Born by the Blade, Die by the Blade

"It looked like the Giant Axe Pirates. Tsk, tsk, what a miserable sight. There wasn't a single living person left on the entire ship."

"Look at their wounds—they were all killed with a single sword strike. It must have been the work of a skilled swordsman. There aren't many famous Master Swordsmen in the North Blue."

"Hohoho, that's terrifying. Do you think that monster is still on the ship? What if he suddenly rushes out and kills us all?"

"Ahahaha, we're the Violent Wolf Pirates. How could trash like the Giant Axe Pirates compare to us? Stop talking nonsense and search the place. It's free loot, after all—don't let it slip away."

Noisy, rough voices drifted down from the deck above, with no attempt at concealment whatsoever.

Roy's heart sank. The Violent Wolf Pirates were well-known throughout the North Blue. Their captain's 35 million Beli bounty was more than enough to qualify him as a true great pirate, placing him on an entirely different level from Giant Axe Hoxus.

"It's been a long time since I've encountered an opponent of this caliber. My blood's already boiling. And if I remember correctly, Tyrant Wolf is a Devil Fruit user, isn't he?" A bloodthirsty gleam rose in Roy's eyes. His enemy was likely a whole tier stronger than him, but so what? Life could never be smooth sailing forever. Disasters arriving one after another were the norm. If he died here, it would only prove that he was nothing more than this kind of man.

During the ten years since he had arrived in the Pirate World, he had encountered situations like this countless times. Yet every time, he had survived. Without the resolve to cast life and death aside, one could never become truly strong. When enemies met on a narrow path, the brave would win.

Roy stepped out with firm strides. Before him stood a group of vicious-looking pirates and three large sailing ships. Judging by their numbers, the entire Violent Wolf Pirates crew probably numbered over a thousand. An ordinary person would have had their legs go weak at the sight. After all, even killing a thousand pigs would leave one's hands sore, let alone these vicious criminals—and not to mention the terrifying pirate Tyrant Wolf, who could make Night Infant stop crying.

"Where did this tender-skinned brat come from? Don't tell me he killed everyone on this ship?"

"Don't joke around. This kid probably hid until now, only to run into our Violent Wolf Pirates when he came out. How pitiful."

"You two idiots, he's Phantom Sword Roy—the Pirate Hunter who has terrified countless pirates. Looks like Giant Axe didn't die unjustly." As expected of a large pirate crew, someone among the Violent Wolf Pirates quickly recognized Roy.

The few pirates who had mocked him earlier sucked in cold breaths, their backs turning chilly. To lowly grunts like them, someone like Roy was a figure they could only look up to.

But they quickly regained their courage. After all, they belonged to the Violent Wolf Pirates, and their captain, Tyrant Wolf Monroe, was a legendary pirate with a 35 million Beli bounty. As far as they knew, the strongest pirate Roy had ever killed had only carried a bounty of 22 million Beli. By that measure, Roy could never be a match for their captain.

Even so, these minor pirates no longer had the courage to keep mocking him. Of course, hardly anyone cared what a few lowly grunts thought. Every gaze was fixed on Roy.

"Phantom Sword Roy? There aren't many swordsmen of your level in the North Blue. How about joining my crew?" Monroe stared at Roy as he extended the invitation.

It was understandable, really. One man alone could not become the Pirate King. Although Monroe's bounty was as high as 35 million Beli, no one else on his ship had a bounty exceeding 20 million. So his invitation to Roy was genuinely sincere.

"That doesn't sound like a very good offer." Roy did not so much as raise his eyelids. He placed a hand on his sword hilt, cast aside all distracting thoughts, and calmed his heart like still water.

"Hahaha, then I'll have no choice but to send you to your death."

With a single disagreement, battle erupted. Monroe's legs exploded with force as he shot toward Roy like a spring. His body rapidly swelled in midair, sharp blade-like claws extending from both hands. An eerie green glow shone from his wolf eyes, making hearts tremble.

"Devil Fruit users really are monsters." Roy muttered, but a flash gleamed in his eyes as the Grade Sword - Aurora left its sheath at unparalleled speed.

The speed Monroe unleashed had already reached a level the naked eye could barely follow, faster than even ordinary bullets. Many enemies he had faced before had their hearts torn out by a claw before they could even see his movements.

Roy was different. By the standards of certain games from his previous life, he would probably be considered an agility-type hero now. Moreover, the countless battles between life and death had given him beast-like instincts. Even if Roy had now awakened Observation Haki, he would not have found it strange in the slightest.

Thus, Monroe's trajectory was completely visible to Roy. Once his momentum reached its peak, Roy's powerful slash collided violently with Monroe, who hurtled forward like a cannonball.

"Boom!" The deck beneath their feet instantly cracked apart. No—it would be more accurate to say that the entire ship beneath them was directly torn to pieces.

"Ah! Help! Pull me up!"

"No, run! They're both monsters! This isn't a battle we can even watch!"

"Get back to our ships! Move them farther away!"

These pirates were caught up in the aftermath of the clash. The lucky ones merely fell into the sea, while the unlucky ones were killed outright by flying splinters of wood.

As the dust gradually cleared, Roy stood on a piece of wreckage with his longsword in hand. Tyrant Wolf Monroe, meanwhile, lay on another larger chunk of hull, a large section of his chest caved in as blood poured from his mouth as if it cost nothing.

