"So many ships!" Chin Jao's son exclaimed, looking around in astonishment. Ahead, to the left, to the right, all were neatly docked ships. Only a single channel leading to the island was left open in the middle, and their ship was currently sailing through it.
Deep Current Umit, just how astonishing a force does that guy control? Is it truly as the legends say, that his tentacles extend to every corner of the world?
"Good! Good indeed!" Chin Jao's eyes gleamed as he looked at the surrounding ships. If he could gain control of these ships, if he could control Umit, wouldn't the future development of the Flower Country be smooth sailing? This trip brought an unexpected huge gain!
"But Old Man, why is it so quiet?" Chin Jao's son frowned tightly. "What exactly does that Umit guy mean?"
Is he not resisting at all?
"Hmph hmph ha ha ha ha!" Chin Jao burst into laughter. "Still can't understand? That Umit guy knows we've come, and he also knows he can't resist us, so he's preparing to compromise now!"
Hearing his Old Man say this, Chin Jao's son also nodded with an understanding expression. Right, since he knows Old Man is here, what else can Umit do? In the end, aren't the so-called underworld magnates just rats in the gutter?
The pirate ship quickly reached the end of the channel, which was a massive dock.
"Hmm?" Chin Jao was a bit surprised. In the area closest to the dock, countless colossal snails were moored, and on their backs were unique buildings. What was this? Had they moved a town onto the sea? Chin Jao frowned tightly. Why did he feel like he had seen these snails somewhere before?
"Old Man, there are people on the snails' backs!" Chin Jao's son said with some surprise. Chin Jao naturally saw them too. People were occasionally walking around in the buildings on the snails' backs, but they were all in a hurry, with no interest in even glancing at them.
I'm truly being underestimated! A growing anger simmered in Chin Jao's heart. These guys don't even bother to look at him more than once? Very well! Umit, just you wait!
Chin Jao directly leaped from the bow, surveying everything before him. Beyond the dock was an open plaza, and at the end of the plaza was a wide building, though only seven stories tall. On either side of the building were massive warehouses, and further out were residential areas. The overall layout somewhat resembled Marine Headquarters.
Chin Jao frowned tightly. Where are the people? There's no one in the plaza at all. What exactly does Umit mean? They hadn't put up any resistance to their arrival. He originally thought they were preparing to compromise, but now there wasn't even a single soul in sight!
"Old Man, isn't something amiss here?" Chin Jao's son, leading the warriors of the Happo Navy, followed Chin Jao ashore. The strange situation here made him feel inexplicably uneasy.
"It doesn't matter!" Chin Jao snorted coldly. Since they've come this far, can they still be scared away? Maybe that Umit guy is banking on that! An empty fort strategy, huh!
"Go!" Chin Jao strode forward, leading his son and subordinates across the plaza directly to the tall building.
"Finally, you've arrived, Chin Jao!" Just then, a voice suddenly came from above. "Making Boss wait for you this long, you've earned your death!"
Chin Jao suddenly looked up. Above, on the top floor of the building, by a wide balcony, a man looked down at them.
"Old Man, it's Umit!" Chin Jao's son quickly exclaimed.
"You are Umit?" Chin Jao's eyes widened instantly. An invisible aura surged from him, making his beard flutter. "Do you know why I've come here to find you this time?"
Chin Jao didn't hear Umit's reply. Instead, he heard a young voice.
"Alright, Umit, I'll talk to him."
"Yes, Boss." Umit respectfully stepped aside.
Boss? Chin Jao's heart was filled with doubts. Didn't Umit already inherit the family business? Where did he get a Boss from?
A handsome young man emerged from behind the balcony, lazily looking down at them. "So it's you, trying to mess up my business. Do you have the strength for that?"
His business? Is this guy the one selling the weapons? Invisible energy immediately spread from Chin Jao's body. Good, good, good! He had originally thought that even after finding Umit, he'd still have to expend considerable effort to find the supplier behind the scenes. But he never expected him to actually show himself! He's asking for death!
