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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Five: Confrontation
The air was cold, and snowflakes descended from the distant clouds, swept down by the biting wind, landing on the surface of the sea, quickly melting away.
Not far off, beneath the heavy clouds, lay an island.
The island was blanketed in white snow, featuring towering peaks, the highest of which reached a staggering five thousand meters.
"Is that Drum Island?"
Elken stood at the edge of the ship, dressed in a thick coat, gazing into the distance.
"Aren't you the one who claims not to be afraid of the cold? Why did you put on your coat as soon as you turned around?" Christmas, with a long spear strapped to his waist, chuckled.
"Mind your own business," Elken replied curtly. Then he added, "Aren't you supposed to be staying behind for this mission? Why are you here?"
"Heckler is going, so how could I possibly stay behind?"
Christmas glanced over at Heckler, who was standing with Bola, both of them staring intently at the distant island.
"I never expected we would actually establish a nation on Drum Island," Elken said. "But it’s too cold; this place is hardly ideal."
"Tell me about it. Without gloves, I can't hold my gun properly; with gloves on, it's difficult to maneuver," Christmas waved his right hand in frustration.
"But there are only four of us here."
Elken looked around and said, "The president originally planned to bring three people, but it seems he didn't take it to heart."
Christmas shrank back and said, "I regret sneaking out; I might as well have stayed at the casino."
"Everyone, pay attention, we're almost there."
At that moment, a voice rang out from afar as four warships approached the coast of Drum Island.
"Who are you?"
As they drew closer, figures suddenly appeared on the coast, holding rifles aimed at the four warships.
"Is there a security force?"
Bola stood there, looking somewhat surprised. Then he waved his hand and said, "Stop the ships, dock them, agents take control of the cannon."
The four warships came to a halt at the coast, and Bola, Elken, Christmas, and Heckler boarded one of the ships.
"Who exactly are you?"
A towering figure stepped out from behind the crowd, tall and carrying a peculiar blade on his back.
"Are you subordinates of Wapol?" Bola asked coldly as he looked at the man.
"Wapol? No."
The man stared at Bola and said, "Wapol abandoned his own people and fled to the sea."
"He escaped?"
Bola asked in surprise, "Then who is ruling this country now?"
"No one."
The man shook his head. "After Wapol left, the country lost its identity."
"However, Captain Dalton is currently leading us to rebuild Drum Kingdom," a militia member shouted.
"Dalton?" Bola looked at the man in the distance with some surprise, not expecting him to be out now.
She had told herself that Dalton should be imprisoned in the castle and that he was very important.
Dalton coldly replied, "I am only temporarily leading everyone. Next, we plan to elect a suitable person to be called king. Tell me your identities and why you have come to this country."
Bola smiled and said, "My name is Bola, and I am the Queen of Windless Zone Volcano Kingdom. After my country was destroyed, I came to the Grand Line. I heard there was a country called Drum Kingdom where the people are oppressed, so I came to save you and restore the glory of Volcano Kingdom here."
"What?"
Hearing this, the people around were somewhat astonished, while Dalton frowned and asked, "Volcano Kingdom? Are you saying that you want to occupy our country and establish a new nation on this land?"
"Exactly."
"Bola" nodded and said, "I have been searching for a suitable country, and I finally learned that this country is ruled by 'Wapol,' which is why I came here."
"Dalton" gently replied, "But 'Wapol' has already left."
"But you still don't have a king."
"Dalton" smiled and said, "And I can lead you to greatness."
"What a joke! How could we possibly let you become king?"
"'Wapol' was just driven out; how could we sell our country to you?" shouted the surrounding "Militia."
"What if we refuse?" "Dalton" squinted at "Bola."
"Bola" shrugged and said, "Then we can only go to war. We have been drifting on the 'Surface of the Sea' for too long; we cannot hold on any longer. We must find a country to restore our homeland, and we are willing to pay any price to achieve this goal."
"Fight?"
The surrounding "Militia" gripped their guns tightly and shouted, "We will not let anyone take this country away from us. Give it up."
"Get out of this country now!" one "Militia" member cursed loudly, raising his gun and aiming at "Bola."
"Bang."
In the next moment, a gunshot rang out, hitting the "Militia's" hand. In pain, the gun fell directly to the ground.
"Don't point your gun at our Queen," Christmas said coldly, blowing on the muzzle of his weapon.
"Didn't we tell you not to hurt them?" Bola remarked, observing the scene.
Christmas replied, "It was too cold. I meant to shoot his gun, but my hand slipped."
Bola felt a bit helpless upon hearing this, but Christmas's shot had already enraged the Militia.
