Under the blast of Conqueror's Haki, everyone went pale. Kuina instantly raised her own Conqueror's Haki to shield the group.
But within a few breaths, sweat beaded on her brow.
''Leno's Haki is off. Do what he said—fall back. I can't hold this for long!''
Leno's body trembled. His eyes blazed red; blood-colored mist boiled off him. The long blade in his hand had turned completely scarlet. Filaments of blood-hue rose from the steel like vapor and gathered around him.
Wave after wave of killing intent hammered his mind. In a daze, a vision flashed across his thoughts—a towering figure, wielding two long blades, one red and one blue, in a frenzy of slaughter.
Killing aura had hardened around that giant form, tangible as iron. Red and blue glows crossed and clashed in his hands; rivers of blood ran beneath his feet; behind him, severed limbs and corpses rose like mountains.
Yet in those eyes—calm as the sea—not the slightest ripple stirred, even amid that madness. He killed in perfect stillness.
Locking eyes with that tranquil gaze, a sliver of clarity cut through Leno's blood-fogged mind.
''A mere blade thinks it can bend me?''
''Vmmm—''
Blue-gold Conqueror's Haki speared skyward, coiling around the sword. The blue-gold surged, crushing back the blood-red.
Now Leno stood wrapped in blue-gold and blood—two colors entwined like a vast heart, contracting and expanding in a terrible rhythm.
Outside, Kuina shepherded everyone out of the crevasse and then farther back.
"Leno won't be in trouble, right?"
''What's happening to that idiot Leno?'' Nami and Nojiko pressed Kuina, faces tight with worry.
''I don't know yet. Most likely… the sword,'' Kuina said, uncertain.
''A sword?!''
''When my Haki touched his, I felt it—his aura flooded with brutal killing intent. It even shook my own mind,'' Kuina said with a solemn expression.
Nojiko's voice faltered. ''So Leno's being corroded by that sword's killing will? Then he—''
She couldn't finish. If Leno's mind were swallowed by that malice, he'd become a mindless butcher.
Panic flickered across her face. ''What do we do—just stand here?''
''We can't even get close. Right now, all we can do is believe in him. He'll push through. He will—he's strong,'' Kuina murmured, eyes fixed on the rift—speaking to Nojiko, and to herself.
Nami, Robin, and the others were also extremely worried, their eyes fixed on the crevasse, praying in their hearts for Leno's safety.
Nami suddenly cried out: ''Look! What's that?''
From the crack billowed a dense blood-red fog, overflowing like water and spreading outward. The once-blue ice turned steadily crimson.
The reek of slaughter slammed into them. It felt as if the world itself had been dyed in gore; killing intent gnawed at them without pause.
Before they could react, the blood-mist seethed. Blue-gold light burst through, pierced the crimson world, then wrapped it tight.
When they came back to themselves, everyone was ghost-white and gasping. It had lasted only an instant—but in that instant they felt as though they'd died thousands of times.
Their bodies shook at the memory, eyes fixed in fear on the red haze ahead.
The blue-gold radiance rapidly suppressed the spreading fog, corralling it back toward the crevasse and tangling with it.
The rift became a field of chaos—blood-red and blue-gold flickered within, then sank again into murk.
They could only watch the churning mass swell and contract, helpless to do anything more.
Time crawled. No one knew how long had passed.
Then the chaos changed. A brilliant violet flare appeared within; it spread in a flash until the whole mass was purple, then slowly drew back into the crack.
''Boom!''
A pillar of violet light shot skyward, tore through the clouds, and rained down across the land.
The world turned violet—then, all at once, cleared. And Leno was standing at the edge of the crevasse.
—A moment earlier, below.
Leno had unleashed his Conqueror's Haki to suppress the blade's murderous urge. Unexpectedly, during the struggle, the two auras began to fuse. When the fusion completed, he realized his Conqueror's Haki had… mutated.
Conqueror's Haki, now laced with pure killing will—its power leapt beyond anything before.
''What a blade of slaughter,'' he breathed.
Cold sweat beaded as he looked at the sword in his hand. He'd been careless; he'd nearly gone under—felled by a single weapon.
Even now, the memory made him shiver. If his mind had been consumed by the sword's malice… he didn't dare imagine the consequences.
Remembering the image from his mind earlier, Leno then turned his gaze to the blue longsword in the blue box.
A black and blue hilt with a blue scabbard, on which was a pattern of a golden phoenix soaring through the nine heavens, accompanied by golden cloud motifs.
This time he drew it with caution. The blade was the same shape, its edge a calm blue.
Mentally prepared, Leno waited. However, nothing happened. There was only calm. Holding the sword, Leno felt himself in a state of absolutely rational calm, devoid of any other emotion.
Sheathing the longsword, Leno's face immediately darkened.
''You've got to be kidding me. Damn it!''
Together, the two blades balanced each other—Wangchuan could suppress the slaughter's erosion, and Huangquan could shatter that absolute calm.
Realizing the cause and effect, Leno cursed aloud.
''If that's how it works, a heads-up on the box wouldn't kill you. Nearly killed me, though.''
He'd swallowed the bitter pill—and almost choked on it.
Still, the outcome was good. Otherwise, he'd have slapped himself silly. Hands off the shiny cursed weapon next time, idiot.
Scooping the scattered treasure into his pack with brisk efficiency, Leno flashed out of the crevasse.
The others sprinted up.
Nojiko dove straight into his arms, clinging to him, trembling.
Seeing the tears in her eyes stabbed him with guilt.
''Sorry—I made you worry,'' he said softly, holding her.
He glanced up—Kuina and Nami stood on either side, eyes rimmed red. He opened his arms and drew them in too, soothing them with quiet words.
''It's alright now. Really. I'm fine. And—after this—my strength made a new leap forward,'' he said with a grin, sweeping his gaze over the anxious faces. ''So don't worry.''