The Reasons Behind Misfortune

Chapter 19: The Reasons Behind Misfortune

"I know who he is. The up-and-coming pirate hunter, Joestar J. Rodney!"

With a smile, he said, "Oh, so you know me, that's good. If you don't want to die, put your hands on your head and face the side of the ship."

Bang!

A wooden stake was left in place as Rodney swiftly approached from behind, slashing with his weapon, White Light Chakra Sabre. Regardless of whether they were weak or strong, Rodney always killed his enemies first.

Gin was a merciless pirate. Even if his enemies begged for mercy, he would still take their lives. While he valued justice and righteousness, Rodney had no reason to spare him.

After wiping the blood off White Light Chakra Sabre, a whistling sound filled the air as Pearl fearlessly charged forward, hurling his shield toward Rodney's face. Rodney leaned back, evading the attack. At the same time, he effortlessly attached an Explosive Tag to the shield before swiftly retreating.

Boom!

Gin was also affected as he was forced back repeatedly, his ample flesh jiggling from the continuous explosions, feeling as if he were being struck by a heavy hammer.

"Mr. Gin!"

"Captain, leader Gin... he..." The pirates looked at the lifeless Gin, hoping for some reassurance from him.

"I see, Gin was useless! Pearl, you deal with him. He can't break through your defense, and I'll provide support," Krieg spat disdainfully. He knew Gin would die. He should have used that move to kill him. It's hard to find such a loyal lackey.

"Understood, Chief Krieg. Captain, I am Pearl the Iron Wall, the shield-bearing man of the Krieg Pirates. Mr. Pearl, at your service." He proudly pounded the two shields he held, creating an unpleasant sound.

"Iron Wall? Not so fast. The quality of your shield isn't bad, but I'll make sure you die here," Rodney replied, a bit surprised that the explosive talisman didn't detonate.

"Die here? Hahaha!" Pearl burst into laughter as if he had heard an incredibly funny joke. 

He raised a finger and said, "I've been in twenty-seven battles. Not a single wound, not a drop of blood. Even naval artillery shells couldn't harm me. Can you kill me? If you can, I'll eat my shield right now!" Rodney countered, "You'll all end up dead. How will you eat it?"

"Of course, I won't die. You'll be the one who dies!" With a ferocious expression, Pearl charged forward like a raging bull.

However, his weakness was glaringly obvious. While he possessed brute strength, he was merely a brawler, and there was no need to worry too much. Dodging and leaping onto the mast, Krieg swiftly assumed a stance. Gun barrels extended from his golden armor, unleashing a barrage of bullets toward Rodney.

"Danger, danger."

Evading once again, Rodney plunged into the midst of the pirates, akin to a tiger among sheep, wreaking havoc on the weaklings. Chaos ensued.

Boom!

Suddenly, a smoke bomb exploded, sending several pirates flying. One of them landed at Pearl's feet. Pearl felt a sharp pain in his heel and stumbled towards the fallen pirate.

The pirate rolled over, stood up, chuckled, and threw another smoke bomb, enveloping the area in a dense fog. Pearl's throat felt cold, and he couldn't stand up anymore.

"What's happening? Where did that guy go?" Krieg asked.

"I don't know. Did Rodney run away?"

"I think I heard Bara scream just now."

"I heard it too."

"Where's Pearl?"

"Here, Chief Krieg. Pearl... Mr. Pearl, he's dead."

Krieg noticed a foot still standing on the ground, covered in blood and gruesome. Rodney had disappeared like a ghost, ready to strike at any moment and claim their lives.

For a while, everyone was at a loss, unsure of what to do.

Krieg roared and shot the pirate who had discovered Pearl's lifeless body. The pirate died without knowing why. Perhaps Krieg suspected him, or perhaps Krieg was merely venting his anger. In any case, he was dead.

"Prepare yourselves, little ones!" Krieg removed the golden disc from his shoulders and grasped the mechanism at the back. 

