Gunshots rang out.
A pirate collapsed to the ground—but the others barely reacted.
Some of the pirates sprawled on the ground even cursed loudly.
"Damn it, who the hell is still playing with guns at this hour?"
And with that, they simply rolled over and went back to sleep.
After all, whenever there was a feast, someone was bound to fire a few shots. Everyone had long grown used to it.
The scene left Ian slightly stunned.
He had been fully prepared for a hard fight—but this?
Well, they were pirates, after all...
"Move out!"
"Yes, Major!"
Eight rubber dinghies landed quietly on shore. At Ian's command, over a hundred marines split into eight squads, each moving according to their assigned targets.
Within minutes, the squad led personally by Ian had already cleared the docks.
A silent slaughter.
Dozens of pirates were killed in their sleep without ever knowing what hit them.
Overhead, drones recorded everything and relayed it back to Danaan's command bridge.
"Your men seem even more capable than the Marine Headquarters' elite troops…"
"Hina is impressed."
Watching the footage, Hina's eyes revealed a trace of shock.
Typically, a Marine soldier trained at HQ had a standard power rating of about 10.
Veteran elites—those with at least two years of active service, combat experience, and a hardened will—had ratings above 15.
But what she was seeing now? These marines moved with discipline and precision that surpassed even the seasoned veterans she knew.
How could she not be surprised?
"Our training methods differ from HQ's," Luo Lan replied simply, offering no further explanation.
He continued watching the feed.
Half an hour passed quickly.
Aside from the central pirate camp on the island, more than a dozen surrounding outposts had been silently wiped out—over 300 pirates eliminated.
Not a single one left alive.
Ian's report came through:
"Captain, the perimeter is fully secured."
"Well done. Proceed to the next phase."
"Yes, Captain!"
Inside the main camp, many pirates—including Captain Krieg and his officers—were still awake. Stealth tactics would no longer be effective.
So be it. Time for a frontal assault.
Frankly, Luo Lan hadn't even considered taking the field himself.
There was simply no challenge here. It was the perfect training exercise for the troops.
---
"Huh? We're out of booze?"
"Someone go grab more from the ship!"
Krieg tossed aside an empty bottle and realized he hadn't drunk his fill yet.
He turned and shouted toward a group of underlings nearby.
"Yes, boss! Right away!"
One of the junior officers waved his hand and led a dozen pirates out of the camp.
But before they'd taken more than a few steps—
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots erupted.
"What the hell!?"
Krieg stood up instantly.
He wasn't drunk—and being familiar with firearms, he immediately realized that wasn't the sound of their own flintlocks.
The shots were too uniform. Too precise.
That meant...
It wasn't their men firing.
Just then, one of the pirates from earlier came sprinting back toward Krieg, shouting in panic.
"Cap—Captain! We're under atta—"
Bang!
A bullet struck him in the back of the head.
He collapsed face-first to the ground, blood gushing out.
"Bastards! Grab your weapons! We're fighting our way out!"
"Yes, Admiral! Hooah!"
The pirates in the main camp—Krieg's elites and officers—didn't panic. In fact, many of them grinned maniacally, their bloodlust flaring.
They roared and surged out of the camp.
Krieg remained where he was, watching the chaos unfold.
He made no move to join them.
"Captain, whoever's attacking us... they're not ordinary. I think the outer squads are already gone."
"You saying all our outer men are dead?"
"I'm afraid so. Otherwise, we'd have heard something before now!"
Gin nodded grimly and gripped his weapon tightly.
"Captain, I'll go see for myself!"
"Fine. Bring me their leader alive. I want to see who dares attack the Krieg Pirates!"
"Yes, sir!"
Gin dashed off like a shadow.
And right on cue, the sounds of a full-scale firefight erupted beyond the camp.
Dozens of guns fired in disciplined volleys. The rhythm was tight—too tight.
"Could it be... the Navy?"
Krieg frowned deeply.
He couldn't pinpoint what type of guns were being used, but one thing was clear:
They were all the same. Standard-issue rifles.
There were only two forces in the world capable of mass-deploying uniform firearms: a kingdom's royal guard... or the Navy.
But Krieg wasn't fazed.
He'd fought the Navy many times before and learned one thing:
At 50 meters, the Navy dominates.
At 50 meters or less… pirates are deadlier!
That was how it always went among the lower ranks.
The Navy had the advantage in range and organization.
But when it came to vicious, close-quarters combat, pirates had the upper hand.
He estimated no more than a hundred attackers.
But he still had nearly 300 pirates on his side, plus four elite officers.
So no—he wasn't worried.
At least, not until things started going wrong.
Gunfire continued.
Sharp, consistent volleys—every two to three seconds, another coordinated barrage.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Relentless.
Finally, after two full minutes... silence.
Then, a figure stumbled into view.
It was Gin—known as the Demon Man.
Only, he looked nothing like a demon now.
Three bullet wounds bled freely. Half of his clothes were torn off, and parts of his skin were visibly burned.
"Gin! What the hell happened!?"
"Captain... run! I'll hold them off!"
"Run? Don't be ridiculous! I'm invincible!"
Krieg stood tall and defiant.
Run?
From anyone? In the East Blue?
He was the strongest—why would he run?
"Captain, everyone is dead! There's one guy—he turns into fire! He's immune to bullets, fists—nothing can touch him!"
"We can't win this!"
Gin shouted desperately.
Krieg was stunned.
Did you just say... a man who can turn into fire?
Immune to all attacks?
Are you drunk?
But then—
Krieg's eyes widened.
Because right there, in his line of sight, a figure stepped forward.
A man wearing a navy uniform.
His right arm was engulfed in flames.
"What the—"
"Captain! Run!!"
Gin saw him too.
Despite his injuries, he threw himself in front of Krieg.
And roared—