Cold sweat poured down Elver's forehead as he stammered, struggling to find his words.
"Heh... hehehe... W-We're old friends, after all—" he said, forcing a grin, wiping his forehead with a trembling hand. "We've never met in person, but I've heard of your illustrious name for a long time now! Truly, I've admired you from afar. This whole thing... it's just a misunderstanding! If I caused you any trouble, I'll gladly compensate you—"
The moment Elver realized this kid had not only slipped past his Observation Haki undetected but also one-punched Paradi into unconsciousness, he knew: the little monster standing before him, disguised in human skin, was terrifyingly powerful. If an apology and a bit of compensation could resolve things peacefully, he was more than willing to grovel.
Tilting his head with a mocking smirk, Aeridar sneered,
"Oi, oi, oi... pretty pathetic, don't you think? You're a veteran of the Grand Line, and here you are, bowing and scraping before a rookie like me. What a useless piece of trash."
A flicker of anger flashed through Elver's eyes, but he kept his smile intact as he replied,
"Now, now, kid... Mind your tongue. You should show some respect for your elders and seniors on these seas."
"Tch, save it," Aeridar scoffed, his expression filled with disdain. "You're not even a pirate. You're a slaver—a bottom-feeding piece of ocean scum even worse than pirates. And don't think I forgot how many pirate crews you attacked just to sell their captains to the 'biggest trash' over at Mary Geoise. We're not on the same side."
Indeed, while most pirates were notorious for looting and pillaging and were labeled by the Marines as the filth of the seas, slavers were regarded with even deeper contempt. Whether it was Marines or pirates, both looked down on the human traffickers who had no moral code whatsoever.
Were it not for the backing of the Celestial Dragons and the wealthy aristocrats, the Marines would've wiped out slavers with even greater enthusiasm than they did pirates.
There were even instances where Marines, upon encountering both slavers and pirates, would deliberately let the pirates go just to have them sink the slavers' ships. Sometimes Marines and pirates would even cooperate to eliminate slavers—then afterward, blame it all on the pirates, who were more than happy to shoulder the crime if it meant ridding the seas of human traffickers.
Such was the loathsome status slavers held in the eyes of the world.
"No room for negotiation, huh? Sure you don't wanna reconsider?" Elver's beady little eyes narrowed, a faint killing intent leaking from his body.
Aeridar didn't even bother replying. His hands, hardened with Armament Haki, spoke for him.
A sharp glint flashed in Elver's eyes. His fat fingers twitched—
A puff of smoke rose from the muzzle of an ivory flintlock pistol.
"Hmph, just a bullet..."
Aeridar glanced disdainfully at the fired shot—
Only for a sudden sense of danger to grip his heart. Instinctively, he jerked his head aside.
The bullet whizzed past him, slamming into the mainmast twenty meters behind.
It drilled clean through the thick mast—three men could've hugged it and not touched fingertips—leaving behind a tiny, neat hole.
"A Seastone bullet coated with Haki, huh? Dirty bastard," Aeridar's expression darkened.
Ordinary bullets posed no threat; the shockwaves surrounding his body would nullify them.
But a Haki-laced Seastone round? If it struck a vital spot, he'd die instantly. Even if it didn't kill him on the spot, the Seastone lodged inside would rob him of all strength, leaving his Devil Fruit-powered body helpless against any enemy.
Elver casually thumbed the loading lever, chambering another round, and pointed the gun at Aeridar again, a regretful smile creeping onto his round, bear-like face.
"Fast reflexes. Shame you dodged."
"Hmph," Aeridar sneered coldly.
A flash of sparks flared in the air as Aeridar, palm coated in hardened Armament Haki, swatted the bullet aside.
The round ricocheted off a railing, embedding itself deep into the wood.
"You think you'll get another shot at me?" Aeridar mocked, withdrawing his blackened hand.
"Won't know unless I try," Elver chuckled, casually tossing the now-useless ivory pistol aside.
Aeridar's eyes sharpened.
In the next instant, he blitzed forward, fist ripping through the air with an ear-splitting howl of compressed wind.
The entire cabin exploded from the impact, collapsing into rubble as if a bomb had detonated.
The massive ship's deck looked like a giant chunk had been bitten off.
"Th-They're fighting!!"
"I-It's the Fat Bear—That's Elver-sama!"
"Two monsters are fighting on the ship—run for your lives!"
The sudden brawl between Aeridar and Elver sent the Saint Florent's crew into a blind panic. Some, overwhelmed by terror, even jumped straight into the sea to escape.
"Heh~ So that's where your nickname 'Fat Bear' comes from," Aeridar said mockingly, eyeing the towering brown bear that stood over three meters tall.
Its thick arms, now covered in black Armament Haki, blocked his punch with sheer brute strength.
"Zoan-Type: Bear-Bear Fruit—Grizzly Bear Model."
Aeridar immediately recognized the transformation.
"Heheheh... If you back down now, I'll still offer you compensation," rumbled Elver from atop his massive form, his deep voice oddly merry.
Despite his words, his bear-like face, blanketed in thick brown fur, made it impossible to read any actual emotion.
"I'd rather kill you," Aeridar sneered coldly. "That flabby body of yours is an eyesore."
With that, he charged again.
"Tch... You've got a filthy mouth, brat," Elver growled. "Pity you didn't take the deal."
Their fists collided, Haki clashing violently.
The thunderous impacts shook the Saint Florent to its very keel.
The fierce shockwaves ripped through the ship, tossing countless Crimson Man-Eating Flower crewmen off their feet—or straight into the ocean.
The colossal vessel groaned and quaked, as if it would be torn apart at any moment.
"The ship's gonna sink!!"
"Monsters... they're both monsters!!"
Panic spread like wildfire.
Within minutes, most of the Saint Florent's crew had abandoned ship—scrambling to lower lifeboats, or grabbing anything that could float: barrels, planks, lifesavers.
Those who couldn't secure a boat simply hurled themselves into the sea.
Meanwhile, aboard the Chris, a hundred or so meters away—
"Tsk tsk, things are getting wild over there," Arlan commented lazily, leaning over the railing.
"Hey hey, you think that ship's gonna make it?" Oliver chuckled, twirling a toothpick.
"Knowing our Captain," another crewman said dryly, "we'd better get ready to jump in and fish out the spoils."
"Man, that's crazy... Looks like their captain's no pushover either."
The Chris crew gathered like a bunch of spectators at a festival, munching on snacks and watching the chaos unfold with cheerful grins.
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