“Scythe Pirates, Violence Family, Giraffe Pirates.”
“Those three will do.”
Hermes listened intently, already marking these three groups as walking ATMs.
The name Kuzan also startled Hermes. Although Kuzan wasn’t an Admiral yet, his strength was undeniably formidable.
This Giraffe Pirates group has some real skill.
Interesting.
After listening for a while longer, Hermes left the tavern.
He couldn’t wait to test the fruits of his three months of training.
Violence Street.
A well-organized street where the underworld ruled. Even the royal family had to show respect here. This showcased the arrogance and dominance of the Violence Family and their gang members.
As a large organization, the Violence Family engaged in all sorts of criminal activities, but they were not just a bunch of thugs. If they were, the previous king would have eradicated them long ago. They managed various enterprises like red-light districts, bars, drug and weapon trafficking, and protection rackets, providing many jobs, which made them difficult to eliminate.
However, as the organization grew, so did the misconduct among its members, gradually transforming the Violence Family into a notorious gang synonymous with villains and criminals.
Initially, Explosive Wolf and Explosive Rabbit founded the Violence Family to avoid being bullied. Still, as the organization grew larger, they became lost in the allure of power, wealth, and women.
Their subordinates, even when involved in dirty deeds, often turned a blind eye as long as they got a share. Over time, the Violence Family’s reputation became irreparably tainted.
“Big brother, the Giraffe Pirates are too arrogant. I can’t stand it!”
At the Violence Family’s headquarters, Explosive Wolf and Explosive Rabbit, wrapped in bandages, looked grim. They had clashed with the Giraffe Pirates yesterday but failed to wipe them out, a considerable embarrassment.
“I can’t stand it either.”
“Once we’ve healed, we’ll gather all our men and show the Giraffe Pirates who’s in charge here.”
Explosive Wolf’s eyes were filled with malice. He had underestimated the Giraffe Pirates, thinking they would respect his territory, but they were too bold.
If that’s the case, he wouldn’t hold back.
“Boss, Crown Prince Elizabello Paul has sent another envoy to persuade us to cooperate. He promises us whatever we want if he becomes king.”
A subordinate reported as he entered.
“Hmph, didn’t he already ally with the Scythe Pirates?”
“Does he think we’re fools? He just wants to use us to counterbalance the Scythe Pirates. Tell him we’re busy dealing with the Giraffe Pirates.”
This wasn’t Paul’s first attempt to woo them. His willingness to kill his own brother showed how ruthless he was. Cooperating with such a heartless person would tarnish the Violence Family’s name.
Even if their name was already mud.
“Yes, sir!”
“Wait!”
As the subordinate was about to leave, Explosive Wolf spoke up.
“Little Rabbit, go ahead and tell them we’re willing to cooperate, but only if they help us take out the Giraffe Pirates.”
“Big brother, that’s a brilliant plan.”
Explosive Rabbit’s eyes lit up.
With their current strength, they could take down the Giraffe Pirates but not without significant losses, which was not ideal in such a critical period. Cooperation with the Crown Prince would allow them to eliminate the Giraffe Pirates with minimal cost and reap the rewards later.
Big Brother truly lives up to his reputation as a genius.
“Go!”
Explosive Wolf smiled. Without intelligence, he couldn’t have controlled the massive Violence Family. He just preferred to keep a low profile and not flaunt his smarts.
“Let’s go!”
Explosive Rabbit left the headquarters, taking some men with him.
This time, they would teach the Giraffe Pirates a lesson.
The rendezvous point with Crown Prince Elizabello Paul’s envoy was a three-story tavern under the Violence Family’s protection, paying hefty protection fees annually.
“You must be the 43 million berry bounty, Explosive Rabbit?”
Near the tavern, on a bustling street, many people moved aside or bowed in respect at the sight of Explosive Rabbit leading his men. This indicated how domineering he usually was.
A sudden voice made them halt.
A figure blocked their path, holding a wanted poster. Hermes was uncertain at first, as the Explosive Rabbit on the poster was thin, but the man before him was obese.
It wasn’t until he noticed the signature red eyes that he recognized him.
“Kid, move aside!”
One of Explosive Rabbit’s men stepped forward to push Hermes aside, only to be struck down, blood spurting from his side.
The speed of it all left everyone stunned.
“What’s going on?”
“That kid just killed a member of the Violence Family right in front of Explosive Rabbit.”
“How did he do it? I didn’t see a thing.”
Many people gaped in disbelief.
This was outrageous.
“Kid, you’re courting death!”
“Bang!”
A gunshot rang out.
Someone had fired at Hermes.
“King Iron Body.”
Hermes didn’t use Observation Haki or Dodge but employed Iron Body instead.
Time to see if it could block bullets.
Clang!
A crisp, metallic sound echoed as Hermes’s head jerked back, feeling the pain on his forehead.
Warm blood trickled down.
“Just entry-level. Still needs improvement.”
Hermes straightened up, wiping the blood from his forehead. It was only a surface wound, his skull unbroken but throbbing with pain.
The bullet could injure but not kill him.
Given he had only trained Iron Body for three months, this was already impressive.
“No way!”
The crowd buzzed.
The kid was still standing after a gunshot. That should have killed any normal person, yet he only bled a bit.
This was no ordinary person.
“Don’t waste time, kill him.”
Explosive Rabbit frowned, showing no intention of fighting.
This kind of task was for his subordinates. If he had to handle every small fry himself, what were the underlings for?
“Yes, sir!”
“Fire!”
Four or five pirates began shooting at Hermes.
Their firepower was intense.
Unfazed, Hermes moved gracefully towards Explosive Rabbit, occasionally sidestepping or stepping forward, effortlessly dodging the bullets.
“No way!”
“You’ve got to be kidding. He’s dodging bullets.”
“Attack!”
Seeing gunfire fail, a dozen pirates charged, wielding swords, axes, and hammers.
“Argh!”
Continuous screams echoed as Hermes moved like the Grim Reaper, dodging attacks and using his Finger Pistol to strike down his foes.
A ruthless fighter.
This harmless-looking young man was clearly a formidable force.
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