Chapter 16 The Secrets of Substitution Technique and the Wrath of the Pirates
Beside the ruins, the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.
Nami's eyes dimmed as she looked at Chuchu, who was still angrily roaring at the distance.
She knelt down and gently stroked Ququ's trembling back, her voice low and deep:
"See that...? That's what pirates are like."
Nami bit her lip, her eyes flashing with hatred for that group of people.
"A pirate is a bastard who destroys everything that others cherish and the treasures that others fight desperately to protect!"
Zoro, who was standing to the side, frowned slightly upon hearing this, but did not refute it.
Luffy put away his usual playful expression and said seriously.
"No, Nami. I, Viktor, Zoro, and I are different from those guys."
"What's different?" Nami suddenly looked up. "Aren't you pirates too?!"
Luffy, holding his straw hat, said firmly, "Ah, I've already said it's different. I became a pirate just to become the Pirate King and seek the freest adventure."
"well..."
Mayor Budor sighed and gripped his spear tightly.
"The little girl is right. Although I believe you are different, there are indeed many pirates on this sea who like to destroy and plunder..."
As he spoke, the mayor stepped forward to pick up Ququ and take her away, saying, "It's too dangerous, Ququ, come with me to the shelter."
Just then, Victor, who had been staring into the distance, suddenly narrowed his eyes and immediately grabbed the mayor who was about to go over.
"here we go again?!"
In his field of vision, a chilling red light once again shone on the distant highlands.
That was a precursor to a Pakistani missile launch.
This time, it seems the target is directly them!
"Nami! Get out of there!!"
Victor roared.
Nami was startled by the roar and instinctively tried to pick up QuQu and run away.
But this stubborn little dog seemed to know what was about to happen.
It clung tightly to the ground, refusing to leave this place filled with memories no matter what.
"Hurry up, Ququ!!"
"No time to dawdle!"
Viktor's chakra suddenly erupted from his feet, and he transformed into a blur as he rushed to the shop entrance.
He scooped Nami up in his arms and then tossed her behind him without a shred of mercy: "Get out of here."
Nami cried out in surprise as she was thrown and rolled several meters away to safety.
Then, Viktor forcefully picked up Ququ from the ground and turned to leave.
"Woof!! Woof!!"
Ququ let out a shrill cry.
It didn't know where this person was taking it; it only knew that it would rather die than leave this store.
It opened its mouth and bit down hard on Viktor's left arm, instantly staining his sleeve with blood.
"Hiss—! You stupid dog!"
Viktor gasped in pain, his steps slowing involuntarily.
"Victor!! Forget about that dog!" Zoro roared from afar, his eyes bloodshot.
"Viktor! Run! Rubber—" Luffy shouted anxiously, about to rush to save them.
But he was too slow.
Pakistan's missiles are too fast.
It was during that brief pause that death struck.
"Rumble, rumble—"
The enormous red cannonball, with a devastating roar, instantly enveloped the pet shop and Victor standing at the door.
"boom----!!!"
A giant fireball erupted on the earth.
The violent explosion instantly engulfed the small pet shop, along with Victor's figure, and was instantly submerged in a sea of fire and smoke.
A terrifying shockwave swept out, collapsing several houses in the row.
Everyone stared blankly at the raging sea of fire ahead, their eyes wide open and their minds completely blank.
"No..."
Luffy stopped and stared blankly at the ruins, the shadow under his straw hat obscuring his eyes.
Mayor Budor knelt on the ground in anguish, tears streaming down his face: "My child... Ququ..."
"You're kidding me..." Nami covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. "Viktor... is he dead?"
Even the usually calm Zoro gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white, his mouth slightly agape, staring blankly at the ruins ahead.
He couldn't believe that the always smiling, cunning first mate had simply vanished.
"Damn Bucky!"
"Hey, why is the atmosphere so heavy? It's like I'm really dead."
A lazy voice suddenly came from the pile of ruins behind the group.
Everyone was startled and turned around abruptly as if they had seen a ghost.
On a broken wall, Victor was sitting, holding the struggling Ququ tightly in his arms.
Although his clothes were scorched in several places, he still had that familiar, smug smile on his face.
At the epicenter of the explosion, a charred log slowly rolled out.
[Ding! Successfully rescued puppy Ququ.]
[Gained 100 Ninja Points.]
Viktor breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the system's notification.
Fortunately, he's a man with the [Substitute Technique].
If he hadn't happened to have bought this life-saving skill from the system store beforehand, he wouldn't have been foolish enough to take the hits with his own body for a silly little dog.
"Hehehe!! That's great! Viktor!!"
Luffy froze for a second, then burst into a joyful shout, stretching out his arms and rushing over to hug him.
"cut."
Zoro let out a long sigh, sheathed his sword, and turned his head away.
"I knew you were lucky... It's a real shame you didn't die, you bastard."
Nami wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, looked at the unharmed boy, and felt a strange sense of relief, followed by a wave of lingering fear.
At this moment, Ququ finally let go of her mouth.
It broke free from Victor's arms and ran forward like a madman.
However, all that awaited it was a ruin still emitting black smoke.
The shop that held all its memories with its owner, the "treasure" it had guarded for three months, was completely reduced to ashes.
Ququ stood in front of the ruins, staring blankly.
Then, it lowered its head and dug out a bag of dog food that was half burned from the ashes.
"Woof...woof..."
It lay on the ruins, emitting mournful whimpers that echoed through the empty streets, heartbreaking to witness.
