Chapter 207: The Seven-Star Sword and the Emerald City
Hina's face was pale as she looked at the man standing in front of her. He was looking down at her, the curve of his lips both playful and cruel.
He knows!
Hina was terrified. She had already surrendered to Kaito Shirogane's power. Even with Vice Admirals—even Garp—nearby, she didn't call for help. She had even been planning to cultivate this young, powerful Marine after returning to G-51, to send him to HQ for advanced training while she retired to a desk job.
But now, his eyes told her he knew everything. He even seemed to know what had happened to Coby and Roshio's group.
Combined with the news from the HQ warship—that this Marine had unleashed his power and terminated the "Evil God" of Skuld Island—this "Mercenary Tao" was already famous.
Although his methods were cruel, and Vice Admirals Garp and Chaton disapproved, Vice Admirals Doberman, Gion, and the missing Dalmatian all saw his immense potential.
Would such a rising star, knowing her dark and corrupt history, let her live?
Hina's face was white. She let Kaito press in close. The HQ Marines had all gone to Mock Town to resupply, and the local gangs and pirates were all hiding like quail. The pirates who had followed the Gold Emperor said he and his entire ship had been sent flying, his whereabouts unknown.
Kaito Shirogane reached out and pinched Hina's white chin. This once-proud branch Captain now radiated an aura of "weakness," like a little white mouse.
Hina took two steps back, pinned against the deck rail.
"Captain Hina, tell me, what should I do with you?"
Hina's pupils trembled. She could still see it clearly: there was no lust in his eyes, only that same familiar, savage desire, as if he wanted to devour her. No matter how well he hid it, his essence was that of a predator.
And... since returning from that island... he seemed even more irritable, more unstable.
The killing intent rolling off him froze her in place.
Kaito seemed to be troubled. Just by holding a living, breathing body, an irrepressible desire to tear it to shreds was welling up inside him.
The Satsui no Hado began to stir.
Kaito let go. He was thinking, tapping his temple with his finger.
Tap, tap.
"That guy Coby... he was weak, but he was a good man."
It was rare for Kaito to give a weak person a positive review. He knew that the weak Marine, Coby, had indirectly helped him a great deal in this world.
"I think... I have many opportunities to kill you without anyone knowing. Maybe if Vice Admiral Gion heard your story, he'd just see you as weak and useless, and let me get rid of you..."
As Kaito spoke, the purple-black Satsui no Hado grew more obvious. He hadn't had a strong desire to kill her before, but that tiny spark of an idea was now being fanned by the killing intent, threatening to consume his mind.
Vmmm~
An intense ki began to spin. Kaito's eyelids lowered. He bent his arm, extended one finger, and a golden Dodon Ray formed.
His finger stopped less than ten centimeters from Hina's chest. The woman's exposed skin could feel the scorching heat. The shadow of death made her rigid.
She had thought she was ready to accept death when she was near that giant whirlpool, but now that it was here, she was terrified—especially of the coldness and cruelty in his eyes.
It was as if she had no value at all. Not her power as a Captain, not her strength, not even the beauty of her body. None of it mattered to him.
He just wanted the pleasure of killing her.
This absolute, inescapable intent to kill... it was freezing her.
Thud.
Hina's knees suddenly buckled, and she fell to the ground.
"Spare... spare me..."
"I... I have value."
Tears streamed down her face, her beautiful features twisted in terror, her pale skin wet with snot and tears.
The ki on Kaito's finger stopped spinning. His heartbeat slowed.
He wasn't moved by her begging. He just... refused to be dominated by the Satsui no Hado. Kaito liked to kill, and he didn't mind killing, but he refused to be dominated.
Besides... he still coveted the monsters Garp had captured.
"Oh?"
"Captain, tell me. What value do you have?"
Hina's mind raced, trying to think of what this kind of predator would want.
Power? Of course. But how could a mere branch Captain give him power? If she had it, she would have used it... No, wait... She remembered him diving into that terrifying whirlpool for "treasure."
"Treasure!"
"Mercenary Tao, have you heard the legend of the [Seven-Star Sword]?"
She blinked, a strange flush appearing on her face from the sudden hope of survival.
The Seven-Star Sword...
