One Piece, I'm just an adventurer.

A-Lei's father was one of the many who perished. He was mortally wounded in a valiant fight against the pirates and ultimately collapsed in a pool of blood, never to rise again. A-Lei's gentle and kind mother became the pirates' primary target. Seeing his mother about to be taken away, young A-Lei was frantic with worry. Without hesitation, he picked up a weapon from the ground and charged towards the group of fierce and brutal pirates.

Unfortunately, A-Lei was just a child, and his strength and combat experience were far inferior to those seasoned pirates. Before long, he was battered and bruised, on the verge of death. Even so, A-Lei remained steadfastly by his mother's side, refusing to back down. But in the end, he couldn't prevent the tragedy—his mother was brutally murdered in the chaos.

Fortunately, at that critical moment, another powerful figure who was also adventuring at sea at the time—Hoshino—returned! Even more surprisingly, Hoshino had a very fruitful voyage and successfully obtained the legendary mysterious power—the Devil Fruit!

With Hoshino's powerful return and the astonishing power of his Devil Fruit as a backup, the situation instantly reversed. Hoshino charged into the battlefield like lightning, his immense strength and unpredictable abilities throwing Bea and the ferocious pirates into a panic, forcing them into a rout. Before long, these once-arrogant villains were fleeing in disarray.

However, although Hoshino successfully repelled the enemy, the entire village was devastated, with ruins and raging flames everywhere. The once peaceful and tranquil home was now a wasteland, a heartbreaking sight.

Although Bea fled when she sensed the danger, Kerry and his mother remained in Maple Leaf Village. The villagers, heartbroken from losing loved ones in the catastrophe, naturally directed all their hatred towards Kerry and his mother.

As night fell that day, a group of enraged villagers, torches in hand, stormed towards Kerry's house. In an instant, flames shot into the sky, and Kerry's house was quickly engulfed in flames. Poor Kerry and his mother were trapped in the inferno, their lives hanging by a thread.

In the end, Hoshino rescued them and sternly warned the villagers not to cause trouble for Kerry and his mother without cause.

But hatred doesn't just disappear so easily. The villagers began to ostracize Kerry and his mother, even verbally abusing and harassing them in their daily lives. In this oppressive atmosphere, Kerry's mother soon fell ill. Although Kerry kept trying to comfort her, she still passed away.

After Kerry's mother passed away, the villagers became much more reserved, no longer deliberately targeting Kerry, but they also stopped being friendly towards him. Fortunately, Hoshino took pity on him and taught him many life skills. Kerry was very strong, and while learning, he also did his best to help the villagers. Through his efforts, the villagers slowly began to accept him.

After saying this, Old An sighed deeply, as his younger brother had also died around that time.

Felina and the others looked furious after hearing this; this Bei Yatai was a complete scoundrel.

"Is this Hoshino your captain?" Lin Yi asked.

"Yes, after the captain drove away Bea, he stayed in the village to protect the admiral and led us to form a security team. Now Maple Leaf Village has armed forces and is no longer afraid of those pirates." Old An's face showed respect when he talked about the captain.

Lin Yi nodded, and then followed Lao An as they continued walking towards the village.

Along the way, Lao An kept introducing the situation of Maple Leaf Village to Lin Yi, and Lin Yi and the others listened with great interest.

When they reached the center of the village, they saw Kerry helping an old man carry heavy objects. His thin frame looked strained, but his eyes were resolute. Da Pan stepped forward to help, and Kerry looked up at him, slightly startled.

"You're pretty good," Da Pan said with a smile. Ke Li smiled shyly, didn't reply, and continued working with his head down.

Just then, a commotion arose in the distance. Everyone looked and saw an unfamiliar ship approaching the shore. The flag on board bore a menacing design—a pirate flag. "Could it be Bea returning?" someone cried out in alarm.

The villagers tensed up immediately, and the security team members grabbed their weapons and stood ready. Lin Yi and the others didn't react much, but they were somewhat amazed by the coincidences in the world. Lin Yi had been asking around about that pirate flag not long ago, and now they had encountered it today.

Kerry clenched his fist, a resolute glint in his eyes. "No matter what, I will defend the village this time."

After the ship docked, a group of pirates rushed ashore. Bea was among them, but the leader was not Bea, but a burly man who looked like he had a one-eyed dragon. "Hand over your treasure, or we'll raze this place to the ground!" the burly man roared arrogantly.

