◉◉◉◉◉
Hovering above the canopy, Aero caught sight of the massive snake's head aiming directly at him. Its jet-black eyes locked onto him, and for a brief moment, a flash of red flickered in its pupils.
Despite his growing confidence and power, Aero felt a spike of dread.
After all, he was still above the serpent's head, staring into the gaping maw of a monster that could easily swallow a man whole.
He wouldn't admit it out loud but yeah, it startled him.
Still, now that it had seen him, there was no backing down.
Aero extended one hand and gathered the air around his palm, condensing it into a tight [Wind Bullet]. With a sharp thrust, he hurled the projectile toward the serpent's face.
Zzzzzzzzzzz!!!!
The blast struck.
And did absolutely nothing.
"Hissssss~"
Instead of flinching, the beast let out a guttural hiss, seemingly more annoyed than injured. Its body coiled beneath it, preparing to strike again.
Undeterred, Aero raised both hands, summoning his full power. He reached out to the surrounding wind currents twisting, compressing, and folding them until they shimmered in pale streaks of white.
Razor-sharp blades of air took shape, and with a sweeping gesture, he unleashed them.
The [Wind Blades] tore through the air in a torrent.
Trees shattered.
Dust exploded.
The forest floor disappeared in a frenzy of wind and dirt.
Even with his vision blocked, Aero didn't stop. He raised his hand and conjured a large [Air Bomb] a dense sphere of pressurized wind nearly two meters in diameter. With a flick, he launched it into the settling dust.
The boom that followed shook the entire forest.
"Still not dead?" Aero muttered.
The first [Wind Blade] barrage had already marked the serpent, allowing him to track its position.
The technique, one he dubbed [Listening], let him sense disruptions in wind patterns, breaths, movement, and even subtle changes in air pressure.
Every crew member bore a trace of his wind on them now. Through that, he could "listen" to their condition though not in sound, but through how they moved the air.
The [Listening] field wasn't limitless. It faded after about half a day and lost range over distance.
But within ten meters, it was absolute. No movement could escape his awareness.
The initial [Wind Bullet] had served a purpose it allowed him to tag the serpent. Now, no matter how much it slithered or tried to hide, he could follow its every shift.
As the smoke cleared, the battlefield came into view.
The land had been flattened.
Shredded trees mixed with torn earth and wet soil. A large, circular crater marked the center at the heart of it, the serpent lay sprawled.
Moonlight glinted off its pale gray scales.
It twitched. Soil and branches tumbled from its body. Its tongue flicked out, and its slit-pupiled eyes scanned upward again.
It had survived.
But it didn't attack.
Instead, it hissed one last time… and turned away.
Its scaled body shimmered in the moonlight as it slowly slithered off into the trees.
Aero didn't chase it.
He simply watched.
That snake… it can be useful.
"This place could work as a small stronghold," he thought aloud. "East Blue is too peaceful for the World Government to tolerate a full pirate base here. But a fallback point? That's doable."
The serpent had shown signs of intelligence. Fear. Hesitation.
It could be tamed.
Food would be a concern but there were fish in these waters. Maybe it could hunt in the sea. After all, sea snakes exist, don't they?
Worst case, the casino crew could deliver meals regularly. Add some discipline and a few beatdowns…, and it might just become a loyal guardian.
"Just don't let it hurt civilians," Aero muttered. "Scaring them? That's fine."
His planning was interrupted.
Through his [Listening], he felt movement familiar pulses of air drawing nearer.
Six… seven… no, all ten of his crew were converging on him.
They'd finished their hunts and were now sprinting his way, likely drawn by the shockwaves of his earlier battle.
He smiled slightly.
Looks like they've passed the test.
---
Back in the forest, the ten recruits were moving fast. Agile. Focused. Some bounded between trees like seasoned warriors.
A few minutes later, a tall, broad-shouldered figure emerged at the edge of the clearing. He stepped to the rim of the crater, looked up, and saw Aero floating above.
Aero descended slowly, landing near the newcomer.
"No injuries?" he asked.
The man didn't respond with words just gave a low grunt of confirmation.
Aero recognized him immediately. Gray, one of the three real pirates Scar had left behind on the island. Dylan was one. Gray was another. The third still guarded the casino.
Gray had thick, dark curls falling past his shoulders and a faint cross-shaped scar on his left cheek.
Twin iron axes hung in his hands still gleaming, though their smell betrayed recent use.
Aero, who stood a head shorter, stepped aside to let the others arrive.
One by one, they emerged from the trees, breathing heavily, weapons in hand. Some collapsed where they stood. Others dropped to a knee or slumped against rocks.
But every single one of them was alive.
No missing limbs. No fatal wounds.
Aero nodded with Satisfaction.
They had all passed.
◉◉◉◉◉
~Don't Forget to Donate Powerstones!🥲
~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
~Thank you for reading!