Chapter 8

"Second Master!"

"Boss is dead!"

The terrified cries echoed through the bandits' compound, sending shivers down the spines of those still standing. Normally, their leader—the King of Bandits—held supreme authority, instilling both fear and loyalty. But now, even he had been slain, and that shattered their sense of security.

Panic exploded among them.

Just then, a towering figure emerged from the shadows. His face was twisted with fury, a long, jagged scar running diagonally across his cheek. His scruffy beard barely concealed the menace in his expression. His chest, left bare beneath a tattered cloak, bore two thick scars crossing over his abdomen—marks of past battles.

He gripped a massive kanabō, its steel-studded head glinting under the moonlight, still stained with the dried blood of past victims. His eyes, sharp and filled with madness, swept across the trembling crowd.

"Shut up!"

His roar slammed into the bandits like a tidal wave, instantly silencing their fear-driven chaos.

"Someone tell me what the hell happened!"

But no one had an answer. Most had been jolted awake by the stench of blood and the sight of corpses littering the ground. No one had even seen the attacker.

The scarred man narrowed his eyes and scanned the area.

He wasn't a fool. He knew their gang had made plenty of enemies—after all, they thrived on pillaging, slaughtering, and terrorizing villages. Retribution was always a possibility.

But what unsettled him was the way it happened.

Their leader—the Thief King—was an elite marksman, wielding a sniper rifle capable of holding off an entire army. And yet, he had been eliminated without firing a single shot.

That meant the attacker was either faster than a bullet or had Haki strong enough to predict every move.

The realization made his grip on the kanabō tighten.

This wasn't an ordinary enemy.

A heavy silence hung in the air. Then, with a snarl, the scarred man slammed his kanabō into the ground, causing the dirt to crack beneath its weight.

"Show yourself, coward!"

Meanwhile…

In the darkness, Dongze remained hidden, watching the unfolding chaos. He held a sleek, high-powered sniper rifle in his hands—the very weapon that had once belonged to the Thief King.

This rifle wasn't standard pirate weaponry. It was military-grade, precise, and deadly.

The Thief King had been more than just a gang leader—he was a true sniper. That explained how he controlled over a hundred ruthless bandits. The mere presence of his rifle had kept them in line.

Now, Dongze held that power.

He adjusted his stance, steadying the rifle with an almost unnatural calm.

His Observation Haki—the Heart Net—had awakened, allowing him to perceive the bandits not just with his eyes, but through their very presence. Their heartbeats, their fear, their movement—everything appeared in his mind's eye.

Then, he pulled the trigger.

Boom!

A gunshot shattered the night.

A bandit's head snapped back as he collapsed in a lifeless heap.

Screams erupted.

"Who's shooting?!"

"We're under attack!"

"Run! He's picking us off!"

Panic turned to chaos.

The bandits scrambled like headless chickens, their discipline collapsing. Dongze remained motionless, his finger steady on the trigger. Boom! Another one down. Boom! Another.

His bullets never missed. His Haki guided every shot.

An invisible predator. An unseen hunter.

"ENOUGH!"

The Second-in-Command roared, his voice like a thunderclap.

His remaining men flinched, barely able to hold their ground.

"WHOEVER YOU ARE, SHOW YOURSELF!"

The response? Another gunshot.

A bandit beside him collapsed, a hole punched clean through his skull.

The scarred man's lips curled into a snarl. Then, he grinned.

"So that's how it is…"

Then, something changed.

A low growl rumbled from his throat as his muscles bulged. His veins pulsed with unnatural energy. His cloak tore apart as dark fur sprouted across his arms. The sound of shifting bones cracked through the air.

His form twisted. His presence grew heavier.

Dongze narrowed his eyes. "Zoan-type… a Devil Fruit user."

The Gorilla-Gorilla Fruit: Western Model.

Where the man once stood, now loomed a massive, black-furred gorilla.

The towering beast locked onto Dongze's position.

Then, with a monstrous leap, he launched himself forward—shattering the ground beneath him.

Dongze's grip on his katana tightened.

This wasn't just another bandit.

This… was a real fight.