Overwhelming Destruction

Behind Blood Axe Barton were four pirate officers whose presences were no weaker! Among them, a burly man wielding an enormous iron hammer radiated especially formidable strength. He was clearly a ruthless character as well.

They seemed to be preparing to flee the fortress through this remote little path!

"Hm?" When Barton spotted Rayne and Rosinante in the alley, he froze for a moment before revealing a cruel sneer. He recognized the Navy uniforms they wore.

"Ha! Two lost little Navy rats?" Barton pointed his battle axe at them and grinned viciously at the officers behind him. "Perfect! Don't kill them too quickly!"

He licked his lips, sadistic light flickering in his eyes. "Break all four of their limbs first! Drag them away! Once I'm safe, I'll give them a proper 'welcome'! We can't let them die so cheaply!"

"Hehehe, Captain, brilliant!"

"That's right! Let the Navy know what happens when they oppose us!"

The officers behind him also drew their weapons, letting out cruel cackles as they advanced with vicious grins.

Their gazes were like those of butchers looking at two lambs awaiting slaughter.

Rosinante's face went deathly pale. He instinctively raised his gun, but his trembling arm could not even aim properly.

The big fish has finally arrived! Rayne sneered inwardly, while his face displayed just the right amount of "panic" and "despair."

He suddenly shoved Rosinante toward a bend in the alley. "Run! Go find Lieutenant Colonel Dal! I'll hold them off!"

"Rayne! No! They..." Rosinante cried out. He knew Rayne's strength seemed to have improved under Brigadier General Gion's guidance, but those enemies included a notorious pirate with an 80 million bounty and four officers!

Just as Rosinante staggered backward from the shove, his view blocked by the corner.

The panic on Rayne's face instantly vanished, replaced by a chilling coldness and indifference.

His pitch-black eyes seemed to turn into bottomless icy pools.

"Break this brat's limbs first! Hurry!" Barton impatiently waved his hand, ordering his officers to attack Rayne.

Two officers charged forward with vicious grins, like hungry tigers pouncing on prey! One swung a blade at Rayne's left arm, while the other clawed at his right leg with iron talons! They were incredibly fast!

Rayne moved.

He began with the basic sword form Gion had taught him.

Yet in his hands, it erupted with an entirely different, terrifying edge!

Soru!

His figure left behind an afterimage as he vanished from where he stood like a ghost!

The two officers only saw a blur before icy killing intent coiled around their necks like venomous snakes!

Splat! Splat!

There were no unnecessary movements, only two precise slashes too fast to follow!

Like an antelope hanging its horns, they left no trace to be found!

The two pirate officers with bounties in the tens of millions did not even have time to scream before deep, bone-revealing bloody lines burst open across their necks. Their eyes bulged as they fell stiffly backward!

["Iron Claw" Hook]

[Overall Level: R8]

[Crime Index: 9180]

...

["Swift Blade" Simon]

[Overall Level: R9]

[Crime Index: 6500]

...

"What?!" Barton and the two remaining officers' pupils contracted sharply! They could not believe what had just happened!

They had not seen what happened at all! How could this ordinary-looking little Navy soldier possibly...?!

"Your turn."

Rayne calmly turned around, his blade tip angled toward the ground as rainwater slid down its edge. Those icy eyes watched them steadily, as though he were looking at three corpses.

"Bastard! Kill him!" The two remaining officers were both shocked and furious as they roared and charged forward together!

The burly man with the enormous iron hammer let out a furious roar. His muscles bulged as he swung the hammer down at Rayne's head with overwhelming force, like a falling meteor!

The other officer wielded a chain, sending it snaking toward Rayne's legs like a venomous serpent!

Rayne neither dodged nor retreated.

Hummm—!

A layer of jet-black Armament Haki instantly covered his blade!

Facing the incoming giant hammer, Rayne advanced instead of retreating. His sword swept upward from below at an unbelievable angle!

It was still the basic move Gion had taught him—Reverse Kesa Slash.

But empowered by [Top-tier] Swordsmanship and [Top-tier] Armament Haki, this strike became lightning tearing through the night!

Clang—!!!

A deafening clash of metal rang out!

Sparks flew everywhere!

The first mate felt an unimaginable force surge through the hammer's handle. His enormous hammer, capable of smashing steel apart... had actually been severed in half by an ordinary-looking standard-issue sword...!

"How is this possible?!" the first mate roared in despair.

The blade light that had cut through the hammer did not lose any momentum. Like a knife slicing through tofu, it swept across his neck!

Splat!

A massive head soared into the air!

["Iron Hammer" Grom]

[Overall Level: SR5]

[Crime Index: 32000]

...

At the same time, the other officer's chain wrapped around Rayne's ankle.

Rayne did not even spare him a glance.

His left leg gave a slight shake!

Crack!

The power covered in Armament Haki erupted, and the chain forged from refined steel instantly shattered inch by inch!

"What?!" The officer's face drained of color as he turned to flee!

But it was already too late.

Rayne struck backward with his blade, like a snake darting from its hole, precisely piercing through the man's back and heart!

[Kasa]

[Overall Level: SR2]

[Crime Index: 22000]

...

In an instant, only Captain Barton remained standing, his face filled with utter shock and terror!

He finally realized that he had not encountered some "little Navy soldier," but a monster disguised in sheep's clothing... a true god of slaughter!

He had not even clearly seen how his opponent attacked, yet his four capable officers... were all dead?!

"Y-you... who are you?!" His voice trembled as he gripped the enormous blood axe tightly in both hands, shouting fiercely to hide his fear.

The answer was a cold flash of steel!

Rayne appeared before him as though teleporting. His sword was covered in even denser black Armament Haki, descending fiercely with the momentum to cleave through everything!

This time, there was no flashy technique—only the simplest, most direct strike—

A vertical slash!

"Don't underestimate me! I'm Blood Axe Barton!!!"

Barton let out a desperate roar and raised his massive blood-red axe with all his strength to block!

Crack—!!!!!

A teeth-grating explosive sound rang out!

Barton's prized crimson battle axe, capable of splitting open battleship armor, was like paper. Along with his muscular body and the armor on it...

It was cleanly and decisively split in half by that slash!

Blood and organs burst out like a waterfall, dyeing the entire alley red!

["Blood Axe" Barton]

[Overall Level: SR8]

[Crime Index: 50000]

...