“Instructor Alber!”
Seeing Alber walk out, the surrounding Fish-Men who wanted to give it a try all moved aside to make a path.
Fishman Island itself no longer held racial prejudice. No matter what race someone belonged to, as long as they were willing to live here, most people treated everyone equally.
Although Alber belonged to a minority race, his talent and strength had also earned the recognition of others.
And after ending his wandering life and settling down on Fishman Island, Alber had entered another growth spurt. Recently, his height had already reached six meters, a full head taller than Bullet.
Although size did not directly equate to combat power on these seas, height and reach were directly linked. Longer reach often produced unique advantages in battle.
“So you’re an instructor of this kingdom? Then if I defeat you… will your king come out to meet me? I also want to see the strongest man Roger spoke of. Fighting weaklings like these… really doesn’t interest me.”
Being called “Instructor” by a nation’s soldiers clearly meant he held some status, so Bullet directly voiced his intentions.
“Arrogant fool. Do you think Lord Nereus is someone you can meet whenever you wish? His Majesty’s time is precious. He has no time to waste on someone like you.
You should think about how you’re going to get past me first.”
“Hmph. If you’re ready, then come at me. You’d better be different from those pieces of trash.”
Bullet crooked his finger at Alber, every movement and expression dripping with provocation, but Alber only answered in a cold tone.
“Why do you think the battle hasn’t already begun?”
In that instant, Bullet realized something was wrong. Though he had originally been in the deep sea, he now seemed to have arrived at a battlefield filled with smoke and gunpowder.
The noise of Fishman Island had vanished, replaced by the roaring sounds of war.
“Bullet! What are you doing?! Carry out your orders!!”
The ruins and trenches around him felt extremely familiar to Bullet. This was not the Ryugu Kingdom, but the country where he had been born—a land known across the seas as the Nation of Endless War.
Likewise, because of matters related to affiliated nation, war on this land had never ceased throughout its long history.
Many years ago, Bullet was born upon this land ravaged by flames of war.
As a war orphan, Bullet’s father had already died on the front lines, while his mother abandoned him among the ruins shortly after giving birth to him.
Bullet’s fate changed from that moment onward.
His life did not end there. Instead, he was taken in by the army of one of the nations participating in the war.
Of course, the army did not adopt these orphans out of charity. They were cultivating war machines for themselves.
War was fought with economics and population. After prolonged warfare, experienced veterans had become precious strategic resources that could not be casually expended.
Thus, they searched for orphans and trained them into child soldiers.
After simple brainwashing and training, they would be thrown onto the battlefield as cannon fodder, carrying out suicidal tasks such as stepping on landmines or drawing enemy fire.
Within the army, these child soldiers were collectively referred to as “Bullets,” and Bullet’s name itself originated from that codename.
“Bullet! What are you still standing around for?! Don’t you want your medal anymore?!”
That voice rang out beside his ears once again. It belonged to the supreme commander of the Bullet Unit—Douglas Gray, the source of Bullet’s surname.
“No… this all ended long ago… this… is fake!”
Gray’s voice did not affect Bullet in the slightest. Without any hesitation, Bullet punched straight toward Gray’s head.
There was no agonized scream, no spraying blood. Gray’s figure scattered like clouds before reforming at the side once more.
But the environment around Bullet had already changed yet again. He had returned to the arena on Fishman Island.
“A dream, huh? You winged b*stard… you made me remember some very unpleasant things…”
“Your awareness is quite sharp, but this is not the end. It’s only just beginning, Kirin Nightmare!”
As Alber’s words fell, countless creatures woven together from nightmares seemed to manifest beside Bullet.
Their clothing was extremely similar to Bullet’s, practically the same military uniform. One of the figures even wore a general’s cloak, directing those soldiers to launch an assault against Bullet.
Alber had no interest in warning his opponent before making a move. All he sought was victory—the result itself, regardless of the methods used.
Thus, the moment he stepped onto the arena and prepared to battle Bullet, Alber had already activated his Devil Fruit ability.
Without understanding the nature of Alber’s Devil Fruit ability, Bullet had fallen under Alber’s hypnosis.
Even though he awakened from the dream in time, the creatures from within that dream had already arrived at his side through Alber’s Devil Fruit ability.
Although Bullet believed in the creed of “strength in solitude,” deep within his heart he still had his own fragile points. Through the Kirin’s hypnotic powers, those placed under hypnosis would always expose their deepest weaknesses, or the things they are most unwilling to face.
The expressions of those nightmare monsters were twisted, their faces impossible to see clearly, but in Bullet’s eyes, every one of them was a former comrade.
And toward those people…
Bullet showed not the slightest mercy, swinging his fists without hesitation.
But the nightmare monsters raised strangely shaped shields.
Although the shields were shattered by Bullet as well, the moment those medal-shaped shields broke apart, Bullet’s expression became even uglier.
Those medals held special meaning to Bullet. Back then, many of those child soldiers had been willing to throw away their lives for a single cold medal.
That was the result of the military’s indoctrination. For Bullet, who had grown up amidst gunfire and smoke with only firearms and ammunition as companions, that medal represented the acknowledgement and glory he desired most deep in his heart.
And it was also because of that medal that Bullet had been betrayed by the comrades beside him.
Even though Bullet ultimately killed the traitor and reclaimed the medal that should have belonged to him, from that day onward he completely lost all trust in the concept of comrades.
As the nightmare monsters continued to be smashed apart and reformed, Bullet finally stopped this meaningless battle and shifted his gaze toward Alber.
Killing countless soldiers was not as direct as killing the enemy commander. This was a lesson he had learned on the battlefield.
Without question, Alber was the general of these nightmare soldiers.
“Disgusting tricks. You’ll regret using this kind of ability to fight me… Exploding Bullet!”
Haki condensed at the front of his fist. The invisible Haki continuously flowed and rotated, nearly forming a special bullet.
Boom!
With a sudden bang, Bullet vanished from where he stood, his fist wrapped in an aura of hatred as it smashed toward Alber.
But what greeted Bullet was only the blazing flames burning behind Alber.
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