One piece: Black Cat

"What!? Amis! Everyone, fall back!"

Hack was the first to notice it.

"Daz! Get in front!"

Even though he wasn't one of their allies, Hack was probably the strongest fighter among them. If he was telling them to fall back, it could only mean the enemy was extremely dangerous.

(They must have prepared a skilled guard for the warehouse after all!)

"Amis, Hack! Daz and I will handle the enemies! In the meantime, break into the target building, rescue the prisoners inside, and escape!"

The target facility was right in front of them. Fortunately, the remaining enemies were already defeated. We don't know how strong this new enemy is, but we'll buy time until the rescue is complete and then make a full retreat.

―ZAN!!!

Just as I thought that, the building in front of me collapsed.

.......

Split in two?

―"No decent marines have come here in the past month. Fools..."

Against the backdrop of the collapsing building, a man, a swordsman, emerged, dragging a bloodied figure behind him.

It's him. No way.

No way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???

"No... Mihawk!?"

What!?

What's that name? Did Mihawk ever have that?

"Amis-sama, do you know that man?"

"Yes. He's a bounty hunter who's been targeting many naval officers in recent years! He's been active in the Grand Line lately… Why is he in the West Blue!?"

What the hell is he doing!?

Wait, the Seven Warlords are a group of pirates, so it's no wonder they're targeted by the government! No, no, no, it's okay. If the Marines are the target, we're still safe. Let's try to talk to them first...

"But in the end, I was lucky. The man I was looking for came to see me."

Who? Hack?

"Despite not being in the Grand Line, he's a pirate worth over a billion, 'Kuro the Stealthy.'"

Who are you talking about?

"Mihawk, our goal is the people imprisoned beyond that."

"I see. My goal now is you. Get out of the way."

Talk to me! Please, just talk to me! You're so eager for battle... You're just killing time by sinking fleets! Especially when you were younger!!

"Captain, I'll—"

"No, back off! It's an order! Perona and Robin, don't interfere!"

Daz tries to step forward, but against Mihawk, you're no match!

This western sea connects to the New World. As Amis said, if they rampaged through the Grand Line and made it to the New World, and somehow crossed the calm sea, there's a high chance they've already mastered Haki.

Currently, Daz's combat style has developed more toward a commander's role, inevitably making him resemble a tank that takes enemy attacks head-on with his steel-like body. That makes him a poor match for Mihawk, who possesses Haki and is a swordsman.

In fact, there's no one who can beat him! If he has Haki, Perona's trick won't work either!

"Marine hunter, do you know what this facility is?"

"I know. I haven't seen it, but the captives are hidden behind a secret door. If you want to save them, go ahead."

"Go ahead" means you'll come after me if I go there, right?! You know that, don't you?!

"Still, it seems to be something important, as they've even stationed personnel inside the warehouse. Be careful."

"…You sure are telling me a lot."

"It's better to have more reasons to send my subordinates."

But still!!

"…Daz, did you hear that? I'll handle this guy. You and Amis, free the prisoners as quickly as possible and head to the ship. If worst comes to worst, we can fire another volley of cannonballs at this area."

Cannonballs are easy to dodge, and if we can distract him even a little, we might have a chance to escape.

"By the way, did you see the prisoners?"

"No, I didn't. I'm not interested in them anyway."

Yeah, I guess so. As usual, they seem to be surrounded by Seiryu Stone, so I wanted to at least confirm whether they were members of the Fishman Colonization Corps.

"Daz, hurry up. The sooner you guys act, the more energy I'll have left."

Well, if we get blown to bits before then, I'm really sorry! In that case, run for your lives with all your might!

***

"One flash!"

―Kaaan!

A strike so fast it seemed to surpass sound kicked the blade aimed at the neck from the side, deflecting it.

"I see... So this is the strongest in the Western Sea right now."

The man known as "Eagle's Eye" had come to the Western Sea because it was currently as chaotic as the Grand Line. Pirates and mafia aside, the naval forces deployed there included admirals of the rank of vice admiral. And the mafia faction being relentlessly targeted by those naval forces looked like the perfect bait to the man with the eagle's eyes.

The circumstances were unclear, but it was a relentless, thorough offensive by the naval forces, something rarely seen even in the Grand Line. His heart raced. His blood boiled.

