"Armament Haki, huh..."
Noticing the power Nerl had used in his attack just now, Kasim Finney's expression shifted.
The intelligence they'd received earlier had only said that Black Spear Nerl might have mastered Observation Haki. It hadn't mentioned that he'd also mastered Armament Haki.
Still, he was a pirate who'd only just made his debut, yet he'd challenged a Shichibukai and defeated an elite officer from Marine Headquarters. Now he'd even mastered two types of Haki.
More importantly, had he already mastered Armament Haki before, or had he only learned it after fighting Major General Bastille and the others?
Either way, they were monsters, weren't they?
Kasim Finney's gaze grew even more serious.
Compared to his opponent's solemnity, Nerl was much more relaxed. After a simple exchange, he'd already reached his verdict.
His opponent was no match for him!
Rod didn't seem to be having much trouble either.
Nerl glanced out of the corner of his eye at Rod, who was fighting Onigumo, and relaxed a little.
In that case, he could try to figure out how to coat bullets with Haki.
With that thought in mind, Nerl used Soru again to put some distance between himself and his opponent. He then raised the Black Spear once more, trying to coat the bullets with his still-unpracticed Haki.
Bam—
Jerking his foot out, Genos kicked away the Marine who'd rushed at him and looked exasperated.
"I told you, I haven't officially joined their crew yet."
"By saying that, you mean you're planning to join them and become a pirate, right?"
The Marine captain Luan Yakub, his face covered in scars and his appearance fierce, gripped a large sword and watched the black-haired man before him warily.
They'd already exchanged a few blows, but the man in front of them was strange. Even when their swords struck him, he recovered in a very short time.
If the man hadn't been worried about the little white dog he was holding in his arms and held back, his terrifying regenerative abilities might already have allowed him to take them all out.
He must be some kind of strange Devil Fruit user.
As the thought crossed his mind, Luan Yakub twitched his lowered fingers, signaling with a gesture. The Marines behind him immediately understood.
As elite soldiers from Marine Headquarters, they naturally had special equipment for dealing with Devil Fruit users: Seastone weapons.
"If you're a pirate, then die!"
With a furious shout, Luan Yakub charged forward again, swinging his weapon. The Marines following behind him roared as well, rushing at Genos with their weapons raised.
"Honestly!"
Watching the Marines try to cut him down without even hearing him out, Genos couldn't help feeling a flicker of anger.
He understood what Rod had told him earlier. There was no absolutely safe place on these seas. No matter where you were, living a peaceful, stable life wasn't easy.
He'd seriously considered whether he should just go out to sea with Rod and the others.
But...
"Even if I become a pirate, I never planned to set out to sea like this!"
Genos pulled up his coat and tied it across his chest, making a small bundle. Then he tucked the still-sleeping Xixi inside. Grabbing two weapons from the ground, his eyes sharpened.
"Fine, then. Let's fight!"
Clang—
Rod held up Kashu to block Onigumo's slash, but the force coming through his hand made his expression shift.
What incredible strength!
Since completing his basic training and reaching the limit of his physical growth, this was the first time anyone had made him feel pressured.
"You've got some skill. No wonder Bastille lost to you."
Onigumo spoke with a cigar still between his lips. The smoke blowing toward him made Rod frown slightly.
"But I'm not a One Sword Style swordsman."
As soon as he finished speaking, Onigumo drew another long sword from his waist and swung it down at Rod.
Soru!
Rod's body shot backward, evading Onigumo's attack. He glanced at his slashed clothes, but a smile appeared on his face.
There was pressure, but he wouldn't lose!
This was exactly the kind of fight he needed right now: one that would let him rapidly absorb new lessons and turn all his accumulated experience into real strength!
He dug in his heels, and the moment he landed, his body sprang forward again. With unstoppable momentum, he charged at Onigumo, swinging Kashu fiercely at his head.
Clang—
Onigumo raised a sword to block Rod's slash. His expression shifted slightly as his other hand swung another blade, catching Rod's strike between both swords.
That kid had incredible strength!
He needed both hands just to block the slash.
His first attack had missed, but Rod wasn't discouraged. Kashu flashed rapidly in his hands as he unleashed one powerful slash after another at Onigumo.
Boom!
Onigumo dodged to the side. Rod's sword struck the ground, leaving a huge crater in its wake.
That wasn't a slash...
The information broker, who hadn't managed to retreat in time, watched Rod's attack and twitched at the corners of his mouth.
That wasn't how a swordsman fought.
Rod couldn't hear the bystander's thoughts. He'd finally found a decent opponent, and he was simply putting his various ideas into practice, one by one, as they fought.
Clang!
Onigumo blocked another of Rod's slashes, then suddenly curled his lips into a smile.
"I'll finish you off right here, kid!"
"I told you before, didn't I? I'm not a One Sword Style swordsman, but I'm not a Two Sword Style swordsman either."
As he spoke, Onigumo's black hair began to dance as if it were alive, and several more swords emerged from his back.
"I'm an Eight Sword Style swordsman!"
His flowing hair moved like six arms, each gripping a sword. While Rod and Onigumo were locked in a stalemate, the blades struck at Rod from different directions, slashing and stabbing.
Rod looked up, a wild grin on his face.
"Fighting isn't about who has more weapons!"
As he spoke, power surged from within Rod and instantly spread across his entire body.
Clang—
The six swords attacking from different directions struck Rod, but rang out like blades meeting one another.
"Why not coat your weapons with Haki?"
Rod's entire body was wrapped in black Haki. Onigumo's slashes landed on him, but couldn't cause the slightest harm.
"Is it because you don't like it?"
"Kid!"
Onigumo laughed in anger, black Haki wrapping around his body as well.
"Mastering Haki while you're still in the Four Blues is certainly impressive. But if you think that mastering Haki will let you escape me, you're sorely mistaken!"
The hair flying from Onigumo's head grew even more solid, looking almost like six additional arms. And unlike before, every blade was coated in Armament Haki.
"In the name of 'Justice,' I'll slaughter every last one of you here!"
Before you continue