Tap… tap… tap…
On the silent deck, Wilder walked towards the assembled group at a measured pace.
Sweat beaded nervously on the palms of the Marines as they kept their eyes locked on the tall, approaching man.
Wilder didn't spare the Marines lining the deck so much as a glance, walking straight towards Bacon.
"B-Boss," Bacon mumbled, suddenly unsure how to face Wilder in this situation.
Wilder stared at Bacon for a moment, then suddenly grinned, his voice low. "It's alright, Bacon. We're comrades. And when comrades are in trouble… it's natural we help each other."
Turning around, a smile still fixed on his face, Wilder swept his gaze over the Marines. "Someone, if you would? Please remove that thing from my comrade's hands."
The deck fell silent again. The Marines' expressions shifted, hands tightening on their weapons, their stances wary and tense.
Wilder's gaze, though seemingly mild, held an undercurrent of danger. His imposing frame radiated immense pressure, causing some of the younger Marine recruits to involuntarily step back, their faces flushing.
Vice Admiral Momonga took a small step forward, positioning himself slightly in front of the recruits, meeting Wilder's gaze calmly.
"Wilder, perhaps you should take a look at this," Momonga said, holding up a document he had in hand.
"Hm? An appointment letter for the Warlords of the Sea?" Wilder's expression tightened fractionally before his smile bloomed anew. A flicker of surprise went through him, but he wouldn't betray his true thoughts.
He tilted his head back slightly, his smile dripping with arrogance. "So… what does this have to do with my request?"
The atmosphere grew heavy. Momonga and Wilder locked eyes—one serious and composed, the other wild and defiant.
"Become a Warlord of the Sea. Obey the commands of the World Government and Marine Headquarters, and the crimes of you and your entire crew will be pardoned," Momonga stated, his voice steady as he held Wilder's gaze.
"What?!" Bacon, standing nearby, had been confused, but hearing this, understanding dawned. He was being used as an example, or rather… as leverage. A bargaining chip to coerce Wilder into accepting the Warlord position. The realization made Bacon's expression twist into something like disbelief mixed with utter exasperation.
At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder: why were the World Government and Marine HQ going to such lengths to make Wilder a Warlord? Had the Boss truly become such a significant threat to them already?
"Uh… guess that makes sense. The Boss definitely can threaten the World Government now," Bacon muttered quietly to himself. "But still, the Marines' attitude is weird… Never seen them actively invite a pirate to become a Warlord before."
Meanwhile, on deck, the tension ratcheted up, becoming thick enough to cut with a knife.
Gulp. Wilder's face darkened considerably, his smile stretching into a grotesque, rigid mask. Veins pulsed on his forehead as his imposing aura began to climb.
"Then… can you start by releasing my comrade?" The question came out in a low growl. Wilder lifted his head, his smile stiff and menacing, his eyes blazing with dangerous light as he stared directly at Momonga.
"I'm afraid I cannot comply," Momonga replied, his gaze steady, his voice firm, meeting Wilder's stare unflinchingly.
The tension became almost unbearable. On deck, the sound of nervous swallowing could be heard. Some of the merchant crew members, unable to withstand the oppressive atmosphere, began to back away.
Among the Marines, two officers drew their longswords, faces grim, clearly ready for action at a moment's notice. Cold sweat dripped down the foreheads of the recruits, but they gritted their teeth and held their ground.
"Is that so?" Wilder's voice held a trace of theatrical disappointment. As the words left his lips, the deck suddenly rippled.
A thick layer of swamp abruptly materialized across the deck, instantly submerging all the Marines up to their knees.
"What is this?!" a recruit cried out, his voice trembling. He tried desperately to pull his legs free, but a terrifying suction force emanated from the swamp, gripping his legs tightly and beginning to pull him down. Panic seized his face.
"Ah! Help me!" The recruit broke down as the viscous swamp's pull dragged some of the shorter Marines down to their chests, making breathing heavy and labored. Desperate cries erupted.
The two Marine officers clenched their teeth, eyes wide with fury as they stared down at the swamp already engulfing the lower halves of their bodies. Their leg strength was useless; the swamp felt bottomless, dragging them endlessly downward.
Even Momonga's expression shifted slightly. His longsword was already out, his reaction instantaneous! Four slashes flashed through the swamp beneath him, carving out a clear space!
"Moon Walk!" His feet were already pushing off the air itself.
"Wilder! Stop this at once!" Momonga demanded, his face grim. Seeing his men sinking helplessly below, a bead of sweat trickled down his temple.
"Now, now, Mr. Momonga, that won't do," Wilder retorted, standing easily atop the swamp, looking up at the airborne Vice Admiral with a wild grin. "I made a request of you, didn't I? Now that you're asking me for something, I can't just agree so easily, Nyehehehe!"
The merchant crew members also found their feet covered by the swamp, but strangely, they weren't sinking like the Marines. The ooze only reached their knees, their feet still planted firmly on the deck beneath. Despite this, the ordinary crewmen were terrified, their eyes filled with horror as they looked at Wilder. They had never witnessed such a scene before.
"Do you intend to defy the World Government and the Marines, Wilder?!" Momonga roared, his eyes like sharpened steel. A massive sword slash shot horizontally across the ship's hull!
CRACK!
The terrifying slash instantly cleaved the entire merchant ship in two! The swamp covering its deck poured out through the gaping fissure!
"How terrifying! As expected of Mr. Momonga. Such swordsmanship… truly deserves to be called top-class," Wilder commented, his smile fading slightly. The swamp flowed into the sea below, carrying Marines and crew members with it. Once in the ocean, the swamp began to dilute, turning the water murky, but freeing those trapped within. The Marines began swimming on the surface.
Boom! An air burst exploded as Wilder appeared instantly at the break point of the ship, snatching Bacon up.
"Wilder! Perhaps we should discuss the Warlord matter," Momonga said, landing back on the fractured deck, his gaze intense. "To be frank, this was Admiral Kizaru's decision. He was the one who recommended you. I am merely following orders. Of course… if you are unwilling, Mr. Wilder, I am prepared for a fight."
"Great Swamp Heaven!"
But just as Momonga finished speaking, a colossal wall of swamp erupted behind Wilder, soaring towards the sky like a tidal wave. Its shadow enveloped everyone below. Onlookers stared upwards, eyes wide, mouths agape in silent shock.
Watching the tsunami of sludge bearing down, even Momonga was momentarily stunned by its sheer scale. The massive wave crashed down onto the deck and masts of the Marine warship he had arrived on!
The impact of the heavy swamp buckled and shattered the warship. Seawater rushed into the breaches. In the blink of an eye, the once pristine warship began to sink.
"Now," Wilder stated calmly, standing amidst the wreckage, "we can talk properly, Vice Admiral Momonga."
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