The Marines immediately raised their rifles, aiming straight at Adrian and Zabuza.
"You two, don't move! Release Colonel Nezumi right now, or we'll fire!"
With their weapons pointed directly at the intruders, the guards finally felt a moment of false confidence. They barked orders, attempting to sound authoritative.
But—
Their actions only made Adrian and Zabuza laugh.
"Stop! You idiots—are you trying to kill me!?"
Nezumi roared at the two Marines.
They didn't understand Zabuza's strength—but Nezumi knew all too well.
Zabuza had cut down more than half of the hundred Marines Nezumi brought earlier—all while many of those soldiers were pointing guns at him. Those muskets might as well have been wooden sticks; not a single bullet hit.
To raise rifles at Zabuza now?
He might kill Nezumi out of annoyance before they even pulled the trigger.
"What?!"
The two Marines froze in confusion.
They were trying to help their colonel—and he yelled at them like they were the enemy.
For a moment, they didn't know what to do.
Adrian solved the problem for them.
Click.
He reached into his system space and pulled out his AK.
BANG BANG BANG BANG!!
He squeezed the trigger; bullets tore through the air, ripping into the two Marines before they could react.
A full burst.
Every round slammed into their bodies, shredding them instantly.
Back when Adrian's Physique was lower, he couldn't even control the recoil of an AK—the barrel would jump sky-high after a few shots. But now? With Citycrusher-level Physique , suppressing recoil was trivial. The gun stayed perfectly stable in his grip.
"AKs really are the best for clearing trash," Adrian muttered, satisfied.
He could've killed the two with his bare hands, but that wouldn't be as efficient.
Of course, against high-level fighters, bullets meant nothing.
But for clearing small fry?
Nothing beats an AK.
Let's go.
He slapped in a fresh magazine and strode deeper into the Marine 16th Branch.
As they entered—
"Boss, people are gathering nearby," Zabuza warned.
"Probably heard the gunshots," Adrian said indifferently. "Doesn't matter. Whoever comes—kill them."
The Marines stationed here weren't good people. Not after eight years of Nezumi's corruption. Nezumi often brought Marines with him to Arlong's territory—meaning many knew exactly what was going on.
Eight years.
And not just a single leak.
Impossible—unless Nezumi had bought most of them off.
Adrian found it laughable.
So why show mercy?
…
"This way! The sound came from here!"
A squad of Marines—about a dozen—ran toward them.
They froze the moment they saw Adrian, Zabuza, and the blood-soaked, rope-bound Colonel Nezumi.
Their brains worked overtime—
Yes!
But it was too late.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!!
Adrian's AK spat fires again.
Bullets rained across the squad, cutting down more than half of them instantly.
He could control the recoil, yes—but his accuracy… still needed practice.
A full burst killed ten or so.
Some were hit only in arms or legs.
Some weren't hit at all.
It annoyed him.
"This accuracy needs work," he muttered, shaking his head. He slammed in another magazine.
"Counterattack! Fight back!!" someone screamed.
Pointless.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!
Another burst.
The Marines who remained upright were mowed down in an instant.
Adrian walked over and finished the wounded cleanly.
"I'm soft-hearted. Can't stand watching you suffer. So hurry up and reincarnate."
Nezumi, tied like a pig, stared at Adrian blankly.
Soft-hearted?
Was this what they called soft-hearted!?
He began doubting everything he'd learned in Marine training.
These men… were literal demons.
"Nezumi. Lead the way."
Adrian gave the order.
"Y-yes! Yes, yes!"
Nezumi stammered, nodding frantically.
He hurried ahead, trembling, not sparing a glance for the dead Marines.
Why would he?
His own life mattered far more than theirs.
He was a selfish man—always had been.
And survival was his only goal now.
…
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