As everyone watched this scene, their initial joy at surviving the ordeal vanished instantly, replaced by a deathly silence.
"Enough!!"
Mayor Budor suddenly let out a roar.
He suddenly stood up from the ground and wiped the tears from his face.
He grabbed the spear in his hand, his whole body trembling but his eyes resolute.
"I am the mayor of this town! This is my town! The residents here are my family!"
The mayor gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with a resolute flame.
"Damn Bucky the Clown! Even if it costs me my life, I will avenge you on behalf of everyone in town!!"
After saying that, the man, who was over sixty years old, resolutely raised his spear and charged toward the high ground where the Buggy Pirates were located.
"Mayor! Calm down!" Nami exclaimed in alarm, quickly trying to grab him. "Going there will only get you killed!"
"I know!!"
The mayor wept bitterly, but shook off Nami's hand.
"I know there's nothing I can do! I know I'm so weak!"
"But I can't just watch my town be destroyed! I have a reason to fight!!"
Nami was stunned as she watched the mayor's unsteady but determined back.
She turned her head and looked helplessly at the three men behind her.
"Hey...aren't you guys going to do anything about this?"
No one answered her.
Zoro silently tied on a dark green bandana, his eyes turning fierce like a wild beast.
Viktor tore a strip of cloth from his clothes and slowly bandaged his left hand, which had been bitten by a dog, while the tomoe in his eyes spun slowly.
"Luffy".
Zoro crossed his arms and said in a deep voice, "Now that you're out of the cage, it's time we settled accounts with that red-nosed guy."
Luffy didn't say anything.
He pulled his hat brim down, obscuring his eyes, so only his tightly pursed lips could be seen.
He slowly raised his head, his eyes terrifyingly calm, yet revealing a fury powerful enough to overturn the entire island.
"Ah, Zoro, Victor."
Luffy clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking.
"Let's go. I'm going to...beat that Bucky to a pulp!!"Chapter 17 Team Battle Begins!
On the high ground, in front of the makeshift tent set up by the Buggy Pirates.
Mayor Bodor rushed down the steps, panting, clutching the rusty spear tightly in his hand, his tear-streaked face filled with determination.
"Hey! Buggy the Pirate!!"
The mayor roared with all his might.
"I am Mayor Budor of this town! For my townspeople, for FunFun's shop... I challenge you!!"
On the high platform, Bucky, who was sitting sulking beside a pile of ruins, lowered his head and looked at the tiny figure with disdain.
"Huh? Where did this stinky old man come from?"
Bucky picked at his ear, looking disdainful.
"Are you kidding me? If you don't want to die, get out of here. I'm in a really bad mood right now."
The surrounding pirate henchmen also let out ear-piercing laughter.
"What's going on? Is this old man here to die?"
"Hahaha! You can't even walk properly and you want to challenge Captain Bucky?"
"Shut up!" the mayor gritted his teeth, his anger undiminished by the mockery. "I have something I must protect..."
"Die, you old codger! You're not worthy to challenge Captain Bucky!"
"What if...we join in to challenge you?"
A calm voice interrupted the pirates' jeers.
Everyone looked back.
Luffy led the way, with Victor and Zoro flanking him on either side. The three of them strode forward with an aura that sent chills down one's spine.
Bucky's pupils contracted sharply when he saw the straw hat and Victor.
"Huh?! That damn red-eyed kid! Straw Hat Boy!"
Bucky jumped up from his seat, his shattered hands flailing wildly in the air.
"You guys weren't killed in the bombing? And you still dare to come here!"
"Hey! Straw Hat Boy! Seeing your awful straw hat reminds me of another annoying red-haired jerk! So now I hate you twice as much!"
"Red hair?"
Luffy paused for a moment, then realized something.
You mean Shanks? Do you know Shanks?
"Haha! You could say we know each other, but you could also say we don't!"
Bucky laughed arrogantly, "Who's going to obediently tell you, you idiot!"
Luffy tilted his head, looking at him like he was an idiot: "What are you talking about, you moron? Do you even know him?"
"You're the idiot!!" Bucky snapped, yelling, "Your whole family are idiots!"
"I'm not an idiot! I'm going to be the Pirate King!" Luffy roared back confidently.
Zoro and Viktor, who were standing behind, exchanged a glance.
Even without verbal communication, the two instantly understood the meaning in each other's eyes.
— Confirmed, both of them are idiots.
Just then, Mayor Budor, who had been ignored, raised his spear again and shouted, "Bucky!! Don't ignore me! Accept my challenge!!"
"Huh? You old man are really annoying..."
"Bang!"
Before Bucky could finish speaking, a fist flashed past.
Without warning, Luffy punched the mayor on the back of the head.
The town mayor didn't even utter a sound; his eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot.
The entire room fell silent.
"Luffy?!" Nami ran over in a panic. "What are you doing?! That's the mayor!"
Luffy withdrew his fist and pulled his hat brim down: "This old man is in the way."
"Luffy is doing this for the mayor's own good."
Viktor stepped forward, glanced at the unconscious mayor, and explained calmly.
"If we really let him challenge Bucky, he'll surely die. Letting him sleep is better than losing his life."
"Was there really no need to just knock them out?!" Nami exclaimed in exasperation, "This is just too reckless!"
"That's just how we pirates do things," Victor shrugged.
"It's 'you guys'! Don't try to get close to me!" Nami immediately distanced herself.
