Chapter 44: Ruthless Strike

"Where do you think you're going?"

Jon caught up with the four escapees and was momentarily surprised by their appearance.

Aside from the disgusting guy with the blocky face and constant runny nose, the other three looked like young boys.

"Pirates at such a young age? Why do they seem... familiar?"

The fact that these kids had joined a pirate crew so early in life surprised Jon, but he didn't feel any sympathy. For some reason, this strange quartet gave him an eerie sense of familiarity.

"That marine must be the one who created the forest. We can't fight him," Trebol muttered, showing a rare moment of caution. He had recognized Jon from the earlier branch attacks and immediately warned the others.

"The shore isn't far. If we can get to the sea, we'll be safe—he's definitely a Devil Fruit user," Vergo said.

"No good—we're Devil Fruit users too. We can't go into the sea."

A sharp, grating voice spoke—it belonged to one of the group, a boy with a golden helmet. Despite his masculine appearance, his high-pitched, genderless voice made one's scalp tingle.

The other three seemed used to Pica's voice and didn't react to it.

"I'm not a Devil Fruit user. Maybe I'll survive if I jump in. But if we fight him head-on, we don't stand a chance."

Despite their arrogance, they weren't blindly confident. Vergo knew they couldn't defeat Jon and was already thinking of ways to escape.

"Follow Vergo's lead. Stall him long enough to escape via the sea."

Trebol, being the oldest, made the decision quickly. After all, even if they could somehow defeat Jon, the marines behind him would overwhelm them.

"Diamante, Pica, Vergo—don't hold back. Give it everything you've got."

"Run!"

The four of them made a break for the shoreline.

"Moonwalk!"

Jon leapt into the sky, stepping rapidly through the air to outpace the fleeing quartet. In seconds, he landed right in front of them.

Before Jon could say anything, the four had already launched their attack.

Trebol's body oozed thick, tar-like mucus, forming a chain of sticky beads that shot toward Jon.

Jon raised an eyebrow and conjured a wooden shield in front of him. The mucus splattered harmlessly against the barrier.

A flash of cold steel gleamed—it was a long sword, but its blade stretched out like fabric, floating lightly yet speeding toward Jon with a deadly chill.

"A Devil Fruit user?"

Jon was surprised but quickly used Shave to dodge. However, the moment he moved, a small figure leapt at him, swinging a wooden club toward his head.

Simultaneously, sharp stone spikes erupted from the ground, aiming straight for Jon.

"Interesting!"

With just a few moves, Jon confirmed that at least two of them had Devil Fruit powers. The three boys—aside from the block-faced one—weren't ordinary at all.

"Tempest Kick!"

Jon's legs sliced through the air, sending out consecutive sharp slashes that shattered the stone spikes around him. He then kicked the boy attacking from above, sending him flying.

"Your teamwork isn't bad... but still too immature."

Their abilities and coordination were decent and could make a name for themselves in any of the Four Blues.

But unfortunately for them, they had run into Jon.

Jon's current strength was comparable to a supernova-level pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million beli. They had no chance against him.

Of the four, Vergo was the strongest in terms of potential, but he was only around 10 years old—how strong could he really be?

Diamante and Pica weren't much older. Even with their Devil Fruit abilities, they were only at the start of their growth. They simply couldn't pose a serious threat to Jon.

The four of them attacked Jon in unison, but it was clear they were completely outmatched. Jon was easily overwhelming them, though he didn't finish them off too quickly, finding their abilities somewhat interesting.

"Go! I'll hold him off!"

The sharp voice rang out again. Realizing they couldn't win, Pica screamed and merged into a nearby rock, transforming into a massive stone golem that swung a giant fist at Jon.

Trebol's eyes flashed, and he shouted to Vergo and Diamante: "Run!"

At this point, if they stayed, none of them would make it out alive. Since Pica was willing to sacrifice himself to buy time, the rest didn't hesitate—they immediately turned and ran.

"Trying to run?"

Jon's eyes turned cold as he saw the other three fleeing. He was about to give chase, but the stone giant that Pica had become charged at him recklessly, launching a fierce attack.

Jon frowned. Although his body was strong, he was still flesh and blood, while the stone giant's attacks were powerful enough to force him to dodge. The giant blocked his path, preventing him from pursuing the others.

"If you want to die so badly... I'll grant your wish."

Jon was slightly surprised by Pica's determination to protect his comrades, but it didn't make him hesitate. Facing the stone giant, he unleashed his strongest attack.

"Six Powers Secret Technique – Six King Gun!"

The same technique that had defeated Coleman earlier slammed into Pica's stone form. Despite his enhanced durability from his Devil Fruit power, Pica couldn't withstand the devastating blow.

After the attack, Jon didn't even spare a glance at the stunned stone giant. He immediately chased after the other three escapees.

Trebol, Vergo, and Diamante had used Pica's sacrifice to reach the coastline. But to their horror, they realized that although they had reached the sea, it was also a cliffside.

"What are you waiting for? This is our only way out!"

Vergo, seeing Trebol and Diamante hesitate, grabbed both of them and leapt off the cliff.

Trebol and Diamante screamed in fear as the three of them plummeted from the cliff, falling dozens of meters before splashing into the sea below.

Jon arrived at the cliff edge and scowled. Their decision stunned him—they had jumped into the sea without hesitation, even though some of them were Devil Fruit users.

"Was fate on their side?"

The cliff was so high that even with his abilities, it was difficult to strike them from such a distance. His control over underwater plants wasn't as strong as his control over land-based plants, and there were fewer aquatic plants to work with.

Jon sighed in frustration. He had recognized the four of them during the fight. He hadn't been sure before, but after exchanging blows, he was certain.

These four were the future executive officers of the Donquixote Family—Trebol, Vergo, Diamante, and Pica. Their Devil Fruit powers and appearances matched perfectly.

The Donquixote Pirates were true villains. Whether in the North Blue or the New World, their deeds were heinous beyond measure.

The fact that they had helped shape Doflamingo into such an evil figure spoke volumes about their cruelty and malice.

Upon recognizing them, Jon had immediately decided to eliminate them. The destruction they would cause in the future would far surpass anything Coleman's crew had done.

Unfortunately, three of them had escaped.

In a world as ruthless as this, where pirates were usually selfish, it was rare to see someone like Pica sacrifice himself to protect his comrades. It genuinely surprised Jon.

Since he couldn't catch them now, Jon decided not to dwell on it. He could deal with them another time if fate allowed.

Dragging the half-dead Pica behind him, Jon made his way back the way he came.