"You fellow..."
Sada and Kulu stared speechlessly at Kong Tai, then pushed off the ground and rushed towards him.
They were the strongest shield of the Celestial Dragons, the shadow of the World Government.
Fear...
Did not exist.
No matter how strong Kong Tai was, they had to go.
"Hey! I'm your opponent!"
As they charged forward, a pink figure suddenly appeared in front of them.
The pink figure was like a captivating butterfly, with soft, dark blue hair like the sea adorning her head.
Gina rushed into the air, paused, quickly drew her sword, and slashed at Sada and Kulu.
"You're looking for death."
They couldn't defeat the silver-haired man, but they could defeat this woman with a bounty of 20 million, right?
After all, they were CP0! Read novels here.
"Rankyaku!"
"Rankyaku!"
Seeing Gina, Sada and Kulu's charging bodies halted, then they lifted their legs and unleashed two crossed, silver-white Rankyaku at Gina.
"Slashing attack?"
No, it was just wind blades formed by kicks.
Gina's gaze fell on the two wind blades. Black Armament Haki flowed from her arm, gradually wrapping around Wado Ichimonji.
She swung upwards.
Clang—!
The blade of Wado Ichimonji and the wind blades formed by Rankyaku instantly collided.
"Too weak."
Feeling the force of the wind blades traveling through the sword to her hand.
Gina's hand gripping the sword tightened slightly, easily shattering the two wind blades, then she swiftly slashed towards the kicking legs of Sada and Kulu.
"Eh?"
"So strong?"
Although Rankyaku was not comparable to a swordsman's Flying Slash, it was not something ordinary people could easily shatter.
Seeing the rapidly approaching cold, sharp sword light, they instantly coated their legs with Armament Haki.
Then, instinctively, they used Tekkai.
Clang—!
The moment their feet collided with the blade of Wado Ichimonji, they felt a powerful force transmit through their legs to their entire bodies. Then, during the僵持 stage of Tekkai's immobility, they were propelled rapidly backward.
With a "boom," they crashed into the sand behind them, creating two man-shaped craters.
"Can't underestimate her!"
Sada sat up from the dust-filled pit, looking at the other pit beside him. "Are you okay, Kulu?"
"I'm fine."
Kulu stood up and, through the dust, looked at Gina, who had landed on the beach and was quickly walking towards them.
There was no longer any trace of contempt in his eyes.
"Sada, we need to be serious, otherwise..."
"I know."
Sada also looked at Gina, his brows furrowed and his expression solemn.
Rankyaku was useless against this swordsman. Their only option was close-quarters combat.
With this thought, they both pushed off the ground.
"Soru!"
With a "whoosh," they vanished from their spots and instantly appeared on either side of Gina. Raising their Armament Haki-coated fists, one aiming for the head, the other for the waist, they quickly struck towards Gina.
"Die!"
Gina's forward step halted. Her eyes flashed with red light. She bent her legs, lowered her head, and narrowly dodged the punch aimed at her head.
Simultaneously, her right hand, gripping the sword, swung rapidly.
Clang—!
She easily blocked the punch aimed at her waist.
"Did you think that was the end?"
"Naïve."
Sada and Kulu looked at Gina, extended their other hands, instantly coated them with Armament Haki, and rapidly struck towards Gina.
"A speed contest?"
Gina looked up at Sada and Kulu, her eyes flashing with cold light, the red glow in her pupils moving with the sword light.
She pushed off the ground with her feet and with a "whoosh," retreated backward. Then, gripping her sword with both hands, she swung it rapidly.
The blades and fists collided rapidly.
The sound of "clang, clang" was incessant.
...
In the air.
Kong Tai pulled off his wine gourd, watched Gina, and drank his wine. Suddenly, his head tilted.
A large black fist grazed his head.
He turned his head and saw Melas standing there. The corners of his mouth curled up, and he chuckled, "Old man, sneak attacks are not a good trait!"
