Bang!
A gunshot rang out, and a bird flying overhead dropped straight into the sea nearby.
"Ahahaha! See? I told you, kid! You're a natural-born sharpshooter! Why are you still bothering with swordsmanship under Mr. Rayleigh? Come on, learn how to shoot from me instead, you little brat!" The sharpshooter Peterm laughed loudly, patting Fang Yi on the shoulder as he spoke.
Fang Yi, holding the rifle, gave a shy smile. He knew full well that shot wasn't due to his aiming skills—it had been triggered by his 'Precision' skill. The slight increase in the skill's experience after the shot made it obvious.
Ever since he'd handed out gifts to the crew, they had started treating Fang Yi more warmly. Some of them would even joke around with him or teach him useful combat techniques from time to time.
"Fang Yi does seem to have a knack for shooting. Why not give it some serious thought? You can always train in both swordsmanship and marksmanship at the same time, after all," Rayleigh chimed in with a smile and a nod.
As the first mate—and a generous mentor to young newcomers—Rayleigh never refused Fang Yi's requests for guidance whenever he had the time.
It had been several days since they'd departed from Water 7, but without a set destination, the crew had been drifting aimlessly around the sea. Out of boredom, Peter had dragged Fang Yi over to try his hand at shooting, which led to that scene earlier.
Fang Yi also understood that combining his Precision skill with ranged attacks would give him an edge few sharpshooters could match.
However, he wasn't interested in becoming a sniper.
Because his ambitions reached far beyond that.
In this world, anyone aiming to become a true powerhouse had to master Haki.
But even sharpshooters who possessed Haki were rarely seen among the world's top-tier fighters. Why?
Because of Observation Haki.
No matter how precise a shot might be, top fighters could foresee it. Their sense of danger was simply too sharp. While sniping from afar might seem safer, it also gave such enemies ample time to react. That's why the strongest fighters were those who relied on their strength, not external tools like sniper rifles.
"Who told you snipers can't fight up close?" Peter scoffed upon hearing Fang Yi's reasoning. "We gunmen can fight in close quarters, too! Whether it's at long range or up close, the firepower of a sniper rifle is nothing to scoff at. At close range, the bullets are even faster and harder to block!"
But Fang Yi stubbornly shook his head. "Still, if you fought against Mr. Rayleigh, he wouldn't even give you a chance to fire. Even if you did, you wouldn't hit him."
"Why, you little brat! You're starting to piss me off!" Peterm, clearly at a loss for words, became flustered and gave Fang Yi a rough smack on the head before walking off to drink, feeling quite pleased with himself.
Rubbing his aching head, Fang Yi silently vowed that once he was strong enough to beat Peterm, he'd return the favor.
"Peterm isn't completely wrong," Rayleigh said with a chuckle as he looked at the frustrated Fang Yi. "A true sniper can be terrifying. Just as you said, I wouldn't give him the chance to fire. But why's that? Because the consequences of letting a sniper take a shot are far too dangerous."
"You do have talent for shooting. Don't waste it. You've gotta find your path—and have the courage to surpass yourself."
Hearing Rayleigh say this made Fang Yi begin to seriously consider his options.
With his Precision skill, using sniper rifles or flintlocks wasn't ideal. Their slow firing rates didn't suit him at all. But if he had something like a Gatling gun… he wouldn't hesitate for a second.
Just imagining that scene—a thousand rounds fired per minute, and even if the skill only triggered 10% of the time, that would still be hundreds of guaranteed hits! If every bullet were imbued with Armament Haki, Fang Yi believed nobody could stand against him.
That scene was beautiful… and terrifying.
But, alas, it could only remain a fantasy.
Since sniper rifles were off the table, his remaining option was handguns.
Plenty of powerful characters in this world used handguns. Take Izo, the 16th Division Commander of the future Whitebeard Pirates, or Ben Beckman, the first mate of the Red-Haired Pirates—both formidable fighters who wielded pistols.
But Fang Yi's situation was different. His greatest asset was his Precision skill, so he needed a weapon that allowed for rapid, repeated attacks in a short time frame.
"Enemy ship spotted ahead!"
Just as Fang Yi was still lost in his thoughts about the future, the lookout's sudden shout jolted him back to reality.
"Could it be the Marines again?" Fang Yi muttered, quickly running toward the bow.
"Captain! It's the Rock's Pirates!" Rayleigh's voice rang out just as Fang Yi reached the deck.
