Chapter 44: Revenge Against Kelo!

The once-bustling banquet instantly fell silent.

Everyone stared blankly at Kelo, then at Gao Wen, before finally realizing what had happened.

“Hey, Kelo, we—!”

Before Fatty could finish, Jin immediately grabbed him and held him back.

A crew member challenging the captain is perfectly normal in a pirate crew, especially for someone like Kelo, who once commanded everything himself.

Those who had realized the situation all turned their gazes toward Gao Wen.

“Fine.”

Gao Wen smiled faintly, slowly picking up the Kanze Masamune beside him, and said:

“I’ll satisfy you.”

“Hmph.”

Kelo curled his lips:

“That same arrogance still grates on me—I’ll see if you’re still smiling after you lose.”

“By the way.”

Kelo smirked:

“Don’t cry like a baby when you lose, okay~?”

Gao Wen paused, then remembered his own words from last time, and sighed:

“Vindictive bastard!”

…

The crowd quickly cleared a space for Gao Wen and Kelo.

Food and wine had been removed; only the central bonfire still blazed, mirroring Kelo’s rising battle fervor.

Waves of heat swept through.

The two stood facing each other, silent, silently drawing their weapons, their vision fixed solely on the opponent before them.

An inexplicable aura of lethal intent gathered in the air.

Catman Sam’s forehead glistened with sweat; uneasily, he pulled Fatty back another step.

Zang Gao followed suit, retreating as well, standing shoulder to shoulder with them.

“Zang Gao, Fatty, who do you think will win this time?”

Fatty didn’t hesitate:

“Of course the captain.”

“Last time, Kelo got completely smashed by the captain—no resistance at all.”

“That’s true.”

Sam nodded.

Beside them, Zang Gao looked at Kelo, his brow slightly furrowed:

“I’m not so sure.”

“How could that be?!”

Sam blinked:

“With the captain’s strength, how could he possibly lose? Even if Kelo has grown stronger recently, it must be limited, right?”

“Besides, comrades who were at Crow Harbor said the captain even suppressed that Devil Fruit user—his power is nothing short of monstrous.”

Zang Gao spun his ring-blade dagger between his fingers, his gaze toward Kelo filled with palpable awe:

“Jin just said Kelo awakened a power called Observation Haki during his fight with him—it greatly enhances perception, allowing him to fully control Shao Si, even pushing its speed to new heights.”

“At that speed, combined with agility, even the captain’s monstrous strength might not be enough to avoid defeat.”

The cat brothers fell silent. If they had a choice, they’d naturally rather follow Gao Wen.

After all, everyone knew what life was like under Gao Wen versus what it was like under Kelo.

Who would want a captain who’s moody and willing to sacrifice his own crew?

“Captain, don’t lose!”

They silently prayed.

Most of the crew shared the same thoughts as the cat brothers.

Kelo observed everyone’s reactions, then said to Gao Wen:

“You’re a popular captain—but unfortunately, I’m the one who’ll win tonight!”

His words ended.

Kelo struck first, his feet stomping hard, shattering the stone slabs beneath him, using the recoil to instantly enter Shao Si mode.

In his high-speed state:

The world twisted and warped, sounds blurred into chaos, even his skin stung—that was the pain of skin colliding with air at extreme velocity.

His five senses overwhelmed, Kelo shut his eyes and fully activated his Observation Haki; every detail around him became crystal clear in his mind.

His piercing aura made Gao Wen’s presence utterly impossible to ignore!

“Gao Wen!”

“I see you!”

“The final barrier that once restrained Shao Si has been completely shattered—my speed will reach even greater heights!”

“Is that so?”

Gao Wen replied indifferently, his expression unchanged, though internally he began to wrestle with a dilemma:

How much force should he use to win without crushing Kelo’s spirit?

Screw it—let’s test him.

In the next instant:

Gao Wen’s Kanze Masamune shot forward, clashing against Kelo’s crossed claw-blades…

CLANG!

The blades collided with a piercing ring; onlookers instinctively covered their ears.

Kelo felt a colossal force surge through his claw-blades; his ten fingers cracked audibly.

His body was flung backward, smashing through a distant wooden building.

BOOM!

After the thunderous explosion, everyone finally reacted, staring at Gao Wen in stunned silence.

“No way.”

“Was the captain always this strong?”

Zang Gao’s jaw hung open.

Gao Wen had previously been able to block Kelo’s Shao Si.

But casually launching Kelo into the air like this? That was an entirely different level.

Kelo had grown stronger—but so had Gao Wen, and far faster.

Realizing this, Zang Gao felt something strange stir within him.

As the gap between himself and Gao Wen widened, his ability to help them would shrink—until one day he’d become worthless, a burden rather than an asset…

Wait.

So was Crow Harbor the captain’s escape route for us?

Even if we can’t follow him to the Grand Line, we can still live peacefully in the East Blue without having to fight other pirates just to survive?

Understanding this, Zang Gao felt something indescribable rise in his chest. He turned to the cat brothers:

“Hey, Fatty, Sam.”

The cat brothers turned to look at him:

“Huh?”

Zang Gao removed his star-shaped sunglasses, rubbed his eyes, then put them back on.

The flames flickered.

The cat brothers couldn’t read his expression.

But they heard his voice, firm and clear:

“I just realized—Crow Harbor is the escape route the captain left for us ordinary crewmates.”

“Even if one day we can’t keep up with him, we can still live safely here.”

“No matter the outcome of this fight, I’m standing with Captain Gao Wen. What about you?”

They exchanged glances, then grinned simultaneously:

“Of course.”

“Captain Gao Wen is different!”

…

Nearby,

Jin silently observed the three’s reactions, a faint smile tugging at his lips:

“So that’s it.”

“Kelo.”

“You’ve already lost—even before this fight truly began.”

"Regardless of the outcome, this is Mr. Gao Wen's Pirate Crew."

(End of Chapter)