"You're finished."
Amid the wreckage of a once-elegant pirate ship, Vice Admiral Onigumo stepped out of the swirling dust and smoke, his gaze cold as it settled on the blond nobleman buried beneath shattered timbers and stone.
He had to admit—for a rookie, the man's swordsmanship was quite decent.
Worthy of the nickname "Hakuba of Rommel."
But that was all.
"D-Damn it… don't underestimate me!"
Cavendish shoved aside the rubble with effort, swaying as he struggled to his feet. He closed his eyes, as if preparing to unleash something.
But—
shutting his eyes couldn't block that overwhelming blade light.
With just four swings, flying slashes surged together, condensing into a massive wave of cutting force.
A flash of light exploded across Cavendish's body. Blood sprayed into the air as both he and the ship's cabin behind him were torn apart and sent flying.
"Shackle him and lock him up!"
Vice Admiral Onigumo cast him a contemptuous glance and sheathed his blade. At that moment, the Den Den Mushi in his pocket began to ring.
"Vice Admiral! We've confirmed the whereabouts of Demon Ren in Mock Town!"
"Oh?"
Onigumo glanced at Cavendish being dragged away. He had originally intended to interrogate him about how he knew—but upon hearing this, his interest immediately shifted.
"Are they all there?"
"No—only Demon Ren. But there are many witnesses. It's definitely him."
"Understood. I'm heading there immediately! If you detect any sign of retreat, delay him at all costs!Remember—no matter what it takes! Even if you die, you die on the interception line!"
Onigumo slammed the receiver shut.
It was strange—only Demon Ren had appeared.
His target was the entire Demon Pirates.
A mere 270-million-beri rookie pirate—even one who had defeated Crocodile and earned recognition from the Yonko—
he would not hesitate.
In fact, he was even more eager to strangle this budding evil in its cradle.
"Marine justice must be absolute!"
Onigumo's gaze turned icy.
At that moment, a snowflake drifted down from the sky, landing on his coat of justice.
Snow? No… is it him?
Onigumo's expression shifted slightly, and he gave an immediate order.
"All units—advance to Mock Town at once!"
As the warships sped toward Mock Town, about to stir chaos in the harbor—
Ren happened to step out of a tavern.
Behind him, a green-haired mature woman was slumped on the ground, eyes hollow as she stared at his retreating back. Her expression looked utterly broken, saliva dripping from the corner of her lips.
The sight alone made one think of something unmistakably NSFW.
Of course, she wasn't the only one watching.
At least three other gazes were scrutinizing him from different directions.
Ren felt that prickling sensation on his back again, but he merely looked up at the sky.
The noon sunshine, which should have been brilliant, was completely swallowed by dark clouds.
Howling winds swept across the heavens, thunder rumbling in response.
Thunderstorm Weather — Activate!
With at least a twentyfold amplification to lightning power, combined with the static-dynamic properties of the Thunder Spear, lightning arcs surged like tidal waves within several hundred meters around Ren.
Holding the spear, he strolled forward calmly.
Fear-filled eyes watched him from inside surrounding buildings.
But—
not everyone feared this 270-million-beri pirate.
"Surrender, Demon Ren! You have nowhere left to run!"
Camouflaged Marines burst out from all directions, wielding advanced rifles and cannons.
Some were young, some aged—
but all wore the same resolute expressions.
Gun muzzles and cannon barrels locked onto Ren in unison.
"Do you really think… you have a chance?"
Ren asked sincerely.
In an instant, his equipment shifted—
Armor of Glory.
Three pairs of pale-gold wings extended from his back, radiating divine light. Armor like flowing gold traced sharp, chilling contours around his body.
A holy halo descended, as if a god had stepped into the mortal world.
Crackle—!
Lightning roared violently around him.
Like a sovereign crowned in thunder, his presence inspired instinctive dread.
And yet—
not a single trace of fear appeared on the Marines' faces.
"Marine victory must be absolute!"
The Marine captain raised his saber high, eyes burning with fanatic resolve.
They knew the difference in strength.
And even so—they attacked.
Clearly, they were buying time for those who would come after.
"Justice aimed in the wrong direction is foolish," Ren said calmly. "But I don't dislike you. At least this part of you—I don't."
The moment his words fell—
gunfire and cannon blasts erupted in a violent chorus.
But—
faster than the guns—
was the thunder from the sky.
Lightning erupted from the Thunder Spear as ocean-like bolts crashed down from the black clouds.
Lightning Control—Activate!