Bucky, watching this scene from the high platform, laughed even harder: "Huh? Is this infighting? Wahahaha! What a bunch of idiots!"
Luffy raised his head, his gaze instantly sharpening.
He took a deep breath and shouted at Bucky:
"Shut up, you big red nose!!"
quiet.
A deathly silence.
The pirates, who had been laughing and joking, froze instantly, their expressions turning into extreme terror, as if they had heard the countdown to the end of the world.
"What did you say?!"
Bucky slowly lowered his head, veins bulging on his forehead, his entire face contorted into a terrifying shape with rage.
"That's a taboo word!!" a pirate screamed, clutching his head. "That straw hat kid is dead meat!!"
"Who are you calling red-nosed?!"
Bucky roared, and the throwing knife in his hand was instantly crushed.
"If you want to die, I'll grant your wish!! Men! Push that special Pakistani bomb over here! I'm going to blast them to smithereens!!"
"Yes, yes! Captain Bucky!"
The pirates frantically pushed out another cannon, its dark muzzle aimed directly at Luffy and his crew.
"Hey!! Run!!"
Nami was terrified when she saw this.
"They're going to fire that shell that could destroy a town! We're going to die!"
Without thinking, she grabbed Victor's sleeve and tried to run away.
When pulled, Viktor remained motionless, standing rooted to the spot like a pillar.
"Victor?! Run!"
"I won't run." Victor's lips curled into a smile of anticipation. "Leave it to Luffy."
"Huh?!" Nami looked to the other side in disbelief and found that Zoro was also calmly crossing his arms, showing no intention of dodging at all.
"What's wrong with you guys?!" Nami felt like she was going crazy.
"Hmph, so arrogant! Then die! Disappear in style!! Wahahaha!!"
With Bucky's roar, the fuse burned out.
"boom--!!"
A massive red cannonball, carrying an aura of destruction, roared out and headed straight for Luffy's face!
Faced with a blow that could level the street, Luffy not only didn't dodge, but instead took a step forward, laughing as he took a deep breath.
"Hehehe! You've come at the right time!"
"Rubber rubber—balloon!!"
Under Nami's horrified gaze.
Luffy's body instantly swelled up like an inflated balloon, becoming round, soft, and elastic.
"state--!!"
The giant Buggy bomb slammed into Luffy's round belly.
The expected explosion did not occur.
The cannonball seemed to have sunk into a giant ball of cotton, embedding itself deep inside Luffy's belly, and then—
Forced to brake by this terrifying elastic force, it then rebounded!
"Here you go!!" Luffy roared, his belly bulging out.
"Whoosh—!!"
The Pakistani missile flew back along the same route at an even faster speed than it had come from!
On the high platform, Bucky, who was about to celebrate his victory, had his eyes bulging out of their sockets, and his jaw slammed into the ground.
"Huh? Why did you bring this back?!"
At the critical moment, Bucky revealed his utterly shameless side.
He grabbed two unfortunate henchmen next to him and used them as shields.
"Help, Captain Bucky!!"
"No!!"
"Bang—!!!"
The enormous explosion echoed through Orange Town once again.
The Buggy missile struck precisely in the center of the Buggy Pirates' headquarters.
Terrifying flames shot into the sky, and the once arrogant platform was instantly reduced to ruins, with debris flying everywhere.
"Hehehe! It's blown away!"
Luffy returned to normal, patted his slightly numb stomach, and laughed happily.
Nami's eyes widened, her mouth agape: "What... what's going on? Why did the shell bounce back?!"
"Luffy is a rubber man who ate the Gum-Gum Fruit."
Viktor kindly explained from the side, "His whole body is made of rubber, so ordinary blunt force trauma and artillery shells are ineffective against him."
"Rubber people... are these Devil Fruit users?" Nami muttered to herself, "They're really monsters..."
Just then, an angry roar came from the ruins ahead.
"Aaaaaah!! This hurts so much! I'm going to kill you all!!"
The smoke and dust cleared.
Bucky crawled out of the rubble in a disheveled state, casually tossing aside the two charred "human shields."
Although he was covered in dust and dirt, he was not seriously injured thanks to his body shield and Devil Fruit ability.
"Captain Bucky..."
A swordsman with long bangs that covered half his face, riding a unicycle, slowly and disheveledly emerged from the shadows of the ruins.
Although he was somewhat affected, the murderous intent in his eyes grew even stronger.
"That green-haired swordsman...can I have him?"
"Hahaha! It's Kabakki!"
Seeing that his general was still alive, Bucky regained his confidence and grinned maliciously.
"Alright! Let them see the true power of the Buggy Pirates! Kill them all!"
Zoro looked at the guy performing acrobatics on a unicycle, drew his Wado Ichimonji, and sneered:
"A circus troupe? Come on if you want to die, you noob."
"Red Nose! I'm going to beat you to a pulp!" Luffy clenched his fist and walked towards Buggy.
A battle is about to break out.
Nami, standing at the back, watched the completely chaotic situation, her eyes darting around rapidly.
Now that these monsters have started fighting, isn't this... the time when the treasure vault's defenses are at their weakest?
She slowly moved backward until she was behind Viktor, and said with a smile:
"Ah... since you pirates want to fight and kill, then I won't keep you company."
"Anyway... your lives or deaths are none of my business. Let's cooperate again sometime!"
After saying that, Nami ignored everyone, crouched down, and carefully bypassed the edge of the battlefield, slipping into the depths of the Buggy Pirates' ruins.
