On the streets of the Upper City—
As Rorschach and Pamela blocked Hanks' path from the front and back, the atmosphere in the area instantly grew tense.
Hanks quickly noticed the unusual nature of the battle spear held in Gene Ango's grasp.
He also realized that what the Navy officer before him said was most likely true.
It seemed Gene Ango, that scoundrel, hadn't changed his thieving ways and had stolen something from the Navy again in Water 7.
However...
For Gene to shamelessly claim that this weapon belonged to him, its origins must be anything but simple.
Hanks' gaze flickered. His grip on Gene Ango tightened, causing Gene's eyes to roll back as he nearly lost consciousness.
"You see, you claim this weapon belongs to the Navy, but Gene says it's his.
Both sides have conflicting statements, and without solid evidence, I can't make a judgment.
So, here's what I'll do—I'll take this traitor back to the Hunter's Guild headquarters first. It's nearby, and you can take the sea train to get there.
If you can provide proof that this weapon belongs to you, I'll return it to you with both hands."
"Alright, that's that. I have to report back, so this is where we part ways."
Hanks nodded toward Rorschach, then suddenly leaped into the air like a great bird, soaring over ten meters high. As he stepped on the air, he executed Moonwalk, his speed increasing sharply as he dashed away.
"Major!" Pamela urgently looked at Rorschach.
Rorschach didn't hesitate. The moment Hanks leaped, he swiftly expanded his surgical space.
"ROOM! Slaughterhouse!"
A hemispherical space rapidly expanded for hundreds of meters, instantly encompassing the fleeing Hanks.
"What is this? A Devil Fruit ability?"
Hanks was startled. Immediately, his body was covered in jet-black Armament Haki, which made Rorschach's heart skip a beat.
But Rorschach's blade, Kikoku, did not stop. He swung it down.
An invisible cutting force slashed through the surgical space, striking Hanks.
Clang!
Hanks staggered, knocked back more than ten meters by Rorschach's strike.
However, because his body was coated in Armament Haki, he remained unscathed.
But Gene Ango, whom he was holding, was not so fortunate.
"AAAHHH! My body! Have I been cut down? No! I don't want to die! I had just obtained the legendary Heavenly Dragon Halberd!"
Gene Ango's head, still clutched in Hanks' hand, was filled with sheer terror as he screamed.
Meanwhile, his body, separated by over ten meters, plummeted toward the ground.
The Heavenly Dragon Halberd, which had been in his grasp, was also released, whistling as it plunged into the earth, shattering the street with an explosive impact.
Hanks looked at the still-talking head in his hand, clearly surprised.
"What kind of ability is this? It can sever a person's head without killing them? And…"
He brought Gene Ango's head closer and asked in a deep voice, "What did you just call that weapon? The Heavenly Dragon Halberd?"
"That's right! It's the national treasure of the Land of Flowers, one of the 21 Great Grade Blades, an ancient battle halberd! Hanks, we shouldn't let outsiders take advantage of this! I'd rather give this treasure to you than let the Navy have it. Hurry! Take it back!"
Gene Ango screamed, completely exposing the halberd's identity.
"One of the 21 Great Grade Blades?"
Hanks' eyes instantly lit up—literally.
His eyes seemed to turn into two light bulbs, shooting out dazzling beams that scanned the Heavenly Dragon Halberd embedded in the ground.
An uncontrollable greed surfaced on his face.
"The 21 Great Grade Blades... priceless and irreplaceable.
Even if I don't sell it, just using it myself would greatly boost my strength.
With this weapon's power, I might even be able to defeat André and become the Vice Guild Master.
Then, I'd have a chance to rise further, become the Guild Master, and rule over all the world's bounty hunters!"
With that thought, he instantly discarded Gene Ango's head and dove downward, extending his hand toward the Heavenly Dragon Halberd.
"ROOM!"
Rorschach's long blade slashed out once again.
"Slaughterhouse!"
