Chapter 140: When Have I Ever Been Wronged?
Chapter 140: When Have I Ever Been Wronged?
The slash came with lightning speed. Silvers Rayleigh had no chance to dodge—especially with A Wisp Laser already streaking in from the distance.
Boom!!!
The laser exploded against Silvers Rayleigh’s body, unleashing a shockwave that kicked up a thick cloud of dust.
From the swirling haze, A Wisp’s figure retreated in a blur, skidding backward along the ground as if hurled by the blast.
Armament Haki dissipated in a vertical line from the bridge of his nose, vanishing simultaneously with the Armament Haki gathered in his left hand.
Even so, blood trickled from his nostrils.
“Swordsman…” Silvers Rayleigh muttered.
Blocking the laser was one thing—but parrying a swordsman like this?
Just like Kuro, whose Armament Haki had been pierced to draw blood, Silvers Rayleigh had managed to block… yet still bled.
After all, if he hadn’t blocked, he’d have been cleaved in two!
Whoosh!
The dust spiraled outward as Kuro, gripping [Autumn Water], emerged. His Haki swirled in entangled spirals around the black blade, slowly dissipating.
An old man with a rudder-like growth on his head once told him to use Haki only in critical moments.
So he’d only encase it during attacks.
What? My whole body’s coated in Armament Haki?
If I didn’t block, wouldn’t that count as “critical”?
Come on—he’d survived decades of the Grand Line, but this was his first time being ambushed so close to meeting Roger.
He was a Navy officer! What business did he have chasing One Piece?!
The one who should be meeting his old captain now was Kuro.
Gritting his teeth, Kuro snarled, “I’ve roamed the Grand Line for over a decade without ever taking such a beating! Today, I’ll carve your face into a blooming peach blossom—or my name isn’t Lucius Kro!”
Across from him stood a pirate who’d weathered the Grand Line for years, leaving chaos in his wake. Unlike Shanks, whose prime had passed without lingering ailments, Silvers Rayleigh’s age had dulled his power—but not his terror.
Yet Kuro stood unshaken. He still had a stronger ace up his sleeve.
“Oh~ Kuro, your Haki’s gotten a bit stronger. Scary!”
Beside him, golden light coalesced into Lucius Kro’s form. He stared in surprise at the Armament Haki cloaking Kuro’s body.
This was far beyond their first sparring match.
Had this brat broken through a bottleneck?
Lucius Kro frowned. Strength didn’t surge easily—though some in the Grand Line transformed overnight, their talent like filling a bucket with water.
Real power meant expanding the bucket itself… a far greater leap.
What had Kuro gained?
Lost in thought, Lucius Kro missed the beads of cold sweat on Silvers Rayleigh’s face.
Not only had the ambush failed, but the young swordsman was furious.
The sheer density of his Haki surpassed all estimates.
And now… Lucius Kro had joined the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
“Luffy…”
Silvers Rayleigh’s eyes drifted toward Luffy, who was bellowing at the bear. Worry creased his brow.
First things first—he had to save that kid.
Silvers Rayleigh stepped forward, but Kuro had already sheathed Autumn Water, widening his stance and gripping the hilt.
Instantly, Silvers Rayleigh sensed a chilling aura. Instinctively, he raised his sword to block.
“Ichiryu Style.”
Clang!
Kuro’s form faded like a ripple in water as his blade, encased in Haki, clashed against Silvers Rayleigh’s.
The impact unleashed a shockwave, vibrating the very air.
“Iaijutsu Path master?!” Silvers Rayleigh gasped.
Not just a swordsman—but one wielding the deadliest techniques of the Iaijutsu Path?!
“Old man, join the party!”
At the moment of collision, Lucius Kro materialized near Silvers Rayleigh, his foot glowing as he whipped a kick toward the swordsman’s ribs.
Crack!
Silvers Rayleigh failed to react—the kick struck his chest, sending him hurtling backward.
Kuro drew Autumn Water again, his figure vanishing.
Click.
Blade half-sheathed.
“One Sword Style!”
The black blade, laced with Haki, carved a long, dark arc across the ground, slashing toward Silvers Rayleigh.
The veteran planted his feet, halting mid-flight. His sword cleaved through the black streak like a meteor.
Kuro reappeared before him, Autumn Water blocked by Silvers Rayleigh’s longsword. The surrounding air trembled under their Haki.
Shweew!
In that instant, Lucius Kro extended a finger, firing a piercing A Wisp Laser through Silvers Rayleigh’s shoulder blade.
“Tsk!”
Silvers Rayleigh groaned, his hands pressing down on Kuro mid-air before delivering a punishing kick to his chest.
The blow sent Kuro flying.
Crash!
Kuro hit the ground, clutching his ribs, his expression darkening.
Even with Haki defense, the old man’s strike stung.
This elder’s Haki… was no trifling matter.
“Laser.”
Lucius Kro fired another A Wisp Laser. Silvers Rayleigh countered with a swift slash, deflecting the beam.
Click.
Kuro sheathed Autumn Water again—then drew it in a flash.
“Slash Wave.”
A golden crescent soared skyward, forming a horizontal arc. As Silvers Rayleigh deflected the laser, Kuro’s slash tore into his chest.
The impact hurled Silvers Rayleigh backward, slamming him into a massive tree.
The tree severed at the roots, collapsing with a deafening roar.
The golden slash continued unabated, carving through everything in its path. Structures and trees alike were sliced clean, their cuts eerily smooth—as if shaved by a scythe.
Lucius Kro appeared beside Kuro, both surveying the leveled destruction.
“You might’ve gone overboard,” Lucius Kro muttered. “People might complain.”
Kuro lit a cigar, smoke curling from his lips. “You’re one to talk, Gramps. You kicked a tree’s trunk clean off—don’t pretend innocence.”
He tightened his grip on Autumn Water. Compared to Huazhou, this black blade felt far superior. His Slash Wave had gained an edge over his old sword.
Autumn Water, a heavy katana, suited his Ichiryu Style perfectly. The switch had paid off.
Lifting the blade, Kuro grinned. “Play for a few more days, and you’ll be mine.”
“Hmm?”
Nearby, Lida, now calm, hadn’t caught Kuro’s words. But seeing him gaze lovingly at Autumn Water, a chill ran down her spine.
That sword… was a threat!
Even if Kuro treated her like a child, Lida believed time would change things. Until then, any woman near Kuro—swords included—were rivals.
The blade? A rival too! What if it transformed into a “wife”?
The wind scattered the dust, revealing Silvers Rayleigh. Kneeling, he clutched his chest, blood seeping through his fingers.
The wound on his chest stretched in a single, gaping “I” shape.
Silvers Rayleigh chuckled bitterly at the old-young duo.
One-on-one, he could handle. Two-on-one? Even defending felt taxing.
If Luffy weren’t here, he’d have fled already.
But Luffy…
“…That slash.”
Silvers Rayleigh eyed Kuro’s smug grin. Maybe his eyesight blurred from injury, but the swordsman’s silhouette seemed… different.
A familiar golden-haired figure laughed mockingly in his mind.
(This chapter ends here.)
(End of Chapter)
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