"Who are they?..." Konan asked Reynold.
"I don't know... I'm wondering too... But it's definitely related to the World Government... And they're enemies, not friends..." Reynold replied.
"World Government?..." Konan murmured in confusion.
"Ah... I'll explain later... But what's certain is that the World Government and these people are all enemies... You stand back... I'll finish the fight quickly and we'll leave..." Reynold added.
"Ah hahaha... Hahaha..."
"Kid!... Trying to be a hero saving the beauty, are you?... Do you even have the ability for that?... Don't joke around, what do you take me for!?..."
"Go!... Grab them and take them away... If they resist... Leave the woman... Kill this brat!..."
Spandine laughed, his face twisted as he gave orders. His subordinates swarmed forward upon hearing the command, some directly shooting at their legs, others brandishing knives and charging.
Spandine's deputy, Glenn, even engaged Reynold using four of the Navy Six Styles. Glenn only knew four of the Navy Six Styles: Shave, Moonwalk, Finger Pistol, and Tempest Kick. Moreover, he was only in the preliminary stages and couldn't use them at a deeper level.
Glenn, having only initially mastered four of the Navy Six Styles, already possessed a combat power of around 400 Douriki. This indicates that the Navy Six Styles are a very profound martial art in this world. Glenn, leading the charge and using his four Navy Six Styles in combination, couldn't even touch Reynold's clothes. In their back-and-forth exchange, Glenn was on the receiving end of more blows.
Although Glenn knew the Navy Six Styles, his speed was vastly inferior compared to those from CP0. While Reynold often landed hits on Glenn, he couldn't inflict serious damage due to insufficient attack power.
Spandine stood by, lighting a cigarette and watching the battle with a sinister smile, having no intention of joining. It was like a cat playing with a mouse.
Spandine's subordinates surrounded the two. Seeing that the beautiful woman dodged the bullets and then remained still, they didn't pay much attention and didn't Move to attack her for the time being.
Reynold and Spandine's deputy, Glenn, were in a stalemate. Internally, Reynold was very anxious, truly realizing the severe consequences of his insufficient strength. The previous injury incident, this slightly awkward combat incident, and a group of enemies watching them fight with sinister smiles. If he couldn't protect the person Pain had assigned him to meet, Reynold didn't know how he could face Pain again.
Reynold secretly resolved that upon returning, he must apprentice himself to Oden and diligently learn to fight, no longer just fleeing as before. At the same time, he was calculating how to use Flash Step to escape with the girl. He couldn't worry about the Materials on the ship for now; Pain and the others would have to retrieve them later. Konan watched silently from the side, observing the fighting styles of the people in this world.
Konan was actually very puzzled, wondering whether these people were strong or weak in this world, and why the battle had been undecided for so long. But the clothing of the man sent by Nagato to meet her couldn't be wrong. Konan couldn't understand why such a weak person would be noticed by Nagato and recruited into the organization; in her previous life, such strength would certainly not have caught Nagato's eye.
Seeing that the two were in a stalemate, Konan knew that continuing to watch wouldn't yield any results, so she decided to act and quickly end the battle. In Konan's eyes, the strength of these two was similar to that of a Chunin in her previous life; dealing with them with her abilities should be a matter of minutes.
"Dance of the Shikigami: Paper Rain!..."
Once Konan made her decision, she instantly acted. A pair of paper wings quickly grew from her body, lifting her into the air. Countless paper fragments formed a large circle, creating a paper wall that surrounded all two hundred-plus people. After Konan ascended, her wings shot out countless paper arrows at everyone present, including Reynold, an indiscriminate attack.
Spandam's subordinates, who had originally surrounded Konan, all stood stunned on the spot. Most were riddled by the Paper Rain's "ten thousand arrows piercing the body," slumping to the ground, staining it with blood. A few quick-witted ones reacted, dodging attacks while firing guns and cannons in rounds at Konan. Unfortunately, these cannonballs were completely useless against Konan; either they were blocked by paper fragments forming shields, or the ones that slipped through directly hit Konan, creating holes, but she instantly recovered as if an Ability User with a Logia-type Devil Fruit, completely unaffected.
Reynold and Glenn, while fighting, sensed the unexpected attack and simultaneously chose to cease combat. Reynold was shocked by Konan's explosive attack, feeling self-deprecating about his overestimation of himself.
"As expected of someone from the same world as Pain... They all possess such abnormal strength... It's truly laughable that I thought I could protect her..."
Reynold quickly used Flash Step to exit Konan's encirclement and watched from the periphery, leaving the battlefield to Konan. The most shocked person on the scene was undoubtedly Spandine, who, having initially felt victory was assured and was playing cat and mouse, was now drenched in a cold sweat.
"What kind of ability is this?... A Paper-Paper Fruit?... Why have I never heard of someone with this ability!?..."
Many questions popped into Spandine's mind; he couldn't understand it at all. Seeing his subordinates suffering heavy casualties and on the verge of total annihilation, Spandine was conflicted.
"What should I do?... Fight or flee?..."
After careful consideration, Spandine, with a conflicted expression, still chose to act. A stroke of luck told him that these paper fragments looked intimidating but actually had no power.
Spandine's application of the Navy Six Styles was far superior to Glenn's, comparable to Blueno's. The moment he uttered "Shave," his figure instantly appeared before Konan. His right hand, hardened by Iron Body, struck directly at Konan's cheek. Spandinehad no concept of chivalry.
Half of Konan's face was "shattered" by Spandine's successful blow. Spandine, seeing his success, laughed maniacally internally, using both fists and feet to target Konan's vital points.
"That's all there is to it, huh?... Hahaha..."
Spandine relentlessly attacked Konan in mid-air using Shave, Moonwalk, and Iron Body, completely oblivious to the fact that it was highly abnormal for an enemy not to fall from high altitude after being attacked for so long. Konan endured the enemy's attacks from high up like watching a clown. Seeing that the scum on the ground had been mostly cleared, she also stopped her "Dance of the Shikigami: Paper Rain" attack. Her eyes, revealing the gaze of a dead person, stared at the enemy who was still wildly attacking and laughing. Konan did not make a Moveuntil Spandine retreated to the ground to catch his breath due to exhaustion.
Spandine attacked frantically for nearly five minutes, leaving him heavily out of breath. Such high-intensity use of the Navy Six Styles was extremely physically demanding. He only retreated when he felt he could no longer sustain himself in the air.
Spandine transitioned from excitement to calm, gasping for breath. He looked up at the woman in the sky whose body had been shattered and then recovered without a scratch, feeling a million expletives rushing through his mind.
"What's going on?... What the hell is this?... Why are my attacks ineffective?... Is the Paper-Paper Fruit a Logia-type Devil Fruit ability!?... No, that's not right... Does this world even have such a Fruit?..."
Spandine gasped for air, his thoughts racing. The events unfolding before him finally made Spandinefeel panic and powerlessness.
To be continued...