His vision went dark.
An expression of disbelief washed over his face.
The one who had attacked him was Terence of the Salisbury Family!
Or rather, formerly of the Salisbury Family.
Terence, who had left some time ago, had now reappeared within the Mesfield Family's ranks and dealt Rex a severe blow.
"Why... why?" Rex rasped, his voice hoarse and bitter.
His face turned deathly pale as blood stained the ground crimson.
"I regret this, Rex," said a figure even larger than Rex, emerging from the crowd. "But my ties with the Salisbury Family are severed. I served them for ten years, shedding countless blood for them. Since the Salisbury Family lacks the strength to unify Chaniaral Island, I had no choice but to join the Mesfield Family."
The remaining members of the Salisbury Family stared at the fallen Rex, their hearts swelling with fear.
They lowered the swords in their hands.
Rex glanced at the fewer than fifty family members left and turned to Samuel with a bitter smile.
"You've won, Samuel. The Salisbury Family's territory and wealth are all yours. I only ask that you spare the young mistress."
"Hahaha! I won't leave any trouble for myself. That brat must be taken back to the family—she's my ticket to a promotion," Samuel sneered.
With the situation firmly under his control, the lives of every Salisbury Family member rested on his whim.
He was intoxicated by this sense of power.
"Kill... all of them!" Samuel roared with maniacal laughter.
As his words fell, the already bloodthirsty members of the Mesfield Family grew even more ruthless, their eyes gleaming with madness.
Like wild beasts, they launched a ferocious assault.
Within minutes, only a dozen Mafia members remained, encircling the Salisbury Family heir.
The once-bustling street was now filled with the pungent smell of blood, littered with severed limbs and corpses.
Just as the Mesfield Family members prepared to launch their final attack, an untimely round of applause broke the tension.
"Clap, clap, clap..."
The Mesfield Family members froze, cautiously scanning their surroundings.
Samuel, too, grew vigilant, his eyes darting around.
They soon noticed a handsome marine officer seated atop a nearby building, looking down on the chaotic scene as if watching a farce.
Behind him stood a long-legged beauty and a scruffy-looking man.
"The Marines? Why would the Marines be here?" Samuel muttered in disbelief.
He knew all too well that the iron-willed Vice Admiral had already left the North Blue.
Tonight was supposed to be the new Vice Admiral's arrival, and by all accounts, the naval base should have been hosting a welcoming banquet.
So why were three officers here?
Hundreds of Mafia members grew tense, raising their rifles in unison and aiming at the three.
They were Mafia, not rootless pirates.
They couldn't just kill a marine officer—especially on an island so close to a naval base.
Samuel quickly waved his hand, signaling his men to lower their guns.
Then, with a respectful tone, he asked, "Honorable marines, what brings you here tonight?"
Raleigh pointed toward the blood-soaked battlefield.
"I only came to Chaniaral Island to enjoy the night market, but I stumbled upon quite a show instead. You've got some nerve, already forgetting what Vice Admiral Sakazuki declared."
At the mention of Sakazuki's name, Samuel shuddered.
But seeing that Raleigh and his companions showed no intention of taking action, a thought crossed his mind.
Hastily, he offered, "Perhaps we can discuss this, sir?"
"What is there to discuss?" Raleigh asked with keen interest.
This was his first encounter with the Mafia families of the North Blue, and he never expected it to be so intriguing—they were actually negotiating face-to-face.
"Just pretend you didn't see anything today. After we wipe out the Salisbury Family, we'll give half of their accumulated wealth to the Marines. How about it?" Samuel spoke with full confidence.
He knew that since the Marines hadn't taken immediate action, there was room for negotiation.
And he didn't believe he would fail. It was the wealth the Salisbury Family had accumulated over decades.
The Marines wouldn't have to waste a single bullet.
If he were in their shoes, he would definitely agree.
However, Samuel never expected that the naval officers he encountered this time were different.
"I thought you were going to offer half the Mesfield Family's wealth," Raleigh said calmly. "Such a small reward isn't enough to buy your lives."
"Don't look down on us, Marines!"
Even a desperate man has his pride, let alone Mafia members who live by the sword.
If they truly went berserk, they wouldn't care about the lives of one or two marine officers.
At worst, they could kill them, hijack a ship, and become pirates.
Raleigh glanced calmly at the furious Samuel and mocked him, "I don't know what made you so foolish as to negotiate with the Marines. You, or the family behind you, are not worthy of negotiating with us. Negotiations can only be presided over by us. You don't have the qualifications."
Suppressing his anger, Samuel asked in a muffled voice.
"My apologies for the disrespect. So, how do you suggest we, the Mesfield Family, handle this matter?"
Raleigh stretched lazily, but his next words sent chills down their spines.
"There's nothing to discuss. Your Mesfield Family is already doomed to destruction tonight."
Upon hearing this, the hundreds of Mafia members, who had just lowered their rifles, raised them again.
They immediately opened fire, determined to strike first!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets flew relentlessly toward Raleigh, but he paid them no mind.
"One Sword Style: Cherry Blossom Fall."
A golden sword aura whistled through the air, flying from Gion's hand.
It sliced through all the bullets aimed at them.
"A flying sword attack! That woman is a master swordsman!"
Raleigh turned to Tokikake.
"What are you looking at, Tokikake? It's time to make your move."
Tokikake nodded, then dashed forward, leaping high from the building and crashing into the crowd like a meteor.
After rolling her eyes at Raleigh, Gion also joined the fight, wielding Konpira.
'Heh, when it comes to fighting, it's enough to let my subordinates handle it. Why tire myself out?' Raleigh pulled out some snacks he had pocketed from the office at noon and began eating them with relish.