Hoshino's sharp gaze was fixed on Bailey in the crowd, and he roared angrily, "Bea, you dare to come back?"

"Heh heh, Hoshino, why wouldn't I dare come back? I'm back today to kill you." Bea said with a bloodthirsty smile.

If it weren't for Hoshino back then, he would have taken the wealth of Maple Leaf Village and joined Captain Gu Gaoqi, thus gaining a good position under Gu Gaoqi, instead of being just a minor leader like he is now.

"Heh heh, so you're the lucky guy who got a Devil Fruit, huh? Let me see if your strength can satisfy me." The one-eyed giant let out a strange cry. At the same time, his muscular figure rushed towards Hoshino.

Hoshino's expression changed; so fast.

Faced with the sudden punch, Hoshino could only hastily raise his arms to defend himself.

With a "bang," Hoshino was thrown backward.

"Heh heh, not bad." The one-eyed giant charged forward again with a strange cry.

Hoshino dared not delay for a moment and hurriedly mobilized the power of his Devil Fruit. In an instant, a strange energy surged from his body, and his body began to undergo astonishing changes!

Hoshino, who had originally appeared as a normal human, suddenly developed rough and hardened skin, with sharp quills sprouting from his body like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. In the blink of an eye, a gigantic, ferocious-looking humanoid porcupine appeared before everyone's eyes!

After completing his beast transformation, Hoshino's movement speed and attack power were greatly enhanced compared to before. At this moment, he was like a raging wild beast, fearlessly pouncing on the one-eyed giant, instantly engaging in a thrilling and fierce battle!

Just as Hoshino was fully engaged in fighting the one-eyed giant, Bea turned her gaze to the villagers of Maple Leaf Village and revealed a cruel, chilling smile. This smile, like that of a demon from the depths of hell, sent shivers down everyone's spine.

Immediately afterwards, Bea turned to face the group of vicious pirates behind her, bursting into unrestrained laughter, and shouted at the top of her lungs, "My men, today is our time to celebrate! Let loose and enjoy this feast woven from blood and fear!"

With his shouts, the pirates, who could no longer suppress their bloodlust, howled like hungry wolves and rushed towards the unarmed villagers of Maple Leaf Village.

Witnessing this scene, Hoshino was extremely anxious, his eyes practically spitting fire. However, at this moment, he was tightly entangled by the powerful one-eyed man and had no way to break free to rescue him.

"You despicable Bea, you heartless beast!" Hoshino roared furiously at Bea as he struggled to fend off the one-eyed giant's fierce attacks.

Hearing Hoshino's furious curses, Bea not only didn't restrain himself, but became even more frenzied. His face contorted with rage, he roared, "Haha, Hoshino, today I'll let you watch helplessly as Maple Leaf Village, which you've been desperately protecting, turns to ruins and vanishes beneath my feet!" With that, Bea brandished his weapon and charged towards the innocent villagers like a runaway beast…

Only a small, thin figure stood firmly in front of him.

Bea's pupils shrank. Was this his pitiful son? But...

Joining Chapter 82

“But you’re blocking my way, my wretched son!” Bea’s tone was so cold it seemed to freeze the air, sending chills down one’s spine. At the same time, the cruel smile on his lips never faded, but instead grew more and more ferocious and terrifying.

The large knife he gripped gleamed coldly as he swung it down with overwhelming force towards Kerry's neck. Clearly, this man, who had lost his humanity and become a beast, had no intention of sparing even his own flesh and blood.

Faced with Bea, who was charging at him like a ferocious beast, Kerry felt an indescribable fear instantly engulf him. His legs began to tremble uncontrollably, like leaves shaking in the wind.

However, despite being filled with endless fear and despair, Kerry gritted his teeth and stood firmly rooted to the spot, refusing to budge an inch. He wanted to kill this beast with his own hands.

At this moment, Kerry's eyes had turned bloodshot, like two raging flames burning with fury. His hateful gaze was fixed on Bea, as if he wanted to devour her alive. At the same time, his once slightly immature hands were now tightly gripping an iron rod he had casually picked up from the roadside. Due to excessive force, his knuckles had turned white, and a faint cracking sound could be heard from the joints grinding together.

The gleaming broadsword came hurtling down, and Kerry, gripping the iron rod tightly in both hands, plunged it fiercely into Bea's heart. Even if it meant death, he would take Bea away with him.

Just then, a hand suddenly grabbed the protruding iron rod, and at the same time, a gentle voice rang out: "I can't let you get the title of 'sacrificing family for the greater good'."

