Suddenly, the entire merchant ship trembled violently.
The deafening noise and fierce shaking reached their ears instantly.
"I gotta admit, kids these days are bold as hell."
At that moment, a towering figure appeared before them.
Chains clinked and dragged across the floor with a metallic hiss. Dried blood still clung to the cold iron links, giving off a faint stench of death.
From the man's body, a terrifying aura radiated outward.
"Heavenly Dragon Guard—Yakazhuo!"
"Remember that name. It's the name that'll haunt your nightmares!"
Yakazhuo bellowed, then charged straight at Kuina.
To him, both of them looked weak—insignificant even. So, picking a target felt totally random.
Just as Yakazhuo lunged, Kuina swung her sword in rhythm with her breath. But her sword shattered under the sheer force of his attack.
Still unable to fully control Armament Haki, Kuina froze for a split second—just long enough to take a full-powered punch to the gut that sent her flying.
She crashed to the ground but rolled to her feet immediately, clutching her broken sword and keeping her stance.
But anyone could sense it—Kuina was hurt.
And not just minor scratches either.
Multiple fractures. One arm out of commission.
For a swordsman, that's like losing half your power.
Of course, monsters like Zoro or Luffy don't count. Those guys pull out their ultimate moves with 1 HP left like they're Ultraman or something.
"Damn... he's strong."
Lu Yu's eyes narrowed as he analyzed the fight.
Then, the Armament Haki around him erupted.
A deep black sheen quickly covered his sword, Ame-no-Habakiri.
The sword itself was incredibly sharp—on par with the Supreme Great Swords—but even that wouldn't be enough. Not against this guy. He needed Haki to stand a chance.
More than the raw power, what caught Lu Yu's attention was Yakazhuo's earlier introduction.
Heavenly Dragon Guard.
That kind of title wasn't something a random thug could claim.
Just looking at those blood-stained chains told Lu Yu this guy wasn't normal.
And anyone bold enough to appear in front of nobles—hell, to ignore nobles—was someone you had to take seriously.
"Kuina, let me handle this."
Lu Yu stepped in front of her, standing tall with Haki-infused confidence.
This girl actually wanted to keep fighting?
From the clash earlier, it was obvious—Kuina couldn't handle Yakazhuo.
"Someone's looking to die, huh?"
"How long do you think that brat'll last?"
"Shame, really. Yakazhuo gonna ruin that pretty body."
The surrounding nobles began chattering, their voices dripping with mockery and detachment.
To them, this was nothing but entertainment.
Lu Yu and Kuina weren't people in their eyes—just playthings.
Even Yakazhuo was no exception.
Lu Yu launched himself at full speed.
His slash came down hard, aiming straight for Yakazhuo's neck.
He put everything into it—speed, power, precision—nearly 80% of his full strength.
A massive fist came flying toward him in response.
Yakazhuo had completely ignored the slash.
Lu Yu barely dodged, frowning as he landed. Something felt off.
Yakazhuo had predicted the strike and covered his neck in Armament Haki just in time.
The bastard didn't just use Armament—he combined it with Observation Haki.
No way this guy was a regular guard.
"Heavenly Dragon Guard... could it be he's one of those guards for the Celestial Dragons?"
"Did I just win the worst lottery ever?"
"Wait... are there Celestial Dragons on this ship?"
Lu Yu's grip on Ame-no-Habakiri tightened as his stance shifted.
His movements became light—almost ethereal—as he slowly circled Yakazhuo.
"The World Nobles? Guys like you have no business protecting scum like that."
"Today, you're dying here."
Yakazhuo growled in irritation.
Lu Yu's pacing was getting to him.
The arrogance and indifference from earlier? Gone.
Now, he was getting pissed.
Yakazhuo launched a barrage of violent punches, but Lu Yu's body seemed untouchable.
Every fist hit nothing but air or a fading silhouette.
Even when Yakazhuo swore he had him, Lu Yu's figure vanished like mist.
Yakazhuo roared in rage, loud enough that the nobles winced and covered their ears.
Suddenly, Lu Yu's sword slashed through the air.
A single clean strike.
Yakazhuo's wrist hit the floor.
Blood splattered in thick droplets.
"You're just a half-baked brute."
"Now die slowly... in the dark."
Lu Yu's voice echoed like a whisper from the void.
His body blurred and vanished, then reappeared again—slash after slash raining down from all directions.
Every cut dug into Yakazhuo's body.
His strength began to fade.
His breathing slowed.
Even his Haki weakened.
"Impossible... how can I lose to a damn bug like you!?"
"WHY WON'T YOU DIE!?"
Yakazhuo screamed like a madman, fists flailing wildly.
But the fear in his eyes was undeniable.
Finally, Yakazhuo collapsed, his body trembling.
His severed arm hung limply beside him.
"You ready to die now?"
Lu Yu appeared behind him, sword raised for the final blow.
Before he could strike, a massive hand clamped down on Lu Yu's ankle.
No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't shake it.
Panic shot through him.
If Yakazhuo landed a hit while dying, Lu Yu would be seriously injured—or worse.
But just then, a broken sword pierced through Yakazhuo's eye.
Yakazhuo's grip loosened.
Despite her injuries, she had rushed in and stabbed him in the face with her shattered sword.
That one blow ended it.
Yakazhuo collapsed completely, lifeless.