Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

After all, Sett's ferocity was undeniable. His terrifying power, twisted will, and ruthless nature made him indiscriminate in his attacks. Honestly, Whitebeard didn't even have the confidence to survive Sett's terrifying willingness to trade his life for injury...

Even from the video footage, it was clear how violent Sett was... completely devoid of reason, relying solely on biological instinct to pound the three admirals to the ground.

It's one thing to have an invincible health cheat, but the real problem is that every punch is a critical hit and every strike is a raging inferno... Let whoever wants to mess with him do so. Whitebeard certainly doesn't have the time... In fact, given the terrifying strength Sett has displayed, he doesn't even need to be serious. He could simply stand up, raise his arm, and countless followers would follow him in betraying the World Government... including the current Navy.

Sett already enjoyed considerable prestige within the Navy. And now...

"You turned against the World Government because you were rescuing slaves oppressed by the Celestial Dragons... I can't even imagine how your Navy can still call itself righteous in the future."

Upon hearing Whitebeard's words, Garp remained silent—in other matters, Garp could try to argue, but on this matter, all he could do was remain silent.

Indeed, neither the Navy, Sett, nor anyone else is qualified to represent justice—but Sett's actions are absolutely what the people want. At least, at this moment, in the hearts of the slaves, Sett is now their savior.

"The key is that he escaped." Charlotte Linlin laughed loudly, "Sett's punch that shattered Sengoku's arm will inevitably come at a huge price... but as long as Sett has even the slightest possibility of unleashing such a punch, the World Government won't dare to attack him!!!"

He didn't speak, but anyone could see a hint of melancholy in Garp's eyes, a man hailed as a naval hero. Had Sett made a mistake? Perhaps. But even now, Garp still acknowledged Sett's worth.

The institution of slavery should never have existed in the first place... This was a consensus among almost all high-ranking officers within the Navy.

But things have escalated to this point...

While Karp was still thinking, on the other side, about eighty nautical miles away from the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, a small boat was drifting aimlessly in a body of water.

The person standing at the bow was not an adult human, but a girl who looked only fifteen or sixteen years old. She stood at the bow with a determined gaze, staring intently at the red earth continent in the distance, which seemed to divide the sea and sky like a giant wall separating the world.

"It's all my fault..." Even though three days had passed, Tiger's face was still full of self-blame.

"I shouldn't have underestimated the Navy... If it weren't for my clumsy attraction, the Admiral wouldn't have arrived so quickly!!!"

Thank goodness, neither Sett nor Tiger initially intended to confront the World Government head-on in Mary Geoise... Even if they disliked the World Government, Sett was aware of his own strength and wasn't arrogant enough to dare to defy the world and charge into the city alone.

That's courting death...

But that's where the problem lies... Vice Admiral Tsuru saw through Tiger's plan and not only did he not send the three admirals out on patrol during the Soap Bubble Festival, he even left them around the Sabaody Archipelago.

Kizaru, who was originally scheduled to arrive in ten to twenty minutes even at the fastest speed, actually arrived in front of Sett and the others in less than two minutes.

213·Eating

His eyes were filled with regret—Tiger knew that if it weren't for his own cleverness, the three admirals might not have arrived at Mary Geoise so quickly. Similarly, Sett wouldn't have had to face the pressure from the entire World Government alone, leaving him to cover their retreat.

This battle was completely unexpected... and now, having left the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, they don't even know how Sett is doing now.

After all, they wouldn't carry video equipment with them.

"It's been three days... Brother, are we going to keep waiting? If this drags on any longer, I'm afraid the Navy will..."

The murlocs standing to the side wore somewhat somber expressions—what Tiger had done had indeed stirred their blood and given them a long-lost sense of murloc honor.

After all, Tiger was the first person to forcibly set foot on the Red Line, free all the slaves, and survive, and he was a murloc.

Having been oppressed underwater for so long, Fishman Island harbors a long-lost sense of pride. Even now, some Fishmen still see Sett as nothing special. So what if he's dead… Rather than risk waiting for Sett to return, they'd rather escape and let more people know the greatness of the Fishmen.

Thinking this, the merman simply said, "Besides, he was just a human anyway, and he even killed Brother Alon. So what if he's dead..."

Clearly, because Sett blasted the dragon's head apart with a single punch, many fishmen still harbor animosity towards him. However, while some fishmen might think this way, at least at this moment, absolutely no one would agree with him in the slightest—in fact, before Tiger could even utter a word of reprimand, an indescribable aura swept across the surrounding sea with the surging storm.

For a moment, even someone as worldly-wise as Tiger was momentarily stunned. Coming to his senses, Tiger quickly realized the gravity of the situation—this was... Conqueror's Haki?!

During his escape, Tiger witnessed Sett's unleashed Conqueror's Haki—the terrifying power that tore the sky apart remained vivid in Tiger's memory. And now, although he appeared incredibly immature compared to Sett, there was no doubt that this was the legendary Conqueror's Haki!!!

Looking in the direction from which the storm was coming, the girl standing at the bow of the ship had wide eyes. Her beautiful eyes, which exuded an unusual charm, were filled with indifference—like a cold wind on a cold night, suddenly blowing and making people's hair stand on end.

Tiger was deeply impressed by the girl—perhaps because of the fruit, she exuded an eerie charm. Even fish-men who weren't interested in humans could feel that fatal attraction…it was only because Tiger had seen a wider world and possessed a stronger will. If it were any other fish-man, they would probably have had some ulterior motives.

Now, accompanied by the awakening and eruption of Conqueror's Haki, the girl's voice rang out like a cold winter wind: "I will not forgive you!!!"

Before Tiger could even stop him, the fishman's body was instantly petrified by a fleeting pink fragrance, without even a chance to dodge.

"Damn it, what do you think you're doing?" Seeing this, the fish-man supremacists nearby were enraged. But unfortunately, things had come to this point; fish-men were no longer the most numerous species on this pirate crew—

"It is you who want to do what you want."

With the sounds of the wooden barrel being crushed and the planks creaking under the weight, two enormous snake-men revealed their true forms as Zoan-type Devil Fruit users. And this was just the beginning. Immediately afterward, more people branded with the mark of slavery stood up, their cold gazes fixed on the fish-men—among them were many Devil Fruit users. However, treated as playthings by the Celestial Dragons, most of them were Zoan-type Devil Fruit users. The harsh living conditions and the Celestial Dragons' cruel treatment had forced them to passively master their fruit's abilities.

These abilities may not be as good as those of those who have undergone professional training, but if they are just facing a group of fish-men who have taken off the surface of the water...

Tiger quickly realized something was wrong—indeed, having personally experienced the suffering of slaves and known their tragic lives, Tiger's original racial prejudices had long since disappeared with his growing experience. But apart from that, these fishmen who followed Tiger from Fishman Island didn't have any particularly lofty ideals... more often than not, they were just like the dragon, fishman supremacists.

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't matter, but now, to the slaves, Sett was practically a savior… In three days, those who wanted to escape had already fled back to their homes. Those remaining on the ship were either homeless or Sett's fanatical followers. Unlike the fanatical followers people usually imagine, these slaves' numb expressions lacked the morbid fervor of idol worship. Instead, there was only numbness, cruelty, and an unspeakable unwavering resolve.

There aren't many slaves with that kind of unwavering gaze; including Hancock, there are only a dozen or so girls who have awakened Conqueror's Haki—but that's enough. Because it's a kind of obsessive, extreme state.

For fanatics, the death of God might cause their faith to collapse, or they might commit suicide as a form of martyrdom. But for beings with such eyes, they would not fanatically commit suicide, but would do everything in their power to bring God back to life.

In a sense, this kind of steadfastness is even more twisted than the morbid fanaticism of believers…

Realizing that this could potentially spark a new conflict on the ship at any moment, Tiger exchanged a glance with Jinbe beside him—after a long period of training, Jinbe had shed his youthful impetuosity and was beginning to show signs of becoming the future "Knight of the Sea."

Without prior arrangement, the two began to soothe the situation. And it was at that moment that a mysterious, deep blue vortex suddenly erupted in the sky above the sea.

With a sense of doubt, everyone looked up and saw a gaunt, shriveled figure, about three and a half meters tall, falling from the sky, his body as thin as charcoal.

The moment he saw that figure, before Tiger could even react, Boa Sandersonia's snake-like hair flew into the air, catching Sett's body like a blanket.

Seeing Sett's emaciated body, which looked like burnt-out charcoal, the slaves around him disregarded everything else and rushed over, wanting to do something for him.

Seeing this, he waved to Tiger beside him… but before he could wave, Sett remembered that his arms had been shattered in the battle. Along with the pain, the intracranial anesthetic in Sett's head had also worn off. Or rather, there was no more reserve to secrete and synthesize. The battle had practically drained Sett of all his resources and strength. Only his broken body remained, barely able to cling to life…

Aside from the unbearable pain, Sett could feel a drowsiness in his head—a feeling as if he were about to fall asleep at any moment. But Sett knew he absolutely wouldn't fall asleep now. His body was craving energy.

"Food..." Sett said with difficulty, "...food!!"

Upon hearing Sett's words, not only the slaves standing nearby, but even the fishmen who were initially indignant had to admit their grudges—they had indeed not seen the battlefield broadcast. After all, they were just pirates; they wouldn't carry such high-tech gadgets with them.

The high price is secondary; the main problem is that it spoils as soon as it gets wet.

At first, Tiger didn't understand why he respected Sett so much, even risking danger to wait for him to arrive early. But now, looking at Sett's charred body without arms, and recalling his surging blood and ferocious posture as he smashed the dragon with a single punch... even a fool would realize the extent of Sett's grueling battle.

The fish-men may indeed be arrogant at times, but respect for the strong is an eternal theme on this sea—or rather, it's precisely because of their straightforwardness and inflexibility that they hold heroes like Tiger in such high esteem. And now Sett…

Without the slightest hesitation, Jinbe leaped into the sea and charged towards the Sea Kings. The other fish-men, under Tiger's command, followed Jinbe into the sea, leading the slaves toward the food storage warehouse.

At first, the food was still cooked. But later, as Sett ate, his strength returned, and his previously almost stagnant bodily functions gradually recovered. Feeling the feedback from his organs, Sett endured the excruciating pain in his spine and straightened his body, then devoured everything in front of him without a second thought—without arms, Sett's eating style was like that of a brutal beast. But even so, no one dared to utter the slightest criticism.

Stir-fried dishes, stewed dishes. Vegetables, fruits, cooked meat, raw meat, bones, organs... After recovering some of his strength, Seti even swallowed the plates used to hold the food without hesitation.

Sett can convert the energy in soil by consuming it, but the conversion efficiency is too low, far less efficient than the absorption of normal food.

Within ten minutes or so, a terrified voice came from the side:

"Boss! The warehouse is almost empty!!"

Upon hearing this, Tiger's expression changed drastically—even a blind man could easily see that Sett desperately needed an energy boost. Sett really wanted to tell them to just shove his head underwater...

What? You're saying this area is all seawater?

Seawater is the best! It's only because Sett is too fragile right now that he could drown without help. Otherwise, Sett would have simply moved himself to the surface of the sea!

214. Heading to the Calm Belt

Seawater is extremely rich in substances, making it a veritable liquid mineral resource. On average, every cubic kilometer of seawater contains approximately 3570 million tons of minerals, and of the more than 100 known elements in the world, 80% can be found in seawater.

Indeed, excessive salt intake can increase thirst and strain the liver and kidneys' metabolic capacity. It can also lead to slow blood circulation, disrupted cell metabolism, poor elimination of waste products, fat accumulation, water retention, and many other negative effects.

However, thanks to the enhancement from the Grasp of the Undying, Sett's organs have become arguably beyond the realm of reason—both in terms of stored nutrients and his metabolic capacity. He could practically extract oil from a pile of dirt.

Because of his physical exhaustion, Sett's organ functions had essentially ceased. Falling into the water could even lead to drowning... otherwise, Sett would have simply teleported himself to the seabed and started eating mud.

He kept devouring the prey until finally, when the food was gone, Jinbe, who had entered the water, was the first to defeat one of his prey. He dragged a small sea king, about twenty meters long, to the surface and then, with a sudden burst of strength, threw the sea king's head onto the deck.

Seeing this, no one else was allowed to cook or divide the food. With such a large meal, Sett had devoured all the food on the ship. While a full recovery to his original physical condition was still a long way off, his bones and organs were functioning normally. He could stand up; even without arms, it didn't matter.

After adjusting to his weakened state, Sett approached the Sea King and devoured it like a wild beast. Thick scales and bones seemed as fragile as a pile of tofu crumbs before Sett's teeth.

Seeing this, Jinbe was also secretly surprised—you know, the thick scales of the Sea Kings were so thick that even a punch from Jinbe would sting. But now, in front of Sett, these Sea Kings seemed like they were made of paper.

He devoured relentlessly, leaving not even a trace of fin. After completing his spree, Sett had transformed from his original gaunt frame into a colossal, nearly five-meter-diameter man with a belly alone. He looked as if he could exhale two ounces of fat with every breath.

Yes, it's not about being strong, it's simply about being fat. Nutrients from food keep piling up, and the body can't digest them in time, so this energy can only be temporarily stored as fat.

However, it wouldn't last long... Just like now, feeling his massive body and the surging power within him, Sett let out a long breath—and then, in everyone's sight, Sett's muscles tensed. Accompanied by a surge of redness, Sett's massive body began to writhe. It was as if a pair of earthworms had sprouted from his plump, white flesh, constantly twisting and turning. With the evaporating heat and rapidly metabolizing water, the wound on his shoulder, which had already scabbed over, suddenly gushed out a large amount of blood.

Seeing this, Tiger and Jinbe were horrified. But before they could do anything, a strange wriggling motion began, first on the bones, then on the muscles and nerves attached to them. Layer upon layer, the rapidly growing muscle buds resembled giant red earthworms.

As it writhed, it was accompanied by a vibrant life force. Jinbe, who was seeing this for the first time, stared wide-eyed—his eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets.

In contrast, the slaves' reactions were much milder than the fishmen's... In the minds of these slaves, Sett was like a savior, a god-like figure. Based on this, even the most outrageous actions seemed perfectly reasonable.

At the same time, Jinbe also realized something else—that Sett possessed such vigorous vitality, digestive speed, and storage capacity. What kind of brutal battle had Sett endured to become like a piece of charcoal, completely burned out…?

"It still doesn't work."

Sett's arms had already grown, but he was not satisfied—the new arms were very thin.

Okay, this thinness is only relative to the previous thinness. Compared to an average person, his arms are already strong enough to run a horse or a carriage. But for Sett, relying on this amount of energy, the muscle mass he can build up is probably less than one-tenth.

After stretching for a moment, Sett leaped into the water right before everyone's eyes. Before the fishmen could jump in, the sea suddenly boiled. A deafening tsunami erupted from the depths, the blast of water shattering a waterless vacuum!

When Sett first fought Tiger, he had studied Fishman Karate, a fighting technique that uses the fishmen's webbed hands to grip the ocean currents.

Although Sett doesn't naturally have webbed hands, at his level, this physical limitation doesn't hinder his technique. Like now, even amidst the unimaginable resistance of the water droplets, Sett's body remains remarkably responsive. He moves with the ocean currents, appearing even more agile than a fish-man.

Accompanied by continuous stomping—Sea Shaver!!

Like a sharp sword, it shot towards the seabed. In just a moment, when Sett came to the surface, he had a huge thing that was more than 200 meters long in his hand.

Before the food could even be prepared, Sett had already opened his blood-red maw and begun to devour it relentlessly. Seeing this, Jinbe was about to say something when, amidst the gasps of the fish-men, Jinbe clearly slashed, and on the shimmering water, one after another, huge sea kings with their eye holes appeared, floating belly up on the surface of the water.

"not enough."

A voice came from behind Jinbe and the others. Turning around, in the blink of an eye, the sea king, which was over two hundred meters tall, had been reduced to only half its body.

This time, Sett didn't devour the bones. A few pieces of flesh clung to the pale bones, and Sett's eyes were filled with coldness—he stuffed large chunks of flesh into the air, swallowing them directly without even chewing—his stomach and intestines had basically recovered, and this fleshy substance could be digested in an instant even without the need for teeth to chew.

"Isn't that enough?" Jinbe said with a hint of seriousness in his eyes, "There are probably no more Sea Kings left in this area!"

Even in the Grand Line, Sea Kings aren't everywhere. If they were, then sailing the seas would be a matter of luck if even a small island wasn't swallowed up.

Sett shook his head at this, then calmly said, "Take these... and go to the Calm Belt!"

"..." Upon hearing Sett's harsh words, Jinbe, standing to the side, gaped, feeling his understanding being somewhat shaken—the Calm Belt, a nightmare for countless navigators and pirates. But now, after witnessing Sett's terrifying demeanor, Jinbe genuinely felt that for Sett, it was just a simple dining hall.

But it is precisely because he has realized what he was thinking that Jinbe is so shocked now... When did his worldview become like this?!