Bang bang bang!!!
Continuous booms echoed from the house, causing many pirates outside to exchange uneasy glances.
The sounds alone conveyed the ferocity of the battle.
But the captain had ordered them to stay out, otherwise, they would have rushed in and hacked the kid to pieces by now.
“Ugh~”
Scalding blood spewed from his mouth as Hermes felt his chest shatter, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his face flushed. A gash on his back cut deep to the bone.
He struggled up from the pile of shattered chairs, rolling away just as Joya, bloodied and snarling, stomped down with his right foot, his entire being radiating a violent aura.
Relying on his strong recovery, Joya could keep fighting despite suffering the same injuries as Hermes. This prolonged battle was one Hermes couldn’t win.
Hermes had already realized this.
He couldn’t outlast Joya in a battle of attrition. His hard-hitting approach merely used Joya as a whetstone to sharpen his reflexes.
But now, he was too injured.
It was time to use his finishing move.
“Kid, you’ve got talent. Join the Dog-Dog Pirates, and I’ll let you live.”
Joya wanted to recruit Hermes after witnessing his strength.
If Hermes joined him, all past grievances could be forgiven. Hermes’ value far outweighed the subordinates who had died.
The main thing was, that Joya was a bit weak and not entirely sure he could defeat Hermes.
This kid was too resilient, like a cockroach—disgusting and tenacious!
“Remember, you’re dying at the hands of the world’s gutsiest man.”
Hermes ignored Joya’s offer, launching his attack.
“Ungrateful brat, I’ll grant you your death wish.”
Bang!!!
A punch and a claw collided, leaving two cuts on Hermes’ fist. Still, within his tolerance, he immediately shrank to thirty centimetres, dodging Joya’s follow-up attack, then kicked at Joya’s groin from behind.
This was a kill-or-die strike.
Joya’s eyes widened in rage as he clamped his legs shut, sweeping his arm back without looking. Hermes shrank to five millimeters, leaping up Joya’s leg, and rapidly climbing to his shoulder.
The light dimmed.
Joya reacted swiftly, swatting at Hermes like a fly, but Hermes was quicker, channelling all his strength into his legs, springing towards Joya’s ear.
“Not good.”
Joya’s heart sank, slapping at his ear without holding back, hoping to knock Hermes unconscious. If Hermes got inside, the outcome was clear.
But it was too late.
Hermes had never used this move before; it was his trump card, the one move that could turn the tide.
A deafening boom shattered his eardrum, Joya’s head swam, and stars danced in his vision. That slap had done more harm to himself.
Inside Joya, Hermes was equally dizzy, the stench nearly knocking him out. He took several minutes to recover.
“Damn it.”
Joya’s face twisted in terror, frantically digging at his ear, hoping he had squashed Hermes.
“Argh!!!”
Pain shot through his head, stopping his frantic movements. He rolled on the ground, screaming—the kid was still alive.
“Kid, if you have guts, come out.”
“Shigan.”
Hermes didn’t expand to burst Joya’s head; he needed it intact for the bounty.
Once inside, killing him was just a matter of time.
“Ahhhhh!”
“Spare me, I’ll give you anything you want.”
Gradually.
Blood oozed from Joya’s orifices as he writhed on the ground, screaming, death creeping closer.
Pop~
A soft rupture silenced Joya.
Inside Joya’s head, Hermes had severed vital nerves and blood vessels, easily killing this Zoan-type user.
All creatures are fragile internally. One day, when Hermes could shrink to a millimetre or less, he would become a silent, unseen killer.
“Cough cough!”
Covered in blood, Hermes emerged from Joya’s ear, panting heavily. Without hesitation, he took Joya’s head as a trophy.
He was severely injured, requiring days of recovery.
Coincidentally, the pirates outside decided to rush in but were too late. Hermes crashed through a broken wall, escaping.
“Captain.”
“Damn it, that kid actually killed the captain.”
“Impossible, the captain lost to that kid, and his head…”
That day.
The Dog-Dog Pirates would not be at peace, nor would Mayotte Town. The 38-million bounty captain Joya had been slain by a kid.
Quickly.
Mayotte Town buzzed with excitement.
“Did you hear? That kid, Hermes Jörmungandr, really killed Joya of the Dog-Dog Pirates.”
“You’re kidding! Last I heard, the kid was running from Joya, hiding for days. How did Joya suddenly get killed?”
“It’s true. People went to the Dog-Dog Pirates’ base. Many pirates and treasures were taken by other crews.”
“Brutal.”
Some sighed, but that’s reality.
With Joya confirmed dead, predators swarmed to claim everything, starting with his own men.
The Dog-Dog Pirates were now history.
“Who is this kid?”
Even the Chain Pirates and Twin Wheel Pirates, rivals of the Dog-Dog Pirates, discussed Hermes.
They had taken a share of the spoils.
Chainman and Kokos, the leaders of the rival crews, now viewed Hermes with respect and a hint of fear.
If he could kill Joya, he could threaten them too.
Individually, they were as strong as Joya, their higher bounties due to more heinous deeds or attacks on Marines and merchants.
Bounties today aren’t like the past. Before the Great Pirate Era, a pirate’s bounty reflected their combat power. Now, they often have inflated figures.
“Captain, that kid might be a pirate hunter.”
“A pirate hunter? That’s not a good identity.”
Many pirates grew serious.
Just the name implied their purpose—hunting pirates for bounties, treating them as walking ATMs.
The malice was clear and undisguised.
Pirates universally hated pirate hunters, sometimes even more than the Marines.
“Hiss~”
In a hidden place, Hermes, dragging his exhausted, weak body, cleaned his wounds and applied medicine. Every second felt like an eternity.
He was gravely injured, especially his back, which he couldn’t clean properly. He poured strong liquor over it and hastily bandaged himself.
He needed to see a doctor.
But first, he needed to rest and regain strength.
Better safe than sorry.
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