Three days had passed since Erik began trying to summon the strongest insect-type monster from his deck—but his plan had reached a frustrating limit.
On the third day, just as he was about to activate the Insect Imitation card again, hoping to draw a Level 11 insect monster, the System interrupted him with a notification.
DING!
No Level 11 Insect-Type Monster available in Deck.
—
Flashback to the day after Erik had first summoned Dreadscythe Harvester.
Erik stood in the clearing behind the castle, the earth still scorched from yesterday's trial. His breath slowed as he held up the Insect Imitation card, the silver-blue glow pulsing between his fingers.
In front of him, the hulking figure of Dreadscythe Harvester waited silently—its bladed limbs folded like a knight at rest.
"If this works… I should reach for something stronger. Something regal," Erik muttered, unsure whether anticipation or doubt twisted tighter in his gut.
He closed his eyes. "System—activate Insect Imitation. Sacrifice Dreadscythe Harvester."
DING!
The monster shrieked—not in pain, but in acceptance—as light enveloped its form. The forest trembled. Leaves rustled unnaturally, and a gust of wind spiraled around the summoning circle. Then came the thunder of something immense landing.
The glow broke.
And standing there was Beargram, Shelled Emperor of the Forest Crown.
Beargram was a majestic force of nature. A towering insect titan whose presence alone hushed the wind. Its crimson-chitin armor shimmered with natural might, each spike and ridge carved by ancient battles. Transparent wings stretched behind it, capable of stirring tempests with a single flap.
Erik took an unconscious step back. "Whoa…"
The beast's every breath stirred the trees, its wings slightly twitching with storm-forged power.
"You're not just a monster. You're a king."
Beargram didn't bow—but he did incline his horned head ever so slightly. It was enough.
Erik exhaled slowly. "This… is more than I imagined."
—
The second day, Erik stood once again in the field, but this time with hesitation.
His eyes glanced over the Beargram. His mind buzzed.
Do I really want to give this up? He's not just powerful. He commands the battlefield...
But the hunger to see what lay beyond, what darker depths the System could pull from, was too great.
He nodded once. "Activate… Insect Imitation. Sacrifice Beargram."
DING!
As Beargram dissolved into threads of crimson mist, the air turned cold. Too cold.
Then came the sound.
Not a screech.
Not a roar.
But a whisper. A skittering, slithering whisper, like claws over temple stone. The ground cracked open. Shadows spilled outward like ink in water. The wind stopped.
From beneath the soil, an obsidian claw emerged, followed by seven more.
And then, Uru rose.
Enormous. Monstrous. Ancient.
His vast arachnid body coiled out from the earth, black and red and pulsing with cursed life. His red eyes—so many of them—turned to Erik at once.
And Erik froze.
Not from fear.
But from understanding.
"You're not just strong," he whispered. "You're a calamity."
The earth trembled under Uru's weight. Shadows clung to his limbs. Ethereal blue flames flickered beneath his body, making even the air shimmer with warped light.
Erik swallowed hard, palms sweaty. For the first time, he truly felt like he was playing with powers that defied nature.
"Stay hidden. For now," he said, voice firm but low. "The world isn't ready."
Uru bowed low, before sinking into the ground once more, vanishing as if he had never been there.
Only the chill in Erik's spine remained.
—End of flashback—
From his daily packs, Erik had acquired two more Insect Imitation cards. Using both, he confirmed something else: he couldn't summon duplicate monsters—no second Uru.
However, he did manage to summon two other powerful Level 9 Insect monsters: Deus X-Krawler and another Beargram. The trio became the spearhead of Erik's insect army.
By using Insect Imitation daily, Erik calculated it would take around ten days to collect all obtainable Level 6–8 Insect monsters from the available packs.
That wasn't all.
On the second day, Erik obtained two Skull Mariners—mysterious pirate ships exuding an aura both ghostly and regal. Their worn, fragile appearance contrasted with a powerful, majestic presence that promised dominance on the sea.
Among the monsters Erik summoned over the past three days, two others stood out for their raw strength: Tri-Horned Dragon and Wingweaver. Erik had only been opening Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon packs since acquiring Skull Mariner. He still hoped to pull a Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Dark Magician, or the game-changing Polymerization.
Polymerization would open the path to fusion monsters—a whole new realm of possibility.
—Recap End—
Meanwhile, in the Lawless Area of Sabaody…
"Yahaha! We've finally arrived in Sabaody! Let's raid this town before heading to Fish-Man Island!"
A rotund pirate disembarked from his ship, laughing as his black Jolly Roger, depicting a panda skull, fluttered overhead.
