On the fake Merry.
Seeing the pirates about to board from the opposite side, Guina made the first move.
She would not let these pirates onto the fake Merry to fight, as it would not only dirty the ship but also potentially damage it.
Seeing the edge of the Indomitable Warship Saber instantly cleared, Kong Tai was the first to jump aboard.
He stood on the railing at the side of the ship, plucked the wine gourd from his waist with his left hand, took a swig, and looked down. He happened to meet Don Krieg's gaze.
Their eyes met, and a playful smirk touched Kong Tai's lips. "Yo! Pirate, I heard you're some kind of East Blue overlord, right? Come on, show me a dance."
"How dare you speak to Captain Krieg like that?"
Gin, to Krieg's left, was foolish enough to step forward and shout.
"Hmph...!"
"You want to dance too?"
Kong Tai frowned and calmly looked at Gin.
Although this guy seemed alright in the anime, he was actually a cold-blooded and cruel villain.
As Kong Tai looked at him, Gin felt an immense pressure wash over him.
It pressed him to the point of breaking out in a cold sweat and rendered him speechless.
Just then, Krieg stepped forward, breaking the pressure that was crushing Gin.
The oppressive feeling disappeared, and Gin quickly retreated a step, standing behind Krieg and gasping for air.
He raised his head and stared intently at Kong Tai, his eyes filled with shock and his face grave.
Just his aura was enough to silence him. This was too strong!
"Are you that swordsman? When did such a figure emerge in the East Blue that I was unaware of?"
"I'm not a swordsman. The one playing with you today is someone else."
"Oh! There's someone else."
He then shifted his gaze to Guina, who had just boarded. As for Ah Hua and the other two who had climbed up behind her, they were completely ignored. He only felt a threat from Guina and Kong Tai.
Guina glanced indifferently at Krieg and then ignored him. He wasn't her target; her target was the executives on the other side.
Then, she looked at "Demon" Gin and "Iron Wall" Bartholomew, who stood beside Krieg.
Seeing the woman with deep blue hair looking at him, Gin quickly drew the tonfa from his waist, facing Guina with caution.
Without any further pleasantries, Guina swiftly drew the Wado Ichimonji, stomped on the railing with both feet, and activated Soru.
With a "whoosh," she instantly appeared before Gin and swiftly drew her sword for a slash.
Clang—!
It was too fast.
So fast that Gin only had time to raise his tonfa to block in front of him. Then, his body felt unnaturally light, his feet left the ground, and he was propelled backward by an immense force.
Bang—! He crashed into the ship's cabin.
In the wreckage of the cabin, Gin sat up, propped up by his left hand, clutching his chest with his right, trembling.
"Cough, cough, cough!!"
"Cough, cough, cough...!!"
He coughed, lowered his head, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
He looked up through the hole created by the impact, his eyes wide with terror as he shouted at Guina, "Why are you so strong?"
Yes, she was strong. So strong that a single blow had already left him severely wounded.
Guina ignored him and, with a cold expression, turned her gaze to Bartholomew.
Only then did the surrounding pirates react and suddenly cry out.
"Is this a dream?"
"The Captain would be defeated by this guy in one blow?"
"How is that possible? That's 'Demon' Gin, with a bounty of 12 million Beli!"
Seeing Guina's gaze directed at him, the pirates around Bartholomew instantly retreated, clearing a large area.
At this moment, Ah Hua and the other two by the ship's side also drew their swords and charged into the surrounding pirates.
They couldn't defeat the executives, but they could handle these ordinary pirates.
More than a decade of training wasn't for nothing, and they also had the swordsmanship taught by Koushirou.
Clang, clang, clang—!
For a time, the clash of swords and the pirates' screams and curses were incessant.
"You idiot."
"Charge them, take them down."
"Aaaagh...!"
Hearing the screams behind him, Krieg's veins bulged. He didn't look back, nor did he dare to.
When that woman boarded, the silver-haired youth opposite him had locked onto him with his aura. Krieg felt that if he so much as turned his head, he would be met with a storm of attacks.
Seeing that there were no pirates posing a threat to Ah Hua and the other two, Kong Tai withdrew his gaze and turned to Krieg with a smile.
"Yo! Krieg, you better stay put, alright! If you're bored, you can dance too."
"Hahaha..."
He burst into laughter as he said this.
"Ah! Help!"
"Captain Krieg, hurry up and finish them!"
"You're the strongest in the East Blue!"
"Ah...!"
Hearing the increasing screams, Krieg could no longer hold back.
He tore off his cloak, clasped his shields together, drew his staff, and revealed a large, sharp blade.
"It's here, Captain Krieg's strongest weapon, the 'Battle Spear'."
Looking at the loudly cheering pirates in front of him, Ah Hua glanced at Krieg with disdain.
"Battle Spear? I've got a Great Chopper! Is that all?"
He then withdrew his gaze and looked at the pirates opposite him.
"Hey! You still have the nerve to watch your captain? Take care of yourselves first, pirates!"
With that, he roared and charged forward.
Kong Tai watched Krieg with great interest.
This guy's armor contained a large amount of gunpowder, bullets, and, oh yes, poison gas bombs.
"You guy, ever since you got on the ship, you've never taken me seriously."
Kong Tai's extreme disregard for him, facing him, completely enraged him.
With a dark expression, he raised his head and glared fiercely at Kong Tai.
"What do you think made me the strongest in the East Blue, someone everyone feared!"
Kong Tai looked at Krieg and pouted mockingly, "Of course, it's your ugliness and cruelty. Could it be strength?"
Krieg raised his Battle Spear with both hands, looked at Kong Tai in anger, and charged at him.
Upon reaching Kong Tai, he roared, "Who do you think I am!"
"I am Admiral of the East Blue, Don Krieg, the strongest man in the East Blue with a bounty of 17 million Beli!"
Then, he violently swung down at Kong Tai's head.
"Die!"
Bang—!
An explosion sounded, followed by a thick cloud of smoke that quickly enveloped Kong Tai.
"Well done, Captain Krieg."
"Take them down."
These guys didn't even bother with the sword light around them and cheered loudly for Krieg.
However, the scene that followed was like a cold wind blowing through them, freezing them from head to toe.
A sea breeze blew, and the smoke dispersed. Kong Tai stood in place, his right hand firmly gripping the Battle Spear, completely unharmed.
"No way, are you kidding me!"
"How could anyone catch Captain Krieg's Battle Spear, and still be unharmed?"
"Impossible, impossible, this must be a dream."
They kept shaking their heads.
Their bodies instinctively retreated.
Then, they suddenly looked up and shouted at Kong Tai,
"Hey! Who in the world are you!"
"Me? I'm just an ordinary person."
Kong Tai, holding the Battle Spear in his right hand and the wine gourd in his left, waved at them.
Then, he put down his left hand, took a sip of wine, turned to look at them, and said with a serious, chuunibyou tone.
"Hmm...!"
"If I had to give myself an identity, I suppose it would be a hero of justice!"