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Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Insidious Old Bastard

Veteran pirates from the New World almost certainly knew Armament Haki. Bellamy wasn't about to gamble on the small chance Trebol didn't. Relying on luck wasn't his style. To achieve a decisive one-hit kill and end this quickly, he needed to find the perfect opportunity.

His Observation Haki was already fully extended, blanketing the entire chaotic battlefield. This wasn't the time to conserve energy.

"Wait... what's he doing?" That Vinsmoke brat, Yonji, had mostly been watching from the sidelines since the fight began. But now, with Bellamy's Observation Haki fully active, he detected something unusual about Yonji's actions. The kid seemed to be remotely commanding subordinates, operating some kind of device via a Den Den Mushi. It was only then Bellamy realized—a massive Germa warship had quietly approached the edge of the battlefield sometime earlier.

"Damn it! A whole family of sneaky bastards!" One after another, realizing they couldn't beat him fairly, they resorted to dirty tricks. But since he'd spotted their scheme in advance, trying to ambush him now wouldn't be so easy.

Bellamy remained outwardly calm on his piece of driftwood, pretending he hadn't noticed anything. Inwardly, however, every muscle in his body tensed, ready for action. "Not yet. The timing isn't right." Both Yonji (from afar) and Trebol (nearby) were watching him like hawks. Attacking now, the chances of succeeding against Trebol while also dealing with whatever Yonji was planning were too low. He needed a distraction, a variable to disrupt their focus. Fortunately, Bellamy sensed that moment was fast approaching.

Ever since the Blood Bait had started working its magic, the battlefield had been filled with the nonstop screams of the dying. Just in the short time the three of them—Bellamy, Trebol, and Yonji—had been in this standoff, dozens more ships had been crushed by rampaging Sea Kings. Countless sailors had fallen into the water, only to be torn apart by the frenzy of sharks drawn by the blood. The crimson stain in the water grew deeper, more saturated.

Krieg's former flagship, the wreck they stood upon, was moments away from sinking entirely. Just then, a huge shark lunged upwards from beneath Trebol's feet, likely drawn by the sinking wreck or the nearby carnage. The sudden appearance of the monster instinctively drew both Trebol's and Yonji's attention for a split second.

"Now!" The opening Bellamy had been waiting for had arrived. "Godspeed: Shave!" Bellamy's figure vanished like a phantom. The next instant, he reappeared directly in front of Trebol, striking towards the man's wide-open chest with a single, hardened finger.

Trebol, true to his status as a veteran pirate, reacted instantly the moment he perceived Bellamy vanish. Armament Haki flowed silently, reinforcing his chest area. Normally, at this point, Trebol would use his Devil Fruit ability to counterattack. But when Trebol realized Bellamy wasn't aiming for a sneak attack to his back, but was striking directly at his mucus-covered chest—his supposed strong point—a flash of delighted surprise crossed his face. The fool's taking the bait!

Bellamy, now inches away, clearly saw the poorly concealed glee in Trebol's eyes. This Snot Monster can't even act convincingly. Pathetic. If Bellamy hadn't been concerned about conserving stamina for the unknown threat Yonji represented, the optimal way to deal with a disgusting Devil Fruit user like Trebol would be to stay at range and wear him down slowly with Tempest Kicks. But Trebol clearly possessed Armament Haki. Killing him from a distance without getting close would be practically impossible. Considering the timing, his own condition, and his opponent's psychological state since the battle began... this was undeniably the best opportunity he would get. If this attack failed, another chance this perfect might not arise.

"Take this! Heaven-Piercing Wave!"

Bellamy channeled everything into this single finger strike—integrating the unique penetrating force principles learned from Ashigara Dokkoi, fusing the piercing focus of Finger Pistol, and adding the destructive concept of his 'Shatter the Sky' techniques. The moment his finger shot forward, the very air around it seemed to vibrate violently. A visible shockwave ripple emanated from his fingertip.

Trebol instantly sensed something was terribly wrong. His instincts screamed, flooding him with a suffocating premonition of imminent death. But realizing it now was far too late. Bellamy's finger had already made contact—not with Trebol's real body, but with the outer layer of his thick mucus armor.

Pitch-black Armament Haki coated Bellamy's fingertip. Aiming directly for Trebol's heart beneath the layers of mucus, Bellamy unleashed the full, concentrated force—a tyrannical power sufficient to pierce steel. The mucus armor enveloping Trebol's torso instantly blasted outwards from the point of impact, revealing a large cavity. The penetrating force of the attack met Trebol's own Armament Haki defense and was momentarily slowed. But only for an instant. The focused, penetrating power behind Bellamy's attack overwhelmed the defense, punching straight through.

Viscous mucus exploded outwards. Bellamy, anticipating this, had already launched himself skyward with Moon Walk, narrowly avoiding the disgusting spray.

Trebol felt an agonizing, sharp pain lance through his chest. Looking down in disbelief, he saw a gaping hole blown clean through his sternum, directly over his heart! "ARRRGH!!!" "How... How is this possible?!!" He couldn't believe it! Pierced through the heart with a single finger strike! Suffering such a devastating blow, Trebol's agonized scream echoed across the chaotic battlefield.

Bellamy landed lightly back on the driftwood, disgustedly wiping his fingertip on his pants. Getting close to the Snot Monster inevitably meant getting some slime on him. Luckily, it was just his fingertip. Manageable.

Just then, however, Bellamy realized something was wrong. "Wait... where did the Vinsmoke brat go?" In that brief moment during his attack on Trebol, Yonji had vanished. His Observation Haki, still active, suddenly detected an intense surge of energy building nearby. Bellamy's heart leaped. He instantly knew this was bad.

While Bellamy had been dealing with Trebol, Yonji had indeed quietly retreated back to the Germa warship. Now, he was seated within a strange, humming apparatus, apparently undergoing some kind of rapid power-charging process. Immense energy was being channeled directly into his Raid Suit, causing the high-tech garment to bulge and spark erratically. The sheer energy radiating outwards seemed to make the very air crackle and hum. Tiny filaments of lightning danced around his charged form.

"Useless trash," Yonji muttered, referring to Trebol. "Making me risk using an experimental prototype." Fortunately for him, the high-risk rapid-charge procedure seemed to have been successful this time. Yonji flexed his fingers, a satisfied smirk spreading across his face as he felt the explosive power coursing through his enhanced suit. This level of power was intoxicating. "Alright then. Time to end this in one blow."

Vinsmoke Yonji, the youngest son, had always been known for his astonishing physical strength, even among his modified siblings. His signature move involved channeling that brute force through his Germa tech to utterly crush his opponents. Hence his epithet: 'Winch Green'. And now, amplified by this experimental energy charge, Yonji's power had reached an absurd level. He took a single, seemingly light step forward onto the deck of the warship, and the reinforced plating beneath his boot instantly cratered, buckling under the immense pressure.

Witnessing this display from afar, Bellamy's pupils contracted sharply. "So this was the trump card you were preparing? Impressive." Bellamy had to admit, the Vinsmoke family's 'black technology' truly was formidable. Lineage factor augmentation, clone armies, advanced Raid Suits of various models, and now even external suit-charging enhancement devices... Their technological prowess, one innovation after another, was genuinely something to behold.

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