💖 If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon. I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/DragonOP
--------------------
Bang!!
"Damn it! Get out here!" Kennard roared, his great sword hacking into the wooden platform yet again. He stared at the spot where the boy had just been, his eyes filled with a volatile mix of shock, anger, and a creeping fear he refused to acknowledge.
"Hehe! I'm over here!" Satori's voice drifted from above. Having thoroughly enjoyed teasing the pirate, the young Saiyan appeared directly over Kennard's head. He leaned down, grabbed the pirate's cheeks, and pulled them outward with playful force.
Kennard snarled and swung a massive, open-palmed slap at his own head to crush the boy, but Goku vanished before the blow could land.
Clang!!
The pirate's own armored hand slammed into his temple with a heavy metallic ring. The self-inflicted blow left him dizzy and disoriented, swaying on his feet as the world spun.
"Hahahahaha! You're so stupid, hitting yourself like that!" Satori landed nearby, clutching his stomach as he burst into laughter.
Watching from the sidelines, Zeff leaned against a group of chefs, his expression moved by the display. "The difference in their strength is astronomical," he noted. Sanji, with a cigarette finally lit for him by a fellow cook, watched the boy's golden-tinged hair sway in the breeze. "Yeah... Satori is anything but simple," he agreed quietly.
The Pirate's Last Resort
In the arena, Kennard finally shook off the dizziness. Feeling the sting in his cheeks and the throbbing in his head, a cold realization dawned on him: he was no match for this child. If Satori had used a blade instead of his bare hands, Kennard's throat would have been slit minutes ago. The thought made his skin crawl.
Desperate and cornered, the "Blood Demon" decided to cast aside his pride for a more effective weapon: deception. With a heavy thud, he dropped to his knees, prostrating himself before the boy.
"I surrender! I give up! Please spare me!" Kennard wailed, tears actually welling in his eyes. "I have an elderly mother and young children at home! If they weren't so sick, I never would have turned to piracy! Please, spare me this once! I'll never do evil again!".
Satori paused, looking bewildered. He scratched his face and turned toward the window. "Nami, we—".
"Satori! Don't believe his lies!" Nami screamed at the same moment Kennard's face twisted back into a mask of malice.
"Hehe! You fell for it, kid! Die!" Kennard leaped into the air, a black, round bomb appearing in his hand as if by magic. He threw it downward with a triumphant cackle, convinced the boy's simple mind would be his undoing.
The Saiyan's Counter
"You tricked me!" Satori shouted, his brows furrowing in anger. He saw the black object hurtling toward him and, while he didn't know exactly what it was, he knew it was a threat. Without waiting for it to land, he sprang into the air.
With the precision of a master martial artist, his foot connected with the bomb in mid-air, kicking it straight back at its sender. Kennard's triumphant smile vanished, replaced by pure terror as the black sphere zoomed toward his face.
"No—!!!".
BOOM!!!
The roar of the explosion swallowed the pirate's scream. A column of thick smoke billowed over the sea, and charred fragments of armor and equipment splashed into the water below. Satori landed softly, turning to Nami and Sanji with a bright grin and a peace sign. "Hehe, I beat him!".
A Harsh Lesson
Nami climbed out of the window, clapping her hands with a beaming smile. "Satori, you did very well," she said as she approached. Satori grinned back foolishly, rubbing the back of his head—until he saw Nami's face turn as black as a scorched pot.
Bang!!
She slammed her fist onto the top of his head. "'Did very well' my foot! You almost died!" she roared. "You believed the lies of an enemy! When will you learn to be smarter?!".
Nami was trembling, a mix of fury and genuine fear for her friend's life. "No matter what an enemy says, don't believe them! Do you understand?!" she yelled, tugging on his ear. Satori, the boy who had just dismantled a pirate fleet, shrank back and muttered, "I know, I know... don't be angry anymore".
Seeing his pouting, adorable face, Nami's anger softened, though she kept her arms crossed. "Hmph! Just remember it. If you're this gullible again, I'll punch your head until it blossoms".
Zeff approached them, supported by his chefs. "Thank you. You saved our lives today". Nami instantly shifted into her charming persona. "Ahaha, it was all Satori, really! Though... about our meal expenses...".
"The Baratie will cover it," Zeff said firmly. "In fact, your meals here are free for life". Nami's eyes practically turned into Berries as she cheered.
Zeff then looked at Sanji, who was sitting in the distance, staring at the sky with a conflicted expression. He turned back to the duo. "You're heading for the Grand Line, right? I have a favor to ask: take Sanji with you".
Satori looked at the blonde cook. "We invited him, but he said no.".
Zeff shared a knowing smile. "Don't worry about that. We'll find a way to make him go".