Shusui

Shlick!

The black-purple light sliced straight through Perona's body. Her dazed soul regained clarity for an instant, then swiftly twisted, dissolved into motes of light, and vanished.

"Huh? She's still alive?"

Red light flashed in Kuta's eyes. His Observation Haki swept across all of Thriller Bark, then he looked up in one direction, murderous intent surfacing in his eyes.

"I'll be right back. Go wait on the ship."

Suppressing his killing intent, Kuta turned and gave Kuina a gentle smile. He stepped forward, and his body vanished.

Once he had decided to kill, he would leave no loose ends.

Kuina gazed in the direction Kuta had disappeared, thoughtful. Then understanding dawned in her eyes. Clearly, she had realized what he had gone to do.

Just then, the ground beside her suddenly shook.

A massive white figure appeared at her side.

"Where's that woman?"

Ahua had not deactivated his Devil Fruit ability. His blood-red eyes scanned their surroundings.

Clearly, even now... he was still thinking about getting revenge on Perona for humiliating him in front of everyone.

"Dead."

Kuina withdrew her gaze, turned her head, and looked calmly at

Ahua. "Kuta went after her."

"Oh..."

Hearing that Kuta had gone after her, Ahua froze for a moment, then quickly deactivated his Devil Fruit ability and returned to his original form.

He adjusted his glasses with a refined gesture and said in surprise, "She actually survived Kuta?"

"She didn't exactly survive. That ghost formed from her soul probably wasn't her entire soul, so destroying it didn't kill her real body."

Kuina explained slowly, then started walking toward the Freedom.

"Come on! Let's go back to the ship and wait for Kuta."

"Oh..."

Ahua came back to his senses and glanced at the distant Castle, a trace of regret in his eyes. He