Super Card System - Chapter 484

Chapter 484: The Red Force

Perhaps influenced by the gentle nature of his master Koshiro back then, Ian wasn’t the kind of person who liked using foul language. However, he was now swearing, uttering “Get lost” repeatedly, indicating just how displeased he was.

Although he also knew that this group of CP6 members was probably here to convey a message from the Marines, so what? He’d listen if he felt like it, but if he didn’t want to, what could they do about it?

That plate—Ian acted out of anger, smashing Jerry’s face with it, causing his face to be covered in blossoms. Such a pretentious dog of a person, a plate was light compared to him.

Robin looked at Ian in astonishment. She hadn’t expected that Ian would directly attack CP members without asking for reasons. But upon reflection, Robin suddenly understood why. Ian must have sensed her inner fear and chose this way to prove his initial promise to her.

Sailing under a captain like him really brings a sense of security… Robin’s heart warmed uncontrollably, and her anxiety vanished.

CP6 members were initially stunned by their captain being attacked. After snapping back to reality, they hurriedly helped Jerry up. However, with blood all over his face, Jerry shook off his colleagues’ support, and in a fit of embarrassment and anger, he directly revealed the knuckledusters on his hands. He shouted at Ian, “Damn it! I’m an intelligence agent of the World Government! So what if you’re a Warlord? How dare you attack me? That’s a capital offense!”

After saying that, he assumed a boxing stance and angrily declared, “Very well then, let me fathom whether you, a Warlord, are worthy of your title!”

“Jerry Aurora Flicker Jab!”

Shouting while attacking, Jerry threw a punch down towards Ian from a higher position. His punching speed was indeed quite fast, but…

The next moment, Ian gently blocked the punch with his left hand.

Opening his palm and grasping Jerry’s fist, dangerous glints flickered in Ian’s eyes. A smile appeared on his face as he said to Jerry, “Who gave you this mysterious confidence? How did you think you, a combatant of your caliber, could actually go against a Shichibukai?”

While speaking, Ian increased the pressure on Jerry’s hand, and a series of cracking bone sounds echoed through the tavern, audible to everyone still seated.

With Ian’s added force, Jerry suddenly cried out in agony. He felt as if his fist was on the brink of being crushed, the intense pain nearly unbearable. Desperately, he tried to retract his hand, only to find himself unable to escape Ian’s grasp.

“Release… release me!” Jerry screamed in pain, his suffering overwhelming. With a thud, he fell to his knees.

The other CP6 members, sensing something amiss, rushed forward. Two operatives in black suits each grabbed one of Jerry’s shoulders, helping to pull his arms back.

However, at that moment, a crisp ringing of bells sounded. The runic bandage on Ian’s right arm swayed and disappeared from view. The next second, an overwhelming surge of high-temperature heat, capable of scorching the air itself, swept through the entire tavern!

As the black flames on Ian’s wrist emerged, the first to face their wrath was Jerry.

The fist firmly clutched by Ian was instantaneously engulfed by the black flames. Because the temperature of this infernal blaze was so intense, Jerry’s arm was instantly reduced to blackened carbon fragments that fell to the ground!

Feeling no pain, Jerry’s entire right arm was gone…

But it didn’t end there. After consuming Jerry’s arm, the black flames spread over his body, engulfing his entire form. Then, his head caught fire too!

Within the tavern’s stunned occupants, a surreal spectacle unfolded before their eyes. Jerry, consumed by the relentless march of the flames, transformed into charred carbon from head to toe in an instant. Wherever the inferno spread, carbon remnants descended like macabre confetti. The scene exuded an eerie dissonance…

The two CP6 operatives who had approached to assist Jerry weren’t spared this cruel fate either. Their contact with Jerry’s body exposed them to the clutches of the obsidian flames.

Thus, in what felt like the blink of an eye, the three CP6 agents vanished from this world before the collective gaze, leaving behind only three heaps of blackened ash on the ground, a grim testament to their presence.

Within the tavern, a suffocating silence prevailed, rendering it devoid of even a whisper.

Only after a considerable span did a lone, soft gulp echo, a subtle sound of someone swallowing saliva. This faint noise marked the revival of the tavern’s atmosphere…

And as life rekindled, it was met with a chorus of sharp intakes of breath.

After incinerating Jerry and the other two agents, Ian resumed his seat with an air of nonchalance, as if nothing untoward had occurred. Lifting a beverage to his lips, he took a casual sip.

CP6’s members, stricken with terror, maintained a wide berth from Ian’s table. The abrupt vanishing of three individuals was a cause for alarm for anyone, and yet they remained immobilized, locked in shared, bewildered gazes. None dared to draw nearer.

Then, with a deft motion after finishing his drink, Ian brought the glass down on the table with a resounding thud. In hushed tones, he uttered, “Scram.”

