Bellamy

"What! Just three Marine rookies? They spooked me!"

"Tsk tsk, do you even know where you are? Bold enough to stride in here?"

"Ha! They won't be laughing when they're so scared they piss their pants!"

"..."

The pirates cackled, one after another.

If only these three Navy members held any significant rank, these pirates wouldn't dare to be so brash.

But pirates will be pirates, and they should flee at the sight of the Marines.

"Warrant Officer Bai Yu... are we...?" Koby edged closer to Bai Yu and whispered. With dozens of pirates glaring fiercely at them, Koby felt a chill creep up his spine.

"Just ignore them," Bai Yu responded, his attention elsewhere.

He had more pressing matters at hand, like finding out if Blackbeard was currently on Jaya Island.

"Hey, barkeep, I need information on someone."

Without hesitation, Bai Yu approached the bar and took a seat.

The bartender, a bearded man in his forties, paused at Bai Yu's request.

"Listen, kid, you're in Marine garb. You should leave while you can," he advised, noting Bai Yu's youth with a hint of sympathy.

"No worries, I'm just looking for someone called..."

Crash!

Before Bai Yu could finish, the sound of shattering glass interrupted him.

It was no concern to Bai Yu, but Koby and Helmeppo were so startled they ended up on the floor, looking utterly disheveled.

"Ha! Look at them!"

"MARINE, everyone! We have Marine here!"

The jeering escalated when the pirates noticed Koby and Helmeppo's plight.

A blond man rose from his seat, a distinctive scar marking his left eye and a sinister grin spreading across his face behind sunglasses.

"Isn't that Bellamy?" a pirate whispered.

"These Marine newbies are in for it now."

"Didn't you hear? Bellamy's got a bounty of 55 million. He's notoriously short-tempered."

The chatter grew as the crowd took in the newcomer, known as 'Hyena' Bellamy, a spring-powered man with a hefty bounty to his name.

"Hehehe. You trio better scurry off if you value your lives. No place for Marines recruits here," Bellamy taunted, glancing scornfully at Koby and Helmeppo on the floor.

Embarrassed and wishing for the ground to swallow them, Koby and Helmeppo could only look to Bai Yu.

"If you lack the nerve to stand up to pirates," Bai Yu started, his tone even, "then I need to reconsider if you're fit to be on my team."

"We are the Marine! There's no place we can't step foot in! It's the pirates who should be running!" As Bai Yu's words sank in, resolve dawned in Koby and Helmeppo's eyes.

They stood up, fists clenched.

"You're the ones who should leave!" Koby bellowed. "No one insults the Marine!"

Silence.

Stunned silence.

Koby's outburst had rendered the bar speechless.

"Kid, do you have any idea who you're addressing?" a pirate growled. "You're asking for trouble!"

Chairs scraped and weapons clattered as the pirates stood, ready to pounce.

Bellamy, their leader, just laughed—a sound filled with obvious mockery.

Then, he stopped abruptly, crouching down. His legs morphed, springs coiling tightly.

Boom!

In a blur, he launched himself at Koby and Helmeppo, his arm transforming, fist rearing back.

But the expected impact never came.

Instead, a metallic clang reverberated.

Koby and Helmeppo opened their eyes to see Bai Yu in front of them, sword drawn, parrying Bellamy's punch.

"My subordinates aren't yours to discipline," Bai Yu stated coldly, a fierce intent flaring in his eyes.

"He blocked it!"

"How?! He's just a low-ranking Marine!"

Disbelief spread among the pirates. Bellamy's expression darkened. "You're not entirely useless," he conceded, eyeing Bai Yu.

"I could say the same," Bai Yu retorted, smirking.

Bellamy's face twisted in rage. With a swift motion, he retreated, putting distance between them.

"You've really done it now," he sneered. "I'll make sure you live to regret those words."

His legs coiled again, ready to strike.

"Men, step back," Bai Yu warned. At Bai Yu's signal, Koby and Helmeppo swiftly moved aside.

"Spring-Spring Sniper!"

No sooner had Koby and the others retreated than Bellamy bellowed, unleashing his attack.

Boom!

His spring-loaded legs, previously compressed to their limit, unleashed their stored energy.

In the blink of an eye, Bellamy propelled himself towards Bai Yu with a speed even more explosive than before.

KaKaKaKa…

Mid-charge, Bellamy's fists clenched, raising as the springs in his arms coiled tighter and tighter.

Just as he reached Bai Yu, the springs released all their pent-up force.

