Chapter 2 North Sea Navy
Upon entering the office building alongside the young naval officer, Bruch was guided straight to an room located on the second floor.
The room featured a gray aesthetic, dominated by a large mahogany desk at its center.
Seated behind the desk was a tall figure adorned in a navy cape.
A scar extended across the man's face, starting at the left corner of his eye and ending at the right, complementing the shadows cast by his dark complexion.
This imperfection inadvertently created a sense of unease.
As he observed Bruch approaching, the man retrieved a document resembling a bounty notice from a drawer in his desk and remarked,
"Karma Bruch, a hunter of pirates, is the sole survivor from Banana Town. To date, he has eliminated one hundred thirty-two pirates and singularly dismantled the Giant Ox Pirates' crew. The total bounty on his head is one million six hundred thousand. Am I correct? "
"That's correct. "
A soft reply escaped Bruch's lips.
The man scrutinized him intently and then set aside the document to inquire,
"Could you explain why someone like yourself would choose to enlist in the navy? "
Bruch met the man's fierce gaze and replied,
"I want to join the Navy because I feel like my strength alone is insufficient. "
The man's expression shifted to one of confusion.
"Um? "
A person of his evident capability claims to lack strength?
Bruch gazed out the window, observing the entirety of the 52nd Branch with thoughtful eyes.
"I aim to eradicate all pirates so civilians need not live in fear of them and can thrive in peace and security. Hence, I must strengthen myself. "
After a moment, Bruch added,
"Joining the Navy is essential for my growth; this is my resolve! "
With these words, Bruch unfastened the package secured to his waist and placed it onto the desk.
The man glanced at the package but opted not to open it, stating,
"Haha, with your level of determination, I believe we will have much to discuss moving forward. My name is Curson, Billie Curson. On behalf of the G52 branch family, welcome. "
Curson rose, fixing a piercing glance on Bruch, and forcefully patted his left chest with a strong hand.
"Justice will prevail. "
Bruch, albeit awkwardly, extended his right hand and struck his chest with vigor.
"Justice will prevail. "
At this moment, the course of history began to shift.
Two years later.
Aboard a naval warship under the command of the 52nd branch.
A navy captain saluted Bruch and stated,
"Second Lieutenant Bruch, Captain Curson has requested your presence! "
With that, he handed Bruch a sea-blue phone snail.
Bruch stood on the deck of the naval vessel, momentarily lost in thought as he gazed out at the vast expanse of the sea before him.
After listening to the team leader's words, he pivoted, grabbed the phone snail presented by the leader, and addressed it.
"Captain Curson, this is Bruch. "
The phone bug echoed Captain Curson's voice, delivering a grave message.
"Bruch, a crisis has emerged. The small island of Bogon, located roughly five hundred nautical miles from your position, is under pirate attack. Over half of the civilian population has either been killed or wounded. "
Following a brief pause, the phone snail's tone grew even more serious.
"Captain Hertor, along with over thirty naval personnel stationed on this island, is engaged in combat against the pirates. The circumstances are dire, and the number of naval casualties is on the rise. "
Upon hearing this, Bruch's expression hardened as he instructed the corps commander beside him.
"Change course immediately and head to Bogon Island as swiftly as possible. "
"Understood. "
The corps commander saluted Bruch and promptly dashed to the operations table.
Bruch observed the departing figure and spoke solemnly.
"Captain Curson, which pirate group is responsible? "
Captain Curson responded through the snail.
"It's the Hyena Pirates, led by Captain Hyena Bellamy, who carries a bounty of 37 million. "
Bruch was momentarily taken aback by the mention of Bellamy the Hyena. He recognized the name, though his memory of it was hazy.
He then heard Captain Curson calmly elaborate over the line.
"Bellamy the Hyena is a subordinate of Doflamingo, one of the Warlords, and can be seen as Doflamingo's representative in the North Sea. However…"
Suddenly, Captain Curson's tone became fierce.
"But this is no justification for his random acts of violence. The existence of the Warlords is utterly deplorable enough. "
Seeing the phone bug's eyes glistening with tears, Bruch's gaze ignited with fury, understanding the reason behind Captains Curson's emotions.
For the navy, the creation of the Warlords is a disgrace to their justice and reflects a lack of faith in their abilities.
A legal right to pillage—what a mockery of a policy!
Bruch gazed into the phone bug's eyes as if connecting directly with Captain Curson.
"Captain, you can count on me. Trust me with everything. Now and in the future, I will never allow justice to be compromised. "
Captain Curson, whose eyes were red, replied.
"Ah, Bruch, if it's you, then I have confidence in you. The next phase is yours; justice will prevail! "
Clenching his fist and placing it against his chest, Bruch declared.
"Justice will prevail! "
With that, he ended the call.
He rested his hand on the sword at his waist, gazing out over the turbulent sea, contemplating.
"The blood race's physique has been perfected. The next challenge is to condense the blood core, enter the world stage. Starting today, I, Bruch, am here. "
After journeying for over two hours, Bruch aboard the warship spotted the small island of Bogon, which was engulfed in flames shooting into the sky.
From afar, the sounds of battle and cries could be heard echoing from the island.
Fixating on the burning Bogon Island, Bruch's gaze intensified with a fierce desire for vengeance.
He pivoted back to the crew at the controls and shouted.
"Accelerate, move faster! "
The naval personnel, witnessing the flames rise high, intensified their efforts and vehemently rowed their oars.
Before long, they reached the shores of Bogon Island.
As the soldiers prepared to drop the ship's anchor, Bruch commanded:
"Let's go! Annihilate the pirates! "
Without hesitation, Bruch stepped to the edge of the ship and leapt off into the fray. He drew his sword from his side and dashed toward the nearby pirates.
The navy flocked after Bruch, each soldier jumping off the warship and charging toward the hostile pirates.
Faced with the sudden influx of marines, the pirates felt no fear; in fact, they grew exhilarated. A yellow-haired pirate with a scar on his forehead grinned menacingly and exclaimed:
"Hey, reinforcements have arrived! Show them the might of the Hyena Pirates! "
Saying this, he delivered a fierce blow to a navy sailor, crushing the soldier's skull, blood covered his hand.
The sight spurred the pirates on even more, as they roared and surged toward the advancing navy.
Bruch observed the horde of pirates with a chilling stare, lifted his sword, and swung powerfully toward them.
A blood-red slash erupted, extending over ten meters, cleaving the nearest pirate in two.
It then soared into the clouds, vanishing from sight.
After a moment of stunned silence among the pirates present,
The sound of gushing blood and splatters echoed repeatedly.
Most of the pirates that had rushed toward him were decimated by that strike.
The few remaining pirates were stricken with fear.
Witnessing Bruch's lethal attack, the yellow-haired pirate let out a wild laugh and remarked:
"Is there a navy like you in the North Sea? This is truly exhilarating, hahaha! "
Bruch turned his gaze toward the yellow-haired pirate, pointing his long knife directly at him and stating:
"So you are the hyena, Bellamy! "
Then he addressed the navy behind him:
"Handle the rest of these clowns and check for any survivors! This one is mine! "
With that, he tightened his grip on the long knife, his eyes turning a furious shade of red.