Chapter 10 – One Kick vs. the Fierce Rat Pirates
Koya was already turning the wheelchair to flee when Ding Li gently patted her trembling hand on his sleeve.
"Koya, don't worry. I'm here."
His voice was calm, almost gentle. Though he had no real benchmark for his current strength, the disgusting aura radiating from the approaching pirates told him everything: they were nothing special—just a mob of thugs.
Ding! "+23 [Fear / Panic] emotions collected."
The system chime confirmed it—they were close.
Koya bit her lip, eyes wide with worry. "Ding Li… I trust you, but you're still in a wheelchair…"
He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I've been fine for a while. There's just… a little issue I haven't explained yet. Trust me."
Before he could finish, crude shouts drowned him out.
The pirate ship had run aground on the shallow beach. A swarm of ugly, grinning men poured down the gangplank, weapons raised, mouths spewing filth.
"Captain! Look at the babe next to that cripple! Haven't seen a girl that fine since we left port! Let me have first go after we gut the guy!"
"Yeah! Me too!"
"Shut up and grab her!" A sinister voice cut through the noise. The crowd parted.
A squat, greasy man with beady eyes and a face that looked more rodent than human stepped forward—Black Rat, captain of the Fierce Rat Pirates. He leered at Koya like she was already his property.
"Captain's mighty! Captain's mighty!"
Koya instinctively stepped in front of Ding Li, voice shaking but determined. "You… you can do whatever you want with me, just… just let Ding Li go—"
Black Rat threw back his head and cackled. "Whatever I want, huh? I've heard that line a thousand times, girlie. Why negotiate? I'll kill him, then do whatever I want anyway. Hahahaha!"
Ding Li's expression darkened. He reached out, gently but firmly pulled Koya behind him, and turned to face the captain.
"Hey, Rat-face. If you don't want to die, get off that ship right now, kneel, and kowtow three times. I'll let you live."
Silence. Then roaring laughter from the entire crew.
"Arrogant bastard! Today you die knowing who killed you! I'm Black Rat—Animal-type, Rat-Rat Fruit user! I'm gonna make it big on these seas! You're just a cripple with one good leg. Strength means nothing!"
Black Rat snarled, sprouted black fur across his body, grew a long whip-like tail, and transformed into a grotesque humanoid rat. He leaped from the bow, curved blade flashing straight for Ding Li's throat.
The crew cheered wildly. "Kill him! Kill him!"
Time seemed to slow.
In Ding Li's eyes, Black Rat moved like molasses.
He raised one leg—still seated in the wheelchair—and kicked.
BOOM!
A sound like a cannon shot. Black Rat's body folded in half around Ding Li's foot, then rocketed backward like a fired shell. He smashed through the ship's bow, splintering wood in a massive crater. The captain embedded himself in the deck, unconscious, blood trickling from his mouth.
The beach went deathly quiet.
The cheering pirates froze, mouths open, weapons limp. They stared at their invincible captain—now a broken rag doll stuck in his own ship.
Koya stood speechless, hand over her mouth. She had seen Ding Li "strong" before… but this? One casual kick from a man still sitting in a wheelchair had obliterated the strongest person she'd ever feared.
Ding Li exhaled slowly, trying to conserve energy. His Vitality was already dangerously low—he couldn't afford a prolonged fight.
He glanced at Koya, who was staring at him like he was some mythical beast.
"Scared?" he asked softly.
She shook her head slowly, eyes shining. "No… I'm just… shocked. You're… so strong."
Ding Li smiled faintly. He figured the rest would run now. No point wasting more stamina on trash.
But then—
A venomous, gurgling voice rose from the wreckage.
"You… think… that's enough… to beat me?!"
Black Rat pulled himself free, fur matted with blood, eyes glowing with madness. "I'm a Devil Fruit user! You can't kill me that easily! I was careless—I thought you were a cripple. But now… I'll take you alive. I'll torture you slowly… right in front of your little girlfriend! HAHAHAHAHA!"
The crew's fear reignited into desperate rage. They raised weapons again, charging forward.
Ding Li sighed. He really didn't want to stand up.
But some people just refused to learn.