So in the end, their only "profit" from this raid was the captured slave traders.
Those with all four limbs intact would be sold off as slaves.
Those gravely wounded and unlikely to survive would be thrown into ice barrels. Once they reached port, they could contact buyers—their organs would still fetch a price.
"Damn it! Over there they're feasting, and we're stuck with scraps!"
"No kidding! This isn't even enough for me to enjoy myself at the casino twice!"
More than forty pirates cursed without exception.
But they were celebrating too soon.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
The pirates spun around in shock.
Roldy stood there, pistol in hand. Smoke curled from the barrel.
In front of him, a slave trader now had a clean hole through his forehead. His eyes were wide with disbelief as he collapsed.
"You little brat! What the hell are you doing?! If we lose these slaves, this whole trip will be for nothing!"
The pirates surged to their feet, eyes bloodshot.
Roldy ignored them completely.
Expressionless, he raised the pistol again—
Bang.
Another head burst open.
None of these slave traders possessed Armament Haki. Their hands and feet were bound. There was no way they could dodge bullets.
They killed my family.
They deserve to die.
"Stop!"
Seeing their profits slipping away, the pirates could no longer hold back. Several rushed toward Roldy with weapons drawn.
They weren't sure whether killing the boy would anger Captain Shiki—so they aimed to subdue him instead.
A little suffering wouldn't hurt.
Drip.
Drip.
The temperature around them suddenly rose.
A strange sound echoed as liquid splattered onto the deck.
"You're… not a pirate?"
A cold voice sounded from behind Roldy, carrying suffocating killing intent.
He instinctively shook his head.
The murderous aura receded like a tide.
Roldy didn't care who it was.
He only cared about finishing what he had started.
Shot after shot.
Even "Bear Claw" Barr, with his 17,000,000 Berry bounty, fell with a bullet through his skull.
When Roldy was done—
A sense of exhilaration welled up inside him.
An indescribable exhilaration.
Before today, he had never killed anyone.
His aunt had taught him to treat others with kindness.
But kindness—
That weak, pathetic kindness—
Had cost her life.
If she hadn't tried to protect him, perhaps she might have survived.
It was weakness that was sinful.
Without strength, everything else was nothing but foam upon the sea.
Now he had strength.
And he had avenged them.
Strength.
The word replaced "kindness" in his heart, taking its place as the most important thing.
Perhaps for a very long time.
Still—
Looking at the distant merchant ships, Roldy felt it wasn't enough.
Not nearly enough.
"Great Eruption."
A voice came from behind him.
Only then did Roldy remember someone had spoken earlier, asking whether he was a pirate.
He turned.
A tall Marine officer stood there in uniform, a justice coat draped over his shoulders. The insignia on his epaulets marked him as a Rear Admiral. A Marine cap shaded his stern face, and a sword hung at his waist.
Both of his arms had transformed into blazing magma.
He was slaughtering the remaining pirates without mercy.
"You brat! Do you even know who you're facing?!" a pirate shouted desperately.
But the man before him seemed far angrier.
"You dare cause chaos in my jurisdiction? You're the ones courting death!"
This was the North Blue.
And the man standing there—
Was Sakazuki.