"How dare you fire a weapon?"
"And you've injured our people."
The surrounding Militia were furious, raising their firearms. A burly man gripped his weapon tightly and asked, "Are you really ready to fight?"
"You aimed your guns at me first," Bola said coldly. "Put down your weapons, or I'll have no choice but to attack."
"You can certainly try."
Suddenly, Dalton's body grew massive as he transformed into a giant black bull, wielding a huge circular blade and glaring intently at them.
The Militia pointed their guns at him, ready for battle at any moment.
"Is he a Devil Fruit user?"
Seeing this change, Bola thought of Dalton's information and said, "If a battle occurs, many people will die. For example, those Cannons behind you—once they fire, how many of you will survive?"
As Bola spoke, the Cannons slowly turned their barrels toward the shore.
Each of the four Battleships had four Cannons on each side aimed at the land. Once they fired, the Militia would be utterly helpless.
"Are you the ones invading our country?" Dalton shouted.
"Don't put it so harshly. I have a proposal; I wonder if you would consider it," Bola replied, looking at them.
Dalton asked, "What proposal?"
Bola smiled and said, "It's simple. You send out four people, and we send out four people to fight in pairs. If you can win even one match, we will leave. But if you can't win a single match, then you must hand over this country to us, and you will assist us in governing it. How does that sound?"
Hearing this, the crowd was somewhat tempted.
"What do you think?"
Dalton hesitated for a moment, glancing back before he couldn't help but ask.
"This method isn't bad; the opponent has Cannons, and our casualties in battle would be too great."
"As long as they win one match, they win."
The surrounding Militia were swayed somewhat, but Dalton said, "But if they lose, we would have to let them into this country."
"They are not, Captain Dalton can also participate in governing this country."
"Who knows if the agreement will be honored?" someone opposed.
Dalton said, "But we have no other choice. Perhaps only I have sufficient combat power."
"What's the matter, have you thought it through?" Bola yawned and asked.
Dalton replied, "I can agree to your terms, but can it be just me facing off against you?"
"You alone will fight?"
Bola raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked, "Are you saying you will face all four of us? At once?"
"That's right."
Dalton stated, "As long as I win one match, you must leave this place."
"That's not very fair to you."
Bola looked at him with some surprise, her eyes sparkling.
Dalton continued, "But I am the only one with enough combat power."
"Then let's change the way we fight," Bola said with a smile.
"What do you want to do?" Dalton asked, puzzled.
Bola replied, "It's unfair for you to fight us continuously. We don't need that kind of battle, so let's modify the rules. You will fight us, and if you get injured, our doctor will treat you. Once you recover, we can proceed to the next match. This will continue until all four matches are completed."
"This..."
Dalton and the surrounding Militia were somewhat surprised; this method was entirely in their favor, allowing Dalton to fight four times.
Dalton looked at Bola and asked, "Do you have a doctor on your ship?"
"Of course."
Bola nodded and said, "Before we came here, we heard that Wapol took all the doctors away, so we brought five doctors with us to treat the residents here."
Upon hearing this, the Militia's hostility eased a bit, and the conditions they proposed were entirely beneficial to them.
Dalton glanced at the people behind him and said, "This method is not advantageous for you; it essentially gives us four chances. However, this is our country, so I intend to agree."
"Good."
Bola looked at Dalton and said, "Then you can choose your opponent; you can even choose me."
"Let's start with the men first."
Dalton turned his gaze to Heckler and Elken and said, "I'll challenge one of them."
"I'll take it from here."
Elken jumped out and said, "Let me test your strength."
"Is it alright if I face you?" Bola looked at Dalton and asked.
"Sure."
Dalton tightened his grip on the blade in his hand and then asked, "Do you need to prepare?"
"No need."
Elken immediately replied, tossing aside his cotton coat and removing his shirt, revealing his bare chest. "Come on, let's start now."
"Heart Point, I'll give it my all."
Dalton remained in his beastman form, gripping the massive oval blade as he lunged toward Elken.
Boom.
The enormous blade swung down toward Elken, crashing through the cold wind.
Facing the massive blade, Elken's body swayed before he dodged to the right.
Having trained in boxing, he was highly agile and possessed great physical fitness. With a quick push off his toes, he swiftly moved to the right.
Bang.
Then Elken crashed heavily to the ground.
He had slipped.
Whoosh.
A massive blade came crashing down, aimed directly at Elken's body.
Dalton did not intend to kill him, but he at least wanted to leave him with some injuries.
However, as Dalton approached Elken, who was lying on the ground, Elken threw a punch.
