2 Battle for the captain's position

"This is Armament Haki. It's akin to donning invisible armor, impervious to ordinary strength," Ethan explained with a slight smile. "Though your punches may pack a punch, they're superficial."

"Enough!" Burgess roared furiously, his fists clenched with malice. "Stop hiding and face me; let's see if I can't put an end to you."

"As you wish," Ethan replied calmly.

Without hesitation, he met Burgess's colossal fist head-on.

The impact reverberated through the air with a loud boom.

Then, a scream pierced the silence.

"Ah..."

Burgess was sent hurtling backward, crashing to the ground with a resounding thud.

A hush fell over the scene as all eyes turned to Ethan.

Admiration and reverence filled the air as if he were a deity.

"Follow me; with time, you too can master this power," Ethan declared, his demeanor cold and aloof. "I won't mince words. If you seek strength, then follow."

With that, he led Baccarat toward the grand ship.

"Wiiihahahaha..." Burgess, despite the pain coursing through him, laughed heartily. "With such formidable strength, I can't afford to miss out!"

Turning to Doc Q, he added hastily, "Whether you choose to join us is your decision!"

Without waiting for a response, Burgess hurried to catch up with Ethan, his excitement palpable.

He is a fighting maniac, and he admires the strong the most. Ethan's defeat of Burgess will only further convince him and make him more willing to obey Ethan's arrangements. There's not much more to say.

"Ahem... wait for me," Doc Q muttered, patting Stronger, the sickly horse, urging it forward with heavy steps. The horse, frail like a candle in the wind, looked peculiar indeed.

Soon, everyone was aboard.

Ship rule:

1. The strong are respected!

Upon boarding, Burgess noticed the lettering on the mast. "Captain, what do these regulations mean?" he inquired.

Ethan casually slipped his hands into his trouser pockets and replied, "This ship has only one rule."

"Speak with strength!"

Ethan looked at the two of them nonchalantly. "As long as your fists are stronger than mine, then you're the boss of this ship."

"So, if you aspire to captaincy, then train hard; I'm waiting for you to challenge."

Ethan had already contemplated all this before setting sail. Thus, he had carved this line onto the mast with his own hands yesterday. It serves as motivation for everyone aboard, maintaining their fighting spirit. The weak are destined to be weeded out.

"Captain, you're quite ruthless, but I'm delighted to have joined this crew Wiiihahahahaha..." Burgess expressed his joy. This kind of pirate group is precisely what he yearns for. He is a pirate, and if too many rules are imposed, what kind of pirate crew would they be? They might as well stay home and tend to a farm. Strength is everything; this is the best rule!

"What a straightforward captain... I adore this atmosphere..." Doc Q managed a smile, though it looked more like a grimace. At that moment, Ethan turned to address the men.

"Guys, set sail and prepare to depart."

"Yes, Captain Ethan!"

As his command echoed, a pirate flag unfurled, bearing a white skull with two crossed knives behind it. On the left handle, the word "Power" was inscribed, while on the right handle, "Wealth" adorned it. Ethan himself had designed it. Anyone with discerning eyes could decipher its meaning.

Burgess wasn't interested in the Pirate Flag; he looked at Evan and asked with a smile, "Captain, since there is a 'Battle for the Captain,' then there must be a 'Battle for the Vice Captain'!"

Ethan nodded and said with a blank expression, "When we have more members, we'll find a place to have a good fight and determine the order of the division captains."

"You two should work hard to practice; you won't even be able to compete for the captaincy by then."

After speaking, he ignored them and walked directly to the training room. Improving his strength was his top priority, and he wouldn't waste a single minute. Typical desperation!

Baccarat was free, so she followed Ethan intending to watch him practice. She often found it very interesting.

"I need to work hard; the captain of the first team belongs to me!"

Burgess clenched his fists and roared, "Who dares to compete with me for this position? I'll take them down!"

Doc Q coughed with a weird smile on his face. "Why? Don't you want to be the captain anymore?"

Burgess glared at him and said, dissatisfied, "Do you want me to take you down, you bastard?"

"The captain seems ruthless at first glance."

"If you challenge him, you'll be slaughtered if you lose!"

