One Piece: Star Sea Legend

Chapter 14: Tears and Demons

“Blood?”

Morgan reached up and touched his nose, which had been crushed and deformed by Qin Ming’s kick. His hand was covered in blood, the bright red color making his eyes widen in fury. He roared at Qin Ming, “You insignificant brat! How dare you injure me!”

“Did you see that? The captain was injured by that guy!”

“I never expected the captain to be at a disadvantage.”

The Marines watching from a distance exchanged uneasy glances, their faces filled with disbelief.

“Injuring you isn’t something to be proud of. I don’t feel any pride in it.”

Qin Ming panted heavily, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He forced himself to ignore the dizziness in his head and spoke to the enraged Morgan.

His words were blunt, but they were the truth. If Qin Ming had felt proud after injuring Morgan, how would he face enemies far stronger than Morgan in the future?

After Qin Ming’s intense movements, the wound on his back had become a bloody mess. Not only had the bleeding not stopped, but the injury had also worsened.

This was expected. Qin Ming had fought the Marines without treating his wound, and now, facing Morgan, he was struggling even more.

Although Morgan, as a Marine captain, might have been overrated in terms of strength, he was still far stronger than the average Marine grunt.

“If this keeps up, I might really die here.”

The moment this thought crossed his mind, Qin Ming felt a wave of panic he had never experienced before—a primal fear of death, inherent to all humans.

“Leave a few men to guard the pirate hunter. The rest of you, attack together! I swear I won’t rest until I chop this brat who keeps defying my authority into pieces!”

Morgan’s bloodshot eyes were filled with murderous intent as he barked orders at the surrounding Marines.

“How shameless! Knowing you’re no match, you resort to such despicable tactics. If you were a real man, you’d finish this duel one-on-one!”

Zoro, tied to the post, wished he could cut Morgan down himself. He could see that Qin Ming was in bad shape and knew Morgan had noticed it too, which was why he ordered the Marines to gang up on Qin Ming. Such underhanded methods disgusted Zoro.

Beside Zoro, Koby’s chubby body trembled slightly. His fists clenched, and his face showed a hint of confusion. “Is this the Marine justice I’ve always admired? Is this what I aspired to join?”

“Keep howling all you want, Roronoa Zoro! Once I kill this brat, I’ll execute you next! Only trash like you, drifting at sea, would believe in something as naive as a fair duel!”

Morgan glanced at Zoro and let out a cold laugh.

“What did you say?”

Zoro’s expression darkened, his eyes turning icy cold. His gaze was like that of a ferocious beast locking onto its prey, sending chills down the spines of those who saw it.

Morgan met Zoro’s gaze and immediately felt a cold shiver run through his body. “What a terrifying look. No wonder he’s called the Demon Hunter. But under my authority, even a beast like you will bow like a sheep, ready for slaughter.”

“No need to waste words on someone like him! A man corrupted by power has no honor left. How could someone like him have the courage to fight fair? I never expected him to fight me honestly. This outcome doesn’t surprise me at all.”

As Qin Ming spoke, the unease in his heart lessened. He suddenly laughed, looking at the Marines and Morgan slowly closing in on him. He shouted, “You think you can take my life? Do you know why I’ve been training so hard this past month? Do you think I set out to sea on a whim? Do you think I’ll die so easily? You think you’re worthy of killing me?”

Each of his five questions grew louder, and the aura radiating from Qin Ming grew stronger with each word, stunning the Marines into silence.

“You’re still talking tough even at death’s door? What are you all standing around for? Attack!”

Morgan, snapping out of his daze, immediately barked orders at the Marines. He was furious. Qin Ming, who seemed severely injured, had momentarily intimidated him with sheer presence alone.

This was unacceptable to Morgan, who prided himself on being an elite Marine. How could a nameless, insignificant brat make him feel fear, even for a moment?

“Ahhh!!!”

Qin Ming’s roar seemed to dispel much of the fear in his heart. He focused all his energy, gathering every ounce of strength he had left, and charged at the Marines.

At that moment, Qin Ming realized that when he decided to set sail with Luffy, he had signed up for countless dangers. If he couldn’t overcome his fear of death, he would be doomed.

So Qin Ming steeled his heart, deciding to stop overthinking and give it his all.

Since joining Luffy’s crew, Qin Ming had always believed that while he might face some dangers, he would never be in mortal peril. After all, Luffy and Zoro were reliable allies who would help him if he were in trouble.

But now, with Luffy nowhere to be seen and Zoro unable to fight, Qin Ming had to rely on himself. For the first time, he realized that if he didn’t push himself, if he didn’t fight with everything he had, he would die.

This was the first time since joining the Straw Hat Pirates that Qin Ming had faced such a dire situation—one where a single misstep could mean death.

For the first time in his life, he felt the breath of death so close.

“If I retreat here, my adventure, my journey at sea, will end right here.”

“Since I can’t run, I’ll have to fight.”

Qin Ming knew that if he turned and fled without hesitation, he might survive. But if he did, Morgan would order the Marines to execute Zoro, rendering all his efforts meaningless.

Moreover, if Qin Ming chose to run, it would be no different from abandoning his comrades in their time of need.

To fear death so much that he would leave his comrades in danger—such behavior was despicable!

Qin Ming never considered himself a noble person. Even now, facing the call of death, his heart was filled with anxiety.

But if he chose to abandon his comrades here to save himself, even if Zoro somehow survived, how could he face Luffy and the others afterwards? How could he call himself a member of the Straw Hat Pirates?

