Chapter 185: Ripping and Tearing, Self-Taught Moonwalk
[Black Death] watched with satisfaction as the virus spread. A large number of Skuld Island's inhabitants were becoming infected, and the contagion was spreading through attacks, bites, and sexual acts.
From a purely destructive standpoint, this [Blood Cross] virus was far more disgusting than the more famous T-Virus from the Nexus.
While it had no evolutionary potential, it was more than sufficient as a biological weapon.
The infected individuals didn't become mindless zombies. Instead, it was as if the malice within their bodies was fully activated. They retained their cognitive abilities, like using tools, but became bloodthirsty and rabid, unleashing the evil in their bones without restraint.
The town instantly devolved into an inferno. Even the members of the God's Guard, who were far stronger than the average resident, were quickly infected after being caught off guard and bitten a few times.
These infected people felt no pain and madly unleashed their biological instincts. They ran so fast they tore their own thigh muscles. They frantically tore at other humans, ripping them to shreds.
The women suffered an even more miserable fate. The desires normally hidden behind ethics and morals were completely unleashed. Countless men tore at their clothes, releasing their animalistic lust and infecting them in the process.
Black Death listened to the thunder in the sky. It was still far off, which meant Flame Fiend and Moon Fiend hadn't been defeated, or that Enel was being held back by something else.
Who cares.
The only thing Black Death was unsatisfied with was that the One Piece world was all islands, making it difficult for the virus to spread. Otherwise, he felt he could have reaped a massive reward in this world.
He was an expert at using this kind of large-scale bioweapon to cause mass destruction in mission worlds.
"Let's go. We can go look for that [El Dorado] from the side quest."
Black Death beckoned. Another figure shimmered into view from beside a wall.
"Be careful, Black Death. There might be other Reincarnators on this island. I had a feeling of being watched earlier."
Black Death glanced around and "tsked."
"It's probably just that disgusting 'Stand' from [Critical Point]. Hmph, all that guy can do is 'pull his trigger' in the dark..."
Black Death's tone was strange, the double-entendre clearly meant as an insult. The man, who always seemed to blend into his surroundings, clearly didn't agree.
Everyone knew how terrifying Critical Point was. While the number of Cataclysm-tier and veteran Reincarnators who had died at his hands wasn't large, every single one of them had been famous in the East District.
A sniper of that level, regardless of whether he relied on a [Stand], had a record that demanded respect.
Black Death sprinkled some powder on himself and his partner. The infected people completely ignored them, allowing them to walk straight into the shrine.
On the other side, by the sea, the roaring, red-eyed people charged into the water. But Orkins, with his monstrous strength, was already pushing Cindy's small raft through the waves.
The warship in the distance was getting closer. Even Orkins felt a slight sense of relief.
On the warship, Dalmatian kept his head down, his expression unreadable. He confirmed one more time, "Are we really going to bombard this island?"
"You know there are still nearly twenty thousand people on it..."
Dalmatian's chest was wrapped in bandages, but the powerful constitution and recovery granted by his Zoan-type Devil Fruit meant he was in much better shape than the others.
Hearing Dalmatian's question, Spandam, who wore a half-silver mask, felt his expression turn cold.
"Vice Admiral, I recall you already accepted the orders."
"On this ship, there should be no voice questioning the commander of this special operation."
He had the urge to draw his sword, but he knew that most of these HQ Vice Admirals were not men who could be threatened by force.
"Vice Admiral!"
"There are civilians approaching! They seem to be refugees from Skuld Island!"
A Marine rushed over to report. Dalmatian felt that something was very strange today. He didn't know what had happened on the island, but the "Thunder God" seemed too busy to watch the sea, allowing a warship to enter and civilians to escape.
"Bring them aboard. Ask them what's going on..."
BANG!
A gunshot rang out, making Dalmatian's expression turn extremely ugly. Spandam blew the smoke from his pistol's muzzle as the black-suited CP agency members behind him closed in.
"Marine, drive those civilians back. This operation must be kept strictly confidential."
Spandam was charged with the crucial mission of bringing back [El Dorado]. He would not accept any complications. As for civilians... what did they have to do with him?
"This is G-51 Branch Special Operative Cindy! Requesting aid! Requesting aid!"
The little girl's voice came from the sea. Dalmatian heard the familiar branch number and instantly appeared at the ship's rail. Spandam ground his teeth in hatred, but he didn't dare to actually shoot a Vice Admiral. Besides, a pistol was useless against a man like that.
Kaito Shirogane and Bellamy were also approaching on a raft from another angle.
Dalmatian had a good impression of him. Kaito had already swapped his Milestone back to [Savior]. Although Kaito didn't know how the Marines had figured out that Enel wasn't on Skuld Island at the moment, he could use Vergo's death to his advantage.
BOOM!