Hundreds of condensed lightning bolts fell like a torrential storm!
They transformed into rain-like lightning swords, roaring across the sky like divine wrath!
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
Blinding explosions tore through the Marine formations, extreme heat and energy instantly robbing them of mobility.
These hastily assembled Grand Line branch forces had never faced such a terrifying enemy.
Commanding lightning—like a god!
This was the origin of the name "Demon."
Marines fell like harvested wheat.
Still—
the lightning rain could not cover everything.
Or rather—
the Navy's elite were monsters in their own right, even if not on the level of true freaks.
"Take him down!"
Four Marine officers broke through the storm from different directions, weapons raised—
sabers, swords, axes, hammers.
CRACKLE—!
The Thunder Spear reshaped into a lightning blade in Ren's hand.
He stepped forward—
BOOM!
Azure and violet lightning intertwined for an instant.
Five lightning-fast slashes erupted!
Three officers were blasted away along with shattered blades.
The last one, chest cleaved open, roared in fury as he swung his door-sized axe down—
At least—make him pay!
The axe struck Ren's neck—
and shattered instantly.
Ren reversed his slash, brutal lightning tearing the officer away.
Blood evaporated instantly in the intense heat.
He didn't pursue.
Because the three officers had risen again—
and because a mountainous killing intent surged from afar.
He's here.
Ren adjusted his footing slightly, positioning the three officers directly between himself and the source.
In the distance—
at the harbor beneath the horizon—
Vice Admiral Onigumo stood tall, blade in one hand, shackles in the other.
Red-camellia helmet gleaming, his eyes locked onto the battlefield.
Observation Haki easily captured Ren's presence.
Then—
black hair spilling from beneath the helmet turned pitch-dark as Advanced Armament Haki coated it.
Six strands of hair moved independently—
Life Return.
Six blades emerged.
"Let's begin, Ren. Your story ends here!"
Onigumo leaped from the bow of the warship, Life Return driving his body into explosive motion.
One step—
a crater two meters deep and four meters wide appeared.
Soru!
A flash of light tore through the port and into the town.
Buildings collapsed just from the passing shockwave.
Thunderous roars echoed as if a battle chariot swept through the streets.
In a fleeting glimpse, one could see the Vice Admiral dragged forward by six black hair-hands, tearing across Mock Town like a demon of shadows.
From harbor to battlefield—over a kilometer—
it took him barely seconds.
He appeared behind the three officers.
Eight blades clenched—
Onigumo swung.
Six merciless slashes cut along predetermined paths!
If you think hiding behind Marines will stop my blade, you're naïve! These are Marines who pursue absolute justice—my subordinates' subordinates!
Blade light flashed.
Two officers twisted aside, narrowly avoiding the cut.
The one in the middle recognized Onigumo and discarded his weapon, lunging to grapple Ren.
Lightning exploded—
Ren drew his blade.
First Form — Thunderclap and Flash!
Thunder erupted across the ground as blue light carved a lightning arc forward!
Immediately after—
black hair-hands formed around the officer, blades flashing coldly!
SHING—!
The explosion hurled dust tens of meters into the air.
Piercing blade shrieks overlapped as shockwaves swept the smoke aside.
The ground beneath Ren—and the tavern behind him—were shredded into fragments.
Six intersecting slashes cleaved earth and buildings into six equal sections.
Ren stood at the absolute center.
Six parallel wounds tore across his body, crimson-gold flesh splitting open.
Even the defense of the First Calabash Brother Template combined with the Third Calabash Brother Template was useless against Haki-infused blades.
But—
this wasn't the worst injury.
As the black hair-hands withdrew, they entangled both the Marine and Ren's lightning blade.
Then—
Onigumo's expression turned merciless as he drove his blade through the Marine's body—
skirting vital organs—
and pierced straight through Ren's chest!
At the same time,
a strand of hair retrieved the shackles and slammed them onto Ren's sword-wielding wrist.
Seastone Handcuffs—locked.
"It's over, Ren! Your criminal life ends in Impel Down!"
Onigumo declared victory, contempt blazing in his eyes as Ren spat out a mouthful of blood.
Gravely wounded—and weakened by Seastone—Ren could no longer even grip the lightning blade.
Without question—
Onigumo was the victor.
No matter how strange or troublesome a Devil Fruit might be, the instant Seastone shackles closed, defeat was inevitable.
And he had even spared his subordinate's subordinate.
His hawkish reputation didn't mean he treated lives lightly.
All of this—
was because he never underestimated his enemy.
(End of Chapter)