The Ruens Kingdom was a small island nation located near the entrance to the New World.
Calling it a kingdom, however, was no longer particularly accurate.
It had no king, and could barely even be called a country.
The royal family had been slaughtered long ago, and the nation’s social order had almost completely collapsed.
Only two kinds of people still lived there now.
Pirates.
And slaves.
The Leonard Pirates had ruled the country for three years.
Since Ruens wasn’t a World Government member nation, the Marines had simply turned a blind eye.
At first, some people had resisted, but it meant nothing.
Every rebel had been slaughtered by the man wielding the enormous axe.
To punish the people for daring to resist him, Black Axe Leonard sold large numbers of young men and women to slave traders.
The traders weren’t interested in the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled, so those left behind became slaves serving the Leonard Pirates instead.
They built Leonard a magnificent seaside palace and constructed homes around it for his pirates.
They farmed the land, hunted, raised livestock, and supplied everything their masters demanded.
The pirate palace by the coast was filled with luxury, music, and feasting.
Meanwhile, people starved to death every day in the distant slums.
Hope had disappeared from Ruens long ago.
So today—Hope came from the sea.
Five enormous warships cut through the waves, their distant silhouettes already visible on the horizon.
…
Inside Ship No.
1, Zephyr had spread a map of the Ruens Kingdom across the blackboard.
“According to our intelligence…” He pointed toward a bay on one side of the island.
“The bay we’re approaching is where the Leonard Pirates are concentrated.
It’s separated from the main civilian residential areas.” “But there are still many civilian slaves in this district.
To minimize casualties, our artillery will primarily target the pirate ships anchored in the harbor.” Zephyr traced another route across the map.
“We’ll use the bombardment as cover and carry out a decapitation strike.” “Simon, remain aboard Ship No.
1 and command the fleet.
I’ll lead the others in using Geppo to infiltrate.” “Understood.” Simon nodded solemnly.
“Then prepare for action!” Zephyr slapped the blackboard, his voice firm.
Nate stood lazily nearby.
Nobody mentioned whether stray shells might hit civilian areas, nor did anyone discuss how much damage fleeing pirates might cause once the battle began.
Marines were only human.
This was already about as much as they could realistically do.
Regardless—The operation began.
The five warships accelerated at full speed and quickly approached the relatively small island.
Standing near Zephyr at the bow, Nate raised a pair of binoculars and looked toward the distant coastline.
From here, he could already clearly see pirates moving throughout the bay and rows of ships anchored near the shore.
Compared with the massive Marine warship beneath his feet, those pirate vessels looked almost tiny.
Like children standing beside an adult.
Then the Marine fleet stopped advancing.
Each warship slowly turned broadside, bringing dense rows of cannon ports to bear on the distant harbor.
Zephyr straightened his tie.
Nate stood behind him, while the two Rear Admirals and five Commodores formed up nearby.
“Then…” Zephyr’s eyes hardened.
“Open fire.” Signalmen immediately raised their flags.
The order traveled down through the fleet.
Inside the gun decks, artillery crews opened the cannon ports and pushed fully loaded heavy guns into firing position.
Then— BOOM!
One deafening explosion was followed by dozens more.
The heavens seemed to roar as the atmosphere trembled.
Muzzle flashes blossomed along the sides of the warships, and countless cannonballs formed a dark rain across the sky before pouring down toward the distant bay.
“Move out!” At Zephyr’s command, he launched himself forward first, kicking against the air and racing toward the island like a phantom.
“I’ll go on ahead.” Nate smiled lazily.
“Geppo: Flash.” His figure seemed to teleport into the sky.
The instant his foot struck the air, he vanished again and appeared dozens of meters farther ahead.
“A combination of Geppo and Soru?” Rear Admiral Gavin couldn’t help admiring the technique.
“Fast!” “Keep admiring him and we’ll lose sight of him!” Doll was already chasing after Nate.
But she couldn’t catch him.
The heroic-looking Commodore gritted her teeth while the others immediately launched themselves into the air as well.
As Nate raced across the sky, the first volley struck the harbor below.
The first cannonball landed directly on a pirate ship.
BOOM!
Flames erupted and the vessel was instantly blown apart.
The explosion was so violent that even another ship anchored nearby was caught in the blast.
And that shell was only the beginning.
Hundreds more rained down.
In mere moments, the entire bay disappeared beneath enormous explosions.
Fire spread across the harbor while several shells even struck the buildings beside it, making the whole area shake violently.
“Ooh.” Nate narrowed his eyes slightly.
‘That’s some serious firepower.’ As expected of the highest-grade Marine warships capable of carrying out a Buster Call.
The firepower of only five ships was already enough to flatten an island this size.
…
Farther inland, inside the civilian district, thin and malnourished people with lifeless expressions stared blankly toward the explosions blooming across the distant sky.
Meanwhile, inside the magnificent palace beside the burning harbor, a pirate hurriedly threw open a pair of doors.
“Captain!
A Marine fleet is attacking us!” He looked ready to cry.
“The entire harbor’s already been blown apart!” “Marines?” Inside the brightly lit hall, the man sitting on an extravagant throne slowly rose.