Despite the seven-story distance, Chin Jao still clearly saw the young man's appearance. Black hair, black eyes, fair skin, a lazy expression, and a free-spirited smile.
Hmm? Chin Jao paused. Why does he look so familiar? He subconsciously observed him closely, and the more he looked, the more familiar he became. Chin Jao's facial muscles suddenly twitched. No, it can't be! This guy is...!!
"Calamity Roa!!" His son beside him shrieked. "Old Man! This guy is that remnant of the Rocks Pirates, Calamity Roa!"
By now, anyone making a living on the high seas would likely recognize him. One of the most notorious pirates in the world, a true monster with a bounty of 2 billion, Calamity Roa!
What a joke! Are those weapons being sold by this monster? However, it had to be said, Chin Jao was indeed worthy of being a Conqueror's Haki user. After the initial brief shock, Chin Jao quickly regained his composure.
"Calamity Roa!" He even shouted at Roa. "We didn't know it was you! We apologize. Let's just put an end to this today!"
This isn't good. If the weapon seller is Roa, then solving this problem from the source of production is impossible. They can only leave it at that for now. Chin Jao thought, Let's retreat first.
"Chin Jao, are you telling me what to do?" Roa looked down at Chin Jao with interest. Quite arrogant, isn't he? Not only is his head pointy, but his breath is also as strong as if he'd eaten garlic. But thinking about it, it wasn't surprising; the high seas were never short of such arrogant madmen.
"I mean," Chin Jao once again exuded an invisible aura that made his beard, clothes, and cape flutter, "there's no need to make things too ugly! It's better for everyone if we stop here!"
In the end, he's just a brat! If it comes to a fight, he's not afraid! If bounties truly explained everything, then they might as well surrender immediately whenever they see someone with a higher bounty! What's the point of being a pirate then!
"Whoa, I really can't stand this," Roa said with a look of disdain, waving his hand repeatedly. "Bullet, quick, quick, go deal with him."
Even Roger gives me face, but you don't? You've already earned your death!
"Yes, Boss!" Behind Roa, Bullet, who had been unable to contain himself for a while, leaped down, plummeting towards the Happo Navy below with an excited expression.
"Old Man! It's Roa's subordinate, Mercury Bullet, with a bounty of 460 million!" Chin Jao's son cried out in alarm. It had to be said, the Marines' ability to come up with nicknames was truly hard to comment on. They just called Bullet "Mercury." Incidentally, King's nickname was "Demon Descendant." In the World Government's propaganda, the Lunarian race was a demonic tribe destined to overturn the seas. But honestly, this nickname clashed a bit with Bullet's original nickname, "Demon Heir."
"How dare you look down on me!" Looking up at the descending Bullet, Chin Jao immediately erupted in rage. "Roa! I'll teach you a lesson!" To send a subordinate to fight him? He's truly being underestimated! First, he'll deal with this brat, then he'll go for Roa!
This was Don Chin Jao, truly domineering!
Then.
"Mercury Heavy Cannon!" A massive sphere of mercury, over forty meters in diameter, smashed down directly.
"What?!" Chin Jao's pupils suddenly constricted. In this world, there was an unwritten rule: bigger is stronger, bigger is better! And Bullet's attack was big enough!
"Old Man!" Chin Jao's son shrieked.
"What are you panicking about! I'm here!" Chin Jao immediately shot up like a cannonball. His pointy head was wrapped in pitch-black Armament Haki, and an invisible ripple also coiled around it. These ripples weren't advanced Armament Haki, but a special martial art passed down in the Happo Navy called Hasshoken (Eight Impact Fists). It was a martial art similar to Fish-Man Karate of Fish-Man Island, capable of generating powerful shockwaves with bare hands, making it formidable in both offense and defense.
In the end, he's just a brat who's inflated himself beyond measure by relying on his Logia ability!
Boom!
