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"Bacchus!" Andy roared, his grip tightening on the broken, gleaming blade. He shot forward with the speed of an arrow, lunging at the Marine like a vengeful specter.
This scoundrel had been hounding him all the way to the Darereka Islands ever since he and Robin had saved that merchant ship from the pirates. Now, with his newly acquired Armament Haki, the burning hatred in his heart wouldn't be appeased until the man was dead.
A look of pure madness appeared on Bacchus's face as he faced Andy. Luna's crew had been cut down by half before Andy had killed her, and now even his own warship was at the bottom of the sea.
There was no way he could return and escape punishment from the Marine Criminal Investigation Bureau. The best-case scenario was a life sentence in Impel Down. The thought of this bleak fate, all thanks to the man in front of him, made his rage erupt like a volcano. He wouldn't find peace until Andy was dead.
Andy, however, had chosen to flee after killing Luna, and a heavily injured Bacchus had no way to stop him. He couldn't believe this upstart, who had no idea what he was getting himself into, had the audacity to stay and try to take him down.
Hmph! He's really overestimating himself! Bacchus thought. Even though he was covered in wounds from his fight with Luna, he was confident that his powerful Armament Haki was more than enough to handle a small fry like Andy, who he was sure didn't know the technique.
The next moment, Bacchus's eyes widened in fury, his hair standing on end as he let out a guttural roar. He swung his large fist, now covered in a pitch-black layer of Armament Haki, like a cannonball, aiming it straight for Andy's face. The punch was filled with endless power and rage, a blow meant to utterly crush his enemy.
But Bacchus never expected that in the very instant he made his move, Andy would sidestep him like a ghost, easily dodging the thunderous blow.
At the same time, the long blade in Andy's hand shot out with lightning speed, striking ferociously at the wound on Bacchus's arm. Sensing the impending danger, Bacchus roared, "Armament!" A layer of pitch-black Armament Haki instantly spread over his arm, creating an impenetrable shield.
But Andy's attack didn't stop there. As Bacchus was focused on defending his arm, Andy's other sideâhis left legânow also covered in Armament Haki, struck out like lightning. It slammed into the wound on Bacchus's leg with the force of a mountain falling from the sky.
"You⊠you actuallyâŠ" Bacchus stammered, his face turning ashen with terror as he saw Andy's leg completely turn black as if forged from fine iron.
A chilling, bone-shattering crack echoed through the air. Bacchus felt a tearing pain from his left leg as it went completely limp. It felt as if he'd been hit by an incredibly heavy steel rod and his bones had shattered into countless pieces.
"Ugh, ahh!!" a bloodcurdling scream tore from Bacchus's throat, so loud it even drowned out the incessant thunder from the sky.
"Die, Bacchus!" Andy roared. He gripped the half-broken blade in his right hand, its edge gleaming with a cold light. His arm muscles were tense, veins bulging as he put all his strength into the attack. He even reversed his grip on the blade, and a layer of black Armament Haki instantly covered it, making the entire thing emit a chilling aura.
In a flash, Andy flickered forward like a ghost, closing the distance and viciously slashing at Bacchus's neck with lightning speed. There was a sickening thud. Andy's attack was powerful and heavy, and with the boost from Armament Haki, its power was doubled. Bacchus had no time to react or even try to use his Haki to defend, and his neck was easily severed.
Blood splattered everywhere, a crimson flower blossoming in the air. Bacchus's head fell to the ground with a dull thud, rolling away. His eyes remained wide open, filled with disbelief and rage, unable to accept this cruel reality even in death.
The Marines who had managed to survive stood ashen-faced, their expressions filled with extreme terror as they witnessed the brutal scene.
"Colonel Bacchus is dead!" "Red Hawk Andy killed him!" "Run! Help!"
In an instant, all the Marines scrambled away, fleeing from Skull Bay port in a panic. Andy shook the rain from his body, ignoring the escaping Marines and casting a cold glance at Bacchus's lifeless head.
"What are you looking at? No matter how much you look, you're still a dead man!"
As he finished speaking, he headed toward a hotel on the island. Now that Luna and Bacchus were both dead, he no longer had to worry about anyone else posing a threat to him. After all, a hotel was a hundred times more comfortable than a cave. Meanwhile, intelligence officers were already reporting the incident.
In Skull Bay, Duke was initially incredulous upon hearing the report. Someone in the West Blue dared to lay hands on people from his territory? The intel instantly ignited his fury. Luna was his most favored adopted daughter and his designated successor, and she had been killed by Red Hawk Andy!
"Red Hawk Andy! I'm going to kill you!" Duke roar echoed through the Skull Bay Royal Palace.
At the same time, Marine Headquarters also received a report on the incident. It was brief and to the point: Red Hawk Andy had gone on a killing spree in the Darereka Islands, killing countless civilians. Luna, Duke adopted daughter, and Bacchus, a Marine branch commander, had also fallen at his hands.
"I didn't expect Red Hawk's strength to grow so quickly," Vice Admiral Tsuru said indifferently after reading the intelligence. "But it's a shame he's such a cruel and murderous person, not even sparing civilians. Otherwise, I would have truly considered recruiting him for the Marines."
"Then⊠Vice Admiral Tsuru, should we increase Red Hawk's bounty?" Brannew asked.
"No need," she replied with a placid expression. "Duke won't let this go. Just provide him with intelligence and let him take care of it."
"I understand." Brannew immediately left to make the necessary arrangements.
Just as Vice Admiral Tsuru had predicted, Duke had already set out personally, leading five Skull Bay warships, and was rushing toward the Darereka Islands.
Andy, far away in the West Blue, had no idea any of this was happening. He was already checked into a hotel, enjoying a nice, hot bath in the tub.