Pirates: Martial Arts Masters on the Straw Hat Ship

The cruel grin on Kro's face froze instantly.

Instead, there was endless, absurd astonishment.

His claws were less than three centimeters away from Ronan's neck.

But Ronan's fist had already landed squarely on his stomach!

This long-planned "Crushing Fist" brought Ronan's 12 points of strength attribute and the essence of "Ming Jin" in Chinese martial arts to the limit!

The terrifying force pierced through Chloe's suit and shook his internal organs.

"puff--!!"

Kro, who was in a forward-charging attack stance and about to succeed, was struck head-on by a battering ram.

He was blasted through the air like a boiled shrimp, flying backward at an even faster speed than when he arrived!

A jet of crimson blood, mixed with gastric juices, was violently sprayed from his mouth into the air, tracing a tragic arc.

"Bang!!"

Kro's body flew seven or eight meters away, smashing the flower bed that Kaya had carefully protected to pieces!

Wood chips, soil, and red and yellow petals exploded in the air, like a chaotic downpour.

Kro fell awkwardly into the ruins of the garden, his ten sharp claws digging deep into the soil, his body convulsing violently.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Luffy and Zoro were completely dumbfounded.

Their brains were completely unable to process what had just happened.

An enemy so fast that even Zoro couldn't see him clearly, a great pirate with a bounty of 16 million Berries... just like that... was sent flying by Ronan's punch?

Luffy's mouth was agape in an "O" shape, and his eyes were practically bulging out.

Zoro's hand, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, trembled slightly from the excessive force.

He wasn't afraid, he was shocked.

He murmured to himself, "...He...he saw it clearly? No...he didn't see it...how did he do it?"

In Ronan's mind, that cold, familiar mechanical voice rang out precisely on time:

[Host enters deathmatch mode, cultivation multiplier *5]

Instantly, a massive surge of heat, far exceeding that of horse stance, erupted from Ronan's limbs and bones.

He could feel his muscles, bones, and even nerve reaction speed being strengthened again at a speed visible to the naked eye!

"Cough...cough cough..."

A few meters away, in the shattered flower bed, Chloe propped herself up.

He wiped the blood from his mouth, his other hand clutching his still throbbing stomach, which felt as if it had been pierced by a hammer.

He stared at Ronan in disbelief, a lens of his glasses already shattered from the impact, revealing his bloodshot and shocked eyes.

"How... is this possible..."

His voice became hoarse and distorted from the pain and anger.

"You brat... how could you possibly dodge my 'Silent Step'?!"

"No...you didn't dodge!" Kro finally realized what was happening, and he became even angrier: "You bastard! You predicted my location!!"

Ronan slowly exhaled a breath of stale air; the recoil from that punch had left his arm slightly numb.

He looked at the enraged Kro and said calmly:

"Your murderous aura is too strong, Chloe. It's as conspicuous as a firefly in the dark."

Ronan can now clearly feel the fivefold boost from the [Perseverance] panel.

His arm, which had been slightly numb from the powerful strike, was recovering at a visible speed and even becoming stronger.

The muscle fibers throughout the body were trembling, tearing, and then rebuilding slightly.

He slowly exhaled a breath of white air, which condensed and did not dissipate under the bright sunlight, resembling a miniature white dragon.

Ronan's gaze, like that of a hawk, was fixed on Chloe, who was struggling in the ruins of the flowerbed.

"You seem," Ronan's voice was calm, yet carried a coldness akin to dissecting prey, "not a pirate whose strength lies in physical prowess."

As he felt the increasing power within his body, he continued to exert pressure through words:

"The strength of your body is not even as good as that of the pirate captain I met before, who had a bounty of three million Berries."

"However..." Ronan changed the subject, "Since you have such a high bounty, it seems that your value lies entirely in your speed and those claws on your hands."

"Cough...cough!"

Clown, clutching her throbbing stomach, stumbled to her feet from the broken petals and damp mud.

The cracks in his glasses, like a spider web, reflected his distorted and incredulous face.

Ronan's "crushing punch" almost displaced his internal organs.

"I see……"

Crowe glared menacingly at Ronan, enduring the excruciating pain as he tried to regain control of the situation.

"So, he's... an intellectually skilled expert? I never imagined that I, 'Hundred Schemes' Kro, would fall for a brat like you!"

He adjusted his broken glasses with his wrist, and the eyes behind the lenses gleamed with a venomous light.

"However, kid, on this vast ocean, brains aren't enough! You also need strength!"

His voice became shrill with anger and excruciating pain.

"With me prepared, do you think you can dodge my second move? No, you won't even see it! And I... I won't let you hit me again!"

"You're right, Chloe."

Ronan surprisingly nodded in agreement, "In this world, strength is indeed more important than brains."

Kro was taken aback.

"But," Ronan's lips curled into a mocking smile, "you forgot another point."

"What?" Kro asked instinctively.

"There are also partners and background."

Ronan's gaze slowly fell upon his two companions beside him, who were already brimming with fighting spirit.

"Are you right?"

"Bang!"

Luffy slammed his fist into his own palm, producing a crisp popping sound.

The innocence and curiosity on his face had vanished, replaced by an undeniable seriousness.

"That's right! Ronan is my partner! How could I let you hurt him!"

Zoro, on the other hand, held the white "Wado Ichimonji" sword horizontally in front of his mouth.

"Clang... clang..."

The other two knives were also drawn at the same time!

Three-Sword Style!

A swordsman's aura, far purer and more domineering than Krona's chilling killing intent, swept through the entire backyard like a storm!

Zoro pointed the blades of all three swords at Kuro simultaneously.

"Although taking on one opponent with superior numbers isn't my style,"

Zoro's voice was somewhat muffled because he was biting the hilt of his sword, but his fighting spirit was crystal clear.

"But your speed is indeed troublesome. To prevent you from doing anything you shouldn't, I'm going to finish you off right here!"

Before he could finish speaking, Zoro moved!

He stomped his foot hard, and the force of his push instantly created a deep hole in the grass!

"Three-Sword Style: Demon Slash—!!"

Zoro leaped like a cannonball, transforming into a whirlwind as he charged towards Kuro!

Three streaks of lightning-like slashes intersected in the air, blocking all of Kro's escape routes!

"Damn brat!"

Kro's pupils contracted sharply; he hadn't expected this swordsman's explosive power to be so astonishing.

He didn't have time to use the "Silent Step" technique, so he could only cross the ten sharp claws on his hands in front of his chest to block the powerful blow!

"Clang—!!!"

A deafening, extremely piercing metallic scraping sound exploded across the entire courtyard!

The three knives and ten sharp claws clashed violently! Sparks flew out like a grand fireworks display!

A shockwave, visible to the naked eye, spread out from the two of them!

"Buzz—!"

The shockwave swept across the grass, causing the broken stick that Ronan had just thrown down to bounce up.

The wind made Luffy's red vest flutter loudly;

It even caused the windows on the second floor of the distant villa to creak under the strain.

Zoro and Kuro were locked in a stalemate.

This is a contest of pure strength!