"How is this possible? This has to be fake!"

"Captain, get up already! You're a man who's going to become the Pirate King! How can you fall here?"

The pirates shouted anxiously as though the sky had collapsed, but only Roy himself knew that things had truly become troublesome.

That Drawing Sword Strike had gathered more than half of his physical strength, focus, and spirit. It did not mean he had lost the ability to fight, but he could no longer unleash another strike like that one.

Although Monroe looked miserable now, there was one thing to remember: the most terrifying part of Zoan Devil Fruits was their disgusting recovery speed. With Monroe's current injuries, he would recover completely in less than half a day.

Roy found it somewhat regrettable as well. He had not expected Monroe to land on a piece of wreckage. After all, Monroe was a Devil Fruit user—if he had fallen into the sea, he would have become a lamb ready for slaughter.

"Arghhhhh! Bastard! You piece of trash, you've finally succeeded in enraging me! I'll tear you into pieces!" Zoan Devil Fruits really were absurd in the early stages. Despite suffering such severe injuries, Monroe could stand up and continue fighting so quickly.

"Words are useless. Let life and death be decided by the blade." Roy's expression hardened as he swiftly advanced, using the scattered wreckage as footholds.

Monroe felt somewhat stifled. The greatest strength of his Dog-Dog Fruit, Violent Wolf Form was its explosive burst power. But under these circumstances, if he burst forward like before, Roy might seize the opportunity to knock him into the water.

So Monroe constantly grabbed scattered pieces of wreckage and hurled them at Roy. With the strength of his arms, every chunk flew like a cannonball. Fortunately, Roy excelled at speed, or dealing with them would have been truly difficult.

A streak of Sword Qi shot out, shattering the large piece of wreckage beneath Monroe's feet. But Monroe knew the weakness of Devil Fruit users and had naturally been guarding against this move. The moment he saw Roy trying to destroy the wreckage, he hurriedly leaped onto another fragment and attacked Roy.

However, he could not generate enough force from his footing, and his attacks lacked the power they had before. In terms of striking strength, Roy actually suppressed him. Still, Monroe's hide was thick and his flesh tough. These injuries meant nothing to him, and he was even willing to suffer serious wounds if it meant landing one effective hit on Roy.

After all, Roy could injure him dozens of times without much consequence, while Monroe only needed to hit Roy once to secure victory. Naturally, Roy did not fall for it. Wind seemed to gather beneath his feet as he moved like a master assassin, toying with Monroe until he spun in circles.

After the two exchanged dozens of rounds and destroyed more than half the scattered wreckage, the other pirates finally snapped out of their daze. The Vice Captain of the Violent Wolf Pirates hurriedly ordered, "Quick! Bring the ships over! Give the captain somewhere to fight!"

Tyrant Wolf Monroe naturally noticed their actions and laughed wildly. "Brat, now you can wait peacefully for death. I definitely won't make the same careless mistake again."

That was right. Although Roy's slashes were terrifying, they still lacked the power to split a ship apart directly. The ship had broken apart earlier mainly because the collision between the two had been too powerful. As long as Monroe paid a little attention, that would not happen again.

Roy's sword did not pause in the slightest, but his heart continued to sink. There was no helping it. Although Roy had suppressed Monroe throughout the fight, aside from the first strike, his other attacks had found it difficult to leave any real mark on Monroe.

Roy knew Monroe had definitely been underestimated. Even if his strength were placed in the 40 million Beli bounty tier, he would more than deserve it. Calling him a great pirate worth 50 million Beli would not be an exaggeration either. His entire body was like steel; ordinary slashes could not even break his defenses.

The situation now was that Roy could hit Monroe countless times and still struggle to inflict meaningful damage, while if Roy carelessly let Monroe touch him even once, the battle could be declared over immediately. More terrifying still, the injury Roy's first Drawing Sword Strike had inflicted on Monroe had nearly healed. This meant that if Monroe returned to a ship, Roy would have to face Monroe at full strength—perhaps with the addition of raging fury.

Though the situation had deteriorated to this point, Roy still did not give up. He knew there was only one path left to him: kill Monroe before he returned to a ship.

At this most critical moment, Roy closed his eyes, his mind replaying the ten years since he had arrived in the Pirate World.

When he first came to this world, his body had been only five years old. Every day, he had to fight wild dogs and vultures for food, even snatching food from other children despite the savage beatings he received for it. At seven, he began putting to sea, endlessly training the dull, monotonous Drawing Sword Strike every day until his hands swelled with pain and went numb. His first battle at sea, his first kill, the first time he made a name for himself in the North Blue, the first time he saw fear and reverence in others' eyes—he knew this was what he pursued: strength, power, wealth, fame, everything in this world.

"I'm the man who'll become the Pirate King!" Roy roared as he drew his sword, his speed reaching its previous limit.

Not enough. Still not enough. Faster, even faster—I have to be faster! Crack. Driven by his powerful will, Roy felt as though some shackle had been thrown open, and endless power surged from within his chest.

Time seemed to freeze all at once. Monroe's cruel grin and the pirates' wild, smug expressions all froze on their faces.

A silver gleam swept past Monroe. His body, which had been harder than iron moments ago, was cut apart like tofu.

Roy sheathed his sword and stood tall, his gaze incomparably resolute. So this was the realm of Iron Cutting. One day, I'll be able to cut through everything in this world.