After carving a long gash across Akainu's chest with his kunai, Ranzuki paused.
At this moment, Akainu was covered in wounds: be it bruises, sword wounds, gunshot wounds...
His face was pale, and his entire body, due to massive blood loss, looked exceptionally weak and haggard.
Thump!
He collapsed once more; it was unknown how many times Akainu had fallen to the ground.
Each time, he had stood back up and rejoined the fight.
But this time...
He no longer had the strength to gasp for breath. The rain in the sky had stopped at some point, and the dark clouds were dispersing.
Akainu's body, lying on the ground, was completely numb. He wanted to stand up and continue fighting, but unfortunately, he couldn't even move.
His life was ebbing away.
Akainu couldn't help but recall the past, everything that had happened.
This was probably an inevitable phase a dying person goes through.
What a ridiculous ending.
To die in this place.
Hozuki Ranzuki... Fleet Admiral Sengoku was right; he was stronger.
If he had listened to Fleet Admiral Sengoku, would he have avoided... death?
Akainu couldn't help but think.
Unfortunately, there were no ifs in life.
"It's over, Marine Vice Admiral Akainu."
Ranzuki walked towards Akainu step by step, kunai in hand. The surrounding pirates silently watched Akainu on the ground.
This man, who once made them feel fear, the existence they looked up to, now lay there motionless, like a dead dog.
After the initial satisfaction, looking at Akainu like this, some pirates suddenly felt a strange unease in their hearts.
They seemed to see their own future endings in Akainu.
"You shouldn't have come here from the beginning." Ranzuki squatted down, placing the kunai on Akainu's heart, and spoke softly.
Then, he stood up, without stabbing the kunai down.
It wasn't that Ranzuki was feeling merciful. He had his own reasons for doing this.
"Killing Akainu, after all, is quite the honor. I'll give this honor to you." He said, already standing aside, staring blankly at the distant sky.
Hearing this, the surrounding pirates' eyes seemed to light up, their gazes on Akainu turning fervent.
Yes, this was Akainu, the future Marine Admiral!
Personally killing a future Marine Admiral was an honor for any pirate.
And it wasn't just honor; killing Akainu also meant immense fame.
Wasn't that what they became pirates for?
Of course, after the initial fervor, some pirates calmed down.
Severely injuring a Marine Vice Admiral and personally killing one were two different things.
Personally killing a Marine Vice Admiral would certainly bring great fame, but it also meant an endless feud with the Marines, especially killing Akainu, someone destined to become a Marine Admiral.
Although pirates and Marines were naturally opposed, due to power dynamics, under normal circumstances, the Marines wouldn't actively target them.
But if they personally killed Akainu...
They wouldn't even need to think; they would probably see Borsalino and Kuzan every other day.
They might even see Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the legendary Garp.
After all, personally killing a future Marine Admiral was like slapping the Marines accross the face.
And so far, only God had been able to do such a thing and get away with it.
Some pirates backed down; they didn't want to cause more trouble. As participants in the siege of Akainu, they would become famous.
That was enough.
Unfortunately, not all pirates could remain calm and not be blinded by the immense fame before them.
"I'll do it! I've never liked this dog!" A pirate shouted, tightening his grip on his weapon, his eyes red as he was about to rush forward.
"Akainu's life is mine!" However, another pirate immediately yelled, rushing out even faster.
"Damn it, Akainu is mine!"
"I should be the one to end his life!"
Five or six pirates couldn't resist the immense temptation and charged forward with bloodshot eyes.
Tch!!!
"You dare steal my spoils? Die!"
Finally, infighting broke out.
Four or five pirates engaged in a chaotic melee, fighting for the right to kill Akainu.
The other pirates who didn't participate moved away, watching the show from the sidelines.
Ranzuki seemed to be awakened by the sound of fighting. He subtly revealed a sardonic smile.
He was using the pirates' power to kill Akainu, while using Akainu's life to make the pirates kill each other, and then... he would end it all.
This was good too.
The chaotic battle ended quickly.
Of the five pirates, four died.
The survivor unleashed his hidden power, a power far more terrifying than when they were surrounding Akainu.
"Hahaha, Akainu's life is mine! I will be the legendary pirate who personally killed a future Marine Admiral!"
The pirate laughed, looking somewhat crazed.
After the laughter stopped, the pirate walked towards Akainu on the ground, towards his spoils.
The surrounding pirates just watched coldly, not approaching further.
The pirate arrived beside Akainu, looked at his dazed and motionless form, and revealed a cruel smile.
"Akainu! You're like a stray dog, a dead dog! Remember, I, the great captain of the Sharp Blade Pirates, Blood Blade Sen, am the legendary pirate who ended your life! Hehehe, hahaha! Die!!!!!!"
Sen raised his blade high, his eyes wide, a crazed smile on his face.
He looked at Akainu, and Akainu looked at him.
Seeming to know his impending fate, Akainu stared intently at Sen.
This gaze made Sen's pupils constrict, and his body trembled.
"Da... Damn it! Die!!!"
His own trembling enraged Sen; and he roared hysterically.
Schhhh!!!
The blade pierced a heart.
However, it wasn't Akainu's heart.
"Ba... Bastard..." Sen looked at the blade protruding from his chest and turned his head with difficulty.
It was one of the pirates who had fought him for the right to kill Akainu, someone he thought he had already killed.
"If... If I can't have it... you... can't... either..."
Thump!
Two people fell, both dead.
This sudden turn of events left the surrounding pirates dumbfounded.
Even Ranzuki was surprised.
None of the five pirates who wanted to kill Akainu succeeded, and they all died.
It was truly ironic.
"Tsk tsk, it seems I have to do it myself," Ranzuki said, walking towards Akainu again with his kunai.
He squatted down, placed the kunai on Akainu's heart, looked at his battered appearance, and shook his head.
"Dying by my hand isn't a disgrace to your name as a Vice Admiral... After all, I am God's attendant."
Hearing this, Akainu's pupils eyes narrowed, but they were still dazed. His spirit seemed to be unable to hold on any longer.
"Then, it's over, Akainu."
Puchi!
With a forceful push, the kunai pierced Akainu's heart.
This stab took the life of the legendary Marine, the future Marine Admiral, the future Fleet Admiral.
Akainu was dead.
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