Rain poured without mercy.
It hammered against the deck of the Arlong Pirates' ship, washing away dirt, splintered wood, and debris.
But not the blood.
Arlong's body lay twisted on the deck, his neck bent at an unnatural angle. His eyes bulged outward, frozen in terror and disbelief.
Kairos stood over him.
His right fist was still coated in Armament Haki, dark enough to swallow the rainlight around it.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then fear broke through the ship like a wave.
Every fish-man felt it at once, a cold terror racing from their hearts into their limbs. It was not the fear of losing a fight.
It was the fear of being erased.
Before anyone could speak, Kairos moved.
BOOM!
His figure vanished into the rain.
The falling droplets burst apart in his wake, as if sliced by an invisible blade.
"AHHH—!"
Kuroobi's scream cut through the storm.
His body flew backward and slammed into the raised deck structure with a violent crash. A deep gash split across his chest, blood spraying into the rain.
He twitched once.
Then went still.
Kairos appeared where Kuroobi had been standing.
Sandai Kitetsu rested in his hand, its edge gleaming coldly beneath the rain.
One strike.
Instant death.
"He's going to kill us all!"
Chew staggered back, panic overtaking him. His legs slipped on the wet deck, and he crashed down hard, breathing raggedly.
This was not a fight.
Not a spar.
This was slaughter.
A flash of steel passed through the rain.
Clean.
Quiet.
Beautiful.
For one brief moment, Chew felt something cold brush against his neck.
Too cold.
Too sharp.
He tried to move.
Tried to raise his hand.
Thud.
Something heavy hit the deck.
His vision spun.
The world flipped.
And then he saw it.
His own body.
Still standing.
Headless.
Understanding came too late.
Chew, one of Arlong's officers, was dead.
Kairos flicked his blade, and the rain washed the blood from its edge.
His eyes slowly turned red.
Cold.
Empty.
This was not anger.
Not rage.
It was something quieter.
Something far more terrifying.
Killing had become instinct.
At his waist, the Magic Blade Thousand Blades gave a faint hum, trembling as if eager to be drawn.
Kairos ignored it.
Not yet.
For enemies like these, Sandai Kitetsu was enough.
His wrist turned.
The blade moved again.
And through the storm, Kairos began to cut.
It looked almost like a dance.
Silent.
Precise.
Inevitable.
The rain fell harder.
Bodies fell faster.
Screams rose across the ship, only to be cut short one after another.
By the time it ended, only the rain remained.
Blood pooled across the wooden deck, seeping deep into the grain.
No amount of water could wash it clean.
"D-don't… don't kill me…"
At the edge of the deck, Hatchan curled into himself.
All six arms wrapped tightly around his head as he trembled uncontrollably. He didn't dare look up. He barely dared breathe.
Because at any moment, the blade might fall.
And then he would be next.
A flash of lightning tore across the sky.
BOOM!
Thunder crashed.
Hatchan flinched violently, his arms loosening.
Slowly, he looked up.
And froze.
Kairos stood before him.
Looking down.
Those crimson eyes were like a blood-red moon hanging in the storm.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then Kairos spoke.
"Since you use multiple swords…"
His voice was calm.
Almost distant.
"I'll give you a chance to live."
Hatchan's eyes widened.
"…Huh?"
He couldn't process it.
Was this real?
Was he being spared?
BOOM!
A punch landed.
Not on his head.
On his stomach.
A crushing force exploded through his body. The air vanished from his lungs, and pain flooded every nerve.
But his mind became clearer than it had ever been.
Only one thought remained.
Sharp.
Burning.
Absolute.
If I survive…
I'm going back to Fish-Man Island.
And I'm telling everyone—
never go to the East Blue.
Never.
Rain continued to fall.
As if nothing had happened.
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