Boom!

The abrupt release of tension sent Bellamy's fist slicing through the air, creating shockwaves as it went.

It was an incredible force, one that seemed impossible to dodge, and it was barreling straight towards Bai Yu.

Yet, Bai Yu stood still until the last possible moment.

Hum!

Suddenly, an invisible ripple of energy, a manifestation of his deep knowledge and insight, radiated from Bai Yu.

This wave of understanding locked onto Bellamy's high-speed movement with pinpoint accuracy.

Just before Bellamy's fist could connect, Bai Yu sidestepped with almost supernatural agility.

Thud!

Bellamy's fierce, swift strike missed entirely, the full might of his punch hitting nothing but air and then ground.

Due to the sheer force behind it, Bellamy struggled to regain his balance for a moment.

"Your speed is impressive, but your precision is lacking," Bai Yu remarked, having dodged Bellamy's attack with ease.

With no hesitation, Bai Yu lifted his Dragon Flame Greatsword and launched a swift, ruthless counterattack.

Swish! Thud!

Reacting just in time, Bellamy used the spring in his legs to forcefully yank his fists from the ground, attempting to dodge.

Still, Bai Yu's blade managed a grazing cut, leaving a bone-deep gash between Bellamy's waist and ribs.

Drip, drip, drip...

Bright red blood oozed continuously from the wound on Bellamy's side.

A hush fell over the scene.

Including Bellamy himself, everyone was baffled as to how Bai Yu had managed such a precise dodge.

It was as if... he'd anticipated Bellamy's every move.

"Mr. Bai Yu... he's incredible!" Koby, having witnessed the whole exchange, exclaimed excitedly while gripping Helmeppo's hand.

Until now, Koby and Helmeppo had only heard tales of Bai Yu's prowess. Seeing him in action solidified their resolve to follow him.

...

Back on the battlefield.

"Damn it..."

Retreating, Bellamy clutched his injured side, pain flaring across his face as he glared at Bai Yu, now aware he'd underestimated his opponent.

Injured and uncertain, Bellamy's gaze darted around, debating retreat.

But Bai Yu's next words erased that option from his mind.

"Surrender. Now that I've already swung once," Bai Yu declared coolly, "there's no escape for you."

Bellamy's fear quickly morphed into fury at Bai Yu's words.

Abandoning all thoughts of flight, he ripped off his shirt to bandage his wound, then crouched down once more.

"Ahhhh!"

Bellamy's roar was filled with determination.

As he crouched lower, the springs in his legs coiled even tighter.

Boom!

With an explosive sound, he launched himself upright.

The springs released, and Bellamy shot towards the bar's ceiling corner.

Boom!

Without pause, he ricocheted off the walls, gaining more momentum and speed with each bound.

His body became a blur, leaving only afterimages in his wake.

Bellamy's speed was reaching its peak.

"Die!"

With a furious shout, he launched himself at Bai Yu's back.

Whoosh!

Bellamy became a streak of motion, a near-sonic boom in his urgency to reach Bai Yu.

Yet, Bai Yu smiled, undisturbed.

Had it been anyone else, they might not have been able to track Bellamy's frenetic pace.

But Bellamy was up against Bai Yu, someone familiar with Haki.

With his heightened perception, Bai Yu easily traced Bellamy's trajectory.

Hum!

His two-handed grip on the greatsword tightened, and the blade began to quiver. Turquoise energy surged from Bai Yu's palm, enveloping the sword.

This was the Azure Dragon Sword Aura.

Whoosh!

As the Sword Aura infused in the sword, the flame-like pattern on the blade seemed to ignite, the edge now flickering with a subtle, turquoise flame.

In a heartbeat, Bai Yu spun, his blade arcing down without need of aim.

"Spring Death Fist!"

"Blue Dragon Flame Slash!"

Both men declared their attacks almost in unison.

Then, the two forces met.

Clang!

A brilliant spark erupted at the point of collision.

Boom!

The surrounding area quaked under the impact, the ground splintering.

But the deadlock didn't last.

The moment their attacks connected, the flames from Bai Yu's blade engulfed Bellamy, causing him to recoil in pain and inadvertently lessen his force.

Rip!

Without the advantage, Bellamy's momentary withdrawal changed the tides instantly. Bai Yu's blade tore through Bellamy's defenses, slashing across his body.

"How is this possible…" As blood sprayed, Bellamy's eyes were wide with disbelief.

His consciousness faded, and darkness took over, his body hitting the ground with a heavy thud.