One Piece: Mandala Swordsman

Chapter 23 Killing Shada

Well, of course, we weren't lucky enough to run into the Red-Haired Pirates.

Having this fantasy is nothing more than wanting to test one's skills; if one were to actually encounter such a situation, one might end up with their head separated from their body.

However, judging from the current situation, although we haven't encountered a ferocious tiger with its jaws wide open, a cruel alpha wolf is not easy to deal with.

The pirate flag is a symbol of honor for pirates and an important marker for others to easily identify a pirate crew.

The black flag features a large skull against a backdrop of flames.

If I remember correctly, the pirate crew with this symbol is the Burning Pirates. The captain is Haddard Shaq, a supernova with the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit, nicknamed "Flame Killer," and has a bounty of 130 million Berries.

Am I really that unlucky?

It's important to know that, aside from the exceptional period of the "Era of Super Evil" where there were 11 Supernovas with bounties exceeding 100 million, in other periods, only one or two appear each year.

It seems like the person I've encountered is this year's supernova.

The voyage lasted only four months, yet the bounty had already exceeded 100 million.

Although the Age of Exploration led to rampant piracy, an increase in heinous incidents, and frequent instances where bounties exceeded strength, if Roman had naively believed that the other party was a good-for-nothing, she would have been a victim of his blade long ago.

Even if the bounty is inflated, the fact that the opponent has hundreds of millions of resources is definitely real. If you want to be cautious, you should treat the bounty as a reflection of their actual strength.

Moreover, there is the Flame-Flame Fruit. Although Devil Fruit users have the fatal weakness of being afraid of seawater and seastone, eating it will mostly greatly increase the user's strength.

Moreover, it's a Logia-type Devil Fruit; once it becomes an elemental, it's virtually invincible in the first half of the Grand Line.

Although there's a joke that "even dogs wouldn't eat" the Flame-Flame Fruit, that's just a joke; the temperature of the flames is no laughing matter.

The other crew members clearly recognized who the other party was, and their faces began to turn pale. Shaq's methods were extremely bloody; after killing people, he would set fire to destroy the bodies and cover up the evidence.

The ships and islands he attacked were in a terrible state.

"Is there any possibility of avoiding it?" Roman looked at the lookout.

"No, the enemy is already heading our way, and they're targeting us." The lookout reported as he observed, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

The chaotic Age of the Seas led to almost all ships being equipped with gunpowder, and sailors and crew members carrying firearms and ammunition to avoid becoming lambs to the slaughter.

It's not surprising that a significant portion of the crew had killed people.

However, compared to ruthless pirates, they still lacked a bit of courage.

"Are you sure?" Hartel asked with some concern.

"Well, how will we know if we don't try?" Roman picked up his weapon.

It would be best to set up the battlefield on their ships. If the fighting gets too intense and damages the ships, Hartel will have a lot of headaches.

With a single slash, Roman sliced ​​off a corner of the opponent's pirate flag.

This is the signal to start a war.

Shaq was furious at this situation. Since his debut, everyone who saw him had fled in terror, especially after he obtained the power of a Devil Fruit, which made him impossible for ordinary people to harm.

I never imagined I would be so humiliated today.

"Hey, did you see that? Who did it?"

"Reporting, Captain, it looks like a girl dressed entirely in black..." the lookout called out uncertainly.

A woman? For Shak, who had robbed many merchant ships, this was quite a novelty. Women were a rare sight. Could she be the captain's mistress?

No, the fact that she can use slashing attacks means she's not someone to be trifled with.

Unfortunately, it has encountered him, and today it will surely be utterly destroyed.

"Men, charge forward and take that ship!"

……

The ship's deck had completely changed color; red liquid had spread throughout the entire vessel, and stepping on it would cause tiny drops of blood to splatter. Swords and guns were scattered haphazardly to the side, covered with bright red handprints, indicating that the owner had been injured or died.

It's unbelievable, so weak, so incredibly weak, she's nowhere near as strong as her older brothers.

Roman was completely unaffected by the strong smell of blood. In the Kingdom of Tottoland, the old lady's killings were far more severe, and bloodshed was commonplace. The air mixed with the aroma of sweets and the rusty smell of blood was far more unpleasant than the smell of blood alone.

Looking at Shaq, who was barely clinging to life, Roman felt a pang of regret. He had expected a tough battle, but the victory seemed to have come far too easily.

"How could this be? You actually managed to attack me." Shak looked on in disbelief. The area around him was already a sea of ​​blood. His subordinates were either screaming in agony or had completely passed out. Even he himself was on the verge of death.

He was about three meters tall, but now he's only 1.5 meters tall because Roman cut him in half at the waist. And what's terrifying is that it only happened in an instant.

He knew he was finished, but he was unwilling to accept defeat at the hands of an unknown person, a mere young girl.

A powerful vitality, an unwilling heart, and perhaps a strong willpower prevented him from dying. Instead, he stared at Roman with his eyes open, as if trying to drag that figure down with him to hell.

"You're the one who's really stupid. The first thing you did when you met me was to transform into an element."

Will Roman, who has mastered Observation Haki, also possess Armament Haki?

The answer is of course.

To be honest, the process went incredibly smoothly. After all, Roman's weapon wasn't his fists, but a longsword capable of instant kill.

She can even cut through the bodies of sea kings in an instant; cutting through a human body is a piece of cake for her.

Shaq's body isn't a machine; even if he doesn't die, he'll be on his last breath, making it easier to deal with the remaining crew.

"Obviously..."

"Although I really want to spare your life, after all, killing an enemy who is already doomed doesn't sound good, out of respect for your strength, I will personally send you on your way and say goodbye to this world. If you can be reincarnated, remember to dodge the enemy's attacks."

If Shaq hadn't met Roman, he might have easily reached Sabaody Archipelago, entered the New World, mastered Haki in the harsh environment, joined a powerful force, guarded a territory, or encountered setbacks, temporarily lay low, slowly accumulated power, and then became a ruler.

But it will all end today. Since she has set sail, she must be prepared to face life and death. Roman constantly emphasizes that she must have this awareness. If she didn't even have this much courage, she wouldn't have run away.

After saying that, Roman slashed down without hesitation.

They had obtained heads worth 130 million, along with all the supplies and treasures on the ship, which now belonged to their merchant group.