"Who?! Who killed my brother?! Show yourself! I'll make you beg for death!"
Cohen's voice, thick with venom, echoed through the cellar. Beneath his hood, his eyes burned crimson, his face twisted into a mask of pure rage.
That was his younger brother—his last remaining family. He had never laid a hand on him, never even raised his voice. And now, someone had murdered him in cold blood, right before his eyes!
Paula stared at Colin's lifeless body, her mind reeling. Just moments ago, she had been teetering on the edge of an abyss of unspeakable horror—until, like a sudden ray of sunlight, salvation had reached out and pulled her back.
Tears welled in her eyes as she gazed toward the cellar entrance, her vision blurred with hope.
"Tsk tsk tsk… A whole gang of men cornering a single girl? What's this, some kind of cheap film shoot? Can't just ignore that."
A mocking voice drifted in from the doorway. Then, two figures stepped inside—
A tall, handsome man, dressed in sleek black attire with a flowing cape that exuded both mystery and dominance. Three swords hung at his waist, marking him as a swordsman. His lips curled into a faint smirk as his eyes locked onto the hooded figure.
Beside him stood a fiery young woman with wine-red hair, her beautiful face contorted in fury. Her hand already gripped her sword's hilt—ready to cut someone down at any second.
Paula's breath hitched as she took in the man's face under the dim cellar light. He looked divine, bathed in an almost holy radiance. That smile… it warmed her soul.
'This was her savior. Her prayers had been answered.'
The newcomers were none other than Victor and Rebecca. They had arrived in the area earlier, and Victor's Observation Haki had already pinpointed Paula's location.
But with only three of them present, a direct assault risked the princess's life. So Victor had sent Wendy to gather the rest of the elite unit—once reinforcements arrived, they could ensure Paula's safety.
Yet before backup could arrive, the princess's beauty and status had sealed her fate. These pirates were monsters, each worse than the last. Victor could wait no longer.
Even if Paula died in the crossfire, it would be a far nobler end than what awaited her.
So from outside the cellar, Victor had unleashed a Flying Finger Gun, channeling Haki through the air to pierce the giant's skull in an instant.
Colin lay dead on the ground. No matter how massive or strong, against someone like Victor, he never stood a chance.
"You killed my brother. You won't leave here alive."
Cohen's voice was eerily calm, but his crew knew the volcanic fury simmering beneath.
"You're that rising Marine star—Orens Victor, right? What brings you here? Those warships at the dock… yours?"
Kyle, ever the tactician, remained composed. He kept up with the news—he recognized Victor.
"Oh? Didn't realize I was so famous." Victor chuckled, in no rush to attack.
"A man like you? Anyone who reads the papers knows your face. So… the royals called you in?"
Kyle was probing, still hoping Victor was just passing through. The bald pirate and his men stayed on guard, waiting for their captain's signal.
Cohen trembled in his seat. Only Victor and Rebecca's Observation Haki sensed the raging storm beneath his stillness—he was on the verge of snapping.
But he waited.
For the perfect moment to strike.
"Yeah, those are our ships. Though technically, we're still trainees. If you'd waited just a little longer, we might've already left. Guess luck wasn't on your side." Victor smirked.
Paula watched in awe as Victor casually bantered in the face of so many pirates. It meant he didn't fear them at all.
But she had seen Cohen in action—no attack could touch him. He was terrifying.
"Victor, you're stalling. A man like you doesn't waste words."
Kyle, the crew's strategist, saw right through him. And Victor was buying time. Cohen's aura was explosive, and Kyle himself was no pushover.
"Caught me, huh? Well, no harm in asking—what's your bounty? Must be decent. I don't read the papers much."
"A shame. Our captain wanted to make a name for himself here. But since you asked…" Kyle sighed. "He's worth 200 million berries. Me? A measly 80 million. The rest? Not even worth mentioning."
He gestured dismissively at the bald pirate and his lackeys.
"Hey! What's that mean?! We got bounties too! If you hadn't made us lay low, we'd be way higher!" the bald man whined.
Pirates and their obsession with bounties. To the world, it measured their threat—to them, it was a badge of honor.
Victor almost laughed. Arguing about bounties at a time like this? This bald guy was a special kind of idiot.
Then—
A surge of killing intent.
Kyle's chatter had been a distraction. All to give Cohen the opening for a lethal strike.
But Victor wasn't fooled. His Observation Haki had been active the whole time.
"Rebecca, move."
He shoved her aside just as a black blur shot toward him.
Yet Victor remained utterly calm.
As the shadow closed in, his sword left its sheath.
"Shing—!"
The black dragon's head engraved on his blade seemed to roar to life, twisting through the air like a living beast.
With a single, fluid motion, Victor's blade sliced through the oncoming shadow—splitting it clean in two.
The severed halves crashed onto the ground behind him with a dull 'thud', motionless.
The room fell into a weighted silence, each person reacting differently:
- Princess Paula – Eyes shining with joy and relief.
- Bald Pirate & Lackeys – Faces twisted in disappointment. They'd seen their captain ambush countless strong opponents this way.
- Kyle – A faint, knowing smirk.
- Rebecca – Expression tense, grip tightening on her sword.
- Victor – Unfazed, as if he'd just swatted a fly.
"A Logia, huh? Yeah… your bounty's way too low. You deserve more."
Victor didn't even bother turning around, his tone casual—as if commenting on the weather.
The bald pirate and his crew visibly deflated.
Their captain's elemental intangibility had cheesed so many fights in the past. In the first half of the Grand Line, where Haki was a myth, most enemies couldn't even touch him.
They'd truly believed their captain was invincible.
Until now.