He attacked the mafia moderately to show off his skills, then maneuvered himself into the most intense battle zone. As a result, he managed to have several good battles. Those who honed their sword skills, those who honed their gun skills, those who honed the Six Styles, and those who honed their abilities.

After fighting endlessly against soldiers who had trained their martial arts to defeat pirates and uphold order, the conclusion he reached was that what was needed to master all of that was "Haki."

Even with skill, without mastering Haki, one will be overwhelmed by those who possess it. And even those who wield Haki must continue to refine it to avoid being broken by those with even stronger Haki.

That is why the battles in the West Sea, where forces of New World caliber now exist, were truly enjoyable for the swordsman known as "Hawk's Eye."

However, for some time now, such battles had been absent due to petty tricks and schemes.

(But this man...)

The pirate known as "Pulled Foot" does indeed possess a hint of Haki. However, it is still far from mature. It was far from a level that could be used in actual combat. Even if the enemy were a Logia user, it would take repeated attacks to accumulate even minor damage. It was far from the level of a true Haki user.

Nevertheless—

(To understand Haki and still cling on like this...)

The pirate's primary attack comes from his legs. The strange weapons with daggers attached to each finger are no less dangerous, but few of their attacks seem capable of delivering a fatal blow to the eagle's eye. They are merely auxiliary weapons.

(Do they really think they can stop me with just their legs?)

This pirate believes he cannot defeat the eagle's eye. He is correct. In fact, if this man were to focus more on his attacks, the eagle's eye could sever his legs or neck in an instant. If he focused solely on defense, the eagle's eye could shatter the man's skull with a single strike imbued with its overwhelming aura.

But the man does not falter. He maintains the optimal balance between offense and defense, skillfully dodging the eagle's eye's strikes and using light blows to slow its movements, all while defending with the weapons embedded in his shoes and hands.

And then—

(He can't possibly have that much leeway, yet he dares to smile in such a deadly battle?)

In the midst of a life-or-death struggle, the eagle-eyed man had never seen a man smile so calmly. It was a quiet smile, somehow transparent, like that of a Bodhisattva.

"Even though you've made a name for yourself as a pirate of the four seas, I only thought that defeating you would bring more powerful enemies. I'm sorry, I apologize."

Facing that smile, the man with the hawk-like eyes flashed a completely opposite smile, one reminiscent of a predatory bird.

"I'll take you seriously. Let's see how long you can protect that neck."

The pirate didn't break his smile, quietly adjusted his glasses with his palm, and readied his weapon.

***

— "Here he comes, the black cat!"

— "Line up! Fire!"

— "It's your turn! You were paid well, so take their heads!"

"Damn it, I'm counting on you... Selling these guys could bring in billions. It could revive the family..."

In the deepest part of the warehouse, there, locked away, was the last hope of a fallen family, a dozen or so mermen and mermaids chained together. And beside them was a safe, tightly bound with chains, containing three human girls.

"Brother, what about letting someone else use the contents of the safe?"

"You idiot! They want the whole package!"

"But just one..."

"Even one item is worth over five billion! We can't just give it away!"

One of the family's highest-ranking members, or rather, a man who had been forced into his position after the other high-ranking members were captured by the navy, struck one of his subordinates on the head with an empty bottle.

"Damn it!"

The man grabbed the black hair of the most beautiful of the three terrified girls.

"Wait. Once we've dealt with the higher-ups, you'll be toys for the Celestial Dragons in a month. If you're branded, you'll all be forced to eat those disgusting fruits over there first. You won't even be allowed to vomit; you'll have to swallow every last bit."

The man laughed.

"Rejoice. You'll be fed something worth five hundred million... no, maybe even over a billion. Then the shackles you're wearing now will become even more painful for you. After all, you won't be able to use any strength or resist at all."

"Then how will you be played with...? Well, you should thank the Celestial Dragons who said they'd buy you all together. I think it's in poor taste to collect slaves with special abilities, but..."

"Don't blame us. You're the ones who were stranded there, after all."

A young girl with black hair, around ten years old, trembled alongside the other girls.

"Well, we're infamous pirates. Once we take something, it's gone for good. Right?"

The snake-shaped earrings on the girl's ears trembled with her shaking, making a faint rattling sound.

***

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