Van Augur "The Supersonic" Appears

Inside the practice room:

Upon hearing the alarm from outside, all the girls were momentarily stunned, and their chatter ceased.

"What's happening? How could there be an enemy attack?" Carina asked, her beautiful eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

Honey Queen shook her head, puzzled. "Since I joined the crew, I haven't encountered any enemy attacks. This is the first time."

Betty remained calm as she took a drag from her cigarette. "In the other three seas, I've never encountered anyone who dared to provoke us. Coming to the weakest East Blue and being challenged is quite ridiculous."

Perona, floating in the air, shook her tiny fists aggressively. "Who dares to break our directional bird? It's unforgivable. I will take revenge and show them who they're dealing with."

Nami, still puzzled, remarked, "The directional bird is so small; it's hard to believe it could be hit."

Nojiko nodded in agreement, saying, "The one responsible must be a skilled sniper, no doubt about it."

Reiju, leaning on her delicate chin with her jade hand, gazed at Ethan, smiling sweetly, gently, and pleasingly. "Ethan, why don't you go out and have a look?"

Without responding, Ethan continued to swing his large sword, his blood-red aura enveloping him as he closed his eyes.

Observing this, Nojiko couldn't contain her curiosity and whispered, "What's Ethan doing? He doesn't seem to be thinking."

Perona, flying around in the air, laughed. "Horohorohorohoro...That's Observation Haki. Remember when we encountered the Golden Lion Pirates? Ethan used it."

Carina agreed, "Indeed, the last time I was like Nojiiko, thinking Ethan was lost in thought."

Finally, Ethan opened his eyes, still calm, and said, "Let's go out and take a look."

The girls understood that if Ethan was taking action, it meant something significant was happening.

"Let's go out together and see what has captured Ethan's attention. It's not often that he acts like this!" Honey Queen suggested eagerly.

Moodie nodded, her fair face expressing curiosity. "It's rare for Ethan to be moved like this."

Reiju smiled and remarked, "Whenever Ethan moves, it means something significant is occurring. That's become a rule."

Baccarat added with a smile, "I've never seen him like this before. He usually doesn't say much about himself, just 'cultivation.'"

Betty took another drag of her cigarette and pulled down her sunglasses slightly. "He wasn't a cute child; he was quite a handful, no doubt about it."

Carina, with a mischievous glint in her beautiful eyes, said, "When we were young, we all needed companions. Ethan probably grew up differently, leading to his personality."

The girls chatted, laughed, and discussed Ethan's past and behavior as they made their way outside.

On the deck:

Burgess, known for his fiery temperament, stood up abruptly, his face angry, and shouted, "Who dares to provoke us? I'll teach them a lesson they won't forget!"

Doc Q lounged on the deck, smiling strangely. "It's interesting. We're being challenged."

Gin assumed a fighting stance, his fists clenched, and he spoke indifferently. "This is the Ethan Pirates, and Master Ethan is our captain. No one else can lead this crew. If the captain is replaced, the crew will disband."

Holding his demon sword, Law looked up at the directional bird's location, coldly remarking, "The enemy's marksmanship is impressive. We haven't even seen them, but they've managed to hit our directional bird from such a distance."

Hawkins flipped a card and said, as stoic as ever, "Far or not, if they took that shot, they'll come for us."

Lafitte adjusted his top hat and spoke gently, "Regardless of who they are, they are destined to join our crew."

As the siren blared again, it became apparent that the enemy was on a small boat a few kilometers ahead. The revelation astonished everyone.

"A few kilometers away, and they hit our directional bird? That's incredible!" Nojiko exclaimed in disbelief.

Moodie sighed, "From this distance, we can't even see a ship. Our directional bird wouldn't have detected it."

Perona chimed in, "It's unbelievable. I can't see a single shadow at this distance."

Honey Queen agreed, "I've searched the area, but there's nothing in sight. This is too far."

Nami was equally amazed, saying, "This powerful Sniper must be unheard of in East Blue."

Ethan and the girls finally arrived, and they too were taken aback by the news.

"It's terrifying!" Nojiko exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. "To see so far, it's beyond belief!"

Moodie shook her head and reflected, "In East Blue, such a skilled Sniper is unheard of. Ethan was right; There will always be someone more powerful than you. This world is vast, and what we know is just the tip of the iceberg."

Carina playfully patted her shoulder and joked, "You're our navigator, so you better keep an eye on the sea conditions. We're sailing into unknown territory."

"The captain is here, it seems like the young man is our new member," Burgess declared, raising his arms enthusiastically. "This time, I've got a challenger worth my time! Wiiihahahaha..."