Clearly, her target was the Buggy Pirates' treasure.
Viktor glanced at Nami's furtive figure, then at Luffy and Zoro who were about to unleash their ultimate attacks.
"The system's mission is to defeat a powerful enemy, but I also need money... Hmm... I want it all! Go and come back quickly!"
A strange smile appeared on Viktor's lips.
"Zoro, Luffy, I'll leave this place to you for now."
He muttered something to himself, then darted away and silently followed the orange figure.Chapter 18 The terrifying strength of the first mate!
The battlefield ahead.
"Hmph, Roronoa Zoro. I will cut off your head and make a name for myself throughout the world!"
Kabaki rode his unicycle, his long sword flashing in the air as he arrogantly charged toward Zoro.
"You will become my stepping stone to the top!"
"A unicycle! How cool!"
Luffy, standing at the back, suddenly had his eyes turn into stars, completely missing the point.
Zoro merely smiled coldly, slowly drew his three swords, and assumed the classic three-sword style stance.
"Luffy! Victor! Don't interfere in the swordsmen's battle!"
Zoro, biting down on Wado Ichimonji, shouted indistinctly but with unwavering confidence.
"I can take care of this acrobatic guy very quickly."
"Oh!" Luffy nodded obediently, then looked around as if he remembered something. "Hmm? Where's Viktor? He was just here a moment ago."
"Arrogant pirate hunter!"
In the center of the battlefield, Kabaki, seeing Zoro's blatant disregard for him, laughed in fury.
He spurred his unicycle, propelling himself into the air, and from above, he slashed at Zoro's face with his sword.
"Acrobatics: The Water Vapor Murder Case!"
Although it is named after water vapor, it does not use water.
"clang!"
Zoro didn't even move his feet, easily blocking the attack with one hand holding his sword.
If it were the Zoro from the original story who had been stabbed in the kidney by Buggy and lost too much blood, he might find it difficult.
But Zoro is at full health and in top condition right now!
"Is this all you've got to make a name for yourself?" Zoro scoffed.
Kabakki scoffed, surprised by the opponent's strength.
He used the momentum to jump backward, his eyes cold and sinister.
"Don't rush, the best is yet to come! Acrobatics Fire-Breathing Daddy!"
Kabaki took a deep breath and suddenly spewed a large ball of fire at Zoro.
call--!
Flames swept in.
As Zoro looked at the ball of fire, Viktor's Fireball Jutsu involuntarily came to mind.
"cut."
Zoro gave a disdainful sneer, casually slashing with his sword, the force of the wind splitting the flames in two.
"Compared to Viktor's fire, this is as laughable as a tiny flame!"
"What?!"
Kabakki frowned, not expecting his signature move to be so belittled.
"If that's the case... then what about this one! The Hot Air Murder Case!"
He wildly swung his long sword, instantly stirring up the dust on the ground and forming a fog that obscured his vision.
"Huh? What kind of acrobatics is that? It's just throwing sand, isn't it?"
Zoro stood in the dust, closed his eyes, and listened carefully to pinpoint the location of the sound.
Just as Kabaki, using the dust as cover, grinned and lunged at Zoro, the moment...
"Pfft!"
Zoro didn't even open his eyes; he simply swung his sword backhand and precisely sliced into Kabakki's abdomen.
"ah!"
Kabakki was horrified and hurriedly retreated, clutching his blood-soaked stomach, his face filled with disbelief.
Zoro slowly wiped the blood off his blade, his eyes as terrifying as a demon.
"What's wrong? You like acrobatic monkeys? You can't keep up the performance?"
"Go! Zoro!!" Luffy shouted excitedly from behind.
"Damn it..." Kabakki was in so much pain that he was sweating profusely.
Just then, Bucky, who had been watching the game, finally couldn't sit still any longer.
"Kabaji! I'll grab him, you kill him with your strongest sword technique!!"
Buggy roared, and his hands suddenly detached from his body, flying rapidly along the ground towards Zoro, intending to lock Zoro's hands and feet.
However.
"Smack!"
Just as those hands were about to touch Zoro, a straw sandal stomped down hard, pinning Buggy's hands firmly to the ground.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch!!!" Bucky screamed.
Luffy, expressionless, stepped on Buggy's hand and calmly said:
"Don't interfere in Zoro's fight, you bastard."
Zoro glanced back and a smile played on his lips.
"Thanks, Luffy."
...
Meanwhile, deep within the ruins of the Buggy Pirates.
After much effort, Nami finally managed to pry open the collapsed wall and find the Buggy Pirates' treasure vault.
She looked at the wooden door with a huge iron lock in front of her and revealed a mischievous smile.
"Let's grab the treasure and the sea charts and run while those idiots are fighting!"
Nami picked up a thick wooden stick from the side, took a deep breath, and smashed it hard against the already loose door lock.
"Bang! Crack!"
The door lock, which was already damaged in the explosion, snapped off.
Nami dropped the stick and tiptoed into the room.
After lighting the oil lamp on the wall, the sight before her made her hold her breath instantly.
Gold coins, gems, pearls... piled up like mountains!
The treasures gleamed alluringly in the dim light.
"Wow...!!"
Nami's eyes transformed into the shape of Beli, and she pounced into the pile of gold coins, rolling around happily.
"There are so many! I'm rich! These are all mine!"
"Hey! Woman, what are you doing?!"
A harsh voice suddenly shattered Nami's sweet dream.
"Hehehe, a little mouse has gotten into the warehouse!"
