"Aaaah... My body's been cut in half!"
The pirate, swiftly cut down by the blade, was still conscious and screaming as his upper half crawled around on the ground.
The other Executive Officers were also getting cold feet. Although they had seen blood and wiped out families before, seeing a companion they had spent years with killed so brutally brought back a fear that had vanished for years. They began to retreat imperceptibly.
Kuriya glanced at the retreating Executive Officers out of the corner of his eye, his gaze cold. Fellows who retreated at the sight of danger were not fit to be his crew members.
He exchanged a look with Langqi, and both knew what to do next. Kuriya lifted the giant axe with one hand, his arm tensing with power, while Langqi used the height difference to hide behind Kuriya's back.
"You bastard, you're pretty capable. I am Kuriya, Captain of the Silver Axe Pirate Crew, with a bounty of 28 million Berries. State your name; my blade doesn't strike down Nameless nobodies."
Raiden Ei was momentarily stunned. What was this? Was this a scene from a martial arts drama? Were the pirates in the world of the One Piece so bound by etiquette?
Suddenly, her Observation Haki sensed a swift figure rushing toward her. If she didn't dodge, her head would be sliced off by a scythe. Now she understood—these two were tricking her to make her lower her guard, launching a sneak attack the moment she was distracted.
Countless thoughts flashed through Raiden Ei's mind, but only a split second had passed. Without Observation Haki, she might have actually been caught by their sneak attack! Now, she simply predicted the pirate's attack path and, gripping her long blade, delivered a heavy blow that sent Langqi flying into the cabin.
It was a pity; that pirate's reactions were too fast. He used his scythe to parry, otherwise, that heavy blow would have sent him flying into the sea—if not dead, then severely wounded.
Raiden Ei twirled the Kusanagi no Inabikari in her hand, pointing the tip toward the ground with her right hand and holding the hilt behind her back. She looked up at Kuriya and said indifferently:
"It's your turn, Captain Kuriya."
Kuriya was shocked. Who was this woman? He had never heard of her name in the East Blue. She actually managed to send Langqi, who possessed the Run-Run Fruit... flying.
For someone who didn't know Langqi's Devil Fruit ability, how could they possibly react at such speed, especially during a sneak attack? Was this woman even human?
Kuriya's internal thoughts were far more complex than his fierce expression suggested. He was feeling a bit intimidated now, but his years as a great pirate wouldn't allow him to bow his head.
Kuriya forced a brave front: "Woman, I was a pirate while you were still drinking milk! I'm the Captain. Don't think you can look down on the Silver Axe Pirate Crew just because you sent Langqi flying."
"Brothers... Today is a matter of life and death! If we don't kill this bastard, none of us will survive today. Kill her, and we'll have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves later; fail, and we're finished!"
Kuriya's words filled the other pirates with fighting spirit. Grabbing their weapons, they chose their combat styles; those with swords ran to Kuriya's side, while those with Flintlocks provided long-range support.
Langqi, who had been sent flying, also emerged from the cabin. One arm hung limply, and there was a large bloodstain on his chest—clearly, he was seriously injured. The scythe in his hand was also bent.
Kuriya: "Are you alright, Langqi? Hahaha... This is the first time you've looked so pathetic."
Langqi: "I'm fine, just a few broken bones. I hope this isn't the last time."
Kuriya: "Indeed... With you joining in, we'll have a better chance of killing this woman."
Raiden Ei swung the kusanagi: "Are you done talking? 'Great Pirates,' I'm still waiting to send you on your way. Stop playing out this deep brotherhood."
Raiden Ei intended to wait until they were ready before moving in for the kill (not counting that unlucky fellow who died earlier). Since there were such good practice tools here, how could she give them up? But listening to them deliberate was getting a bit boring.
"Then, the second round... begins."
Raiden Ei dashed forward, delivering a direct slash toward Kuriya.
Kuriya leaped out from the crowd, raising his 500-kilogram giant axe to meet her with a slash of his own.
The moment their weapons collided, they were repelled. While Raiden Ei remained in place, Kuriya was forced back several meters. It was clear at a glance who was stronger.
Raiden Ei praised: "Oh... not bad."
With a grim expression, Kuriya shouted: "Everyone, attack together!"
Kuriya led the charge, with the other pirates following. Meanwhile, Langqi watched for the right moment on the sidelines to deliver a finishing blow.
The gunmen fired first as a probe—two "bang bang" gunshots rang out.
Raiden Ei calmly dodged the bullets, swung her long-handled naginata, and dashed forward, pushing Kuriya back several meters once more with a heavy strike.
Seeing such a perfect opportunity—she was standing right in front of them and hadn't retracted her blade yet—the five pirate Executive Officers thought if they swung fast enough, they could take her head.
The five pirates did exactly that, swinging various weapons at Raiden Ei's vital points with cruel grins on their faces.
Raiden Ei wouldn't just wait for death. She kicked off the ground with her left foot and retreated a step. The weapons, swung with lethal intent, all missed, smashing a large hole into the deck.
The cruel grins on the five Executive Officers' faces froze.
Raiden Ei wouldn't let such a good opportunity go to waste. Gripping her blade with one hand, she performed an upward slash, which the five Executive Officers instinctively blocked with their weapons.
Clang!
Downward slash.
Clang!
Diagonal cut.
Clang!
Straight thrust.
Clang!
Spinning back-slash.
Clang!
Raiden Ei completed her techniques at maximum speed. At this moment, the five Executive Officers could barely hold their weapons, let alone think about fighting again.
And she hadn't moved so fast just to disarm them; there was one final move: the Sweeping Strike.
Raiden Ei gripped her blade with both hands and swept it across. Unsurprisingly, she got a pentakill. Just as she was cheering for herself internally and relaxing after completing the move, a sense of crisis surged in her heart.
Her Observation Haki blared a warning. Raiden Ei immediately coated her body in Armament Haki and moved quickly, but she was a step too late. A scythe appeared behind her heart like a flash.
The one holding the scythe was Langqi. He was panting heavily; his originally black hair now had strands of white, and his face was so pale it masked his usual sleazy aura.
The scythe in Langqi's hand never stopped. It pierced through her clothes, but just as it was about to go through the skin and straight into her heart, it could go no further.
Langqi's expression darkened further. This was his proudest strike, for which he had even sacrificed his lifespan to increase his speed.
The blood flow in his body had already exceeded its limit. But why? Why couldn't he pierce through? He knew their Pirate Crew had no more chances—not even a single chance to survive.
Langqi stared at Raiden Ei with a ruthless gaze. If he were alone, there might be a tiny chance to escape across the sea using his fruit ability, but he was heavily injured and had exhausted too much stamina; he likely wouldn't get far before perishing in the ocean.
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