The Terror of the Pirates

The book contained information on hundreds of pirates.

Among them, the ones that deserved Alex's special attention were the eight great pirates with bounties exceeding 30 million dollars.

The captain of the Pointed Bull Pirates, Kazit, an Animal Fruit user, and Lafayette, known as the [Devil's Sheriff], were among them.

Kazit had frequented Mad Hatter Town often, so Sunny had recorded extensive information about him.

In contrast, Lafayette rarely visited Mad Hatter Town, so the details about him were scarce—only a few lines describing his name and bounty.

Alex guessed that the information about Lafayette had likely been gathered by Sunny through newspapers.

What surprised Alex more, however, was the only female pirate among the eight great pirates.

With a bounty of 38 million dollars, she was known as the [Teenage Boy Killer]: Nuttman Abbey.

What did a bounty of 38 million dollars signify?

In the Grand Line, it might not be remarkable, but in the West Sea, it was a different story.

To put it into perspective, the average bounty for pirates in the East Sea was only around 3 million dollars.

That alone spoke volumes.

As for Nuttman Abbey's information, Sunny hadn't recorded much.

In terms of physical features, it was limited to a few words: fair skin, beautiful, and lips as red as fire.

Her abilities were described with a focus on her foil sword.

A foil, a type of slender, lightweight sword in the Western style, was designed primarily for thrusting.

Alex's eyes skimmed over the tall woman's fiery red lips, her flat, toned stomach, and the Western sword at her waist.

Combined with the gradually quieting atmosphere in the tavern, Alex was almost certain that the woman who had drawn everyone's attention upon entering was none other than Nuttman Abbey.

In the world of pirates, bounties represented stature and strength.

The higher the bounty, the greater the reputation and prestige.

This was why pirates like Abbey and Lafayette attracted such attention when they walked into a tavern—they were like stars commanding the spotlight.

Of course, if they were in the Grand Line, they wouldn't receive such treatment in the face of a new hierarchy of power.

Abbey's entrance had silenced the tavern.

The pirates who had been drinking and chatting moments earlier stopped what they were doing and stared at her.

Her long, coiled hair.

Her snow-white skin.

Her peach-blossom face.

Her tall, curvaceous figure.

And her bounty of 38 million dollars—all of it stirred their nerves.

"The perfect woman!" the pirates, with their limited perspectives, thought in unison.

Alex was also observing Abbey.

His gaze, which had initially settled on the foil sword at her waist, shifted slightly upward to her exposed, flat stomach.

There were no visible muscles, nor any signs of weathering from the elements.

Yet, with such a high bounty, she couldn't possibly be weak.

Alex pondered silently.

There was one thing he didn't quite understand.

How could some female powerhouses in this world maintain such smooth, unblemished skin despite long voyages?

Moreover, despite their slim, toned figures, they could unleash strength comparable to that of muscular men.

If it weren't for the existence of one of the Four Emperors, Big Mom, Alex might have been tempted to delve into the unique physiology of women in this world.

Abbey seemed to relish the attention.

She didn't linger at the entrance for long, striding confidently toward the largest table in the tavern as if no one else existed.

She was followed by a dozen burly men and the pure white skunk she cradled in her arms.

The group of drinkers seated at the largest table quickly rose and vacated their seats as Abbey approached.

The waiters, keenly observant, rushed over to clear the table.

By the time Abbey had crossed the short distance of a dozen meters, a clean and spacious table was ready.

Abbey and her crew sat down as if it were their rightful place, ordering food and drinks without delay.

The pirates who had surrendered their seats retreated silently into the background.

In the corner, Alex averted his gaze.

He had dared to observe Abbey for so long only because everyone else in the tavern was doing the same.

"What presence," Alex muttered to himself.

Wolf Rat, sitting beside him, glanced over and whispered, "Of course. She's Nuttman Abbey. In terms of strength, she's among the top pirates in the West Sea, but in terms of popularity, she's undoubtedly number one. Don't let her looks fool you—she doesn't hesitate to kill."

"I can see that," Alex replied, nodding.

He noticed the reactions of the pirates at the neighboring tables—their eyes were practically glued to her.

"And you know she has the title 'Teenage Boy Killer,' right?" Wolf Rat leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"I've heard of it."

"Do you know how she got that title?"

Alex shook his head.

Wolf Rat smirked mischievously. "Because Abbey has a particular fondness for handsome young men. Sometimes, if she takes a liking to one, she'll take him captive and bring him back to her ship. After that, well... you know."

He gave Alex a look that all men would understand.

But then his tone turned grave, his expression shifting as quickly as a Sichuan opera face-changer.

"But here's the thing—those young men are always found dead the next day, their bodies ravaged and lifeless. That's where the title 'Teenage Boy Killer' really comes from."

"That brutal?" Alex was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected such dark tendencies beneath Abbey's beauty.

"Absolutely. How do you think she earned such a high bounty? Pirates like her are ruthless. Pillaging and burning are just part of the job."

As Wolf Rat spoke, a faint coldness flickered in his eyes.

Alex fell silent, tacitly acknowledging Wolf Rat's words.

"Crap," Wolf Rat suddenly muttered, his face paling.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked, puzzled.

After their brief conversation, Alex had found Wolf Rat to be an interesting character.

Wolf Rat whispered nervously, "I was so caught up in talking to you that I didn't realize I might be in danger."

He hurriedly pulled out a small mirror and examined his reflection.

Looking at his handsome, radiant face, Wolf Rat grew even more anxious.

He didn't want to miss the chance to deepen his connection with Alex because of Abbey's notorious preferences.

"Danger?" Alex was confused at first, but then it dawned on him. He looked at Wolf Rat, who was still fussing over his reflection.

"Wolf Rat, are you serious?"

"Of course," Wolf Rat replied, hastily putting the mirror away.

Before he could finish, a voice interrupted him.

"You there, in the corner. Come here."

It was Abbey's voice.

Hearing it, Wolf Rat's face fell.

He took a deep breath, then shot Alex a resigned look, as if mentally preparing himself.

Turning around, Wolf Rat met Abbey's gaze.

Sure enough, she had noticed him.

It's all my fault, Wolf Rat thought bitterly. Why did I spend an hour grooming myself? Now I've missed the chance to bond with Alex.

With a heavy heart, Wolf Rat walked toward Abbey's table.

"Hey, you," Abbey said, frowning slightly as she pointed at Wolf Rat.

Wolf Rat nodded nervously.

"Yes, you. Get out of the way!"

"Huh?"

Wolf Rat froze.

Under Abbey's increasingly stern gaze, he stiffly stepped aside, revealing Alex sitting behind him.

Abbey's eyes landed on Alex, and a glimmer of interest sparked within them.

Perhaps it was the contrast with the rough faces around her, but she found Alex's delicate features particularly appealing.

Unable to wait, Abbey suddenly stood and walked toward Alex.

The surrounding pirates turned their attention to Alex, their gazes a mix of envy and pity.

Feeling Abbey's gaze, Alex cursed under his breath.

What now?

As her footsteps drew closer, Alex quickly formulated an escape plan.

Boom!

Suddenly, the tavern doors burst open.

A group of people stormed in, led by none other than Kazit, the man with the spiked helmet.