Chapter 175: Being Cool Is All That Matters!
Wapol did not recognize Ralph.
In fact, he didn't care at all who this bare-chested, black-haired, red-eyed man before him was.
He only heard two words: "Kingly Way" and "Tyrannical Way."
They sounded great!
Two excellent words!
Perfect for describing the great King Wapol!
He arrogantly chimed in:
"That's right! I am the king! I can do whatever I want! I am the Kingly Way, I am the Tyrannical Way!"
His ugly face, half-covered in metal armor, wore a smug expression.
As if uttering these two words could prove how "right" his rule was.
Ralph looked at him, a flicker of clear disdain flashing in his blood-red eyes.
Then he turned and walked toward the castle wall.
There hung a row of decorative weapons—rusted spears, shields, and two sabers that looked more like crafts than functional blades.
Ralph reached out and took down one of the sabers.
He turned back to face Wapol again.
"You have done nothing of the Kingly Way. As for the Tyrannical Way..."
His crimson pupils slightly contracted:
"...Are you even worthy?"
Wapol still didn't understand.
But he sensed the disdain, the hostility.
At the same time, Dr. Kureha walked out of the ward and stood not far behind Ralph.
She still held a bottle of liquor in her hand, but her expression was unusually serious, her eyes fixed intently on Ralph's back.
Seeing the old woman, Wapol's rage instantly overwhelmed his confusion:
"Spouting all that nonsense and wasting time—so you're with the old hag! Watch me blast you both to pieces!"
He raised his left arm.
It was a cannon arm assembled from three naval cannons, its dark muzzles aimed at Ralph and Dr. Kureha.
The onlookers collectively gasped.
"Watch out!!"
Usopp screamed.
But it was too late.
Boom—!!
The cannons roared.
Not one shot, but three fired simultaneously.
The cannonballs tore through the air with a shriek of death, heading straight for the two figures standing in the center of the castle hall.
In that moment, everyone's hearts leaped into their throats.
Except for two people.
Lufia stood with her hands on her hips, wearing an expression that said, "What's there to worry about?"
She even had the leisure to comment: "Ralph will definitely block it!"
Zoro, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes, intently observing Ralph's every move.
His observation was more detailed than anyone else's...
First, Ralph's entire appearance had changed.
Long hair, red eyes, bare chest, and that... oppressive aura as if he might explode at any moment.
Second, his demeanor had changed.
Normally, Ralph was calm and reliable, occasionally silly, but now, he was like an unsheathed Demon Blade—dangerous and eerie.
Most crucially—
"He actually picked up a sword."
Zoro murmured.
And Zoro saw it clearly:
That sword had hung on the wall for who knows how many years. When drawn, it was covered in rust, its edge chipped, looking as if it would shatter at the slightest touch.
Yet, in Ralph's hand, instantly—
A layer of pitch-black color spread from the hilt to the tip.
The rust was devoured, the chips filled in, and the entire blade turned dark, glossy, reflecting a faint, cold light in the dim castle hall.
What shocked Zoro the most was the "sharpness" emanating from the blade.
That feeling... reminded him of Hawk Eye.
It reminded him of the Supreme Grade Sword "Yoru" in the hands of the world's greatest swordsman, and the overwhelming power that Black Blade unleashed when it cleaved the heavens.
Although the blade in Ralph's hand was far inferior to "Yoru," the feeling it gave off was surprisingly similar!
"This bastard..."
Zoro gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with both frustration and excitement.
"He's... inexplicably... gotten stronger again!"
At that moment, the smoke from the exploding cannonball cleared.
Everyone held their breath and looked—
Ralph and Dr. Kureha were completely unharmed.
Not only that, but in front of them hovered a... faint, almost imperceptible barrier.
It was a "Wind Wall" composed of countless tiny air currents.
The high-speed flow of air formed a translucent barrier of wind, blocking the explosive impact, flying shrapnel, and even the scorching flames from the explosion.
And Ralph maintained his stance—holding the blade with one hand, its tip pointed diagonally forward.
"Truly tyrannical! Facing all attacks with calm indifference! One of the Tyrant Blades, surveying the winds and clouds!!"
On the blade, faint disturbances in the air currents still lingered.
Clearly, at the moment the cannonball was fired, he had swung his blade.
With just one strike, he had raised this wind barrier.
"How... is this possible?"
Dalton stared in disbelief.
"Is this something a human can do?"
"Magic... it must be magic!"
A militiaman trembled as he spoke.
"So cool!!"
Lufia was the first to jump up, waving her fists in the air, her eyes sparkling so brightly they seemed about to burst.
"As expected of Ralph! Such a cool swordsmanship!"
Zoro grumbled beside her:
"Do you even understand what you're cheering for?"
"Not at all!"
Lufia declared confidently.
"Cool is enough!"
Zoro: "...!"
He took a deep breath and looked back at the gradually dissipating Wind Wall, muttering to himself:
"This move... takes the defensive aspect of swordsmanship to its extreme. The name fits perfectly—standing undefeated, surveying the winds and clouds..."
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white:
"Dammit... no matter how hard I try to catch up, this guy Ralph is always one step ahead in every way!"
Just then, Nami, who was fused with Zoro, suddenly spoke up:
"Am I the only one who thinks... shouting the name of the move while using it is kind of silly?"
Lufia immediately retorted:
"Shouting the move's name gives it momentum!"
Usopp also nodded:
"Exactly!"
"Nami only thinks that way because she doesn't have her own signature move! You should spend more time reading the manual I gave you. The Clima-Tact can unleash many powerful techniques!"
Mentioning this made Nami furious.
With a thought, she controlled two of her six arms to pound Usopp:
"How dare you say that! Turning into flowers and pigeons—what I need are techniques that can defeat enemies!"
Usopp dodged while holding his head, explaining:
"Those are party tricks to liven things up! The combat skills are written later in the manual!"
"Who has the patience to read through your ridiculous manual?!"
As Usopp and the three-headed, six-armed "monster" bickered...
Everyone present broke out in a cold sweat.
These Straw Hat Pirates... joking and fooling around without regard for the situation?!
There's a Pacifista over ten meters tall standing right there!
The most furious, of course, was Wapol.
"I... I am the most dangerous Pacifista!!"
His voice distorted with rage.
"And you dare fool around right in front of me!!"
He turned his head sharply, looking at Ralph, his eyes beneath the metal armor blood-red:
"You turned my triumphant return into a farce... It's all your fault! You deserve to die!!"
He raised his right arm, the limb composed of spinning blade wheels, the sharp edges rotating at high speed, emitting a piercing whir.
But this time, he had no chance to strike.
Because Ralph moved.