[Warrior: When facing a battle, you will not fear anything. Fueled by desire, you grow more courageous with every clash.]
…
"Damn it! Since you want to die so badly, I'll grant your wish!" Anderson's eyes burned red as he let go of all reservations. No longer holding back, he prepared to go all out.
Until now, Anderson had been cautious. With so many pirates loitering outside the tavern, he feared a third party might exploit the chaos. So he had been saving his strength, avoiding a drawn-out battle.
But not anymore.
A burst of intense aura exploded from Anderson's body. He bared his blood-stained teeth and roared like a beast. His sharp claws gleamed coldly in the dim light. Stepping forward, the ground beneath him cracked like a spider web. Then—boom!—Anderson launched himself forward, appearing in front of Mio and throwing a heavy punch.
Mio brought his sword across his chest to block, but the sheer force drove him back several steps. His knuckles throbbed in pain, but instead of fear, a wild grin spread across his face.
"Hahaha! That's more like it. Come on, keep going!" Mio shouted excitedly.
With a swing of his sword, a powerful slash swept across the ground, slicing through it like butter. Anderson snorted coldly, clenched his claw into a fist, and smashed the attack apart. But that momentary pause was all Mio needed.
The instant the slash was deflected, Mio had already charged forward, sword raised high. With a merciless arc, the blade descended.
A flash of steel.
A sharp chill surged down Anderson's spine. He tried to move—but it was too late.
Puff!
A deep gash tore across Anderson's chest, and blood spurted out like a fountain. His face turned ghostly pale. But before he could even register the pain, Mio followed up with another frenzied slash.
"Damn it!" Anderson cursed as he leapt back just in time. Mio's second attack slammed into the floor, carving a massive trench in the ground.
Clutching his bleeding chest, Anderson's gaze flicked between Mio, who was already preparing another assault, and Erica, standing silently in the distance. His expression twisted as he gritted his teeth and shouted, "Wait! Just let me go! I have a ship full of Berries. I'll give it all to you. How about it?"
"Oh?"
Mio paused, the corners of his mouth curling into a sly smile.
Seeing this reaction, Anderson thought he'd struck a chord and quickly added, "There are too many pirates outside. Even if you beat me, I'll drag you down with me. Then someone else will swoop in and take everything. You don't want that, right?"
Anderson was desperate now. He knew the truth—if the fight continued, he would die.
But Mio just let out a light chuckle and replied, "Sorry. Not interested."
He slowly raised his katana, eyes gleaming. "If I kill you, everything on your ship is mine anyway. And as for those guys outside… I'm not worried."
"This battle," he said softly, "should end now."
"You bastard! Then die with me!"
Snarling, Anderson's expression turned savage as he made his final decision. His body swelled with power, muscles bulging unnaturally, and his aura surged higher than ever before.
This was his final trump card.
Mio's eyes lit up with delight. "Oh? Is this your last stand? Then show me!"
The instant he finished speaking, Anderson vanished.
Mio's eyes narrowed as he sensed something behind him. Instinct took over—he spun around and slashed.
Clang! Sparks flew. Mio's blade caught Anderson's claws mid-strike.
It had been close—too close.
Anderson's speed had skyrocketed, a clear testament to the power boost from his Zoan-type Devil Fruit. Mio barely kept up.
Anderson had almost succeeded in landing a fatal blow.
Mio's physical strength wasn't overwhelming by normal standards, but it wasn't weak either. His stats were derived from one-tenth of Erica's and Warwick's all-around attributes—far above average.
Yet even with those enhancements, he had barely reacted in time.
Had Anderson mastered his Devil Fruit, Mio wouldn't have stood a chance.
Mio's expression turned serious. "Itto-Ryu…"
His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword, lifting it overhead with both hands. His eyes sharpened like blades. "Black Crow!"
As the name rang out, Mio slashed downward. A black arc of sword energy screamed through the air like a crow's cry, flapping toward Anderson.
Anderson's pupils shrank. His instincts screamed danger.
Without hesitation, he summoned every ounce of power and countered with a flurry of razor-sharp air blades.
But it wasn't enough.
The black slash pierced through the whirlwind of blades and surged forward without stopping.
Puff!
Blood exploded from Anderson's neck. His hands flew up in vain to stop the bleeding. Eyes wide, he stared at Mio in disbelief.
He never imagined he'd die here. He had dreams—plans—to head for the Grand Line.
But it was all over now.
Blood poured from the fatal wound, soaking his chest. With a dull thud, his body hit the ground—lifeless.
The tavern around them was in ruins, reduced to a crumbling mess from their intense battle.
Outside, dozens of pirates stood frozen in shock.
"I had a bad feeling, but… I didn't think Anderson would actually die!"
"Unbelievable. He was one of the top fighters in the North Blue, and now he's dead just like that."
"Who is that guy? I've never seen him before. Is he a newcomer? His strength is terrifying."
"Heh… I wouldn't mind following someone like that."
"Don't be stupid. Didn't you see? There's only one person with him. A guy like that won't look twice at small fries like us."
The gathered pirates whispered among themselves, awe and fear mixing in their voices.
Meanwhile, a system panel appeared before Mio—visible only to him.
[Congratulations! Gene extracted: Human (Ancient Megalania)]
Mio's eyes flickered as he read the prompt. His lips curled upward slightly.
Things were just starting to get interesting.