding weapons and rushing toward them.
Hughton’s smile returned as he pointed at Ross and the others. “Attack! Kill them!”
The charging pirates brandished their swords and pistols.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Hughton’s smile froze as he was shot in the back by several flintlock pistols, the force knocking him to the ground. The pirates, laughing, began hacking and slashing at him with their weapons.
Hughton, protecting his head, was bewildered by the situation. “Are you all crazy? How dare you attack me? You dare betray the boss?!”
Seeing the pirates’ smiling faces devoid of fear, Hughton felt humiliated. His chest split open, revealing more small nozzles.
“Those who betray the boss will burn to ashes!”
“Flamethrower!”
Flames burst from the nozzles, licking the pirates around him and turning them into human torches in an instant.
“Peacock! Weren’t you supposed to head to the palace first? Why are you here?” Drake rushed over to the figure behind the pirates, speaking in a low voice.
“Just helping you reduce some pressure,” Peacock said, cracking her black whip, which made a sharp cracking sound in the air.
With that sound, the pirates attacking Hughton scattered and charged toward Jons and Xis instead.
“Let’s go.”
Peacock glanced at Ross and the others before disappearing from sight. “Don’t die, you all,” her soft voice echoed in the street.
Xis, holding his dual swords, frowned at the approaching pirates. “What’s going on? Have they switched sides?”
These pirates, mostly from the Giant Worm Pirates, were now attacking their leaders, which puzzled Xis.
Jons didn’t seem to care. He grabbed a laughing pirate and lifted him up. In the pirate’s eyes, he saw fear, but strangely, the pirate’s mouth remained in a smile.
Jons’ large hand closed, crushing the pirate’s upper body with a terrifying force. With a splat, a heap of mangled flesh hit the ground, blood spreading out like a blooming rose.
“They’ve been brainwashed. Ignore them and kill those brats,” Jons said as his mouth started to split open again, his neck stretching out like a giant snake. He swallowed a pirate whole, his neck bulging grotesquely.
“That disgusting guy is actually eating people, and his own subordinates at that. What a heartless monster,” Drake muttered, watching Jons transform into a giant white worm.
“We have three troublesome enemies,” Ross said, extending his right hand while Law used his Op-Op Fruit abilities to treat his injured finger.
Smiling at Hawkins, Ross then addressed the group: “Drake, your tough body can handle that cyborg. Take him down quickly and help us after.”
“Law, you and I will team up against Mig Jons. His ability is bizarre, and we need your powers to have any chance of winning.”
“Hawkins, I’ll leave that swordsman to you.”
Hawkins, without questioning their identities, drew his sword and walked towards Xis.
Drake scratched his head, grumbling, “Who’s the leader here? Why does a Marine Lieutenant have to listen to a branch Ensign?”
Despite his complaints, he accelerated his steps, wielding his sword and axe as he vanished and reappeared behind Hughton, slashing at his back.
“I’ve been expecting you! Flamethrower!”
Hughton grinned as his back split open, revealing several nozzles that blasted searing flames, narrowly missing Drake’s face.
Drake leaned back, his sword slicing at Hughton’s ankle.
Clang!
Sparks flew as the blade struck metal, toppling Hughton to the ground.
Drake prepared to attack again, but a wall of fire forced him back, singeing his eyebrows.
“Damn flames.”
Rolling away, Drake put out the fire on his hat and sheathed his weapons.
“Hahaha! I’m the strongest cyborg in the North Blue, the almighty Hughton! Flames, cannonballs, Gatling guns, and a body of steel! Even Zoan users can’t hurt me. Your puny slashes are useless!”
Hughton taunted as he slowly got up, his mocking gaze on Drake.
“Is that so? Let’s see about that.”
Drake smirked, casting a huge shadow as his body inflated like a balloon, stunning Hughton.
“Roar!!”
Drake transformed, ready for battle.
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