The battlefield outside the royal capital was a desolate wasteland.
"Your opponent is me alone!"
Facing a solitary enemy, the 100,000-strong army fell into stunned silence, unable to believe that their foes had sent only one man to face them.
What overwhelming confidence!
"Calamity Gurd!"
The Revolutionary Army officers hidden among the ranks paled, especially Sabo and Koala, who had encountered Gurd before.
Both knew exactly how terrifying this man was—a powerhouse even Dragon regarded with utmost seriousness!
Standing at the center of the battlefield, Gurd surveyed the high-spirited royal army with mild surprise, a faint smirk curling his lips.
Their morale spoke volumes—the current king was deeply revered. Not surprising, given this was a nation freshly liberated by revolution.
Yet, even against a benevolent ruler, he would show no mercy.
Crossing his arms, Gurd faced the army head-on.
"Come!"
"..."
Celt stared at Gurd, sweat beading in his palms as they clenched the reins. He recognized the man—the infamous Pirate Calamity who had thrown the world into chaos!
But he couldn't afford to wait. The army's morale was at its peak; hesitation would only diminish their chances.
Raising his spear high, Celt roared!
"Warriors of the Land of Runes!"
"Though our enemy stands alone, he is one of the mightiest beings in this world—worthy of facing us!"
"Summon every ounce of your courage! Bathed in Knightly Glory, show him the honor of Rune Warriors!"
"Ooooh!!!"
The soldiers raised their spears in a deafening battle cry that shook the heavens.
Celt pointed his spear at Gurd, dug his heels into his horse, and charged forward—the first to break formation!
"Charge!"
"Oraaaah!!!"
A hundred thousand soldiers bellowed as they surged forward, their spirits burning at full intensity.
Dust clouds billowed; war cries thundered!
The massive formation spread like a bird unfurling its wings.
"Come!"
Gurd slowly drew his colossal sword.
Against an army fighting for honor, he could have used Conqueror's Haki to knock them unconscious—but that would have been discourteous.
Since they chose to fight to the death, he would respond in kind!
"Let me crush you utterly!"
The greatsword rose toward the sky!
"It's coming!"
Celt shouted a warning. He didn't know what the enemy would do, but he sensed the approach of a storm.
The attack would be earth-shattering!
The sword descended, slamming into the ground!
An invisible shockwave erupted, sweeping across the battlefield!
"…!"
Celt's pupils contracted violently as he yanked the reins and leaped!
Beneath him, the earth split apart!
A colossal fissure tore through the battlefield, its edges collapsing as countless charging warriors—including his proud Radiant Knights—screamed while plummeting into the abyss.
Individual valor was meaningless before destruction rivaling natural calamities.
The moment he landed, his horse toppled sideways. Celt rolled and sprang to his feet, sprinting toward Gurd.
He dared not look back.
Fear of losing his resolve to challenge the enemy gripped him.
As the distance closed, veins bulged across Celt's body. With a roar, he thrust his spear at Gurd with both hands!
"Ooooh!!!"
A flash of steel—the roar cut short!
The spear shattered, its tip sent flying!
"Guh—!!!"
Celt's chest burst open with a bloody gash, spraying copious amounts of blood as he weakly knelt before Gurd, gripping his spear shaft with both hands, using his last ounce of strength to keep from collapsing.
Gurd's expression was ice-cold, his massive sword dripping with fresh blood.
"Celt!!!"
Countless ravens swarmed in, several of them carrying humans beneath their talons as they crossed the massive fissure before descending to the ground.
The Revolutionary Army!
"Caw~~ Caw~~"
A flood of ravens surged toward Gurd.
Gurd's eyes narrowed as his greatsword whirled!
"Boom!"
All the ravens disintegrated into coal dust, which then coalesced into a gloomy man wearing a bird-beak mask.
"Northern Army Commander of the Revolutionary Army, Karasu."
Gurd fixed his gaze on the man.
The Northern Army Commander of the Revolutionary Army, Karasu.
Logia-type Coal-Coal Fruit User!
Bounty: 400 million Berries !
For a Revolutionary Army commander, a 400 million bounty was relatively low—this was due to the Revolutionary Army's covert operations, which rarely led to bounty increases.
Gurd turned his attention to the others.
Chief of Staff, Sabo.
Northern Army Vice Commander, Jilon.
The girl he'd seen before, Koala.
And a Fish-Man warrior.
Sabo stepped between Gurd and Celt, shouting urgently to those behind him, "Koala, Haku! Get Celt to treatment, now!"
"Understood."
The Fish-Man Haku hoisted Celt onto his back and, aided by the coal-dust ravens, swiftly headed toward the royal city with Koala.
There were doctors there.
Gurd made no move to stop them.
Small fry weren't worth his attention.
Gurd turned to Sabo and Karasu, sneering. "You people are like persistent ghosts. I see the Revolutionary Army everywhere I go."
"Calamity Gurd."
Sabo's eyes burned with fury.
They hadn't expected Gurd to obliterate an army of 100,000 with a single strike. By the time they tried to save Celt, it was already too late.
A moment's carelessness had led to irreversible regret!
Damn it!
"Honestly, I have no interest in your Revolutionary Army," Gurd said coldly. "But if you get in my way, I won't hesitate to kill every last one of you."
He paused, his gaze sharpening. "Also, the North Sea is my territory. There's no room for the Revolutionary Army here. If you know what's good for you, you'll withdraw sooner rather than later."
"Don't you dare look down on the revolution!"
Sabo tightened his grip on his pipe and charged at Gurd in rage, roaring, "A cold-blooded monster like you, who kills for pleasure, could never understand the revolution!"
"How self-righteous."
Gurd sighed softly, his killing intent erupting!
His greatsword swung out!
"Caw~ Caw~!"
"Raven Coal!"
A swarm of ravens rushed at Gurd, seizing his massive blade.
Gurd's eyes flicked upward slightly, observing the Northern Army Commander whose body continuously split into more ravens. He raised a hand, signaling.
His subordinates, who had been charging forward, immediately halted.
"Clang!"
Sabo's Haki-infused pipe slammed into Gurd's shoulder with all his might—yet not only did Gurd remain unmoved, the impact left Sabo's hands numb from the recoil.
How is he this tough?!
Gurd turned his head to look at Sabo.
"After all this time, you haven't improved at all."
"Stop looking down on me!"
Sabo's hands trembled.
Gurd smirked, about to strike when he suddenly stopped.
His gaze shifted slightly behind him.
"How dare you hurt the man I love!"
A stunning figure sprinted toward them at breakneck speed, kicking up shockwaves as she appeared behind Gurd in the blink of an eye.
"I won't forgive you!!!"
Hancock leaped into the air, her body streaking down like a beam of light. Her long, beautiful legs stretched taut as she delivered a vicious flying kick straight to Sabo's face!
"BAM!!!"
Sabo's mouth twisted sideways, several molars flying out as his entire face trembled violently. Even with Haki defense, he couldn't withstand the woman's fury.
Under the tremendous impact, Sabo was sent flying backward.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!"
A trail of billowing dust spread in his wake!
Gurd sucked in a sharp breath as he watched the enraged, face-contorted woman beside him, his heartbeat accelerating uncontrollably.
This woman was terrifying when she lost her temper!
But she shouldn't interfere so recklessly!
This was a man's fight—what business did a woman have meddling?
"Uh, Hancock."
"Here!"
Hancock's expression transformed instantly, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Gurd, as if ready to throw herself into his arms the next second—a stark contrast to her previous demeanor.
Gurd: "..."