After being captured by the strange assassin, the trio found themselves in an extremely perilous situation.
They were restrained to long wooden poles, displayed before hundreds of starving villagers, and were on the verge of being devoured.
Giō stood face-to-face with Tuziku.
Well, almost. The only thing preventing them from looking each other in the eye was the fact that Tuziku was restrained at least ten meters above his head.
Giō glared up at him, visibly annoyed.
"You're seriously threatening me? Even in your condition?!"
He chuckled.
"I'm starting to regret my decision to spare your life, even though I still plan on killing you."
A confident smirk spread across his face.
"I'm being dead serious here!" Tuziku's expression hardened. "Everything I told you earlier was the truth!" he insisted, gazing down at Giō with unwavering determination.
Giō let out a soft sigh.
"I had a feeling that was the case..."
Suddenly, he turned toward the crowd of deprived villagers, who eagerly awaited their first meal in weeks, and spread his arms wide.
"Now then! Hear me, my people!" Giō shouted, wearing a confident grin.
"As things currently stand... you're all on the verge of starving to death!"
"And although many of you resent me for the cruel and selfish acts I've committed in the past, I'm the one who's about to save your lives!"
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Many of you may still hate me, but you must believe me when I say that I have nothing but love for my people!"
He placed his right fist over the left side of his chest.
"YEAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
The overwhelming cheers of the hungry villagers shook the entire village.
"WE FORGIVE YOU, GIŌ!!" one of them shouted.
Giō's face lit up with an emotional smile.
"Thank you! Thank you all so much!"
A single teardrop streamed down his right cheek.
Suddenly—
Kchk!
He drew his weapon and aimed it at Prīōra.
"Wait—no, please!" Prīōra stammered, panic rising in her voice.
"PRĪŌRA!" Kutcher shouted in alarm.
Tuziku could only watch helplessly as he struggled desperately against his restraints.
Damn it all!
My body doesn't have any strength left!
His expression softened as he continued fighting to free himself.
"I've kept you waiting long enough, my people!" Giō announced, pointing his weapon directly at Prīōra's head.
"It's time we begin the feast!"
An eerie grin spread across his face.
He closed one eye and slowly tightened his finger around the trigger, carefully lining up his shot for a fatal blow.
"Please, don't do this!" Prīōra pleaded.
Just as everyone expected the weapon to fire—
"WAIT! DON'T SHOOT!!" Tuziku shouted.
"What the—?"
Giō lowered his weapon and turned toward the sudden interruption.
Prīōra exhaled sharply in relief.
"BOOOOOO!!"
The crowd erupted in boos, their impatience growing by the second.
"Tch! Look what you've caused!" Giō snapped, glaring up at Tuziku.
"Don't do this... I can help you!" Tuziku pleaded.
Giō stared at him curiously.
"How can you possibly help me?"
"...I can help you feed your village—for weeks!"
Giō's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You're bluffing!"
"No, I'm not!" Tuziku shouted.
As Kutcher watched his captain's determined expression, he wondered:
Tuziku... what are you trying to do?
Tuziku lifted his head toward the crowd.
"Just think about it! You could eat us right now and fill your stomachs for what? One day? Maybe even less!"
"Or..." He clenched his fists, his expression growing stern. "You could free me and my friends, and we'd help feed your village for weeks to come!"
"OHHHHHHH..."
The villagers began murmuring amongst themselves.
Giō studied Tuziku's determined expression.
Is this guy actually serious?!
"Think about it, Giō!" Tuziku continued. "If we work together, we could sustain your village for a while—and you'd receive all the glory for making it happen!"
Giō scratched his head, considering the surprisingly generous offer.
"Your offer sounds very tempting... almost too tempting..."
He gazed up at Tuziku suspiciously, still holding his weapon.
"Even if you're only trying to save yourself and your crew, that's still going way out of your way for us..."
Prīōra stared at Tuziku in confusion.
Tuziku... what's going through your mind right now?
Tuziku let out a soft chuckle.
"You're right, Giō. Maybe it's because you're an assassin, but you're pretty sharp!"
"I'm willing to help you if you let us go... but I also have a request to make in return."
"HA! I KNEW YOU WERE UP TO SOMETHING!" Giō shouted triumphantly, pointing at Tuziku.
"So, what's this request of yours?"
COUGH! COUGH!
"TUZIKU!" Prīōra and Kutcher shouted in unison.
Tuziku coughed up a mouthful of blood.
My wounds...
If I don't get treated soon...!
"Tuziku, you have to stop talking!" Kutcher warned him.
"It's okay, guys! I'm fine!"
Tuziku turned toward them, desperately gasping for air.
"Giō... before we ran into you..."
He paused to catch his breath.
"We were actually on our way to this village!"
"You see... we're looking for people like us to join our crew, and believe it or not..." He forced a grin despite the blood slowly trickling down his chin. "I think you're exactly the person we're looking for!"
"Tuziku, what are you saying?!" Prīōra shouted in alarm.
Giō stared at him with a blank expression.
Then—
"Hahahaha!"
Giō burst into laughter.
"Unfortunately, that's not gonna happen."
"I told you last night, when I introduced myself. I'm an assassin for hire!"
"I don't have time to run around playing Underdogs with you guys! I have a dream!" he declared, his voice suddenly growing emotional.
"I have to make enough money to save myself from this hellish land known as Hinkon!"
Silence fell over the crowd as every eye turned toward Giō.
Tuziku wore a faint grin.
"That aligns perfectly with my dream," he replied.
"But I'm not trying to rush you. Let us help you save this village first. After that..." His grin widened slightly. "You can give me your answer!"
Giō scratched his head and began pacing back and forth, deep in contemplation.
...
Suddenly—
"AHHH, DAMN IT!"
He raised his weapon and aimed it at Tuziku.
"TUZIKU, NO!" Prīōra screamed.
BOOM!
Thud!
Tuziku dropped to the ground.
"Ughh!"
He looked down at the palms of his hands.
"What the...?"
His restraints had been blown apart.
A bright smile spread across his face.
BOOM! BOOM!
Thud! Thud!
Kutcher and Prīōra dropped to the ground as well.
"Urghh! My entire body aches!" Kutcher groaned.
"There! I've freed you all!" Giō announced.
"Don't get the wrong idea, though... I'm not joining your crew! I only want to feed my people!"
"That's fine," Tuziku replied.
"But... do you think you could get us treated first?"
Before Giō could respond, Tuziku's strength finally gave out.
He collapsed unconscious.
CHAPTER 74 END!
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