The Slaughter Begins!

"Exactly—the 'Evil Army' that struck fear into the hearts of everyone in North Blue." Emondi continued, "But if that's really the case, how did Bellamy nearly bring them to ruin?"

"Are you looking down on the kid?" Aeneas raised an eyebrow, as if to say that he wasn't exactly very old himself.

"Uh..."

Emondi was rendered speechless.

"In any case, I don't know what Kham's relationship with Germa 66 is, but we probably don't need to worry. Bellamy will deal with that trouble for us." Emondi waved his hand. "Our greatest enemy is the Orton Group, but this time, we also need to drag the Hunter Organization into the fray!"

Aeneas nodded slightly and stopped thinking about the relationship between Germa 66 and Kham.

"Since it's in North Blue, we'll run into them sooner or later!" Aeneas rubbed his fists, showing no fear even in the face of the Evil Army. "For now, our priority is to launch further action as quickly as possible. The longer this drags on, the more dangerous Rami will be!"

Aeneas didn't want to find Rami only to be able to touch a cold corpse!

Over the following period, Emondi introduced Aeneas to the intersecting areas between the Three Districts, including several important industrial bases—all of them places that could trigger large-scale chaos.

"Only by expanding the scale of these few flashpoints can we possibly interfere with the Hunter Base." Emondi continued analyzing the situation for Aeneas. "If we go straight to the Merit Hunter Base from the beginning, we won't cause any disturbance. We might even expose our plans."

Aeneas agreed. Reckless action was absolutely out of the question. They had to start with the conflicts between the Three Districts and gradually alter and advance the center of the fighting.

"This isn't some small skirmish. It'll be difficult without enough manpower." The people Aeneas had seen earlier were nowhere near enough in number.

At this point, Emondi smiled mysteriously.

"The one thing there's no shortage of in a chaotic battle is temporary alliances." Emondi paused before continuing, "Many unaffiliated free agents will also participate in the Round Street Slaughter. With a little manipulation, they'll gladly risk their lives for you!"

"Dirty tricks!" Aeneas spat.

"As long as you achieve your goal, what method can't be used?" Emondi wasn't bothered in the slightest. Aeneas said nothing more.

As long as he wasn't the one being used, he couldn't care less whether other people were manipulated or betrayed.

If a man didn't look out for himself, heaven and earth would destroy him!

Aeneas's ultimate goal had never been to become a hero who saved everyone. He wanted to become a warlord who stood independent amid the chaos!

Returning to the matter at hand, Aeneas and Emondi discussed every detail of their upcoming operation.

The commander of District Three's forces now had an additional person besides Emondi: Aeneas. Naturally, the subordinates were dissatisfied, but a firm hand always spoke through strength.

Once the Round Street Slaughter began tomorrow, Aeneas would make them all shut up.

Emondi had already begun to regard Aeneas as their leader. More than once, he had marveled at Aeneas's strange and wonderful ideas. No matter what sudden situation arose, Aeneas seemed to have an uncanny way of breaking through it.

"It's nothing but the art of deception." Aeneas pretended to be profound, though in truth, all of it was merely a collection of schemes he had seen in novels in his previous life.

And so, their discussion continued until late at night, when Aeneas finally went to rest.

The next day, he got up as usual.

"System, draw a prize!"

"Congratulations, host. You've drawn a bronze reward: an item-type reward, Damp Canvas!"

"What is that?"

"A sail that cannot catch fire."

"Beautiful!"

Aeneas then began his usual sword-swinging training. He trained in his room for about an hour before Emondi finally pushed the door open and called him to eat.

Upon entering, Emondi saw Aeneas drenched in sweat from his training.

Emondi was truly awestruck now.

"No wonder he's so powerful at such a young age. With talent like that and such formidable perseverance, his future is limitless." Emondi couldn't help but feel the urge to follow Aeneas.

Aeneas himself didn't know that the One Piece Roger's Conqueror's Destiny had already begun to take effect.

That extraordinary charisma was proof of it. Aeneas simply hadn't realized it himself.

"I know. I'll be out shortly." Aeneas sent Emondi away, then closed his eyes and began circulating the Essence Breathing Technique to rest his mind.

At this stage, the Essence Breathing Technique could barely improve Aeneas at all. Even so, he could sense that after ten days or half a month, it still provided a faint increase.

That was enough.

After eating his fill, Aeneas checked in with Obi-Wan and Scusen one last time before leading the combat squad onto the elevator and returning to the surface.

"From here on, act independently. In the end, everyone must follow the instructions!" Emondi ordered his subordinates. Aeneas remained silent at his side.

The combat squad entered Central Circle Street in batches. From early morning, the residents of Central Circle Street had begun moving out one after another. Most people didn't want to be caught up in the fighting.

Of course, there were also ferocious-looking people who moved straight into the vacant rooms, waiting for the order to begin the Round Street Slaughter.

That crucial order would come when the Hunter Base in Central Circle Street rang its great bell. Then the Round Street Slaughter, which would last for three days, would begin—and Tinos would then experience a complete reversal. The three underground groups were all harboring great ambitions.

"You too. Stay safe. I'll head to the designated location first." After sending off the last group, Emondi spoke to Aeneas. "You only need to stay here and handle the reception when the time comes."

"Understood." Aeneas folded his arms. The enormous Iron Sword on his back was fully exposed, gleaming brightly and looking sinister, adding to his imposing presence.

"Now we just wait." After watching Emondi leave, Aeneas sat cross-legged and gazed at Central Circle Street's drastically changed, grim appearance.

Not only was the distant harbor completely deserted, but the pedestrians who had once filled the streets had also quickly vanished. The closer it got to noon, the thicker the aura of slaughter became.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The bell of Central Circle Street rang out in a long, sustained peal, each toll seeming like a heartbeat.

All the predators hiding in the shadows bared their fangs, ready to enter their own slaughterhouse!

"Has it finally begun?" Aeneas awoke from his rest. The moment he stepped outside, a burly man wielding a great saber charged out of a dark alley nearby and swung it down at him.

"Kid, this isn't a place you should be!"

"Crack! Boom!"

Aeneas swung the Iron Sword with one hand, knocking the ambusher flying through the air. He slammed the ambusher directly into the wall of a nearby building, instantly shattering it!

Aeneas forced himself into the Pit Grit state and began swinging his Iron Sword. That's right! He was deliberately training himself to apply the essence of the Fighting Technique to swordsmanship.

"The slaughter has begun..."