Boom!
The blue paw-shaped bubble, compressed to its absolute limit, suddenly expanded and hurtled toward Luo Ya with terrifying force.
This time, Luo Ya simply drew his sword in a swift slash. There wasn't a trace of flame on the blade, yet it hissed as it seared through the air.
The bubble split in two instantly. The severed halves exploded behind Luo Ya with a boom, blasting two deep craters into the ground and sending dust billowing into the air.
The two stood back to back. Luo Ya returned his sword to its sheath.
A fountain of blood burst from Kuma's body. A charred wound stretched from his right waist to his left shoulder, exposing bright red organs.
Thud! Kuma toppled backward, spewing a mouthful of blood. Pale, tender buds of flesh writhed within the charred wound, desperately trying to repair the damage.
Normally, even a wound like this wouldn't have immediately robbed Kuma of his ability to fight, thanks to his Buccaneer Tribe bloodline.
But Ryujin Jakka damaged the soul, and that couldn't be healed by simple regeneration.
"Haha, well done, Black Flame Swordsman! Rebels should be put down without mercy!" Luo Ya had just caught his breath and pulled out a cigarette to light.
Then he heard Hafiz shouting nearby.
"Heh. In that case, the commission is complete," Luo Ya said, slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"No problem. Keep him alive, but barely. Report to King Bekli at once. Then we'll execute him before the entire country and show everyone what happens when they rebel."
"A man like you being driven around by trash like this... Maybe this world really is beyond saving," Kuma said between breaths.
"Heh. Aren't Marine Admirals the Celestial Dragons' lackeys too? Isn't it even easier for them to beat you?"
"That's different." Kuma spoke each word slowly, then closed his eyes, as if he'd accepted his fate.
Thud! Hafiz marched over on his short legs and kicked Kuma hard, then kicked him again and again, venting the fear he'd been carrying for days.
"Weren't you going to start a revolution? Didn't you say you'd stand up for those commoners? So why are you lying on the ground? Hm?"
"By the way, our contract is over now, right?" Luo Ya slowly drew Ryujin Jakka and asked Hafiz with a cold smile.
His blood-red gaze made Hafiz shudder. "Black Flame Swordsman, w-what do you mean?"
"The job's done. That makes you trash, not my employer. My sword's hungry now, and it's not picky at all. Heh."
Seeing Luo Ya approach with his sword in hand, Hafiz fell to the ground in terror and scrambled backward on all fours.
"You—you can't do this! It's a breach of contract! You already took the payment!" he wailed.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Two flaming sword waves streaked past. The two soldiers nearby, reporting into a Den Den Mushi, were cleaved in half. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air, and their colorful entrails spilled across the ground.
At the sight of the "four" corpses before him, Hafiz wet himself.
"D-don't kill me! I have a Great Grade 21 Sword at home, and plenty of Beli, too. You can have it all. Just let me go!"
Kuma stared at the dramatic turn of events, stunned. He couldn't understand how things had ended up this way.
Luo Ya walked up to Hafiz and swung his sword down. Clang! A large black hand caught Ryujin Jakka. Its index and middle fingers were pressed together, as were its ring and little fingers, with the thumb completing a strange gesture.
Luo Ya pulled his sword back and retreated. The newcomer wore a green cloak, his hood hanging behind his neck. Interlocking tattoos ran across his left cheek, stretching from his forehead to his chin.
"Dragon? Was that Dragon Claw Fist just now?" Luo Ya sheathed his sword and scratched his head.
"Let us deal with this man. It wouldn't look good if word got out that you killed your employer," Dragon said, pointing at Hafiz.
"Heh. The Famous Sword at his house is mine."
"Fine. It's your spoils anyway. We'll find it."
"This Dragon Claw Fist of yours is pretty interesting. Can you teach it to me?" Luo Ya asked, pointing at Dragon's right hand.
"Uh, I can teach it, but I don't have time right now. Would you be willing to take the notes I made while training?"
"Sure. Send them to Oswaldo Island with the sword. I'll be waiting there." Luo Ya nodded.
Dragon nodded and waved his hand. A gentle breeze held Hafiz in place, leaving him unable to move.
Luo Ya narrowed his eyes. There had been rumors that Dragon was a Storm-Storm Fruit user, but until Luo Ya's death, he'd never demonstrated anything that proved it.
Now it seemed the rumors weren't entirely baseless.
After restraining Hafiz, Dragon helped Kuma to his feet. "Kuma, Ivankov will be here soon. Hang on a little longer."
Kuma gave a blank-faced nod. Seeing that, Luo Ya asked in confusion, "Kuma, can't you repel injuries and fatigue? Why didn't you use that?"
The Paw-Paw Fruit was called a broken ability because Kuma had once demonstrated that he could repel injuries and fatigue. On Thriller Bark,
he'd repelled all of Luffy's injuries and fatigue onto Zoro. By the next morning, Luffy had woken up completely healed.
If Kuma had used that ability during the fight, the outcome might have been very different.
Kuma glanced at Luo Ya. You think I didn't want to? If I could've used it, I'd have beaten the crap out of you.
"Repelled injuries and fatigue return to the wounded person if no one willingly takes them on." Hearing this, Luo Ya finally understood. No wonder Kuma hadn't used it during the two-day, two-night battle.
"Fine, then. Dragon, I'm leaving. Don't forget my stuff." Luo Ya lit a cigarette and turned toward the dock.
At last, he returned to his ship. Luo Ya raised the anchor, set his course, and, once everything was done, drifted into a half-conscious sleep.
Black Flame used Luo Ya's soul energy to repair his body. During that drawn-out battle, he'd had to repair his head after it was smashed dozens of times.
The fact that he'd managed to make it back aboard at all was a testament to his iron will.
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