One Piece Fire Dragon Roar - Chapter 298

“He is Fire Dragon Vlad of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!” The cry almost sounded like a scream. Vlad, now recognized in the Grand Line as one of the Seven Warlords, had a daunting reputation. Even among pirate crews that had ventured into the New World, the title of a Warlord was formidable. It was only because they had seen more of the world that they understood not to lightly trifle with a Warlord’s might.

It was not surprising that this pirate recognized Vlad. After all, the government’s intention with the Warlords was to deter the countless pirates at sea with their fearsome reputations. If these pirates weren’t widely recognized, they wouldn’t be very effective in their roles. When Vlad was first named a Warlord, his promotion was heavily publicized across the seas, imprinting his image in the minds of all knowledgeable seafarers.

Silence fell on the deck momentarily as the pirates exchanged uneasy glances. Stumbling upon a Warlord in the vast seas was seldom good news.

“A Warlord???” The voice came from the wreckage of the cabin. “This guy is a Warlord?”

As the sounds of debris being shuffled echoed, Cavendish, known as the Beautiful Pirate, dusted himself off and stood up. His gaze was sharp, a stark contrast to his usual flamboyance. Even if he often seemed frivolous, facing a renowned and powerful adversary like Vlad made him grave.

“Yes, captain,” a pirate cautiously spoke up, “that’s Vlad, the Fire Dragon with a bounty of 750 million!”

“Huh?” Vlad was deep in thought, barely paying attention to the exchanges among the Handsome Pirates’ crew. He was still trying to remember the somewhat familiar-looking man’s name.

“A Warlord, you say?” Cavendish’s voice was filled with a fiery anger as he straightened up. “The kind that’s so famous they’re ingrained in the minds of everyone worldwide?”

He roared, tears of frustration in his eyes, “Unforgivable! Unforgivable! All those who’ve stolen the spotlight from me are unforgivable!”

“So, it’s about that!!!” The deck went silent. Why was their captain like this?

“Rumble, rumble…” Suddenly, Vlad’s stomach growled loudly.

“Ah, I’m so hungry, I almost forgot what I came here for! Never mind your name, let’s find some food first!” Vlad slapped his forehead, realizing he had been sidetracked. Wasn’t he supposed to be looking for food? How had he ended up fixated on this guy’s name?

“Beautiful Sword—Blue!!!” Cavendish leaped up agilely, his sacred sword Durandal thrusting forward as he soared.

“I’m so hungry!” Vlad exclaimed, feeling the strain of his aerial exertions. Flying did burn through his energy reserves.

“Clang!” The sound of metal meeting an immovable force rang out as Cavendish’s sword met Vlad’s palm, coated with a layer of Armament Haki.

“Hardening, huh?” Cavendish was familiar with the black coating—a staple power in the New World. Without waiting for Cavendish to retract his sword, Vlad gripped the blade and yanked it from his hands.

“Whoosh!” With a flick of his wrist, Vlad flew the sword, embedding it into a wooden mast.

“I don’t have time to pick on kids!” Vlad declared, holding Cavendish’s head with ease. To him, battling someone of Cavendish’s caliber was as trivial as a grown-up flicking a pestering child.

“Hey, kid,” Vlad said, lifting Cavendish by his head, “where’s the food on this ship?”

“Tell me, or I’ll have to rough you up a bit!”

“Is this what it means to be a Warlord?” Inside, Cavendish was tumultuous, recognizing the overwhelming gap in their powers. “Such terrifying strength! I’m no match for him, even in my sleep. Is this the power of a true star of the seas?”

“Hey, are you ignoring me? You think I won’t do it?” Vlad was genuinely puzzled. By now, this guy should understand the disparity in their strength.

“…”
Cavendish was still processing, silent.

“Oh, so you’re quite bold?” Vlad chuckled, finding Cavendish amusing despite the situation. He lightly tossed him back onto the deck, “You’ve got some spine, huh?”

“Eh?” Cavendish, flipping back to his feet, was confused by Vlad’s sudden change in demeanor.

“Hey, you guys,” Vlad turned to the watching crew, smiling, “got food, right?”

“Oh, oh! Yes, yes!” The pirates quickly nodded, now fully aware of Vlad’s terrifying strength.

“Good!” Vlad nodded approvingly. “Then let’s prepare a feast!”

“Ha-ha-ha-ha!” Vlad’s laughter boomed. “Get the meat, the wine, and the desserts ready!”

“Eh?” The Handsome Pirates were stunned, not following Vlad’s train of thought.

“Hmm?” Vlad grunted softly.

“Oh, oh!!!” Spirits lifted instantly, and the crew of the Handsome Pirates began to hustle, preparing for the unexpected feast.

So, what exactly was this development?

Become a Patron to read chapters ahead of public release and support me 😉

30 chapters ahead are available on Patron!