"T-The Rocks Pirates?!" Fang Yi's eyes went wide in shock, barely able to believe what he was hearing.
"Yep. The Rocks Pirates. A real troublesome bunch," Roger said with a grin upon hearing Fang Yi's instinctive exclamation.
"Mr. Peterm, can I borrow a weapon?" Fang Yi swallowed hard, then turned toward the sharpshooter who had just walked over.
"Oh? What are you planning, kid? A battle of this scale isn't something you can interfere with," Peterm said, frowning.
"No, I don't plan to fight." Fang Yi shook his head firmly. "I just… want to protect myself."
"Hahaha! Kid, you've got a good head on your shoulders! I like it. Good luck—I'm rooting for you." Peterm laughed, then casually tossed his pistol to Fang Yi from his belt.
Standing at the back of the crew, watching the two pirate ships grow closer and closer, Fang Yi's palms were already drenched in sweat.
He'd never expected to encounter the infamous Rocks Pirates so soon. They were the very definition of ruthless and notorious!
On the massive ship opposite the Oro Jackson, the captain himself—Rocks D. Xebec—was lying there groggy, still hungover from the night before.
"Captain, there's a pirate ship ahead. They spotted us but didn't change course. Lord Silver Axe is already preparing to board them," a pirate reported cautiously beside Rocks.
"Got it. Let Silver Axe handle it. Just make sure I get half of the loot—the rest can go to him." Rocks yawned, rolled over, and went right back to sleep.
The pirate wanted to say more, but wisely shut his mouth after seeing Rocks already fast asleep. He quickly ran off to relay the message to Silver Axe.
Silver Axe, one of the top officers of the Rocks Pirates, stood alongside Golden Lion Shiki as the famed Gold and Silver Generals under Rocks—both powerful pirates in their own right.
"Oh? So I get to keep half? That's a bit disappointing," Silver Axe chuckled after hearing Rocks' orders. "But I guess this means none of you will interfere, right? After all, splitting the loot too many ways wouldn't be worth it."
"I'm not interested in treasure," said a towering man with long blond hair, a huge naginata in hand, and a white cap—Edward Newgate (Whitebeard)—his voice calm but warning. "Still, be careful, Silver Axe. Roger isn't an easy opponent."
"Hahaha! Relax, Newgate. Sure, this Roger Pirates crew has been making waves lately, but compared to us, the Rocks Pirates, they're still leagues behind!" Silver Axe scoffed dismissively.
Nearby, Golden Lion Shiki sat silently on the ship's railing, alongside the alluring but dangerous Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom)—both watching with amused expressions.
"They're here." Roger drew his weapon as the two ships finally closed in, speaking in a low voice.
"Hahaha! You must be the captain of the famous Roger Pirates—Gol D. Roger! Hand over your treasure, and I'll let you live!" A massive man wielding a silver battle axe jumped from the Rocks Pirates' ship onto the Oro Jackson, laughing wildly as he spoke.
"Hahaha! Lord Silver Axe, don't scare them into wetting themselves now!"
"Wohwoh~!"
Around thirty other fierce-looking pirates followed, jeering and laughing.
"Who's that guy?"
Before Roger could even reply, Fang Yi—utterly confused—asked one of the nearby crew members in a low voice.
But, whether by coincidence or bad luck, the timing of his question couldn't have been worse.
The entire area had fallen silent for a moment, so Fang Yi's words echoed clearly across both ships.
An awkward silence filled the air as both crews turned to look at Fang Yi with strange expressions.
Fang Yi suddenly had a very, very bad feeling.
Honestly, it wasn't even his fault—he knew about the Rocks Pirates only because three of the future Four Emperors were once aboard this very ship, alongside infamous pirates like Golden Lion Shiki.
But clearly… this man wasn't one of those famous names.
"You little brat… are you mocking me?" Silver Axe's face darkened as he glared at Fang Yi. "Good. You've successfully pissed me off. I'll kill all of you now, take your treasure, and send you to hell… to repent!"
Fang Yi's face turned green as he desperately wished he could just disappear on the spot.
He might not have recognized the man, but the fact that the Rocks Pirates sent him meant he was no pushover.
The Roger Pirates weren't some no-name crew either—they had fought their way to fame with blood and steel. For the Rocks Pirates to send this man meant he was definitely dangerous.
And now, Fang Yi had become his target.
It wouldn't even take a second—this guy could end his life with a single blow.