"How dare a mere warship approach seeking death?"
"Destroy them!"
Xiao Shang's expression turned cold as he observed the lone Marine warship charging towards him with disdain.
He preferred avoiding trouble, but if it found him, he wouldn't show weakness.
Not all of his 410 million bounty came from raiding towns and commerce.
He had claimed the lives of not just hundreds but thousands of Marines.
Cannons thundered, shells hitting Galen's warship and creating splashes around it.
Occasionally, Galen's sword cut incoming cannonballs in half.
In recent days, Galen had been training rigorously and hunting pirates, reaching level nine with combat prowess rivaling an A-level Vice Admiral.
His Toughness passive allowed him to endure intense training beyond other heroes.
Galen's warships retaliated with cannon fire, causing some damage to the Navy vessels but not enough.
In pirate warfare, cannons were limited in accuracy and power compared to close combat.
"For justice!"
Galen charged towards Xiao with a large sword, his Marine soldiers inspired and charging alongside him.
Their clash sent shockwaves across the White Owl's deck, knocking down many navy minions.
"This strength?"
"Is the World Government directly challenging the Flower Kingdom?"
Xiao took a step back, sensing Galen's formidable power.
Such a powerful Marine general was unexpected in the West Blue.
This signaled a conspiracy by the World Government.
Decades ago, the Flower Kingdom's strength led to caution from world governments.
To prevent the Flower Country from unifying West Blue and challenging the World Government's dominance, Navy Headquarters intervened, weakening the Flower Kingdom.
Recent years saw continuous efforts to undermine the Flower Kingdom's power.
Now, the World Government seemed to have sent Marine experts to directly weaken the Flower Kingdom's navy forces.
Unfortunately, Xiao's Navy was their first target.
Realizing the dire situation and seeing no backup Marine ships, Xiao transformed into his harpy form, aiming a powerful strike at Galen's chest.
"Steel Claw!"
Xiao unleashed his attack.
Xiao's steel claws, enhanced by his Zoan bird fruit, combined the ancient steel fist of the Three Treasures Navy with increased physical prowess and agility.
Though not as lethal as Chinjao dragon cone nails, a weapon of the Eight Treasure Navy, Xiao had claimed the heads of pirates with bounties over 100 million.
Galen, facing Xiao's swift and powerful attack, stood firm, calling upon his courage.
With a decisive swing of his sword amidst Xiao's assault, Galen's blade tore through Xiao's defenses, leaving deep claw marks on both combatants.
Xiao, stunned by the unexpected effectiveness of Galen's sword, retreated in disbelief. Galen's sword seemed to disrupt Xiao's Armament Haki, reducing his defense instantly.
Perceiving Galen's strength, Xiao questioned if the World Government had solely dispatched Galen to weaken the Flower Kingdom.
Realizing his defeat, Xiao offered cooperation to undermine the Flower Kingdom, an idea he had never considered before.
However, Galen, committed to justice and not under the World Government's command, rejected Xiao's proposal.
Their clash ended with Galen's victory, and Xiao and the Navy fell.
The news of Galen's triumph spread quickly, marking a significant event in the pirate world.
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