Following the thunderous sound of explosions, Liam Ross turned his gaze toward the source.
A towering man stood amidst the chaos, over two meters tall and built like a mountain. He wielded a crescent-bladed greatsword with terrifying precision, his face fierce and battle-hardened. Behind him surged a regiment of warriors clad in ornate armor the infamous Eight Treasures Navy overwhelming Capone Bege's men and forcing them into retreat.
The man's rugged features bore a striking resemblance to the younger generation of the Chinjao family Sai and Boo.
"Could he be their father?" Liam mused.
Given the current timeline, Sai and Boo should have only just been born. There was no way they'd already be here, brandishing blades in their prime.
"The Eight Treasures Navy… the Chinjao family of violent fame."
A faint smile tugged at Liam's lips. "If I can recruit them, they'd make powerful allies."
Through his avatar, Liam observed the battlefield with sharp, calculating eyes, the gleam of strategy flashing within them.
Then, the ground trembled.
Capone Bege cigar clamped between his teeth activated his Castle-Castle Fruit, transforming his body into a living fortress. Several large iron doors opened across his torso, and out poured an army of miniature soldiers armed with rifles and cannons. The moment they hit the ground, they expanded to full size, their battle cries echoing across the port.
"Castle Bombardment," Bege growled coldly.
A deafening roar followed as countless shells erupted from his body, annihilating scores of enemies in seconds.
The hulking man from the Chinjao family watched the spectacle unfold, then let out a low grunt. His blade whistled through the air as he leapt forward, closing the distance between them in a single bound.
"Capone Bege!" he barked. "There will be no self-proclaimed king ruling the underworld of the West Blue. Withdraw your men while you still can."
Bege smirked, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "I haven't even started hunting your people down, and yet you come to me? You've chosen the wrong day to interfere with my plans. Today, every member of your so-called Chinjao clan will pay the price."
The giant's expression hardened. "Then words are useless. Let strength decide!"
With a powerful exhale, he brought his crescent blade crashing down.
At the instant the blade descended, a streak of motion blurred before him. A figure appeared like a shadow from nowhere, intercepting the strike with a swift upward parry.
Clang!
Steel clashed against steel, sparks flying as the two weapons locked together.
The giant narrowed his eyes at the intruder. "And who might you be?"
The newcomer calm, composed, and sharp as a drawn sword met his gaze. "Liam Ross. A swordsman."
The title made the man's eyes flicker with recognition. His gaze swept over Liam's scarlet blade, Falling Crimson, then back to the young man's face. "Are you with the Mafia?"
"No," Liam replied with a faint smile. "I follow Lord Imuthen."
"Imuthen?" The man frowned. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place it. "If you're not one of the Mafia, why interfere?"
"Because Capone Bege now serves Lord Imuthen."
The words struck like thunder. The giant froze, his disbelief palpable. "What?"
The underworld's infamous godfather of the West Blue Capone Bege, the man who controlled a third of its criminal world serving someone else? The idea was absurd.
Who was this mysterious "Lord Imuthen" who could make such a figure submit?
Liam's gaze grew colder. "Enough talk. The unification of the West Blue's underworld is inevitable. No one will stand in its way."
The giant's face darkened. "You underestimate us. The Chinjao family doesn't bow to anyone."
The tension thickened.
Without another word, Capone Bege transformed once more, his body morphing into a steel tank bristling with cannons. "Handle this, swordsman," he called out before charging into the fray, unleashing a barrage that shook the ground.
The moment he left, Liam and the giant moved simultaneously.
"Shing!"
Blades flashed. The clash sent a shockwave rippling across the field, scattering debris.
Their weapons collided again and again, each impact echoing like thunder. A surge of power forced the Chinjao warrior back several steps. He steadied himself, then lunged with a vicious counterattack, his blade slicing through the air like a crescent moon.
Liam met him head-on, Falling Crimson gleaming as he unleashed a radiant arc of sword energy that struck with explosive force.
Boom!
The impact carved a crater into the ground, dirt and smoke billowing upward.
Then both warriors coated their weapons in Armament Haki, black energy shimmering like steel.
They exchanged a glance silent acknowledgment between warriors who recognized each other's strength.
And then, like two arrows loosed from the same bowstring, they charged again.
For over a hundred exchanges, the battle raged. Neither gained the upper hand until Liam's eyes flickered gold.
His Intermediate Insight Technique activated.
In that instant, the world slowed. Every twitch of his opponent's muscle, every shift of weight became clear as day. He saw the opening a subtle flaw in the man's stance and struck.
The blade bit deep.
The giant roared, staggering backward, blood splattering the dirt. The fight was over.
Hours later, the battlefield fell silent. The Mafia emerged victorious. Capone Bege had successfully defended his newly seized territory.
Inside the castle, Liam reappeared in his true form and immediately asked, "System, explain something to me. Why did the Insight Technique work this time, when it failed before?"
"Please clarify your query," the System responded.
"I mean, it's never worked in previous battles. Why now?"
The System's tone remained matter-of-fact. "The host's Insight Technique was previously too low in level. It is only effective against opponents below admiral rank."
Liam's lips twitched. "That's… an awfully convenient explanation."
Still, he continued, "So what level does it need to reach to work against real powerhouses?"
"Advanced level," the System replied curtly.
Understanding dawned and with it, ambition.
The Insight Technique was beyond powerful. In the hands of a true swordsman, it could turn the tide of battle by exposing an opponent's flaw in a single heartbeat. Against elite warriors, such moments decided victory or death.
If he could upgrade it to the advanced tier, even admirals and emperors would fall the moment they revealed an opening.
With the Chinjao warrior defeated, the other families quickly withdrew.
Capone Bege seized the momentum, ordering his men to expand their control relentlessly.
Within two days, the Mafia ruled over two-thirds of the West Blue's underworld.
Just as their fleet began patrolling the coasts, a new threat arrived a warship bearing the Twelfth Patriarch of the Chinjao Family, the legendary Don Chinjao himself.
His arrival electrified the rival clans.
The final war for the West Blue was about to begin.
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