The front of the disc bore the emblem of the Krieg Pirates, with a skull that opened its mouth to reveal a small hole. Seeing Krieg's posture, the surrounding pirates turned pale with fear.

"That... that is..."

"MH5!"

"Captain Krieg's most terrifying gas weapon!"

"Put on your masks!"

"Where's my mask?!"

"Mask! Ah, where's mine?!"

"Boss Krieg, we're still on board!"

"Yes, boss. Can you give us some encouragement?"

MH5, the gas bomb prepared by Krieg, could fatally poison ordinary people upon inhalation, leading to certain death within ten minutes. However, those with stronger bodies would recover after a while, while those with even greater resilience would remain unharmed.

Krieg sneered, "What are you talking about? This is a battle! Those who die are just unfortunate souls. No matter what method I use, I will emerge victorious! Hahaha! Once I enter the Grand Line, I'll definitely find the great secret treasure and become the Pirate King!" He donned his gas mask and flipped the switch.

Thick purple smoke immediately billowed out from the skull's mouth, spreading across the deck.

In the darkness, Rodney couldn't help but think that Krieg was mentally challenged for resorting to gas bombs. After all, Magellan smoked that stuff as if it were a daily habit and ingested all kinds of highly poisonous substances. Yet he and his subordinates were still fine. It often became a topic associated with the toilet, with chrysanthemums being in full bloom(1).

Snatching a mask from a pirate, Rodney affixed it to his face and confidently strode into the poisonous gas, accompanied by White Light Chakra Sabre.

"Ah!"

"Ugh..."

"No, my... ah!"

"Please spare me!"

Screams echoed within the poisonous gas, causing Krieg to retreat in fear. He desperately searched for Rodney's figure beneath his mask but could only catch a glimpse of a fleeting shadow before another pirate fell.

'This guy... is he toying with me?! Playing cat and mouse, perhaps?'

Once he realized this, Krieg roared, completely disregarding the lives of his subordinates. He used the golden disc as a makeshift machine gun, with spikes serving as bullets, shooting indiscriminately.

"Ah! Leader Krieg, why?!"

"No! I don't want to die yet!"

"Mom, I want to go home! Waaah, the sea is terrifying!"

In their fright, some jumped off the boat and joined the group of deserters. Today had been too thrilling. The main force of the Krieg Pirates had been decimated by a mere handful of people, leaving only their Captain, Krieg.

As the poisonous mist dissipated, Krieg had already donned a cloak adorned with needles—the Sword Mountain Mantle!

Holding a blade and wearing a gas mask, Rodney looked at the fully equipped Krieg, tilting his head before throwing a kunai with an attached Explosive Tag.

Boom!

The effect was remarkable, sending Krieg flying and shredding his Sword Mountain Cloak into pieces.

Krieg's golden armor was also damaged, and he sustained multiple wounds. Struggling to get up, he picked up two intact golden discs and fused them together. He pulled out a gun barrel, and simultaneously, a sharp gun emerged from the center of the disc.

A massive gun!

Krieg's most powerful weapon, weighing over 2,000 pounds. It caused explosions upon impact, and the greater the swing's force, the more devastating the explosion.

Observing Krieg in this state, Rodney finally understood why this guy encountered Hawkeye just a week after entering the Grand Line, only to be embarrassingly defeated. Only a few hundred of the original 5,000 crew members remained in his fleet. Such bad luck wasn't a coincidence.

What's wrong with him? Did he really think he could be a spearman?

Do non-chief combatants think they can handle firearms?

Don't underestimate the power of Lucky E!(2)

Ratoon's Note:

chrysanthemums being in full bloom-The phrase is a euphemism or metaphor often used to delicately refer to the anal region where it opened or "bloom".

Don't underestimate the power of Lucky E-The phrase is a play on words and a humorous statement. It is a reference to "Lucky E," which is a pun on the word "luckily."