What just happened...?
Both Shiryu and Rosinante, along with several pirate captains, stood frozen, scarcely believing their eyes.
The battle had barely begun—had it even been ten minutes?
Yet, the swordsman Kark, with a bounty of 36 million Berries, was utterly overwhelmed, left in such a sorry state?
Meanwhile...
Kark, now fleeing in disarray, was both shocked and furious.
"What the hell is with this brat? How can he be this strong?!"
At the start, he had sensed that his opponent had only just stepped into the realm of swordsmanship, clearly inferior to himself.
He had thought victory was assured.
But after just a few exchanges, once Nao got serious, Kark realized he was facing a terrifying monster, one whose handsome appearance belied his true nature.
In terms of strength, speed, and agility, Nao surpassed him by a wide margin.
Each of Nao's sword strikes sent shockwaves through Kark's arms, while his own attacks were effortlessly dodged, as if Nao could predict them.
In such a scenario, even if Kark's swordsmanship was slightly superior, how could he possibly win?
Escape was his only option!
Having survived countless battles at sea, Kark knew that in fights like this, the so-called honor and dignity of a swordsman meant nothing.
Only survival mattered.
"Damn it, Ron's tied up and can't help...
Otherwise, with his Devil Fruit powers, escaping wouldn't be this hard..."
With adrenaline surging, Kark poured all his strength into his legs, sprinting desperately down the street.
"Since my allies can't assist, I'll have to find Sano!"
That monster's strength was on a whole different level compared to the three of them.
And he wasn't far—just in the neighboring district.
As long as Kark kept running and held out until Sano noticed the commotion and came to help, the brat chasing him would be doomed!
Just then, his vision blurred, and Nao suddenly appeared right in front of him, blocking his path.
"The fight had barely started, and you lost your will to battle at the first sign of trouble, thinking only of running away.
You're a disgrace to the title of 'Sword Demon,' old man."
Nao looked at the terrified Kark and sighed in disappointment.
"In your next life, don't become a pirate.
Die early and reincarnate quickly.
Maybe you'll be born in Shimotsuki Village and learn what true Three-Sword Style is all about."
What nonsense is this guy spouting?
Kark didn't understand a word of the latter part, but he clearly saw Nao gripping his swords tightly with both hands.
Not good!
Panic-stricken, Kark instinctively turned to flee, but under Nao's descending blade, he was a moment too late.
With a blood-curdling scream, his short, stout body wobbled before collapsing stiffly to the ground.
At the same time...
On a hilltop with a clear view, Aokiji, having witnessed the scene, raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Ah, that was unexpected..."
Scratching his head, he noticed his hair was damp and greasy from two days of sea breeze, sticking together unpleasantly.
He quickly dropped his hand in distaste, muttering, "Looks like the top performer in this practical assessment has already emerged..."
"Who, that Shiryu guy?"
A familiar voice suddenly came from behind.
"Yo, what brings you up here?"
Aokiji turned his head, surprised to see Gion.
"Didn't you say the wind up here was too strong and planned to stay on the ship until the assessment ended?"
"Got a bit bored."
Gion stretched lazily, smiling.
"Couldn't sit still on the ship any longer, so I came to see the action."
"That's what I told you yesterday..."
Aokiji was puzzled, but Gion nonchalantly walked to a nearby rock, casually changing the subject:
"What did you just see?
It's rare to see you so surprised."
"Uh...
You might not believe it, but that Nao kid just effortlessly defeated a pirate captain with a bounty over 30 million."
Aokiji's gaze returned to the town, nodding toward a specific direction.
"Over there.
He's probably heading back now...
Hmm?"
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, frowning slightly.
Gion narrowed her eyes.
"What's wrong now?"
"He's encountered trouble sooner than I expected."
Aokiji watched the street corner below with interest, clicking his tongue.
"Seems the kid's luck isn't great.
This time, he's run into real trouble..."
At the street corner.
Nao had just finished searching Kark's body and stood up, satisfied.
Though Kark's three swords were of decent quality, one was even a Grade Sword.
While Nao didn't need them, having the dual swords of Yone, turning them in to headquarters would earn him considerable merit, adding to his record.
These accumulated merits would directly influence the rank he would be awarded upon graduation.
"Time to check on the battle situation."
He turned to look back in the direction he came from, calculating silently.
"First, help Shiryu and Rosinante deal with those two guys, then go find that giant bear Sano.
That would be the safest approach..."
Kark wasn't exactly weak, but once he was at a disadvantage, he lost his fighting spirit too quickly.
The fight hadn't been satisfying, leaving Nao a bit disappointed.
He felt that in this practical assessment, only Sano, whom even his companions considered a monster, could provide him with a truly exhilarating duel.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
He had barely taken a few steps when heavy, thunderous footsteps suddenly approached from afar.
Like the precursor to a volcanic eruption, the ground of half the street began to tremble slightly.
Nao stopped in his tracks, sensing something.
He took a deep breath and turned his head toward the street corner where Kark had tried to escape.
A towering woman, standing six to seven meters tall, with a physique resembling a giant bear from the forest, and sporting a short buzz cut, appeared before him.
She wore only a robe, her body brimming with explosive muscle.
Her facial features were fairly delicate, but two intersecting scars near her jaw and eye sockets ruined any semblance of beauty, giving her a fierce and terrifying appearance.
She glanced at the fat corpse on the ground, smirked mockingly, then raised her head, bloodshot eyes locking onto Nao in the distance.
"Brat...
Was it you who killed Kark?"