Hidden in the shadows, Ron watched Xiao Zizai's "work" and could only stare in a daze.
What the hell is this supposed to be?!
Why is there a frozen fish involved now?
Frozen-fish war god Gao Qisheng?
…Huh.
Don't say it—he really does kind of look the part.
Glasses on, and equally unhinged!
"Xiao Zizai's methods are seriously disgusting," Yoruichi said, burying her head in Ron's arms with a look of utter disdain. "Don't you feel sick?"
"I'm fine," Ron replied calmly, rubbing his chin as if deeply thoughtful. "I've seen scenes in the past that were even harder to put into words…"
"Two dark, damp gates. The road was rough, and little angels had… died inside."
Yoruichi: "…"
You'd better be talking about actual gates.
...…
Inside the banquet hall.
What had once been glittering luxury now looked gloomy under the sheen of blood.
With shattered debris and scattered remains staining the floor, the place had been turned into a living nightmare.
"Saint Rosward~" Xiao Zizai said softly, tossing the frozen fish aside. A gentle smile curved his lips.
But in Rosward's eyes, that smile was more terrifying than any demon.
Shaking violently, Rosward forced out, "W-what… what do you want?!"
His struggle was too frantic.
Something inside him gave way, and a fresh wave of hot fluid spilled out with a foul stench—an ugly, humiliating proof of just how far his body had collapsed.
"Watch carefully," Xiao Zizai said, smiling as he placed a hand on Rosward's shoulder.
"This will be the last scene you ever witness."
Then a force surged.
It poured into Rosward's bloated body like a flood, racing through him in an instant—everywhere, all at once.
It was Qi.
A terrifying amount of it, driven by that so-called Great Compassion Hand.
In the blink of an eye, Rosward's body began to unravel from the inside out.
His flesh lost its structure. His skin slackened. His once-plump form deflated like a punctured balloon, collapsing into something barely human.
At the sight of it, Jack the Ripper threw his head back and covered his face, trembling with excitement from head to toe.
"Oh, my God…"
"Did you see it?"
"This… this is the most beautiful picture in the world!"
Those crude, quick kills—one slash, a clean end—were nothing compared to this.
They couldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as this kind of extreme, meticulously controlled cruelty.
At least…
That's what a man as twisted as Jack genuinely believed.
"We should go," Xiao Zizai said, putting his mask back on as he turned toward the exit.
"The Navy's reinforcements will be here soon."
According to the plan, after killing Saint Rosward, Xiao Zizai had to appear in a crowded public place immediately—so he could build an airtight alibi.
Otherwise…
The Navy and the World Government would absolutely suspect him.
"Alright." Jack nodded.
But when he looked up at that lean figure walking ahead…
That warm golden light—something he had personally erased long ago—appeared again in his vision, shimmering faintly beneath the thick red.
"A person who lives in darkness… yet still keeps a sliver of light in their heart?"
Jack smiled.
"How contradictory…"
"And yet… a monster who's gentle to the extreme."
His figure faded down the corridor.
Now, in the banquet hall, only Saint Rosward remained—waiting for death in absolute terror.
Before long, the Navy and World Government reinforcements arrived.
Leading them were Akainu, and the head of the Navy Criminal Investigation Bureau: Vice Admiral Black Horse.
But the moment they saw the scene—
Their stomachs turned violently.
Some soldiers bent over and started retching on the spot.
It wasn't just the stench.
It was the sheer visual impact of what Rosward had been reduced to.
That was also why Xiao Zizai hadn't bothered with a "merciful finishing blow."
He wanted the Celestial Dragon to remember this pain forever—so deeply that even hell wouldn't wash it away.
"Bring me every Surveillance Den Den Mushi in this hotel!" Akainu barked, watching as Rosward was lifted onto a stretcher and rushed toward emergency treatment.
Not long after, a soldier sprinted back in panic.
"Report! All Surveillance Den Den Mushi in the hotel… are damaged!"
Hearing that, Akainu silently let out a breath.
He knew exactly who did it.
If the surveillance hadn't been destroyed like this, even Akainu wouldn't have been able to shield Xiao Zizai.
But just as Akainu's heart settled—
Black Horse crouched in the corner and picked up a frozen fish.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk… killing someone with a frozen fish," he said, weighing it with amused interest. "In all my years, this is a first."
"A frozen fish—paired with that 'signature style' of killing Celestial Dragons…"
"Mr. Akainu, doesn't this feel awfully familiar?"
Akainu kept his expression blank. "Familiar how?"
"I've read every single one of Xiao Zizai's mission reports," Black Horse said with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
"Across the entire sea… who else would come up with something like this?"
Akainu's gaze hardened.
"Then let's ask where he is." He pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
The call connected quickly.
The Den Den Mushi's face relaxed into an expression of blissful comfort, and Xiao Zizai's voice came through:
"Yeah… yeah, that's the spot—right there. Put a little more force into it."
Akainu's face went pitch-black. "Where are you?"
"At the Red Paradise on Sabaody," Xiao Zizai said, laughing as if he were casually sharing a joke. "Gotta say—no wonder Sengoku always requests that Technician Number Eighteen. Really impressive."
"Good technique… and good technique."
Akainu: "..."
Before killing the Celestial Dragon, Xiao Zizai and Jack had already gone to Red Paradise.
When the time was right, Jack had put the two staff members there under hypnosis, and planned to lift it only after the "timing" was perfect—creating a flawless alibi.
"You heard that?" Akainu asked, ending the call and turning to Black Horse.
Black Horse's face was dark. "Don't let me find proof."
"Do what you want." Akainu lit a cigar and turned to leave.
His assignment was to capture the murderer of a Celestial Dragon—not to play detective.
So he was done here.
What Akainu needed to do now… was go to Red Paradise and settle accounts with Xiao Zizai.
And every single expense would be charged to Xiao Zizai.
After all—cleaning up someone else's mess wasn't free.
...…
Meanwhile, from the shadows, Ron watched the matter wrap up and returned to the tavern with Yoruichi in his arms.
He washed up and was just about to sleep when the system notification sounded in his mind:
Ding. Customer(s): Xiao Zizai, Akainu, Black Heart Tiger have finished venting.
Customer Xiao Zizai: Golden Bell Shield, Dragon Claw Hand… host may choose one ability.
Customer Black Heart Tiger: Black-White Impermanence, Shadow Shroud, Blackheart Fiend, Tiger-Heart Snatch… host may choose any one ability!
Ron thought for a moment and spoke softly.
"Choose Xiao Zizai's Dragon Claw Hand, and Black Heart Tiger's Tiger-Heart Snatch."
As for Akainu's ability—
Ron chose Armament Haki.
But…
Dragon Claw Hand and Tiger-Heart Snatch… sounded kind of weird together.
After the fusion completed, Ron was just about to close his eyes—
When a familiar voice drifted slowly into the room.
"Ron~"
"Every night it's Lucoa…"
"Can you let me see how many bullets are still left in your… magazine?"
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on P@treon if you're interested:
patreon.com/ZoroTL442