Chapter Title: Ongoing Series・Love Sickness Series Paused for Now 8・The Handsome Missing Person Notice
The crowd of passersby gradually dispersed. George was counting the bounty money inside his hat when suddenly Tilda's piercing scream rang out. Startled, George's hand trembled, and the bills scattered and fluttered from his hat. When he turned around, he saw Tilda sobbing, tears streaming down her face as she looked at the newspaper in her hands…
…
"The impact of Haoshoku, you either can withstand it or you can't. Those who can't simply pass out immediately, do not show such visible pain and are unable to move for a while… Is this some special Devil Fruit ability?"
Hawk Eyes said. "Looks like her crew gave her something good."
Undoubtedly, if it were a special Devil Fruit power, it was most likely given to Kuujou Jolyne by Giorno beside her.
The ability to swap Devil Fruit powers at will… this Giorno is really interesting.
"Because her crew member Giorno is too flashy and eye-catching, she herself gets overlooked?"
Many watching the broadcast quietly thought to themselves.
"This odd pirate duo… really troublesome! Only two people, yet each one weirder and harder to handle than the other…"
At first, many believed their bounties, especially that so-called female Captain, were just inflated by association and didn't deserve the 100 million belly bounty… But now they all felt a lingering fear. Luckily, no one got too reckless and went hunting those two pirates… Otherwise, even if Giorno could be held back, this mysterious, strange girl might not be dealt with so easily.
Strange abilities, powerful strength, mysterious aura!
Countless reporters were already rushing to finish their drafts, planning to combine this with their previous "Thousands of Swords Flying" piece on Giorno to create a big feature! A full-page headline!
They had already thought of the headline: "Stunning performance at the Swordsman Tournament shocks again: mysterious pirate duo resurrects, leaving the Marines humiliated!"
Hmm, "humiliated" feels too mild. Judging by the Vice Admiral Onigumo's performance yesterday, "utterly disgraced" might be more appropriate.
"More than a year ago in South Blue, she didn't have this move!"
At the Marine Headquarters training base, female Marine Hina watched the broadcast while biting on two large cigars, frowning, "Her strength wasn't like this back then… such progress in just over a year? I'm truly amazed."
"I'm surprised too." Smoker toyed with the black shackles on his wrists, his face dark, "A monster surrounded by monsters… sooner or later, they'll all be locked up!"
His bad mood wasn't because of Liam and Robin, but because the thick smoke Hina exhaled almost made him cough, though he stubbornly held it back for appearances…
Back to the Swordsman Tournament on the vacation island, "Didn't let you down, did I? We won."
Robin returned smiling, lightly slapping Liam's large hand with hers.
"There's something fishy…" Liam muttered to himself, seeming somewhat dissatisfied.
"Hm?" Robin looked up in confusion.
"Look," Liam pointed toward the forty-plus fighters preparing for the fourth round on stage. Among them was a very conspicuous robust man in a military uniform, none other than the sinister Shiryu of the Rain. "The first round had me; the second round Amande; the third round you, or maybe actually someone else. Hey, why are you pulling my face? And now the fourth round's military man… The organizers purposely spread out the favored fighters across different preliminary rounds! Hey, stop pulling!"
Robin tugged at his cheek and laughed, "Why am I, or maybe someone else? Isn't it unlikely the organizers would favor me?"
"Because you're overshadowed by that dazzling light of yours," Liam chuckled with his cheek being pulled, "Among the forty-plus you just took out, there were guys with bounties no less than yours… Maybe those are the fighters the organizers really favor…"
Liam's Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) was skilled at distinguishing strength. Among the Swordsmanes competing with Robin just now, there were indeed several with bounties roughly between 100 million and 200 million belly…
Unfortunately, even the best fighters with bounties from 100 to 200 million belly still only have one heart. The heart is also flesh and blood, it hurts.
