"Oh!"
Upon hearing the string of titles Robin introduced, Gu Yina quickly turned to Robin and asked, "How's his strength?"
She didn't care about anything else; all she cared about was whether this Cavendish's strength was enough for her to make a move.
"Strength?"
Robin stroked his chin in thought, then turned to Gu Yina and said, "I haven't seen his strength myself, so I'm not very clear. But considering he just entered the Grand Line a few months ago and his bounty has already broken 100 million, you can tell his strength should be quite formidable!"
As he spoke, his gaze shifted from Gu Yina to Kouta, and he asked with a smile, "Am I right, Captain?"
"Mm!"
Kouta nodded. He turned, picked up his wine gourd from the tea table behind him, took a gulp, and then walked to the railing, gazing at the sea with a smile. "His strength is acceptable. While he can't be compared to true powerhouses, he possesses a method to double his strength. If he uses it, he should be qualified to be your opponent!"
After speaking, Kouta retracted his gaze, smiled at Gu Yina, then turned and leaned against the railing, looking up at the crow's nest and calling out, "Aruo."
"Here!"
Aruo poked his head out from behind the crow's nest railing, looking down. "What is it?"
"Since you want to know the opponent's strength."
Kouta glanced at the white horse figurehead on the distant pirate ship, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. He then turned to Aruo and said, "Fire a shot at that pirate ship!"
He thought for a moment, then looked up at Aruo and said, "Shoot the white horse on the ship's bow. Don't shoot the people or the ship. If you scare them away, it won't be fun, hahahahaha!!"
Honestly, he really wanted to see what that guy's second personality was like.
Although Cavendish was forced by the Navy to become a pirate, his second personality had killed many innocent civilians.
And since he enjoyed the fame his second personality brought, he should be prepared to bear the sins that came with it.
Even though his original personality might not be a great villain, since they were one and the same, Kouta would naturally treat him as a villain!
Moreover, this guy was clearly heading towards him this time.
He recalled how, in the original story, this guy waited specifically in the New World's "Dressrosa" for Luffy and his crew to arrive, wanting to kill Luffy. This made it clear why he was coming for Kouta.
"Truly overestimating himself."
He shook his head and took another drink.
Did he really think that being born in the New World and understanding Haki cultivation, coupled with his own Haki, meant he was invincible in the first half of the Grand Line, known as "Paradise"?
Kouta turned his body, leaning forward with his hands on the railing, watching the sailboat bobbing with the waves. A smirk played on his lips, and a look of mockery appeared on his face.
In the crow's nest.
Aruo withdrew his head and drew his "Meiou" from his waist.
He then raised Meiou and looked through the scope at the white horse figurehead on the "Freedom" ship, far in the distance. A trace of disdain flickered in his eyes.
Actually, if he were allowed to fire freely, he could sink the opponent's ship with two shots.
Two consecutive shots.
Even if there was a strong fighter who could block his first shot, they definitely couldn't block his second.
But remembering Kouta's instructions, he shook his head, a red glow appearing in his eyes.
Gu Yina's Observation Haki couldn't sense such a long distance, but his could.
While his Observation Haki might not be exceptionally strong, on this ship, besides Kouta, he was the only one who could sense things at such a distance.
If his fruit-given perception were added, his sensing ability could be further enhanced.
It could be strengthened to a range similar to Kouta's incredibly powerful Observation Haki.
In other words, as long as it was on the sea, and as long as the gun's power allowed, he could hit targets kilometers, or even ten kilometers, away.
This was the terrifying aspect of a top sniper in this world.
Unless one had awakened Armament Haki or possessed exceptionally strong danger-sensing abilities, facing a top sniper on the open sea, they wouldn't even know how they died.
Of course, there weren't many people in this world who could sense such distances.
Furthermore, one needed a gun capable of shooting that far.
Therefore, encountering a sniper of this caliber was virtually impossible in this world.
However...
Today, Cavendish was fortunate enough to encounter one.
On the bow of the White Horse Pirate ship.
Cavendish was holding a telescope, looking at the "Freedom" approaching head-on, his face flushed.
He hadn't expected his luck to be so good. After only a day's journey from Carter Island, he had encountered the person he was looking for at sea.
Judging by the other party's direction, they were clearly heading towards Carter Island.
"Mm!"
Just then, Cavendish suddenly felt a sense of danger. Since Aruo's target wasn't Cavendish himself, he sensed the danger but couldn't pinpoint its source.
But at this moment, only their ship and the "Freedom" were in this sea area, so without much thought, he knew where the danger was coming from.
He lowered his hand, sheathed his telescope, then drew his sword with his left hand, and stared intently ahead.
His right hand slowly gripped the sword's hilt.
His sword was no ordinary weapon; it was a magnificent rapier inlaid with gems, named "Durandal," the holy sword of their nation.
Though not famous, its hardness and strength were comparable to a Great Grade Sword.
"Mm!"
Just then, a red glow appeared in Cavendish's eyes.
"A bullet?"
At such a distance, there was an incredibly powerful sniper on the other ship.
He didn't know if the other party intended it or if they were genuinely aiming at the white horse statue on his ship's bow, but undeniably, he couldn't let this bullet hit.
Because he sensed a danger from this special, semi-transparent bullet that was no less than that of a giant cannonball from the Navy.
Yes, due to its smaller size, it was probably even more threatening.
With no time to think, seeing the bullet rapidly approaching, a cold glint flashed in Cavendish's pupils.
He stomped on the deck and leaped onto the back of the white horse statue, then drew his sword and thrust it forward.
"Beautiful Sword · Blue Bird!"
The swordsmanship he practiced was primarily thrusting.
This was also to make using the rapier more convenient.
*Ssssh—!*
The tip of Durandal, imbued with Armament Haki, met Aruo's bullet. There was no sound.
However...
*Boom—!!*
It should be noted that Meiou's bullet was not an ordinary bullet but a miniature cannonball, which exploded upon impact.
But the explosion's flames did not head towards Cavendish.
Instead, they were blown upwards into the sky by the air currents generated by Cavendish's swordsmanship. When viewed from a distance, it looked as if Cavendish, standing on the back of the white horse, had thrust a sky-piercing flame forward.