If Zoro hadn’t been tied up and could fight normally, Qin Ming might have actually run. After all, Zoro could handle himself, and Qin Ming could find a place to recover.

But now, Zoro was tightly bound to that damned post. To put it bluntly, even a weakling could kill him in this state. How could Qin Ming abandon him now?

“Most importantly, where the hell is Luffy?”

But Qin Ming didn’t have time to think about that. He dashed into the crowd of Marines, throwing punches with all his strength, aiming to take down each Marine with a single blow.

“He’s gone mad!”

A Marine holding a sword was so terrified by Qin Ming’s fearless ferocity that his legs went weak. He barely managed to shout before Qin Ming’s fist slammed into his face, sending him flying into several Marines behind him.

“I’ve already prepared to die here. If you want to take my head, you’d better be ready to be sent flying!”

Qin Ming, having snatched the Marine’s sword, swung it fiercely at Morgan.

Clang!

Morgan swung the giant axe embedded in his right arm, shattering Qin Ming’s sword. Seeing the cold, sharp glint in Qin Ming’s eyes, Morgan involuntarily took a step back. “Why are you still standing? Why won’t you fall?”

Morgan raised his axe and swung it down at Qin Ming with all his might.

Boom!

Morgan’s axe struck the ground like a thousand-pound boulder, splitting the earth.

Qin Ming leaped into the air, barely dodging the axe, and then slammed his fist into Morgan’s right cheek. “I bet my life to set sail! Someone like you, who only relies on authority, could never defeat me!”

Bang!

Morgan was sent flying, several yellow teeth flying out of his mouth. He crashed to the ground like a cannonball, sending up a cloud of dust.

“Betting his life?”

Koby stared at Qin Ming’s back, remembering how Luffy had once said something similar—that he would bet his life to become the Pirate King.

“So, he’s like Luffy. No wonder he’s Luffy’s companion.”

Koby muttered to himself, his words overheard by Zoro, who was tied to the post.

“Too bad he’s not a swordsman! But it’s also good that he’s not a swordsman!”

Zoro glanced at Qin Ming and suddenly said something cryptic.

“The captain was… sent flying by him!”

“What a terrifying man. He looks like he’s on the verge of death, yet he still has such strength.”

The surrounding Marines, seeing Qin Ming swaying and on the verge of collapse, didn’t dare approach. Instead, they took three steps back.

“What are you doing? Without my orders, you dare retreat?”

As the Marines stepped back, a deep, gloomy voice rang out.

Morgan, half-kneeling on the ground, spat out a few mouthfuls of blood and slowly stood up. He walked towards Qin Ming, his face covered in blood, making him look even more menacing. “I admit, that punch of yours hurt. But this is where it ends. In this world, the strong always prevail!”

The Marines, seeing Morgan stand after taking such a heavy blow, didn’t cheer. Instead, their faces turned grim.

“In that case, I’ll give you another punch. That way, you’ll understand who the real loser is.”

Qin Ming grinned, swaying as he panted heavily. He was at his limit.

“Shut up!”

Morgan’s eyes bulged, veins popping on his forehead. He raised the giant axe embedded in his right arm and swung it down at Qin Ming.

At that moment, a figure rushed over and tackled Qin Ming to the ground, saving him from the axe.

Morgan’s axe struck empty air. He saw a girl with short orange hair lying next to Qin Ming and sneered. “You again? You should’ve stayed hidden. Now you’ve come out to die.”

Nami ignored Morgan. Seeing Qin Ming seemingly unconscious, she slapped him several times. “Wake up!”

Slap! Slap! Slap!

“Who’s hitting me? And why the face? Are they jealous of my good looks?”

Qin Ming quickly regained consciousness, feeling dizzy and his face burning. Before he opened his eyes, he caught a faintly familiar scent.

“Nami? Is that you? Why did you come here?”

“Idiot! Why did you push yourself so hard? Don’t you know I was worried about you?”

Seeing Qin Ming still dazed, Nami raised her hand to slap him again.

Hearing Nami’s words, Qin Ming’s heart skipped a beat. Somehow, his strength returned, and the pain in his back lessened. He opened his eyes just as Nami’s hand came down.

“Damn, not again! If you keep hitting me, I’ll really turn into a pig!”

Qin Ming caught Nami’s wrist, feeling the smooth, soft skin like polished jade.

“Huh? Her skin is so nice…”

Qin Ming saw Nami biting her lip, staring at him with tears welling up in her bright eyes.

A single tear rolled down her smooth cheek and landed on Qin Ming’s face.

The tear felt warm, or maybe cold—Qin Ming couldn’t tell. But one thing was certain: seeing Nami’s tears made his heart ache, yet also filled him with warmth.

Qin Ming naturally reached up to wipe the tears from Nami’s eyes. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Morgan raising his axe, ready to strike both of them.

“Damn it! Just when I’m enjoying this moment, you have to ruin it. If I don’t beat you now, I’m not human!”

Qin Ming quickly pushed Nami aside, but this left him no time to dodge Morgan’s axe.

Just as the axe was about to strike Qin Ming, it suddenly stopped.

“He… he caught the captain’s axe with his feet!”

The nearby Marines were stunned, seeing Qin Ming lying on the ground, his feet tightly gripping Morgan’s axe, rendering him immobile.

Even Zoro’s jaw dropped as he stared at Qin Ming, momentarily speechless.

Nami, who had thought Qin Ming was done for, nearly had a heart attack when Morgan swung his axe.

“Get lost!”

Qin Ming, using his feet, flung Morgan’s axe to the side, sending Morgan flying.

Once again, Morgan crashed to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.