"Ah?!"
Uvogin slammed on the brakes and stopped abruptly, a sharp gust whistling past his ears.
He hastily released Zi Po Nian, stepping back.
Zi Po Nian narrowly dodged a wild punch, muttering under her breath about the missed hit, then shifted to block Roy behind her with a serious expression.
"Master, you go first. These people aren't simple."
Uvogin's earlier roar and bear hug were devastatingly fast—no ordinary opponent.
Roy's brow twitched, darkening in anger.
"Phantom mice," he spat silently. Just street rats who couldn't make it to the stage, scurrying in gutters.
He clenched his fists.
The signing session was trashed, ruined—and all his hard-earned money was on the line!
"Hey, old man, he just called you a mouse."
"Ha? Who you calling—"
"I'm only one year older than you!" Nobunaga stepped forward, uppercutting Uvogin's shoulder, scolding, "Stop embarrassing yourself here, idiot."
Shizuku nodded in agreement.
Uvogin grinned, unfazed by the punch.
"Well, who'd have thought Tianwei was blind!"
His voice rose.
"Damn right! Blind people can draw manga now? That's insane!"
Uvogin's eyes locked on Roy.
"Hey, Tianwei! If you call me a mouse, I'm not pretending I didn't hear."
"Do you want to come with us voluntarily? Or should I beat you up first and take you by force?"
Roy stood slowly, gripping his staff-knife resting near his legs.
Tapping the ground with a dull boom, his pale, sightless eyes swept over Uvogin, Nobunaga, and Shizuku.
A chill ran down their spines.
"I actually think there's a third option," Roy said calmly, voice cool as ice.
"Kidnap you, and demand ransom."
"Call your leader now, and I'll tell him the price: one billion."
"One dime less, and I'll break one of your legs."
Zi Po Nian frowned, leaning close.
"Master… if things go south, be ready to retreat immediately."
Uvogin and Nobunaga exchanged surprised glances.
Even Shizuku, usually so composed, stared at Roy like he'd lost his mind.
Fake Li Gui meeting the real Li Kui—who here is the Phantom Troupe, really?
Uvogin snapped his fingers excitedly.
"First time I've seen someone kidnap and tie up my head!"
"No joke, you are Tianwei!"
He stepped forward, fury blazing.
"1v1, man to man, Tianwei! If you want to kidnap me, come and try!"
Zi Po Nian readied herself to step in, but a sharp clang stopped her.
A gleaming samurai sword blocked her path—it was Nobunaga.
"Don't move."
His deadpan eyes locked on her.
Zi Po Nian paused, eyeing the sword inches from her nose, then glanced at the girl standing behind the trio, poised to strike.
The situation was critical.
Two fists can't match four hands; revealing their Nen now would only expose weaknesses.
Young master, she thought, this time, I must trust you.
Her gaze settled on Roy.
Without a word, Roy drew his staff-knife, stepping forward to face Uvogin's furious glare.
"When you get old, you should rest more and avoid young people's troubles."
Zi Po Nian bowed respectfully, then stepped aside silently.
Nobunaga sheathed his sword.
There was nothing left to do—
Uvogin versus Roy.
A storm brewed between the two, crackling with tension so thick it felt suffocating.
Uvogin suddenly grinned.
"Tianwei, I'm actually your fan."
"I like Garp the most. Men should settle things with fists!"
Roy smiled coldly.
"If Garp knew he was worshiped by trash like you, he'd probably be pissed."
Drawing his staff-knife into a blade-like shape, Roy said sharply,
"I'll give you one piece of advice: villains die from talking too much."
Who wanted to hear him drone on?
Grandpa Uvogin couldn't wait to break some legs and collect ransom.
Roy thought bitterly about the tens of millions lost—not for some fun signing session.
Huchi~
A deep purple slash tore the air open—!