Chapter 95: How Coincidental

Blood gushed from Rachet’s arm, his face turning deathly pale, yet he fell silent the next instant.

For a bloodstained silver blade now pressed upon his shoulder, its weight forcing him to bend forward.

Gao Wen looked down upon Rachet, his expression cold, barely concealing the rising kill intent within:

“Where are my things and my people?!”

The same words, spoken again by Gao Wen, now carried an entirely different weight for the pirates on deck.

“Hey, hey, hey!”

“Is this real? He just… he just cut off Rachet’s arm so easily?!”

“Could the East Blue truly birth such a monster?!”

“Illusion! It must be an illusion!”

A pirate who had been thrown into the sea by the earlier attack stared at the scene, wild-eyed, utterly incredulous.

He wanted to deny what he saw, yet the icy seawater around him continuously stung his nerves.

On deck.

Labute, who had moments ago been roaring with fury, now cowered like a startled feline, his back and neck bristling.

He stepped back until he reached the edge of the deck.

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead; his earlier arrogance had vanished.

For he knew his strength was only slightly greater than Rachet’s—and roughly on the same level.

If Gao Wen could sever Rachet’s arm so effortlessly, he could sever his own head just as easily.

He had felt this same oppressive pressure only once before—from his own captain, the man known as the Lizard King.

“Wait!”

“We’re from the Hanafuza Pirate Crew! We’re recognized by the World Government as Warlords of the Sea!”

“To oppose us is to oppose the Seven Warlords and the World Government—think carefully about the consequences!”

At this moment, the banner of the Warlords had become Labute’s final shield.

They had faced stronger opponents before, but those men, upon seeing the Warlords’ banner, always fled in fear.

This time should be the same, right?!

There can be no exception!

“Warlords of the Sea?”

Gao Wen’s blade, resting on Rachet’s shoulder, paused slightly.

Labute, seeing this, believed his words had taken effect and opened his mouth to speak again…

Ssshh!

A sharp whistling sound followed—Labute watched in horror as Rachet’s head soared upward, then was calmly caught by Gao Wen.

Hot, foul blood splattered across Labute’s body, silencing his unspoken words.

He stared blankly at the man before him, feeling as if he no longer understood this world at all.

Shouldn’t normal pirates flee in terror at the mention of the Warlords or the World Government?

How could such an aberration exist in this world?

And why must he be so terrifyingly strong?!

The only answer he received:

Was Gao Wen’s mocking tone:

“How coincidental.”

“I was just planning to take the head of that Warlord and replace him—you’ve handed me the perfect opportunity.”

“That guy’s name is Hanafuza, right?”

Swish!

Gao Wen slashed the air, flicking the blood from his blade, a faint smile curling at his lips:

“You go first—he’ll join you down below.”

Labute froze, a bone-chilling cold surging to the crown of his head; his eyes widened in terror, pupils shrinking to slits.

Thud!

Labute leapt backward, even jumping off the deck.

Though the water below, black-blue and endless, was no different from hell for a Devil Fruit user, he no longer cared.

He only wanted to escape this illogical man as fast as possible!

He bitterly regretted ever accepting this mission, and loathed the East Blue for birthing this monster—yet he had not a single ounce of courage to stay.

Because this man would kill him without hesitation!

“Spare me, please! The woman and the Devil Fruit are still here—I can—!”

In midair.

Labute was still begging, but his voice cut off halfway—he saw only Gao Wen holding his blade in a slashing pose, yet no flying slash had struck him.

Plop!

A heavy splash echoed beside Labute’s ear.

He looked down.

And saw a headless great cat slowly reverting to human form, swallowed by the sea.

“That’s my body?!”

The final thought flashed through Labute’s mind before darkness swallowed him.

Plop!

Two nearly identical splashes echoed across the sea’s surface.

The pirates stared as the two heads slowly sank beneath the waves, their hearts filled with icy dread.

“Even monsters like Labute and Rachet… they… they… they…”

The pirates on deck wore expressions of sheer terror, their fear so great their speech slurred, yet all they could do was beg—for mercy, for a chance to live.

“I… I want to live… please… don’t! Don’t kill me!”

“They forced me! I didn’t want to be a pirate!”

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

A series of thuds echoed as pirates dropped to their knees.

Some had even soiled themselves, a foul stench of yellow and white mingling in the air.

Gao Wen scanned the deck.

Even his unintentional release of kill intent had crushed all will to resist.

He mocked:

“You’re not regretting it—you know you’re going to die.”

“By the way, who can tell me where the woman and my Devil Fruit are?”

“I’ll spare one of you.”

The pirate closest to Gao Wen immediately shouted:

“I know—!”

Before he could finish, two pirates clamped their hands over his mouth and shoved him to the deck.

The two then tried to speak first, but more pirates tackled them; soon the deck erupted into chaotic violence.

Everyone fought to seize the single chance at survival—even turning their blades against comrades they’d lived beside for years.

Gao Wen even saw one man stab his companion, drawing forth crimson flesh and blood.

Of course.

How could such people ever have comrades?

The deck grew more chaotic.

Gao Wen watched it all with cold indifference.

Until a girl, her gaze fiercely determined, as if burning with resolve, stepped from the cabin, cradling a delicate gift box, and spoke softly:

“Mr. Gao Wen, this is the gift I prepared for you.”

The crowd fell silent; all eyes turned to Gasha and the box in her hands, filled with despair.

Some wanted to seize it, but their legs refused to move—Gao Wen’s invisible aura pressed upon them like a mountain, crushing their breath.

Witnessing this, Gasha felt nothing but profound satisfaction.

When they first slaughtered the harbor guards, how monstrous their expressions, how cruel their actions—now they were just as helpless, as utterly broken.

These people were like this: they bullied the weak, yet cringed and begged when faced with true power.

Gao Wen stared at the transformed Gasha, stunned.

It took great effort.

To connect this breathtakingly beautiful girl with the plain-faced Gasha he’d met months ago in Crow Harbor.

He exhaled in relief—and blurted out:

“Did you get plastic surgery?!”

(End of Chapter)