"Captain Gopher! Let's find Gold Roger's treasure!" one of the crewmates shouted.
"Raid the town! Resupply! Find someone who knows the way to Fish-Man Island!"
The crew's cheers echoed down the street.
But in the town, fear spread faster than the pirates.
"Oh no… it's the Panda Pirates! Their captain, Gopher Panda, has a 90 million berry bounty! Run!" one man shouted as residents scrambled for cover, bolting their doors and shuttering their windows. The once-busy street fell into a fearful silence.
The Panda Pirates entered the town casually, stomping through the streets and kicking over tables and chairs.
"Ma…ma…" a little girl whimpered, clutching a stuffed toy.
Gopher grinned cruelly. "Why the tears, little one? Here, have some candy."
His words sounded sweet, but his face was twisted with malice.
"Casey!" a woman screamed, running to her daughter. She hugged the child tightly, falling to her knees in fear. "Please, sir pirate, spare us…"
"Perfect," Gopher chuckled darkly. "Two for one. I hear there's a place in Sabaody that buys humans. I'll take you both."
He reached out to grab them, but was cut off.
"Fire Wall!"
A barrier of flames burst between him and the mother-daughter pair.
"GYAAAH!"
Gopher reeled back, his hand singed.
"It's rude to talk like that in front of children, you know."
With fire trailing from his hands, Mr. Volcano stepped into the street.
"Come on, ma'am. Let's get you somewhere safe," said Flame Manipulator, guiding the two behind him. Fireyarou and Darkfire Soldier #2 followed to protect their rear.
"Who the hell are you?! Bounty hunters? You'll regret this! I'll show you why I'm worth 90 million!" Gopher drew his sword, his crew doing the same.
"Kill 'em, Captain!" his men shouted.
"Is 90 million a lot?" Volcano muttered. "Whatever. Kindlings, ready up."
"Volcanic Explosion!"
The ground beneath the pirates began to boil. With a rumble, magma burst upward, tossing them into the air.
"Better call the fire department, things are about to heat up."
The fight erupted into chaos. Thirty pirates clashed with the five members of Blazing Patrol.
Mr. Volcano, Fireyarou, and Darkfire Soldier #2 took the lead while Flame Manipulator played support from behind.
"I'll take the captain. You handle the rest," Mr. Volcano said without turning, stepping forward with fire coiling at his fingertips.
Gopher bared his teeth. "A bunch of freaks, huh? Let me show you why I'm worth 90 million!"
With a guttural roar, Gopher's body convulsed. His muscles swelled, fur erupted across his skin in thick black-and-white tufts, and claws ripped through his fingertips. His snout elongated, and his pupils became round and beastlike.
"Kuma-Kuma no Mi: Model Panda!"
The transformation completed with a burst of steam. Gopher, now a towering panda-man, grinned viciously, slamming his fists together like twin boulders.
"Panda! You're my next BBQ!" Volcano taunted, hurling the first wave.
"Volcanic Eruption!"
Flames erupted from beneath Gopher's feet, engulfing the ground in a series of violent bursts. But the Zoan user snarled and charged through the fire, his thick fur singed but intact.
BOOM!
A massive fist collided with Mr. Volcano's forearm, sending him skidding back across the dirt. He managed to dig his heels in, smoke hissing from his sleeves.
"Not bad," Volcano muttered, flipping backward and landing in a crouch. "Let's turn up the heat."
He dashed in, unleashing a rapid flurry of flaming punches, each blow scorching the air.
Gopher blocked one, ducked the second, and then countered with a brutal hook to the ribs.
CRACK!
Volcano coughed, the wind knocked from his lungs. He stumbled barely before throwing out his cape.
"Fire Spin!"
The cape ignited in a blazing cyclone, slamming Gopher and knocking him into a nearby building. Wood shattered.
The Zoan captain rose from the rubble, growling.
"You'll pay for that!"
He grabbed a chunk of debris and hurled it at Volcano, who sliced it in half mid-air with a flaming arc from his fingertips.
"Let's make this fun then."
They clashed again, fist meeting flame, raw muscle against searing magic. Every impact shook the street, scattering rubble, cracking walls, and warping air with heat.
Mr. Volcano ducked a bear-sized paw and retaliated with a close-range fire burst, only to get caught in a grappling hold. Gopher suplexed him into the cobbled road with a thunderous CRUNCH.
Flames flickered weakly around Volcano's shoulders.
He coughed, wiping blood from his lips. "You're tougher than you look, panda."
Gopher didn't reply. He charged again, roaring.
But this time, Volcano was ready.