He reached beside the throne and pulled an enormous two-handed battle axe from where it had been embedded in the floor.
“What the hell are the Marines doing in a worthless place like this?” The man stood over five meters tall, with a massively muscular body, a brutal face, and a thick beard.
Captain of the Leonard Pirates—Black Axe Leonard.
“Who cares why they’re here, Captain?!” The messenger was nearly in tears.
“The important part is that all our ships have been destroyed!
We don’t have anywhere to run!” “Run?” Leonard dragged the huge axe behind him as he strode out through the palace doors.
He lifted his head toward the sky, now stained red by fire.
“Who the hell do you think I am?” He tightened his grip on the axe and swung.
A long crescent-shaped slash tore through the air and struck an incoming cannonball, turning it into a brilliant explosion high above the palace.
“The ones running away will be those suicidal Marines!” Leonard roared.
“Gather everyone!” His savage grin widened.
“We’re going to war!” “…Yes, Captain!” The messenger had no choice but to obey.
‘Captain’s way too damn stubborn.’ But with every ship destroyed, they truly had nowhere left to escape.
There was only one option left.
Fight.
The pirate hurried away, and at the same time, several other figures began approaching the palace.
The officers of the Leonard Pirates had arrived.
“Perfect.” Leonard’s grin rose even higher.
His thick beard was so coarse it looked like steel needles, making his expression even more vicious.
“I’ve been bored out of my damn mind lately.” He raised his axe.
“Come on, Marines!
Come and fight me to the dea—” “What’s the rush?” A lazy voice drifted down from above.
“I’m already here.” A figure lightly descended into the courtyard.
A coat of justice fluttered behind the handsome young man as he stood there with his usual sleepy expression.
“Are you really that desperate to die?” Leonard’s surprise quickly turned into disbelief.
His gaze swept over Nate before stopping on the insignia decorating his coat.
“A Major?” Then Leonard burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha!
The Marines sent trash like you here to die?” “You really don’t appreciate how lucky you are.” Nate’s lips curved upward.
“Getting to die by my hand will be the greatest honor of your entire life.” None of Leonard’s officers would be reaching this courtyard.
Instructor Zephyr and the others had gone to intercept them.
Which meant—This was a one-on-one fight.
“Hahahahaha!” Leonard laughed wildly.
“Let’s see if that mouth still works after I split you in half!” The ground beneath his feet exploded.
His enormous body shot forward like a cannonball, tearing through the air as his battle axe, coated in pitch-black Armament Haki, swept toward Nate’s waist.
‘Fast.’ But not too fast to react to.
Nate lightly jumped.
The enormous blade passed beneath his feet.
His right fist drew back as black Armament Haki covered it.
“Serious Punch.” The completely sincere fist slammed toward Leonard’s forehead.
No—Leonard deliberately smashed his forehead into Nate’s fist.
His entire forehead had turned pitch-black.
Crackle!
Tiny sparks of Haki lightning danced between them.
An enormous force traveled from Nate’s fist all the way up his arm.
“Ugh!” Nate was blasted backward.
‘His Haki is strong.’ ‘And his physical strength is impressive too.’ A bounty exceeding five hundred million Berries really wasn’t for show.
Simon seemed to have underestimated this man badly.
Leonard was far beyond Simon’s level.
‘Tobiroppo level.’ Strong enough to stand alongside Anthony and Solt.
While Nate was analyzing him, the massive axe came crashing down from above.
“Die, brat!” Leonard laughed madly.
Nate didn’t dodge.
Life Return activated.
His body twisted through the air as though he’d found leverage where none existed, and his right leg whipped outward like a steel lash.
‘Serious Kick.’ CLANG!
The deafening impact shook the palace.
The resulting shockwave swept through the courtyard so violently that dust and debris were blasted away in every direction.
Nate was launched backward like a baseball.
He spun several times through the air before finally landing, his brows slightly furrowed as though he were thinking about something.
Leonard’s expression darkened.
This brat was unusually strong.
More importantly, he was far too young.
There was no chance he was an ordinary Marine Major.
‘Something’s wrong.’ ‘What the hell is this fleet?’ At that moment, Nate suddenly lifted his head.
The tension around his eyes gradually disappeared.
“I see.” His expression relaxed completely.
“Now I understand.” Then he calmly declared, “Which means I’ve already won.” “What?” Visible surprise appeared across Leonard’s hardened face.
“Normally…” Nate raised his right arm vertically in front of him and slowly clenched his fist.
“I’d be expected to fight you to the death, get pushed into some desperate situation, finally understand the trick at the last possible moment, and then break through to defeat you.” His lips lifted faintly.
“But that’s how weak people think.” “For someone strong…” “This is already enough.” Nate looked at his fist.
“Now—” His voice was almost commanding.
“Flow.” There was no need to release his Haki first.
No need to painstakingly move it little by little.
More than a week of relentless practice had finally borne fruit after only two insignificant clashes.
He’d already said it.
He was only one step away.
All he needed to do was raise his foot and casually cross the threshold.
Invisible waves began rippling around Nate’s pitch-black fist.
A faint, icy-blue glow shimmered within them.