Melas looked down at Kong Tai, exhaled smoke, and said with a stern face, "There are no sneak attacks when dealing with pirates like you!"
With that, he threw a left hook towards Kong Tai's head.
Kong Tai felt the sharpness emanating from Melas's fist, pushed off with his feet, and flashed backward, easily dodging the punch.
He then raised his wine gourd and took a long drink.
Lowering his head, he looked at Melas and asked, "Old man, can I ask you a question?"
"What?"
Melas paused, standing in the air on Moonwalk, staring at Kong Tai with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
Seeing that Kong Tai didn't want to fight him yet, he retracted his fist, took the cigar from his mouth with his right hand, and exhaled smoke at Kong Tai.
"Kid, can I ask you a question?"
"Uh!"
Kong Tai, who was drinking wine, suddenly stopped.
"Oh! What question do you have?"
He looked at Melas, a look of interest appearing on his face.
Melas raised his right hand, took a puff of his cigar, looked at Kong Tai, and asked.
"Kid, why did you set sail? And why are you helping the Kingdom of Bass?"
"Hey! Old man, that's not one question!"
Kong Tai tilted his head, looking at Melas, his brows raised.
"However, I can answer both questions."
"Why did I set sail? Of course, to see what this world is really like!"
"Don't you think there are too many places to adventure and play in this world?"
"Fish-Man Island, Skypiea, the Desert Kingdom, giant animals... all sorts of things, even Bass is a miraculous island."
"If I stayed in my hometown forever, how could I experience such a beautiful life?"
"Adventure?"
Melas's eyes flickered with remembrance. He had encountered countless pirate crews in his life, but those whose sole purpose was adventure were few and far between.
"If it's for adventure, then why get involved with the Kingdom of Bass?"
He looked at the corpses of Koros and Black Spear in the pile of rubble below, his brows furrowed slightly. He looked up at Kong Tai, his gaze hardening.
"And you killed people from CP0."
"You should know who you're making an enemy of by killing them!"
Kong Tai looked at Melas and asked strangely, "Old man, I'm a pirate. I'm helping the Kingdom of Bass, of course, because they paid me!"
"As for killing CP0..."
Kong Tai raised his wine gourd and took a drink.
"Hoo~"
"Aren't these guys my enemies? Since they are enemies and we fought, of course, I was prepared for them to die! Do you expect me to let them go?"
"I say, old man, don't ask such idiotic questions!"
"Oh!"
Melas nodded. "I was confused; I almost forgot you were a pirate."
"Since I've answered your questions, can you answer one for me?"
"What?"
Kong Tai leaned forward, staring at Melas, his smile gone, his expression serious. "You're the one who helped CP0 break through Bass three years ago, aren't you!"
Melas's hand, holding the cigar, paused. He looked up at Kong Tai and remained silent.
After a moment of silence, he finally replied, "Yes, it was me."
"I know you didn't take action three years ago, so why are you trying to stop Hada three years later?"
"The Marines' business doesn't require an explanation to a pirate like you, does it?"
"That's right."
Kong Tai nodded, then stared at Melas and asked loudly, "Do you know what's going on on this island? And who are the people here?"
"I don't know."
Melas shook his head, answering curtly. He then looked up at Kong Tai and asked in confusion, "You know?"
"Of course, I do, otherwise, why would I be here?"
"Can you tell me?"
Melas also wanted to know about the island's affairs.
But how could Kong Tai tell him now?
Kong Tai stared at Melas and chuckled, "If you can give me a good fight in the upcoming battle, I might tell you. Otherwise, you'd best find out yourself!"
"Also! Old man, you must know about the Kingdom of Bass, right!"
"And yet you come to stop Hada like this. Is this your justice, the justice of you Marines?"
Saying that, he slung his wine gourd to his hip, reached for the hilt of his sword with his right hand, stared at Melas, his eyes turning cold. He pushed off the ground with his feet and with a "whoosh," rapidly charged towards Melas.
"If this is your justice, then you might as well die!"