Iceburg was stunned.
What's it like to have a bunch of terrible teammates?
Iceburg really wanted to tell these fish-men that it didn't matter if they were members of the Sun Pirates, and that he would do everything he could to protect them.
After all, they were from the same hometown as his mentor, Mr. Tom.
However, arguing with the Navy is one thing; attacking the Navy is another entirely.
The former would at most wear down the patience of these sailors. As long as Tom Shipbuilding Company denied the allegations outright and resolutely refused to allow an inspection, there would be no problem. With the company's prestigious reputation, the Navy would have to consider the public impact and would not dare to act with such violence.
The latter not only confessed their guilt without being asked, but also provoked the behemoth that is the Navy!
Whether or not the boy in front of them was successfully ambushed by the two fish-men, it meant that Tom Shipbuilding Company was in deep trouble!
Iceburg was a man of many thoughts, and in an instant, he envisioned the disastrous consequences. He secretly groaned in despair.
The sound of wind cutting through the air reached Damon's ears. It was as if he had eyes in the back of his head; his long, slender fingers, already resting on the hilt of his sword, suddenly clenched tight.
"Clang!"
The moment the standard-issue sword was drawn from its sheath, a spark ignited from the tip, followed by intense flames that spread along the blade, transforming it into a powerful, fiery weapon.
Damon took a deep breath. Under the Flame Breathing technique, a massive amount of oxygen surged into his lungs, and his physical activity spiked.
Immediately afterward, Damon used his right foot as a pivot and spun his body clockwise, his flaming sword slicing out a vortex of fire!
"Fourth Form! Blazing Flame Vortex!"
The two fish-men only saw a blinding flash of light before a scorching stream of flames engulfed them completely.
Two charred corpses collapsed to the ground, the iron hammers they had been holding clinking as they rolled aside.
Feeling that he was not as weak as before, Damon secretly guessed that it was because his physical condition had improved further and he had begun to adapt to the aftereffects of the Flame Breathing.
Looking at the two corpses at his feet, Damon couldn't help but acknowledge that the fish-men were indeed naturally more powerful than humans.
Even the Tea Beard boss, with a bounty of 170 million Berries, was reduced to ashes after taking a direct hit from his fiery slash.
However, these two fish-men were just ordinary members of the Sun Pirates, yet his fire slashes had failed to burn them to ashes—this proved that the fish-man race possessed a truly unique physique.
A ring of flames remained on the ground, burning fiercely like loyal guards.
Amidst the flames, Damon—dressed in a crisp white training uniform with only a black belt at his waist—raised his flaming sword, pointing it diagonally at the Sun Pirates, and issued a command to Smoker and his companions:
"Arrest them and bring them to justice!"
Upon hearing this, Smoker and the others snapped out of their daze and immediately went into action.
Drake glanced at Damon with a complicated expression, thinking to himself:
"Was all of this within his expectations?"
"This brat... no, this man, is truly terrifyingly profound!"
Even Drake probably didn't realize that he had unknowingly lost the hostility he felt toward Damon at the start of the academy, replacing it with a genuine sense of respect.
The situation changed in an instant—so fast that the shipwrights of Tom Shipbuilding Company were caught off guard.
One moment they were watching honest fish-man laborers; the next, they were looking at vicious pirates.
The general public is simple and honest, and has no love for pirates.
Most of the shipwrights, watching the two sides locked in fierce combat, would probably have joined the Navy to attack the Sun Pirates if it weren't for their past friendship. The fact that they chose to stand by was already a sign of their camaraderie.
A few shipwrights, led by Iceburg, tried to stop the chaos, but it was too late.
If Iceburg were to step forward to help the Sun Pirates, it would mean that Tom Shipbuilding Company had deep ties with criminals, and would soon face scrutiny from both the World Government and the Navy.
Because Tom had built the Oro Jackson for the Pirate King Roger when he was young, the company was already under the World Government's thumb. If it weren't for the groundbreaking invention of the Sea Train, Tom would likely have been sent to the gallows long ago.
If more unfavorable news about the company emerged now...
As soon as Iceburg considered the consequences, a massive headache set in.
"The four main sea-crossing railway lines are set to open next year."
"Why did this have to happen now!"
Iceburg pulled at his hair, devastated.