Some pain, no matter how strong you are, you can't simply ignore it. Maybe a strong will can endure it, but that doesn't mean it can be completely disregarded…
"Really?" Robin hadn't really noticed, casually smiling, "Whatever, not important…"
The two of them turned their gaze back to the arena.
At the very moment the referee announced the start of the match, or maybe even earlier, Shiryu of the Rain's monstrous blade at his waist had already been drawn somehow. He was gently wiping the blood droplets from the blade with a white handkerchief.
"Hm?"
"What's he doing...?"
The audience was stunned. What's going on today? Why is every match ending faster than the last?
The swordsmen sharing the ring with Shiryu were equally shocked and bewildered. When did this military-uniformed man draw his sword? When did his blade get stained with blood? And whose blood was it?
Suddenly, the world before their eyes seemed distorted…
"The corpses are speaking," Liam said.
On the ring, Shiryu of the Rain sheathed his longsword. He bit his cigar with a grin. Around him, over forty swordsmen were spurting blood, puff puff puff puff, many even sliced into several pieces, lying mangled on the ring.
Chaos erupted in the stands. In front of the giant live broadcast screen streaming worldwide, there were sharp intakes of breath everywhere.
"Ladies and gentlemen watching here and around the world, the preliminary rounds of today's World's Greatest Swordsman Tournament have now concluded for this morning. The remaining four preliminaries will continue this afternoon…"
The host's voice echoed as background noise through the massive arena. The spectators in the stands slowly began to leave, and at the edge of the ring, a group of medical personnel poured in from multiple entrances, silently shocked at the mist of blood swirling around the sinister swordsman on the ring…
Hawk Eyes showed no interest, turning around with his Black Blade on his back and walking away alone.
"Let's go," Charlotte Amande exhaled smoke, "Come back this afternoon, elder sister."
Disinterested in the doctors and nurses lifting bodies off stage, Shiryu stepped down from the ring and slowly approached Liam and Robin.
Shiryu was 3.4 meters tall. Liam was 2.4 meters tall.
"…" Liam finally looked up at him after a long while. "You're blocking the light."
Such a strong bloody aura… Robin tilted her head beside Liam, looking up at Shiryu.
"If you're going to strike, you should kill them all." Shiryu looked down at Giorno, a cigar clenched between his teeth. He was obviously referring to Liam's recent astounding display of a thousand swords descending at once.
"Where do you rank?" Liam's expression grew cold. "Teaching me how to act?"
Clang!
Squinting, Shiryu pushed with his thumb; his monstrous blade slid out from its sheath a bit, the blade entwined with a layer of black.
Whiz!
Liam extended his hand, and an iron rod flew out from Robin's backpack, landing in his palm. Instantly, it was coated with Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki).
Bang!
A clash of aura burst between Liam and Shiryu.
In the chaotic arena, several entrances in the distance caught the attention of Hawk Eyes, the Charlotte sisters, and others, who paused and glanced back at the source of the aura clash.
Nearby staff and the host watched from afar with tense expressions, worried they might tear down the entire arena if these two fought.
"Hope you make it to tomorrow's matches…"
Shiryu pressed the blade back into its sheath, gave a sinister chuckle, cigar in mouth, and left.
"…"
No fight broke out. Hawk Eyes, Charlotte, and others withdrew their gazes and soon left the arena.
"He's waiting for the tournament, doesn't want to interfere with the contest for the title of the world's greatest Swordsman."
Robin no longer looked at Shiryu's retreating figure. She smiled and asked Liam, "What are you waiting for? Are you going to join the rest of the Swordsman tournament or not? You don't seem that interested."
"Well…"
Liam hoisted the iron rod on his shoulder, weighing it thoughtfully, then looked up around the upper tiers of the arena, muttering with dissatisfaction, "That old bastard is really stingy! This tournament under his name, and yet he doesn't show his face… Like some shy highborn lady?"
(End Of This Chapter)
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