On the Pseudo-Merry.
As pirates prepared to board, Kuina struck first. She wouldn't let them set foot on their ship, risking damage or filth.
Her flying slash cleared the Dreadnaught Sabre's railing. Sora leaped aboard, landing on the guardrail. Unhooking his wine gourd, he took a swig, locking eyes with Krieg below.
Their gazes clashed. Sora's lips curled into a teasing smirk. "Yo, pirate! Heard you're East Blue's overlord. C'mon, dance for me."
"How dare you speak to Captain Krieg like that?" Ajin, to Krieg's left, barked, lacking tact.
"Hm?" Sora raised a brow, eyeing Ajin calmly. "You wanna dance too?"
Despite Ajin's sympathetic anime portrayal, Sora knew him as a cold, cruel thug. As Sora's gaze bore down, Ajin felt an overwhelming pressure, sweat beading, words failing.
Krieg stepped forward, breaking the tension. Gasping, Ajin retreated behind him, staring at Sora with dread. Silenced by aura alone? Too strong!
"You're the swordsman, eh?" Krieg said. "Since when did East Blue have someone like you, and I didn't know?"
"I'm no swordsman. Someone else is here to play with you," Sora replied.
Krieg's eyes shifted to Kuina, who'd just boarded, ignoring Ahua, Alo, and Ata climbing up. Only Sora and Kuina felt threatening.
Kuina met Krieg's gaze coldly, then dismissed him. He wasn't her target—his officers were. She locked onto Ghostman Ajin and Iron Wall Pearl.
Ajin, seeing her deep blue hair and piercing stare, drew his tonfa, bracing against Kuina.
Without a word, Kuina unsheathed Wado Ichimonji, stomped the railing, and activated Shave.
Whoosh! She appeared before Ajin, slashing swiftly.
Clang!
Too fast. Ajin barely raised his tonfa to block, but the force lifted him off his feet, sending him crashing into the cabin.
In the wreckage, Ajin propped himself up, clutching his chest, trembling. "Cough, cough!" Spitting blood, he gaped at Kuina through the hole. "Why are you so strong?"
One strike had nearly broken him.
Kuina ignored him, turning her icy gaze to Pearl.
The surrounding pirates snapped out of their shock, shouting, "This a dream?"
"The chief commander, beaten in one hit?"
"No way! That's Ghostman Ajin, 12 million beri!"
As Kuina eyed Pearl, the pirates around him scattered, clearing a wide space.
Ahua, Alo, and Ata drew their swords, charging the grunts. They couldn't take officers, but regular pirates? Easy. Years of training under Koshiro weren't for nothing.
Clang, clang, clang!
Swords clashed, pirates screamed, and curses filled the air.
"Damn it!"
"Get 'em!"
"Argh!"
Krieg's veins bulged at the chaos, but he didn't turn. Sora's aura locked him in place; one glance back would unleash a storm of attacks.
Seeing no pirates threaten Ahua's trio, Sora relaxed, grinning at Krieg. "Yo, Krieg, stay put. Bored? Dance."
"Hahaha!" Sora laughed.
"Help!"
"Captain Krieg, end them!"
"You're East Blue's strongest!"
As screams grew, Krieg snapped. He tore off his cape, merged his shields, and drew a long pole sprouting a massive blade—his Great Battle Spear.
"There it is, Captain Krieg's ultimate weapon!" pirates cheered.
Ahua scoffed. "Great Battle Spear? More like Great Butter Knife. That's it?"
He turned to a pirate. "Yo, quit gawking at your captain. Worry about yourself!"
Roaring, Ahua charged.
Sora eyed Krieg with interest. That armor hid gunpowder, bullets, even poison gas.
"You've ignored me since boarding," Krieg growled, enraged by Sora's disdain. Glaring, he snarled, "What made me East Blue's strongest? What made men fear me?"
Sora smirked. "Your ugliness and cruelty. Strength? Nah."
Furious, Krieg raised his Great Battle Spear, charging. "Who do you think I am?"
"I'm Admiral Krieg, East Blue's strongest, 17 million beri!" he roared, swinging down.
Boom!
An explosion erupted, smoke engulfing Sora.
"Nice one, Captain!"
"Kill 'em!"
Pirates cheered, ignoring the swords at their throats.
A sea breeze cleared the smoke. Sora stood unharmed, gripping the spear with one hand.
"No way!"
"Blocking the Great Battle Spear unscathed?"
"Impossible! This is a dream!"
Pirates shook their heads, retreating.
They screamed at Sora, "Who the hell are you?"
"Me? Just an ordinary guy," Sora said, holding the spear in one hand, waving his gourd with the other. Taking a swig, he struck a chuunibyou pose. "If I need a title… call me a partner of justice!"
(End of Chapter)