Chin Jao's pointy head and the enormous sphere collided, creating a visual of a needle piercing a balloon. But unfortunately, Bullet's Mercury Heavy Cannon was no balloon. The moment of impact, Chin Jao's face instantly changed. So heavy! How could it be, so heavy! And what's with this incredibly powerful Haki?
Unable to exert force in mid-air, after a brief standoff, Chin Jao was directly suppressed by Bullet's heavy punch. The Happo Navy immediately scattered and fled.
Boom!
The ground was instantly pierced through by the heavy mercury, creating a giant, bottomless pit. For a moment, the entire island trembled.
"Old Man!" Chin Jao's son, who had reacted quickly and escaped the disaster, turned back in terror. Are you kidding me? The invincible Old Man was defeated by a brat—
"Amazing!" Umit couldn't help but exclaim. "Is Mr. Bullet the same age as you, Boss?"
"There are always some people in the world who are different," Roa said casually. "This Chin Jao guy just doesn't understand that." From the Haki and martial arts level Chin Jao displayed just now, he wasn't much different from Trickster Max of Uncle Shiki's crew, definitely a Calamity-level threat.
However, his opponent was Bullet. Bullet, whose Haki, abilities, and physique had all rapidly improved over the past year!
Bullet landed steadily on the ground, growling, "Get out!"
From the pit ahead, a furiously spinning drill suddenly shot into the sky. It stopped spinning in mid-air, revealing Chin Jao's form once more.
"Brat!" Chin Jao's voice was distorted, like a demon's. His head was bleeding, and he looked incredibly disheveled. He had completely underestimated this brat! Not only was he a Logia user, but his strength and Haki were astonishingly powerful!
A thought suddenly flashed through Chin Jao's mind. If even a subordinate is this strong, how powerful is Roa himself? However, this thought quickly vanished from Chin Jao's mind. Fury had already become the driving force behind Chin Jao's rage. Roa can wait; now, deal with this brat!
"Hasshoken Ougi—Boshoku (Eight Impact Fists Secret Art—Head Strike)!" Chin Jao spun in mid-air again, his pointy head turning into a drill, charging at Bullet.
"Nonsense!" Bullet sneered, his right fist swelling. He countered with a massive Mercury Heavy Punch.
Boom!
A surge of air and dust scattered everywhere.
"Ugh!" Chin Jao was sent flying again.
Roa nodded in satisfaction. A year later, Bullet and King had both reached the level of a Calamity. However, there were differences even among Calamities. How could an ordinary person like Chin Jao contend with the naturally strong and brave Bullet? In terms of both physical strength and Armament Haki intensity, Bullet surpassed Chin Jao.
"Old Man!" Watching his own Old Man being sent flying again, Chin Jao's son was drenched in sweat. No way? Even Roa's subordinates possess strength that surpasses Old Man? Then—... this is bad!
"Brat! Don't get too cocky!!" Chin Jao, landing heavily, roared, and a violent Conqueror's Haki instantly swept across the plaza.
"Conqueror's Haki?" Umit gasped softly. Although Roa always thought Conqueror's Haki was common, compared to the world's vast population, this power could still be called a legendary Conqueror's Haki.
"I said it already, nonsense!" Bullet's eyes widened, and a not inferior, even stronger, Conqueror's Haki surged forth. The clash of two powerful Haki types instantly erupted in a torrent of black lightning.
"This guy, he has it too?" Chin Jao's son was almost numb with shock. In that case, his most respected Old Man had no advantage whatsoever against this subordinate of Roa! Is this the power held by the remnants of the Rocks Pirates, the monsters famous throughout the world?
"A guy of your caliber dares to challenge Boss," Bullet slowly approached. With each step, his body expanded by a factor of two. "Let me show you your insignificance!"
Boom!
The sturdy plaza ground instantly collapsed under the immense weight. A colossal mercury giant, nearly a hundred meters tall, stood proudly in the plaza.
"Is this guy doing that too?" Doflamingo, also watching from upstairs, curled his lip in disdain. A clumsy imitation of Roa and Kaido. But this clumsy imitation made Chin Jao's pupils suddenly constrict.