"Huh? Where did this thief come from? Trying to steal Captain Bucky's treasure?"
Nami froze, mechanically turning her head away.
At the entrance to the treasure vault, six grinning pirates had somehow blocked the way.
They held gleaming broadswords in their hands, their eyes fixed greedily on Nami.
"Oh no... I was careless!"
Nami watched them slowly approach, her heart pounding.
She gripped the wooden stick tightly, cold sweat trickling down her forehead. "Six people... I can't beat them..."
"Hehehe, this little girl is quite pretty. Why don't you stay and keep us company?" The leader of the pirates licked his lips and approached.
Just as Nami was preparing for a desperate fight.
"Wow, it's quite lively here."
A clear, cheerful voice, tinged with laughter, suddenly rang out at the doorway.
Nami looked up abruptly, her eyes gleaming with surprise: "Victor!!"
Viktor leaned against the door frame, his hands behind his back, his dark eyes appearing particularly deep under the oil lamp.
The six pirates whirled around: "Huh? Trying to be a hero, pretty boy?"
One of the pirates raised his sword and slashed, shouting, "You're asking for death..."
"Bang!"
Before he could finish speaking, he was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing hard into the wall and losing consciousness on the spot.
Viktor slowly retracted his right leg, his face still bearing that harmless smile.
"When?!" The remaining pirates were shocked.
"Kill him!!"
"one."
Viktor counted quietly.
At this moment, his pupils had turned red, and the single tomoe was spinning wildly.
Facing the oncoming broadsword, he didn't retreat but instead advanced, awkwardly crouching down to easily dodge it.
Immediately following, a sweeping leg kick sent the man off balance and into the air.
Viktor caught the man's dropped broadsword and shoved it back into his hand.
"Pfft."
The blade pierced through the pirate's chest.
"two."
Viktor drew his blood-stained longsword and casually swung it, deflecting a sneak attack from the side with a clang.
But behind him, another pirate was charging forward, roaring and brandishing his sword: "Die!!"
"Watch out behind you!!" Nami shouted a warning.
Viktor didn't even turn his head; he merely tilted his head slightly, and his crimson Sharingan met the attacker's gaze.
"Illusion Technique: The Technique of Seeing Naraku".
The attacker's body stiffened instantly, his pupils dilated, as if he had seen something extremely terrifying, and the knife in his hand clattered to the ground.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Victor delivered a vicious groin kick to the pirate in front of him who had been blocked.
"Click".
A sickeningly loud cracking sound.
"Awooo—!"
The man clutched his groin and collapsed in pain, his face turning purple.
Viktor finished him off with a final blow, thus ending his suffering.
Then, taking advantage of the momentum of turning around, he drew an arc with his long sword, slicing across the neck of the pirate who was under illusion and standing motionless.
"Swoosh—thud!"
A head rolled off.
"Three, four."
The two remaining pirates, one tall and one short, behind Victor were already terrified.
They stared at the corpses strewn across the ground, at the red-eyed boy who was killing people while counting, and their spirits completely collapsed.
"A devil...this is a devil!!"
"You're a demon!!"
The two screamed, dropped their weapons, and ran out the door.
Viktor didn't give chase; he simply weighed the weapon in his hand.
With a flick of his right hand, the longsword transformed into a javelin, instantly piercing a man's back.
At the same time, he flicked his left hand, and the kunai, like a black lightning bolt, pierced into the back of another person's head.
"Pfft! Pfft!"
Two muffled thuds signaled the end of the battle.
The whole process took less than ten seconds.
Viktor dusted off his hands, stepped over the corpses on the ground, and walked with a smile toward Nami in the depths.
Nami slumped onto the pile of gold coins, swallowing hard.
Although this man had just saved her, the coldness and efficiency with which he killed sent a chill down her spine.
In short... this man is terrifyingly strong!
As Viktor approached, Nami took a deep breath, forced a smile, and extended her hand to him:
"Victor…th-thank you…"
However.
Victor didn't even glance at her outstretched hand, and simply walked past her with a smile.
Nami: "???"
Viktor pulled out a huge sack from somewhere.
He squatted in front of the pile of gold coins and began frantically stuffing treasure into it.
"Hmm...this gold cup is nice, it's valuable. Keep this pearl necklace. Oh, is this a crown? It's a treasure..."
Nami's hand froze in mid-air, her expression gradually changing from moved to blank, and finally to angry.
"Victor!!!"
Nami roared, "That's my treasure!! And what?! Are you even here to rescue someone?! Can't you be a gentleman?!"Chapter 19 What a stroke of luck! Beat Bucky up!
"Victor!!"
Nami looked at Viktor, who had bypassed her with such practiced ease that he seemed like a habitual offender, and a surge of inexplicable anger rose within her.
"Hmph! You want to race? I'm a thief who specializes in stealing from pirates!"
Nami forced herself to calm down, and, not to be outdone, pulled out her cloth bag and plunged into the pile of gold coins, frantically stuffing it in.
However, reality is cruel.
As a ninja, Viktor's hand speed was so fast that he was just a blur.
In less than three minutes, the two had already divided up the mountain of treasure.
But Viktor had three bags at his feet, each nearly 70% full, while Nami only had one bag that was half full.
"Done."
Viktor clapped his hands, ignoring Nami's murderous glare, and walked straight to the most conspicuous treasure chest.
"Huh? You need the key..."
Then, he pulled the key from the neck of the pirate he had just killed and unlocked the lock with a click.
