Whoosh—whoosh—
The cane-sword slashed again and again, each swing producing a strange whistling sound as it cut through the air.
Faced with Lafayette's swift and violent assault, Clifford's expression shifted to alarm. He retreated while defending, repeatedly raising his arms to block the streaks of blade light descending toward him.
Within the span of a few breaths, under that overwhelming attack speed, Lafayette had already launched dozens of slashes at Clifford.
Yet despite the ferocity of the assault, none of the strikes managed to break through Clifford's defense. With sharp reflexes and the constant reinforcement of Armament Haki, he held firm.
While defending, Clifford was also waiting—searching for an opening to counterattack.
Suddenly, perhaps due to the relentless barrage, Lafayette's movements appeared to falter. His sword speed slowed, just slightly.
'Now's my chance!'
Clifford, who had been waiting precisely for such a moment, caught the subtle change instantly. A flash of joy crossed his face.
Without hesitation, he blocked another incoming slash and immediately threw a punch straight toward Lafayette's face.
Buzz!
It was as though his head had been struck by an invisible hammer.
The instant Clifford attempted his counterattack, his mind buzzed violently. His consciousness wavered, and the scene before his eyes blurred.
The change was abrupt—and fatal.
Not only did it slow his fist, but it also allowed Lafayette to withdraw calmly.
"Night Song – Piercing Strike!"
The blade speed that had seemed to weaken suddenly returned to full force—faster than before.
As Lafayette sidestepped Clifford's sluggish punch, he thrust forward with precision, driving the slender cane-sword straight toward Clifford's right eye.
The momentary lapse in consciousness caused Clifford's Armament Haki to slacken. His defense faltered—especially around his unprotected eye.
The thin blade pierced directly into the eye socket, stabbing through with merciless accuracy. It passed cleanly through, the tip protruding from the back of Clifford's head.
His body trembled.
At the instant of death, Clifford's mind cleared in a final flash. His remaining eye widened in shock and unwillingness.
Boom!
Lafayette withdrew the sword. Clifford's body, having lost all support, toppled backward and hit the ground heavily, sending up a small cloud of dust.
Taking a slow breath, Lafayette looked down at the corpse at his feet, a satisfied expression forming on his pale face.
"Haki may be powerful," he murmured softly, "but it is not without weaknesses. As long as the user's consciousness is disrupted, it can be broken."
His diligent study had not been in vain.
When properly applied, a power like hypnosis could play a decisive role in battle.
'It's time to leave. If I stay any longer, I'll be surrounded.'
Lafayette slid the blade back into his cane, casting one final glance toward the direction of the royal palace. Then he turned to leave.
Though he had won, he knew clearly that he could no longer remain in the Kingdom of San Lorenzo. The entire kingdom would soon hunt him down.
"How are you planning to leave?"
Before he could take more than a few steps, a voice rang out from not far away.
Swish!
Without the slightest hesitation, Lafayette leapt aside from his original position, landing five or six meters away. His gaze snapped toward the source of the voice, full of vigilance.
On the rooftop of a nearby house, two figures had appeared at some unknown moment—one standing, the other sitting.
"Ah… it seems I've encountered someone important."
After recognizing the two figures, Lafayette was briefly startled. Soon, his signature strange smile returned.
"We can't really call ourselves important," Kaito said with a light laugh, sitting in a relaxed posture atop the roof. "We're just pirates. But it seems you recognize us."
Beside him stood Robin, observing Lafayette carefully.
'From the battle just now, his strength is indeed outstanding,' Robin thought silently. 'I don't yet know how skilled he is in navigation, but purely in combat, he's exceptional.'
"Of course," Lafayette replied with a polite smile. "The War Pirates have gained quite a reputation in West Blue recently. Especially you, Mr. Kaito. A bounty exceeding 100 million Berries before even entering the Grand Line—that's quite rare."
"Well, I'll take that as a compliment," Kaito said as he slowly rose to his feet.
He jumped down from the rooftop, landing lightly on the street. Then he walked toward Lafayette, smiling as he extended his right hand.
"Lafayette, would you be interested in joining our pirate crew?"
Lafayette watched him approach, the smile never leaving his face. Without hesitation, he extended his own right hand and clasped Kaito's.
"It would be my honor."
Sometimes, mutual understanding required no lengthy exchange.
This was one of those moments.
As a master of hypnosis, Lafayette possessed keen insight into human nature.
Though Kaito appeared gentle and refined at first glance, Lafayette sensed beneath that exterior an ambition so vast it seemed capable of tearing open the sky.
Such overwhelming ambition might terrify ordinary people.
But to Lafayette, it resonated deeply.
In an instant, he understood—this was the man he had been searching for. Someone who could lead him toward a grand future.
'That was smoother than expected.'
Robin, still on the rooftop, watched the two men shaking hands below with mild surprise.
She had assumed Kaito would subdue Lafayette by force, just as he had done with Law.
Yet this time, everything had proceeded with astonishing ease.
It was as if the two men had long anticipated each other.
"Robin," Kaito called, turning his head slightly upward, "signal the others. I'm hosting a grand banquet to welcome our new companion."
Robin blinked briefly, then immediately grasped his intention. Without hesitation, she retrieved a signal flare and fired it into the sky.
Whoosh! Boom!!
The flare shot high above the city before exploding into brilliant red fireworks that lingered in the air.
As the signal flared overhead, Lafayette looked at Kaito in surprise.
"Don't mind it," Kaito said with a smile. "Consider it my sincerity. After what just happened, I doubt this country holds anything worth staying for. Let this serve as your welcome ceremony into our crew."
Lafayette absorbed his words quickly.
Soon, understanding dawned in his eyes.
"How flattering," he said softly. "I never expected the captain to value me so highly. In that case… I truly must dedicate myself fully."
Excitement surged within him.
He had chosen correctly.
The man before him was indeed the one he had long been searching for.
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