"Don't come any closer, Zoro!"
Kaoru Tsubasa shouted sharply, his voice cutting through the roar of the waves.
He saw Zoro drawing his swords and stepping forward to help, but Kaoru quickly raised a hand, his tone stern. "Stay back. I'm serious."
This Red Demon's power was far beyond Zoro's current level — not just stronger, but terrifyingly resilient. With seven hearts, it was nearly impossible to kill outright.
Even with Zoro's vampiric protection, there was no guarantee he wouldn't end up injured… or worse.
Zoro froze mid-step, sword halfway drawn. He clenched his jaw, then slowly lowered the blade. He understood. Charging in would only make things worse.
Kaoru gave a small nod of approval, then drew the Ryūjin Jakka, the twin blades gleaming in the crimson light of the battlefield.
"Dual Sword Style—Five Dragon Leap!"
He swung both swords in a spiraling arc, the air splitting as five luminous white dragons erupted from his blades.
The spectral dragons roared, streaking toward the Red Demon and striking five distinct points on its body.
Those were no random hits—Kaoru had targeted five of the demon's seven hearts with surgical precision.
The Red Demon shrieked, its massive form trembling before collapsing to its knees. But just as quickly, it rose again.
Kaoru frowned. "So it still has two hearts left…"
The creature's massive arm swung, smashing into Kaoru and sending him flying. But before he could crash into the sea, the Wind Ring on his hand activated, cushioning his fall and suspending him in midair.
"ROAR!!!"
The Red Demon bellowed, its claws tearing into its own chest.
Kaoru's eyes widened as the monster reached inside its body—grabbing the two remaining hearts and pulling them out, holding them aloft.
"Roar… roar… roar…"
Its deep, guttural chanting echoed through the air like a spell.
"What the hell is it doing now?" Sanji asked, his brow furrowed.
"I didn't even realize it still had two hearts left," Zoro muttered grimly, his focus unwavering.
Luffy, on the other hand, grinned with boundless enthusiasm. "Whoa, this guy's amazing! Let's make him our crewmate!"
Everyone on deck turned to stare at him in disbelief.
"Luffy, are you insane?!" Usopp cried. "He's the size of a damn island!"
The very idea was ridiculous—and yet, Luffy looked dead serious.
Before anyone could respond, the Red Demon let out a thunderous roar. Its enormous body began to shrivel, skin cracking and collapsing inward.
Then, with a deafening BOOM, a pillar of white light burst upward from the spot where it stood.
Out of the radiance stepped a tall, armored figure—its presence radiating pure, oppressive power.
Kaoru's face darkened instantly.
"That silhouette… no way…"
His instincts screamed danger.
"Nami!" Kaoru shouted, turning sharply toward the ship. "Take the Merry and get everyone out of here—now!"
"What? Why?" Nami asked, stunned. "What's going on?"
Zoro stepped in, his tone firm. "Do what he says. If even Kaoru's telling you to leave, we'll only slow him down by staying."
Even Luffy, usually the first to leap into a fight, looked serious for once. "Yeah… let's go, Nami."
Nami's eyes darted between them, and she finally understood—the air itself felt heavier. This was no ordinary enemy.
"Alright! Hold on tight!" she shouted, spinning the wheel as the Merry turned away, catching the wind.
Kaoru let out a quiet sigh of relief as the ship began to pull back. The last thing he wanted was for his friends to get caught in this.
The armored figure chuckled, watching the retreating ship. "You told your crew to leave first… a wise decision."
Kaoru's gaze hardened as he took in the sight before him.
The man looked eerily similar to Galan, one of the Ten Commandments from the ancient demon clan—but his skin was a stony gray instead of red.
"Who are you?" Kaoru demanded.
The stranger grinned, voice rumbling like thunder. "Hahahaha! I am a servant of the Demon King—one of the new Ten Commandments! The true Gado!"
As he spoke, Kaoru's system activated automatically.
[System Scan Initiated]
Name: Gado
Race: Demon
Power Level: ???
Magic: Critical Breakthrough (Temporarily multiplies fighting power)
Skill: Ability Imitation (Can replicate another's magic or physical techniques, usable once per day)
Commandment: Truth — Anyone who lies in Gado's presence will be turned to stone.
Description: Gado, one of the new Ten Commandments, wields the true Commandment granted by the Demon King himself, as well as the inherited power of the First Demon King.
Kaoru's grip tightened around his sword hilt. So his hunch had been right.
The power levels of these "new" Commandments were terrifying—Gado alone could rival an entire army.
But then, the demon spoke again, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips.
"You're not from this world, are you?"
Kaoru's eyes narrowed. "Let's just say… we're both out of place here."
He didn't know how Gado could tell, but he wasn't about to deny it. If anything, this conversation was a chance to learn more about the Demon Clan's plans.
"Then let's make a deal," Gado said, lowering himself to sit on a shattered rock. His tone was calm, almost diplomatic.
"A deal?" Kaoru asked warily, floating down to meet him.
"Yes. You help us seize control of this world, and when we succeed, the Demon King will reward you handsomely." Gado's grin widened. "After all, you don't belong here anyway."
Kaoru's brow furrowed. "Why would you need my help? With your strength, conquering this world should be effortless."
He wasn't wrong—the highest battle power in this world barely reached 4,000 by comparison. Even one of the Ten Commandments could crush it alone.
Gado's smile faded slightly. "It's fine to tell you the truth. Our true bodies can't enter this world at all. At best, we can send red demons… or, if we strain the connection, stronger orange demons."
Kaoru tilted his head. "So that means you're not really here—you're just a projection."
He didn't believe the Demon King couldn't cross dimensions. In the Seven Deadly Sins world, the Demon King could freely invade the human realm. Even if the One Piece world followed different rules, there had to be a loophole.
"Yes," Gado admitted. "I'm merely a phantom."
Kaoru smirked faintly. "Is that so? Then you might want to check something."
He pointed toward the fallen Red Demon.
The creature's stone-gray skin was cracking—its body hardening rapidly as it turned completely to stone.
Gado's expression shifted instantly. "You… tricked me?"
He realized too late what had happened. His own Commandment of Truth punished all lies—spoken by others or himself.
And by admitting what wasn't true, he had sealed his own fate.
The petrification spread across his armor, crawling up his limbs.
Gado roared furiously as his body began to solidify. "You… damn… human—!"
But Kaoru only watched in silence, his sword gleaming faintly in the fading light.