A parchment scroll lay quietly inside.
"Grand Line Chart"
Viktor smiled slightly and casually tucked it into his arms, placing it close to his body.
After doing all this, he turned around and extended his slender right hand to Nami.
Nami was stunned for a moment.
Looking at the hand reaching out to him.
She hesitated for a moment, her cheeks flushed slightly, and finally, rather awkwardly, extended her hand, turning her head away and whispering:
"Um...although I hate pirates, since you saved me, it's not impossible to shake hands and make peace..."
"Um?"
Victor looked at her strangely. "What are you doing? I mean—give me your treasure."
"..."
The air froze for three seconds.
Nami abruptly pulled her hand back, as if she had been burned.
Then, clutching the money pouch tightly to his chest, he bared his teeth at Viktor and roared through gritted teeth:
"This is mine!! Don't even think about it!!"
"Tsk, what a miser."
Victor didn't insist, but shook his head regretfully, "Okay, okay, Miss Navigator."
"I already told you..."
Just as Nami was about to retort, "I'm not your navigator," she saw Viktor's eyes harden, and he made a move to reach out and snatch it again.
"Ah! Ah! I understand!!"
Nami took a step back in fright, completely impressed by this shameless red-eyed bandit.
"I can make money by being with you guys, and you have the nautical charts... Fine, I'll join you!"
"But let me make this clear first: I will absolutely not become a formal member of the pirate crew. We are just partners! Partners!"
"make a deal."
Viktor smiled and withdrew his hand, picked up the three huge treasure bags, and walked out as easily as lifting a feather.
Just as he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Nami.
"Nami."
"Huh? What?" Nami asked warily, clutching her money pouch.
"Including this time, I've saved you three times in total."
Viktor held up three fingers and began calculating the accounts with an air of seriousness.
"My appearance fee is very high. Hmm... if I give you a discount, let's say 100 million Berries per appearance, then... you now owe me 300 million Berries."
"ha?!"
Nami frowned as she heard this astronomical figure. What did he know?
She shook her head and exclaimed, "Three hundred million? Why don't you just rob someone?"
Victor didn't explain, he just smiled meaningfully.
What did he know? He knew that on this girl's shoulders lay a "life-saving money" of a full 100 million Berries.
"I'm robbing it right now, so please cooperate."
"Give up! Then just keep owing it!" Nami shouted at his retreating back. "Anyway, I don't have any money! I'll never give it to you in this lifetime!"
...
The two stepped out of the treasure vault, where a fierce battle was already raging.
Ahead, Luffy and Zoro are engaged in fierce battles with Buggy and Kabaji, respectively.
"Tear it apart—throwing knife!!"
With a strange cry, Buggy's hands detached from his body, now holding eight sharp knives that flew through the air like homing missiles, shooting at Luffy from all directions.
"Wow! A hand is flying over!"
Luffy clung to a nearby tree trunk, using the elasticity of his rubber to flip and dodge one deadly slash after another.
Nami watched this scene, then glanced at Buggy next to her, whose body was constantly disintegrating and reassembling in mid-air.
Her eyes widened like saucers, and she couldn't help but gasp in surprise:
"What...what kind of monsters are these?!"
"Rubber, rubber—"
After dodging a round of attacks, Luffy seized an opening.
He suddenly stretched his arms backward for dozens of meters, and with the help of the huge rebound force, he rushed towards Pakistan like a cannonball.
Bucky easily dodged with a cold laugh. "Heh heh heh! Too slow!"
But his target wasn't Bucky; instead, he grabbed a pillar in the ruins behind Bucky, his body tracing a huge arc in the air.
"Rubber-Sickle!!"
Luffy swept across using centrifugal force, a blow powerful enough to break an ordinary person in half.
"How naive! Rubber Man!"
Bucky grinned maliciously.
Just as Luffy was about to strike.
His head was severed directly from his neck and flew high into the air, while his body was split into several pieces.
"brush!"
Luffy's attack missed its mark, crashing directly into the collapsed building behind him and kicking up a cloud of dust.
"I...I'm not dreaming, am I..."
Nami rubbed her eyes; this scene had a huge impact on her common sense.
Viktor tossed the treasure bag to Nami: "Here, watch closely, this is what a real fight is like."
After saying that, he vanished in a flash.
On the battlefield.
"Hahaha! You can't hit it! You can't hit it at all!"
Buggy looked at Luffy, who had trapped himself in the ruins, and laughed triumphantly.
Then, he gripped the throwing knife tightly again, circling it in the air, shouting, "Die! Tear-to-Pieces Throwing Knife!"
Just as his hands were about to stab the immobilized Luffy.
A dark shadow appeared like a ghost in front of his unsuspecting lower body.
"Who?!" Bucky exclaimed in surprise.
Victor didn't waste any words, taking advantage of the fact that Buggy's attention was entirely on Luffy.
He raised his knee, gripped Buggy's shoulders tightly with both hands, and then unleashed a burst of chakra, delivering a vicious knee strike precisely to Buggy's most vulnerable abdomen.
"puff!!"
This strike was powerful and heavy.
Bucky felt like his internal organs had shifted, his eyes bulged out, and he spat out a mouthful of acidic liquid.
Because of the excruciating pain, his hands, which had been flailing in the air, instantly lost control and fell limply to the ground.
"It's not over yet."
Viktor's eyes were cold. Taking advantage of Bucky's momentary lapse in concentration, he followed up with a spinning kick, slamming it hard into Bucky's side of the face.