Makuro cracked his wrists, making a series of popping sounds.
Standing beside him were two muscular fish-men, even more robust than the others—Makuro's right-hand men.
Garo of the Goldfish Sword Technique.
Tans, the Karate Master.
Makuro originally thought that with their numbers, dealing with a mere six Marines would be a piece of cake.
However, the battlefield was far beyond his expectations. The Sun Pirates did not hold an overwhelming advantage. Instead, they were bogged down in a stalemate.
Makuro's expression turned cold, and he grinned maliciously at the black-haired boy:
"You brat, how dare you ruin my—"
Before Makuro could finish, Damon vanished from his sight.
Flash!
Damon suddenly appeared behind Makuro and swung his sword without hesitation.
The strike was both ruthless and swift!
The blade tore through slippery fish scales and tough muscle, leaving a burn wound that smelled of seared flesh.
The remaining flames on the wound tried to spread, but were extinguished by a viscous fluid secreted from Makuro's body.
Although he escaped a fatal blow, Makuro was left in a sorry state.
Damon slashed his blade diagonally, the tip pointing directly at Makuro's eyes, and said coldly:
"War needs no further words."
"Death has nothing to do with bloodline."
"Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle..."
Thick liquid kept secreting from Makuro's wounds, making a sizzling sound as it met the heat.
The Eel-Eating Fish-man is a peculiar species. Their jaw muscles are extremely developed, allowing them to swallow prey whole.
Furthermore, since they lack rigid bones like ribs, they can transform stomach acid into a special viscous liquid. This fluid acts as a potent poison against enemies or a miraculous medicine to seal their own wounds.
"Smelly brat..."
Makuro stared intently at the boy, pulled two iron rods from his waist, and joined them. A spearhead made of deep-sea iron sprang out, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
Makuro moved with perfect harmony, wielding his spear with the grace of a dragon.
His two right-hand men tried to assist, but Smoker and Hina blocked their path.
Smoker, a cigar dangling from his lips and surrounded by billowing smoke, said:
"This road is closed to traffic."
Upon seeing this, Garo and Tans immediately darkened.
"He's a Logia user?"
Nevertheless, they did not panic.
The Sun Pirates were no small-time crew. Tans slowly put on a pair of brass knuckles made of Sea Prism Stone—an expensive item on the black market.
He assumed the stance of Fish-man Karate, and the battle was truly joined.
"Ding!"
The system notification followed the sound of clashing steel.
"Congratulations, host, for reciting a classic line from Dota. You have been awarded one chance to draw a prize. Would you like to start the prize wheel?"
The spear was blocked by the flaming sword. When Makuro realized that Damon had only taken seven steps back to dissipate the force of the strike, he was shocked.
Fish-men are ten times stronger than humans. Makuro thought his opponent was just a skilled brat with no substance. He didn't expect a child to possess such raw strength.
Damon twirled his blade, revitalizing his numb hands.
"The strength of the fish-men is truly astonishing!"
"If I hadn't recently increased my strength significantly, I wouldn't have withstood that."
While dealing with Makuro's aggressive spearplay, Damon glanced at the lottery wheel. It had three categories: Hero Skins, Hero Skills, and Equipment.
Hero Skills: Time Barrier, Dragon Bloodline, Black Hole...
Makuro noticed Damon was momentarily distracted and felt a surge of predatory joy.
Strike while he's vulnerable!
Like other fish-men, Makuro does not wear shoes. The moment the viscous fluid seeped through his soles, it reduced friction, allowing him to slide across the ground like an ice skater. His spear lunged forward unexpectedly.
Just then, the results were announced.
[Dragon Bloodline]: Dragon blood flows through your veins, giving you powerful regenerative abilities and the ability to freely unfold or conceal dragon scales.
The moment the dragon factor was injected into Damon's DNA, it resonated powerfully with his Dragon's Roar passive.
"Roar!"
Damon's body trembled.
To Makuro's astonishment, his spear had clearly bypassed the flaming sword and pierced Damon'schest. But the sensation wasn't the pleasure of tearing flesh—it felt like slamming his spear into solid steel. The impact made his hands go numb.
Makuro looked up, staring at the boy whose feet had plowed two scorched tracks into the ground, and murmured: