Chapter 68

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067: "Bai Ye versus the Red Hair Pirates, everyone!"

With a booming sound, Bai Ye raised his hand, swinging Ryūjin Jakka behind him. The flames that emerged were like a fiery tornado, spiraling into the sky, piercing the heavens.

Before the Red Hair Pirates could even react, Rockstar' face met the inferno. It melted away quickly, revealing the white bones beneath his flesh. His entire body was soon devoured by the relentless flames.

The Red Hair Pirates, worth 94 million Baileys and known for their hot tempers and impulsiveness, watched in shock. Rockstar had perished at the hands of Midnight without a second to scream, paying the ultimate price for his actions.

As Bai Ye surveyed the Red Hair Pirates, with their pupils sharply constricted, it was clear that he could only tolerate their arrogance once. A second time was unacceptable.

Bai Ye had no concern for their status as members of the Four Emperors pirate group, nor would he offer any favors to the captain.

At this pivotal moment, an outburst erupted.

"Rockstar up!"

"Bastard! What have you done!"

"How dare you kill one of our Red Hair Pirates right before us!"

Yasopp and the others came to their senses, noticing only the ashes of their comrade in the fiery tornado behind Bai Ye. The battle was about to begin, igniting the tension among the pirates.

The first to retort was Red Hair Pirates combatant Lime Jones. Brandishing a long staff capable of delivering electric shocks, he leapt towards Bai Ye.

But Bai Ye, unfazed, raised the fingers of his left hand.

"Hadō Four. Bai Lei!"

In the next instant, a streak of blue-white lightning surged forth, outpacing Lime Jones' attack. Jones' pupils widened as the force before him made him instinctively divert his strike and defend himself with his staff.

In that moment, the powerful pillar of blue and white thunder that could pierce the sea launched Lime Jones backward.

"Lime Jones!"

Bendick Snake, the Red Hair Pirates navigator, observed his comrade's plight and roared in anger.

For the shortest Four Emperors pirate group in the New World, the initial attack on Rockstar was a crossing of a red line. Now, by killing Rockstar in front of them, Bai Ye had crossed the ultimate point of no return.

No matter how hot-headed Rockstar was, he stood for the Red Hair Pirates' reputation. Even if mistakes were made, those were for the crew to address, not for someone to end with death.

Bendick Snake gathered all his strength, veins bulging, and launched himself forward. He combined two slashing waves into a 'cross' formation, tearing through the air and space, hurtling towards Bai Ye with a booming fury.

At the same time, Yasopp, joined by the ship's doctor Dege of the Red Hair Pirates, were shocked to see their companions attacked. Snapping out of their initial surprise, they exchanged a glance and opened fire without a second thought. Battles on the Grand Line often erupt spontaneously, leaving no chance for second-guessing. Once the fight begins, contemplation becomes a luxury. The priority becomes aiding one's allies, especially when an enemy dares to slay a comrade before the eyes of the Red Hair Pirates' crew.

For a while, all the Red Hair Pirates, except for Shanks and Benn Beckman, unleashed a barrage of assaults on Bai Ye. Yet, in the face of this onslaught, Bai Ye's eyes remained cold and detached. Standing atop a stone pillar, surrounded by a roaring flaming tornado, he lifted his hand to summon Will-o'-the-wisps. A massive "cross" Slash Wave, over ten meters in size, was effortlessly shattered by his Reiatsu.

When Yasopp took his sniping shot, Bai Ye detected it within the range of his Reiatsu. With a swift slash, the bullet infused with Armament Haki split in two, quickly melting into molten iron as it fell to the ground. Moments later, with incredible speed - Shunpo - Bai Ye appeared before the unsuspecting doctor Dege.

"Everyone is full of flaws," said Bai Ye, his eyes as indifferent as ever. His sword, Ryūjin Jakka, unleashed a wave of intense heat.

"Damn it, he's targeting our doctor!" Yasopp's face contorted with worry as he quickly aimed his gun at Bai Ye once more. Dege's pupils expanded sharply upon coming face-to-face with Bai Ye, overwhelmed by a terrifying sense of suffocation and pressure. "Is this person a monster?" he thought, fear gripping him.

Then, a single thought flashed through Dege's mind: I am going to die. As a ship's doctor, he was no stranger to the presence of death. Though he couldn't fathom why Bai Ye had identified him as the doctor and targeted him specifically, he knew that if Bai Ye's strike were to land, it would be fatal.

Summoning the strength of his Armament Haki in both arms, Dege braced himself, refusing to succumb without a fight. But just as the fatal blow was about to land, a red-haired figure charged into the fray! It was none other than the Red Hair Pirates' captain, Shanks, shoving Dege out of the way.

"As the captain, I will never let another crew member die!" pronounced Shanks, his gaze steely. Unleashing his Conqueror's Haki, a vibrant red hue radiated out from him. His weapon, 'Griffin,' met Bai Ye's attack head-on in the ensuing moment.

The next instant, a powerful blast of wind pressure swept across the battlefield, visibly sinking the already dry seabed in layers. The shockwave displaced dust, smoke, and debris everywhere. Even distant islands felt the ground shake from the force of the mighty clash.