Kaito knew the story. It was one of the many One Piece side stories. A cursed sword that had appeared in a certain kingdom, one that could twist men's hearts and possessed a strange power.
"A vague legend... isn't enough to trade for your life."
Kaito grabbed her throat again. The Satsui no Hado surged. Kaito was carefully "prodding" this power. To tame it, he could either stack his stats high enough to become immune, or...
He could adapt.
If he could adapt to its intensity and unleash that madness at the right moments, it would be an asset.
Kaito's Strength and Agility hadn't broken their limits, but he had triggered the [Transcendent Trial] for all four stats. He was almost certain to meet the conditions to learn [Shun Goku Satsu].
That, combined with the Satsui no Hado, [The Indeterminate Form of Luck], and [Death-Taint of the Myriad Gods]... his ultimate combo was taking shape.
Hina's hope was instantly crushed. She felt her scalp tingle, the pressure on her throat suffocating her. The Marines in the distance didn't seem to notice a branch officer about to be murdered.
"I... I'll do anything... Just say the word..."
Thud.
Hina was thrown to the deck. The purple in Kaito's eyes faded. He turned to face the sea, suppressed the surging killing intent, and spoke.
"After the Vice Admirals in Mock Town are resupplied, I want you to find a way to release the two monsters Vice Admiral Garp captured."
Hina's pupils shrank...
Garp was here temporarily; those two monsters would likely be transported by Vice Admiral Chaton and the other Marines. Even without Garp, how could a mere Captain like her...
Hina watched Mercenary Tao walk toward the cabin. He had given her no room to bargain.
The girl, Cindy, was taken into town by Orkins. Vice Admiral Garp's adjutant believed that anyone who left the Skuld Island sea area needed a full examination. That infection was too dangerous.
Only Bellamy, who was confirmed to be infected, was still locked in the warship's brig, now in Sea-Stone shackles, lying weakly on the floor.
He had been corrupted by Roland's power. His body was... active... but his throat and skin were covered in abnormal growths.
A normal person would have died, but with the unique vitality of this world's characters, he was still breathing.
"Yo, Bellamy. Still alive?"
Kaito landed on his toes, squatting. His entire weight was supported on two points, yet he was perfectly balanced. Even after gaining so many abilities, Kaito still cared about his [Martial Arts Expertise].
The higher his stats became, the greater the boost this basic expertise gave him.
A superhuman learning martial arts was a joke. But when you have a group of superhumans, the one who can use his power most efficiently will always be the strongest.
Bellamy was too weak to even make an expression.
Kaito flicked his finger.
Bang!
A burst of ki destroyed the cell lock. He walked in, grabbed Bellamy by the back of the neck, and walked out.
"Hey! Mercenary Tao... Marine! Where are you taking him?"
The two guards at the brig saw this and immediately questioned him. They didn't know his rank, so they just called him "Marine."
Kaito smiled, his expression normal.
"I have orders from Captain Hina. I'm taking this guy into Mock Town for an examination."
Kaito found that smiling had another benefit: you didn't have to think about what expression to make when you were lying.
The two Marines moved aside, even offering a friendly warning.
"Be careful, Mercenary Tao. We don't know if that infection is contagious."
"Yeah, just get someone else to do it."
Kaito's reputation among the Marines was now quite high, especially with the "hawks" who respected strength. To them, his brutality was just a form of power.
Kaito nodded pleasantly, carried Bellamy to the deck, and leaped onto the docks of Mock Town.
Bellamy was small fry. Garp and the others didn't care about a 55-million-Beri pirate. Hina was the one responsible for him.
Kaito brought Bellamy into town and immediately got a notification.
[Bellamy has successfully arrived in Mock Town, alive.]
[You have completed the hidden side-quest: The Legend of the Emerald City.]
Bellamy weakly pointed to a small, nondescript wooden hut by the harbor.
"The map... I hid it... in there."
Kaito searched briefly and found a yellowed sea chart.
[You have obtained Treasure Map: The Legend of the Emerald City (Extremely Rare).]
(End of Chapter)
~~~
We hit our goal of 50, 55, 60, and 65 reviews—thank you all! As promised, you're getting 8 extra chapters as a reward!
Next goal: 70 reviews.
~~~
Every 5 new reviews = 2 extra chapters
Every 100 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter