Niji savored the intoxicating sensation of being feared by others, though he had never experienced that emotion himself. Fear was just another theoretical concept to him, his genetic modifications had eliminated such "weaknesses" from his psychological profile. What he craved was the rush of absolute dominance, the confirmation that Vinsmoke blood truly made him superior to all other life forms.
The Hell Pirates... the most powerful pirates in the North Blue?
His lips curved into a predatory smirk at the thought.
Among the seven surviving candidates, several displayed obvious terror despite their supernatural enhancements. But retreat wasn't an option, Oboro's presence behind them guaranteed death for cowardice. They faced annihilation whether they advanced or fled, leaving desperate aggression as their only choice.
Gritting their teeth against primal fear, the remaining Hell Pirates launched themselves forward in a coordinated assault.
But Niji's speed transcended human comprehension entirely. The enhanced pirates deployed every advantage their evolved physiology provided, supernatural reflexes, inhuman coordination, tactical intelligence that operated beyond normal limitations. Yet none of it mattered. They couldn't even touch the fabric of his combat suit as he moved between them like blue lightning given form.
His electrical sword carved through their enhanced bodies with casual elegance, each swing claiming lives with the efficiency of a farmer harvesting wheat. To observers, it appeared he was taking a leisurely stroll through a garden rather than conducting systematic slaughter.
Meanwhile, Yonji demonstrated his own devastating capabilities through pure physical dominance. Though his speed couldn't match his brother's supernatural velocity, his raw power compensated through overwhelming force projection.
When Yingge seized what appeared to be a perfect opening, striking while Yonji eliminated another candidate, the swordsman's flame-wreathed blade descended toward his target's skull with surgical precision. The impact should have cleaved through bone and brain matter with ease.
Instead, his weapon met resistance like striking reinforced steel.
Yonji's skull remained completely unmarked, his distinctive green hair unruffled by an attack that could have split boulders. The genetically enhanced Vinsmoke brother hadn't even acknowledged the strike.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Yingge twisted with fluid grace, channeling his Fire Breathing techniques into a devastating combination assault. Pillars of flame erupted around both combatants while his Nichirin blade traced burning arcs through the air, each strike delivered with enough force to shatter stone.
Every attack achieved identical results, his enhanced cutting power barely scratched the surface of Yonji's technologically augmented physiology.
Terror began replacing confidence as the brutal reality crystallized in Yingge's enhanced perception. His supernatural abilities, which had made him feel invincible against ordinary opponents, meant nothing against enemies who operated beyond biological limitations entirely.
Before he could process additional tactical options, Yonji's massive fist connected with his jaw in an explosion of bone-crushing force.
CRACK!
"What are you doing, idiot?" Yonji laughed with casual cruelty, standing unharmed within the supernatural flames that should have incinerated his flesh.
Blood erupted from Yingge's mouth and nose as the devastating punch launched him backward through the air like a broken doll. His enhanced durability prevented immediate death, but the damage was catastrophic enough to eliminate him as a meaningful threat.
Nearby, Yurivich's barely contained bloodlust finally reached its breaking point as he watched his supposed subordinates fall like wheat before a scythe. Murderous intent radiated from his towering form as he prepared to enter the fray personally, his massive sword sliding from its resting position with predatory anticipation.
But Oboro's raised hand halted the six-meter giant's advance.
"Your Haki development remains incomplete," Oboro observed with clinical detachment, "and those combat suits provide comprehensive enhancement that negates your physical advantages. Their bodies transcend normal biological limitations entirely. Even without technological augmentation, victory would prove difficult, they possess superior strength, recovery, speed, and reaction time across every measurable category."
His analytical tone carried the weight of someone explaining fundamental principles to students.
"Most critically, their minds have been optimized through genetic modification and implanted with perfect combat algorithms. During battle, they remain unaffected by psychological pressure, intimidation, or external distractions. They process tactical information with machine-like efficiency."
"They were born with maximized capabilities, no training or development required."
"However," Oboro continued with predatory satisfaction, "such technological power comes with corresponding limitations. Their upper limits are predetermined by their creators rather than personal potential. Growth becomes impossible unless the Vinsmoke Family develops new scientific breakthroughs to install in their bodies."
"With your future development, dealing with such opponents will become trivial."
He stepped forward with casual confidence, hands sliding into his trouser pockets.
"I know you're excited about testing your abilities, but we have business to conduct. Don't waste time on unnecessary demonstrations."
His three core subordinates immediately understood, their captain intended to handle this confrontation personally.
"Dom," Oboro called softly.
"Yes, sir."
Without requiring additional explanation, Dom activated his spatial manipulation abilities and vanished through a dimensional portal. Within moments, he returned carrying two barely conscious figures, the only survivors among the ten candidates.
One was the swordsman Yingge, his androgynous features bloodied but intact. The other was a yellow-haired man whose face bore various metallic piercings and implants, distinctive modifications that spoke to either personal choice or surgical necessity.
These two had demonstrated the greatest resilience among their defeated companions.
Dolan approached under the pretense of checking their injuries, though his expression betrayed satisfaction rather than concern. Yingge's survival disappointed him, he had hoped the arrogant swordsman would finally face consequences for his disrespectful attitude.
