"Heh heh heh heh… 'Mad Beast' Mangu, right? Today I'll turn you into a dead beast!"
After hearing the murmurs from the surrounding crowd, Sandy sneered arrogantly at Mangu.
Just as the imposing Sandy prepared to lead his men in crushing this powerful opponent, a sudden wave of footsteps echoed from every direction—chaotic at first, then rapidly organizing into disciplined movement.
Figures wearing identical uniforms poured out from each venue along Happy Street. In mere moments, they formed a dense wall of bodies, completely surrounding Sandy and the more than one hundred members of the Violent Bear Pirates.
The grin on Sandy's face froze.
The chatter of the spectators quickly died down until the street fell into silence.
Looking around, it was clear—many were stunned.
In the blink of an eye, the entire street had been filled.
The newcomers were none other than the younger brothers of the War Pirates.
Though this night was meant for relaxation and indulgence, Kaito Arisawa's militarized training had ensured that his men never let their guard down. The moment they heard words like "War Pirates" and "Mangu" drifting in from outside, they immediately put aside their entertainment and moved out to assess the situation.
"This… this is actually just a misunderstanding!"
Facing the countless cold stares—especially after realizing that these were clearly Mangu's men—Sandy's sinister expression stiffened, eventually twisting into an awkward smile.
Step by step, Mangu continued forward.
Silent.
Unhurried.
He never once broke his calm stride.
The invisible pressure weighed heavily on the Violent Bear Pirates, forcing many of them to swallow nervously.
Sandy's eyelids twitched.
Damn it. Careless. I ran into a monster tonight.
He still had confidence in his own strength—but numbers mattered. Even elephants could be killed by enough ants.
"Run!"
After a brief silence, Sandy roared and suddenly charged toward one side of the encirclement.
As he moved, his body began to change.
Thick black fur burst from his skin. His already massive 2.5-meter frame expanded rapidly, swelling to five or six meters in height.
In the span of a heartbeat, Sandy transformed into a gigantic humanoid bear.
Just like the name of his crew, Sandy was a Zoan-type user—Bear-Bear Fruit, Model: Black Bear.
"Six Styles: Shave!"
Sandy's escape attempt was sudden—so fast that most ordinary men couldn't react in time.
But his opponent was Mangu.
The moment Sandy moved, Mangu reacted instantly, executing Shave from the Six Styles with practiced precision.
Swish!
Like a flicker of lightning, Mangu vanished from his original position and reappeared beside Sandy.
His muscles bulged. The air seemed to burst around him.
The ferocious mace in his hands blurred into an afterimage as he swung with overwhelming brute force.
Damn it!
Though attempting to flee, Sandy had not taken his eyes off Mangu. Shocked by the savage's speed, he twisted his body mid-charge and raised his arms to block.
Boom!!!
The violent collision erupted like thunder, shockwaves blasting outward and shattering the nearby ground.
Sandy's reaction had been quick—his thick arms managed to intercept the mace.
But blocking did not mean stopping.
The dense fur on his arms provided defense, yet the spiked mace tore through it mercilessly, ripping open bloody gashes.
At the same time, the monstrous force behind the strike sent Sandy's massive body tilting backward and flying over ten meters away.
"I'll kill you!!"
He staggered, barely stabilizing himself, his feet slamming into the ground hard enough to punch two deep craters into the stone street.
Pain only fueled his ferocity.
He realized he couldn't escape.
Only by defeating Mangu would he have any hope of survival.
With a roar, Sandy charged again instead of retreating.
The earth trembled beneath his massive frame.
Though the Black Bear fruit wasn't speed-oriented, Zoan users were blessed with tremendous explosive power.
In an instant, Sandy closed the distance and swung his massive right arm, smashing a bear paw toward Mangu's head with murderous intent.
Mangu did not dodge.
He calmly watched the incoming strike, as though holding something weightless rather than a brutal weapon.
Once more, the mace blurred into motion.
Boom!!!
Mace and bear paw collided violently.
The impact this time was even more explosive than before.
Shockwaves rippled outward, stronger and more destructive.
"Move!"
"Get back!"
"Ahhh!"
As Mangu and Sandy clashed, members of the Violent Bear Pirates who reacted slightly slower finally managed to break from the encirclement.
They attempted to work together to open a path.
But the War Pirates' disciplined troops struck first.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire erupted like rolling thunder.
Even during leisure time, the War Pirates carried weapons.
In perfect coordination, they raised their rifles and unleashed a storm of bullets.
The torrent of gunfire shredded the fleeing Bear Pirates instantly, tearing through them like paper.
Those slightly stronger who managed to dodge the bullets and rush forward were met with an impenetrable wall of flashing blades.
Within moments, the Violent Bear Pirates were annihilated.
Only Sandy remained.
"Hiss… Incredible. They move like an army."
"That's the War Pirates… No wonder they're becoming famous."
"This is the crew I want to join. I'll try to apply later."
Gasps rippled through the watching crowd.
Some trembled at the overwhelming combat strength displayed.
Others watched with burning excitement.
A pirate crew this disciplined… this powerful…
It was no ordinary pirate band.
It was a war machine.
And at its center stood Mangu—the "Mad Beast"—locked in brutal combat with the towering Storm Bear.
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