"Hm?"
Shanks adjusted the brim of his straw hat and slowly lifted his head.
His gaze locked onto Kairos D. Vale standing at the doorway, unconcerned as cold liquor dripped from the brim of his hat.
The violet glow faded.
In Kairos' previously empty hand, a blade appeared.
The weapon looked sinister and cold, radiating a chilling sharpness. Yet the blade itself was riddled with cracks—as if the slightest touch would shatter it completely.
It made no sense.
How could a blade on the verge of breaking possibly be used in battle?
"A thousand fragments…?"
A glint of interest flashed through Shanks' eyes.
With his Observation Haki, he could instantly perceive the structure of the weapon.
Exactly one thousand pieces.
Not one more.
Not one less.
"Hahahaha!"
"This idiot's serious?"
"He's bringing a broken sword to fight us?"
"Kid, you ever killed anyone before? Hope you don't piss yourself when you see blood."
The bandits, startled at first by the sudden purple light, quickly burst into laughter once they got a good look at Kairos' weapon.
"Devil Fruit user?"
Higuma narrowed his eyes.
Compared to his dim-witted subordinates, his knowledge of the world was slightly broader.
A weapon appearing out of thin air…
In his mind, that could only mean one thing.
A Devil Fruit ability.
But Devil Fruit users usually carried more valuables.
"Kill him," Higuma ordered greedily, licking his lips.
"Idiot."
Kairos' eyes flashed with cold light.
The moment the word left his mouth—
Clang.
The Magic Blade trembled.
A metallic resonance echoed through the tavern as if the blade had suddenly come alive.
Deep blue light surged through every crack along its surface, flowing like dark streams through the fractured steel.
The Magic Blade Thousand Blades.
A weapon composed of a thousand fragments.
Each piece quivered faintly.
It had felt its master's presence.
And it answered.
In an instant—
coldness, killing intent, arrogance—
all condensed into a razor-sharp aura that pierced straight into the hearts of everyone present.
At this moment, with the Wu Liuqi Card active, Kairos was no longer just himself.
He was the Shadow Assassin of the Xuanwu Kingdom.
The number one assassin on the world's assassination rankings.
A killer who had nearly abandoned all emotion.
If not for the last faint trace of humanity buried deep within his heart, the Shadow Assassin would have been utterly unrivaled.
Clang!
Steel rang out as Kairos took a single step forward.
The Magic Blade moved with him.
Slash.
The killing method was simple to the extreme.
Step.
Flash.
Blade rise.
Blade fall.
Death.
The ruthless decisiveness of an assassin was displayed perfectly through Kairos' movements.
Not a single motion was wasted.
Every strike landed precisely where it should.
Not a drop of blood was spilled unnecessarily.
Precision separated slaughter from surgery.
And in this moment—
Kairos was flawless.
He moved like a shadow.
Bandits died instantly wherever he passed.
Flesh tore through the air.
Bodies collapsed one after another.
Shanks narrowed his eyes.
"How many people would you have to kill to move like that?"
Lucky Roux stopped chewing his meat, his brow furrowing.
"The souls that died under that kid's blade…"
"There must be thousands."
The killing aura radiating from Kairos was thick and suffocating.
Cold.
Sharp.
Oppressive.
Without thousands of deaths behind it, such an aura simply couldn't exist.
Even Benn Beckman showed a flicker of surprise.
Not even twenty years old…
And already carrying the aura of a man who had slaughtered thousands?
Did this kid start killing in the womb?
While the Red Hair Pirates were shocked—
Higuma felt only fear.
Clang!
Higuma raised his blade just in time to block.
His face twisted with panic and rage.
In just a few seconds…
Every single bandit under him had been slaughtered.
"You bastard! Who the hell are you?!"
Higuma roared, panic creeping into his voice as their blades locked.
He could see it clearly now.
Kairos' weapon was truly shattered.
A blade cracked into countless fragments…
How could it cut through bodies like grass?
"Magic Blade Thousand Blades…"
Kairos murmured softly, his crimson eyes meeting Higuma's.
"It only attacks."
"It never defends."
"You—"
Higuma's eyes widened.
Slowly…
He looked down.
A line had appeared across his chest.
The cut was clean.
Perfect.
Skin.
Bone.
Organs.
Everything had been sliced apart in one seamless motion.
The incision was so smooth it looked as if his body had always been divided that way.
Shanks suddenly stood up.
"Beckman," he said, eyes still fixed on Kairos.
"I suddenly feel like inviting him into our crew."
"What do you think?"
"You're the captain," Beckman replied calmly.
"Your call."
At that moment, Higuma could no longer speak.
He stared blankly at Kairos.
The young man now held nothing but a black hilt.
Around him—
a thousand blade fragments floated in midair, glowing with dark blue light.
They formed a dazzling constellation, like a miniature galaxy suspended above the tavern floor.
Moments earlier, those fragments had exploded outward.
And pierced straight through Higuma's chest.
Higuma was already dead.
It's over.
Kairos turned the hilt slightly.
The thousand fragments responded instantly, streaking back through the air like shooting stars.
Clang. Clang.
The pieces reassembled.
The Magic Blade Thousand Blades returned to its original form.
Then—
Splatter.
Blood erupted.
Higuma's body split cleanly in half from the chest down.
His upper torso slid from the severed edge and crashed to the floor, leaving a spreading pool of crimson.
"Ah!!"
Makino screamed and immediately covered Luffy's eyes.
Kairos ignored the scene.
He closed his eyes as the crimson glow faded from his pupils.
The Magic Blade dissolved into violet light and disappeared from his hand.
A mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
"Ding. Host has successfully used Assassin Wu Liuqi Card (Magic Blade Thousand Blades Version)."
"Host has obtained Wu Liuqi Skill: Qi Control."
"Ding. Host has killed Higuma."
"Reward obtained: Killer Bee Card (Non-Tailed Beast Version — 1 Use)."
Hmm?
Kairos opened his eyes again.
They had returned to their original black color.
He was slightly surprised.
All he did was kill a minor bandit like Higuma.
Yet he obtained both Qi Control…
And a powerful card like Killer Bee.
Could it be because Higuma humiliated Red-Haired Shanks, an Emperor of the Sea, so the system increased the reward?
"…This system has a weird sense of humor."
Kairos shook his head with a faint chuckle.
Suddenly—
A rough hand landed on his shoulder.
"You're Kairos, right? Luffy mentioned you."
Kairos turned his head.
Shanks was standing behind him, grinning broadly with a thumbs-up.
"Pretty impressive killing skills for someone your age."
"Interested in joining my pirate crew?"
"You're a swordsman, right? I happen to know an incredible swordsman I could introduce you to."
Shanks was still smiling.
He was drenched in liquor from head to toe, looking more ridiculous than intimidating.
But that was exactly why he was Shanks.
"I'll pass."
Kairos shook his head and refused without hesitation.
The Red Hair Pirates were free—perhaps the freest pirate crew in the world.
But that wasn't the life Kairos wanted.
"Ah, that's a shame."
Shanks' smile didn't fade in the slightest.
There was no disappointment in his eyes.
He simply patted Kairos on the shoulder again.
"Well then…"
"How about a drink instead?"
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