Weapons of Survival

"You haven't changed. You're still unbearably arrogant, as if everything is under your control."

A faint smile tugged at Kuro's lips.

"You faced a fleet of five thousand men alone, with Admiral Creek as your opponent, and you still feel nothing?"

Gawain replied calmly, "I'm only afraid I'll kill them too quickly, before my blade has had the chance to sharpen itself."

"A blade?"

Kuro lowered his gaze and saw Kansei Masamune in Gawain's hand, a flicker of envy passing through his eyes.

Though he was not a swordsman, his eye for weapons was not poor. At a glance, he could tell that the blade in Gawain's hand was countless times stronger than the Knight Sword he had once wielded.

And when a powerful swordsman wielded a famed blade suited to him, the increase in combat strength was far more than one plus one equaling two. It was an exponential surge.

"Lucky bastard."

Gawain neither confirmed nor denied it, continuing, "The plan has changed. We have to hold this port. If you can still move, take the people aboard the ship and help the civilians in the port evacuate."

"Once we finish this job, we won't have to worry about supplies in the East Blue ever again."

"Alright!"

With that, Kuro was about to step forward when his body suddenly gave out, causing him to pitch forward uncontrollably.

Gawain reached out to steady him, clicking his tongue. "There's a limit to putting on a brave face. Leave the evacuation to the others."

"Don't die on me."

"I'm still waiting for you to advise me. After all, you're the man known as Hundred Plans, the one who never misses a calculation."

"Hmph."

Kuro snorted coldly, but no longer resisted. He allowed his subordinates to come forward and support him as he limped away into the distance.

Under Gawain's orders, the others followed the nearby guards to evacuate the civilians in the port and assist with the rescue efforts.

The situation was quickly brought under control.

Only the rows of Warships out at sea still weighed on everyone's hearts like mountains.

At this moment.

The cannon fire in the port gradually subsided. Out on the sea a thousand meters away, Krieg held a Den Den Mushi receiver, expressionlessly listening to his subordinate's report on the battle at Raven Port.

"Even Akin was defeated? Perhaps I expected too much from him."

"Those who fall here have no right to follow me to the Grand Line."

"But before that, he did fulfill his greatest value. Since the armed forces within have already been crushed..."

"Then I will personally clear away the remaining obstacles, whether it is Hundred Plans Kuro or Knight Gawain!"

As he spoke, a faint smile rested on Krieg's lips.

His subordinates fitted the armor forged from high-strength alloy onto him piece by piece.

As the armor settled over his body, an overwhelming, almost unmatched confidence rose within Krieg.

Clang!

Clang!

His fingertips lightly tapped against the armor, producing crisp metallic sounds.

Krieg looked into the distance. Beneath his feet, the Pirate Ship suddenly accelerated, swiftly pulling away from the other Pirate Ships.

As the distant port drew ever closer.

Krieg grabbed his spear, bent his knees slightly, and leaped from the deck, crashing heavily into the port...

Boom!

The ground shattered, and dust billowed outward.

Gawain turned his head just as the dust dispersed, revealing a tall figure.

The exaggerated spear, the golden armor covering his entire body, and that arrogant face—his appearance gradually overlapped perfectly with the Krieg Gawain remembered.

Yet both his presence and the pressure he exerted were countless times stronger than the Krieg Gawain remembered after his crushing defeat on the Grand Line!

Haki was the manifestation of spiritual power. Likewise, confidence could bring strength beyond imagination.

At this moment, Krieg possessed the confidence that none could stand against him, especially after seeing that his opponent was merely a young man who had not yet shed his youthful air.

"You are Knight Gawain?"

"I am Knight Gawain."

"I'll give you two choices."

Krieg looked down at him arrogantly.

"Submit or die."

"I choose... or."

A teasing smile curved across Gawain's lips. Though the Krieg before him was strong, he ultimately could not stir Gawain's fighting spirit.

Now, in the East Blue, the only one capable of trading blows with Gawain was Smoker, the Logia Smoke-Smoke Fruit Devil Fruit User who had come down from Marine Headquarters and guarded Loguetown like the final boss.

But Kansei Masamune, which had gone unsharpened for so long, was excited by the approaching battle. Gawain could even feel the blade humming.

"What a bloodthirsty thing."

Gawain murmured.

But Krieg in the distance had already lost all interest in listening. Since they could not reach an agreement, he would end the opponent before him with the fastest speed and the cruelest method possible!

"In that case, I can only ask you to die!"

As he spoke.

Krieg swept his spear horizontally, preparing to smash it down on Gawain.

The spear weighed over a ton. Even a simple swing stirred fierce currents in the air, blowing Gawain's golden hair before it even reached him.

Just as Gawain was about to draw his sword, Krieg suddenly changed moves. His left hand shot out from beneath his cloak, hurling a poison gas bomb toward Gawain!

Boom!

The poison gas bomb exploded, purple smoke spreading through the air and carried outward by the wind.

Krieg, who had already put on a gas mask, revealed a savage smile.

"The purpose of weapons is to defeat the strongest opponents at the smallest cost. When there is an easy way to win, why not use it?"

"This is an M.H.5 poison gas bomb. An ordinary person would die from inhaling even the slightest amount. Even a pirate with a Bounty of Eight Million could hardly endure it!"

"Isn't that right, Knight Gawain? Die with your regrets and resentment!"

"You—!"

Before he could finish, a hair-raising sensation shot from Krieg's feet to the top of his head. Blinding silver light emerged from the poisonous smoke.

In his panic.

Krieg could only barely raise his arm to block. A silver sword slash tore through the purple poisonous smoke and came hurtling toward him, sending both him and his spear flying dozens of meters before smashing him heavily into a wall.

Boom!

A small building collapsed with a roar, shattered stone slabs raining down from above.

Krieg slapped aside the rubble and struggled to his feet from the ruins, his face blank with confusion.

"How can a human unleash an attack like that?! A Devil Fruit User who exists only in legend?"

"That must be it!"

"You..."

Gawain slowly emerged from the poisonous smoke with one hand covering his mouth and nose, looking at Krieg with pity in his eyes.

He had long understood what kind of person this bastard was.

In the original story, during Krieg's battle with Luffy, his raw strength could not compare to Luffy's at the time no matter how hard he tried. Yet through all sorts of underhanded tricks, he had still forced Luffy into a desperate situation more than once.

His fighting ability was abysmal, but when it came to dirty tricks in battle, Krieg definitely ranked among the best in the pirate world!

How could Gawain possibly let his guard down against someone like that?

From the very moment the battle began, he had been on guard against Krieg's tricks!

"Ah~ So the slash didn't work?"

Gawain said with slight regret.

Krieg froze at his words, then felt a bone-piercing pain shoot through his arm.

Only when he lowered his head did he realize.

The armor he had regarded as the means to survive and conquer the Grand Line had failed to withstand even a single strike from Gawain.

The arm guard had been completely sliced through, cutting deep enough to injure flesh and bone!