"You look nervous."
With a crisp snap, Liam flicked his finger against Ross's smooth forehead. Grinning, he teased, "What's wrong? Afraid that 'Steel-Wire Guy' will recognize you?"
Robin corrected calmly beside him, "It's Gance, not 'Steel Wire.'"
Ross lifted her head blankly. They've already left, she wanted to say. What's there to be nervous about now?
But Liam didn't give her the chance.
Suddenly, his mouth split open wide, his upper and lower jaws stretching to an impossible degree, big enough to swallow Ross whole where she stood.
With a deep, monstrous motion, that abyssal mouth opened, and Ross disappeared inside it.
"Mmph! Mmmph!!"
Muffled cries and the sound of struggle came from inside Liam's massive jaws, while a pale, slender leg kicked helplessly from between his teeth.
Around them, there had already been people on the street who seemed to recognize Chopperna Giorno and Jolyne Kuujou, but they hadn't dared to speak up.
Yet now, seeing this "Giorno" open his mouth like a beast and devour a young girl whole, their fear could no longer be contained.
"Ahhhhh!!" screamed a woman nearby, her vegetable basket tumbling to the ground.
"Dear heavens!!"
More and more people saw what was happening. It was as if lightning had struck the square, disbelief and horror froze every face.
"What is he doing?!"
"That man, he's eating someone?!"
"Wait, that man… and the woman beside him…"
"Could they be---?!"
Even though this island had fallen into decline, it had once been a land renowned as the "Nation of Prosperity." Citizens here used to buy clothes worth more than the bounty of an average pirate, with wealth came education, and literacy rates were extremely high.
Just half a year ago, the island had hosted the famous Sword Hero Tournament for vacationers, news that spread across the seas. Who hadn't heard the name Chopperna Giorno since then?
Some of the former nobles and merchants had even attended the tournament in person, they had seen with their own eyes Giorno summoning a rain of countless swords from the sky. His face was unforgettable.
Those who recognized Liam and Robin now began quietly backing away. Pick a fight with those pirates? Don't be ridiculous.
"Help! Somebody help!"
Several people pointed toward Liam, who still had that white, slender leg dangling from his mouth, and screamed, "Someone's, eating people!!"
"..."
Even Robin hadn't expected such a sudden move from Liam. B.I.B., on the other hand, looked utterly unfazed, if it had the Munch-Munch Fruit ability, it probably would have done the same thing.
Chewing lazily, Liam glanced at the panicked crowd around him, and mumbled with his mouth full, "What's wrong with all of you? You're all acting so jumpy, it's scary."
"You're asking us what's wrong?!" someone shouted, face red with anger and fear. "You scared the life out of us, that's what!!"
"Scary? Really?" Liam blinked, thinking for a moment. Then his tongue curled, pulling the girl's dangling leg the rest of the way into his mouth. "How about now?"
"How about, what the hell do you think?!"
The crowd stared in horror, though nothing was visible anymore, Liam's massive jaw still twitched and moved, making unmistakable chewing sounds.
"It's still terrifying!!" they screamed in unison.
At that moment, Liam suddenly turned his gaze toward the other end of the street.
Three figures were approaching, one leading, two following behind, apparently drawn by the commotion and screams.
The man in front was tall, his hair styled into two sharp, horn-like spikes. Liam noticed how the man's sharp eyes swept briefly across himself and Robin, clearly recognizing them.
"Pirate, Chopperna Giorno."
Blueno's pupils contracted.
Don't misunderstand, he hadn't spoken the name aloud. Anyone capable of defeating Charlotte Mondé wasn't just an ordinary pirate. Blueno was on a mission and didn't want unnecessary trouble.
Still, the way Giorno turned his head toward him, that instinctive awareness, must have been Observation Haki… or at least something like it.
Blueno was just about to retreat when the two agents following behind him both gasped in alarm:
"Chopperna Giorno?!"
"Kuujou Jolyne?!"
Blueno's face darkened. Those two reckless idiots, !
He turned his head sharply, and sure enough, That Giorno was still watching them. So, he really had been drawn over by his two idiot teammates shouting his name, huh?
The moment those two blurted out Liam and Robin's identities, even the most oblivious people on the street began to catch on. And when realization dawned, so did fear, their faces went pale. The infamous pirates whose names they'd only heard in bounty posters worth hundreds of millions of Berries… were standing right there in front of them?!
Robin had also turned her gaze toward the commotion, drawn by Jabra and Fukurou's loud cries.
Blueno smacked his two brainless teammates on the shoulder, muttered a few quick words to them in a low voice, and turned to leave.
Liam's eyes followed their retreating figures, especially Blueno's. The corners of his mouth curved upward as he chewed slowly, deliberately.
After a few more lazy bites, Liam puffed out his cheeks and, "puh!", spat Ross out, tossing her toward Robin. His mouth instantly shrank back to its normal human size.
"I'll leave her to you," he said, rubbing his knuckles with a grin. "I'm going to have a little fun with those guys. Hey, Black, lend me your hand."
With a sharp stomp, Liam shot forward like a blur, leaving only an afterimage in his wake.
At the same time, beside Robin, the black armored Stand, B.I.B., flicked its left arm outward. The dark gauntlet, traced with blue flame-like patterns, detached and turned into a streak of black light that raced after Liam's dashing figure.
In a flash, it slid onto his outstretched left arm mid-stride, And in that instant, the three CP-9 agents ahead of him turned their heads. On their faces, shock, disbelief, and confusion rippled outward like waves in still water.
Blueno's expression tightened. So fast!
All he could see was a blur of black. In the blink of an eye, Giorno was already in front of them, practically on top of him!
So fast!!
Blueno braced his body, while Jabra and Fukurou tensed behind him, raising their arms and legs into fighting stances.
Giorno's left fist came crashing down, aimed straight at Blueno!
So fast!!
Blueno's heart screamed as he desperately tried to trigger his Tekkai.
Tekkai! Tekkai! Tekkai!
He poured every ounce of stamina into hardening his body, But Giorno's speed was monstrous. Before Blueno's technique could even fully activate, the pirate's left fist slammed into his chest.
BOOM!
A thunderous thud rang out.
"Huh?"
Jabra and Fukurou blinked in surprise, Giorno's expression showed genuine confusion.
A thin trickle of blood ran from Blueno's mouth. Liam looked down, his fist, sheathed in B.I.B.'s armored gauntlet, hadn't passed through Blueno's body, but had instead struck solid flesh.
So, this guy hasn't gotten the Door-Door Fruit yet, huh?
Liam sighed inwardly. Then what good are you?
Blueno coughed up blood and collapsed to his knees before him.
"Blueno!"
Fukurou rushed forward to catch him.
"You bastard!"
Sweat rolled down Jabra's forehead as his eyes sharpened, both hands curling into claws.
(To Be Continued…)
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