The Most Talented Pirate Hunter - Chapter 8
A fierce wind blew from both sides, making it impossible for Hermes to dodge normally. No matter how he looked at it, he was in a life-or-death situation.
He had to use his Devil Fruit ability.
In an instant.
Hermes shrank to a size of fifty centimeters. The two blades whizzed past his head, almost shaving off his scalp, leaving him nearly bald.
Finding the right moment, he jumped behind one of the pirates, his right hand gathering strength and striking out like lightning.
The pirate had no time to react.
His kidney was instantly pierced, and Hermes’ finger curled, pulling out some flesh. His body size instantly returned to normal, and he kicked the pirate in the stomach.
A huge shadow flew across the room, the pirate crashed through numerous chairs and tables, landing in a pool of blood, clutching his side and struggling several times but unable to get up.
The battle wasn’t over yet.
The remaining pirate took the chance to attack Hermes, but Hermes, without even turning his head, shrank to fifty centimeters again, kicking the pirate’s calf, causing him to lose balance and fall to the ground.
That fall meant Hermes had secured victory.
Returning to normal size, Hermes delivered a Shigan to the pirate’s temple, forcefully piercing the skull and shattering the brain inside. The pirate twitched a few times on the ground before falling silent.
A complete wipeout.
Hermes stood beside the corpses, drenched in blood, panting with a slightly pale face. The surroundings fell into silence.
“What just happened? That kid suddenly shrank, right?”
“Didn’t expect that kid to be a Devil Fruit user.”
“A Devil Fruit user.”
“A shrinking ability?”
Some people noticed Hermes’ ability, while others were unsure. Besides Devil Fruit abilities, there were many other strange powers and races in the sea.
“Not an undeserved death, considering the opponent was a Devil Fruit user.”
“This kid is ruthless, using his ability only at the last moment.”
“Quite an eye-opener. Is this what they call a Devil Fruit user?”
The whispers around didn’t affect Hermes. Staying vigilant, he caught his breath and picked up a sword from the ground to decapitate the bodies.
The cold expression, the practiced movements, the unblinking ruthlessness made the atmosphere even more deadly silent.
The scene was undeniably bloody and terrifying.
A ruthless man.
An absolutely ruthless man.
Many pirates gulped, eyes filled with fear and apprehension.
At such a young age, he was already this cruel and ruthless, killing without batting an eye.
Little did they know, Hermes’ heart was already colder than a butcher’s knife in a market.
“Does anyone know the bounties on these people? I’ll pay for the information with a head.”
Hermes looked around, many pirates were back to drinking.
The ones shocked were mostly rookie pirates. Those who had been to sea, had some experience, and had faced life and death, merely smirked, unaffected in their drinking.
“Kid, these pirates are just small fry. The head you’re holding is worth fifteen million, the others range from two to eight million.”
“By the way, let me remind you, they’re from the Dog-Dog Pirates. You’ve just made yourself a target for their captain, Joya.”
A pirate eating pizza looked at Hermes mockingly.
“How much is their captain’s bounty?”
Hermes was unfazed, casually tossing an eight-million head.
“Thirty-eight million. Good luck.”
The pirate stepped on the head rolling towards him, not worried about trouble with the Dog-Dog Pirates. Even a small bounty was worth something, and eight million Berries was not a small amount.
Hermes shrugged nonchalantly, leaving two heads to compensate the tavern owner, and left with the remaining loot.
He needed to find a place to wash up.
And turn the loot into Berries.
That was easy.
Hermes had already scouted out the area upon arrival. No matter where you are, there are always middlemen. Finding these shops, he could exchange his loot for Berries.
But these middlemen charged a fee, taking forty percent of the loot’s value.
It was expensive.
But convenient, avoiding the need to go to the Marines.
Soon after Hermes left, news of the Dog-Dog Pirates being killed spread quickly. The Dog-Dog Pirates were among the top pirate crews in the town.
No one expected their members to be killed.
It was practically a provocation.
“What did you say?”
On Sweetheart Street, a brothel, a voice filled with disbelief echoed, clearly unable to contain the growing anger.
With two courtesans serving him, a four-meter-tall man, covered in scars and soaking wet, stepped out of the bath, his sharp eyes staring at the pirate in front of him.
“Captain, our men were killed.”
“Who in this town dares to kill my men? Was it the Chain Pirate or the Twin Wheel Gunman, Kokus?”
In Joya’s mind, only the Chain Pirates and the Twin Wheel Pirates could rival the Dog-Dog Pirates in this town. The other pirate crews or forces were insignificant.
Or was someone looking to start a war?
“Neither, it was a kid.”
“What? A kid?”
Joya’s voice raised, his eyes growing colder.
“Mobilize everyone and find that kid for me.”
Quickly.
The Dog-Dog Pirates mobilized fully, making a grand show of capturing Hermes, attracting considerable attention from other forces.
Many wanted to know what was going on.
Investigating the matter, Hermes began to gain fame.
To many, Hermes seemed foolish, clearly an outsider or a reckless newbie, daring to provoke one of the town’s strongest pirate crews.
He was courting death.
On the other side.
Hermes washed up at an inn, then found a clinic to bandage his wounds, all of which were superficial, not affecting his tendons or bones.
This battle against multiple foes helped Hermes make significant progress.
Indeed, only combat could make him stronger quickly and fatten his wallet, the kind of life he enjoyed.
Arriving at a stall selling udon noodles, Hermes began to replenish his energy. His appetite had been growing since coming to this world, especially after training and fighting, a good sign.
Throughout the pirate world, the strong seemed to be big eaters.
One bowl, two bowls, three bowls, plus some large meat legs, Hermes ate voraciously at first, then slowly savored the food.
Just as he was finishing, over ten pirates surrounded him.
“Is it this kid?”
“It’s him, I saw him trading heads for bounty.”
“Sir, look at my bang.”
Before the sycophantic lackey could finish, a gunshot turned him into a corpse, without even a scream.
“Kid, did you kill our Dog-Dog Pirates’ men?”
The leading pirate, holding an axe, looked down at Hermes. Around him, other pirates pointed guns at Hermes.
This stance suggested he was one of Captain Joya’s trusted aides.
Full of murderous intent, fierce and intimidating.
Wham!!!
Terra didn’t get an answer from Hermes. Instead, he was met with a bowl of udon noodles, Hermes maintaining his silent but deadly demeanor.
Act first, talk later.
Despite Terra’s bulk, his reactions were swift. He shattered the bowl with an axe swing as the surrounding pirates fired their guns.
But Hermes was faster. The moment he threw the bowl, he lunged at Terra, delivering a Shigan as the bowl shattered.
“Damn.”
A sharp pain in his side, Terra staggered, almost dropping his axe. Hermes seized the opportunity, targeting Terra’s throat with another Shigan.
A chunk of flesh was torn away. Terra narrowly avoided a fatal blow, but Hermes quickly adapted, curling his fingers to tear at Terra’s jugular.
Just as Hermes was about to press his advantage, a volley of gunfire forced him to retreat, rolling unceremoniously into a nearby restaurant, causing screams to erupt.
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