Bradley saw Bert move and broke free from his ropes, laughing loudly. The mayor and the security team were immediately shocked.
"Captain, save me!"
"Boss, help me!"
"Boss, untie us!"
…
The crew shouted loudly.
Victor said to the mayor, "Uncle Andre, you all step back first. We'll handle this—getting too close might get you hurt."
After speaking, Victor walked toward Bradley and stopped about three meters away.
"Don't come any closer, or that little girl will die! I'm the Iron Fist Bradley with a 5 million Belly bounty. I've killed 55 people like you!" Bradley shouted.
He was all talk—brave on the outside but actually terrified. He couldn't throw cannonballs barehanded; that was why he had taken hostages.
The men behind him were still yelling and noisy.
Hearing about the bounty, Victor got a little excited and turned to Bert with a grin: "Oh? How much is your head worth then?"
Andre and the others were puzzled—why ask that now? Wasn't this a serious situation?
Seeing Victor's smile, Bert's calves twitched nervously but he still said firmly, "My bounty is 3 million Belly. The number of people I've killed is… not less than the captain's."
"So you two together are worth 8 million Belly. Interesting," Victor smiled.
Then, with killing intent, he said, "Let's start."
The moment the shout came, Rebecca's sword was already out of its sheath—so fast it was almost a blur. With a single slash, Bert's arm was severed from his body.
Only when the arm hit the ground and bounced twice did Bert's agonized scream sound—a miserable, piercing wail.
This was just a routine encounter. Under Victor's pressure, Rebecca's swordplay had become extremely fast. If she wasn't fast, she couldn't keep up with Victor's attacks, so she trained her sword speed to the point it was barely visible to the untrained eye.
Bert clutched his wound, rolling on the ground, utterly unable to fight anymore. But no one could hold such a wound—it gushed blood, staining the ground red.
Everyone except Victor and Rebecca stood with mouths agape, eyes bulging in shock. This was way too fast. A 3 million Belly bounty? This was just how they treated a nobody.
Victor smiled at Bradley.
"You call yourself Iron Fist? I wonder if some old man who knows that name will fly here and beat you to death. In the East Sea, calling yourself Iron Fist, heh heh heh."
…
In the Marine Headquarters, in Sengoku's office, an old man who was stealing Senbeis sneezed and immediately looked at Sengoku.
"Sengoku, look, I've caught a cold. Why don't you give me those ´Senbeis I'll be fine after eating them, hahaha."
…
"Let's spar, 'Iron Fist' Bradley. Let's see how tough your iron fist really is, hehe," Victor teased.
Seeing Victor's smile, Bradley felt a chill down his spine and regretted coming to this island. He slowly stepped back, planning to let his men take the beating while he escaped.
But before he took a single step, Victor appeared behind him instantly and kicked him dozens of meters away. Bradley's face plowed a dirt furrow on the ground.
After the kick, Victor calmly walked over to the dazed Bradley lying on the ground shaking his head.
"Running is useless. You're slower than me. If you want to live, you'll have to beat me," Victor chuckled.
Bradley staggered to his feet, blood smeared across his face. He steadied himself and looked at Victor. Seeing the terrifying killing intent in Victor's eyes, he panicked.
"Don't kill me! I'll do anything! Just don't kill me!!!"
"Boring!"
Victor originally planned to finish him in a fight, but killing someone like slaughtering a pig, someone who didn't resist, was hard to do.
Victor had killed many beasts and fish in this world but had never truly killed a person.
If these were members of the Claw Pirates, he wouldn't hold back.
Victor beat Bradley into a bloody mess, searched him, and tied him up tightly—of course, Bert, the one-armed man, was tied up as well.
Victor didn't involve himself with the aftermath. He and Rebecca stayed by the shore, trusting Andre to handle the bounty paperwork and deliver their share.
Before leaving, Andre praised the two effusively, urging them to keep training and protecting their home. Once the militia departed, only Victor and Rebecca remained on the beach.
"Rebecca," Victor said sternly, "how many times have I told you? Never let your guard down. Pirates fight dirty—there's no line they won't cross."
He fixed her with a hard look. "Even when you're strong, complacency kills. Devil Fruit users have abilities you can't predict. One slip, and you're dead."
"I know," Rebecca groaned, sticking out her tongue. "Won't happen again. Heh."
Victor exhaled. "Right now, we're stronger than most East Blue pirates. I'd put us around 15 million berries in combat power. Beyond that, you're dealing with rare races or Devil Fruit users."
He tapped her forehead. "You're at roughly 8 million. Still a long way to go. Don't get cocky just because these pirates were weak. Most Fruit users would *wreck* you."
"We'll stay on this island a few more years. Once the Marines establish a base here, I'll take you out to sea for real adventure."
Rebecca's eyes lit up. "Promise?!"
Victor nodded. He'd told her countless stories of the Grand Line—gleaned from his past life's memories. But this wasn't an anime. Here, the weak were fodder, as the newspapers brutally illustrated.
---
Soon, Captain Buck returned with his crew. A lookout had relayed the pirates' defeat, sparing his ship and cargo.
"Victor!" Buck clasped his hands gratefully. "You saved my ship! To single-handedly crush a pirate crew—astonishing!"
He leaned in, voice earnest. "Join my crew. Name your price."
"No." Victor's reply was flat. "I'm too young, and this town needs us."
"Your ship's unharmed, but I used all your cannonballs. The mayor will reimburse you—just restock in town."
Buck waved it off. "Don't worry about it. Operational cost."
"Your call." Victor turned to leave. "We're done here."
As he and Rebecca walked away, Buck sighed. 'What a waste.' With Victor aboard, he could've sailed without fear.
---
Back in the forest, their grueling training resumed.
By the next day, the entire town buzzed with rumors.
"Did you hear? Victor—the former secretary's son—solo'd a pirate crew!"
"No, no, he threw rocks and sank their ship!"
"My cousin said he punched a cannonball midair to blow them up!"
"Absolute nonsense! He cut their ship in half with one slash!"
...
The streets thrived with exaggerated tales—some crediting Rebecca or the militia, but most centered on Victor.
Within days, the two became local legends. Townsfolk greeted them with awe, their gazes brimming with reverence. It made Victor and Rebecca uncomfortable.
So they trained harder, venturing out less.
The world beyond could wait.
For now, there was only the grind.