"Bang!"
Bucky was hit like by a bolt of lightning, screaming as he flew backward.
He rolled on the ground more than a dozen times before stopping, howling in pain, "Damn it... damn red-eyed brat..."
Before he could finish speaking, his pupils were filled with a bright orange-red light.
Viktor finished forming hand seals, his chest bulging high.
If we can kill this future Yonko here, how many Ninja Points will the system give us?
I can't even imagine!
Viktor couldn't bear to think about it!
Therefore, he used all his strength without hesitation!
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!!"
call--!!!
The enormous fireball, like a sun that devours everything, roared as it hurtled toward the fallen Bucky.
"Fire?! No!!"
Bucky was terrified and instinctively tried to split his body to escape.
The power of the Chop-Chop Fruit means that once the flames are dispersed, they are unlikely to cause fatal damage to him.
However.
When he met Viktor's bloodshot eyes, it was too late.
"Illusion Technique: The Technique of Seeing Naraku".
Buzz—!
Bucky's movements froze instantly.
In his vision, the giant fireball transformed into a red-haired man holding the treasure map he hated most, pointing at him and laughing maniacally.
Fear, anger, and memories intertwined, causing a fatal mental breakdown in him.
It was this brief pause.
"BOOM—!!"
The fireball slammed squarely into Bucky!
The flames exploded, completely engulfing Bucky.
"Aaaaaahh...
A piercing scream echoed through the sky.
Bucky was blasted deep into the nearby ruins by this smooth little combo, his fate unknown.
The pirate crew members who had been cheering for their captain were now completely terrified.
They watched as the red-eyed boy stood indifferently before the raging fire, his weapons falling to the ground.
"So... just who is that guy...?"
"Even Captain Bucky was powerless to fight back..."
"This is terrifying... Is that a demon?"
"Shut up! Idiot!"
A clever pirate immediately lay down on the ground, feigning death, and whispered in a trembling voice.
"We're doomed if he finds us! Faint quickly! He won't kill us as long as we're corpses!"
In an instant, the pirates on the edge of the battlefield seemed to be struck by some kind of mass magic, collapsing to the ground with a series of thuds and snoring.Chapter 20: Running Away!
Amidst the ruins, the smoke of battle gradually dissipated.
"Cough cough... Damn red-eyed brat!"
Amidst a pile of rubble, a comical little creature is struggling to crawl out.
Because it was hit head-on by the fireball, and its body was forced to split open in an emergency to disperse the shockwave.
In order to avoid attracting the attention of that red-eyed brat, "Great Pirate" Buggy looked extremely miserable at this moment.
Her clothes were torn, and her blue hair was burned black and curly.
The worst part is that most of its body parts were blown away.
He has now transformed into a chibi-style figure consisting only of hands, feet, and a head.
"Damn it... that damned red-eyed brat... remember this..."
Mini Bucky, with tears streaming down his face, tried to sneak away from the edge of the ruins like a startled crab, his short legs carrying him away.
"Thump."
A foot descended from the sky, mercilessly stepping on Bucky's already short red cape.
Bucky froze, turning his head mechanically like a rusty doll.
Viktor was looking down at him, his dark eyes now calm and normal.
He had that same ever-present smiling expression on his face, but in Bucky's eyes, he was more terrifying than a demon.
Victor crouched down, extended his long, slender fingers, and gently flicked Bucky's signature red nose.
"collapse!"
"Ouch!! What are you doing?!"
Bucky rolled on the ground, covering his nose, tears streaming down his face. "Death is the only punishment! Go ahead and kill me if you dare!"
"Great! Captain Bucky!"
Viktor's smile widened. "I love helping others!"
As he spoke, he gripped the kunai in his right hand, and with a flash of cold light, he thrust it toward Buggy's head without the slightest hesitation!
He was truly intent on killing with this strike.
However--
"Rubber-rocket launcher!!"
"Bang!"
Before the kunai could strike, Luffy's outstretched hands suddenly reached out from behind Victor and, with tremendous force, slammed into the mini Buggy in front of him.
"call out--"
The kunai in Victor's hand could only barely leave a bloody mark on Bucky's face as he flew away.
"Ah!! My nose! My eyes!!"
Bucky, blasted into the air, let out a shrill scream before disappearing into the sky like a shooting star.
"Red-eyed brat!! Straw Hat boy!! I will come back and kill you both!!"
The sound gradually faded into the distance and eventually disappeared.
Victor remained in his stabbing stance, staring at the empty space ahead, his lips twitching slightly.
"Luffy..."
Viktor turned his head helplessly and looked at the captain behind him who was clapping his hands and laughing.
"Wow, it's flying so high! Hehehe!"
Luffy laughed heartily, then looked at Viktor with a curious expression, "Hmm? What's wrong, Viktor?"
Viktor sighed, and just as he was about to say something, a system notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for defeating the special target: Bucky the Joker.]
[Battle Rating: A (Failed to finish off the enemy, a regrettable outcome, but a tactical victory).]
[Gained 800 Ninja Points.]
"800 points?"
Viktor raised an eyebrow, his frustration instantly dissipating.
This is the highest number of points I've earned so far. Adding to what I've gained before, I now have a total of 1450 points.
It's a bit of a shame I didn't get to kill Buggy with my own hands, but considering his cockroach-like resilience and the foreshadowing for the Impel Down storyline...
"That's fine then."
Viktor calmly put away the kunai, and a smile returned to his face.
