Chaos

Guards hidden in the shadows swarmed out.

These were no ordinary thugs. Each had a steady presence and swift movements; they were clearly professionally trained guards.

Even the man in the lead faintly emanated the fluctuations of Armament Haki!

Scarface's curved blade struck the iron cage, sending a shower of sparks flying!

The cage, forged from refined steel, was exceptionally sturdy. Even his full-force blow left only a white mark!

"Gal! Go find Uncle Amamiya in the back!"

Scarface roared at the pirate rushing toward the mechanism, then spun around himself, his curved blade tracing an arc as he knocked aside two charging guards.

Uncle Amamiya was the first item in this auction and one of their pirate crew.

He had been captured by slave traders while protecting three fishman companions who had been seized.

"Got it!"

Gal wasted no words. He swung his blade to drive back the surrounding guards and charged straight toward the Auction House's backstage area.

He kicked open the half-closed wooden door and disappeared into the dim corridor.

Although the first swordsman had already been auctioned off, the auction itself was not yet over.

So after leaving the stage, the swordsman had still been sent backstage for temporary holding.

Only once the auction ended and the winning bidder had paid in full would the auctioned goods actually be handed over.

The Red-Haired Woman's bullet was knocked aside by a guard's short sword, and several guards immediately surrounded her.

These guards worked together seamlessly, advancing and retreating in perfect coordination. They were clearly skilled in combined attacks.

Though the Red-Haired Woman was agile, she was soon struggling under their siege, and a bloody gash opened across her shoulder.

The pirate charging toward the auctioneer was stopped by a burly Guard Captain.

The Guard Captain wore iron gauntlets on both hands. When he threw a punch, it actually produced a dull burst of compressed air!

The pirate barely managed to raise his blade in defense, but the impact sent him stumbling back again and again, splitting the web between his thumb and forefinger.

"Boss! We can't do this! They're too strong!" the Red-Haired Woman cried urgently.

Scarface's eyes nearly split apart.

They had tracked them for three months, all the way from the South Blue to Sabaody. Their companions were right in front of them—how could they possibly give up now?!

"Imperial Sword Style, Cross Slash!"

Scarface's roar exploded through the chaotic Auction House, drowning out the nobles' screams and the guards' shouts.

He gripped his blade with both hands and lowered his body slightly. In an instant, every muscle in his body tightened like iron, while a thin yet razor-sharp current of air faintly gathered around the blade.

It was not Haki, but the concentrated sword intent and killing intent forged through years of training.

The curved blade tore through the air, leaving a clear cross-shaped afterimage behind it!

The blade light cleaved toward the refined-steel cage.

Clang! Clang!

Two nearly simultaneous rings of metal striking metal!

The refined-steel cage was forcibly cut apart!

Scarface panted like a bull. That strike had nearly drained all his strength, but its effect was obvious.

The cage had been opened!

"Hikari! Hurry!" he hoarsely shouted.

The Red-Haired Woman moved swiftly, rushing to the cage and yanking the three terrified fishman boys out in one motion!

"Go!"

Scarface roared, "I'll cover the rear! Take the kids and get out first!"

"Captain!"

"Go!!"

Scarface swung his blade to force back the guards before him, then turned and lunged at the Guard Captain, completely ignoring the two long blades slashing down behind him!

Slash! Slash!

The sound of blades cutting into flesh.

Two wounds deep enough to expose bone split open across the Pirate Captain's back, yet he seemed not to feel them. His curved blade swept forward in a desperate arc, chopping straight at the Guard Captain's face!

"Get lost!" the Guard Captain roared, a deep black layer spreading over his iron gauntlets.

Armament Haki: Hardening!

Clang!!!

The curved blade struck the iron gauntlets with an ear-piercing explosive crack!

Metal clashed against metal! The curved blade was smashed bent!

Scarface was sent staggering backward by the rebound force, the web between his thumb and forefinger split open, blood streaming down.

The Guard Captain pressed his advantage, driving a heavy side kick viciously into his abdomen!

"Puh—!"

Scarface spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs. His body crashed against the edge of the auction platform like a broken sack, even knocking the iron cage askew.

He struggled to get up, but at least three of his ribs were broken, his internal organs severely damaged, and his vision was already beginning to blur.

"Boss!"

The three Fishman Boys' eyes were bloodshot as they tried to rush over, only to be firmly held back by the Red-Haired Woman.

She dragged them away without looking back!

The Guard Captain planted a foot on Scarface's back and bent down, his cold voice ringing out.

"A pirate crew with a bounty of only fifty million dares cause trouble on Donquixote Family turf? You're courting death."

Donquixote Family.

In the corner, Shisui frowned slightly upon hearing that name.

He had heard the clan head mention it before.

The power of Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and one of the emperors of the underworld.

No wonder these guards were so well-trained.

Scarface struggled beneath the Guard Captain's foot, blood pouring from his mouth and nose, yet he continued glaring fixedly at the enemy before him, his eyes burning with fearless rage.

That look made Shisui's fingers pause slightly.

He remembered that rainy night many years ago, during the Third Great War, when he had been defeated by the Third Raikage, and the ninjas who had risked their lives to cover his retreat.

Those companions who had known they would die, yet still chose to stay behind.

They had not hesitated to lay down their lives for their comrades.

That was the lesson he had learned from that retreat.

Such resolve deserved respect in any world.

"Go after them!"

The Guard Captain's face darkened. Just as he was about to turn and personally pursue the Red-Haired Woman's group—

"You, stop right there!"

A hoarse voice rang out.

Scarface struggled to his feet and shakily raised the curved blade in his hand, pointing it at the Guard Captain.

"Our battle isn't over yet. Where do you think you're going?"

With that, Scarface swung his blade at the Guard Captain.

But the slash looked utterly weak.

Anyone could see that Scarface was nearly out of strength. Simply raising his weapon had already consumed most of his remaining stamina.

How could an attack like that possibly pose any threat?

The Guard Captain sneered and raised his fist, preparing to deliver the Pirate Captain's final blow.

The surrounding nobles had long since retreated to a safe distance, watching the scene with great interest as though enjoying a thrilling play.

No one noticed that the black-clothed young man in the corner, who had been quietly drinking tea all this time, slowly lifted his eyelids.

Against a scarlet background, three tomoe silently emerged.

Shisui's gaze met that of the Guard Captain, whose fist was about to come crashing down, for a brief instant.

Only an instant.

The Guard Captain's movement stiffened for an almost imperceptible half-second.

Half a second, on a battlefield where life and death hung in the balance.

Was enough!

A savage gleam flared in Scarface's eyes. Using the last of his strength, he leaped up and brought his curved blade down fiercely upon the Guard Captain's head!

Psh!

The curved blade split the Guard Captain's skull cleanly in two!

The blade entered through the space between his brows, cut down along his nose, lips, and chin, then finally emerged through his throat!

The entire process was unbelievably fast, as though he had not cleaved through a hard skull, but a ripe melon.

The sneer on the Guard Captain's face had not even had time to turn into shock before the light had already faded from his eyes.

His burly body froze in place, and the jet-black Armament Haki coating his iron gauntlets receded like the tide.

A second later, blood burst from the split skull like a fountain, mixed with brain matter and shattered bone, splattering Scarface's head and face.

Thud!

The corpse, split into two halves, toppled to either side and struck the floor with a dull sound.

The entire venue fell deathly silent.