As the two members of God's Knights hit the ground with a heavy thud, blood pooling beneath them in vivid red, Dragon stood frozen, still staring at the black-haired youth whose hands were dripping crimson. His face was filled with disbelief.
If he hadn't been forcing himself to keep a straight face—for the sake of preserving his dignity and image as leader of the Freedom Fighters—his jaw would've been on the floor.
Two warriors with strength close to Admiral level, taken out in seconds, without even seeing the attack!?
That move—using high-voltage lightning to forcefully stimulate the body, rapidly boosting physical activity to unleash instantaneous speed and power...
Daren's technique... wasn't that Kaidou's Raimei Hakke!?
Don't think I wouldn't notice just because you swapped out the kanabō for my Ryusoken secret technique!
Seeing Daren standing there all calm and composed, Dragon's eye twitched.
He had thought that, after a month of hellish training to push past his limits, he'd finally caught up to Daren. Maybe his physical endurance was still a bit lacking, but with the strength and versatility of the Kaze Kaze no Mi, he was sure he could go toe-to-toe with him.
He never expected that Daren had powered up again.
And he had even mastered Kaidou's "Raimei Hakke."
"Oh? You noticed?"
Daren flicked the blood from his hands, walked over to the two Celestial Dragon corpses, crouched down, and ripped the mechanical wings right off their backs, giving them a brief look.
Dragon rolled his eyes and grumbled,
"I mean, I've been blitzed by Kaidou before—wait, no—I've fought him tons of times, okay!"
Close call. That nearly slipped out.
When Daren unleashed that storm of thunder and lightning just now, Dragon practically saw Kaidou's silhouette.
In some ways, Daren had even surpassed Kaidou's original level.
Because in that instant, Dragon saw the phantom of a dragon roaring as it dove.
That crushing pressure, that sense of looming death… Dragon had only ever felt that from one person—
His good-for-nothing old man who spent all day slacking off.
Of course, Daren still had some ways to go before reaching that level, but it was already terrifying enough.
Dragon figured that move alone, unless the opponent had some special ability or innate advantage, could instant-kill almost anyone below Admiral level.
Daren's blitz was so fast, it completely bypassed the sensory range of ordinary Observation Haki.
And the scariest part?
Compared to Kaidou's club that left you half-dead, Daren, who casually ripped out hearts, felt even more terrifying.
Thunderclap speed, paired with the brutal piercing power of Ryusoken—absolutely made for each other.
The synergy between the two gave it an outrageously overwhelming boost.
Daren acted like he didn't notice Dragon's internal panic and smiled.
"Shutting yourself away to train isn't enough. If you want to get stronger, you've got to challenge stronger opponents."
"If you have time, take a trip to Wano."
He paused, then added casually,
"Totally fine if you go to Totto Land too."
A few black lines popped across Dragon's forehead.
...
On a desolate island...
Szzzz... szzzz...
Black and crimson lightning crackled across the hands of the black-haired youth, intertwining with growing intensity. Overlooking the scene from above, his body radiated a terrifying aura, the murderous intent from slaying two members of God's Knights still lingering thick in the air.
Michael narrowed his eyes, watching as the auras of Daren and Dragon surged ever higher. Then, a cold smile spread across his face.
"Kill that woman."
He gave the order without hesitation, voice sharp and merciless.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The World Government soldiers responded instantly, showcasing flawless discipline. At the sound of his command, they fired without pause, fingers pulling the triggers in unison.
At less than a meter away, dozens of bullets were about to tear Ginny's body to shreds.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl.
Covered in wounds and blood, Kuma's eyes reflected despair.
He instinctively reached out.
With teleportation's acceleration, the world around him nearly froze. He could even see the ripples forming across Ginny's skin where the bullets were about to hit.
Szzzz...
Then, a faint electric hum swept through the air.
The bullets stopped mid-flight.
And the next moment—they reversed course, whipping through the air like scattered petals.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
Dozens of World Government soldiers snapped backward at once, blood spurting from their foreheads.
A chance!
The despair in Kuma's bloodshot eyes vanished, replaced by burning hope.
In a flash, his figure vanished from where he stood.
But just ahead of his landing point, a silver-white blur shimmered into view like a ghost.
A cold Western sword cleaved through the air, and in its gleaming blade, Kuma saw Michael's arrogant sneer reflected.
"I told you—there's no saving anyone."
The elegant sword gleamed like moonlight, but from within that dazzling arc, Kuma saw only death.
Szzzz... szzzz...
Electricity!
That sound again!
Through the flickering light, a polished black military boot shot forth from thin air with blinding speed—and stomped the elegant Western blade...—viciously, brutally, into the ground!
BOOM!!
A deafening crash rocked the island, dust and debris swept up by the swirling winds.
Michael's eyes widened, stunned for a split second. In his constricted pupils, the image of a wild, ferocious figure appeared.
Kuma froze too, unable to react right away.
The sudden shift in the scene was absurd—especially the contrast in fighting styles between the two men. It was almost comically jarring.
Like watching a noble knight, impeccably dressed for a fair and honorable duel... only to be smashed in the head by a brick-wielding thug from the streets.
"...Thunderous speed."
Michael's gaze darkened.
"Now you understand how your two subordinates died."
Daren grinned, baring his teeth.
Their eyes locked.
The next second—
BOOM!!
Two overwhelming bursts of Haki exploded from the island, shooting straight into the heavens.
The sea of clouds was blasted apart. Black and red lightning arced madly through the sky, flickering in and out of existence.
"Take her with you."
The moment Daren finished speaking, Kuma appeared beside Ginny like a ghost. As soon as he grabbed her hand, the two vanished.
Daren, still releasing his Conqueror's Haki without restraint, kept one boot pressed firmly on the sword buried in the dirt. His smile was savage.
"You... stay."