The first assessment ended in complete failure, Dolan thought with grim satisfaction. Even if they survive, achieving official crew membership seems unlikely now.
Yurivich suppressed his desire for violence, recognizing the absolute nature of their captain's authority. While the Hell Pirates operated without formal regulations, one principle remained inviolate: Oboro's commands were imperial decrees that brooked no disobedience.
No one could challenge that hierarchy and survive.
The combat effectiveness displayed by Niji and Yonji fell within Oboro's expectations, though witnessing it firsthand provided valuable intelligence about Germa's technological capabilities. The brothers embodied everything that made the Vinsmoke Family so formidable that even Charlotte Linlin sought their alliance.
As crystallizations of Germa's scientific advancement, they represented "perfection" within carefully defined parameters.
Oboro understood Judge's original vision completely. While Germa remained active in the North Blue, their military capabilities and political influence operated at levels that transcended the "Rookie Paradise" designation. They could establish meaningful presence even in the New World's chaotic waters.
Their decision to remain in the North Blue reflected Judge's practical wisdom rather than limited ambition. The New World belonged to the Four Emperors, survival required choosing sides in conflicts that offered minimal benefits for his objectives. The Grand Line's first half crawled with marine forces and World Government oversight that would complicate his research and operations.
The North Blue provided optimal conditions for someone whose interests centered on profitable warfare and uninterrupted scientific development. As long as Germa maintained sufficient strength, their influence wouldn't diminish simply because they avoided the Grand Line's more prestigious waters.
Some opportunities were worth more than reputation.
"What's with that look?"
Niji's genetically modified psychology registered Oboro's amused expression as disrespect requiring immediate correction. Blood vessels bulged across his forehead as artificial anger protocols activated in response to perceived insult.
His cold voice carried the mechanical precision of someone whose emotional responses had been optimized for combat effectiveness.
Without warning, electrical energy erupted around his form as he launched himself forward with supernatural speed. The dazzling blue light threatened to blind any observer foolish enough to track his movement directly.
Niji materialized in front of Oboro like divine retribution, his leg descending in a devastating axe kick that crackled with concentrated electrical current. The attack carried enough force to pulverize stone while the elemental energy promised to fry internal organs through any armor.
Oboro's arm darkened with Armament Haki as he intercepted the devastating strike with casual precision. The impact created shockwaves that radiated outward from their point of contact, yet neither combatant budged from their positions.
Immediately recognizing his initial attack's failure, Niji shifted tactics with machine-like efficiency. A crackling lightsaber materialized in his grip as he launched a blindingly fast combination assault, each strike aimed at vital points with surgical precision.
The electrical blade became a streak of blue lightning that seemed to vanish and reappear throughout the engagement zone, creating afterimages that confused normal perception. For ordinary opponents, tracking such supernatural speed would have proven impossible.
White light reflected off Oboro's features as his amused expression faded into cold calculation.
"Impressive," he murmured with analytical interest.
"When I parried his initial strike, there was no hesitation in his response, no moment of surprise or tactical recalculation that would delay a normal fighter. Typically, even experienced combatants require at least 0.1 seconds to process unexpected resistance and formulate counter-strategies. This represents basic human cognitive function."
"But he bypassed that limitation entirely, transitioning to optimal responses without conscious thought. It's like fighting a robot that happens to possess human blood. The blood factor modifications have created something that transcends normal biological architecture."
His enhanced perception processed these observations while simultaneously analyzing Niji's attack patterns, identifying weaknesses that existed despite the Vinsmoke brother's apparent perfection.
"Technology progresses through incremental advancement," Oboro continued his internal analysis, "and each stage possesses predetermined limits and optimization thresholds. But the human body represents an infinite treasure house, given sufficient ability, it can be developed without upper boundaries. The same principle applies to consciousness and thought."
"One fighter's capabilities derive from external genetic modification, scientific products with fixed parameters. The other achieves comparable results through personal development that creates genuine advantages."
"The difference lies in who controls the power source."
Oboro glanced down at Niji, who had bent forward in preparation for another lightning-fast assault sequence. His voice carried the dismissive tone of someone ending a conversation that had grown tedious.
"I'm rather pressed for time. I don't have the leisure to play with you."
The words triggered an explosion of invisible force that defied normal understanding.
Without warning or visible mechanism, tremendous pressure descended from empty air and drove Niji directly into the ground beneath Oboro's feet. The impact created a crater several meters wide while spider-web cracks spread outward in all directions.
The supernatural force continued intensifying, crushing both Niji's body and the surrounding terrain with casual efficiency. Within moments, the stratum within a hundred-meter radius resembled shattered tofu, split into countless fragments that shifted and collapsed under their own weight.
Dom and the other observers retreated hastily as the devastation expanded beyond their current positions. Looking back, they witnessed geological destruction that seemed to operate according to divine rather than natural principles.
As for Niji himself, the earth had swallowed him completely, his technologically enhanced form disappearing into the expanding network of chasms as if he'd never existed.
The demonstration lasted less than ten seconds, yet its implications would echo through their memories for years to come. Oboro had casually eliminated one of the North Blue's most feared combatants without moving from his position or displaying visible effort.
This was the power that ruled the Hell Pirates, and they were about to witness its application against Germa's finest warriors.