"Although I don't know what kind of Devil Fruit ability that is, you must have heard that Haki can counter Devil Fruit powers, little Navy officer."
Hanks smirked, his left arm coated in a jet-black layer of Armament Haki, swinging forcefully toward Rorschach's incoming slash.
Boom!
A chaotic burst of airwaves exploded around him as Rorschach's spatial slash was shattered by Hanks' punch. Rorschach immediately spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Pamela!"
"Bepo!"
Rorschach didn't retract the hemispherical surgical space. Instead, he let out a loud shout while hooking both hands forward.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Two figures—one large, one small—suddenly appeared beside Hanks, attacking him from both sides with strikes that tore through the air.
"Haah! Finger Pistol!"
Bepo thrust a finger toward Hanks' eye.
"Elbaf Spear!"
Above, Pamela roared as a massive fist came crashing down.
"Hmph, overestimating yourselves."
Hanks sneered coldly, gripping the battle halberd on the ground.
Suddenly, his entire body erupted with light, transforming into a dazzling, radiant sun in an instant.
The light was so intense that Bepo and Pamela—who had just been teleported before him to attack—felt their eyes burn, as if they had been blinded by an overwhelming burst of light.
Their vision went completely white, and an unbearable pain seared through their eyes.
"Ahh!"
Overwhelmed by the sensation, both instinctively clutched at their eyes.
Within the endless radiance, a ruthless glint flashed in Hanks' eyes as he gripped the black battle halberd and swung it toward Bepo's head.
A ten-ton weapon, coated in Hanks' Armament Haki—this devastating blow seemed as if it would not only crush Bepo but also obliterate the entire street beneath him.
The sheer force sent violent shockwaves through the air, producing a piercing sonic boom.
"Command Baton!"
In an instant, both Bepo and Pamela, who had been clutching their eyes in pain, vanished.
Boom!
The heavy Heavenly Dragon Halberd smashed into the ground, instantly shattering a ten-meter-wide section of the street into debris, leaving behind a bottomless crater.
Nearby buildings trembled from the impact, their walls cracking.
"Oh? You actually know Observation Haki?"
Hanks glanced at Rorschach in surprise.
He was a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user, the Lightbulb Fruit.
His entire body could emit blinding light.
At close range, this was enough to blind any opponent instantly.
Even without considering his offensive capabilities, just his ability to turn himself into a sun-like light source gave him an overwhelming advantage against opponents without Observation Haki.
After all, who could possibly see him clearly in such intense light?
Swoosh!
Before Hanks could pursue, his vision flickered—Rorschach, with a cold expression, had already closed the distance, stabbing straight at his heart with Kikoku.
"Zzzt—!"
"Cardiac Shock Scalpel!"
Electricity crackled around the long blade, exuding a lethal aura.
Hanks smirked, responding with a powerful counter-slash.
"ROOM! Command Baton!"
Rorschach's gaze remained calm. He gripped his sword in his right hand, while his left hand let go and made a small flicking gesture.
A flash of movement—
A small yet dazzling figure appeared out of thin air, clenching a fist and smashing it toward the exposed opening in Hanks' back.
"Hound Crimson Lotus!"
Hanks' brows furrowed.
Another one who knows Observation Haki?
However, the threat from behind was nowhere near as dangerous as the electrified longsword-wielding Navy officer in front of him.
In an instant, Hanks made his decision.
A layer of jet-black Haki spread across his back, shielding his weak point.
At the same time, he swung his battle halberd fiercely at Rorschach, forcing him to retreat.
Hanks intended to take the attack from the woman behind him head-on.
The very next second—
An overwhelmingly lethal aura erupted like a storm, sending shivers down Hanks' spine.
Hibari, with her eyes closed, threw a seemingly delicate punch.
A fierce, blood-red spectral hound materialized around her fist, lunging forward as her strike connected with Hanks' Haki-covered back.
"BOOM!"
(End of Chapter)
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