A loud thud echoed as Lin Yi stepped onto Bea's back with one foot, gripped Kerry's iron rod with the other, and smiled at Kerry.

Kerry's hand, which had been gripping the iron bar tightly, suddenly loosened its grip, and the weapon, a symbol of resistance, fell to the ground with a clatter, as if announcing the dissipation of the last shred of courage in his heart. He slumped down, as if his spine had been ripped out, and his body crashed heavily onto the cold, hard ground.

Large tears welled up uncontrollably in his eyes, streaming down his cheeks and dripping into the dust. At first, the tears flowed silently, but soon, Kerry could no longer suppress the surging emotions within him and suddenly burst into tears. The cries were heart-wrenching and utterly grief-stricken, as if he wanted to pour out all the grievances and bitterness he had suffered over the years.

Looking back on his childhood, his father callously abandoned him and his mother, leaving them to face the hardships of life alone. Then, in his youth, a man once familiar yet now a stranger returned like a demon, utterly destroying what should have been a carefree childhood. From that moment on, his mother, consumed by melancholy and physically, eventually died with resentment in her heart.

His once inseparable brothers, friends, and kind, honest villagers were now filled with resentment and hatred towards him. All of this weighed heavily on Kerry's thin shoulders, making it hard for him to breathe. For four long years, he struggled forward carrying this heavy burden of sin, each step feeling like walking on a knife's edge, excruciatingly painful.

But today, the father who gave him life yet destroyed it with his own hands reappeared, intending to take his life. At this moment, the fragile defenses in Kerry's heart finally collapsed completely. The sorrow and despair that had been suppressed in his heart for so long poured out like a flood. He could no longer bear such torment and could only vent his endless pain by crying.

Lin Yi didn't know how to comfort him, so he could only let him cry. After all, there's a song lyric that goes, "Men cry, but it's not tears."

He turned his gaze to Da Pan and the others, but ignored Beya beneath his feet. Beya's spine had already been shattered when he stepped on Beya's back, and now he could only groan and wail on the ground.

The pirates, brandishing their weapons and howling, charged towards the villagers of Maple Leaf Village. Old An and his security team stood in front of them, gripping their weapons tightly. Their eyes showed no fear, only determination. Even if they died, they would die before those ordinary villagers; it was their duty and responsibility as the security team.

But how could Da Pan and his men sit idly by? Da Pan leaped into the middle of the pirates and villagers, unleashing a terrifying pressure that pressed down on the charging pirates. It wasn't that Da Pan was using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but rather that many of these pirates were carrying long spears. If they couldn't be controlled quickly, there would likely be casualties in Maple Leaf Village.

Under the oppressive force of Pan's Conqueror's Haki, the pirates almost instantly lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground. Those who remained conscious were all limp and powerless.

Dark clouds appeared in the sky, and a light drizzle fell, soaking the pirates.

As Felina's voice fell, a massive bolt of lightning struck down upon the group of pirates.

After a series of crackling electric arcs, all the pirates died on the spot.

This terrified the one-eyed giant who was fighting Hoshino. Damn it, that damned Bea! The intelligence was so bad! This wasn't a golden den full of wealth; it was clearly a den of wolves that would devour people without spitting out the bones. And the more he looked at that bear, the more familiar it seemed.

Just then, Da Pan glanced at him, just one glance, and the one-eyed giant was so frightened he almost dropped his weapon.

Hoshino, of course, would not let this opportunity pass. He immediately unleashed his ultimate move, his entire body covered in spikes that shot towards the one-eyed giant like arrows. The one-eyed giant was unable to dodge in time and was hit by the spikes, which struck half of his body.

The one-eyed giant, severely wounded, dared not fight any longer and fled in panic, dragging his half-conscious body.

But then Fiona shot out a thread that bound him tightly, and at that moment, everyone Bea brought with them lost the ability to resist.

Panting, Hoshino grabbed the bound, one-eyed man and quickly walked to Lin Yi and the others. He bowed deeply to them, tears welling in his eyes, and said in a hoarse voice, "Thank you."

Maple Leaf Village was almost destroyed. If Lin Yi and his group hadn't happened to arrive, the consequences would have been inevitable.

