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Chapter 902: Turned to Ashes
Chapter 902: Turned to Ashes
When Kuro crossed the Calm Belt from the East Blue and reached the Grand Line, William’s fleet had just passed Reverse Mountain and entered the Grand Line.
Well, not exactly smooth sailing either.
After returning to Sweats Island, they recruited five additional ships and gathered 1,500 pirates eager to follow William’s path. This massive pirate crew set sail for the Grand Line, but four ships were destroyed by the violent sea currents of Reverse Mountain.
Hardly surviving Reverse Mountain, they immediately encountered a storm. Three already-damaged ships were swallowed by the raging waves.
Then came a colossal sea beast. It ambushed them, devouring an entire ship before diving into the ocean, leaving behind seven shattered wills.
Only then did they arrive at a relatively calm and peaceful stretch of sea.
On the deck, William stood drenched at the bow, his expression gloomy.
“This is the Grand Line!”
Just getting past Reverse Mountain had cost him half his fleet. This accursed Grand Line.
“Montblanc, is the weather in the Grand Line always like this?” he asked slowly.
“Yes. The Grand Line has always been this way,” Montblanc nodded.
Born in the Grand Line, he wasn’t surprised by the “accident” of re-entering it. But for William, hearing this only confirmed his worst fears.
“I see. So my preparations weren’t wrong. This place is indeed dangerous.”
Losing half his fleet meant nothing—his core crew and trusted allies remained. But from now on, he’d have to be hyper-vigilant. This Grand Line was as dangerous as he’d feared!
“Captain William!!”
Just then, a pirate shouted from the crow’s nest, “A pirate ship approaching from ahead!”
A pirate ship?
“Telescope!”
Montblanc barked first. A pirate handed him the telescope, and Montblanc immediately climbed to the crow’s nest, peering in the indicated direction.
Indeed, a pirate ship floated in the distance. The flag was unfamiliar to him.
“Sverre, come look.”
Sverre took the telescope, squinting through it. His brows furrowed. “I know them. It’s the Lion-Hou Pirate Crew. Their captain, Lion-Hou, has a bounty of 60 million berries!”
Anyone preparing to enter the Grand Line studied its news thoroughly. Sverre specialized in intelligence gathering—who Navy forces were strong, which pirates were powerful. He memorized every wanted poster, especially those with high bounties.
Sixty million berries—twice William’s bounty.
“Sixty million…” Montblanc shook his head, his expression relaxing. Of course—they’d barely left Reverse Mountain. No way they’d run into someone truly dangerous yet.
This bounty meant nothing to him. He’d once served under a pirate with a 200 million berry bounty, one of the rare “Super Novas” of his time.
Later, when his captain was captured by the Navy, Montblanc barely escaped to the East Blue. Initially, he’d looked down on William’s crew. But William’s strength and strategy intrigued him, convincing him that William might become a great pirate.
Back then, he didn’t care. Now, he cared even less. He’d surpassed his former self, mastering Haki he hadn’t learned in the first half of his journey.
A mere sixty million berries…
Montblanc’s lips curled into a malevolent grin. “This level is nothing special. William, we can—”
If they fought well, they might even make that 60-million berry pirate surrender, boosting their captain’s bounty. At their current level, they needed a reputation boost.
But before Montblanc could finish, a thunderous roar cut through the air.
“Everyone, prepare yourselves!!”
Steam erupted from William’s body as he launched himself skyward with a Steam Impact, his eyes locked onto the emerging silhouette of the pirate ship.
“Montblanc! Sverre! Give it your all! Elmira, prepare to retreat!”
“I’ll engage them first—I’m a Logia, so I won’t be easily harmed. All ships, align your cannons and target them! Gunners, ready your firearms and prepare for boarding! Their captain alone has a 60-million berry bounty. Be ready for a tough fight—or an escape!”
Steam surged around William’s form, coalescing into a towering steam giant that surged forward like a tidal wave.
“Huh? Wait, William, this is a misunderstanding! Come back!” Montblanc shouted, finally realizing what was happening. But William had already shot ahead at full speed.
William was panicking.
In the East Blue, he’d fought pirates worth several million berries—topping out at ten million. But ten million and thirty million were worlds apart. Thirty million and sixty million? Another universe.
Sixty million! Double his bounty!
Frankly, William had always been sensitive about his bounty. It had only been issued after he met Kuro, meaning Kuro himself had assessed his worth at thirty million berries—exactly thirty million in strength.
The Grand Line was indeed dangerous!
But he was determined to become a great pirate. Sixty million wouldn’t break him.
After suffering so many setbacks entering Reverse Mountain, morale was already fragile. This would be his first battle here—he needed to make a statement. Otherwise, the crew’s loyalty would crumble.
Even if they lost, they’d do it with dignity!
Gritting his teeth, William surged forward. The steam giant descended toward the ocean, its two massive steam hands plunging into the sea as they neared the enemy ship.
“Boiling Tide!!”
From the point where the steam hands pierced the sea water to the ship’s underbelly, a scalding-hot channel of boiling seawater formed.
The sea itself boiled.
The pirate ship hadn’t even reacted yet—perfect timing for William.
Thick steam rose from the water, encircling the enemy vessel.
“Steam Cataclysm!!”
William roared from within his steam giant form. With a deafening explosion, the steam intensified, igniting spontaneously without flame.
“Ahhh!!!”
Screams echoed from within the steam.
“Screams? No, impossible. They’re trying to distract me—to make me let my guard down?!”
The steam giant extended a hand, morphing it into a massive blade that swept horizontally toward the burning ship. The blade’s arc dwarfed the ship itself.
“Overheat Slash!!”
The giant blade cleaved through the ship’s burning bow, igniting it further. Then it swept along the ship’s length, engulfing it entirely in flames.
Burning heat, searing temperatures, destruction!
Within this fiery hellscape, the pirate ship fell silent.
“No sound now?!”
William’s eyes flickered with alarm. Were they enduring the flames? Waiting for him to relax before striking fatally?
No risks!
The steam giant’s other hand rose, transforming into another massive blade as it slashed downward vertically.
“Overheat Slash!!”
The blade struck again, intensifying the inferno until the ship disintegrated into wreckage.
Yet no aura emerged from within.
Earlier, his Observation Haki had detected so many life auras.
Could the entire crew hide? Had they mastered a technique that made them undetectable by Haki?
“Overheat Slash!!”
William gritted his teeth, unleashing another strike.
The blade swept again—but the enemy ship still didn’t react.
“Overheat Slash!!”
“Overheat Slash!!”
“Overheat Slash!!”
“Gaaaahhhhh!! Overheat Slash!!”
Like a madman, William slashed wildly with his twin steam blades, their afterimages flickering through the massive steam cloud.
Back on the ship, Montblanc twitched his lips, feeling an odd sympathy for the pirates already reduced to ash within that inferno.
“Enough already,” he muttered. “They’ve turned to ash, William.”
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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