His voice was low, but to CP6, it resonated like thunder. Before they could contemplate their actions, the remaining members scattered like frightened mice. They turned tail and bolted towards the tavern’s exit, lamenting their lack of extra limbs that might grant them a greater speed.

As a multitude surged towards the exit, a chaotic scramble ensued. In the eyes of the onlookers, these figures in black suits appeared utterly bedraggled, jostling one another as they raced outside. Some even lost their shoes in the haste…

Once the CP6 members had departed, the tavern’s patrons feigned nonchalance and resumed their meals. But an unbroken silence prevailed—no utensil clinks, no whispers dared escape. They surreptitiously stole glances toward Ian’s group, encased in a sensation akin to sitting on pins and needles.

Regret gnawed at the hearts of these pirates now. If only they had seized the opportunity to depart earlier. Their curiosity had ensnared them, rendering escape now less convenient. Departing at this juncture would be conspicuous…

Ian, on the other hand, paid little heed to their musings, continuing to savor his meal.

Resting her chin in her hand, Reiju whispered to Ian, “Is this wise? Eliminating agents of the World Government—won’t that invite trouble?”

“Fear nothing!” Ian chuckled. “They’re hardly pivotal figures. The World Government won’t jeopardize their standing with a Warlord over three agents!”

After pondering briefly, Reiju found his rationale sound and nodded in agreement. She smiled, content to observe Ian as he ate.

Turning to Robin, Ian addressed her, “My apologies, I didn’t foresee the presence of World Government agents here…”

Robin shook her head. “No need to apologize. On the contrary, I should thank you.”

“As I said, as long as I’m around, no one can harm you,” Ian declared. “Not even the marine Admirals!”

Robin remained silent, her captivating smile conveying her understanding. She knew that Ian could indeed deliver on his promise…

As the trio continued to dine and converse, the tavern’s door was suddenly thrust open once again. Ian furrowed his brow, casting his gaze towards the source of the commotion. It appeared that a pirate had rushed in, yet his complexion was pallid, and he panted heavily, an air of frantic unsettlement about him.

“It’s… it’s bad!” The pirate, upon entering, hastily addressed the occupants of the tavern with an agitated tone, “There’s a ship approaching on the sea… a ship!”

“Hush!!” Another pirate, seemingly from the same crew as the newcomer, promptly rose to his feet. Nervously glancing towards Ian’s group, he whispered to the panicked pirate, “Don’t… don’t make a scene! A ship approaching isn’t that surprising. Don’t cause a fuss…”

However, before he could finish his sentence, the distressed pirate gestured frantically, “Th-that ship… it’s the Red Force!”

The denizens of the tavern were momentarily perplexed. What in the world was the Red Force?

Yet, the next moment, a more seasoned pirate recalled and jolted to his feet, his voice quivering, “Red… Red Force!? The Red-Haired Pirates!?”

Boom! The pirates within the tavern suddenly found themselves in a daze, and realization dawned upon them.

Wasn’t the flagship of the Red-Haired Pirates called the Red Force!?

Goodness! Having a Shichibukai present on the island was astonishing enough, but now word of a Yonko’s arrival spread!?

“Quick… quickly, run!” Someone, without warning, shouted, and in that instant, all the pirates regained their senses. They surged towards the tavern’s entrance like a swarm, driven by sheer urgency.

As one might expect, the Yonko were also pirates, colleagues to those present, and thus the pirates should not be so alarmed and fearful. Yet, paradoxically, the very name of a Yonko held the greatest power of intimidation over them!

Much like the islands protected by a Yonko, even if the Yonko was absent, the mere presence of their flag could send shivers down pirates’ spines, deterring them from causing chaos and disturbances. Let alone when an actual Yonko made an appearance…

Continuing to linger here, who knew if they might irk the Yonko and inadvertently lead the entire pirate crew to face dire consequences?

In the span of just a moment, the tavern had emptied entirely, leaving only Ian’s trio behind. Even the tavern’s staff and owner had sought refuge.

Ian gazed at this spectacle, taken aback by the exaggerated turn of events. It all felt rather surreal.

Reiju and Robin wore expressions of astonishment, unable to contain their curiosity. They turned to Ian and queried, “What’s going on? Why did the Red-Haired Pirates suddenly appear here?”

Ian shrugged, raising his hands in a gesture of uncertainty. “How should I know?”

“Should we also leave?” Reiju voiced her concern. “You’ve never had dealings with the Red-Haired Pirates before, Right?”

After a moment of contemplation, Ian shook his head. “Don’t worry. The Red-Haired Pirates aren’t as capricious as Kaido or Big Mom. As long as we don’t provoke them, they won’t pose a threat to us.”

Setting down his cutlery, Ian rose to his feet with a grin. “Let’s go! Time to pay our respects to the Grand Line’s most distinguished man.”