"Ethan, stop pushing yourself. I know your limits."
Seeing Ethan still trying to act calm, Gloriosa quickly cut him off.
"I'll try my best to hold them off. When the moment comes, you need to escape."
Though she knew Ethan had taken down Marine vice admirals before, they were now surrounded by over a thousand pirates. He would simply be worn down and killed.
In this fight, they had no advantage. Escaping the pirate blockade was their only option.
But Hardy, the pirate captain, didn't intend to give them that chance. He knew that neither he nor Gloriosa could handle Ethan one-on-one, so he immediately ordered his men to surround them.
Then, the pirates launched a relentless swarm attack, trying to overwhelm Ethan and Gloriosa with sheer numbers.
"Don't you dare steal this one from me! This woman is mine!"
"Kid, the road to paradise was wide open, but you insisted on barging into hell. You walked right into your own death sentence, so don't blame us for cashing in your bounty."
"C'mon, kid how about you try this sword on for size?!"
Hearing the pirates jeering all around him, Ethan's brow furrowed in irritation.
"Is this really all you've got?"
"Swarming tactics are worthless against true powerhouses."
His cold gaze swept across the pirates closing in with swords and axes.
"There are too many of you. Let's clean house first."
"War Cry!"
The moment the words fell, a terrifying wave of pressure exploded from Ethan's body. A thunderous roar, like a beast's howl, echoed across the battlefield.
The weaker pirates, those with fragile wills, immediately went pale, their eyes rolling back as they collapsed on the spot, frothing at the mouth.
Most of the pirates were instantly incapacitated, though a few of the stronger ones only felt dizzy and sluggish, but they could still fight barely.
Captain Hardy stared at Ethan, completely stunned.
"Conqueror's Haki… Only Conqueror's Haki can knock out most of my crew in an instant."
"So you've awakened Conqueror's Haki, huh?"
The once imposing pirate crew was now reduced to just fifty men standing awkwardly on the deck.
Conqueror's Haki absolutely terrifying!
The bounty hunter was equally shaken, his heart in turmoil as he looked at Ethan with fear.
"Every one of those Rocks Pirates… They're all monsters."
First Whitebeard, then Big Mom, Kaido, and now Ethan Sugawa another Conqueror's Haki user.
If Rocks D. Xebec hadn't died in God Valley, the Rocks Pirates might have become the strongest crew in history, strong enough to rival even the World Government.
But now, that dream was dust.
The Rocks Pirates had collapsed. Its members had scattered, each forming their own crews.
The bounty hunter eyed Ethan's towering figure, thinking to himself.
"If this kid survives and gets a few more years to grow, he might really reach Whitebeard's level."
Suddenly, another idea struck him.
"With this kid's potential, if I capture him and hand him over to the World Government, the Celestial Dragons would probably pay a fortune."
Even though they no longer had the numbers to slowly grind Ethan down, he and Hardy together still had a real chance.
Especially since Gloriosa was gravely injured she wouldn't last long.
He quickly shared his plan with Hardy. The pirate captain's expression darkened.
"Are you insane? Didn't you see his Conqueror's Haki? And you still want to go after him?"
The bounty hunter's eyes gleamed coldly. "By my estimation, this kid's at most vice admiral level. You and I? We could go toe-to-toe with an admiral. You really think we can't handle some rookie?"
"As for the Serpentfolk woman, don't worry. Have the remaining crew keep her busy. She's not the threat."
The pirates who survived the War Cry were Hardy's elite men each with a bounty over ten million.
While they probably couldn't take down Gloriosa, it was enough to tie her up, as long as she couldn't interfere in their fight.
Once they captured Ethan, Gloriosa would be easy to handle.
Hardy hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth.
"So what if he has Conqueror's Haki? So what if he's got potential?"
"I'm still going to take him down today."
He was dead set. No matter the losses, as long as they captured Ethan and Gloriosa, the World Government would more than compensate them.
Hardy and the bounty hunter exchanged a glance, and without another word, lunged at Ethan.
…
Meanwhile.
Gloriosa was still reeling from Ethan's display. Seeing him knock out most of the pirates in a single strike had completely shaken her.
"You… since when did you awaken Conqueror's Haki?"
"Why have I never heard anyone mention this?"
Ethan shrugged. "Right before the God Valley incident. Things escalated so quickly that I didn't get the chance to tell anyone."
"Ah, I see." Gloriosa finally understood.
She had lived with Ethan back at Beehive Island when Big Mom first brought him to the Rocks Pirates.
She had always thought he was just some normal guy utterly weak.
When she later heard that Ethan had killed Marine vice admirals, she was already shocked. But now? He had the same Conqueror's Haki as Whitebeard?
She knew what this meant. If Ethan survived, he would undoubtedly rise to the top.
"Another Conqueror's Haki user from the Rocks Pirates… after Kaido, now Ethan."
Gloriosa sighed softly.
"If the captain were still alive, he would have been proud."
"I don't know if he'd be proud," Ethan muttered, his Observation Haki flaring wildly in warning. He turned to Gloriosa, his gaze firm.
"But I do know we're about to fight side-by-side again."
Gloriosa's face hardened as she looked at the pirates who had once again surrounded them.
"You're seriously still coming at us after losing most of your forces? What, you didn't learn your lesson?"
Her cold gaze locked onto the figure in the captain's hat.
"Hardy, today I'm taking your head."
Hardy scoffed, his face twisted with disdain.
"If you weren't injured, maybe I'd worry a little."
"But now? You should be more concerned about whether you'll survive my blade."
At his order, the forty remaining pirates charged at Gloriosa, weapons raised.
The deck was left to Hardy, the bounty hunter, and Ethan.
Seeing the two men block his path, Ethan's lips curled into a cold smirk.
"You two seriously think you can stop me?"
"Don't kid yourselves."
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