The Swordmaster Realm?
Comprehending the Voice of All Things Breathing?
All the pirates, including Krieg, wore expressions of confusion. What was this woman talking about? How could they possibly understand such things?
"Wasted breath," Nojiko chuckled softly, covering her mouth with a hint of schadenfreude. "You should save those words for the pirates of the Grand Line. These fools won't get it."
"..."
Kuina's usually calm expression faltered for a moment. She turned her head slightly, a mix of embarrassment and annoyance flashing across her face as she was about to argue with Nojiko. But then, her brows furrowed.
Her sharp instincts as a Master Swordsman made her sense a subtle shift in the air behind her—someone was approaching rapidly.
"You bitch!"
In the next instant, a spiked iron ball on a chain whistled toward her back. The reflection in her glasses revealed Gin's cold, ruthless face. "Let go of the boss!"
Such slow speed.
At best, it's on par with Zoro's level.
Kuina curled her lips dismissively, about to counterattack, when a blinding blue-purple lightning bolt suddenly shot past her shoulder, heading straight for the attacker behind her!
Boom!
The thunder exploded on the ground. The pirates closest to the impact didn't even have time to scream before they were reduced to charred corpses.
Gin, meanwhile, stood frozen, staring in disbelief at the gaping, charred hole in his chest, as large as a basin. His lips trembled slightly before his pupils dilated, and he collapsed backward, lifeless.
"Captain Gin!!!"
The cries of his subordinates echoed around the area.
Awooo—!
A wolf's howl suddenly rang out across the shore.
"That... that's..."
Under the terrified gazes of the pirates, Agin stepped out of the forest with steady, deliberate strides. His cold eyes swept over the unwelcome intruders.
Three years had passed.
He had long shed the clumsiness of his cub days.
Now, standing proudly with a shoulder height of two meters and a body length of three meters, the silver-white giant wolf's fur cascaded like a snowy waterfall. The lingering currents from the Azure Lightning Breath still flickered in his deep purple eyes, and arcs of blue electricity flowed along his spine, extending to his limbs, gleaming with a chilling light.
Thud.
Krieg's entire body trembled, and he fell to his knees with a thud, seemingly completely broken, devoid of any will to resist.
"...Coward."
Kuina was momentarily stunned, then shot him a look of disdain.
She casually sheathed her sword and turned her gaze toward the giant wolf with a smile. "Agin, what brings you here? Your timing—no, your 'mouthing'—was perfect. You just saved my life!"
"..." Agin glanced at her as if she were an idiot, then lazily lay down on the ground.
"Trying to cozy up to a cold butt, huh?"
Nojiko couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"I know you want to get along with Agin, but it's no use. He's always been aloof with outsiders. With my brother and me, though, he's all warmth. Watch this! Agin, come here!"
This time, Agin didn't even bother to lift his head. He yawned and closed his eyes, basking in the sunlight as he dozed off.
Nojiko's smile froze on her face.
"Pfft, hahahaha!!!"
Now it was Kuina's turn to laugh, clutching her stomach. "Who's the one trying to cozy up to a cold butt now, huh?"
"Shut up!"
Nojiko, flushed with embarrassment and irritation, stomped over and started tugging at Agin's ears, shaking them back and forth.
"You ungrateful wretch! Have you forgotten who secretly bought you strawberry milk as a treat when you got into trouble before, hiding it from your brother?"
Agin grumbled a couple of times but didn't struggle, reluctantly giving a bit of face as he lowered his head and continued to nap comfortably.
"Hmph!"
Nojiko was still fuming, hands on her hips, about to scold him further when she suddenly seemed to notice something and turned her head. "Huh? That's strange? Where did that big guy go just now?"
Kuina followed her gaze and couldn't help but frown slightly.
—The spot was empty. Krieg, who had been kneeling obediently on the ground just moments ago, had vanished without a trace.
"I'm right here, you idiots!!"
A smug shout came from the distance.
Krieg had somehow quietly retreated to the edge of the dock hundreds of meters away, his wrist now gripping an old man who seemed to have just finished his meal and was out for a stroll.
Kuina and Nojiko were stunned, exchanging a strange look.
"You bastard!"
Kuina suddenly drew her sword, trying to keep her lips from twitching as she shouted angrily, "Let go of that old man!"
"Oh? Looks like you know him. That makes things even easier. Don't come any closer!! Take one step forward, and I'll kill this old man!"
Krieg sneered, "Put the sword away too. Don't try anything sneaky. If there's even the slightest movement, I'll snap this old man's neck."
He then looked down at the poor old man in his arm and grinned.
"Shaking in fear, aren't you, old man? You'd better behave. If you're going to blame anyone, blame yourself for being so careless, wandering around the coast for a stroll?"
After speaking.
Krieg continued to tightly grip the old man's neck, keeping a close eye on Kuina in the distance as he carefully retreated along the gangplank back to his ship. With a wave of his hand, he barked out an order:
"Fire the cannons! Blow the entire dock to pieces! I'll make those two bitches, and that coward who doesn't even dare show his face, witness the firepower of my invincible fleet!"
"But, Captain!"
The pirates on the deck widened their eyes, "We still have so many brothers on the shore!"
"Can't you hear what I'm saying?"
Krieg glared coldly, "Indiscriminate bombardment! Fire! I won't say it a third time! If those idiots can't survive, it's their own fault for being useless!"
"Yes, Captain!"
Under the usual weight of his authority, the crew members on the ship were startled and didn't dare say more, quickly returning to their posts.
Soon, with the sound of creaking and turning, fifteen ships aimed their cannons toward the dock.
"What, what are they doing?!"
"This is bad! We're the ones being sacrificed this time!"
"Captain Krieg! Don't leave us behind!!!"
The pirates on the shore shouted in a mix of shock and anger.
Krieg remained unmoved, coldly staring down.
Then he suddenly felt something was off. The dock, along with the entire island, seemed to be getting lower and farther away…
Wait!
This was clearly his vision rising!
Krieg suddenly realized that he had somehow ended up hundreds of meters in the air!
The gunners on the ship below stared up in stunned silence, momentarily unsure whether they should continue firing.
In the next instant, Krieg felt a strong, aged hand suddenly clamp around his neck, and a wave of intense suffocation washed over him.
"Hey."
Zeff's right foot emitted blue and red flames, allowing him to hover steadily in mid-air. Looking at Krieg, whose face was turning purple, the old man grinned, "Let me reintroduce myself. I was actually a Pirate back in the day, and I had a bit of a reputation in the East Blue..."
"So, you see, the kind of scum I despise the most is the type who abandons their comrades so easily."
Thud!
The moment his words fell, Zeff released his right hand and, with all his strength, delivered a powerful kick to Krieg's neck—
...
Xiano stood by the sink, wearing an apron, the sound of water rushing as he washed the dishes.
"Is it over?"
Through the window, he could faintly see a body falling in the distant sky. He felt a sense of realization, "No wonder it took so long. So it was the Krieg Pirates who came this time."
In the reflection of the glass, his current image was visible.
Standing at 185 centimeters tall, his figure was well-proportioned and slender. His features were clear and handsome, his eyes bright and gentle. When he smiled, he exuded a warm, approachable aura, like the friendly older brother who had just graduated from school.
(End of Chapter)