The Realm of the Swordmaster?
Understanding the Breath of All Things?
All the pirates,including Krieg,stared blankly. What was this woman talking about? They didn't understand a single word.
"Guess that speech was wasted."
Nojiko chuckled behind her hand,amused. "You should save those lines for pirates in the Grand Line. These idiots can't even understand what you're saying."
"…"
Kuina's cold expression faltered for a moment. She turned her head,a bit embarrassed and annoyed,just about to argue back ,when her brow furrowed.
Her instincts as a swordswoman warned her ,air was shifting behind her. Someone was closing in fast.
"You damn woman!"
The next instant,a spiked iron mace came whooshing toward her back. In its reflection,she could see Gin's cold,vicious face. "Let the captain go!"
So slow.
At best,he's on Zoro's level.
Kuina curled her lip in disdain. Just as she was about to counter, a blinding flash of blue-violet lightning shot past her shoulder ,and streaked toward the rear!
BOOM!
Thunder exploded across the ground. The pirates closest to the blast didn't even have time to scream before their bodies were charred black.
Gin looked down blankly, staring in disbelief at the palm-sized, pitch-black hole burned through his chest. His lips trembled, then his eyes went dull as he collapsed backward ,lifeless.
"Captain Gin!!!"
His crewmates roared in fury and grief.
Awooo,!
A wolf's howl echoed across the coast.
"T-that's…"
Under the terrified gazes of the pirates, a huge silver wolf stepped calmly out from the forest.
Three years had passed.
The once-adorable pup was gone.
Now, a towering silver-white wolf ,two meters tall at the shoulder and three meters long ,stood proud, fur cascading like snow.
The blue lightning from its thunderous breath still crackled faintly. Its deep violet eyes shimmered with electricity, arcs of blue lightning snaking across its back and limbs, gleaming coldly.
Thud.
Krieg trembled, then dropped to his knees with a loud thump. His courage shattered completely; all will to resist was gone.
"…Coward."
Kuina blinked, then looked down at him in disdain.
She sheathed her sword and turned toward the wolf with a bright smile. "Gin! You came too? Perfect timing with that , well, mouth attack, you totally saved me!"
"…" Gin gave her a blank stare, as if she were an idiot, then lazily flopped down onto the ground.
"Got your warm heart cold-shouldered,huh?"
Nojiko snorted, laughing aloud. "You can try to befriend Gin all you want, but it's useless. He's always proud and aloof with outsiders. He only gets affectionate with my brother and me.
Watch, Gin! Come here!"
This time, Gin didn't even lift his head. He yawned, then shut his eyes and dozed off in the sunlight.
Nojiko's smile froze.
"Pfft, hahahaha!"
Now Kuina was the one laughing, clutching her stomach.
"See what happens when you brag too much? Who's the one getting the cold shoulder now?"
"Shut up!"
Nojiko, flustered and annoyed, stomped over and tugged Gin's ear.
"You ungrateful wolf! Did you forget who secretly bought you strawberry milk when you were in trouble before?"
Gin grunted twice in protest but didn't resist, giving her that much face before resting his head and comfortably napping again.
"Hmph!"
Still fuming, Nojiko crossed her arms, but then suddenly frowned. "Wait… huh? Where's that big guy from earlier?"
Kuina followed her gaze, her brow furrowed as well.
The spot where Krieg had knelt moments ago was now completely empty.
"I'm right here, you idiots!!"
A triumphant shout came from the distance.
Krieg had somehow slipped away and now stood hundreds of meters away, near the edge of the dock, his arm clamped around the neck of an old man who looked like he'd just stepped out for a walk after lunch.
Kuina and Nojiko froze, exchanging odd looks.
"You bastard!"
Kuina drew her sword,forcing down a smirk,and shouted angrily,"Let go of that old man right now!"
"Oh? So you do know him,huh? Even better!" Krieg grinned savagely. "Nobody move! Take one step forward and I'll snap his neck!"
He sneered, tightening his grip. "Put away the swords, and don't get any funny ideas. One wrong move, and this old man's dead."
He looked down at the trembling old man in his arm, smirking cruelly.
"Scared now, old geezer? You'd better behave. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for wandering down to the shore at the wrong time!"
With that, Krieg began backing up the gangplank to his ship, keeping his hostage in a chokehold. He raised his voice and barked an order:
"Open fire! Blast the whole damn dock to pieces! I'll show those two bitches and that cowardly fool the true power of my invincible fleet!"
"But, Captain!"
One of his men on deck gaped. "Our own crew's still onshore!"
"Did I stutter?"
Krieg's glare turned icy. "Fire at will! No mercy! If those idiots die, that's their fault for being weak!"
"Y-yes, Captain!"
His subordinates, terrified by his usual tyranny, rushed to obey.
Soon, the sound of gears turning filled the air, fifteen ships simultaneously aimed their cannons at the docks.
"What's happening?!"
"No way! He's sacrificing us!"
"Captain Krieg! Don't abandon us!!!"
The pirates on shore screamed in panic and rage.
Krieg ignored them, coldly watching from above, until suddenly, something felt wrong.
The dock, the island, everything seemed to be getting smaller and smaller, further and further away…
No.
It wasn't shrinking. He was rising.
Krieg's eyes widened. He was hundreds of meters above the ground!
The pirates below stared up in shock, unsure whether to fire or not.
The next instant, a strong hand clamped around his throat, choking the breath out of him.
"Hey."
Zeff, his right leg blazing with red and blue flames, hovered steadily in midair. Looking at Krieg's purpling face, the old man bared his teeth in a grin.
"Let me reintroduce myself. I used to be a pirate too. Made a bit of a name for myself back in the East Blue…"
"So you see, the one kind of man I despise most, is the kind who abandons his comrades so easily."
THUD!
The moment he finished, Zeff released his grip and drove a powerful kick into Krieg's neck
…
At the same time, Shanu stood by the sink, washing dishes under the running water.
"All done?"
Through the window, he could faintly see the corpse falling from the sky. He muttered, "No wonder it took so long. So it was Krieg's crew this time."
In the reflection of the glass, his own image appeared.
A man about 1.85 meters tall, lean and well-built. His features were clean and handsome, his eyes bright, his smile gentle, the picture of a friendly young man next door, fresh out of school.