Luo Ya swayed as he forced himself to his feet.
"Reached your limit, kid? Stop struggling. The moment you killed those innocent children, your fate was sealed."
Pingqi Ichiro deserved to die, but his young daughter was innocent. If Luo Ya had only killed the guards and Pingqi Ichiro, Matt wouldn't have fought him this far.
But when Matt arrived at Pingqi Ichiro's home and saw the blackened, charred remains of his daughter, he had already sentenced the killer to death in his heart.
Luo Ya struggled to open his injured left eye. His vision was blurry and blood-tinged.
He gasped for breath, too exhausted to answer Matt's taunts.
Luo Ya sheathed Scorching Cloud and lowered his body slightly.
Most draw-slashes began with a step forward on the right foot. But among the sword techniques Maynard had taught Luo Ya was a special draw-slash that began with a step forward on the left foot, shifting the body's entire center of gravity into the instant the sword was drawn to increase its power and speed. This move had another secret.
If the opponent successfully blocked or dodged the first strike, the tremendously powerful swing would create a strong current of air, pulling them toward the blade and leaving them vulnerable to a second strike to the neck.
According to Maynard, in all his years of adventuring, only one person had ever successfully countered this draw-slash.
Luo Ya stepped forward with his left foot. "Fire Burning City Walls!" The instant he drew his sword, a torrent of flames erupted, then was compressed into Scorching Cloud's blade. The sword, once bright orange, dimmed to a dusky red.
"Rokushiki Ogi: Rokuogan!" Matt roared, gathering all his strength. The Armament Haki coating his body concentrated on his fist, turning it black and gleaming as he hurled it toward Luo Ya.
The punch fell with the force of a collapsing mountain. Its incredible power, accompanied by a ripping sound, crashed against Scorching Cloud's dusky-red blade.
But this time, there was no thunderous boom like before.
The two passed each other. Luo Ya caught himself on both hands and spat out a mouthful of dark-red blood.
Matt stood with his back to Luo Ya as a streak of fire ignited across his body, running from his right shoulder to his left hip.
"Splurt." Matt's body split in two and burst into flames, sending up thick black smoke along with the smell of roasting meat.
At the sound, Luo Ya could hold on no longer. His vision went black, and he fell forward.
Thud!
Maynard caught Luo Ya before he hit the ground.
"You're more capable than I expected. You've left me a huge mess to clean up, and now an old man like me has to take care of it."
Maynard grumbled as he scratched his head, then carried Luo Ya away over one shoulder.
The next morning.
"Cough, cough."
Luo Ya coughed as he opened his eyes.
"Dezi, you showed up at just the right time! Next time, why not wait until I'm dead before you come collect my body?!"
Luo Ya yelled, his teeth turning into a shark's grin.
Maynard took a drag from his cigarette. "Your first mission went unexpectedly well, kid. The target's entire family was wiped out, and you even got the client, Rear Admiral Black Fist Matt, as a bonus."
With that, he tossed Luo Ya a wanted poster. In the photo, Luo Ya was sheathing his sword, a crazed smile on his face. Behind him, flames engulfed a manor while people fled in every direction.
"Bounty: one hundred million Beli! Fire Ghost Luo Ya. Who came up with such a lame nickname? If I find out, I'll cut them down."
Luo Ya grumbled as he looked at the poster.
"It's rare for someone to get a hundred-million-Beli bounty the first time they appear on a wanted poster, kid. Do you know who you killed?" Maynard asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Rear Admiral Black Fist Matt. He made a name for himself fighting in the New World. He came back to West Blue to polish his record, and would've returned to Marine Headquarters to be promoted to Vice Admiral before long. Instead, he got tripped up in a ditch. Tsk, tsk." Maynard spoke teasingly, as if he felt sorry for Matt.
"So he was a Rear Admiral. I thought any old Marine officer could coat their whole body in Armament Haki. Still, it was his honor to die by my hand. You know what they call me? The World's Greatest Swordsman!" He leaned back dramatically.
"But that move you paired with the draw-slash at the end was interesting. The blade turned dusky red, and it cut through Armament Haki like a hot knife through butter?" Maynard asked.
"Haha, I've named it the Setting Sun Blade. I realized that Fire Burning City Walls is great for clearing out weaklings, but it's not as effective against anyone with a bit of strength. So I came up with the idea of compressing all the flames from Fire Burning City Walls into the blade and holding them there without releasing them.
"The flames are compressed so intensely that the blade must be at least three thousand degrees! Combined with Scorching Cloud's ability to grow sharper at high temperatures, killing a little nobody like Black Fist was child's play!" Luo Ya's grin stretched nearly to his ears. If there had been anyone from Earth around, they would have dropped to one knee and cried, "Greetings, Dragon King!"
"You were just lucky this time, kid! Matt was right on the verge of hardening his Armament Haki. Did you really think you, the World's Greatest Swordsman who doesn't even understand Haki, could win with nothing but a sword?" Maynard smacked Luo Ya on the back of the head.
Luo Ya scratched his head. "Haki seems pretty mysterious. It has levels?"
"Ahem." Maynard cleared his throat and turned serious. "You're not far from awakening Haki, kid. It's time I explained how it works, so you don't go around thinking you're invincible.
"There are three types of Haki in all: Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and Conqueror's Haki.
Before you continue