Bakel raised his shield to block the musket bullets.
"Then let's push forward together!"
"The four of us will cover each other!"
Kuina had already charged more than ten meters ahead.
"Protect Carrot."
"Leave this to me."
Two Candidate Knights attacked from either side.
The knight on the left thrust his longsword at Kuina's shoulder, while the one on the right swept his blade toward her waist and abdomen. Kuina shifted her footing, letting the sword graze her sleeve as she lowered Wado Ichimonji.
"One Sword Style: Yakko-dori!"
The slash surged across the ice, and the knight on the right immediately coated himself in Armament Haki to defend.
The blade's gleam cut through his white robe, leaving a deep gouge in his Seastone armor plates. The impact drove him backward, his feet plowing two furrows through the ice.
"Her Armament Haki can flow inside the armor!"
"This woman has mastered Ryuo!"
"The intelligence never mentioned that!"
"She's only Lorne's subordinate! How can she have swordsmanship like this?"
"We can't give her another chance to swing!"
The knight on the left lunged forward again, unleashing a succession of thrusts.
Kuina turned her wrist, precisely parrying every attack with Wado Ichimonji. The clang of steel rang out without pause, and her Haki was rapidly draining as well.
"Your sword is too rushed."
Kuina seized an opening, knocking his wrist aside with the back of her blade.
"You've already left yourself open."
She stepped in and slammed her sword's hilt into the knight's chest.
The knight's breastplate caved in. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he went flying sideways.
"That's one down!"
Carrot shouted from the ship's rail.
"Kuina, behind you!"
Without looking back, Kuina swung her sword behind her.
A battle-ax came down from behind her just then, colliding with Wado Ichimonji.