This punch was not aimed at Dalton, but rather at the enormous oval blade of the long sword in Dalton's hand, striking it directly on one side.
Boom.
A tremendous explosion echoed as a powerful force erupted from the side of the blade, sending it flying off to one side.
"What is this?"
The sudden surge of power caught Dalton off guard, and he nearly lost his grip on the sword. He channeled energy into his arms, gripping the sword tightly as he spun around and attacked Elken once more.
Bang.
At that moment, Elken's right hand exploded again, the immense force propelling him upward.
He straightened his body, facing the incoming long blade, and two more explosions erupted beneath his feet.
Boom.
Elken leaped into the air, the blade slicing beneath him.
Dalton missed his strike and immediately swung his blade back around.
But in that instant, Elken suddenly exhaled sharply.
Boom.
A massive explosion erupted, sending a shockwave toward Dalton.
"Not good."
Dalton raised his left hand to shield himself, blocking the explosion, but the fabric of his arm was torn apart.
Meanwhile, Elken was in mid-air; another explosion erupted beneath his feet, propelling him upward once more. He then twisted his body, and with another explosion at his feet, he shot toward Dalton at high speed, throwing a punch.
Boom.
Dalton quickly raised his long blade, and Elken's fist collided with it, resulting in a powerful explosion.
"Ugh."
Dalton staggered back from the impact of immense force. Just as he felt a moment of relief, Elken landed and unleashed another punch.
Boom, boom, boom, boom.
Elken's fists transformed into a whirlwind of punches, relentlessly attacking Dalton. Each strike produced a tremendous explosion.
His punching speed was astonishing; as a boxer, he could throw over ten punches in a second, each packed with immense power—each blow weighed like a thousand pounds. Combined with the explosions, his attacks were unparalleled.
In an instant, Elken had thrown dozens of punches.
But in the next moment, a smile crept across his lips as he suddenly unleashed a series of small explosions from his elbow, accelerating the speed of his punches.
"Explosive Fist."
Boom, boom, boom, boom...
Faster punches appeared, creating countless afterimages that collided against Dalton's blade.
Dalton gripped his long knife tightly, holding firm against the onslaught. But with a loud crack, the blade shattered.
Boom.
Elken's fist struck Dalton squarely on the forehead, but the explosion did not follow.
"I lost."
Dalton stood there, dejected, his face a shade of gray.
So strong.
The opponent was not skilled in fighting on snow, yet still possessed such formidable combat power.
"Your strength is too weak; I haven't even had my fill yet."
Elken shook his head, then curled up and ran toward his clothes, shouting, "I'm freezing to death, freezing to death."
"The first round was our victory, right?" Bola asked with a cheerful smile.
"You won."
Dalton looked at them, somewhat surprised. Elken's strength was impressive; his body could generate explosive power, much stronger than his own.
He wondered about the strength of the other three. If they were similarly powerful, then he would be no match for them.
But if that were the case, he and the others would have no ability to resist at all.
Dalton thought for a moment and said, "Let's move on to the second round."
"Are you not going to take a break?" Bola asked curiously.
"I haven't exhausted too much energy."
Dalton waved his arm and said, "I can still fight another round."
Bola frowned and replied, "But your weapon is broken. Without a weapon, your combat ability will be greatly reduced."
"It doesn't matter. That person isn't carrying any weapons either; we can still fight."
Dalton looked at Heckler.
Bola nodded and said, "Then Heckler, you go ahead and fight."
"Alright." Heckler walked towards Dalton and stood in front of him.
"Come on."
Heckler took off his outer coat, revealing his martial arts uniform as he stood before Dalton.
"Focus."
Dalton bent his legs and propelled himself forward, instantly reaching Heckler and throwing a punch.
Facing Dalton's fist, Heckler raised his arm to block it.
"You're quite strong."
Heckler felt a tremendous force surge through him, his arm sinking slightly, but with determination, he firmly held Dalton's arm in place.
In the next moment, Heckler swung his right fist, aiming directly at Dalton's face.
Faced with this attack, Dalton raised his left fist to block it, successfully intercepting the blow.
Bang, bang, bang.
The two exchanged punches and kicks, engaged in a lively brawl.
Dalton had superior physical attributes; he was strong and fast, but his fighting skills were somewhat lacking.
Heckler excelled in combat techniques and was skilled enough to fend off Dalton's attacks, yet he found himself on the defensive.
"Lord Dalton is going to win!" Militia exclaimed excitedly as she watched the scene unfold.
However, from a distance, Elken chuckled and said, "He hasn't even used his ultimate technique, the Steel Fist, nor has he tapped into his Devil Fruit Ability. The fact that Heckler can hold out against him for this long shows that his strength has significantly improved."
