Chapter 627: Red Moon Form, Electric Dragon Devours!
"Hahaha…"
Teach threw his head back, laughing like a madman as Nekomamushi's frustration slipped out.
"Now that you've finally realized it's impossible to beat me…"
He spread his arms, savoring the moment.
"If you retreat right now, I'll show mercy. I won't keep attacking you!"
He sounded almost generous.
But everyone could hear the satisfaction underneath.
Back then, Teach had not even dared to show his face when the Dragon Hunter Pirates were around. The moment he heard their name, he would run. He would vanish. He would crawl back into the shadows with his tail tucked between his legs.
And now?
Now he was standing above them, bullying a squad that was not even the main force.
That alone filled him with a twisted kind of pleasure.
"Retreat?"
Conrad's lip curled.
"Teach, are you joking?"
He laughed, sharp and cold.
"Hahaha. We're the handyman squad of the Dragon Hunter Pirates."
"A piece of garbage who used to run away back then dares to say that to our faces?"
Conrad lifted one paw, eyes burning.
"It looks like eating the Mythical Zoan, Yamata no Orochi, finally gave you the courage to stand in front of us!"
He inhaled.
"Moonlight Liberation!"
The sky answered.
A massive moon flared into existence above them, bright and absolute, like someone had dragged the night itself down by the throat.
"Liberation!"
"Liberation!"
"Liberation!"
Voices stacked on top of voices, rising in waves.
To Teach, it sounded like demons whispering behind his ears.
The pure white glow of Sulong began to change.
A thin red stained it at first, like blood bleeding through snow.
Then it deepened.
Not every Mink could push beyond Sulong.
But Conrad's power forced the strongest among them to shatter their limits.
Conrad.
Phinks.
Nekomamushi.
Inuarashi.
Warriors who were already monsters even in Sulong.
Under that red moon, they underwent a second awakening.
A second liberation.
Their fur turned crimson.
Their presence turned vicious.
The Red Moon Form.
Teach's grin faltered.
Then a red streak flashed.
Slash.
Three deep wounds tore across Teach's chest.
"Ah… it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"
The scream that burst from him was raw, ugly, and real.
Anyone who heard it could tell how much damage that strike had done.
Conrad watched him like a cat watching a rat try to act brave.
"The captain showed us all your information."
He spoke lightly, almost teasing.
"You have good abilities. Your defense, your Haki, your attacks, none of them are weak."
Conrad's smile widened.
"But once you're injured, you feel pain many times over."
He leaned forward, eyes narrowing.
"And it looks like after gaining this new power… the pain got even worse."
More red spread across Conrad's body, the crimson fur thickening, sharpening his outline like he was being carved out of bloodlight.
And he was not alone.
Other Minks had also reached that Red Moon state.
Even if they only landed a few clean hits, Teach would be forced to taste misery.
Teach's face twisted.
Damn it.
"You tricked me!"
His voice went hoarse with rage.
"But don't celebrate too early. You think you can beat me just by doing this?"
Teach raised both hands.
"Electric Devour!"
The wounds on his chest healed instantly.
His regeneration was absurd, matching his monstrous endurance.
At the same time, the purple black serpent heads around him shifted.
They turned silver.
The surrounding lightning was pulled toward them like prey dragged into a whirlpool.
Every arc of electricity the Minks released was swallowed.
Even the electricity in Conrad's own body was ripped away.
Teach laughed again, triumphant now.
"Your high speed movement comes from your own strength, sure."
"But you still need those electric currents, don't you?"
He spread his fingers as if stripping something invisible from the air.
"Now I declare it."
"Your electricity is mine!"
"Hahaha!"
The Minks' bodies stuttered for half a heartbeat, the rhythm of their movement breaking.
And in that opening, Phinks charged.
A straight line. Pure aggression.
But without the lightning boost, Teach caught him instantly.
Teach's hand clamped around Phinks' arm.
Bang!
A brutal kick smashed into Phinks and sent him flying back.
Even in Red Moon form, Phinks crashed hard, body twisting with damage.
Teach sneered, looking down at him.
"Without electricity, your speed is barely faster than a snail."
He threw his head back, laughing again.
"So this is the power of the Dragon Hunter Pirates' handyman squad?"
"No wonder you're called handymen."
His grin widened, cruel and smug.
"If one of the official squad members were here, this embarrassment wouldn't be happening."
"Hahaha!"
His laughter was cut with delight.
He was enjoying every syllable.
"There's a lot of trash here."
A calm voice drifted in, familiar to the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
"Should we clean it up?"
Another voice followed, casual and lazy.
Two figures stepped out.
Nobunaga.
And Shizuku.
Combat members of the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
"Lord Nobunaga!"
"Master Shizuku!"
The Minks reacted instantly, relief and excitement flaring.
Nobunaga glanced at Conrad, reading the situation in one look.
"Conrad."
He sounded almost amused.
"Looks like you're having a rough time."
He sighed, annoyed in a way that made the tension feel smaller.
"Seriously. The team leader and the others vanished all of a sudden, and Shizuku and I got lost again."
Shizuku nodded quietly beside him, expression unchanged.
Nobunaga continued, tone casual.
"I felt a big energy fluctuation and followed it here."
His eyes slid to Teach.
"Looks like we arrived at the perfect moment."
His gaze narrowed.
"The first thing I hear is someone talking trash about our Dragon Hunter Pirates."
Teach stiffened.
The instant Nobunaga focused on him, Teach felt it.
Not fear.
Not pressure.
Something sharper.
Like a blade already inside his body.
Is this what the official members were like?
They were not even in the same world as Conrad's squad.
How far had the Dragon Hunter Pirates climbed?
Nobunaga's attention shifted.
He noticed the Straw Hats nearby.
"Straw Hat boy is here too."
His eyes settled on Luffy.
"The captain's brother."
He tilted his head toward Shizuku.
"Shizuku, handle this for now. I'll go take a look."
Then he walked straight toward the Straw Hat crew.
Zoro had already steadied himself by then.
The wound in his chest was serious, but it was not fatal.
The bigger damage was in his heart.
His respected teacher had become that kind of person.
And Zoro had been the one to end him.
Nobunaga stopped in front of Zoro.
His voice was blunt, almost rough.
"Swordsman."
He stared at Zoro's blades.
"Your sword is crying."
His eyes did not blink.
"Can't you hear it?"
Luffy recognized him immediately.
After all, information on the Dragon Hunter Pirates was public knowledge on the seas. Their main members had bounties, portraits, records. Even if Nobunaga had not acted much, the world had still taken note.
"The people on my brother's ship…"
Luffy said quietly.
Nobunaga gave Luffy a brief nod.
"Hello, Straw Hat."
Then his gaze returned to Zoro.
"Hey, kid."
His voice sharpened.
"Your sword is crying. Can't you hear it?"
In Nobunaga's eyes, the worst thing a swordsman could do was make his blade cry.
A sword was not just steel.
It was what stayed with you when everything else was gone.
It was what kept you standing.
.....
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