On the bustling street filled with people, the group split up. Kadun followed Jack, Karina went off on her own to purchase the things she needed, while Weiss wandered aimlessly, taking in the unique scenery of the island.
But in a nearby alley, a group of people were lurking in the shadows, their eyes fixed on Weiss as he munched on skewers.
"That's the so-called Sword Demon? He looks damn young!" sneered a scruffy-looking pirate, holding a jagged blade. His tongue lolled out like a hanged corpse, grotesque and twitching.
Three distinct groups stood apart within the alley—members of three different pirate crews. They were only gathered here because they shared a common target: Weiss, the Sword Demon.
Initially, each captain had intended to take down Weiss alone and claim the glory. But upon realizing the others had the same idea, none were willing to give up the chance—or let the others take it.
So, they decided to strike together. Whoever landed the final blow and claimed the glory would depend solely on their skill. If someone died during the ambush due to insufficient strength, well… that was just fate.
"Don't underestimate him just because of his age, Longtongue. You'll be the first to die that way," warned another pirate, muscles bulging like a devil, a massive hammer resting on his shoulder.
"Tch. That brat just got lucky. The Admirals and All Stars didn't go all out when they fought him. Otherwise, how could he possibly be on par with them?"
"You seriously believe he has the strength of an Admiral? When you were his age, what were you doing? Probably just setting sail for the first time." Longtongue scoffed, clearly dismissive.
That was the general consensus across the seas—Weiss had just been lucky. No one believed his actual strength was that impressive.
No particular reason.
Just… he was too young.
At his age, being a Supernova might be believable. But standing toe-to-toe with Admirals? That was too much.
Which was why these three had decided to kill him. To make a name for themselves and prove the so-called Sword Demon was just an overrated fraud.
"Enough talk. Are we going or not? Even if he's not that strong, he's no pushover," said another pirate coolly, leaning against the wall and exhaling a puff of smoke.
"In a rush, Smokey? Why don't you go first then?" Longtongue jeered, eyes gleaming.
"You can try that line on that brainless hammer-swinger. Doesn't work on me," Smokey replied, glancing at the hammer-wielding pirate.
These three were the captains of their respective pirate crews.
If it had been one-on-one, someone might've attacked already. But with three of them, no one wanted to get injured only for the others to swoop in and claim the reward. So the standoff dragged on.
Everyone waited, eyeing each other, wondering who would make the first move.
Meanwhile, Weiss remained unaware of the scheming in the alley. But suddenly, a prickling sense of danger crept over him—an instinctive warning.
He unleashed a burst of Observation Haki. In a shadowed corner of the alley, two pirates were aiming rifles at him, ready to fire.
It was oddly familiar—was he getting the same treatment as a Marine Admiral now?
Noting the weak auras of the two would-be snipers, Weiss didn't even flinch. He continued enjoying his food. He wasn't about to let a couple of crabs waving their claws ruin his mood.
Bang! Bang!
Two gunshots rang out, and for a split second, it was as if time stopped on the street. But only for a moment—then the screams erupted in waves.
People scattered in panic, diving into buildings and dropping to the ground, praying they wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.
Watching them react so instinctively, Weiss felt a strange pang of sympathy.
This island clearly wasn't peaceful. Daily gunfights must've trained them into reacting on instinct.
"What the hell? I was aiming straight—how did I miss?!" one of the pirates exclaimed. His vision wasn't poor; he just couldn't understand how someone could be that monstrous.
"Same here, but…"
"Impossible!"
The pirate cut himself off, stunned by the scene before him.
Weiss was casually toying with their bullets—one hand holding his skewer, the other clutching two round, spinning slugs.
He grinned, amused, and flicked the bullets back at them.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The bullets flew like darts, imbued with far more power than any gun could provide. Both pirates dropped dead on the spot, bullets buried in their foreheads.
Was Weiss being cruel? Hardly. If someone tried to take his life, he had no obligation to show mercy. Letting them live just because he wasn't hurt would've been foolish.
And all of this… was witnessed by the three pirate captains hiding in the shadows.
"Could either of you do that?" Longtongue asked.
"I could, but not that effortlessly," Smokey admitted.
"Then shall we go together?" the hammer-wielding pirate suggested.
"Fine."
"Let's do it."
Even now, they believed they could take Weiss down. They just had to coordinate… and maybe hold back a little, so they could deliver the final blow themselves.
Each man moved into position, slowly surrounding Weiss from three sides.
If he could block one, could he block all three?
Weiss stopped in front of a fruit stand, his back to the street. The fruits here seemed especially fresh—he'd noticed the same thing back at the restaurant.
"Now!"
Longtongue roared as he leapt from a rooftop, his jagged blade slicing downward like a mountain crashing from the sky.
But when he saw the other two also move, he instinctively lessened his force a little—only to find himself slightly behind.
A hammer. A greatsword. A clenched fist. All aimed straight at Weiss's exposed back.
The vendor's face contorted in terror, mouth agape, trying to cry out—but Weiss didn't move. As if he hadn't noticed anything at all.
"Hey! You dare ambush my brother?! Die!"
A voice rang out abruptly, and a gust of wind swept across the street. The hammer-wielding pirate was sent flying, crashing into a building and disappearing from view.
A young man stood where he had been, proudly lowering his raised leg.
The other two pirates froze. They wanted to retreat, but it was too late. They'd already committed, and now their only choice was to see it through. They gritted their teeth and surged forward, aiming to land their sneak attack.
The blade and fist drew closer—so close they were about to connect with Weiss's head.
Longtongue and Smokey were elated. Even if Weiss was one of the world's top fighters, no one could survive a point-blank ambush like this! At worst, he'd be crippled for life.
They could already imagine the headlines—"Pirate Captains Slay the Sword Demon!"—and basking in their newfound fame.
They failed to notice the young man nearby giving them a mocking look, as if watching dead men walking.
Victory was within reach. Too close.
The blade and fist inched even closer.
And then—
A wave of crimson killing intent erupted from Weiss's body, engulfing the entire street.
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