Lin Yi gently patted Xingye's broad, sturdy shoulder, his eyes revealing undisguised admiration. This middle-aged man had a resolute face and exuded an admirable aura. Having weathered countless storms and hardships, he remained steadfast in his original aspirations, unswayed by powerful forces, resolutely choosing to relinquish everything and wholeheartedly protect his beloved hometown. This purity and steadfastness deeply moved Lin Yi.

At this moment, the people around were immersed in the joy of victory, and cheers rose and fell.

However, at that moment, Bea, who was already a cripple, suddenly struggled to raise her head and, with her last bit of strength, shouted at Kerry, who was still sobbing softly, "Kerry, haven't you always hated me to the bone? Now your chance has come! Come on! Kill me with your own hands and avenge your mother!"

Upon hearing this, Kerry was struck dumb, his body trembling violently. The tears that had been flowing stopped abruptly. He slowly raised his head, his gaze returning to Bea, who lay sprawled on the ground like a rag doll. At that moment, the confusion in her eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by a raging fire of hatred.

Seeing this, Bea felt a secret thrill. He knew he was doomed, but if he could die at Kerry's hands, perhaps Kerry would follow in his footsteps and become a second Bea. After all, once the evil in human nature is successfully unleashed, it's like a burst dam, unstoppable. Especially when someone carries the heavy sin of patricide, it's likely they'll never be able to return to their former innocence and kindness.

Kerry picked up the iron rod and slowly walked towards Bea. Those few steps felt like an eternity to him. His mother's image, her voice and smile, kept flashing before his eyes, finally settling on the scene of her dying words to him.

“Kerry, don’t live with hatred. Your life is your own. Don’t take your father’s mistakes upon yourself. I’m leaving. Promise your mother that you will live a healthy and happy life.”

Kerry stood in front of Bea, staring into his malicious eyes, and suddenly felt relieved. This man couldn't control his life.

He threw away the iron rod in his hand and slowly said to Bea's astonished eyes, "I will not kill you. I will hand you over to the villagers you have harmed, so that you can atone for the sins you have committed."

"No, you can't do this! You're my son, and only you can deal with him. You coward! I abandoned you all and indirectly caused your mother's death. You hate me? Then come and kill me! Come on, Kerry!" Bea shouted hoarsely. Even if he died, he wanted Kerry to become like him.

Finally, Hoshino couldn't bear to watch any longer and personally cut off Bea's head, which he would later use to pay tribute to the villagers who had died tragically.

That evening, a grand banquet was held in Maple Leaf Village. The entire village gathered joyfully, enjoying the happy occasion. Da Pan and his friends were among them; he loved joining in the fun.

Lin Yi glanced at everyone but did not spot Kerry.

In a secluded ravine in Maple Leaf Village, Kerry gently played his piccolo, but this time the music was no longer mournful.

As the song ended, Lin Yi clapped his hands and emerged from the shadows, saying, "It seems you've finally emerged from the shadows."

Although Kerry was surprised by Lin Yi's arrival, he was no longer as panicked as before.

He said to Lin Yi with gratitude, "Thank you both."

Lin Yi waved his hand to indicate that Kerry shouldn't worry about it, and then asked, "Why aren't you staying with the villagers?"

Kerry shook his head with a wry smile. Although Bea was dead, it was difficult for Kerry to reintegrate into the village.

"Why don't you come aboard my ship? We're short of a musician who can play the flute," Lin Yi invited with a smile.

"I...can I?" Kerry asked excitedly.

"Of course, we would all very much like to welcome you to the team," Lin Yi affirmed.

“That’s wonderful, thank you, Captain.” Kerry seemed exceptionally pleased.

The next day, Lin Yi took Kerry aboard the Silver Dragon. Da Pan and the others were not surprised; on the contrary, they were very enthusiastic because Lin Yi had told them about it the day before.

Besides the newly boarded Kerry, another person was also brought aboard the Silver Dragon: the one-eyed giant. Lin Yi had questioned him; he was not Gu Gaoqi, but the captain of one of Gu Gaoqi's slave-hunting ships. Therefore, Lin Yi did not kill him immediately but wanted to find Gu Gaoqi through him. He had said that he was determined to kill Gu Gaoqi.

The supplies were prepared after yesterday's battle, so we can set off today.

Hoshino brought many villagers to see them off. Lin Yi and the others waved to them, said their goodbyes, and the Silver Dragon slowly left the dock.

Just then, a lame boy rushed over and shouted at the Silver Dragon, "Kerry, come back alive!"

"Lei!" Kerry exclaimed excitedly, "I will!"

At this moment, Kerry was truly free.