Chapter 67: Pay Up, Whether You Do It or Not!
Chapter 67: Pay Up, Whether You Do It or Not!
Having confirmed that Zefa wasn't solely after him, Sag's mood improved slightly. He shifted his stance, positioning himself between Zefa and Lily, and instructed, "Lily, go notify the others to hurry up."
"Understood."
Lily nodded, knowing her presence here would be of little help. She turned and sprinted toward Rogue Town.
But just as she moved, Zefa raised his mechanical arm and swiftly reached out to grab her.
Bang!
Sag stepped forward and stomped on the mechanical arm, pinning it to the ground. He sneered at Zefa.
Zefa twitched his mechanical arm, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I recall you taking out Ennio. That little girl also has a bounty on her head—30 million, I believe. So, the surname is Beinduta. That's how White Lightning ended up in her hands, fulfilling my foolish disciple's wish, I presume?"
"I don't care about any of that," Sag retorted through gritted teeth. "All I know is that you're not going to ruin my money-making scheme!"
"You should just retire and enjoy your old age. What's the point of clinging to your glory days when you've even lost a hand? Be careful—your asthma might act up, and no one will be there to treat you," Sag taunted.
The large warship that had been sailing alongside the branch navy ship seemed to have no one else standing, indicating a lack of strong individuals. It was just Zefa alone—some admiral or whatever; Sag couldn't care less about the title.
"Indeed, a dangerous individual. But I, for one—"
Zefa clenched his other hand into a fist and threw a powerful punch at Sag, "...don't plan on growing old and feeble!"
Bang!
Their fists collided, and simultaneously, both arms turned black and emitted a metallic clanging sound.
"Haki?"
Zefa was visibly taken aback for a moment.
Seizing this opportunity, Sag lashed out with his leg, whipping it toward Zefa's head like a whip.
"Too shallow!"
Boom!
Unfazed by the incoming leg, Zefa exerted force with his arm, pushing Sag's fist away and generating a burst of momentum that sent him stumbling backward, away from the stomped-on mechanical arm.
"Shredding Gatling!"
In that instant, Zefa raised his mechanical arm and fired a barrage of bullets at the retreating Sag.
Rat-a-tat-tat!
The rapid and dense shower of bullets targeted Sag's entire body. Even with Haki defense, there would still be some level of consumption.
The knowledge of Haki indeed caught Zefa by surprise, but the young man before him seemed to take pride in this fact. Dealing with such an opponent didn't necessarily require brute force; there were plenty of other options...
"Iron Block!"
Sag crossed his arms in front of him as he stood his ground, allowing the bullets to rain down on his body and spark harmlessly around him.
This sudden move caused Zefa to freeze up for a moment, but he quickly recovered and adjusted his mechanical arm, aiming it at Sag and gathering a brilliant glow at its tip.
"Shredding Jet!"
Boom!
This time, it fired a cannon!
"Shave!"
Sag's figure vanished from his original spot, only to reappear at Zefa's side. He swept his leg in a tricky stab at Zefa's waist and ribs.
Whoosh!
But in that very instant, Zefa twisted his waist, and the massive mechanical arm spun halfway around, lashing out at Sag.
"Moonwalk."
Thud!
Sag nimbly stomped on the air, propelling himself upward and dodging the swinging mechanical arm.
Rat-a-tat-tat!
Zefa swiftly raised his arm again, unleashing another torrent of bullets.
This time, however, Sag's body moved like a graceful willow in the wind as he jumped through the air, allowing the dense bullets to pass harmlessly through his body without landing a single hit.
Zefa ceased his barrage and watched as Sag bounced around in the air before swiftly landing. He narrowed his eyes and rasped, "Rokushiki? Who taught you that?"
"Can't a guy pick these things up on his own?" Sag asked provocatively, flexing his hands.
"What a waste for someone like you to turn to piracy. You're too far gone!" Zefa chastised.
"Mind your own business, old coot!" Sag stepped forward, closing the distance between them in an instant, his already-blackened fist aiming straight for Zefa's chest.
All it would take was one punch...
Boom!
Zefa's mechanical arm intercepted the blow, causing Sag's fist to connect with the solid steel and producing a heavy thud.
Sag narrowed his eyes, and his body suddenly bent, sliding under the mechanical arm. He raised his leg like lightning, aiming a kick at Zefa's chin and forcing his head back.
He landed a hit!
Boom!
As soon as his kick made contact, Zefa brought down his mechanical arm with force. A red dot flashed in Sag's eyes, and he quickly withdrew, avoiding the heavy blow.
"The young'uns these days are certainly something else," Zefa remarked, a black bruise already fading from his chin. "There's a peculiar force in your attacks."
"Well, then, you'd better watch out!" Sag snarled.
As a former admiral, even in his old age, Sag doubted that Zefa wouldn't have noticed the peculiarity of his attacks.
His Haki wasn't merely for increasing the power of his blows; once they landed, his Haki would seep into the secret meridians of the opponent's body, causing internal damage.