Snap!
Amidst a strange sound, a dark blue Armament Haki suddenly covered the entire mercury giant, turning it pitch black.
"What a joke!" Chin Jao's son's voice trembled. "Such Armament Haki?" Is he really a brat? Is his Armament Haki truly endless? How is this possible!
"Die." A calm declaration of the battle's final outcome. The massive mercury giant directly swung a punch at Chin Jao. Such a behemoth would be more or less slow in its movements. But precisely at the moment of launching a full-power attack, it remained swift. And coincidentally, Chin Jao was also not an agile fighter.
He can't dodge! Chin Jao's pupils constricted.
Then.
"Then bring it on!" Roaring, the man with a bounty of over 500 million leaped up, the impact waves from his head surging with unprecedented force.
"Hasshoken Ougi—Kirin Drill (Eight Impact Fists Secret Art—Drill Dragon, Drill Nail)!" The ground was shattered by Chin Jao's foot. He launched himself like a cannonball, spinning madly, the air he displaced forming a dragon-like tornado. Kirin Drill, the ultimate secret art of Hasshoken, a powerful technique capable of splitting even eternally frozen glaciers with a single strike!
Boom!
The meteor-like heavy punch and Chin Jao's pointy head instantly clashed. The furious collision of Haki finally sparked streaks of black lightning. Ring after ring of powerful shockwaves spread, causing the Happo Navy below to lose their footing.
"Not bad," Roa said with interest. Being able to fight Bullet to a draw with his strongest attack, Chin Jao still had some skill. But unfortunately, it was still over.
Boom!
The mercury giant recoiled, and Chin Jao also fell downwards. The two did indeed fight to a standstill.
But.
"Mercury Heavy Cannon Barrage!" Bullet instantly stabilized himself, unleashing punch after punch in a continuous, furious barrage. Chin Jao, who had just landed, his eyes suddenly changed. Is this brat's Haki truly endless? Can he expend it like this?
Without time to think, Chin Jao gritted his teeth and leaped again.
Boom boom boom boom!
Just the aftershocks from their collision were enough to shake the surrounding buildings. During the fierce exchange of blows, Chin Jao's expression grew increasingly grim. Monster, what kind of monster is this brat? Does he not need to rest? Can he unleash techniques of this caliber infinitely?
Chin Jao's Haki was starting to fall behind. And the result of falling behind was...
Boom!
After a continuous series of fierce exchanges, in yet another clash, Chin Jao's pointy head suddenly vibrated violently, and then.
"Wah-ah!" Chin Jao let out a scream, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets. His proud pointy head was directly caved in by Bullet's punch. He himself plummeted like a meteor, crashing into the plaza ground nearby, creating a bottomless pit.
"Is this all you've got?" The victorious Bullet sneered. And he dares to challenge Boss with this level? Truly asking for death!
At the same time, Roa also received a call.
"Hahahaha! Boss, are you currently dealing with that self-important Chin Jao?"
"I've already dealt with him," Roa said casually, glancing at the desperate Happo Navy below. "Morgans, your news is quite well-informed."
"Heh heh, because I wanted to give you some advice, Boss!" Morgans on the other end of the phone chuckled. "You can take a trip to the West Blue! The Eight Divisions of the Happo Navy there are all quite powerful. Especially their leaders, each one is almost a Marine Headquarters Vice-Admiral level expert."
"Whether you recruit them or turn them into Yoki, they would be a great help."
"Oh?" Roa raised an eyebrow. He had only been thinking about the Happo Navy's treasure and almost forgot about their actual strength.
"Furthermore," Morgans continued, "the West Blue also has a very special place, and that is the prevalent mafia culture there!"
"The entire underworld of the West Blue is controlled by the five great mafia families. They are the rulers of the West Blue's dark side."
Five great families? Are they the five great families like Eastgate, Westgate, South Palace, North Hall?
However, Roa already understood what Morgans meant.
"Then, it seems I must make a trip there."