A black cannonball suddenly flew from the warship's deck, landing in the sea and exploding.
The mix of waves and fire made Bellamy, a Devil Fruit user, and Cindy, hundreds of meters away, both cry out in alarm.
Kaito looked at the warship. The Marines on deck were frantically waving at the two approaching rafts, signaling them to leave. Behind them, in the waves, the red-eyed, zombie-like people showed no fear, pouncing at Orkins.
Orkins sensed the danger. He spun around, grabbed the foremost person, and threw him a dozen meters into the air. But the others were undeterred, staring greedily at Orkins and Cindy.
"Don't run... You can't escape, hehe."
Orkins saw the twisted malice in their eyes and stopped holding back. With one punch, he sent a spray of seawater and snapped the nearest man's head 180 degrees.
But the man just grabbed his own head and twisted his neck back into place.
"Hey! Marines! Get the little girl! She's with Coby and Roshio from G-51!"
Orkins pushed the raft forward again, getting closer and closer to the monsters behind him.
Dalmatian heard the familiar names again. He appeared on the deck and ordered his crew, "Let them up!"
Spandam felt Dalmatian was challenging his authority. He tapped his fingers twice.
Two CP members immediately drew their pistols, walked to the rail, and aimed at Cindy and Orkins below.
BANG!
Dalmatian instantly knocked one man away, but the other had already fired.
The bullet splashed into the water next to Orkins. His pupils shrank as he realized what was happening, but before he could speak, a powerful wave, sharp as an arrow, struck.
Splash!
The closest of the infected townspeople were knocked over by the powerful current.
Orkins turned his head and saw a small raft dozens of meters away. The cold, indifferent young man had one hand in the water, and a strange power was transmitting through the sea, creating the unusual waves.
Kaito had Bellamy row while he placed his hand in the seawater, and Ripples (Hamon) began to spread from his palm.
Water was an excellent conductor for the Ripple.
Ignoring Bellamy's confused look, Kaito's Lv7 Hamon began to churn the sea. Orkins felt a sense of relief, knowing Kaito was helping them. He grabbed his raft and started moving toward Kaito.
"The Marines really are useless! Take the girl, I'll cover your escape!" Orkins shouted to Kaito, his voice shaming the Marines on the ship above.
Dalmatian looked down and saw the Marine he had high hopes for was also on the water. He turned, his gaze toward Spandam turning dangerous.
But before he could act, a Marine cried out in shock.
Dalmatian turned and saw the young man leap from his raft and into the water, engaging the infected islanders who were swimming toward the warship.
In an instant, limbs were flying, and flesh and blood stained the sea red.
"Mis... ter..."
Cindy had always called Kaito "mister." It was an affectionate nickname. But now, amidst the flying flesh, she watched as familiar faces were torn apart in the sea. The blood made it impossible for her to say his name.
Kaito Shirogane was expressionless, using his terrifying strength to break and tear the limbs off these frenzied humans, who only knew how to bite and scratch, before smashing their heads.
"No pain, no fear, but they retain their intelligence..."
He was like an old medical examiner dissecting a corpse, calmly analyzing the infected.
In the end, the Blood Cross was terrifying for ordinary people, but for someone like him, as long as he was willing to kill, it didn't matter how many infected came. They couldn't touch him.
"You..."
Even knowing these islanders were infected, Orkins's first thought would have been to find a cure, to save them.
But this man... he had just started killing, and his methods were so... brutal.
Even as a pirate, Orkins had never seen someone literally tearing living people apart with their bare hands.
On the ship, Spandam's face was pale. He looked like he was about to be sick. He glared at Dalmatian.
"You were actually going to let that madman on board?!"
"Fire the cannons! Kill them all!"
Dalmatian stared blankly at the young man who was turning the sea red. The man seemed to sense his gaze, looked up, and waved, shouting:
"Vice Admiral! These islanders are all infected!"
"Someone on that island must be releasing a virus...!"
BOOM!
The black cannonball flew from the cannon's mouth. Kaito Shirogane suddenly stomped his foot.
In just a moment, he stomped dozens of times. He was moving so fast that he once again felt that "viscous" air.
Bang! Bang!
Kaito leaped out of thin air. The cannonball exploded in the sea below him. He was a bit clumsy at first, but his legs quickly found a rhythm, disappearing and reappearing as he changed direction in mid-air.
"Ha!"
Kaito laughed freely. This wasn't from a scroll; he had mastered it purely through his own physical power.
Dalmatian watched this, his expression even more complex. He knew that this young man from the G-51 Branch was a rare genius.
He had mastered [Moonwalk] from the Rokushiki all by himself. But right now, Dalmatian couldn'Next, would you like me to translate Chapter 188?t be happy. The man's methods... even Admiral Akainu would probably find them hard to accept.
(End of Chapter)