"Sag!"
Suddenly, voices rang out from the town, and Renitia and Marika emerged, one carrying a large bundle on her back while the other dragged a mountain of ingredients.
"Hey, who's this old geezer?" Renitia asked, brandishing her tool hammer and extending it.
"Zefa!"
Marika's pupils constricted as she recognized the visitor.
Even though he had retired over thirty years ago, some people still knew who he was as a former Admiral of the Navy.
Marika had seen his face in old newspapers.
"A pirate, huh!"
Zefa aimed his mechanical arm at the two women, about to fire bullets at them, when Sag suddenly rushed forward and kicked the mechanical arm away with Busoshoku Haki surrounding his foot.
"Don't worry about him. Just put the stuff on the ship and get ready to leave!" Sag shouted.
"Do you think I'll let you go?"
Zefa steadied his stance and swung the displaced mechanical arm, slamming it into Sag and kicking his leg at the same time. Sag stumbled, and the heavy mechanical arm knocked him to the ground, restraining him.
"Shred!"
Boom!
Sag raised his fists, Busoshoku Haki swirling around them. The Haki expanded rapidly, resembling black flames engulfing his fists. He slammed his fists into the mechanical arm, creating two fist-shaped indentations. One of the three metal claws opened slightly, allowing Sag to break free.
"Entangle?"
Zefa paused, staring at the fist marks on the three claws of the mechanical arm. It was made of extremely durable steel mixed with seastone, resulting in unparalleled hardness.
To leave marks on it...
"Kid, is your Haki enough?" Zefa asked in a deep voice.
"That's none of your business!"
Sag bent his body slightly and rushed towards Zefa. The black flames surrounding his fists flickered like shadows as he threw rapid punches.
A cold smile appeared on Zefa's face as he lifted his mechanical arm to use it as a shield. Sag's fists collided with the mechanical arm.
"Ora, ora, ora!"
Boom, boom, boom!
The mechanical arm vibrated violently from the impact, causing Zefa to shake his head. "You have talent, but you're too hasty. The way you use Haki..."
He took two steps back, quickly grabbing Sag's wrist with his left hand. His eyes widened as he roared, slamming Sag's body forcefully into the ground.
"That will deplete eventually!"
Bang!
The ground caved in from the impact, Sag's body sinking into the depression. Zefa didn't even glance at him, instead, twisting his mechanical arm to aim at the two women approaching the black ship. The gun barrels inside the mechanical arm began to rotate.
"Shred!"
Clank!
The thick pipe connecting to the mechanical arm suddenly disintegrated, triggering a chain reaction. Parts started disintegrating one after the other until the entire arm, connected to his right shoulder, fell apart and crashed to the ground, revealing Zefa's right arm prosthesis.
Hoo!
As the Busoshoku Haki flowed like black flames, a swift kick cleaved through the air. Zefa's eyes narrowed, and he instinctively wrapped his left arm in Haki, blocking his chest.
Boom!
Zefa's body staggered back a few steps as he stared, incredulous, at the disintegrated mechanical arm and Sag, who had just leaped out of the depression. "You..."
"Old man, it's not just swordsmen who can sense the 'Breath of All Things'," Sag said, baring his bloodied teeth in a sinister grin.
From the start, he had aimed for that mechanical arm.
If Zefa started firing bullets and cannons, his crew wouldn't have time to load their loot onto the ship. A single sweep or blast could kill many of them.
First, he needed to take care of that annoying mechanical arm!
As for its hardness...
Just as swordsmen could sense the 'Breath of All Things' and easily cut through iron, Sag could perceive the vital spots of all things in the world. It was just that his fists couldn't pierce through extremely hard objects.
But now, with Haki, his strength had increased more than just a little.
He didn't have the time to learn the kind of pure physical power and resilience that Garp possessed, allowing him to shatter mountains. However, with Haki and the Entangle technique to enhance his power, he could achieve similar results.
"Sag!"
From behind, Lily reappeared, followed by a large group of pirates carrying boxes and barrels towards the outskirts of the town.
"The black market traders over there know who you're fighting. They want to back out of the deal!"
"Bullshit!"
The confident smile on Sag's face instantly faded, and he roared, "Since both parties have signed the contract, they have to pay whether they do it or not! Put the goods outside the town, and if they don't pay, just take it! Get those ten billion berries!"
Who dares back out on his money?
Impossible!
Zefa shook his prosthetic limb and clenched his left fist, his Haki extending from his fist to his entire forearm.
"You are indeed dangerous. I won't let you leave."
His body seemed much lighter without the mechanical arm.
"I don't plan on leaving yet, either,"
Sag grinned menacingly. "I'm a man of my word. I said I'd get goods worth ten billion berries, and I will. Holding you up for half a day is enough!"
Although Zefa gave him a formidable impression, Sag could sense that his Haki wasn't as pure and powerful as Garp's.
Instead, it gave off a confusing vibe...
His will was weakening!
There was a chance he could hold him off for half a day!
(End of Chapter)
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