Bola nodded in agreement. "But he needs to secure a victory quickly because his opponent's stamina and resilience far exceed his own."
Those who possessed animal-type Devil Fruit abilities gained enhanced vitality, endurance, and physical strength when transformed into Half-Orcs, especially in the Giraffe Fruit's buffalo form.
In terms of raw power, Heckler could withstand Dalton through training and technique.
But when it came to endurance and stamina, he was still lacking.
Boom.
Heckler landed a punch on Dalton's head, causing it to sway slightly. In the next moment, Dalton's fist struck Heckler's abdomen.
Bang.
Heckler staggered, but in the next instant, Dalton's fist came at him again.
Boom, boom, boom, boom.
Heckler was completely on the defensive, unable to counterattack. Even so, he still took several hits.
"We're going to win!" Militia shouted excitedly.
"This Heckler..."
Bola frowned and said coldly, "Stop playing around."
"Playing?"
Upon hearing that word, Dalton's expression changed sharply. Heckler shook his head helplessly, his right arm tensing as he threw a punch.
"Steel Fist."
Faced with this punch, Dalton didn't dare to be careless. He raised his arm to block in front of him, but as soon as they made contact, he felt an immense force surge through.
Boom.
Dalton was sent flying, crashing to the ground far away, his arm appearing as if it had been shattered.
"It’s over."
Heckler shook his head.
Dalton gritted his teeth and asked, "Are you also a Devil Fruit User?"
"I am indeed a Devil Fruit User," Heckler replied. Dalton's expression softened slightly, but Heckler continued, "However, I did not use my Devil Fruit abilities just now."
"What?"
Dalton looked at him in disbelief, astonished that someone could possess such immense power without utilizing their Devil Fruit abilities. It was truly unfathomable.
For Heckler, dealing with Dalton posed no real challenge.
His punching power had increased significantly since two years ago; shattering boulders had become relatively easy for him.
During these two years, everyone had been improving, but aside from the President of Baroque Works and R1 along with his partner, Heckler considered himself the strongest. His speed might be slightly inferior, but his strength far surpassed theirs.
And when it came to his Devil Fruit abilities, Heckler did not believe he would lose to anyone.
Even in his Half-Orc form, Dalton's strength was still quite limited.
"Check him out," Bola said, clapping his hands. Immediately, a doctor stepped forward to examine Dalton and then said, "His arm bone is fractured and needs treatment."
"Is that so?" Bola replied, looking troubled. "Bones take a long time to heal. This is going to be a problem."
Dalton straightened up, gritting his teeth. "You promised me."
"Of course, I won't go back on my word," Bola assured him. He waved his hand dismissively. "Treat him. Not just him, but also the person who was injured on the back of the hand earlier. Treat them both."
"Understood."
The doctor nodded and looked at Dalton and the injured Militia member. "Let's head to the cabin; there's a dedicated surgical room there with all the necessary equipment."
"This..." The injured Militia hesitated, but after considering their combat capabilities, Dalton sighed and said, "Let's go."
The two followed the doctor toward the Warship, while Bola turned to the remaining people and said, "As for you all, no matter what methods you use, clear out some rooms for us."
"What are you going to do?"
A frightened Militia member asked.
Bola replied irritably, "Of course, we're staying. Are we supposed to live on the ship?"
"Let them stay; we can't stop them anyway." An elder stepped forward, and the others ceased their objections.
"Heckler, you and Christmas stay behind. Elken and I will take some people into the village."
Bola issued the command and then followed the villagers into the village with his guards and two doctors.
The Militia members stared at them intently, but one couldn't help but speak up, "You brought doctors. I wonder if they could take a look at my daughter?"
"Hey, Old Joen, what are you doing?" another person scolded.
Jon said, "My daughter has had a fever for two days. I don't know when Kureha will come to our village."
"Of course," Bola nodded. "Just let the doctor go back with you."
Jon sighed in relief and asked, "How much do I need to prepare?"
"They won't charge you anything."
Bola waved his hand and then, with a glint in his eye, said, "In my country, medical treatment is free; the government takes care of it."
"Really?"
Someone from the Militia asked eagerly, but upon remembering Bola's purpose for coming, they quickly lowered their head, though they still stole glances at him.
"Of course it's true."
Bola smiled and continued, "Whether now or in the future, there will be no charges for medical treatment."
In the future, this would be his own country; free medical care was only natural and would help win people's hearts.
I am truly clever.
Bola thought proudly as he observed the villagers' changing attitudes around him.
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