He sidestepped at the last second, then brought both hands forward, heat building between his palms.
"Lava Cannon!"
A sphere of molten flame surged forth, slamming into Gopher's chest. The force launched him backward, tearing through stone and knocking him flat on his back.
Smoke hissed from his body as his transformation began to flicker.
"Still standing?" Volcano said, breathing hard.
Gopher pushed up to one knee, panting. "Still... not done..."
"Then take this seriously…"
Volcano's body ignited fully now, his form wreathed in crimson flame. "Because I am."
With a final charge, he launched himself at the panda-man.
Flaming fists met black claws.
One. Two. Three exchanges.
BOOM!
The final blow landed square in Gopher's gut, a flaming uppercut that launched him skyward, trailing fire.
He crashed to the ground in a heap.
And didn't rise.
Volcano exhaled a long breath. "Phew… he hit like a train."
He looked over his shoulder. The rest of Blazing Patrol was already engaging up the pirate crew.
"Kindlings! Wrap it up—we've earned some rest."
"Yosh!" the team replied in unison.
"One who burn the most win," Fireyarou #1 said with a half-smirk."
Darkfire Soldier #2 stepped forward first, his twin flame-forged swords gleaming.
Several pirates rushed him with their swords high, torches blazing.
He didn't hesitate.
CLANG! His blades danced, a blur of heat and steel. He cut through weapons, disarmed opponents, and twisted midair to land spinning slashes. One pirate lunged with a sword, Darkfire stepped aside, ducked, then brought both swords down in a scissor slash that knocked the man unconscious.
"Too slow," he muttered, sweeping a leg to trip two more.
Behind him, Flame Manipulator gestured with glowing hands, sending a stream of controlled flame to deflect an arrow that would've pierced Darkfire's back.
On the other side of the plaza, Fireyarou #1 and #2 stood side-by-side.
They burst forward with fiery fists, fists crackling with flame. "Hellfire Punch!"
Explosions erupted as pirates were knocked off their feet. One Fireyarou spun, launching a volley of fireballs into the crowd.
The other grabbed a broken cart and hurled it toward a group trying to flank them.
"HAH! You think you can burn hotter than me?!" one Fireyarou yelled as he headbutted a pirate into a wall.
Flame Manipulator chanted quickly from behind, raising a barrier of flame that stopped a trio of crossbow bolts midair, melting them before impact.
"Thanks for the backup," one Fireyarou called, giving a thumbs-up mid-brawl.
Meanwhile, Flame Manipulator moved constantly—dancing through the backline, casting heat orbs to disorient pirates or small flame whips to trip them. He rarely fought directly but made every ally stronger and every enemy off-balance.
When Darkfire was briefly overwhelmed, he whispered a spell and ignited the ground under the enemies' feet, forcing them to scatter and giving Darkfire the opening to finish them.
"Form the ring," Flame Manipulator ordered, already casting.
"Burning Forge Encirclement!" they yelled in unison.
Four waves of fire erupted outward, drawing a perfect burning circle around the pirates. Heat intensified, glowing red with pressure.
"Heat Lock Initiated!" Flame Manipulator shouted as the air shimmered and the pirates within began to falter, choking on heat.
"NOW!" Flame Manipulator roared.
Each member of Blazing Patrol surged forward, picking their targets.
Flame-coated fists, burning blades, coordinated strikes—it was over in under a minute.
Pirates dropped one by one, their weapons melted or broken, their strength sapped from the relentless barrage of fire and skill.
Their screams echoed until only silence remained.
Volcano glancing over Gopher's body
"He is still alive. Tie him up. We're bringing him back to base," Volcano ordered, nodding toward Gopher's unconscious body.
Tiny footsteps approached them.
"Thank you, mister, for saving me and Mama!" Casey bowed.
"It's okay, little one. Just be more careful in the future. This place isn't safe… yet."
"Are you with the Marines? But you dont dress like them…"
"We're Blazing Patrol," Volcano said proudly. "Servants of Master Erik."
"I still think Hellfire King of the Universe was a better name," Fireyarou grumbled.
"Thank you, Blazing Patrol! Someday, I'll join your team!"
The girl and her mother walked away.
Back in the castle, Erik received a notification.
DING!
Blazing Patrol has defeated Gopher Panda, captain of the Panda Pirates.
Reward: Pharaonic Guardian Pack unlocked
"So, the shockwave from Roger's death has begun," Erik said, gazing toward the sea and the towering wall of the Red Line. "From now on… Sabaody will become a battlefield. I'll need to be ready for the waves to come."
The Great Pirate Era had begun.
To be continued…