"Well, now that's exactly the kind of thing the World Government would do. I'd be surprised if they didn't."
Roy leapt from the back of his gryphon and landed softly on the ground. His offhanded remark, delivered with a bright smile, instantly stunned everyone present. Though he hadn't openly said, "The World Government is a damned joke," anyone with a brain could hear the sarcasm dripping from his tone.
Okulama gave a cold chuckle and strode straight toward Roy. Despite Roy's youthful appearance and seemingly innocent grin, everything about him screamed not to be messed with.
"You dare speak against the World Government? Do you realize what crime you've just committed?" Okulama closed the distance, stopping just a meter away, eyes locked on Roy's.
"Oh? I'm listening," Roy replied, smiling even wider.
"Impel Down awaits you, scum. You'll rot there for life... Actually, never mind. You can just die here instead." Snapping his fingers, Okulama gave the signal. From seemingly nowhere, over a dozen men in black suits emerged, raising their pistols and aiming at Roy.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A storm of gunfire rang out. Bullets riddled Roy's body, tearing through flesh, spraying blood across Okulama's face. He watched the slaughter with twisted delight, basking in the carnage as though it were performance art.
The barrage lasted nearly ten seconds before their guns finally clicked dry. Roy's body was a mangled mess, riddled with holes, blood and fragments of internal organs spilling onto the ground.
Several miners turned pale and gagged. The brutality was sickening—his body had been shredded beyond recognition.
"Let this be a lesson to all who dare defy the World Government!" Okulama shouted triumphantly. "You should thank me, brat! I spared you the agony of Impel Down!"
The crowd of miners was visibly shaken. Roy had merely spoken a sentence—and for that, he was gunned down like an animal. Compared to this, pirates seemed merciful.
Okulama waved his hand. "Toss him into the sea!"
But before anyone could move, a government agent cried out, panic in his voice. "Sir! Behind you!"
"Huh?" Okulama turned instinctively.
And at that moment, he felt it—the weight pressing against his neck. That "corpse" was standing tall, bathed in a radiant beam of holy light that pierced the sky. Not only had Roy come back to life, he had one knee up and a massive broadsword poised right at Okulama's throat.
"Farewell... May the Holy Light bless you." Roy's smile widened as he swung the Ashbringer down—only to have his arm suddenly jolted by a powerful force.
He spun midair to absorb the blow, landing safely a few meters away. Looking up, Roy saw a towering figure, over three meters tall, standing in front of Okulama. Though Roy didn't know who he was, one thing was certain: this guy had just blocked his kill.
"Judgment!"
Roy summoned a half-meter-long golden hammer, brimming with holy energy, and hurled it at the man. Without flinching, the giant raised a blackened arm, caught the hammer one-handed... and crushed it.
"Damn!" Roy couldn't help but be impressed. In three years, this was the first time he'd seen someone crush his Judgment Hammer barehanded.
He finally got a good look at his opponent—close-cropped purple hair, towering height, mid-fifties, and muscles that looked ready to explode. He wore a cape emblazoned with the word "Justice."
"A Marine?" Roy narrowed his eyes. "He's strong. Really strong."
There was no doubt—this guy was no rank-and-file grunt. Roy raised the Ashbringer with his right hand, his left fist glowing gold. Holy Fist Impact and Crusader's Strike activated simultaneously.
Their fists collided with an explosive shockwave, sending surrounding agents tumbling backward. Okulama collapsed in fear, hugging his head, trembling violently.
Crack! Roy felt a bone in his left arm snap. But he didn't even blink. Instead, he brought the Ashbringer down from above.
The giant Marine looked stunned. He's crazy—he just sacrificed his left arm to land a hit?!
As Roy's sword descended, the man's hardened left fist intercepted it. A metallic clang echoed as he effortlessly parried the strike, then launched a powerful right hook that sent Roy flying, slamming him into a mountain behind the quarry.
Rubble burst from the cliffside, dust and debris blanketing the battlefield.
Five seconds later, the Marine suddenly felt a chill down his spine. Spinning around, he saw it—a golden sword wave ripping through the air.
"Ashen Awakening!"
Slash! The wave tore through the man's arm, blood spraying violently.
"GRAAAH!" the Marine roared, clamping down with both hands to contain the energy. With a heave, he tossed the sword wave skyward. It exploded in the clouds, sending a blinding beam of light across the entire island.
Ding!
[You've wounded Admiral-level powerhouse Zephyr! Achievement unlocked: 'Explosive Debut!' Reward: Silver-tier Loot Chest x1.]
Roy blinked in surprise. Just scratching him earned me an achievement? This guy's no joke.
And then it clicked. Zephyr. The legendary Admiral of this era, known as "Black Arm Zephyr," the man who never kills.
Roy's grin widened. No wonder it triggered an achievement. That was just a scratch. What kind of reward would I get if I actually killed him?
With that thought, Roy made a decision. Forget healing. I'm going full-on Retribution.
"Admiral Zephyr!" a voice called out.
Hundreds of Marines had surrounded the mining site—at least a full battleship's worth. At the front stood a tall, thick-lipped man with curled hair and small round sunglasses. With a Soru, he flashed to Zephyr's side and examined his wound.
"Strange flames are embedded in the sword aura... and they're still burning. That guy hurt Teacher Zephyr? Seriously impressive!"
"That is the blessing of the Holy Light," Roy said, smiling.
"Freeze the flames," Zephyr ordered, holding back a wince.
The man—Kuzan, the Ice-Ice Fruit user and future Admiral Aokiji—nodded and raised a hand. A wave of frost sealed Zephyr's wound to prevent the flames from spreading.
Just then, Okulama found his courage again and yelled, "That brat insulted the World Government and attacked Admiral Zephyr! Arrest him now and throw him into the lowest level of Impel Down!"
Zephyr turned toward him and gave him a death glare, a pressure built from decades of combat experience. Okulama's knees buckled—he fell flat on his back, even rolling once like a panicked beetle.
"You're the bounty hunter Assal mentioned? The one who took down the thirty-million-Berry pirate?" Zephyr asked, turning back to Roy.
"Bounty hunter? I guess you could say that. But really... I'm a paladin." Roy said with perfect seriousness. Then he glanced at the surrounding Marines—hundreds of them. Yeah, no way he was fighting his way out of this.
But Zephyr wasn't like the other Marines. Roy wasn't a pirate. He figured the admiral wouldn't bother with him.
"Paladin?" Zephyr repeated, then turned to Kuzan. "You ever heard of a paladin?"
"Me?" Kuzan blinked. "No idea. But as long as he's not a pirate, that's good enough for me."
"Oh, by the way—your Navy still owes me money," Roy added cheerfully. "I hope I get it before sundown. Otherwise, not even the Light can save your corrupt little quartermasters."
He turned to leave, but a group of Marines stepped in to block his path. After all, they'd just seen this guy clash with Admiral Zephyr. That made him an enemy… right?
"Let him go," Zephyr said loudly. The Marines parted immediately.
"Name," Zephyr called after him, covering his bleeding arm with his sleeve. "You got one, paladin?"
"I am the chosen of the Light… Tirion D. Roy," he replied, without looking back.