Chapter 214: Epilogue, the Kamaitachi Yokai
Kaito Shirogane watched Garp's movements, his pupils trembling. His purified, perfect body gave him superhuman kinetic vision, allowing him to see every minute muscle movement. Combined with the [Transparent World], he could see the entire process of Garp exerting force.
Garp's [Moonwalk] was far cleaner than Kaito's or Moon Fiend's.
With just one step on the air, he gained enough force to leap hundreds of meters.
It was like watching a playback. Kaito realized that when Garp stomped, the air beneath his foot instantly became extremely viscous.
That state was very close to the sonic boom cloud that appeared when Kaito himself activated Setsuna.
Kaito was pensive. His leg muscles shifted. The muscles on his upper body contracted slightly, but his lower body's bulged.
Bang!
A violent stomp, and the air exploded.
Garp turned his head and saw the rookie had already grasped the trick. His [Moonwalk] was faster, his movement greater.
He knew Gion and the others were right. This Marine had extraordinary talent.
Speed, strength, and this learning ability... he might be the star with the best chance of rising in the next generation. The only thing that gave Garp pause was his temperament.
He was less a Marine and more... cruel than most pirates.
That "kill-the-target-at-all-costs" aura made Garp worry he would walk an evil path.
But, to his surprise, Kaito hadn't killed the monster that had taken the [Black Blade: Yoru]. This made Garp's opinion of him change slightly.
When the two returned to Mock Town's port, Gion, Chaton, Doberman, and Hina were all waiting. The HQ Marines were fully armed.
Watching the two of them descend from the sky, especially with Kaito carrying a three-meter-tall monster... the visual impact was stunning.
Gion stepped forward. Five or six sword-lights flashed. The next second, amid Moon Fiend's painful roars, her joints were pierced by blades again, immobilizing her.
He looked at Kaito.
"G-51 Branch rookie, Mercenary Tao. You are commended for pursuing the fugitive. I will report your merits to HQ. Combined with your slaying of the 'Evil God' Enel at Skuld Island, HQ will award you a medal."
He defined the incident, closing the case on why the two monsters had suddenly escaped.
Kaito put on a happy smile and moved to stand behind Gion.
Garp didn't care about these things. He clapped Kaito on the shoulder and went back to the tavern, his heroic demeanor belying his overwhelming power.
Gion looked away. He envied Garp's strength—the power to pacify an entire sea. But Garp was too restrained.
If he had that kind of power...
The cruelty in Gion's eyes was very similar to Kaito's.
He looked at Kaito and felt, more and more, that the future of the Navy needed someone with a sufficiently ruthless heart. Otherwise, how could they handle the escalating chaos of the seas?
Unexpectedly, Gion personally took Kaito to lock Moon Fiend in the shipyard and assigned a full squad to guard her.
Kaito had no objections. Although Moon Fiend was now his "slave," she was useless in this world while she was still corrupted.
"Mercenary Tao, what do you think this sea... should be like?"
Gion's question was rare. Kaito looked at him. Does he really think I'm one of him?
A mocking smile played on his lips.
"That's not for a weakling like me to decide."
"This sea... new heroes are born every moment. New ambitious men run to the sea overnight, and old-timers are buried in foreign lands."
"Only the strong can decide what the sea is like. As for me..."
"I'm just... being myself."
Kaito wasn't lying. He had no special allegiance. Marines, pirates, World Government, Revolutionary Army... he would kill anyone who stood in his way.
Gion, however, seemed to misunderstand. He frowned.
"At your age, you can hardly be called a 'weakling'."
Kaito's expression turned strange. Maybe it was because the Navy was full of arrogant men like this that it was in decline.
From the era of Garp and Sengoku clashing with Roger, Whitebeard, and Gold Lion... to the era of the three Admirals holding the line, suppressing the first half of the Grand Line and deterring the Emperors...
And then, after Aokiji and Akainu's split, the new replacement Admiral had lost his nerve in the face of Red-Haired Shanks' Haki.
The Navy's problem of its new generation not measuring up was severe.
"When I'm in a slaughter, I don't ask my opponent's age. Do you, Vice Admiral Gion?"
Kaito's smile was cruel, his meaning clear. Gion looked at the young Marine, stunned for a moment, and then burst out laughing.
It was exactly this cruelty that he admired.
[Your actions have earned the praise of Vice Admiral Gion. Your reputation with Gion has increased. Current: Friendly (94/100).]
"Vice Admiral Gion, would you be willing to spar with me?"
Gion was surprised, but Kaito was still smiling.
"I want to feel, firsthand, the power of the Rokushiki and [Life Return]."
Kaito sensed this world-mission was about to end. He wanted to use Gion's high reputation to squeeze in one last training session.
Gion hesitated. He was still injured.
But in the end, he nodded. Just as they were about to begin, hurried footsteps approached.
Kaito frowned. It was an HQ Captain.
