Battle (9)

The black longsword was nothing else—it was the Bone Sword drawn from Imu's spine. The sword radiated an eerie black glow, as though it contained boundless evil power. The patterns on its blade resembled twisted blood vessels, sending chills down one's spine.

Swain looked at the black longsword, and an intense sense of danger surged through him. He tried to dodge, but it was already too late. Imu swung the Bone Sword with lightning speed, striking Swain's hand in an instant.

Swain felt an enormous force crash into him. The bones in his hand shifted out of place, and three of his fingers snapped on the spot. Blood spilled from his wrist, dripping down his arm onto the ground with a steady patter.

Sword energy pierced through Swain's Haki defense and entered his body, where it began wreaking havoc without restraint. Swain hurriedly activated his ability, attempting to wash the sword energy from his body with seawater. However, the sword energy was like venom. It could not be washed away by seawater at all and instead continued corroding his internal organs.

"Pfft!" Swain tasted sweetness in his throat and spat out black blood. His face turned pale, and his eyes were filled with pain and despair.

"It's useless. The poison you've been struck with cannot be cured, because it ignores Haki." Imu smiled wickedly. His eyes were full of pride and cruelty, as though he were enjoying Swain's suffering.

"Of course, unless the wielder of the Op-Op Fruit appears before you now, not even a god can save you!" Imu continued mockingly.

"Heh heh! So what if I die?" Swain said indifferently, his mouth full of blood. Before coming here, he had already put life and death aside. He had not come for the sake of all living beings either;