"Five people surrounded by one man?"
Under normal circumstances, that would've sounded like the setup to a bad joke. But for the five who were currently surrounded, there was nothing funny about it.
Because the one standing before them… was the infamous Sword Demon.
"What, scared already?" Weiss chuckled, still smiling. "What happened to all that arrogance from before? That smug attitude, looking down on others? I guess you lot only know how to bully the weak."
"Attack!" The one called Eagle gritted his teeth and gave the order. If they hesitated any longer, their fighting spirit might be crushed completely.
The moment his words fell, five shadows streaked across the sky, forming afterimages as they charged toward Weiss—all aiming at vital points he'd be forced to defend.
This time, they didn't attack separately. They coordinated, targeting areas that would force Weiss to respond.
The battle erupted.
Aboard the Chris, four spectators watched as Weiss stood still in the middle of the storm, calm as ever. Black shadows danced around him, weaving in and out in relentless attacks—like satellites orbiting a planet, drawing circles around him.
To the spectators, Weiss's movements seemed slow. But each time, he blocked just in time—perfectly parrying lethal strikes without appearing rushed.
In contrast, the attackers looked fast and aggressive—but not one of them had managed to land a hit.
…
…
The pressure mounted, and Eagle—already badly injured—coughed up blood.
The longer the battle dragged on, the more anxious the five became. They were starting to realize a terrifying truth:
No matter how hard they fought, Weiss remained completely unscathed.
Their best wasn't enough. In fact, Weiss seemed like he hadn't even broken a sweat.
Eagle's heart sank. Today's mission had clearly failed. Whether they'd survive at all was now uncertain. Worse yet, they had completely offended one of the most fearsome individuals in the world.
The kings of the underworld would probably have trouble sleeping for some time after this.
"Damn it," Eagle cursed internally. "Whose bright idea was it to make us the scapegoats in this suicide mission?"
"Oh? Lost in thought?" Weiss's smile widened as he noticed Eagle's distraction.
With a touch of kindness, he rewarded the lapse in focus by increasing both the force and speed of his next strike.
In the blink of an eye, a long gash appeared across Eagle's arm.
Blood flowed freely. Of the five, Eagle was now the most seriously wounded.
Serves him right for being so cocky.
(That swordsman earlier didn't even count—he died instantly.)
Eagle's injury caused the group's rhythm to falter. Their coordinated assault slipped into disarray. Weiss saw the opportunity and, of course, didn't let it go to waste—even though he could've killed all five at any time.
Slash!
Slash!
Slash!
Slash!
Without meaning to, Weiss unleashed a sweeping circular slash that tore across the chests of the four remaining fighters. When he passed by Belle, he even gave her some special treatment—coating his blade with Armament Haki for good measure.
The five clutched their wounds, gasping for air. The extended battle had thrown their breathing into chaos. Their internal energy was now difficult to regulate.
Weiss, meanwhile, remained untouched. Not even a wrinkle in his shirt.
"Alright, how about this?" he offered cheerfully. "Let's make a deal. I don't have to kill you."
He paused deliberately, watching their expressions. When none of them changed, he sighed, clearly disappointed.
"I'll let you live. All you have to do is pay me one billion Berry as ransom. Sounds fair, right?"
He smiled as if he were offering a perfectly reasonable trade.
After all, didn't they plan to pay 1.3 billion in the first place? One guy died—that's a discount.
Besides, even if they returned, the mission was a failure. They wouldn't be spared.
Didn't novels always say it? Villains ransoming their subordinates to "win hearts and minds." But failure should still be punished. Punishment meant death.
This way, he got money and didn't have to dirty his hands. Perfect solution.
The five looked even more miserable than before.
Sure, they were powerful—compared to the average fighter. But they weren't even the strongest among their own organization.
Would their leaders agree to the ransom?
Probably not. Knowing how ruthless those people were, they'd rather let them die.
"They probably won't agree," Eagle muttered grimly.
"Then you can all die," Weiss replied casually, reaching for the longsword at his hip.
Five people or not—at this level, it would only take a single swing.
"Wait!" Belle shouted, clutching her chest and stepping forward. She wasn't ready to die—not without trying something.
"Let me make a call."
She pulled out a Den Den Mushi and dialed.
Purupuru... click!
"Hello? Belle? Did the Sword Demon agree? Great—bring the tech back right away."
A man's voice came through, assuming the mission was a success.
Weiss motioned. Belle tossed the Den Den Mushi over.
"Hello? Why aren't you saying anything?"
"…Maybe because they don't dare speak," Weiss said, now holding the receiver.
There was silence on the other end.
Then a moment later:
"Mr. Sword Demon, we'd like to ask—what are your thoughts on our transaction?"
"Thoughts?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "You're confident I have what you're after. But what if I say I don't? Would you believe me?"
He thrust his sword into the sand and leaned on it.
"If you truly don't have it," the man replied after a pause, "then we sincerely apologize for disturbing you. We're willing to offer compensation."
"Let's leave the money aside for a moment," Weiss said coldly. "Tell me—what made you think it was okay to target me based on nothing but a suspicion? Not just approach me—but send these five nobodies to fight me?"
More silence.
Then, after nearly a minute:
"Mr. Sword Demon… perhaps you don't understand the current state of the world. Outside of the pirates, every major power is doing everything they can to increase their strength. If they don't, they'll be swept away by the tides of history."
"We have no choice."
"We can't afford to miss any opportunity to grow stronger."
They were clearly afraid he'd retaliate—and send even stronger warriors next time.
"Fine then," Weiss said at last. "One billion Berry for the five of them. Deliver it to my ship. Then they can leave. Otherwise…"
He didn't need to finish the sentence.
From this, Weiss realized something: apart from the pirates and the Celestial Dragons, every major power in the seas was desperately trying to grow.
The pirates were a massive, decentralized group. Thanks to Roger's last words, wave after wave of monsters—supernovas—kept emerging. Talented and terrifyingly strong, these people could've balanced the world's powers, had they joined different factions. Instead, they all became pirates.
As for the Celestial Dragons… they didn't care. If any of them were hurt, an admiral would come to their defense. Power meant nothing to them.
Back on the call, the man still hadn't replied. Background noise leaked through—murmurs, like people in heated discussion.
Then, silence.
"Mr. Sword Demon," the voice finally returned, "we accept your terms. The money will be delivered to your ship by this afternoon. Please release our people when it arrives."
"I'm a man of my word," Weiss said with a smile. "As long as the payment shows up—no problem at all."
No harm done, and he got paid. Why not?
The five, especially Eagle, were stunned—but relieved. They hadn't expected to survive. But now they had a chance. Still, the thought of what punishment awaited them for failing the mission brought a new wave of dread.
But here, Weiss had miscalculated.
Far away, on a small island in the Grand Line, within a lavish golden palace, five seats encircled a massive round table—each with a Den Den Mushi in front.
A man hung up and addressed the others:
"Let's drop it. We can't afford to mess with that guy right now."
Unwilling as they were… what could they do?
Strength was everything.