"Who the hell are you?!"
"What the... why are there so many people at the door?!"
The first shout came from the pirates of the Triangle Pirates. The second came from Aeridar's crew. The two groups had run smack into each other right at the stairwell.
Aeridar was utterly dumbfounded.
They had just agreed to sneak underground quietly, no gunfire, no noise. And yet, right after stepping through the entrance and descending only a few steps, they were already exposed.
Worse, it wasn't just a couple of lookouts. There were hundreds of people clustered mid-staircase.
What the hell kind of setup was this?
"Are they the town's defenders?"
"No... they don't look like locals."
"Damn it, they're the new pirate crew! I saw them earlier!"
"Nani?! But that new crew has over a thousand members! Why are there only a handful here?"
The Triangle Pirates whispered and argued amongst themselves before realizing these few were part of that massive crew that had just arrived today. But where were the rest?
"Careful! They've got to be officers at least. I've seen them before!" warned a gray-cloaked pirate clutching a flintlock, his voice laced with panic.
He'd been aboard the ships earlier in the day, so he recognized Aeridar and his team.
Otto scowled at the group crowding the staircase. "Captain, since we're exposed, how about I just wipe them out already?"
"Tch. What a pain," Oliver said, resting his hand lazily on his katana hilt. Despite the sleepy look in his eyes, a cold sharpness flashed across his face. "Sounds like there's a fierce battle going on below. These rats must be hiding to avoid getting dragged into it."
Aeridar glanced down the staircase, at the mob of pirates below. "Well, if most of them are gathered here... I might as well clean them up all at once." He took a step down.
"Wait a minute..." Dimitri arched an eyebrow.
"That ability of the Captain's is surprisingly effective for garbage disposal," Arlan said with a chuckle, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"What're you afraid of?! They're just rookies!" a hulking pirate snarled. His face was covered in scars and thick folds of flesh. Gripping a massive machete, he tried to rally the wavering mob. "We've got over a hundred men!"
This brute had a 60 million bounty and was confident in his strength. He saw Aeridar as nothing more than some cocky rookie and charged forward, swinging his blade straight at the man's head.
Aeridar didn't even flinch. His eyes snapped open, glinting with an eerie intensity. A low, barely audible hum seemed to echo. The air darkened. Then, in an instant, an overwhelming, unseen force exploded outward.
Within seconds, pirates dropped like flies. Eyes rolled back, foam at the mouth, collapsing in droves. In the span of just a few breaths, over a hundred pirates lay unconscious on the steps.
"H-Haki... That's... that's Conqueror's Haki!"
The machete-wielding pirate dropped to his knees, drenched in cold sweat. He stared up at Aeridar, disbelief carved into his face.
"A natural-born king... what the hell is someone like him doing here?" another pirate stammered, clinging to the wall, his hands trembling as his musket clattered to the floor.
Even in the New World, those who wield Conqueror's Haki are rare. And without exception, every pirate who possesses it is a heavyweight, three hundred million berries at the minimum.
This was not something your average low-tier pirate could ever hope to withstand.
"Ara... I'm surprised. You guys lasted through that?" Aeridar blinked, genuinely impressed as he looked down at the two dozen or so pirates who were still standing, though barely. They were likely the Triangle Pirates' elite crew and lower-ranked officers.
"Damn it, run! Get inside!"
Someone shouted, and those who were still conscious shook off their daze and bolted, scrambling down the stairs in a panic.
Aeridar's voice was cold, decisive. He vanished before the words even finished leaving his mouth.
In the next instant, he reappeared in front of a fleeing pirate and let loose three rapid punches.
The man's eyes widened in terror. He raised both fists in a desperate attempt to block.
Aeridar's fist smashed through the pirate's arms and caved in his chest with a sickening crunch. The poor soul was launched into the wall with such force that cracks spidered across the stone on impact.
Blood leaked from the pirate's mouth and nose. He slid down the wall, limp and lifeless, before tumbling back down the staircase, dead on the spot.
"He—He's a monster! That was Dack! He had a 48 million bounty!"
The Triangle Pirates screamed in shock, fleeing even faster. Some tripped in their panic, tumbling down the stairs like bowling pins.
One pirate, dual pistols in hand, fired wildly behind him as he ran, trying to stall the pursuers.
Oliver calmly drew his blades, Nagamitsu and Yubashiri. With a casual flick, he sliced both bullets cleanly in midair. Then, without moving his feet, he raised his sword and swung downward in a wide arc.
One-Sword Style: Skycleaver.
A streak of blue-white energy roared through the air, slashing through the pirate's back in a single motion. Blood sprayed as the man dropped lifeless to the floor.
Right after that, Arlan, Dimitri, Backan, and Otto each struck in turn, unleashing their own techniques to swiftly take down another pirate each.
But these weren't just ordinary pirates.
The fact that they'd stayed conscious under Aeridar's Conqueror's Haki meant their strength was far from average.
Even after losing a few of their comrades, the remaining pirates managed to retreat down the corridor.
"Marcus-sama! A third party just showed up, it's another crew!"
The pirates from the Triangle Pirates shouted in panic as they rushed down the hallway, catching sight of Marcus locked in fierce combat with a masked man wearing a vicious black wolf mask.
"A third party? You mean that group from earlier today?!"
The voice sounded familiar enough that both Marcus and the "Wolf" hesitated, just for a split second. Glancing up, they saw a disheveled group of their own men staggering toward them in retreat. Looking past them, it didn't take long to spot Aeridar and his companions.
"Damn it, how the hell did those guys find out about our operation tonight?!"
Marcus took a step back, his expression turning grim.
"Another bunch of pirates looking to snatch the treasure," Wolf muttered, also stepping back in sync with Marcus. The unspoken truce between them was immediate. But the moment his gaze landed on Aeridar, his eyes widened in alarm.
"Shit, don't tell me that's the guy 'Eagle' mentioned... the new Warlord of the Sea!"
Marcus involuntarily held his breath.
That title alone was enough to send a chill down the spine of any second-rate pirate.
For someone like him, the Seven Warlords of the Sea were a force of nature, a league far beyond his own.