As the ship drew closer, the people on the shore swallowed unconsciously.
They had to admit, this group's reputation was far too great. The pressure they gave off was just as heavy.
Especially that captain.
If not for the sheer number of people gathered here, none of them would have dared make a move.
Burgess stared at the approaching ship with burning eyes.
He knew whether he succeeded or not depended on this moment.
Everyone made their preparations. Smiles appeared on their faces as they pulled up the banner.
"Welcome, Lord Dragon Emperor!"
Perhaps because they imagined White Ghost's group was already in their grasp, the greed in these people's eyes was no longer hidden.
As the stairs lowered, White Ghost's figure appeared there.
The eyes below stared greedily at the man.
To them, he was even more tempting than mountains of gold and silver.
White Ghost smiled and sat down on the stairs. He looked at this group of ill-intentioned people, swept his gaze across them, and immediately spotted his target.
The bearded captain carefully stepped forward.
"Lord Dragon Emperor, would you like to come down and rest? We've prepared food and hot water."
White Ghost did not even look at him. He only raised a finger toward Burgess not far away and beckoned.
Everyone's gaze followed.
They found that it was the huge man who had not mixed in with the others.
Burgess trembled.
Was this it?
Had that great figure taken a liking to him?
Was he going to invite him onto the ship?
Unable to suppress the excitement in his heart, Burgess strode over, knocking the bearded captain aside, and dropped to one knee below White Ghost.
"Captain, please give your orders."
White Ghost nodded with satisfaction.
In the original path, this guy had looked brainless, but he had still known to take advantage of Luffy's weakened state and try to capture him in one go.
Unfortunately for him, Sabo had arrived and stopped him, beating him terribly.
Even so, Burgess was a ruthless man. He had dragged his heavily injured body onto Sabo's ship and endured until the very end.
Burgess' face was full of excitement.
Yes.
That had to be it.
This great figure must have seen his potential and thought he was worth training.
Burgess was overjoyed.
This trip had not been wasted.
White Ghost took out a Devil Fruit from his bracelet and tossed it to him.
Burgess caught the Devil Fruit, his eyes burning as he stared at it.
Everyone present began breathing faster.
A Devil Fruit.
Sure enough!
The sea had not been wrong. This man still had Devil Fruits in his hands.
Everyone stared greedily at the Devil Fruit in Burgess' hands.
There was no need to think about it. Nothing that man took out would be trash.
White Ghost smiled at Burgess.
"I'm a bit lazy. These people all have bad intentions. Take care of them for me, would you?"
Burgess swallowed the Devil Fruit in one bite.
"Weehahaha! Don't worry, Captain. Watch me."
The people present stopped pretending.
Since the other side had already exposed them, what was the point of acting?
After eating the Devil Fruit, Burgess sensed his power for a moment, and his face flushed with excitement.
He turned to face the crowd.
"Weehahaha! You pieces of trash dared look for trouble with the captain? I'll deal with you right now."
"Damn Burgess! Were you the one who leaked it?"
Someone in the crowd roared with red eyes, filled with envy and jealousy.
Everyone thought this guy had betrayed them to curry favor with White Ghost.
Burgess said nothing.
He needed to show his value. Only then would his new captain properly train him later.
Crack, crack.
Black material began appearing on Burgess' body, spreading until it wrapped around him completely.
"Damn it! Kill him!"
Someone in the crowd raised a gun and opened fire.
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
Clang, clang, clang!
The bullets struck Burgess again and again. Aside from sparks flashing across his body, Burgess was completely unharmed.
"Weehahaha! This is amazing, Captain!"
Burgess laughed and charged into the crowd.
"Obsidian Impact!"
Boom!
The huge man covered in obsidian began charging and slaughtering his way through the crowd.
Screams rang out one after another. Broken limbs flew everywhere.
Burgess rampaged through the mob as if he had endless strength.
Their blades and swords struck his body and did nothing. Instead, the weapons themselves shattered.
"Weehahaha!"
Burgess laughed, jumped up, and drew his right arm back.
"Obsidian Lariat!"
Boom!
A small group of people was smashed apart directly, chunks of flesh scattering everywhere.
The bearded captain looked at Burgess, then at White Ghost smiling above him. Gritting his teeth, he shouted,
"Kill them! Everything will be ours!"
Burgess saw this and immediately knew he could not allow it.
This was the task his captain had given him. He could not disappoint him.
He rushed in front of the bearded captain.
"Big guy, don't even think about harming the captain."
Bang!
The bearded captain was knocked back by Burgess' strike.
"Damn Burgess, you're asking to die! Kill him first!"
"Roar!"
A group of people with bloodshot eyes charged at him with weapons.
At the side of the ship, A-Da and A-Er watched Burgess, the big fool, and nodded.
"A new crewmate joined. He looks pretty good."
Lafitte swirled the wine in his glass.
"He appears to have decent potential. A shield, perhaps?"
Jango rubbed his chin.
"This guy is very much my type. Looks like another training maniac."
Issho said nothing.
White Ghost had told him the meanings of saint and saintess.
After following White Ghost all this way, he had witnessed a great deal of evil.
Some people were purely evil. Some people were kind despite carrying an evil name.
White Ghost had once said the human heart was the filthiest thing and also the most fickle.
Right now, the Navy offered bounties for pirates, so these people swung their blades at pirates.
If pirates offered bounties for Marines one day, just wait and see whether those people would swing blades at Marines too.
Issho felt that was impossible.
Who would be foolish enough to place bounties on Marines?
Besides, the Navy had always served the people. It could not be as White Ghost described.
White Ghost had only told him one thing.
Time would prove everything.
The three members of Baroque Works watched the huge man slaughtering through the crowd, their faces pale and their legs trembling.
"Good thing you had foresight, Mr. 3, and didn't act rashly. Otherwise, we'd be in trouble."
The rock-styled man looked at the scene ahead and stammered.
Miss Valentine strongly agreed with her partner.
Didn't they see it?
That man had solved the problem just by throwing down one Devil Fruit.
And that Devil Fruit was a powerful one even among Paramecia types.
Obsidian, something that could rival diamond.
"Should we retreat now, Mr. 3?"
Miss Valentine was a little frightened.
She could not stand the sight in front of her.
As that huge man charged and killed, who knew how many people had been crushed to death? His whole body was drenched in blood. It was brutally cruel.
She was still a young girl. She really could not take this kind of scene.
Mr. 3 nodded.
He was also glad he had not acted rashly.
He did not think his wax could compare to obsidian in hardness.
Maybe if that man punched him once, his wax would crack apart.
Just as Mr. 3 was about to withdraw, a gun pressed against the back of his head.
"Our captain wants to see you."
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