Chapter 102: Baphomet

Usually, defeating the strong with the weak is called "tactics," while crushing the weak with the strong is called "the art of war." However, in a one-on-one duel, the advantage of "swordsmanship" over brawling lies in its nature as a combat style that emphasizes a single decisive strike—a way to turn the tables in an instant.

To achieve such a feat while at a disadvantage is the only way one earns the right to call themselves a swordsman.

Yet, straining to do the impossible inevitably demands a corresponding, significant price.

Many things in life are "interdependent": you lose some to gain some, and you gain some by losing some. While paying a heavy price, one always receives unexpected "surprises"—though such gains are not the primary goal, high-level duels always yield rewards.

There are things that cannot be obtained in battles of the same or lower caliber; the drop rate for rare items is always higher when hunting monsters far above one's own level.

Of course, when hunting monsters five levels above your own, you need powerful critical-hit techniques to have any effect; otherwise, you will only be met with a string of damage immunities and magical resistances.

As the cannon fire from the pirate ship gradually died away, compounded by the earlier explosions and the faint, chaotic noise, the Navy warships finally realized something was wrong. Just as Qiubai had anticipated, the ship cannons ceased their roaring. The warships, which had previously remained at a distance for artillery fire, now boldly closed in.

At the same time, they noticed that the pirate ship was no longer fleeing; instead, it had turned around to head toward them. Soon, both sides were side-by-side.

Naturally, during this process, a large number of pirates began to abandon ship.

Some boarded small boats, while others simply jumped into the sea, waiting to be captured or swimming for their lives. Those were their only choices.

With the Navy outside, a "formidable enemy" inside, and having lost their backbone, the pirates of the Komodo Pirate Crew scattered in a panic.

This perhaps signaled the end of the crew, or perhaps these remnants would regroup in the future... who knows?

The unmanned pirate ship gradually came to a halt. Then, from both sides, cables with grappling hooks were thrown over, and Navy squads began to board.

On deck... there were likely no pirates left, but the Navy soon made a new discovery. In front of the helm, they found someone sitting slumped, covered in blood.

...It was likely a person. The heavy stench of blood made the sailors pause for a moment.

At that time, Qiubai still held onto a final shred of consciousness. He pushed an object near his hand toward the Navy and said in a voice that was barely audible:

"A total of 225 million Berries. That’s correct, right?"

"A bounty hunter?"

The sergeant leading the squad immediately remembered the small boat that had recklessly approached the pirate ship earlier. It seemed this person had infiltrated the vessel and taken care of... wait?

He carefully examined the face of the severed head and finally recognized it as the notorious Captain Kuntukuka of the North Blue.

This man... he did all this by himself?

"Call the ship's doctor, and report to the Lieutenant Commander. We’ve made a major discovery here," he ordered a marine.

Calling the doctor was far more efficient than trying to transport this person. And... well, in this mangled state, even if he were brought onto the warship, he wouldn't pose any threat.

Given the urgency, the ship's doctor was brought over quickly.

Except for those rare, highly skilled doctors who "went astray" and became pirates, the medical technology within the Navy was far superior to that of pirates. This was only natural; the resources available to both sides were vastly different. Besides, being a doctor was a promising career; there was no need to live a "wandering" life.

In reality, a ship's doctor was not standard equipment for a pirate crew; it was a high-end luxury. As for those who managed to secure a doctor of Dr. Tony's caliber, it could only be described as a "halo effect."

But even for these two experienced medical teams from the warships, today was an eye-opener. It was the first time they had seen someone who could ruin their own body to such an extent and still be breathing.

"Well... the sample data can be increased again."

After checking the wounds, the doctor who seemed to be the "lead" on the case adjusted his glasses and spoke. Clearly, such severe external injuries did not frighten him, given his "spirit of research."

Therefore... from a third-person perspective, it was hard to tell if he was performing an autopsy or treating a wounded man.

But Qiubai could only let him do as he pleased, because he hadn't heard a word of that last sentence... Upon seeing the Navy, he felt as if he had seen his own people and had安心ly passed out.

...

"Lieutenant Commander, through some of the captured pirates, we have basically learned the truth of the matter. The captain and vice-captain of the Komodo Pirate Crew did indeed die at the hands of that 'Baphomet,' but the accounts regarding his identity are not consistent."

On the lead warship, in the captain's quarters, the sergeant was reporting to the commander of the small fleet, which consisted of two warships.

With Qiubai unconscious, it was difficult for both the Navy and the pirates to determine his identity. Thus, he had temporarily been given the codename "Baphomet" (a reference to the famous goat-headed demon).

The origin of the codename, of course, came from Qiubai's terrifying actions and the goat tattoo on his body.

"Identity unknown?" the Lieutenant Commander asked.

"Some confirm he is a bounty hunter, while others say he is also a pirate. Some say his actions were for revenge, while others say it was purely for the bounty."

This only went to show that the frightened pirates had already started spouting nonsense.

"However, at the very least, we had not heard of any such... individual among the bounty hunters of the North Blue before." Out of courtesy, the sergeant did not use any derogatory terms that might emphasize the person's unstable mental state.

"Are you inclined to believe he is a pirate?"

"Yes, because someone explicitly stated he is from the Donquixote Pirates."

"Doflamingo? Komodo had always tried to challenge the Donquixotes... but they were clearly not on the same level. It’s not surprising that some would make such an assumption about the enemy's identity. But as the Navy, we cannot treat the conjectures of pirates as evidence of the truth."

"Such claims are not necessarily credible. Do not let others easily sway your judgment."

The Lieutenant Commander's logic was sound, but... the sergeant was actually right, wasn't he?

"Yes, I understand." The military is one of the most hierarchical organizations, so the sergeant could only humbly accept his superior's instruction.

"Regardless, his identity will be clear once he wakes up. So... how is the situation?"

"The doctors have done their best to stabilize him, but he still has a high fever and shows no sign of waking up for the moment. Never mind the wounds, he has lost too much blood."

"Is that so? Do your best to wake him up. The disappearance of a major pirate faction in the North Blue is a significant event, after all. It’s better if the culprit remains alive."

At this moment, the two warships were sailing in a line, returning to their home port... Due to various reasons, they did not choose to head to the nearest port, opting instead for a longer return journey.

Sandwiched between the two warships was the heavily damaged pirate ship, the *Komodo*. It had not been abandoned; the fire had been extinguished, and after simple repairs, it continued to sail.

Nothing demonstrated the glory of the Navy better than capturing an entire pirate ship, so the Lieutenant Commander decided to bring it back. This way, the recent downturn that had brought shame to the North Blue Navy could at least be swept away.

For the sake of glory, if he were malicious, he could have simply thrown Qiubai into the sea and claimed the credit for annihilating the pirate crew entirely. That might even have been the wisest choice.

But thinking about it, that was unrealistic. Not to mention the presence of inspectors responsible for "political affairs" on the warships, how could hundreds of marines across two ships possibly maintain a unified story?