"Vice Admiral! HQ was just attacked! The assailant may be the mysterious person we encountered earlier! Fleet Admiral Sengoku orders an immediate return!"
Gion's expression changed. That "mysterious person" (Luffy)... in his opinion, not even an Admiral or an Emperor was as terrifying.
He had no time to spar. He put on his hat.
"Wait for the summons from HQ."
He then vanished, using [Soru].
In that one instant, Kaito's pupils recorded the shadow, the frequency of his muscle vibrations, the timing of his stomps.
Kaito ignored the rapidly departing Marines and focused on his own leg muscles.
The next second.
Swoosh!
Kaito's feet blurred. He vanished, reappearing 20 meters away.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...
He practiced it, his proficiency growing. He was still adjusting, finding the most efficient form.
This was his first real high-speed movement technique, after [Fire Kata: Raging Fire] and [Thunder Breathing].
It relied purely on his body, and it would only get more terrifying as he grew stronger.
[The last non-allied Reincarnator has left this world.]
[Main Mission: Team Battle, has ended. Final Points: -2]
[Main Mission Completion: D-]
[Calculating penalty...]
[Penalty: None] (Due to the intervention of the Black King's Assembly, this mission has no penalty.)
[Do you wish to leave this world?]
Kaito stood in Mock Town. The notification had come, just as he'd expected.
This was his first D-rank.
Too many unexpected things had happened. The Reincarnator on the beach triggering the infighting... Enel's overwhelming power...
And then, the arrival of Roland, which had prevented him from hunting.
Even Black King Luffy, who had saved him from the penalty, had also prevented him from hunting.
Kaito figured he could have killed at least 3-4 more.
Aside from the [Critical Snipe] team, the others would have been easy prey for him in his Haki-filled state.
But his gains... his gains were immense.
A Red-quality [King's Left Arm]. Enel's [Thunder Emperor's Heart]. An unknown Devil Fruit. A [Dragonslayer] that had become a Black Blade. Several Crimson Drop Cards, including one from Flame Fiend, one of the "Four Fiends."
His talent had manifested, and he had learned Haki, Moonwalk, Soru, and Life Return.
And... he had enslaved Moon Fiend, another of the Four Fiends.
Mission-rating aside, his haul was far greater than any previous world.
Of course, he'd also been infected with the [Satsui no Hado].
He could still feel its influence, and it would get worse as the Haki in his left arm ran out.
He needed to boost his Spirit, or...
The white [Virtue] card appeared in his hand.
Normally, a [Card] would drop randomly. This one had condensed right in front of him.
Given Roland's strange end... was this Causality? Was he supposed to use [Virtue] to suppress the [Satsui]?
Or was this just... Roland's [Hope]?
Kaito wouldn't waste time on it. He would never not use a power just because of a guess.
He reviewed his and Moon Fiend's inventories one last time... and changed his mind.
"No."
[Attention, Reincarnator EX051. You may remain in this world for a maximum of 2 hours. Exceeding this limit will result in the forfeiture of all Singularities and Dimensional Points.]
A crystal appeared in Kaito's hand.
[Shikigami Summon: Kamaitachi]
[Quality: Extremely Rare]
[Description: A special crystal sealing the Yokai: Kamaitachi. Requires blood to unseal.]
[Requirement: Spirit > 10]
[Effect: Absorb the blood of 3 adults to release the Kamaitachi. In this state, it can be contracted as a shikigami.]
This was a great item for an Onmyoji. But Kaito had other ideas. Why make it a shikigami... when I can kill it and make it part of my power?
He turned. With the Marines leaving, Mock Town's "life" was returning. The gangs and pirates were crawling back out.
Kaito smiled and walked toward a group of them.
...
On Hina's ship, Cindy and Orkins were waiting. G-51 was handling the Skuld Island survivors.
Cindy saw "Mister" grab several people and drag them toward the shipyard. She instinctively covered her eyes... but then shook her head and kept watching. They were waiting for him.
"You can be afraid of him, little girl."
Hina's expression was complex as she exhaled smoke. "Humans should be afraid of beasts."
Cindy shook her head, her pigtails swinging.
"Mister is a scary person... but... the bad people are afraid of him!"
"If the bad people are afraid of him, then Cindy isn't."
...
Splurch!
Kaito, the "not-a-bad-person," tore open the men's throats. He held them by their feet, letting their blood pour onto the crystal.
A foul stench rose. This... this must be yokai-ki.
A rat-like demon, wrapped in a pale green whirlwind, appeared. Its crimson eyes scanned Kaito.
"Your spiritual power is so... muddy. You wish to command me as a shikigami?!"
Kaito shook his head, his face twisting. The fresh kill, the blood... his Satsui was rising. His eyes flashed purple.
"Shikigami?"
"I'm just going to slaughter you... Ha!"
Swoosh!
Kaito vanished. The golden Hamon (Ripple) left a trail. The next second, the Golden Devil Lance pierced the whirlwind and impaled the yokai's body.
(End of Chapter)