Burgess chuckled, "I won't participate in the 'Captain Battle.'"

"But as for the Vice Captain battle, count me in, Wiiihahahaha..."

Three days later.

South Blue, Victor Township.

At the port, a large ship slowly docked, and Burgess exclaimed, "Finally, we've arrived at the island! Time for a big feast! Wiiiihahahaha..."

Doc Q glanced in the direction of the training room and said intermittently, "The captain is desperate... Cough, cough, he's been practicing all day long... The pressure on the captain is immense!"

Burgess shrugged and roared, "If you don't work hard to become stronger, one day the captain will replace you." Just then, footsteps approached.

"Guys, let's head to town and relax."

Originally, Ethan planned to continue practicing and ignore the outside world. But Baccarat said she felt lucky, and the location was on this island.

At this, Evan became interested and walked out of the practice room without a word. "Aye, long live Captain Ethan~~"

The cheers were loud, and everyone was very happy. Burgess looked at Evan, laughed, and said, "Captain, I thought you would continue practicing, but I didn't expect you to come out."

"The captain must have something to attend to..."

Doc Q lay on the deck with his head tilted, his smile odd.

"This town is going to bring us good luck."

As Ethan finished speaking, he jumped off the boat and acted quickly. "Looks like we're about to have a new partner, Wiiiihahahaha..."

Burgess hoisted Doc Q and Stronger, then jumped directly off the boat.

A few days ago, after learning about Baccarat's ability, they grew more confident about the ship's future; with a mighty captain and such a heaven-defying lucky ability, the outlook was bright!

Victor Town was a small square on the east side.

"Hand over the money, or I'll kill you!"

"We only want money; if you cooperate, we'll spare your life."

Two middle-aged men in their thirties brandished knives, menacing a young man standing before them. It was a classic case of robbery.

"I'll give it to you... please, just don't hurt me..."

The young man trembled, reaching for his pocket. Just then, a commanding voice cut through the tense air.

"You scoundrels, how dare you bully the helpless."

Startled, all three turned to see a tall woman in a striking red dress striding towards them. She wore sunglasses, had a cigarette dangling from her mouth, and carried a large flag. It was Belo Betty!

"Where did this busybody come from? Get lost..."

"Let's just take the money and leave." The young man, however, gazed in awe at the newcomer, thinking, "Are you calling me trash?"

As Betty approached, she halted, exhaling smoke with an air of supreme confidence. "You're nothing but two lowly thieves, not even worthy of being called men."

"Rise up and fight, you feeble cowards." With a flourish of her flag, a gust of white wind swept over the young man.

"Seize control of your destiny; stop groveling like fools."

Another wave of the flag, another gust of empowering wind. The young man's eyes sparkled with newfound determination. Clenching his fists, he declared boldly, "I won't hand over the money. It's impossible." Just moments ago, he was quivering with fear, but now he radiated strength and resolve.

The sudden transformation bewildered the two robbers. What was happening? Before they could react, a figure leaped into action. Bang bang...

"Ah..."

Two screams echoed, and the assailants crumpled to the ground, unconscious. It was only then that the young man realized the extent of his newfound strength.

"How did I become so powerful?" He wondered, his gaze searching for the mysterious woman who had sparked this change. But she was nowhere to be found, already vanished into the ether.

Meanwhile, Betty strolled beneath the shade of a tree, cigarette in hand, preparing to depart the town. Suddenly, a voice rang out from above.

"Remarkable ability."

"Are you interested in joining me to change the world?"

Startled, Betty looked up to find a young man perched atop a tree trunk. Clad in black, hands casually tucked into his pockets, he exuded an aura of calm authority.

"It seems you witnessed what just occurred," Betty remarked, exhaling a puff of smoke. "But what do you mean by 'changing the world'?"

With a swift movement, Ethan materialized before her, his fists clenched with purpose. Sensing danger, Betty couldn't help but break into a nervous sweat.

"The Celestial Dragons thrive on oppression, leaving the common folk to suffer in misery," Ethan declared, his gaze unwavering. "Such an unjust world cannot be allowed to persist."

"Join me in overthrowing the Celestial Dragons," he implored. "Let us usher in an era of freedom and equality."