Ruckus at the Venue

Those well-trained guards all froze, staring in disbelief at the scene before them.

Their captain—the Guard Captain who had cultivated Armament Haki—

Had just had his skull split open by a dying pirate who could barely hold his sword?

How was this possible?!

Scarface himself was stunned.

He gripped the hilt, feeling the unmistakable sensation of flesh and bone parting under his blade, then looked down at his trembling hands.

He had actually done it!

In that instant just now, he seemed to see a flash of crimson—had he entered that state of emptiness his master spoke of?

The swift fists of that expert before him had even seemed to pause for a moment.

He had no time to dwell on it.

"Cough, cough..."

Violent coughing made him spit out more bloody froth. After the adrenaline spike from the counter-kill came an even deeper weakness and searing pain.

His legs gave out, and he dropped to one knee, planting his curved sword on the ground to barely keep from collapsing.

This should be enough. At least Hikari had already taken the Locke brothers far away.

He had fulfilled his duty as captain.

"Th-the captain is dead!"

"Kill him! Avenge the captain!"

The guards finally snapped out of it, roaring as they lunged forward!

Their discipline kept them from panicking at their captain's death.

Instead, their attacks grew even more ferocious!

Scarface watched the blades surging in from all sides, his heart turning ice-cold.

That one slash had drained the last of his strength. Now, even standing was a struggle.

Was this the end of his life?

Just then.

"GET LOST!!!"

A thunderous roar exploded from backstage!

Following the roar came several fierce, unmatched sword beams!

A cyan flash of light swept out from the backstage entrance like a crescent moon, cutting precisely toward the four guards charging at Scarface!

The four guards' faces twisted in alarm as they hurriedly raised their blades to block.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Four sharp sounds rang out almost as one! The steel swords in the guards' hands snapped cleanly!

The sword beam didn't lose momentum, leaving deep, bone-deep wounds across their chests as blood sprayed!

A figure shot out from backstage like a gust of wind!

It was Gal, supporting a middle-aged man.

The man was gaunt, his clothes tattered, and an unexploded explosive collar still hung around his neck.

But in his hand, he gripped a longsword taken from who knows where, its blade stained with blood, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.

He was the first item sold earlier.

The former general of the West Sea Kingdom, Uncle Amamiya!

"Captain!"

Gal helped Amamiya rush to Scarface's side, speaking urgently:

"Uncle Amamiya is rescued! But he's injured, and the collar hasn't been removed!"

Amamiya looked at Scarface, who was kneeling and spitting blood, a flicker of pain crossing his weathered face.

But it was quickly replaced by resolve. "Gal, help him up! I'll clear the way!"

"Damn slave! You're asking for death!"

Three more guards charged, swords and blades swinging!

A cold glint flashed in Amamiya's eyes as his longsword traced three phantom arcs before him.

"West Sea Style: Swallow Return!"

Ting! Ting! Ting!

Three soft sounds rang out. The three guards' weapons were deflected simultaneously, and a thin line of blood appeared on each of their throats!

They clutched their necks and fell, disbelief in their eyes.

"Move!"

Amamiya barked, his sword tip pointing toward the side window that the Red-Haired Woman had smashed open earlier.

His steps were unsteady, clearly drained from days of imprisonment and the explosive burst of effort just now, but the hand gripping his sword remained as steady as a rock.

Gal gritted his teeth and hoisted the nearly unconscious Scarface onto his back.

Amamiya led the way, his long sword dancing in a blur of green light as he fended off the relentless stream of guards rushing in.

But the number of guards was overwhelming, with more arriving by the moment.

"Stop them! Don't let a single one escape!" a guard who seemed to be a deputy captain barked sharply.

The encirclement tightened.

Amamiya's swordplay began to falter, fresh wounds appearing on his body.

Gal, burdened with Scarface on his back, moved clumsily and nearly got slashed several times.

Just as the situation teetered on the brink.

Crash! Boom!

The wall on the other side of the auction hall suddenly burst inward from an immense force outside!

Bricks and rubble flew as the three Fishman Boys from earlier smashed through the wall carrying a massive boulder!

Before anyone could react, the three Fishman Boys dropped the boulder and scurried away in a flash.

"After them!"

A few guards in front moved to give chase.

Thud! Thud! Thud!!!

The dull sound of bullets striking flesh rang out in succession through the dust of the broken wall!

The three guards at the front crumpled to the ground, blood blooming from their chests or shoulders—not fatal, but instantly neutralizing their combat ability.

The sudden sniper fire stalled the pursuing guards' advance, sending them scrambling for cover instinctively.

"Sniper!"

"On the rooftop across!"

Dozens of meters away, on the terrace of another Red Tree building, a red-clad figure knelt on one knee, the barrel of her long sniper rifle still trailing faint smoke.

It was the Red-Haired Woman who had led the three Fishman Boys in their breakout earlier—Hikari!

She hadn't gone far at all!

Instead, right after leaving the auction hall, she had found a high vantage point and was providing long-range support with her sniper rifle!

"Don't stop! The sniper needs time to reload! Take down the ones in front first!"

The deputy captain roared, himself hiding behind a pillar as he warily eyed the opposite rooftop.

The guards regrouped and charged at Amamiya and Gal, bracing for possible incoming bullets.

Amamiya's pressure skyrocketed. He was badly injured and had to protect Gal, who was carrying Scarface. His sword circle shrank, danger mounting at every turn.

Gal, weighed down by the man on his back, moved awkwardly. His parries grew clumsy, and fresh wounds appeared on his arm.

Bang!

Another gunshot rang out!

This time, the bullet precisely shattered a guard's firearm, and the flying fragments slashed his face!

"Damn it! Two of you, go to the opposite rooftop and deal with the sniper! The rest, keep going!"

The deputy captain cursed in fury.

Two guards peeled off from the group and dashed toward the auction hall's exit, planning to circle around to take on Hikari.

But just as they were about to burst through the door.

Boom!!!

A massive crashing sound came from the gap in the wall the Fishman Boys had broken open!

Through the swirling dust, a huge barrel was vaguely visible, hurled in from outside with tremendous force, rolling across the floor and knocking over two tables!

"Watch out for a trap!" The guards hesitated, their assault slowing again.

As the dust settled, the barrel came to a stop, showing no sign of danger.

"Just a bluff!" The deputy captain breathed a sigh of relief.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three slender figures shot out like phantoms from the shattered window and the ceiling vent simultaneously!

It was the three Fishman Boys, back again!

They carried no weapons, but each clutched a large bag of multicolored powder.

"Locke! You all!" Gal exclaimed.

The three Fishman Boys said nothing, hurling their powder packets with all their might toward the densest cluster of guards!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The packets were slashed open midair by the guards' blades, releasing a thick cloud of pungent, acrid, and choking dust of all colors!

Chili powder, lime powder, and an unknown fish-scale powder giving off a strange, fishy stench!

"Cough, cough! My eyes!"

"Ah-choo! Ah-choo!"

"What the hell is that smell?! Ugh—"

The guards, caught off guard, were engulfed in the dust, instantly streaming tears and snot, coughing and sneezing without end, their formation thrown into chaos!

Those who inhaled the fish-scale powder, in particular, were hit with waves of nausea and dizziness.