"It's alright, Luffy. The kind Captain Buggy said before he left that he would sponsor us a ship to express his apology for bombing us earlier."
Victor pointed to the distant coastline, "Right at the town's dock."
"Really?!"
Upon hearing this, Luffy's eyes widened instantly, and his mouth gaped open.
"Great! Hehehe, we finally have a decent boat!"
"Hey, this thing is too heavy, come help me!"
Just then, Nami's voice came through.
She was struggling to drag several heavy bags of treasure, walking unsteadily with each step. Although her face was covered in sweat, her eyes were narrowed into crescent moons.
Luffy glanced at the mountain of bags and exclaimed, "Wow, there are so many."
Then, as if he had remembered something, he looked at Nami with a bright smile.
"By the way, Nami! Now that we've fought together, you'll be our ally, right?"
Nami paused.
She glanced at Victor, who was smiling at her from the side, then turned her head away haughtily.
"Stop talking nonsense! It's just cooperation, cooperation! Please remember that!"
"Ah, there's no difference." Luffy picked his nose.
"There's a difference! You idiot!" Nami stomped her foot in anger.
"Okay, stop arguing."
Viktor pulled out the parchment scroll he had just acquired from his pocket and casually tossed it to Luffy.
"Luffy, here you go. The Grand Line chart."
"ah!!"
Luffy caught the sea chart in a flurry of activity, trembling with excitement as if he were holding a priceless treasure.
"Victor! You're amazing! No wonder you're the vice-captain of the Pirate King!"
"Hmph, looks like it's all over."
A lazy voice came from behind.
Zoro slung his sword over his shoulder and walked over from a distance with his arms crossed, looking relaxed. Although he was a bit disheveled, his aura was still fierce.
Luffy held up the nautical chart in his hand and boasted, "Ah, Zoro! We not only got a ship, but also treasure, a nautical chart, and a navigator!"
Zoro raised an eyebrow, glanced at the treasure on the ground and Nami beside him: "Oh? Pretty capable, huh?"
He then looked at the unharmed Victor and curled his lip.
Victor glanced at him sideways and said with a smile:
"Too slow, Algae Head. Have you gotten lost again?"
"Well, I'm really sorry... Do you want to fight?! You bastard!"
Veins bulged on Zoro's forehead as he roared at Viktor.
"Hahahaha!" Luffy laughed heartily.
Nami looked at the noisy trio, and although she complained, she couldn't help but smile.
But this warm atmosphere didn't last long.
"Speaking of the mayor…" Nami was about to speak.
A series of hurried footsteps approached.
"Hey! You guys! Are you from somewhere else?"
A group of townspeople, carrying farm tools and wooden sticks, came running up breathlessly. They looked at the few people in the ruins with surprise and doubt.
"Ah, what about you guys?" Luffy asked, tilting his head.
"We are residents of this town. What was that explosion and commotion about? If you know anything, please tell us!"
Just then, one of the sharp-eyed townspeople suddenly looked at the ground not far away and exclaimed in surprise.
"Hey, isn't that the mayor?! How did things get like this?!"
Following the gaze of the crowd, they saw Mayor Budor lying on the ground in a "spread-eagle" position, with a large bump on his head, unconscious.
"Mayor!!"
The crowd immediately swarmed around in a panic.
"It must have been done by pirates!"
"That's outrageous! They actually beat the mayor up like that!"
"Unforgivable..."
Anger spread through the crowd, and all eyes instantly turned hostile, fixed on Luffy and his crew.
Luffy, however, acted as if nothing had happened, pointing at Buldor on the ground and frankly saying:
"Ah, I'm the one who knocked that uncle out."
quiet.
The air froze for a second.
The next moment, all the townspeople glared at them angrily, raising their weapons.
"You!! Why did you treat the town mayor so cruelly?!"
"You guys are pirates, right? You must be Buggy's crew!"
"No, no! There's a reason for all this!" Nami exclaimed in surprise, frantically waving her hands as she tried to explain, "Listen everyone, it's actually..."
However, Luffy gave Nami no chance to explain.
He adjusted his straw hat, flashed his signature smile, and nodded.
"Yes, we are pirates. I am Luffy, the man who will become the Pirate King!"
"puff--"
Upon hearing this, Nami, who was about to defend herself, suddenly felt dizzy and fainted to the ground in despair.
Seeing this, Zoro couldn't help but burst into laughter, clutching his stomach: "Hahahaha! As expected of you, Luffy!"
"If they're pirates, then there's nothing more to say!!"
"Get out! Throw them out!!"
The enraged townspeople roared and brandished their weapons, ready to charge forward.
Nami instantly snapped back to reality. She looked around in terror, desperately searching for the most reliable "big shot" to ask for help.
"What should we do... Viktor...? Hmm? Where's Viktor?"
Nami was stunned.
The black-haired boy who was just standing next to me has vanished without a trace.
Along with the vanished treasure, the several large bags of riches on the ground were also lost.
At this moment, at the entrance of the alleyway a few dozen meters away.
Victor, carrying a huge treasure bag, was as light as a feather and had already made his escape.
He glanced back at the three surrounded people, a smile playing on his lips, and then slipped away faster than anyone else.
Just kidding, being surrounded by enraged civilians is the most troublesome thing. If you don't run now, when will you?
Hehehe!
Surrounded by the angry crowd, Luffy not only didn't get angry, but instead put his hat on his head and let out a hearty laugh.
"They've run away!!"