Doc Q sat up, wearing a mysterious smile. "I'll test his resilience with my miasma later. Let's hope he doesn't get poisoned to death."

"Ever since he came into our sight, his fate has been sealed," Hawkins stated matter of factly, still engrossed in his card game.

Law, holding Kikoku, expressed rare anticipation on his cold face. "I want to see just how strong this guy is."

Gin gazed at Ethan and grinned. "Captain, I've been learning more about Armament Haki lately. I believe I can master it quickly."

As the distance between the two parties diminished, Lafitte glanced at the sea ahead, wearing a faint smile as he commented, "This guy's attire is rather peculiar."

"With that odd hat and an eye patch over his right eye, he certainly seems like an unusual rookie," he continued while twirling his cane. "However, judging by the way he carries a gun, he appears to be a skilled Sniper."

Nami observed the small boat ahead with a sweet smile. "This guy must be quite strong; otherwise, he wouldn't be alone out on the open sea."

Nojiko nodded and humorously remarked, "Everything seems fine, except for his strange attire."

Carina patted her fragrant shoulder and turned to the others with a smile. "Ethan once said something that makes sense."

Perona floated next to Carina, curiosity twinkling in her small face. "What did he say? Tell me!"

"People with great strength often have unique personalities that can't be understood by ordinary standards," Carina explained. "I believe Ethan has a point."

Honey Queen agreed, her smile radiant. "I remember that quote. Much of what Ethan said is remarkably insightful. Among his words, I particularly like this one: 'In this world, the strong are respected! If you can kill me, then it means you are stronger than me. It is my honor to be killed by the strong. What else can I say?'"

All the women were familiar with this saying, and it didn't surprise them. However, for Lafitte and the others, it was a revelation.

They were thoroughly impressed. "As expected of the captain, his words are profound," Burgess exclaimed with a hearty laugh. "If someone can defeat me, what more is there to say?"

"If you're weak and you beg for mercy, why would the enemy spare you? Wiiihahahaha..."

Doc Q reclined in his chair, grinning. "The captain has his biases. He didn't say these things to us; he treats us differently."

Law glanced at Ethan and nodded. "This is similar to our ship's rules; it all comes down to strength."

Gin, admiringly, declared, "The deputy captain of this ship can only be me, the Man Demon Gin!"

Lafitte stood his cane upright, his gaze gentle. "Well said, Gin. You're an ambitious man, and I admire that. I hope you'll challenge me soon."

By this time, the small boat had drawn close to Ethan's ship. The young man on the boat spoke first. "Today is a fateful encounter."

Van Augur, carrying his beloved firearm "Senriku," had a lean face and an expressionless demeanor as he addressed Ethan. "My name is Van Augur. I hail from East Blue, and I'm a Sniper. I wish to join your crew, Captain Ethan. May I?"

Upon hearing Van Augur's words, everyone except Ethan was momentarily stunned. He had hit their directional bird from a distance and then calmly asked to join their crew. Wasn't that too presumptuous?

"Captain, this guy is quite arrogant. Let me poison him!" Doc Q suggested, eyeing Van Augur with a wicked smile.

Burgess glared at Van Augur, fuming. "Who does he think he is? He dared to hit our directional bird, and now he's here to give us trouble!"

"If you ask me, this guy is in for a beating! Wiiihahahaha..."

With a cold expression, Law warned, "With his skill, he'll get a headshot if he tries to fight Burgess."

Hawkins, who was still engrossed in his card game, commented with a composed tone, "Based on appearances, I doubt Burgess can defeat him."

Lafitte, twirling his cane, noted with a gentle demeanor, "The captain mentioned that it's typical for people with exceptional abilities to have eccentric personalities."

Nami, looking at the small boat with a sweet smile, added, "This guy must have considerable strength. Otherwise, he wouldn't be venturing alone on the open sea."

Nojiko nodded and remarked with a sweet smile, "As Ethan says, strength is what truly matters. Everyone has their quirks, but strength sets you apart."

Burgess glared fiercely at Van Augur, seething with anger. "You've irritated me greatly, and you'll pay for it later during our captaincy battle."

"I won't forgive your provocation. This is the Ethan Pirates, the future most powerful force in the world, and we won't tolerate any challenges," Gin declared with a cold, unyielding demeanor.

Gin looked at Van Augur with a fierce gleam in his eyes and a cruel smile. "Once my strength improves, I'll make you pay for today."

"I won't allow anyone to challenge Captain Ethan!" Doc Q, reclining in his chair, grinned wickedly. "Young man, you're in trouble now."

"Gin is ruthless, and if you become his target, it'll be troublesome. But consider yourself lucky; I've decided not to harm you. Otherwise, you'd have met an even worse fate. Hehe~~"