The man blocking Werther's path was none other than Squard, the Great Whirlpool Spider who had stabbed Whitebeard through the chest earlier.
"You all go! I'll hold this bastard off. Don't worry, I won't let him past me."
After shouting to the captains serving under Whitebeard, Squard turned to Werther, the Great Swordsman whose eyes had begun to glow red.
It was light reflected from the exploding shells, making Werther look even colder and more ruthless.
Squard was ready to die. He knew how far apart they were in strength. He might hold Werther off for a while, but there was only one way this could end for him.
The enemy before him moved like a ghost. Squard could barely track him with his eyes.
"Heh. You've already betrayed him, so spare me the noble act. You betrayed Whitebeard. Nothing you do now will change that."
"What do you know? Do you know anything about Pops's past? Enough talk. Kill me if you've got the guts."
Werther found Squard's words almost laughably naive. Was this man really a pirate who had survived in the New World?
"You're right. I don't know a thing about that. I only know you stabbed Whitebeard, and that one blow cost him at least thirty percent of his fighting strength."
Werther kept his eyes on Squard without moving to attack. He hated traitors, especially ones who betrayed someone and then acted as though they held the moral high ground.
Pain crossed Squard's face. Then he seemed to decide this might be another of Werther's traps and fixed his gaze on him again.
The poor fool had been played so badly by the Marines that he probably saw a scheme behind everything now.
Werther had no desire to waste more words on a man so prone