The Most Talented Pirate Hunter - Chapter 26
“You’re courting death.”
Explosive Rabbit couldn’t sit still any longer.
Seeing his subordinates falling one by one, he instantly transformed into a massive, obese gray rabbit with bloodshot eyes. He charged at Hermes, his claws slicing through the air towards Hermes’s chest.
“Give it your best shot.”
“King Iron Body.”
Hermes didn’t dodge, instead summoning all his strength. His chest swelled like steel, ready to take Explosive Rabbit’s attack head-on. It was a bold and brazen stance.
Boom!!!
A loud crash echoed as claws met the chest. Hermes’s arrogant expression faded, and he spat blood, unable to control his trajectory as he flew backward, rolling across the ground.
Explosive Rabbit also stumbled back a few steps, his right hand trembling slightly.
The pain radiating from his claws indicated the impressive defensive strength of the kid before him.
“Cough, cough, cough.”
“Damn, it really is a surefire technique.”
His chest throbbed painfully.
Hermes climbed to his feet, spitting out blood. His chest was bruised and purple, but thankfully, no bones were broken, and he hadn’t suffered internal injuries.
He had barely held up.
Almost broke his defense.
Overall, Hermes was quite satisfied. His Iron Body was still at an entry-level, but in critical moments, it was a lifesaver. Without it, he might already be dead. Instead, he could still fight, maybe even turn the tide.
It was a surefire technique and a lifesaving one too.
With Iron Body mastered to a high degree, even standing there and taking Explosive Rabbit’s attacks would be meaningless.
He was still too weak.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
Hermes taunted, beckoning with his finger and glaring at Explosive Rabbit with utter disdain. This infuriated Explosive Rabbit, whose long ears stood on end, and his gray fur bristled.
“I’ll tear you to pieces.”
When a rabbit is pushed, it fights back.
Explosive Rabbit charged with ferocity, his huge front teeth gleaming.
A slash from the right came, and Hermes blocked it with his knee, then unleashed a lightning-fast Finger Pistol. However, Explosive Rabbit’s reaction was quick, blocking it with his massive front teeth.
Sparks flew, but the big front teeth remained intact.
Explosive Rabbit swiped at Hermes again, but Hermes, completely unfazed, used his Observation Haki to predict the attack, intercepting it with his hand and then delivering a powerful kick to Explosive Rabbit’s chest.
With a dull thud.
Explosive Rabbit flew backward, crashing into an octopus ball stall and rolling twice on the ground.
“What a clumsy rabbit.”
Before Explosive Rabbit could get up, Hermes rushed over, raising his right foot high and kicking with all his might, hitting Explosive Rabbit square in the kidney. Amid screams, Explosive Rabbit rolled away again.
When dealing with Zoan types, constant, relentless attacks were needed.
Otherwise, it was hard to cause real damage.
Repeating his move.
Hermes chased after him, but Explosive Rabbit had gotten smarter, enduring the pain to bite Hermes’s leg with his sharp teeth. If he got bitten, Hermes might become a cripple.
So Hermes didn’t engage.
But this gave Explosive Rabbit an opportunity, a claw swiped at Hermes’s lower body with a ferocious, savage intent.
“What’s happening?”
Explosive Rabbit’s bloodthirsty, grotesque face froze, as his opponent vanished.
Before he could react, Hermes reappeared, delivering a kick to Explosive Rabbit’s chin. With a cracking sound, Explosive Rabbit screamed, flying backward and tumbling across the ground.
In that split second, Hermes had used his Mini-Mini Fruit, shrinking to five millimeters to dodge the attack, then instantly returning to normal size to counterattack.
The kick wasn’t light.
Explosive Rabbit got up, his chin dislocated, but his teeth remained intact.
“Kid, who are you?”
Explosive Rabbit’s bloodshot eyes narrowed as he reset his chin, desperately trying to identify Hermes. He couldn’t recall such a strong young person in the royal city.
“Hermes Jormungandr, currently working as a bounty hunter.”
Hermes looked down at him, flicking his hair back to form a brief slicked-back look, exuding the aura of a boss.
“Jormungandr?”
Explosive Rabbit frowned, completely unfamiliar with the name.
But the profession of bounty hunter infuriated him. Damn it, he was a gangster, part of a violent organization, not a pirate!
This guy was sticking his nose where it didn’t belong.
“I’m a gangster, not a pirate. Did my organization offend you somehow?”
Acknowledging the difficulty of taking down Hermes quickly, Explosive Rabbit decided to try and negotiate.
“Your rabbit head is worth a lot. I happen to need some money.”
Hermes didn’t waste words, rushing at Explosive Rabbit, who was infuriated by this action.
The guy had no intention of negotiating from the start. He had come for his head.
If that was the case, it was a fight to the death.
“Kill!”
They clashed fiercely, engaging in a brutal battle.
Relying on his Zoan durability, Explosive Rabbit focused on offense and endured as long as he didn’t sustain fatal injuries.
Hermes was no slouch either, with balanced overall strength.
He had Finger Pistol for attack, King Iron Body for defense, Observation Haki for dodging, and the Mini-Mini Fruit he had scarcely used.
Meanwhile.
Some went to notify Explosive Wolf, while others from the Crown Prince’s envoy in the tavern relayed the news back to the palace.
Onlookers also spread the word about someone attacking Explosive Rabbit. The name Hermes Jormungandr quickly became known among various factions in the royal city.
“King Iron Body.”
Hermes braced himself as he took another hit from Explosive Rabbit, spitting blood but countering with a Finger Pistol that blinded Explosive Rabbit’s right eye.
“I’ll kill you, kill you!”
Explosive Rabbit went berserk.
Transforming fully into his Zoan form, he stood five meters tall, bristling with fur and exuding a menacing aura, more akin to a predator than a herbivore.
“Enlarge!”
The imposing size didn’t intimidate Hermes.
With a focused thought.
Hermes grew to ten meters, dumbfounding the berserk Explosive Rabbit. He had to look up at Hermes, his massive body completely overshadowed.
“You’re a Devil Fruit user too.”
Explosive Rabbit was stunned.
His answer was a fist the size of an iron pot, crashing down with overwhelming force.
Crack!
The ground beneath Explosive Rabbit shattered as he barely blocked the huge fist, straining with all his might.
However, the reality was harsh.
Hermes suddenly shrank to one meter, the sudden loss of force making Explosive Rabbit stumble forward. Hermes, now perfectly positioned, unleashed a Finger Pistol like an arrow between Explosive Rabbit’s legs.
“Ahhhhh!!!”
A gut-wrenching scream echoed, wave after wave.
Nearby men instinctively crossed their legs, eyes wide in horror.
Only men could understand that unbearable sensation.
This strike broke through Explosive Rabbit’s defenses.
Instinctively clutching his vulnerable spot, Explosive Rabbit couldn’t defend against Hermes’s second attack. With a throat punch, Explosive Rabbit’s eyes bulged, his body convulsing.
Gurgle…
Thick blood gushed as Explosive Rabbit collapsed, still struggling.
Hermes watched, expressionless, as Explosive Rabbit reverted to human form. Raising his foot, he stomped on Explosive Rabbit’s neck, a crack signaling his end.
Bending down, Hermes grabbed Explosive Rabbit’s head and tore it off, securing his bounty.
Silence fell over the crowd, many onlookers filled with fear and dread.
Ruthless and cold-blooded.
This young man was a formidable figure.
His name, Hermes Jormungandr, was etched deeply into their minds.
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