Behind "Blood Axe" Barton, four pirate cadres followed. Their presence was strong as well. One of them was a massive man holding a giant iron hammer. He felt especially dangerous and was clearly no ordinary opponent.
It looked like they were preparing to escape the fortress through this secluded side path.
"Hmm?" Barton spotted Aiden and Rosinante in the alleyway. He was surprised for a moment, but then he let out a cruel, mocking laugh. He had recognized the Marine uniforms they were wearing.
"Ha! Two little lost Marines?" Barton pointed his battle axe at them and sneered at the cadres behind him. "Don't kill them too quickly!"
He licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. "Break their arms and legs first! Drag them away! Once I'm safe, I'll 'entertain' them properly! We can't let them die that easily!"
"Hehehe, good idea, Captain!"
"That's right! We need to let the Marines know what happens when they cross us!"
The cadres behind him also drew their weapons. They let out cruel, unsettling laughs and slowly closed in with sneers on their faces.
Their eyes looked as if they were staring at two lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
Rosinante was so scared that his face turned pale. He instinctively raised his gun, but his arm was shaking so badly that he couldn't even aim properly.
The big fish are finally here. Aiden sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he showed just the right amount of "panic" and "despair."
He suddenly gave Rosinante a hard shove, pushing him toward a corner of the alleyway. "Run! Go find Commander Dal! I'll hold them off!"
"Aiden! No! They..." Rosinante cried out. He knew Aiden's strength had improved under Gion's guidance, but the enemies in front of them were a pirate with an 80-million-berry bounty and four cadres!
The moment Rosinante was pushed back and his view was blocked by the corner,
the "panic" on Aiden's face vanished instantly. In its place was a cold, indifferent expression.
His dark eyes turned icy and unreadable.
"Break the brat's limbs first! Hurry up!" Barton waved his hand impatiently, ordering his cadres to attack Aiden.
Two cadres sneered and charged forward like hungry tigers! One swung a blade at Aiden's left arm, while the other used an iron claw to grab at Aiden's right leg! They were incredibly fast!
Aiden moved.
He started with the basic sword stance Gion had taught him.
But in his hands, it burst out with a completely different level of terrifying sharpness!
Shave!
His figure moved like a ghost, leaving an afterimage behind as he vanished instantly!
The two cadres only saw a blur. Then, a cold killing intent coiled around their necks like a venomous snake!
Squelch! Squelch!
There were no unnecessary movements, only two unbelievably fast and precise slashes!
It was like a work of art, impossible to follow!
The two pirate cadres, both with bounties in the tens of millions, didn't even have time to scream. Two deep blood lines burst across their necks at the same time. Their eyes widened, and they fell straight backward!
["Iron Claw" Hooker]
[Overall Grade: B8]
[Crime Index: 9180]
...
["Fast Blade" Simon]
[Overall Grade: B9]
[Crime Index: 6500]
"What?!" Barton and the remaining two cadres' pupils shrank! They couldn't believe what had just happened!
They hadn't even seen what he did! How could this ordinary-looking young Marine... how was that possible?!
"It's your turn now."
Aiden slowly turned around. The tip of his sword pointed diagonally at the ground. Rain slid down the blade. Those cold eyes watched them calmly, as if he were already looking at three dead men.
"Bastard! Kill him!" The remaining two cadres were both shocked and furious. They roared and charged together!
The giant man holding the massive iron hammer let out a loud roar. His muscles bulged, and the hammer in his hand carried terrifying weight as it smashed toward Aiden's head like a falling meteor!
The other cadre swung a chain that moved like a poisonous snake, trying to wrap around Aiden's legs!
Aiden neither dodged nor stepped back.
Hum!
A layer of pitch-black Armament Haki instantly covered his sword!
Facing the giant hammer, Aiden did not retreat. Instead, he stepped forward. The long sword in his hand moved at an unbelievable angle, slashing upward from below!
It was still the basic move Gion had taught him, the "Reverse Kesa Slash."
But with the support of [SSS] Swordsmanship and [SSS] Armament Haki, that strike seemed like lightning tearing through the night!
CLANG!!!
A deafening clash of metal rang out!
Sparks flew everywhere!
The vice-captain only felt an unimaginable force travel up the handle of his hammer. His giant weapon, strong enough to crush steel, was actually cut in half by a plain-looking standard Marine sword!!
"How is this possible?!" the vice-captain roared in despair.
The sword light that had split the hammer didn't slow down at all. It passed through his neck as easily as if it were cutting tofu!
Splat!
A large head flew into the air!
["Hammer" Grom]
[Overall Grade: A5]
[Crime Index: 32000]
At the same time, the other cadre's chain wrapped around Aiden's ankle.
Aiden didn't even look at him.
He gave his left leg a slight shake!
Crack!
The power of his Armament Haki exploded. The chain made of refined steel instantly shattered into pieces!
"What?!" That cadre's face turned pale with horror. He spun around and tried to run!
But it was too late.
Aiden swung his sword back. Like a snake striking from its hole, he accurately pierced the man through the heart from behind!
[Kasa]
[Overall Grade: A2]
[Crime Index: 22000]
In an instant, only Captain Barton was left standing there. His face was filled with shock and fear!
He finally realized that he hadn't run into some "little Marine." He had run into someone terrifyingly strong.
He hadn't even clearly seen how the other side had attacked, and yet his four capable cadres were already dead?!
"You... who exactly are you?!" His voice trembled. He gripped the giant blood axe tightly with both hands and roared to cover up his fear.
The only answer he got was a cold flash of a sword!
Aiden's figure appeared in front of him as if he had teleported. The long sword in his hand was covered in an even denser layer of pitch-black Armament Haki. With a force that seemed able to cut through anything, he brought it down in a heavy slash!
This time, it wasn't a fancy move. It was the simplest and most direct attack.
A vertical slash!
"Don't look down on me! I am 'Blood Axe' Barton!!!"
Barton let out a roar of desperation and used all his strength to raise his giant blood axe to block!
CRACK!!!!!
A loud, ear-piercing sound erupted!
Barton's proud blood-colored battle axe, strong enough to split the armor of a warship, was like paper. Along with his massive body and his armor,
it was sliced cleanly in half by that single strike!
Blood and organs sprayed out like a waterfall, staining the entire alleyway red!
["Blood Axe" Barton]
[Overall Grade: A8]
[Crime Index: 50000]