"Don't think you'll get away with this!"
"Rankyaku: Amane Dachi!"
At that critical moment, Kaku braced one hand against the ground and spun rapidly like a top, kicking out in the motion. A vacuum slash condensed with Armament Haki tore through the air with a shrill whine, slicing precisely toward Vergo's neck.
Sensing the danger, Vergo had no choice but to abandon his attack on Ulti. He rapidly retreated several steps, then leaned back perilously as the sharp slash flew past the tip of his nose, cleanly cutting down several dead trees behind him.
While Vergo was dodging the slash and had yet to regain his footing, Page One's powerful Armament Haki-hardened roundhouse kick swept toward his lower body.
Vergo's combat instincts were exceptionally sharp. His core strength exploded as he twisted his body in an unnatural motion, barely evading the kick.
The swelling around Page One's previously grazed eye tugged at the wound as he moved, making him instinctively suck in a breath. Still, his words showed no mercy as he immediately resorted to the simplest form of provocation:
"Hey, old man! You're a grown-up, so why are you dodging attacks from a bunch of kids like us? Are you scared? Don't dare take them head-on?"
Vergo steadied himself and patted nonexistent dust from his military trousers, an disdainful sneer appearing on his face.
"Brat, such crude tricks are useless against me."
In truth, he knew perfectly well what was going on. If these had been ordinary brats' attacks, he naturally would not have bothered dodging. But these three were far too strange. The bruises on his body were the best proof. If he kept taking their attacks, even he would accumulate internal injuries. Defeat was not impossible.
However, a man as prideful as Vergo would never speak such