"Vice Admiral, sir! We've entered the waters of the Kingdom of Chenoat," a Marine reported, stepping forward on the deck of the warship cutting through the waves.
"Understood. All hands, maintain high alert. Keep a close watch on the surrounding waters," replied a tall man standing near the ship's railing, gazing out at the sea. He wore a standard Marine 'Justice' coat over his uniform, sported a prominent handlebar mustache, and didn't turn as he spoke.
"Sir!" The Marine saluted sharply and withdrew.
…
Within the Kingdom of Chenoat, the flag of the Black Serpent Merchant Guild fluttered proudly atop its headquarters. The menacing black serpent emblazoned upon it was a clear symbol of ambition. Passersby hurried past, their apprehension obvious.
"Three thousand six hundred eighty-four… three thousand six hundred eighty-five…" In the elegant courtyard, complete with pavilions and rockeries beside flowing water, Wilder was performing push-ups, shirtless. Stacked neatly across his back were five solid steel bars, each as long as a man is tall.
His heavy breaths echoed through the yard. Claire sat nearby on the veranda, sipping tea and nibbling on pastries, her legs dangling and swinging idly in the air. Her eyes, however, never left Wilder's form, her cheeks tinged pink, and her eyes curved into happy crescents, much like an utterly content puppy.
Since consolidating control over all factions in Chenoat, Wilder had thrown himself entirely into training his Armament Haki. His physical strength grew daily, and more of his latent potential was constantly being unlocked.
Clang! Pushing the steel bars off his back, Wilder swept his leg out in a powerful kick that struck the trunk of a nearby training tree. The thick steel plating wrapped around it instantly buckled inwards, forming a long groove.
Vzzzt! An almost imperceptible flicker of black aura flashed across Wilder's hand, gone in an instant. BOOM! He slammed his fist into the steel plate!
CLANG! Incredibly, the impact of his fist against the reinforced steel produced the sharp sound of metal striking metal. Sparks flew, and a distinct fist-shaped indentation was left pressed into the specialized plating!
"Hah…" Wilder exhaled slowly, raising his hand. A trickle of blood oozed from his knuckles, but it wasn't much.
His Armament Haki had finally achieved its initial awakening. It would be a lie to say Wilder wasn't thrilled, but he expertly suppressed his excitement, maintaining a composed exterior. It wasn't time for celebration yet; a preliminary awakening was far from having full mastery.
Only when he could consciously control and apply Armament Haki at will could he truly say he'd learned it. And when that time came… A smirk played on Wilder's lips at the thought. Then, his strength would no longer be constrained by the limitations against Logia users! He'd have the confidence to clash even with the truly top-tier powerhouses. Yes, even against someone like Kizaru, he would at least possess the means to fight back, not just endure a one-sided beating. He might even… be able to hold his own for a while.
Of course, given Wilder's personality, he would never go out of his way to provoke an Admiral unless absolutely necessary—or unless the potential profit was astronomical, or he simply couldn't contain his own impulses.
"It's still not enough. The best way to master this quickly is through combat," Wilder mused aloud, pondering his next steps.
"Boss, let me bandage your hand." Claire approached, holding bandages and antiseptic, her gaze fixed on the wound on Wilder's knuckles, her eyes shimmering slightly.
Wilder accepted her considerate offer. After his hand was wrapped, he sat down on the veranda beside Claire, and they shared a cup of tea.
Just then, a knock sounded at the courtyard gate.
"Come in," Wilder called out casually, an eyebrow slightly raised.
The gate opened, and one of the recently recruited underlings rushed in frantically, gasping for breath. Wilder recognized him as one of the men Bacon had brought into the fold.
"B-Boss! It's bad! Captain Bacon… he's been captured!" the subordinate stammered, his face pale with panic.
Gulp. Wilder's eyes snapped wide open, veins visibly bulging on his temples. "By whom?"
"Marines! And… it looks like a Vice Admiral from HQ!"
"Lead the way!" Wilder's expression turned thunderously dark. He instantly grabbed the subordinate and launched himself into the sky, kicking off the air itself.
Claire followed without hesitation.
Just outside Chenoat's territorial waters, a Marine warship and a vessel flying a flag with a black serpent on a purple-red background faced each other in a tense standoff.
On the deck of the Black Serpent ship, the crew glared with a mixture of fury and fear at the Marines who had boarded, especially at their leader – the tall Vice Admiral with the handlebar mustache and a longsword sheathed at his hip.
Bacon lay on the deck, looking worse for wear. His shirt was torn open at the chest, revealing a bleeding wound, and his hands were securely bound in Seastone handcuffs.
The mustached Vice Admiral held up a wanted poster, reading its contents with a stern expression: "Escaped pirate, Brown Bacon. Bounty: 130,000,000 Belly. Now apprehended."
Lowering the poster, the Vice Admiral fixed his sharp eyes on Bacon. "Unless you currently hold an official position within the World Government, I will escort you to the nearest Marine base for incarceration."
"Ptui! You damn squirrel!" Bacon spat weakly, glaring defiantly despite his condition. "Cut the crap! Just you wait 'til my boss gets here!"
The Vice Admiral, addressed as a 'damn squirrel,' showed only the faintest flicker of reaction in his eyes before his composure returned. He paid little mind to Bacon's insults, though the surrounding Marines bristled with anger.
"And who might your boss be? Wilder?" the Vice Admiral inquired calmly.
"Hah! Like I'd tell you who my boss is! If you hadn't pulled that sneak attack, I would've finished you! Let me go, I'll dance you to death, you hear me!"
Bacon continued his tirade, even managing to prop himself up slightly, weakly jabbing a finger towards the Vice Admiral while trembling.
Shing! A flash of cold steel. The Vice Admiral's expression remained impassive, but a dangerous glint entered his eyes. His longsword was suddenly unsheathed, its razor edge resting lightly against Bacon's neck.
"BOSS, SAVE ME!!" Bacon immediately let out a bloodcurdling shriek.
"Hm?" The Vice Admiral abruptly withdrew his sword, his brow furrowing. He turned his gaze towards the sea to his right, his expression becoming serious.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The distinctive sound of rapid air bursts grew closer. Across the water's surface, explosions of spray marked the path of a figure moving at incredible speed, carrying an unconscious form. Using Moon Walk, the figure shot across the sea directly towards the ship.
Whoosh! The dark silhouette soared high into the air, leaping over the heads of everyone on deck, before landing with a solid thud.
An abrupt silence fell over the ship. All eyes snapped towards the newcomer. Several Marines instinctively tightened their grips on their swords.
The mustached Vice Admiral stared intently at the figure, his voice laced with gravity as he spoke.
"Lucifer Wilder!"
"Vice Admiral Momonga. Long time no see, Nyehehehe!" Wilder turned, his characteristic laugh echoing across the deck, even as his face slowly hardened into a dangerous, dark expression.
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