"SHAMBLES!"
In an instant, I found myself aboard the warship. The Marines around me were too shocked to react. I ignored their shouts and started assessing the situation: three captains and nine ensigns. I could handle that.
One of the captains called out, "Phantom Blade! We have you surrounded! Surrender quietly, and we won't need to hurt you."
"Are you sure you have me surrounded?" I replied, a smirk forming as confusion flickered across her face.
Without hesitation, I launched myself at the soldiers, targeting those armed with guns first. My reflexes allowed me to dodge bullets, but I needed to eliminate any distractions before engaging the officers. Within seconds, twenty Marines lay unconscious on the deck.
The captain raised an eyebrow, impressed. "I must admit, you managed to take them down without a scratch. The reports about you were accurate. You might have a soft spot for Marines, but you're still a pirate. Ensigns, form up in formation number seven!"
As these young officers surrounded me, I knew I couldn't hold back any longer. Law was already engaged with Vergo, which meant the commander would soon arrive to face me.
With a flick of my wrist, I shifted my grip on my sword, a movement noticed by one of the ensigns.
"What happened to your sense of chivalry? Now you decide to attack to kill?"
"Only the strong can show mercy," I replied. "And I don't think I'm strong enough to go easy on all of you."
"Hmph! You've got that right!"
I straightened my body, raising my sword to my right as I took my stance.
Spectral Blade Dance!
The ensigns advanced, maintaining their formation, and I let my sword flow. With each strike, my blade sliced through flesh, leaving behind ghostly afterimages that disoriented my opponents. It was a blend of grace and menace, moving through them with agility while instilling fear.
Within minutes, more bodies littered the deck. Though none suffered serious injuries, they were all out of the fight. I might not have had the strength to show mercy, but I didn't need to be cruel. Most of them were just kids, barely older than me.
Killing them would leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Now, only the three captains remained. I hoped none of them possessed devil fruit powers—dealing with those would complicate things. As if mocking my thoughts, one captain transformed his hand into a wheel.
"Give it up, Phantom Blade! We captains are on a whole different level than those pesky ensigns. Plus, I have a devil fruit power!"
"Can we skip the theatrics and just fight?"
"Have it your way! Wheel Throw!"
The wheel shot toward me, moving at a surprisingly slow speed. Does this guy even practice with his fruit? I thought. The Wheel-Wheel Fruit sounded lame, but I knew any devil fruit could be dangerous in the right hands.
If this was the best a Navy captain could do, this would be easier than I anticipated. I shifted my focus to my opponents: the wheel user, the sniper with a flintlock pistol, and the female officer wielding a massive broadsword.
As the wheel approached, I tilted my head to the right and charged forward, targeting the wheel user. The sniper was ideal, but he was shielded by the broadsword officer. My sword collided with the metallic wheel, pushing him back as I relentlessly struck the same spot.
One… two… three… four… ten.
On the tenth strike, the wheel shattered. I wasted no time, slashing diagonally at his torso. My instincts flared again as I narrowly dodged a slash aimed at my neck. Another attack came—a bullet. Grunting, I twisted my body and launched myself toward the sniper.
He fired three more shots, but I pushed through, dodging as best as I could. One bullet grazed my left arm, but the pain was manageable—just a flesh wound.
As I threw the sniper's gun from his hands in one fluid motion, the surprise on the officer's face was palpable. But before I could capitalize on the opening, the female officer swung her massive broadsword at me.
I angled my sword to the right, redirecting her strike toward the unarmed sniper. Realizing too late what I was doing, she attempted to retract her attack, but it was already too late. The two collided, tumbling down in a heap.
As I caught my breath, a slow, deliberate clap echoed through the air. Tracking the sound, I saw a middle-aged man, wearing the unmistakable "Justice" coat, with a commander's insignia glinting on his shoulder.
"Your 25 million belly bounty doesn't do you justice, Phantom Blade."
He looked at me with a calm, unsettling smile, and something about his gaze made the hairs on my neck stand up. This wasn't some regular Marine officer—I could tell he was someone who had more than a few tricks up his sleeve.
"Thanks for the compliment... I guess," I muttered, sizing him up, not daring to let my guard down.
"Oh, you should be grateful. Now…" He slowly raised a hand, his fingers flexing with eerie precision. "Let's stop wasting time, shall we?"
And then, in an instant, he vanished. No warning, no trace—just a blur of movement. My instincts screamed as I caught the glint of his finger hurtling towards me, faster than my eyes could track.
"Shigan!"
I barely managed to bring my sword up in time, the impact hitting like a cannon blast as his finger drove into the blade. The sheer force pushed me back, my feet scraping against the deck as I fought to keep my balance. The shockwave rattled my bones; he had barely touched me, yet the strength behind his attack was staggering.
A Rokushiki master.
Tch! This is going to be problematic.